QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (87)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Everyone in the church has questions about the Bible from time to time.

 

B.    Some of the most challenging questions can come from little children.

 

 

C.     Many of the questions that you ask are challenging as well. 

 

D.    Today is our Q& A Lesson for the month of June.  Let’s look at three questions in this lesson.

 

I.                   QUESTION #1:  Does God Sleep?

 

A.    Stated:  Do God and Jesus sleep?

 

B.    Answer:

1.      This is a good question for two reasons.  We will note these two reasons in just a moment.

2.      Let’s first note that while Jesus was one earth He did sleep.

a.      Luke 8:22-23a

 

Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples:  and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.  And they launched forth.  But as they sailed, he fell asleep…

 

b.      While on earth, Jesus was as much as man as he was God.  Therefore, He experienced everything we experience, including growing tired and needing to sleep.

3.      God, however, is not a man.  He is deity.  Deity does not possess the limitations that man possesses.

a.      God does not have to eat and drink.

b.      God does not have to bath.

c.       God does not get sick or contract diseases.

4.      God does not grow tired and weary.   Therefore, He does not have a need to sleep (Ps. 121:4).

 

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

 

5.      Now, let’s consider why this is such a good question.

a.      It is a good question because it requires us to focus on the nature of God. 

1)      Far too often we bring God down to man’s level. 

2)      We want him to think, act, and feel exactly the way a man does.

3)      He does not. 

a)      Numbers 23:19

 

God is not a man…

 

b)     Therefore, it is imperative that we learn about God and elevate our minds to attempt to understand Him as much as possible.

b.      It is a good question because once we learn that God does not sleep, we know that He is always aware of our condition and environment. 

1)      We never have to wonder whether He is there or whether He is sleeping.

2)      We can sleep in peace, knowing that our God never sleeps (Ps. 3:5).

 

I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

 

II.                QUESITON #2:  The Man of Sin (2 Thess. 2:3)

 

A.    Stated:  Who is the man of sin mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3?  There is a multitude of different opinions when a person studies the commentaries.

 

B.    Answer:

1.      2 Thessalonians 2:3

 

Let no man deceive you by any means:  for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.

 

2.      The person who asked this question is right.  There have been many answers given to this question:  Satan, Judaism, a Roman ruler, the principle of evil, and the antichrist.

3.      The two names given to him indicate that he is an evil being.

a.      Man of sin.  He is a being who persistently violates the law of God (2 Thess. 2:4a).

 

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped…

 

b.      Son of perdition.  His ultimate end will be eternal condemnation.

4.      He, however, pretends to be a religious being according to 2 Thessalonians 2:4b.

 

…so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

5.      Four additional points:

a.      At the time Paul wrote, he was not an identifiable being.  He still had to be revealed (2 Thess. 2:3).

b.      The development of this being had already begun in the first century (2 Thess. 2:7).

 

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work…

 

c.       Once this man of sin came on the scene, he would continue until the Lord’s coming when he would be destroyed “with the brightness of his coming” (2 Thess. 2:8).

d.      This being possessed pseudo-powers (2 Thess. 2:9).

 

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and lying wonders.

 

6.      The only thing that meets all of the identifiers listed is the papacy of the Roman Catholic Church.

a.      At the time Paul wrote the Thessalonians, the Catholic church and the papacy had not been established on the earth contrary to the claims of Catholicism.

b.      The mystery of iniquity had started working.

1)      Paul warned the elders of Ephesus about corruption from within (Acts 20:30).

 

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

 

a)      Elders were the overseers of the flock (1 Pet. 5:1-3).

b)     The corruption that developed within the eldership led to the hierarchal priesthood in Catholicism.

2)      Paul also noted some of the doctrines that would form as the church departed from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1-3).

 

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats…

 

c.       He sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God.

1)      The pope is the supreme head of the Catholic Church, which is considered the temple of God.

2)      He shows himself to be God.

a)      His titles:  Holy Father (Matt. 23:9) Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church (1 Tim. 2:5).

b)     He allows himself to be worshipped, an action that only God deserves (Matt. 4:10).

c)      He makes rulings as if He is God. (Ex., the infallibility of the pope)

d.      Many popes have been declared to be saints.  In order to be a saint, the individual had to perform two miracles.

e.       The pope, regardless of which one is in power, is definitely a man of sin.  Sin is the transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4).  They have allowed the transgression of God’s law in a multitude of ways. (Ex., the sale of indulgences).

 

III.             QUESTION #3:  The Chimala Mission

 

A.    Stated:  Can you tell us something about the Chimala Mission that we will be supporting this month?

 

B.    Answer:

1.      OceanSide’s theme for this year is:  “Reaching Back, Reaching In, Reaching Out, Reaching Up.”

2.      Each month, we focus on one of these four elements.  This month, we are focused on “Reaching Out.”

3.      The elders decided that we should reach out to the Chimala Mission in Tanzania, Africa again this year.

 

 

 

-          1961:  The hospital was started with 50 patients and an out-patient clinic.  The hospital continues today with a 130 bed capacity.  Thousands of people in that region of Africa have been assisted by that hospital.

 

-          They began to reach out to the community and churches were established in many villages.  From 1965 to 1971, 120 churches were established having 5,000 Christians.

 

-          2004, the Bear Valley Bible Institute established a preacher training school there.  It is called “The Chimala School of Preaching” today.  It is run much like 2-year schools of preaching in the United States.

 

 

-          The work also has two schools now, the Chimala Mission Primary School and the Herring Secondary Christian School.

 

 

-          They have also developed a farm in order to provide for as many of their needs as possible at the compound.

 

 

4.      All money that is collected over budget for the month of June will be contributed to the Chimala Mission.  Last year we raised $12, 322.00 in the month of August for this mission work. 

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    We have examined three questions in our lesson.

1.      We found that God does not sleep.  He is always aware of us whether we are awake or sleep.

2.      We concluded that the man of sin referenced by Paul is the papacy of the Roman Catholic Church. 

3.      We briefly introduced The Chimala Mission once again.  It will be the work we will support this month with our contributions.

 

B.    On the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus asked:  “Lord what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6).