OceanSide church of Christ




Click here to see all of the YouTube videos belonging to OceanSide
(opens in a new browser)

 Previous Return to Sermons Next  Click to download Audio

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (47)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Questions can be asked for very interesting reasons.

1.      To challenge the thinking of others

2.      To challenge one to battle

3.      To annoy

4.      To divert attention from a subject

 

B.      The questions that are asked on our Q&A Nights are designed in order to obtain information.  However, they often challenge my mind as I attempt to answer them.

 

C.     Tonight, we want to look at three questions you have submitted.

 

I.                   QUESTION #1:  God’s Reaction to Our Sins

 

A.    Question:  Does God turn away from us when we sin?

 

B.      The simple answer to this question is: “Yes.”

1.      Isaiah 59:1-2

 

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:  but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

 

2.      Examples of those who were separate from God by their sins.

a.      Adam and Eve were cast from the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:22-24).

b.      God did not fight for the children of Israel at Ai because of sin in the camp (Josh. 7:11-12).

c.       When King Saul sinned, God turned from him (I Sam. 13:13-14).

3.      There are some who believe that God does not immediately turn from Christians when they sin.  They believe that grace continues to cover us even when we have committed a transgression against God.

a.      The Bible teaches that our sins immediately separate us from God.

1)      Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)

2)      Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:20-23).

b.      Separation exists immediately, but God often gives us time to repent before bringing the consequences of our sins upon us (Rev. 2:5).

 

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick from out of his place, except thou repent.

 

II.                QUESTION #2:  Marriage and Christian Service

 

A.    Question:  What if you are married to someone who does not want to fellowship?  How do you avoid that?

 

B.      Answer:

1.      Fellowship

a.      Fellowship is defined as sharing and joint-participation.  It involves the interactions that take place between Christians:  worship, contribution, works, and getting together with one another.

b.      I am assuming the person asking the question has reference to the times Christians get together for meals after services.

1)      We have many examples of the early church engaging in such a practice.

a)      The church in Jerusalem (Acts 2:46)

 

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.

 

b)      Paul ate with the church after he had preached to them on the first day of the week (Acts 20:11).

c)      Peter was eating with the Gentiles Christians when certain came from James and he dissembled from them (Gal. 2:12).

d)     The Bible refers to the feasts of charity or “love feasts” that were conducted by the first century churches (Jude 12).

2)      These are very important times.

a)      We learn about one another’s lives.

b)      We can exhort and encourage one another.

c)      We develop closer, more intimate bonds with each other.

c.       What does a person do who has a spouse who does not want to take advantage of these periods of fellowship?

1)      Sadly, what happens most of the time is that the one who wants to enjoy these times does not.  He/she leaves with their spouse and goes home.

2)      Pray for the person and try to convince them to be part of the fellowship gatherings.

3)      Tell the individual that when there are times of fellowship that you will have to go in separate cars because you are going to participate.

4)      Create periods of fellowship in your home.  Invite your brothers and sisters into your house, or, go out to eat with several of them.

5)      Don’t marry a person with that kind of an attitude.  Make certain before you say:  “I do,” that the individual wants to enjoy all aspects of the Christian life and the church.

 

III.             QUESTION #3:  The Rich Man & Lazarus and Judgment

 

A.    Question:  If we go to either Abraham’s bosom or torments when we die, haven’t we already been judged?  If not, please explain.

 

B.      Answer:

1.      The Bible plainly teaches that there will be a “day” when all nations stand before God to be judged.

a.      Matthew 10:15; Romans 2:5; II Peter 2:9; 3:7; I John 4:17; Jude 6

 

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

 

b.      This day will not happen until the Lord returns (Matt. 25:31-33).

 

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  and before him shall be gathered all nations:  and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:  and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the other.

 

c.       NOTE:  The day of our death is NOT the Day of Judgment.

2.      Jesus tells us what happens to us at the day of our death in Luke 16:22-23.

 

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom:  the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

 

3.      The problem:  If a person goes to either paradise or torments, hasn’t he/she been judged before the Day of Judgment?

4.      Judgment has at least three purposes:

a.      We get to stand in the presence of God (Rom. 2:16).

 

In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

 

b.      Man is allowed to give an account of himself to God (Rom. 14:12).

 

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

 

c.       God will sentence man to his final destination (Matt. 25, 34, 41).

 

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world…Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

 

d.      NOTE:  Being rewarded or punished is different than being judged.  I can be thrown into prison and be punished.  However, I have not been judged.  I stand before the judge, plead my case, but I am still found guilty.  He will, then,  sentence me for my crimes.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    We have looked at three questions.

1.      Sin separates us from God.  This is why we need the blood of Jesus.

2.      In our Christian lives, fellowship with other saints is of vital importance.

3.      At death, we enter one of two places in the hadean realm to await judgment.  Then, we will stand in the presence of God, give an account of ourselves, and hear His final verdict.

 

B.      We sing an old hymn:  “Are You Ready for the Judgment Day?”  Are you???