QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (74)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Question:  What is the shortest command given to man in the Scriptures?

1.       There are really two answers to this question.

2.       “Go,” and “Do.”

 

B.      I bet you wish I could give answers as short as that to your questions on our Q&A Sundays.

 

C.     Today is one of those.  In our lesson today, we are going to do three things.

1.       Revisit a previous question.

2.       Look at a new question.

3.       Then, we are going to conclude with some information about our Mission Work for the month of May.

 

I.                    QUESTION #1:  The Sumerians and the Age of the Earth

 

A.     Stated:  If the earth is only six thousand years old, how do you account for the Sumerians who lived over 7,000 years ago?

 

B.      Answer:

1.       Bible believing Christians do not believe the earth is billions of years old. 

a.       They contend for “A Young Earth.”

b.      Most will affirm that the earth is anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 years old. 

c.       This age is based on the information that is found in the Word of God.

2.       When we argue for a young earth, the atheists and skeptics have their arguments they will use in an attempt to refute our beliefs.

a.       In his book, Letter to A Christian Nation, by Sam Harris, he uses the Sumerians against Creationists.  On pages x-xi of the section entitled, “A Note to the Reader,” Mr. Harris writes:

 

“The same Gallup poll revealed that 53 percent of Americans are actually creationists.  This means that despite a full century of scientific insights attesting to the antiquity of life and the greater antiquity of the earth, more than half of our neighbors believe that the entire cosmos was created six thousand years ago.  This is, incidentally, about a thousand years after the Sumerians invented glue.”

 

b.      In our last discussion, I was calculating time back from the birth of Christ.  I did not take into consideration any of the time after Christ.

1)      We say that the age of the earth dates back to only 4,000 B.C.

2)      Individuals like Sam Harris bring up the Sumerians who it is said lived about 1,000 years before 4,000 B.C.

3.       There are two answers we can give to this argument.

a.       First, Creationists are not hard and fast on 6,000 years.  During the days of Patriarchy, the records are not as precise as those during the time of Moses and thereafter.  We are willing to concede that the earth could be 6,0000 to 10,000 years old.  NOTE:  A 10,000 year old earth is still very young when compared to the teachings of evolution.  They tell us the earth is 7 to 8 billion years old.

 

10,000

8,000,000,000

b.      Second, the dates of the Sumerians are not hard and fast either.  Most historians will date them from 3,500 B.C. to 4,000 B.C.  Only a few will go back as far as 5,000 B.C.  This falls in line with the teachings of the Bible. 

1)      We noted in our previous lesson, that the region of Sumer is the very place wherein God put the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:8-14). 

2)      We also pointed out that in the days of Nimrod great cities such as Babel, Nimrod, Erech, Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen were built in that area (Gen. 10:8-12).

4.       In our last lesson, we proved that the earth must be young using the sun’s decreasing size as proof.  In this lesson, let’s consider the population of the earth as evidence of a young earth.

a.       If the evolutionists are correct, man has existed on the earth for 2 to 3 million years.  For our purpose, we will reason that man has only been on earth for 1 million years.

1)      Two humans started the growth of the human population on earth.

2)      These two humans had two children.

3)      The two children marry and have two children.

4)       (Ex., 16 generations)

 

2….4….8….16….32….64….128….256….512….1024….2048….4098….8196….16,392…32,784…65,568

 

131,136

 

5)      This would continue to occur for 26,000 generations.

6)      The world’s population today would be 10²⁰⁰⁰.  This is 10 with 2 thousand zeros following it. 

7)      If all humans were 3 feet tall and their shoulders were only five inches around.  Every part of the earth would only hold 10⁸²  at any given time.

8)      NOTE:  We would need hundreds of earths to hold all of the people if man has been on the planet for 1 million years.

b.      If the Creation model is true, since the flood there have only been 113 generations.  If the population grew at the same rate as previous example, there should be approximately, seven billion people on earth (6.7 x. 10⁹).  The census bureau tells us that the population is 6.9 x 10⁹. 

 

II.                 QUESTION #2:  Work Out Your Own Salvation

 

A.     In Philippians 2:12, Paul told the Philippians to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.  What does this mean?

 

B.      Answer:

1.       Philippians 2:12

 

Wherefore, my brethren, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

 

2.       Some people hear these words and believe that they are free to come up with their own conditions and requirements of salvation for their lives. 

a.       In other words, they believe they are free to save themselves their way. 

b.      They do not consult with the Bible.

c.       They follow the Bible only where is pleases them.

d.      They are not going to give heed to any of their spiritual teachers.

e.       They will be like Frank Sinatra and do it their way.

3.       In the context, Paul commends their obedience.

a.       “…as ye have always obeyed…”

b.      Earlier he had exhorted them to have the mind of Christ (v. 5).  Part of following the example of Christ involves obedience.  “…he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (v. 8).

c.       Thus, working out their own salvation definitely included obedience to God’s will.

4.       There are two points he emphasizes about obedience.

a.       Work out

1)      Definitions:

a)      Strong (2716):  to work out fully, that is, accomplish, finish

b)      Thayer:  to perform, accomplish, achieve, to do that from which something results

c)       Vine:  to work out, effect by toil, achieve

2)      Paul was exhorting them to do the things they needed to do in order to bring about their salvation. 

3)      Barnes:  “We are to make an honest effort to be saved in the way in which God has appointed” (e-sword).

b.      With fear and trembling

1)      These are two words in the Greek language.  Literally, they mean with fear that leads to trembling.

2)      The person realizes

a)      The weight of the responsibility

b)      The seriousness of the matter at hand.

c)       The eternal consequences connected to their efforts.

5.       Two questions:

a.       Are you working out your own salvation?  Are you seeking to bring it to completion?

b.      Are you serious about working out your own salvation?  Are you doing it with fear and trembling?

 

III.              QUESTION #3:  Support for Ukraine

 

A.     Stated:  Ukraine is our mission work for the month of May.  Where will the money we collect be sent and how will it be used?

 

B.      Answer:

1.       Let’s begin with some brief background information about Ukraine.

 

              

a.       It is the largest country entirely in Europe.

b.      It has 24 provinces

c.       Population:  44,385,155

d.      Capital:  Kiev, Kyiv

 

 

2.       Religion in Ukraine

a.       Ukraine Orthodox Church (4 different groups)                    32.1%

b.      Protestant                                                                                   .9%

c.       Catholic                                                                                      .6%

d.      Islam                                                                                           .2%

e.       Judaism                                                                                       .1%

f.        Other                                                                                         3.2%

g.      Not religious                                                                             62.5%

3.       War in Ukraine

a.       Start:  February 24, 2022

b.      Casualties of civilians (as of April 25, 2022)

1)      5,840 dead  (201 children)

2)      3,111 injured (299 children)

c.       Refugees:  4 million  (NOTE:  expected to climb to 8 million)

d.      I have mentioned a member of the church with whom I have been in contact since the war started.  Her name is Lisa Bondarenko.  Her husband’s name is Artem.

 

    

     

 

4.       Mission work for the month of May

a.       We have already sent $1,000.00 for body armor for a soldier.

b.      Three avenues we can use:

1)      Operation Ukraine

a)      A non-profit organization located in Columbus, MS.

b)      Founder:  Kathy Cadden

 

 

2)      Delraida church of Christ, Montgomery, AL

 

        

 

a)      This church has 5 elders and 24 deacons.

b)      They do mission work in Urkraine.

c)       Since the start of the war they have been actively involved in relief efforts.

 

 

3)      Roger Campbell, a minister in the Chattanooga, TN area who has done mission work in Ukraine several years. 

 

 

a)      He collects funds and sends it to the various churches with which he is associated in Ukraine.

b)      One of the ministers opened his home and the church to refugees.  He has about 80 cots that are used for people who are trying to exit the country.  They spend a night or two there and continue their journey out of Ukraine.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     This morning we have done three things.

1.       Clarified an issue we discussed last month regarding the young age of the earth.

2.       Noted that each one of us must work out, that is, do our best to properly bring to finalization our salvation in Christ.

3.       Introduced us to the Ukraine which will be our mission work that we will support in the month of May.

 

B.      There may be someone here who needs to start the process of salvation this morning by obeying the gospel of Christ.