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BEREAN BIBLE INSTITUTE, INC. PO BOX 587, SLINGER, WI 53086

BIBLE ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS

AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE HOLY WORD OF GOD

DECEMBER 2009

BEREAN BIBLE INSTITUTE, INC. PO BOX 587, SLINGER, WI 53086

BIBLE ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS

The Bible tells us that as believers we are to be thankful in all things, but sometimes we find that difficult to do. After all, aren’t there some situations or circumstances we might find ourselves in that are just too dreadful to find anything about them to give thanks for? From a purely human perspective that might be so, but from God’s point of view, it isn’t. Being thankful in everything that comes our way in life, whether good or bad, is based on eternal values and concepts rather than the temporal values of the world. To be able to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4) while maintaining a sincere attitude of thankfulness “in everything” (I Thess. 5:17) in the middle of the most dire of circumstances requires that one’s trust be placed in something that they are absolutely sure will not fail them in their time of need. The only “something” in existence that meets that criteria is actually a “Someone,” the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God and Savior of sinners.

There are believers who never fully experience the joy of the Lord in their lives because of a lack of faith. They have come to a point in their lives where they realized their sinful condition and need of salvation and then trusted in Jesus Christ and His completed work of redemption and were gloriously saved. Their lives have been changed dramatically as the Holy Spirit indwelt them and Scripture took on a new meaning to them after they were saved. But, even though they have trusted in Christ completely for their salvation and rejoice in their position “in Christ,” they remain somewhat fearful of the events of life. They become

anxious over many things, fretting over them while they exhaust themselves trying to fix things. They even become angry and bitter over bad things that happen to them. The major part of their problem is that they are still clinging, at least in part, to a humanistic worldview. Simply put, they have not had their minds completely renewed (see Rom. 12:1-2) to the point that they trust the Lord in every area of life. Of course, all of us fall into this category to some extent or other at times because none of us have reached the pinnacle of spiritual maturity. We are all at different levels of spiritual growth. We need to look at the trials we face in life from a different point of view than the world because it is through the tribulations of life that we mature spiritually (see Rom. 5:1-5; Jam. 1:2-4). To be able to do this, we must be convinced from Scripture that God is sovereign (Phil. 2;13; I Tim. 1:17; 6:14-16), that our eternal destiny is secure “in Christ” who is our life (Col. 3:1-4; 1:13-14; 2:9-10); and that the sufferings we endure in this life are nothing in comparison to the blessings we will experience in eternity (Rom. 8:18; II Cor. 4:16-18). When we look to “Jesus Christ and Him crucified,” we will not trust in man’s wisdom, “but in the power of God”(see I Cor. 2:1-5). Then, and only then, we will be able to “glory in tribulation” (see Rom. 5:1-5) and “in everything give thanks” (I Thess. 5:18). The Bible says we can; do you believe it?

Because Christ Lives,

W. Edward Bedore Dr. W. Edward Bedore, Editor

BBI Bulletin, BABQ

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” II Timothy 3:16

Volume 4 Issue 4 June 2013

(All questions answered by the Editor unless otherwise noted)

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place once for all time when the believer trusts

in Christ as Savior (see Eph. 1:13-14). This does

not render the believer unable to sin, but it

does break the power that sin had over him (or

her) in that he now has access to God’s grace

through the channel of faith. But, he must

choose to live by faith each day in order to live

a consistent life of spiritual victory. Believers

today are “filled with the Holy spirit” when they

discern God’s will for godly behavior through

God’s Word and apply it to their life by faith

(see Eph. 5:15-18).

The problem is that besides the indwelling

Holy Spirit, our old sin nature is still with us.

This results in a spiritual battle within us. We

can only experience victory when we reckon it

true that the old man, or old nature, died on the

cross with Christ and that the new nature is

alive to God through the resurrection of Jesus

Christ (see Rom. 6:1-14).

Peter and the other believers in early Acts

were living under the prophesied Kingdom

Program. While it is true that through Ezekiel

the Lord has promised to give Israel a new

heart, put His Spirit within them, and cause

them to obey Him (see Ezek. 36:26-27), this will

not fully take place until Jesus Christ’s Second

Coming and Israel has been restored to the

Promised Land (see Ezek. 36:24-25, 28-29; Jer.

31:31-34).

We really don’t know what Ananias and

Sapphira’s spiritual condition actually was, but

we do know that they sinned against God in

lying about what they did with their money.

They were judged according to the prophesied

Kingdom program they were living under.

Thankfully, we are living in the Dispensation of

Grace today and so we are not subject to the

kind of judgment Ananias and Sapphira

suffered for their transgression.

QUESTION: Could you help my understanding

with the saints that were “filled with the Holy

Spirit” which brought their goods to the feet of

the disciples…if they “could not sin” because

of the presence of the indwelling Spirit, why

were Ananias and his wife judged unto death

for their transgression?

ANSWER: Half of the answer to this question

about Ananias and Sapphria being judged unto

death for their transgression is understanding the

difference between the “filling” and “indwelling”

of the Holy Spirit. The other half of the answer is

found in the fact that the Scriptures do not teach

that anyone ever becomes sinless before receiving

their glorified body.

The “filling of the Holy Spirit” in Acts was

something that temporarily took place for the

purpose of special empowerment for carrying

out particular acts of ministry on the Lord’s

behalf. In other words, at God’s discretion, the

Holy Spirit came upon certain people to enable

them to do miracles or prophesy. An example is

found in Acts 2 where the disciples “were all

filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with

other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance”

(Acts 2:4). Notice that in the passage it is clearly

stated that this miracle of the disciples speaking

in unknown tongues took place “as the Spirit

gave them utterance.”

Of course, Peter was among this group of

disciples as he was their main leader. Later we

find Peter again being filled with the Holy Spirit

as an individual (Acts 4:8) and with a group of

believers (Acts 4:31). Being temporary, the

filling with the Holy Spirit of a person was

something that could take place numerous

times. Those who were “filled” by the Holy

Spirit were only prevented from sinning while

under His control.

In the Dispensation of Grace we are living in

today, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit takes

BIBLE ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS

AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE HOLY WORD OF GOD

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and Ascension of Christ, Paradise was in the

center of the earth, which is where Jesus went

for the three days His body was in the grave

(Matt. 12:40; Eph. 4:9). As the Lord said that the

believing thief who was crucified alongside of

Him would go to Paradise with Him that very

day (Lk. 23:42-43), we know that Paradise was in

Sheol/Hades at that time. Abraham’s bosom is

another name for Paradise (Lk. 16:22-23).

INTERESTING BIBLE FACTS

“The First American Bible”

The first Bible published in America was not

in English, but in the language of the Algonquin

Indians. It was published in 1662 by colonial

pastor John Eliot who was known as the

“Apostle to the Indians.” At that time all

English Bibles were required by law to be

printed in England.

“The Day of Doom”

Michael Wigglesworth, a New England

Puritan minister and poet wrote a long poem

entitled “The Day of Doom.” The poem was a

ballad of Puritan theology that depicted the Last

Judgment in horrifying detail based on Biblical

imagery. Published in 1662, it is said to be

America’s first “best seller.”

QUESTION FOR THE READER: WHO AM I?

On a boat I set sail, but came a shore via the belly of a

whale. Who am I?

Answer to the May Question for the Reader: Who Am I? PAUL

(See Acts 9:1-20). (I persecuted Christians until I was blind, it

was on a road trip that God changed my mind. Who am I?

QUESTION: If Paradise is no longer in

Sheol/Hades, but is now in heaven as II Corin-

thians 12:4 indicates, is the reference to “the

dead in Christ” rising simply referring to the

physical body? It seems that if the souls of the

dead in Christ are already in heaven, they

would not rise. What do you think?

ANSWER: This question is essentially about the

“resurrection” of believers at the time of the

Rapture. The souls of the departed saints, “the

dead in Christ,” are in heaven at this time. Their

bodies, of course, remain on earth in various

states of decomposition. The souls of the

members of the Body of Christ who have died

will come down to be reunited with their bodies,

which will be raised in an immortal and

glorified state. Then the bodies of the living

saints will also be changed and the entire Body

of Christ will then be caught away and taken to

Heaven by the Lord Jesus Christ. So, in answer

to this question, both the physical and the

spiritual parts of believers are in view in these

passages. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall

not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a

moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump;

for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be

raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed”

(I Cor. 15:51-52). “For the Lord Himself shall

descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of

the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the

dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are

alive and remain shall be caught up together with

them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so

shall we always be with the Lord” (I Thess. 4:16-17).

As to the location of Paradise, Paul speaks of

being “caught up into Paradise,” not of “going

down” (II Cor. 12:4). He also speaks of this

same catching up as being “up to the third

heaven” (II Cor. 12:2). Before the Resurrection

BIBLE ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS

AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE HOLY WORD OF GOD

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Bible Answers to Bible Questions is published by Berean Bible Institute of Slinger, Wisconsin. All rights reserved. Bible Answers to Bible Questions is sent free of charge to all who request it.

Berean Bible Institute, Inc. admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.

BEREAN BIBLE INSTITUTE

116 Kettle Moraine Drive S.

PO Box 587

Slinger, Wisconsin 53086

Phone: (262) 644-5504

Fax: (262) 644-5507

E-mail: bbi@bereanbibleinstitute.org

Web: www.bereanbibleinstitute.org

keep his head shaved and as his hair grew out

his strength returned. Then, during a feast to

their false god, Dagon, many of the Philistine

ruling class were in the temple of Dagon and

called for Samson to be brought out so that they

could mock him (Judg. 16:22-26). Being

positioned by two of the main support pillars of

the temple, Samson was able to brace himself

between them and push them out of place

causing the roof to collapse, killing himself

along with three thousand men and women of

the lords and ladies of the Philistines (Judg.

16:27-30). Samson literally “brought the house

down” that day.

Somewhere in the past, this saying was

adopted to figuratively speak of a great

performance on stage. When an audience shows

appreciation for a singer, an instrumentalist, an

orchestra, a band, a play, etc. by giving them an

extended and unusually loud round of applause

with calls for an encore, it is said that the

performers “brought the house down.”

BIBLE ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS

AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE HOLY WORD OF GOD

COMMON SAYINGS FROM THE BIBLE

“He’s Asking for It”

Proverbs 18:6 reads, “A fool’s lips enter into

contention and his mouth calleth for strokes.” A fool

causes contention with his words and provokes

others to want to give him a beating. With the

contentious words that come out of his mouth,

he calls for blows to be given him by the anger

he incites in those he contends with. The idea

behind this verse is expressed by the phrase

“he’s asking for it” which is usually said by the

one the fool is contending with.

“He Brought the House Down”

Most people are somewhat familiar with the

story of Samson’s life. After judging Israel for

twenty years (Judg. 15:20), this champion of

Israel, who had time and time again defeated

the Philistines with his God-given supernatural

strength, was captured by them, blinded and

made to serve them by grinding grain. The

Philistines were finally able to overcome him

because he had become involved with a

treacherous woman named Delilah. She enticed

him and he eventually gave in to her constant

pestering and revealed that the secret of his

strength was his long hair (Judg. 16:6-17).

Delilah then had his hair cut off as he slept and

called for the Philistines to take him (Judg.

16:18-19). When he awoke, his great strength

was gone and he was unable to fight off the

Philistines who put out his eyes and imprisoned

Him (Judg. 16:20:21). However, they failed to

President & Executive Editor: Robert E. Nix, Ph.D.

Managing Editor: W. Edward Bedore, Th.D

Composition & Layout: Jessica Sadler

THE CLOCK

The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop at late or early hour. To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed. To lose one’s health is more. To lose one’s soul is such a loss that no one can restore.

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