Ans. Timothy is exhorted in this Epistle where so much failure and unfaithfulness had come in to "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." In order to carry out this exhortation, he was to endure hardness, or take his share in suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ; also not to entangle himself with the affairs of this life, that he might please the One Who had chosen him to be a soldier.
Next, he is to be like a man striving in the games; to strive according to the rules of the game, or he will lose the prize. That is obedience.
Next, he is to be like a husbandman going through all the toil and endurance before he gets any crops. That is toiling perseveringly in hope of the reward.
So we get in the soldier singleness of eye and purpose of heart to please the Lord. In the athlete, we have strict obedience to the Word of God; and in the husbandman, toiling and waiting for the promised reward.
Ans. 1 Cor. 15th chapter is about the resurrection of the saints. It is true that they will all be raised; the same bodies will be glorified bodies. The dead will put on incorruptibility. Those who will be living when the Lord comes for His saints will put on immortality, and will be perfectly suited to the new conditions, glorified like Christ's body of glory (Phil. 3:11Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. (Philippians 3:1)). Jesus said, "A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have" (Luke 24:39, 4039Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. (Luke 24:39‑40)).
Ques. What does James 2:14-2014What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:14‑20) mean? J. H. K.
Ans. The apostle tells us "faith without works is dead." If it were a living faith, that is, if one is truly born of God, that life produces works, as in Abraham and Rahab (compare Eph. 2:8, 108For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)
10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)). A sinner only produces "dead works" (Heb. 9:1414How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)). A believer produces good works. Paul stops the sinner from working (Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5) and 3:26, 28). James starts the believer to bring forth good works, proving the reality of his faith.
Ans. Luke 15 is the parable of the love of God to the repentant sinner. God in His three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Shepherd pictures the work of Christ, leaving His home to search and find His lost sheep, and we think of His atoning work on the cross as God's righteous foundation on which He can receive the guilty sinner, so the Shepherd is first in this parable.
Then the woman seeks the piece of silver, the valuable but dead sinner, pictured as dead, as the sheep was pictured as living, in sins. So here the woman, out of sight, in the house with the lamp and broom, seeks her lost piece of silver, the dead sinner. This is the Holy Spirit's picture, shining the light and brushing away the dust that has hid the valued one out of sight.
Then the Father receives the returning sinner, and this is the fruit of the Spirit shining on him, and making him feel his wretched and filthy condition, and then reminds him of the plenty of the Father's house, while he is starving. The Father covered him with kisses, this is full forgiveness of all his sins, that answers to full cleansing, so that on the ground of the work of Christ he, the sinner, is seen, cleansed, forgiven, clothed and seated at the table, feasting on God's delight in His Son. These three go together.
Our salvation springs from the heart of God. It is the Father's will that sent the Son. It is the Son's work that glorified God, so that in the righteousness of God the sinner is saved. And the Holy Spirit is the power and witness in our souls. These three are ever seen together, both in creation and in redemption.
Ques. By F. A. B.
(d). Every true believer is eternally saved (John 3:15, 16; 5:24; 10:28-3015That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:15‑16)
24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one. (John 10:28‑30); Rom. 8:3030Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8:30); 1 Cor. 1:8, 98Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:8‑9); Phil. 1:66Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6); Heb. 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14); 1 Peter 5:1010But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (1 Peter 5:10), etc., etc.)
(e). 1 Tim. 4:12-1612Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (1 Timothy 4:12‑16) is instruction to Timothy as to how to obey the Word; and in so doing, save himself and those that hear him from being led astray by false doctrine.
(f). Heb. 3:6, 146But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6)
14For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (Hebrews 3:14), and the whole Epistle, addresses all profession, and shows that the true believer continues to hold fast their confidence and full assurance of hope firm unto the end. Heb. 6:4-114For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 9But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: (Hebrews 6:4‑11) shows those who apostatize, and those who continue.
(i). One truly born of God is always a child of God (John 1:12, 1312But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12‑13); 1 John 3:1, 2, 31Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:1‑3)).
(j). One sealed with the Holy Spirit never loses that gift (John 14; 16; 17).
(k). Christ is our object to live or die for (Phil. 1:2121For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)); He is our pattern (2:5); our goal (3:13, 14); our resource at all times (4:13).
(m). What He calls us is true forever. What He says abides forever. God has magnified His Word above all His name (Psa. 138:22I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2). Read Psa. 119). Jesus defeated Satan with it (Matt. 3:22And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2), 2 Tim. 3:16, 1716All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16‑17)). The Word of God is the only true guidance. The Holy Spirit wrote by different penmen, yet it is all God breathed, out of His mouth.
(o). Musical instruments are not mentioned in Christianity. Christian worship is by the Spirit of God (Phi]. 3:3; see revised and New Trans. John 4:2424God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)).
(p). There is no name in Scripture but the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for saints to gather to, and if it is only two or three, He says, "There am I in the midst of them." What a blessing that is, and we can go on with it till we see His blessed face in glory.
(q). All ministry, if it is real, comes from Christ in glory. We can thank the Lord for every one whom He sends to minister to us. No man has any authority to appoint ministers (Eph. 4:11-1311And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11‑13)).
“Let God be true, but every man a liar" who would dare to take from, or add to, the Word of God.