Answers | To Your Questions About the Bible, Theology and Christian Living

What does 1 Corinthians 7:14 mean when it says an unbelieving husband is “sanctified” through a believing wife and the children are now “holy”?

The context refers to a situation where one partner in a marriage becomes a Christian and the other does not. Paul says the believing partner is not to initiate a divorce in such cases where the unbelieving partner chooses to stay in a loving relationship.

He explains further that continuing in this relationship “does not defile the believer. The believer’s faith in God and Jesus has a sanctifying influence over the relationship. In that sense the unbeliever is sanctified, or set apart from anything sinful in the relationship. If this were not so, the children born to the couple would be unclean, that is, ceremonially unclean and therefore unable to come into the presence of God. But the sanctifying influence of the Christian parent makes the children holy in the sense that they belong to the Lord and can be brought into His presence for His blessing. The Holy Spirit can make such a marriage situation into a powerful ministry” (Horton, Stanley M., I & II Corinthians, Springfield, Mo., Logion Press, 1999, p. 71).

This does not mean the unbelieving spouse is given salvation. The children also, upon reaching an age of accountability, still have to make their personal choices. But the blessings they enjoy because of the believing parent certainly could influence them (and the unbelieving partner as well) to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Stanley M. Horton

Will the Holy Spirit be here on the earth after Jesus raptures His church? Will the Holy Spirit be left on the earth during the Tribulation?

It is commonly held evangelical belief that the Holy Spirit will not remain on earth after the Rapture in the same sense that He is here now during the Church Age. This is based upon 2 Thessalonians 2:7: “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way” (NIV). The Holy Spirit, as the one who restrains evil on the earth (a concept known as common grace), seems to be the one referred to in this verse. (There are varying interpretations.)

The first response to this answer makes a good point. The Rapture de facto removes the true Church and it is in the sense of the Holy Spirit indwelling the Church that He will not be present. Of course, as God He continues to be omnipresent.

Ken Horn

Does the Assemblies of God accept more than one Bible translation?

Today it is safe to say that other translations besides the King James Version have found a well-deserved place in many Assemblies of God homes and churches. Some of these are the 1973 NIV, the New King James Version (NKJV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB), and the Revised American Standard Bible (RASB). These, like the King James Version, are produced by committees of scholars. Of course, all versions have strengths and weaknesses. To simplify the choice of versions in curricular materials and headquarters publications, the Assemblies of God has officially approved two versions: the King James Version and the New International Version. Other versions are also quoted, but their use is always identified after the quotation.

From an official statement of the Assemblies of God. Read the complete text here.

The second coming of Jesus Christ has been preached as imminent for a long time. Why is it taking so long?

Where is this coming He promised? Everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. If that is what you think when you hear mention of Christ’s return to snatch away His people, be careful. Peter predicted last-day scoffers, following their own evil desires, would be saying just that (2 Peter 3:3-4).

Yet, with the many centuries since the promise was given (Acts 1:11), it is natural to wonder if such a supernatural intervention will actually take place.

Count on it. It is going to happen. The Bible is full of references to this glorious event, the blessed hope of every believer (Titus 2:13). However, don’t be misled by our human way of counting time. The average human lifetime is 70-80 years. But some life forms live fewer years than humans and some much longer. God’s lifetime is forever, without beginning or end. As Psalm 90:4 says, “A thousand years in [God’s] sight are like a day that has just gone by” (NIV). So it has been just “a couple of days” since the promise was given to first-century Christians.

But why might Christ delay His return even for another instant? Several reasons come to mind:

1. He is giving our generation a chance to repent and receive His salvation.

2. He is testing the strength of our faith and commitment.

3. He is giving the church opportunity to evangelize the lost.

4. His delay encourages us to work faithfully, as though death is yet in the future, but to be ready for His coming at any time.

God is not willing that any should perish or experience spiritual death. His delay is not slowness in fulfilling His promise (2 Peter 3:9). He is preparing His bride “to present her … as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:27).

Our natural minds tend to be concerned about the millions since the first century who have lived on earth without accepting Christ as their Savior. And we should have a burden for the lost of our day. But we should be even more concerned about becoming the holy and blameless bride of Christ without wrinkle or blemish. Christ tarries now so we may have opportunity to become that prepared and perfect bride.

As God’s children, our earthly lives will end in one of two ways: by death or via the Rapture. A faithful elderly Christian woman left detailed instructions for her funeral. But at the end of the note she wrote, “Prefer to go in the Rapture.”

Are you ready for either departure route?

Zenas J. Bicket

With so many religions in the world, how can you say that Christianity is the only way? Isn’t Buddha as good as Christ? Isn’t it the height of arrogance to claim that the only way people can come into right relationship with God is through Jesus?

At first blush, the answer would seem to be yes. After all, there are sincere, moral, deity-fearing people in every religion of the world. Why must Christians think that their religion alone is right? Why not follow the teaching of traditional Judaism that the righteous of every nation — not just Israel — have a place in the world to come?

Actually, it’s no more arrogant for Christians to say that Jesus is the only way to God than it is for others to say that Jesus is just one way among many — thereby declaring the belief of more than one billion Christians to be wrong.

The real question is: On what basis can we claim that Christianity alone brings people into right relationship with God? The answer is simple: Only the gospel provides a true antidote to the problem of sin.

Generally speaking, all religions recognize that human beings have somehow fallen short and become alienated from the godhead (singular or plural). The problem is how to receive forgiveness of sin and become reconciled with an offended or distant godhead.

We must therefore ask on what basis the deity offers forgiveness. Muslims and Jews do their best and hope for mercy. Hindus patiently bear their lot, hoping for a better life next time around. Buddhists seek for an ultimate nirvana. But none of these faiths provides a definite and certain answer.

What separates Christianity from every other religion is not so much the moral teaching of Jesus, or even the moral example of Jesus, but rather the fact that Jesus, the divine Son, took our place. He paid the penalty for our sins, thereby satisfying the justice of God and securing eternal salvation for all who believe.

If there had been any other way for mankind to be forgiven, Jesus would not have died. It is this fact alone — the necessary sacrificial death of the Son of God on the cross — that separates Christianity from all other religions. None of these religions have at their foundation a divine act that is unique and comprehensive for all people.

That’s why Jesus gave us the mandate to go into the whole world and declare the good news of His death and resurrection. And good news it is. No other religion in the world has its equal.

Michael L. Brown

Innocent people seem to suffer a lot. Why do bad things happen to good people? And why do so many bad people seem to have it made?

My godly mother was beaten and left for dead by a young prison parolee. Mother lived five more years, faithfully praying for the man’s salvation. Many asked, “Why would God allow such a good woman to suffer such a bad thing?”

God has not given one simple answer that will satisfy everyone, but His Word has given us all we need to know in order to live victoriously (2 Peter 1:3,4). Being all-powerful and all-loving, He absolutely works all things for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Christians are subject to common calamities. If God protected His children from all storms, disappointments, poverty and plagues, people would be tempted to serve Him for selfish reasons, as Satan falsely accused Job of doing (Job 1:10,11). Good people have no insurance against physical death; even innocent children and babies die. Heartbroken loved ones can be comforted by God’s promise that He sometimes takes the righteous one away “from the evil to come” (Isaiah 57:1).

When believers sow to the flesh, they reap bad consequences; Galatians 6:7 was written to Christians. God chastens His children (Hebrews 12:5) to correct wrong attitudes and prevent sin. Paul suffered a painful infirmity, “a messenger of Satan” to keep him from pride (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Fiery trials come to purify our faith (1 Peter 1:7). Tribulation is essential to perseverance, and these produce character, the only thing we can take with us into heaven for eternity (Roman 5:3,4). As believers, we share in the “fellowship of his suffering” (Philippians 3:10). The same world that hated Him hates us (John 15:18-21); all who are godly will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). The sufferings of Christ abound in good people so they can know the comfort God gives. Then — and only then — are they prepared to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-6).

Why do the wicked prosper? Job wrestled with this question (21:7-15). Psalm 73 tells how David’s steps nearly slipped because he was envious when he saw the prosperity of the wicked (vv. 2,3).

Jesus explained why bad people prosper. He said the world loves its own (John 15:19). Satan’s people help each other. From the far-reaching Mafia to local scams, bad people shrewdly cheat others out of wealth (Luke 16:8). Abraham reminded Dives (the rich man) that in his life on earth he received good things (Luke 16:25).

For the present, God allows the devil to be “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). He can give the kingdoms of the world to whomsoever he will unless God overrules (Luke 4:6).

God’s goodness toward the sinner is intended to lead him to repentance; if he spurns God’s mercies, he stores up greater wrath for himself at the final judgment (Romans 2:4,5).

God’s final answer to these questions is in the Cross. Jesus used the ultimate “bad thing” to crush the serpent’s head (Colossians 2:15; Genesis 3:15). Soon God’s people will be in the only place in the universe that is totally free of all bad things; all who follow Satan will have lost all that is good forever.

Opal Reddin

My professor says it is a fact that the Bible is full of errors and contradictions. Why should I read such a faulty book?

My Harvard professor said Exodus 37:17-24, which describes sevenfold lamps, was in error because such lamps did not exist in Moses’ time. Later I took part in an archaeological expedition in Dothan in Israel and watched workmen uncover a sevenfold lamp dating from 1400 B.C., right from Moses’ time.

Critics once said the Hittites never existed because the Greeks and Egyptians didn’t mention them. Then a whole Hittite civilization was discovered. The Greeks and Egyptians did mention them but got the name so twisted no one recognized it. The Bible had it right.

That did not satisfy the critics. They said, “That may be true, but the Horites are fiction.” Others said Sargon never existed. Some even said King David never existed. But Horites were proved to be the same as Hurrians. Sargon’s palace has been excavated. Recently, an ancient inscription was discovered that mentions David’s name and kingdom.

Again and again the Bible has been proved true. It is the critics who are in error due to their unbelief and insufficient knowledge.

Other supposed errors include chronological difficulties caused because the Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used different systems of measuring time or dating. One cause of apparent contradictions is that one passage may use round numbers; another may give the exact figure, depending on the purpose of the writer.

Most of the errors critics talk about are copyists’ errors. Because the books of the Bible were copied by hand it was easy to make spelling mistakes, misread a word, or leave out a word or a line. By comparing the many ancient copies that have been discovered, scholars can determine the original reading in the vast majority of cases. These cases where we can’t be sure are mostly differences in spelling or word order. None of them affect the teachings of the Bible in any way.

Remember also that the Bible uses everyday language because it was written for the common people, not for scientists. Actually, scientific language did not develop until modern times. Most of us still use the language of appearance, just as the Bible does. Who says, “What a beautiful earthset,” even though we know that it is the earth’s turning that causes the sunset?

The Bible is a wonderful revelation of God and His plan. It will not lead us astray.

For more on this subject, see Bible Doctrines by Menzies and Horton (Logion Press). Visit the original Web page.

Stanley M. Horton