Information Related to "Questions and Answers - Jan/Mar 2001"
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Question: Why shouldn't we wear a cross as a sign of being a Christian?
Answer: Having a desire to let our light shine and to share our faith are positive goals! In order to answer this specific question, though, we must also consider the background of the cross, the New Testament record and Jesus' teaching about how to display our Christianity.
One of the first questions we might ask is, who decided that the cross was to be the sign of Christianity? This tradition of wearing a cross does not come from the Bible, or the practices of the New Testament Church. Though there are at least seven different types of crosses, we are not even certain that Jesus was crucified on a cross-like apparatus. Though crucifixion on a cross was common at the time, the Bible allows that Jesus may have been put to death on an upright pole (rendered "tree" in 1 Peter 2:24 from the Greek word stauros, which primarily means an upright stake).
A study of the history shows that the cross predates Christianity. According to author Ralph Woodrow, "Centuries before the Christian era, the cross was honored as a religious symbol by the people of Babylon. It is seen on their oldest monuments. Historians say that it was a symbol associated with TAMMUZ" (Babylonian Mystery Religion, p. 51). From Babylon, the cross spread to other nations and was associated with paganism long before Jesus' crucifixion in 31 A.D.
Woodrow further explains, "It was not until Christianity began to be paganized that the cross came to be thought of as a Christian symbol. It was in 431 A.D. that crosses in churches and chambers were introduced, while the use of crosses on steeples did not come until about 586 A.D." (p. 50).
While most people today connect the cross with Christianity rather than paganism, we must also ask if the cross is something to be worshiped or honored. While the apostles preached "the cross [stauros]" as part of the history of Christ's ministry for our sakes (1 Corinthians 1:17-18), it was not something they idolized. It was a shameful instrument of death (Hebrews 12:2). In His crucifixion, Jesus took on Himself our shameful sins. Having our sins forgiven is a wonderful blessing, but there is no need to glorify the instrument used.
Finally, consider what the Bible teaches about wearing any religious symbol. Under the Old Covenant that God made with ancient Israel, God instructed them to wear reminders of their faith upon their hands (Deuteronomy 6:8; 11:18). In fulfillment of this command, phylacteries, small leather boxes containing scriptural passages, were traditionally worn by Jewish men during their morning weekday prayers. Many did this to appear righteous to others (Matthew 23:5).
During His New Testament ministry, Jesus taught His followers to display their spirituality through their actions and deeds (Matthew 5:16). Under the New Covenant, ushered in by Christ, God's laws are to be written on our hearts--that is, in our minds (Hebrews 8:10; 10:16). People who truly practice the Christianity of the Bible stand out as beacons of light in a spiritually darkened society because of the way they live. They have no need to wear external signs like a cross to identify themselves as Christian.
If you would like learn more about the history of the cross and how this pagan symbol entered Christianity, read chapters 6 and 7 of Ralph Woodrow's book, Babylon Mystery Religion. These two chapters are respectively titled "Is the Cross a Christian Symbol?" and "Constantine and the Cross."
Question: What happens to people when they die?
Answer: The Bible clearly shows us that individuals who have died are resting in peace in their graves until the time of a resurrection (John 5:28; Ecclesiastes 9:5). Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, explains in detail how the dead will be resurrected from their graves. The Bible does not say we go to heaven when we die (John 3:13), nor does it say that God will punish sinners forever in a hell fire. These beliefs come from the false concept of an immortal soul, as well as a misunderstanding of Jesus' teachings about our reward, and how some will be punished.
Jesus was in His grave for three days and three nights and only had life again when His Father resurrected Him. This is also what happens to all individuals who die. The dead await the time of the resurrection when they will be given life once again (Daniel 12:2).
If you would like to learn more about this subject, request your free copies of the two booklets What Happens After Death? and Heaven & Hell—What Does the Bible Really Teach?.
Question: What is wrong with playing sports on the Sabbath?
Answer: There are two fundamental principles involved in keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. First, it is a day of rest and, second, we are to uphold the spiritual intent of the day. God wants us to be renewed both physically and spiritually. Designed for this purpose, the Sabbath is a gift from God and not a burden. It is for our own well being (Mark 2:27).
When one is involved in playing sports on the Sabbath, it is generally a physically and mentally enervating experience for purely secular reasons—something contrary to the purpose of the Sabbath. In contrast to other days of the week, God says the Sabbath is holy time—time set apart as different from other time during the week (Genesis 2:3)—and it has a specific spiritual purpose.
We keep the Sabbath holy only by refraining from work or pursuits that are intended for the other six days of the week. If we were participating in a sport on the Sabbath, it would distract our attention from the intended purpose of the day. Furthermore, we would be using God's time for our own selfish pursuits and, therefore, we would no longer be keeping the Sabbath holy.
In this society that ignores God's Commandments, the Sabbath can be a test of our faith. But when we call it a delight and not a burden, it then becomes a great blessing to our lives and God rewards us richly (Isaiah 58:13-14). The Sabbath is a time for resting from our normal activities and focusing on spiritual priorities.
Question: Were Adam and Eve really the first humans? Isn't there evidence of humans before them?
Answer: If we believe the Bible is God's revelation to us, then we believe that the first man was Adam. Scriptures tell us that Eve "was the mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20). In the New Testament, Christ and the other writers reference accounts in Genesis, including Adam, Eve and the worldwide Flood as the beginning of human history. In 1 Corinthians 15:20-22,45,47, for example, God tells us that the first man was Adam. All humans are created in the image of God, come under judgment of God and are appointed to die once.
But what about human-like fossils that scientists say predate Adam? First, we need to understand that science often presents theories in ways that suggest they are facts when they are really still theories. There are also serious problems with radiometric dating—one of the so-called proofs of science. Some fossil bones that evolutionists claim to be those of prehistoric humans are probably from monkeys or other animals. Misshapen bones can also be from humans who suffered from diseases such as rickets, which distort the bones.
Whatever creatures may have lived prior to Adam and Eve, and however closely they may resemble the human form (such as gorillas or monkeys do), it is a misnomer to call them "men." The Bible says man was created by God, in the image of God, at the time of Adam and Eve, made to be offered eternal life in the very family of God, made to come under judgment, and is promised a resurrection from the dead. Anything that came before Adam should not be called "man." Other life forms, including dinosaurs, likely existed prior to Adam and Eve—but Adam and Eve were the first humans as we know them today.
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