Information Related to "Questions and Answers - Apr/Jun 2003"
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Question: I'm 18, and I am not sure how the Church feels about a baptized and a non-baptized person dating. I have grown up in the Church and don't agree with baptism just to get married. Is it better to be baptized before dating and marriage, or can you do both, just with the right timing and approach in mind?
Answer: Because God wants us to have lasting marriages and because long-lasting marriages bring the greatest happiness, it is important for us to choose carefully whom we marry. The principle of not being unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14), is vital in this regard. While the passage in 2 Corinthians is specifically discussing the contrast between Christ and idols, the principle is likewise applicable to marriage. Marrying someone who shares our religious values provides a very important basis for compatibility.
Regarding baptism, we don't recommend baptism in order to get married. Baptism should be a separate, personal decision one makes because he or she wants to honor God and enter into a covenant with Him. Baptism is the most important covenant we make in this human life. Marriage is likewise a very important covenant, but still not as important as our relationship with God.
Given this perspective, our recommendation is that people seek baptism prior to marriage. Sometimes, as young people consider marriage, they are sobered by the importance of such a decision and, in the process, realize that baptism is also an important step they want to take. Under such circumstances, a minister will usually counsel people for baptism first and then counsel them for marriage.
When young people marry and later get baptized, we are pleased for them, but we wouldn't recommend this as the best course of action. If someone truly wants to obey God, this will include baptism, and the best chance for a happy marriage is to marry someone who likewise wants to fully obey God. While someone may have good intentions about getting baptized, it is also possible that he or she might not. If you are baptized, I'm sure you will want to marry someone who shares your convictions.
As you suggest, the real key is a person's attitude. Some may get baptized simply to marry another person. If they do, this is unethical, and this is why it is important to talk with a potential mate to see if he or she truly is spiritually compatible. What another person says about God and how he or she acts are usually good indicators of his or her true intentions.
Question: According to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, will Christians have to face the antichrist before the rapture?
Answer: To be accurate, Paul does not mention the term "antichrist." Only John does that in 1 John 2, 1 John 4 and 2 John 1. Having said that, this question is an important one, involving events near the return of Jesus Christ and the saints being gathered to Him (2 Thessalonians 2:1).
When we study the book of Revelation, we see that John spoke about a very similar person, whom he called a second "beast" in Revelation 13:11-14. He says this leader performs great miracles, even calling fire down from heaven to deceive people and get them to worship the first beast. Later, in Revelation 19:20, this second beast is called the false prophet who works on behalf of the first beast. Tragically, all these passages indicate that people will be deceived by powerful but false miracles (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10; Revelation 13:14; 19:20).
Christ also spoke about this time (Matthew 24:24) saying that if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived. True Christians will not be deceived by these lying wonders. In the next chapter, He says the righteous are blessed and will inherit the Kingdom of God (Matthew 25:31-34).
Since you asked about a prophetic passage, you might find our booklets on The Book of Revelation Unveiled and You Can Understand Bible Prophecy of interest. You can read them on-line by clicking the link in the last sentence, or you can request a printed copy.
There is a second aspect to your question—that of what happens to the saints. You referred to the "rapture"—a word that never appears in the Bible. Jesus said that when He returns it will be a very public event that all the inhabitants of the earth will see. Everyone will hear the great sound of a trumpet as He gathers together His elect from all over the earth (Matthew 24:30-32). John also said when Christ returns every eye will see Him (Revelation 1:7). It is at the time of this great trumpet blast that Paul says the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the saints who are alive will be changed to spirit instantaneously (1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). If you wish to study more about the subject of the resurrection and what happens at death, read or request our booklet on What Happens After Death?
Q The Bible says that everyone will have a chance to really know God and decide if he or she wants to follow God or Satan. What about babies who die before they are born--either aborted or miscarried?
Answer: Your assertion is correct that God will give all people an opportunity to know the truth and come to repentance—if they are willing. In 1 Timothy 2:4, Paul says God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Then, in 2 Peter 3:9 we're told God is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." In Genesis 2 we're told God took clay and molded it into the first human. There is no other part of the universe that is described as being that important to God in the creation account. In making everything else, He simply spoke and it appeared. God loves humanity very much and is anxious to bring "many sons to glory" (Hebrews 2:10).
You specifically asked about babies who die before birth and whether they will be given a chance for salvation. Based on the scriptures above, the answer to your question is determined by the question of whether an unborn baby is a part of humanity. Is the fetus part of mankind? You may be aware of the fact that this question goes to the heart of the debate over abortion. Those who argue that abortion is OK say a fetus is not a human and therefore has no rights. They believe it is only a "growth" of the mother's body and can be eliminated like cutting her hair or trimming her fingernails. However, if we look to the Bible as God's inspired instruction book to humanity, we will find several passages that contradict that belief.
For example, in Exodus 21:22-25 we see that God said if two men fight and somehow hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, if both the mother and child live with no serious harm, there is only to be a fine. But if any lasting harm follows, they were to give "...life for life..." This shows that God assigns "rights" to the unborn. In the book of Jeremiah we see that God views the unborn as individuals. He told that prophet, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5). God indicates that He knew Jeremiah as a person and designated him for a special job extremely early in the gestation period. This implies "personhood."
Additionally, Job said this about other people, "Did not He who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?" (Job 31:15). Job understood God to be at work in the process of human gestation in the womb. If you want to read more on the subject of abortion, you can read an article in our May/June 2000 Good News magazine titled, "The Abortion Quagmire: Who Will Speak for the Children?" We also have a Teen Bible Study Guide on this topic.
There is no Bible passage that specifically addresses the question of unborn babies. However, if we apply the information the Bible gives us, it is clear that God views the unborn as human. Therefore, though He doesn't give us the details of how, the implication is that He will give them an opportunity for salvation.
Some might wonder how God can resurrect an unborn baby that was not able to live on its own. Suffice it to say that God's powers go far beyond anything we humans can do. He created human life to begin with. And He designed the whole system of genetics. Scientists now tell us that at conception a unique genetic package comes into existence that contains everything that person will become--from height, size of feet and color of his/her eyes to factors such as whether a person is likely to contract diabetes by age 50. It is very easy to see that God, with His great power, can simply resurrect babies based upon what their genetic code indicates they "would" have become if they had gone full term in the womb.
Question: It's not my nature to easily express myself the way most others do. I guess you can say I'm kind of the phlegmatic type. I would like to know, is it really an important issue in living a Christian life to express your feelings and emotions?
Answer: Your question about personality types and the importance of expressing feelings and emotions is one that numerous authors have spent entire books trying to answer. While this is a huge subject, we will try to distill some of the concepts involved with biblical principles for you to consider.
From your use of the term "phlegmatic," it seems that you already understand that people have different personalities or temperaments. One of the older methods of classification describes people as being sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic or melancholy.
In recent years, there have been many newer classification models offered by various individuals, almost all of them based on four descriptions of personality types. One of the most obvious areas of personality identification considers whether a person is generally quiet in contrast to being more expressive. In the Myers-Briggs personality type indicator system, the one most heavily researched and used in the United States, this contrast is referred to as being an extrovert or an introvert.
According to Myers-Briggs data representing hundreds of thousands of people, the U.S. population reflects about 2/3 extroverts to 1/3 introverts. That is one reason the U.S. culture values extroversion (expressing oneself) over introversion (keeping one's thoughts inside). Other cultures, such as those in Asia, value introversion and find extroverted Americans to be overly demonstrative and too talkative. Theoretically, as we mature, we become more comfortable going beyond our preferences (acting more extroverted even if we are introverted, for example). Yet in times of stress, we all tend to revert to our innate preferences.
While there are three other areas of personality identification, let's now focus on your specific question regarding extroversion/introversion—whether as a Christian you should express yourself or remain quiet. The Bible has much to say about communication, because according to our words, we will either be justified or condemned (Matthew 12:37). The reason for this basis of judgment is that we all tend to speak what we think (Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45). What we are thinking is, thus, the real issue.
Being an extrovert can be either good or bad depending upon what we are thinking. Proverbs 10:19 (NIV) says, "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." Ecclesiastes 5:3-7 says, "many words are meaningless" when there is a wrong orientation. Christ likewise said, "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words" (Matthew 6:7, NIV).
In contrast to these scriptures, expressing "many words" of God's truth is good (Acts 2:40; 15:32). Likewise, we are told to encourage each other with God's truth (1 Thessalonians 4:18; 5:11). Hebrews 3:13 speaks of encouraging "one another daily." Peter tells us to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks us about God's truth (1 Peter 3:15).
In considering these passages, the lesson for us is that personality type is never an excuse to sin, nor is one personality type better than another. God expects all of us to act like Christians regardless of our temperament. If we are extroverts, we would do well to make sure what we are saying is godly. If we are introverts, we need to make sure that we don't neglect encouraging others through our words.
As for how much of our personal feelings and emotions we share with others, each of us makes this decision based upon our personality type and our relation to the individual involved. If the person is our parent, the Fifth Commandment tells us to honor our parents and, thus, we should strive to share our feelings with them. Likewise, husbands, out of love for their wives, should share their feelings with them to build trust. We may also choose to self-disclose our innermost thoughts to a close friend. On the other hand, we are not obligated as Christians to share our innermost thoughts and feelings with strangers or simply anyone who asks.
Question: Is masturbation right or wrong? What does the Bible say about this? Is it a sin?
Answer: The Bible does not mention masturbation by name. That means we must ask some questions to apply the appropriate principles from God's Word to find His perspective on the issue.
It's obvious God created sex to be enjoyable, but what is the setting He upholds as the place for sex to occur? It's always in marriage according to what we find in the Bible. Sex outside of marriage, whether with someone who is single (called fornication) or someone who is married to someone else (called adultery), is always condemned (see 1 Corinthians 6:18 and Galatians 5:19-21). In addition, Christ said that even looking on a woman with the intent of wanting to have sex with her is a violation of the commandment against adultery (Matthew 5:27-28). So God clearly teaches that sex belongs in marriage, not outside of it.
Sex is intended to be pleasurable, but it is obviously intended by God to be a pleasurable act that is shared between a husband and a wife. It forms a "pleasure bond," as some have described it, that helps emotionally unite the two people.
When you contrast that with masturbation (which is strictly for the pleasure of one person, whether male or female) it is obvious masturbation is outside of God's intent. It focuses on pleasing the self instead of a mate and is not the use of sex that brings the best long-term results in our lives.
As for whether masturbation is a sin or not, understanding the definition of sin can help us make that determination. One of the definitions of sin is "to miss the mark" (Vine's Expository Dictionary, art. "Sin"). Since masturbation misses the mark of what God intends for us, it is sin.
Question: I was just wondering why women aren't allowed to give sermonettes and sermons? I think that women could give equally inspiring messages. Although we can give our ministers ideas for sermons, it might have more impact coming from a woman's perspective.
Answer: In many Christian denominations, women preach and are ordained as ministers and pastors. And some of them are quite dynamic and articulate! However, since we get our guidance on such matters from the Scriptures, it is to the Bible that we look for direction on this subject.
Examining the Scriptures, we do find that women held many very important roles in the history of Israel and the Church. Women such as Ruth, Esther and Deborah were important in both leadership and serving within the plan of God. In the New Testament, we find that the older, experienced women (wives and mothers) were to teach the younger women.
Titus 2:3-5 says, "The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things--that they may admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."
We also find that many early Christian women taught their families out of the Word of God. Paul reminded Timothy of the things he had learned as a boy from his mother and grandmother. In 2 Timothy 1:5, Paul wrote, "When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also."
Clearly, Paul was referring to the fact that much of Timothy's faith and understanding came as a result of the example and teaching of his mother and grandmother! Obviously, they were very good teachers. Notice later, in 2 Timothy 3:14-15, that Paul refers to the teaching Timothy received when he was a young boy: "But you must continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
All of that said, when it comes to teaching in a Sabbath service, God gave that responsibility to the ordained elders of the Church--which were men. In 1 Timothy 3:1-2 it says, "This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach."
Throughout the New Testament, the ordained elders were to be the primary teachers during a Sabbath or worship service setting. Paul even wrote that women were not to be fulfilling that role within the Church: "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church" (1 Corinthians 14:34-35).
In his letter to Timothy, Paul added, "but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence" (1 Timothy 2:10-12).
These verses may seem to be a bit harsh or direct today; however, Paul was dealing with a number of issues that were resulting in people not serving or functioning in their respective roles—and there was confusion on this issue. These teachings are not a matter of ability or importance of women—but the teaching role that God defined in the Bible.
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Keywords: dating before baptism antichrist expressiveness and Christianity Myers-Briggs test masturbation women preaching
Antichrist: