Tag Archives: Bob Prichard

Bible questions, Salvation

PRAY FOR SALVATION? — BOB PRICHARD

Preachers sometimes invite listeners to pray something such as, “God, I am sorry I have sinned. Please forgive me and let Jesus come into my heart. Thank you for forgiving me and giving me eternal life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.” The preacher then says, “Since you have asked Christ into your life, you are now His child, and your sins are forgiven.” The problem, however, is that the promise of forgiveness is from a man, not God. God has never promised to respond to the sinner’s prayer.

Prayer is a privilege for God’s people. James said, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Peter quoted Psalm 34:15–16, saying, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). Solomon warned, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9). The psalmist spoke of the dilemma of the sinner: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18).

But what about the prayers of the publican and the Pharisee? While the Pharisee prayed “with himself,” the publican, “standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’” 

Jesus concluded, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18: 11, 13–14). 

This does not set the pattern for sinners coming to Christ, however, because both the Pharisee and the publican were already in a covenant relationship with God as part of His chosen people, the Jews. Both, despite their sins, had the right to pray to God.

What about Joel’s prophecy? He said, “And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls” (Joel 2:32). 

To “call on the name of the Lord” means to make an appeal through obedience. Saul of Tarsus spent three days in prayer and fasting, but he did not receive salvation from the Lord until he called on the Lord through obedience. 

Ananias told him, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). In his baptism, he called on the name of the Lord, and his sins were washed away. He would not have been saved if he had merely prayed the sinner’s prayer and had refused to obey the Lord’s command.

Jesus said, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14). This is not a blanket promise to any person, but to those who follow Him and have the right to ask things in His name, by His authority. This promise is to the children of God. In the very next verse, He puts it simply: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). 

The multitudes cried out at Pentecost, “What shall we do?” Peter did not respond, “Pray the sinner’s prayer,” but “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37–38). We will be saved if we do what the believers of Pentecost did. —Bob Prichard

Christian Living

SEVEN AGES OF MAN — BOB PRICHARD

R. M. Cornelius identifies “Seven Ages of Man”: 

  • 6 weeks—all systems go 
  • 6 years—all systems “No!” 
  • 16 years—all systems know 
  • 26 years—all systems glow 
  • 36 years—all systems owe
  • 56 years—all systems status quo 
  • 76 years—all systems slow 

I do not know about you, but it shocks me to see that I am already firmly entrenched in the fifth age—all systems owe. Where has the time gone? Surely Job knew what he was talking about when he said, “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle” (Job 7:6). 

The most precious commodity we have is not silver or gold, but time. John Randolph reminds us that “time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all possessions.” When we squander it on things that do not matter, we are foolish. Paul warns, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15–17). The days we are living in are evil with sin rampant in our world. Still, Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “this time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.” What we need to help us use our time wisely is a heavenly perspective: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1–3). 

What will you do with time? I find Henry Thoreau’s observation thoughtful: “As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.” Will we “injure eternity”? We are each given twenty-four precious hours daily. Whatever age we find ourselves in, whether 6 or 76, we must serve faithfully. —Bob Prichard

Blog

MODERN DAY SUPERSTITION — BOB PRICHARD

Parke Kunkle of the Minnesota Planetarium Society rocked the world of astrology on January 13, 2011, when he revealed that the traditional “star signs” used to determine horoscopes are wrong for most people.

It seems that the astrological signs codified by Ptolemy in the second century have changed since then, shifting most people to another sign. (For instance, I have changed from an “Aquarius” to a “Sagittarius.”) This means that the 25% of Americans who believe in astrology have been reading the wrong horoscopes all of their lives. Some professional astrologers claim they have always known this, but their followers certainly have not (Belinda Luscombe, “Zodiac Switcheroo,” Time, January 31, 2011).

You may have looked at a horoscope some time out of curiosity. The ones I have seen are written in such generic terms that any particular reading could apply to just about anyone, so it wouldn’t really make much difference what “sign” you were. And of course, it doesn’t make any difference anyway, because it is all nonsense at best and idolatry at worst. A newspaperman once told me that the two most read parts of the average newspaper are the letters to the editor and the horoscopes. I guess that explains why in our enlightened twenty-first century, most American newspapers, including ours, continue to carry their horoscope columns.

When Job gave his “oath of clearance,” defending himself against the charge that his suffering was the result of his sin, he denied, among other things, being engaged in astrology: “If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above” (Job 31:26-28).

Astrology is in the same category as New Year’s good luck superstitions and number 13 bad luck. These superstitions put people in bondage to ignorance and deny the power of God. God is in control—not the stars (Romans 8:28).

Bible questions, Christian Living

IS ANGER ALWAYS WRONG? — BOB PRICHARD

Anger is a destructive emotion that has led to every kind of sin, including murder, as when Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4:4–8). The elder brother of the prodigal son “was angry, and would not go in” (Luke 15:28). Paul wrote, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26). It is possible to be angry without sinning, but very difficult.

When Jesus saw the moneychangers cheating people in the temple, He made a scourge and drove them out of the temple, saying, “Make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise” (John 2:16). Jesus acted out of righteous indignation. Undoubtedly He was angry, but He did not sin because He was zealous for God’s glory. Every child of God ought to be angry when the glory of God is challenged, and it is a tragedy for Christians to be so tolerant that nothing makes them angry.

James gives a simple prescription for dealing with anger: “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of
God” (James 1:19–20).

To be “swift to hear” means to be a ready listener. Often we are angered because we do not have enough information. When we listen carefully, sometimes even “reading between the lines,” we may find that concern replaces anger. Anger is often simply an emotional reaction.

To be “slow to speak” means to control the tongue, which is a difficult task. James said, “ The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). Solomon said, “Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 29:20). Hasty words spoken in anger will almost always be regretted.

To be “slow to wrath” is also difficult. We can slow the anger process by counting to ten. Prayer is also helpful, as is the realization that we can control our reaction to a problem.

The “new man” in Christ lays aside worldly anger. “Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man” (Colossians 3:8–11).

Bible questions, Church

IS THE CHURCH OF CHRIST A DENOMINATION? — BOB PRICHARD

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A frequent follow-up question to “Are you a Christian?” is “What denomination are you?” “Denomination” is not found in the Bible, and the idea is based on sectarianism and division. “Denomination” is not simply an incidental name, but a choice to be divided from other believers who do not share the same sectarian doctrines. Religious denominations are divisions among people who may all claim to follow the same Lord and same Bible but cannot agree because of their denomination.

As Jesus prayed for His apostles before His arrest, He said, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word, that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one is us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21). Jesus wanted unity among His apostles, and everyone who would believe the apostles’ teaching (whether through their preaching or writings). This unity is not possible as long as the denominational system exists.

The denominational system has developed with various creeds, manuals, handbooks, hierarchies, and systems of organization, which have grown more complex over time. Years ago many people understood that the denominational system was a violation of God’s will and sought to leave the denominations so that they could restore the “undenominational” church of Christ of the New Testament. By being just Christians, without being associated with any denomination, they believed they could better serve God. That is why the churches of Christ are undenominational. We have no creed but the Bible, no denominational or church hierarchy over the local congregation, and no authority for faith and practice other than the Bible. We are not “Church of Christ Christians,” but simply “Christians.”

“Seeds” of denominationalism were in the church at Corinth. Paul wrote, “It hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ” (I Cor. 1:11-12). Some were not satisfied to be Christians only, but wanted to be “Paulite Christians,” or “Apollosite Christians,” or “Cephasite Christians.” Paul asked, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1:13). They had divided the church into arguing factions. Paul emphasized the seriousness of the situation by saying he was glad he had only baptized a few at Corinth, so few could claim to follow him instead of Christ (1:14-16). Of what denomination were Peter and Paul? None! They were just Christians.

The church of Christ, if it truly is the church we read of in the New Testament, cannot be a denomination.

Bible questions, Christian Living

WHAT DOES LOVE YOUR ENEMIES MEAN?  — BOB PRICHARD

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The watchword of Christianity is love. As Jesus prepared His disciples for His departure, He said, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:34-35).

The love required of Christians goes beyond loving one another, however. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:43-45). Jesus knew He was saying something radical. He knew that the world’s standard was and is to love our neighbors and hate our enemies. Jesus wants more of His followers, however.

Striving to be like their Heavenly Father Who lovingly sends blessings to the just and the unjust, Christians must love their enemies. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:46-48). Loving our enemies is part of the Christian’s growth toward perfection.

We may not like our enemies, but we must love them. To truly love someone else is to want the best for them. Love is unselfish, concerned with what the other person, even an enemy, needs. Christ demonstrated His love for enemies: God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Rather than harboring a grudge against us because of our sin, Christ loved us enough to suffer the cross, the Just dying for the unjust. Love for enemies includes having a forgiving attitude toward those who have wronged us. Peter thought he was being generous in asking the Lord if it was good enough to forgive his brother seven times (most rabbis taught forgiving three times was sufficient). Jesus answered, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). He then explained His statement with a parable about a king and some creditors, to remind His followers that because God has forgiven us, we must forgive others. Jesus said that the love of enemies includes praying for them, blessing them, and doing good to them. Christ emphasized what the Christian does, not what the enemy does. While we cannot control how our enemies live or act, we can control how we act. We must apply the Golden Rule: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets (Matthew 7:12). Loving our enemies is possible only when we surrender our will to the will of Christ, and let Him control our lives.

Bible questions, Christian Living

DOES THE BIBLE OFFER HOPE FOR DEPRESSION? — BOB PRICHARD

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Note: This article considers the spiritual side of a serious topic. Please note that depression sometimes necessitates medical intervention. 

Depression is perhaps the most common emotional problem that we face today. Experts suggest as many as one in five Americans experiences severe depression sometime during their lives, and depression may be the most common health problem for women. Symptoms of depression include apathy, insomnia, difficulty in concentrating, and a general loss of interest in life. Severely depressed people may become suicidal, violent, or completely withdrawn. Depression has always been a problem for mankind. Bible characters such as King Saul, Elijah the prophet, Job, and others experienced depression.

Sources of depression may be physical, psychological, or spiritual. Fatigue, chemical imbalances, and other physical problems may cause it. After his defeat of the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah was physically exhausted. When Jezebel threatened his life, he fled into the wilderness and was ready to die. The angel of the Lord comforted him and strengthened him with food, telling him, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you” (1 Kings 19:7). He still felt overwhelmed and alone, however. He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (1 Kings 19:10). He repeated. “I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (1 Kings 19:14). The Lord encouraged him by letting him know that there were still seven thousand faithful persons in Israel, and by sending Elisha to help him.

Loss is a common psychological cause of depression. Job lost his possessions, family, health, and even his reputation. He cried, “The thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes” (Job 3:25–26). Later he learned that God continued to control the universe: “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You” (42:2). Unfulfilled hopes and dreams and feelings of worthlessness or helplessness brought on by stress also cause depression. These feelings often come because one has lost proper perspective. Disappointments may be opportunities in disguise—times to rearrange priorities, making them in line with God’s will. We can overcome feelings of helplessness and worthlessness by understanding that God is still in control. He demonstrated His love for us in the cross (Romans 5:8).

Sin has spiritual consequences, which often include depression. Obeying God is the key. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (John 15:10). God does not intend for us to be depressed, and He is eager to forgive and comfort. —Bob Prichard

Bible questions, Featured Articles, Salvation

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? — BOB PRICHARD

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We can ask no more important question than “What must I do to be saved?” 

Each of us will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and we are responsible for obeying the Lord. 

Salvation has two parts: God’s part and man’s part. God, because of His great love for mankind, has done His part in sending Christ to die for the sins of men. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Paul calls this grace the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). We cannot save ourselves and must rely on God through faith. “Through faith” means that man must also do his part, because no one benefits from a gift until he receives it. 

To find what man’s part in the plan of salvation involves, one must go to the right place. The book of Acts explains God’s plan of salvation through nine specific accounts of conversion: The conversion of the Jews at Pentecost, chapter 2; the Samaritans, chapter 8; the Ethiopian eunuch, chapter 8; Saul of Tarsus, chapters 9 and 22; Cornelius, chapter 10; Lydia, chapter 16; the Philippian jailer, chapter 16; the Corinthians, chapter 18; the Ephesians, chapter 19. In each example, certain common actions, or steps of obedience, were taken by those who became Christians. 

Upon hearing the gospel message, each believed in Jesus as the Son of God. Though the text does not explicitly mention belief each time, it is implied. The Jews at Pentecost, having heard the message, “were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37). Their question “What shall we do?” showed that they believed, but they realized that they needed to do more than have simple belief to obtain salvation. James wrote, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). 

Following their confession of faith in Christ, Peter told the Jews at Pentecost, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Thus we understand that repentance must accompany faith in Christ.

One must also confess faith in Christ, as the Ethiopian did (Acts 8:37), because Christ will not confess us unless we are willing to confess Him. “Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32–33). 

Baptism is the only step toward salvation explicitly mentioned in every conversion. Each account shows that baptism is necessary for obedience to Christ. Hearing the gospel message, believing in Christ, repenting of past sins, confessing Christ, and being baptized into Christ makes one a Christian, and brings salvation. Then one must serve the Lord faithfully (Revelation 2:10). —Bob Prichard

Bible questions, Hebrews, NEW TESTAMENT

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF FAITH, SUBSTANCE, HOPE, AND EVIDENCE IN HEBREWS 11:1? — BOB PRICHARD

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Many, both in the religious world and otherwise, have a gross misunderstanding of what constitutes faith. Contrary to scripture, many believe that faith is necessary to “fill in the gaps” in the absence of real, tangible evidence. Carl Sagan, the late and noted atheist and author, once said, “Faith is believing in something in the absence of evidence.”

Hebrews 11:1 answers and clarifies this misunderstanding. The verse: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

The word translated “substance” comes from the Greek hupostasis (Strong’s # 5287), which means “a placing or setting under, a substructure or foundation.” This word appears elsewhere in the New Testament as “confident” or “confidence” (2 Corinthians 9:4; 11:17; Hebrews 3:14).

The word translated “evidence” comes from the Greek word elengchos (Strong’s #1650), meaning “a proof, or that by which a thing is proved or tested; conviction.”

The context in question deals with the existence of the universe, for verse 3 says, “through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”

Biblical faith comes from careful observation and the weighing of all available evidence. For example, the atheistic, evolutionary “explanations” for the origins of the universe don’t even qualify as bad science. They are more akin to science fiction. There are only two explanations for the existence of the universe that don’t include a divine creator:

  1. the universe has always existed, or
  2. the universe created itself out of nothing.

Who is willing to accept either proposition? Certainly no intelligent, thinking individual!

Consider also the vast evidence of design in our world and in the universe generally. Is the design present in the earth’s position in relation to the sun (controlling the environment, etc), the moon’s position in relation to the earth (controlling the ocean tides) simply a matter of dumb luck? What about the intricacies of the eye of a housefly, or the human brain (not to mention the magnificence of the entire human body)? Where does the evidence point? It points to an intelligent creator.

Men are sent to prison every day for crimes no one saw them commit. How are such verdicts reached? Through the presentation and consideration of all available evidence. In like fashion, just because no man was present when God created the universe doesn’t mean there is no evidence to support the fact that it happened. If Mr. Sagan was correct in his assessment of what constitutes faith, then it takes a lot more faith to be an atheist than to believe in the God of the Bible!

Finally, because the Bible is a book that can be trusted to be accurate in everything it addresses, we have faith in God and His promises, both to bless the obedient and punish the disobedient. For the obedient, we have the confident hope of heaven. – Bob Prichard

Bible questions, Human origins

IF ONLY EIGHT PEOPLE WERE ON THE ARK, WHERE DID THE RACES COME FROM? — BOB PRICHARD

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The census of those on the ark included Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons (Genesis 7:13). With these four men and four women, the earth was repopulated after the flood.

The Bible does not tell us when the races originated. It is possible that the races developed from the division of mankind at the tower of Babel, although Moses only says that God confounded their language and scattered them abroad (Genesis 11:1-9). As people scattered and separated, the races could have developed from the gene pool in each area. As people intermarried within a region, certain racial characteristics developed, as well as individual languages.

Modern science has tried to differentiate among the races, recognizing four basic races: Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Negroid, and Australoid. The problem with these classifications, however, is that the dominant characteristics that are specific to a race, such as skin color or hair type, are found in the other racial groups. Skin color, the most obvious racial characteristic, is determined primarily by the amount of melanin in the skin. Thus a “white” person may actually have darker skin than a “black” person. Although general racial characteristics may predominate among certain populations, all human beings are part of the same species, the human race.

We know that all humans came from the original man and woman, Adam and Eve, and that all living human beings are descendants of Noah and his family. Paul declared that God “made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). The words “of one,” literally mean “out of one male,” thus all mankind has descended from Adam.

Since all humans descended from the eight people on the ark, then all racial characteristics must have been available in the genetic makeup of Noah and his family. It is likely that Noah’s family members were a combination of all modern day races. The separation into current races was gradual over time.

Neither the biblical nor the non-biblical evidence supports the evolutionary theory, coming from racial prejudice, that the races descended from different primates or “pre-human” men. Since all races of humans can intermarry, all humans are interrelated. —Bob Prichard

Bible questions

MUST WE GIVE THANKS IF WE ARE IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES? — BOB PRICHARD

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When the world seems to be closing in on us, or when we feel like we have our backs up against the wall, giving thanks may be the last thing we would ever think of doing. We may reason, If I am in difficult circumstances, then I have no responsibility or need to be thankful. After all, we are to be thankful for blessings, not difficult circumstances. This reasoning is not correct, however, because all of God’s children need to be thankful.

To be thankful in the midst of difficult times is very hard, yet Paul said, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1 Thessalonians 5:18). How is this possible? Sometimes when we think the situation cannot get any worse, it does! But we must remember that when we belong to and serve God, no situation is hopeless. God’s children can count on His providential care, and His never ending love. In the midst of our difficulties, we sometimes have a sort of spiritual amnesia. We forget all that God has done for us, and the difficulties He has helped us through. The psalmist reminded Israel of his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments (Psalm 78:4-7).

The difficulties most of us have faced pale into insignificance compared to the pain and suffering Job faced. His response to the loss of all of his possessions, and all ten of his children was to worship God. Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:20-21). Job was able to do this because he was a man totally devoted to God. God described him as being a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil (Job 1:8). When the difficult times came, Job was ready to trust in the Lord. He did not understand why he was suffering as he was, but He knew that God is worthy to be praised, even in the midst of the most trying times.

The attitude of gratitude, the spirit of gratefulness, must mark those who would follow the Lord. As Paul and Silas sat in the depths of the jail at Philippi, their feet in the stocks, having been beaten for their testimony of Christ, they prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them (Acts 16:25). They would not allow the circumstances to keep them from offering praise to God. In the midst of so many things we cannot understand or do not like, we must thank Him for those things we can understand, and the blessings He so richly gives us. Looking back, we should thank Him. Looking ahead, we should trust Him. Looking around, we should serve Him. He is worthy of all the praise and thanksgiving we can give Him. – Bob Prichard

Bible questions

ARE WE LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS? — BOB PRICHARD

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Yes, we are living in the “last days.” It should not be a cause for alarm, however, because we have been living in the last days for almost two thousand years! The ‘last days’ refer to the last great period of history, the Christian Age. There have been three great dispensations or ages of God dealing with mankind. The first was the Patriarchal Age, when God dealt directly with the heads of families (from Adam to Moses). This period ended with the beginning of the Mosaic Age, when God gave the Law of Moses to Israel. The Mosaic Age (the age under which Jesus lived) ended with the advent of the Christian Age, ushered in by the preaching of the Gospel and the establishment of the first century church.

On the Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ, Peter rose up with the rest of the apostles to speak and said, concerning the things that were happening, ‘This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams’ (Acts 2:16-17). Peter said that the events of that day were the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy concerning what would happen ‘in these last days.’

Succeeding verses describe dramatic events: ‘…wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood and fire and vapour of smoke: the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come’ (Acts 2:19-20). This ‘apocalyptic’ language describes cataclysmic events that man could hardly imagine. Some have suggested that these events refer to the crucifixion of Christ or the coming destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies.

The Spirit was poured out on ‘all flesh,’ as the Gospel message was to go from Jerusalem to all the nations of the world, a message of salvation: ‘And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved’ (Acts 2:21). To the Jews it was almost unbelievable that the Gospel could be for the whole world, including Gentiles, but Peter promised such: ‘For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call’ (Acts 2:39). He called all present to respond: ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins’ (Acts 2:38).

Later Peter wrote that Christ ‘was manifest in these last times’ (1 Peter 1:20). Time may be drawing to an end.  Today may be the last day. Or, the Lord may delay His coming for a thousand years so more can ‘come to repentance’ (1 Peter 3:9). Look for no special ‘last days’ signs in present events. Do not listen to false teachers who set dates for the second coming or the end of the world. Do not be lulled into thinking you have plenty of time to make your life right with God, either. We should prepare to meet Christ-the angel may be getting his trumpet ready (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Now is the time to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 6:2). – Bob Prichard

Bible questions, NEW TESTAMENT

WHO WERE THE PHARISEES? — BOB PRICHARD

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‘Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites!’ (Matthew 23:13). It seems that the word hypocrite is almost a synonym for Pharisee, because the members of this Jewish sect seemed to always be in conflict with Jesus and the disciples. But there was much more to being a Pharisee than being a haughty hypocrite. They emerged from persecution about two hundred years before Christ, emphasizing the importance of keeping the law and traditions. Their number included Simeon, who held the baby Jesus, Zacharias, Gamaliel, Nicodemus, and Saul of Tarsus.

Pharisees were considered the strictest sect of the Jews because each member had taken a pledge to devote his life to keeping every point of the law. Because of their piety, they were generally well-respected by the people. Jesus acknowledged, ‘The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat’  (Matthew 23:2). Many were also scribes (men with official status who had been formally trained in rabbinic law), so the scribes and Pharisees are often mentioned together.

While their devotion to the law and to the traditions about the law made them zealous students of the Torah (books of Moses) and the prophets, many became legalists concerning their traditions. It was in their traditions that they strayed most from God’s will.

Their greatest conflicts with Christ came in two areas. First, while the Pharisees often ignored the plain meaning of the Scripture when it conflicted with the teaching of the rabbis, Jesus held to a strict interpretation of the Scriptures. For example, the Pharisees allowed many grounds for divorce, but Jesus restricted divorce to the one ground of adultery (Matthew 19:3-9). And Jesus defended His healing on the Sabbath as correct, ‘the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath’ (Mark 2:27), even though this conflicted with the Sabbath prohibitions of the Pharisaic rabbis.

Second, Jesus called for a much higher standard of righteous living that truly came from the heart, applying the Scriptures to real life. The Pharisees were so tied to ‘keeping the rules’ of their traditions that they thought they could attain righteousness by all of their elaborate rituals concerning cleanliness, tithing, and prayer, with little concern for the inner man. For this reason, Jesus told them, ‘Ye are like unto whited sepulchres [whitewashed tombs], which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness’ (Matthew 23:27). While traditions are important, they cannot replace the authority of Scripture.  – Bob Prichard