Q&A

Why did Paul have Timothy Circumcised?

In Acts 16:1, we meet up with Paul during his travels north and west of Jerusalem in modern day Turkey. While here, Paul meets an up-and-coming disciple we know as Timothy.  Timothy had a good reputation among the brethren in the area – in the cities of Lystra and Iconium in particular. Paul was impressed with him as well and invited Timothy to join him on his travels through the region. However, before they commence their travels together, Paul has Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3). While this might not seem like a significant detail, it is important to examine in context because the implications are significant.

Reading Acts 16:1-3 in context, “Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.”

Continue reading "Why did Paul have Timothy Circumcised?"

What will Christ do after the defeat of the human armies in the decisive battle in the Kidron Valley, just outside Jerusalem?

We explained in the last Q&A regarding Christ’s battle with hostile armies at the time of His return, that Jesus Christ will come back “on clouds”; that His holy angels will accompany Him; that He will be met “on clouds” in the air by His saints—true, converted Christians who will be resurrected and changed to immortality at the time of His return; and that all will descend together on the same day to the Mount of Olives to make an end of deceived hostile human armies and their leaders (Revelation 19:11-21; Zechariah 14:1-15). After that, Christ will deal with the real author of destruction and deception—Satan the devil along with his demons.

We read in Revelation 20:1-3:

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold on the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.”

Continue reading "What will Christ do after the defeat of the human armies in the decisive battle in the Kidron Valley, just outside Jerusalem?"

What does the Bible say about Christ’s battle with hostile armies at the time of His return?

In previous Q&A’s, discussing the seventh plague of the seventh trumpet, mentioned in the Book of Revelation http://www.eternalgod.org/qa/11097 , and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, http://www.eternalgod.org/qa/11159 we described the resurrection and the change of the saints. As immortal beings and born-again members of the Family and Kingdom of God, they will meet the returning Christ in the air and descend with Him on the Mount of Olives, where Christ’s decisive battle against the evil forces of this world will take place.

The book of Zechariah describes in vivid terms the outcome of that battle. We address this battle in detail in our free booklet, “The Book of Zechariah—Prophecies for Today!”. After first focusing on the terrible fate of the city of Jerusalem during the time of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, we then address the events at the time of Christ’s return:

Continue reading "What does the Bible say about Christ’s battle with hostile armies at the time of His return?"

Will God’s people be protected from the terrible times to come?

In previous Q&As, including the Q&A on “Matthew 24” and the Q&A on the “events which will occur after the Great Tribulation has begun”,we discussed that mankind will have to endure a time of unparalleled sorrows and suffering.

We also pointed out in the past, that just prior to Christ’s return, some in God’s Church will be protected from the Great Tribulation, while other Christians will have to go through that terrible time.

In one Q&A, we explained the Scripture in “Revelation 12:17,” and in another Q&A, we set forth the “biblical proofs for our teaching that members of the Church of God will be protected at a particular ‘place of safety,’ here on earth, during the Great Tribulation.”

In addition, we explained that following the beginning of the Great Tribulation, which is Satan’s wrath, God will pour out the plagues of His wrath during a time referred to as the Day of the Lord. We also showed that God will protect at that time many of those who will have experienced and survived the trials of the Great Tribulation. However, there is no indication that God will bring those survivors to the place of safety as well; rather, He will protect them wherever they will be at that time. We have addressed the protection of those servants of God in our Q&A on the “144,000” and the great multitude.

Continue reading "Will God’s people be protected from the terrible times to come?"

How do you understand 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17? Does it tell us that the dead in Christ will rise first and that sometime afterwards, those in Christ who are still alive will be changed?

Let us notice this passage in context. We read, beginning with 1 Thessalonians 4:13:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope… God will bring with Him [Jesus] those who sleep in Jesus… we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means PRECEDE those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up TOGETHER WITH THEM in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Paul addresses the same topic in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, where he speaks of “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him.” Particularly focusing on those who have fallen asleep in Christ, as well as those in Christ who will still be alive at the time of Christ’s return, he says in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52:

Continue reading "How do you understand 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17? Does it tell us that the dead in Christ will rise first and that sometime afterwards, those in Christ who are still alive will be changed?"

Is the true Church of God a Sect?

A “sect” may be defined as “a body of persons agreed upon religious doctrines usually different from those of an established or orthodox church from which they have separated; non-conformist or other church as described by opponents.”
 
The terms “cult” and “sect” are often used interchangeably; a sect is usually connected with religion and a cult may be – but many things outside the religious arena can also be classified as cultish. Certain television programmes may have a cult following – never a sect following.
 
Very often, using the term “sect” or “cult” is an epithet – a term of derision, a put down, an insult or a way of dismissing others. A former leader of the Worldwide Church of God, Joseph Tkach Sr., stated repeatedly that he did not like to be called the leader of a cult—hence his desire to change doctrines to bring them more in line with orthodox Christianity. To call an organization a sect or a cult is how some deride or undermine, in their own eyes, another group, which could include the Church of God. And what term or terms so easily fall off the tongue by those who want to accuse the Church of God of not being true to mainstream Christianity? Their description can be scathing, often using the term “sect” or “cult”.
 
It is interesting that those who criticise the Church of God for not being faithful to Scripture are the very ones who break Scripture so often!   So many in mainstream Christianity spawn homosexual priests or clergy – an act which God calls an abomination and which is mentioned, as such, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. But they accept it in spite of this being contrary to Scriptural admonition. The Bible is quite clear that women are not to speak – in a teaching capacity – in church, but again so many in mainstream Christianity allow and promote women priests and vicars. There have been ministers who don’t believe in God. One high ranking bishop in the Church of England thought that the resurrection was a “conjuring trick with bones”. There are those who know that Christmas and Easter are of pagan origin and still keep these feasts. There have been vicars who have advocated stealing in certain circumstances, and most churches trample all over the seventh day Sabbath.
 
Some years ago, “The New Christian Herald”, a newspaper published in Sussex, England, (which ceased publication in 2006) ran an article about the Worldwide Church of God. The article was headed “Back to the Plain Truth?” The paper stated that “the writer [of the article] charts the progress of a rare phenomenon – a cult making its way back into mainstream Christianity. The Worldwide Church of God’s journey makes intriguing reading…”
 
This “expert” then went on to give nine distinguishing points that define a sect or cult. Of course, other “experts” might agree with this assessment or have a different perspective, but for the purpose of this answer we will stay with the considered opinion of this “expert”. These nine distinguishing points were as follows: World rejecting, not world embracing; Clear strong leadership [depending on the degree of leadership, a group might be called a sect or a cult]; A high degree of commitment needed; Active “lay” participation; A strong sense of mission and purpose; A strong sense of belonging; Definite entrance to membership by personal faith, not by birth; Beliefs shape lifestyle; and Members often belong to the working class and identify with the poor and disinherited.
 
Let Scripture and some brief comments answer these points, and we will see that the “expert” was clearly deficient in his Biblical knowledge.

Continue reading "Is the true Church of God a Sect?"

What is the time line of the events depicted during the “Day of the Lord”?

In the last two Q&As http://www.eternalgod.org/qa/10927 and http://www.eternalgod.org/qa/10990 on the order of prophetic events, we discussed Christ’s sayings in Matthew 24, showing that prior to His return, there would be religious deception, wars, famine, disease epidemics and pandemics, a Great Tribulation (including a martyrdom of the saints and an European attack on the USA, Great […]

Continue reading "What is the time line of the events depicted during the “Day of the Lord”?"

Does your church have a prophet of God who interprets the passages in the Scriptures the way God intended them to be interpreted?

The New Testament of the Bible does speak about the office of prophet as being a part of the spiritual order designated by God for leadership in the Church:
 
“And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:28).
 
We also find that Jesus Christ, Who is the Head of the Church (compare Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18), selects people to serve in capacities including that of prophets:
 
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16).
 
Following the establishment of the Church of God in 31 AD, ample evidence is given that there were prophets whom God chose for special revelation of His Will.

Continue reading "Does your church have a prophet of God who interprets the passages in the Scriptures the way God intended them to be interpreted?"

Can you describe the events which will occur after the Great Tribulation has begun?

In the last Q&A on the order of prophetic events, we discussed Christ’s sayings in Matthew 24, showing that prior to His return there would be religious deception, wars, famine, disease epidemics, a Great Tribulation (including a martyrdom of the saints), heavenly signs, and a time described as God’s wrath, which will be poured out over this entire world. We noticed that the first four seals in the book of Revelation describe the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, corresponding to false religion, war, famine and pestilence; and the fifth, sixth and seven seals describe religious persecution, cosmic disturbances, and the time of God’s wrath.

We explain the seven seals in more detail in our free booklet, “Is That in The Bible—The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.” 

Continue reading "Can you describe the events which will occur after the Great Tribulation has begun?"
©2024 Church of the Eternal God