OceanSide church of Christ

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (13)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   There are some websites designed to ask difficult questions:  logic, spelling, grammar, and math.

 

B.   When I read them, I thought:  “I think I will stick with Bible questions.”

 

C.   Tonight is our Q&A night.  Let’s look at several questions you have given for me to answer.

 

I.             QUESTION #1:  Psalm 36:2

 

A.   Stated:  What does it mean to “flatter yourself in your own eyes”?  Please give specific examples.

 

B.   Answer:

1.    Psalm 36:2

 

For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

 

2.    The verse is speaking about the wicked (Ps. 36:1).

3.    The wicked man looks at himself and is flattered.

a.    He has an exalted estimate of himself.

b.    He overrates himself.

c.    He is in awe of his importance, his judgment, and his ability to direct his life.

4.    Examples

a.    Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:36)

 

The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

 

b.    The atheists who denied the existence of God and believes that he can live his life just fine without God.

c.    The Christian who turns his back on the Lord and apostatizes from the faith.

5.    Any person can become “too big for his britches.”  He, however, cannot become so big that God cannot bring him down (Ex., Edom, Obadiah 3-4)

 

The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?  Though thou exalt thyself as an eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord.

 

II.           QUESTION #2:  Baptism, Acts 2:38

 

A.   Stated:  Was Acts 2:38 all the Jews understood about baptism, or, did they have the other scriptures about baptism?

 

B.   Answer:

1.    If Acts 2:38 were the only verse in the Bible on the subject of baptism, it would be sufficient.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 

a.    Peter told them to be baptized “for” the remission of sins.  The word “for” means “in order to obtain” the remission of sins.

b.    The phrase is identical to the words of Jesus in Matthew 26:28.

 

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

 

1)    Jesus shed His blood so man could obtain the remission of sins.

2)    NOTE:  Jesus did NOT shed His blood because man’s sins had already been forgiven.

2.    Peter may have told his audience many more things about baptism that are not recorded for us (Acts 2:40).

 

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

 

3.    Whatever they were taught, those who heard him gladly were baptized (Acts 2:41).

 

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:  and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

 

III.         QUESTION #3:  KNEELING IN PRAYER

 

A.   Stated:  When we pray is it required that we kneel down?  If so, why don’t we kneel in the assembly when we pray?

 

B.   Answer:

1.    In the Bible, several postures are mentioned in regard to prayer.  Nowhere is one posture authorized to be used in worship to God.

2.    Five postures:

a.    Standing, looking toward heaven, hands uplifted with palms up.

1)    John 17:1

 

These words spake Jesus, and lift up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father…

 

2)    I Timothy 2:8

 

I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

 

b.    Standing with eyes looking down to the ground (Luke 18:13).

 

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

 

c.    Kneeling (Luke 22:41)

 

And as he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed.

 

d.    Prostrate, that is, lying on the ground (Matt. 26:38-39)

 

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death:  tarry ye here, and watch with me.  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying.

e.    Sitting (II Sam. 7:18)

 

Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said…

 

C.   What was the position of Paul and Silas when they prayed to God while in the Philippian jail? (Acts 16:25).

 

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:  and the prisoners heard them.

 

D.   The posture is not what is paramount.  The point is that we PRAY!

 

IV.         QUESTION #4:  Perfect

 

A.   Stated:  How can it be possible for imperfect people to live perfect lives?  What does it mean to be perfect?

 

B.   Answer:

1.    There are several times in the Scriptures that we are exhorted to be perfect.

a.    Matthew 5:48

 

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

 

b.    II Corinthians 13:11

 

Finally brethren, farewell.  Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

 

c.    In the Greek language, the word “perfect” in these two verses is different.

1)    The first means “complete, full grown, mature, nothing wanting in moral character.”

2)    The second word means “to render fit, fully equipped, put in order, to be what one ought to be.”

2.    Sinless perfection can never be obtained by man here.  Even the Scriptures tell us this (I John 1:8).

 

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

 

3.    We can become the kind of person God wants us to be, a full-grown, mature child of God.

a.    Several examples:

1)    Noah (Gen. 6:9)

2)    Abraham (Gen. 17:1)

3)    Job (Job 1:8)

4)    The psalmist (Ps. 101:2)

b.    God’s Word was given to enable us to be mature Christians (II Tim. 3:16-17).

 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

 

c.    Even this perfection is something for which we strive every day (Ex., Paul, Phil. 3:12).

 

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect:  but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   What have we learned in this lesson?

1.    Man can lift himself up, but God will bring him low.

2.    Baptism was essential to salvation on the day of Pentecost, and it still is today.

3.    Prayer is an important part of the Christian life, and the posture of prayer is not important.

4.    God wants us to grow into mature, full-grown, perfect children of God.

 

B.   Don’t be proud, humble yourself, obey God’s Word, and God will exalt you in due time.  Continually pray and every day give diligence to grow to be more like Christ.