How do animals and women fit in? Why do evil and viruses exist?
How big was the flood and why doesn't God intervene?
What is the Trinity to other religions? Where does Jesus fit in? Does purgatory exist?
No further word from God? Only containing God's words? What about the errors?
Can it have different meanings? May a bible story be legend? Help from outside the bible...?
How dangerous is wealth? What about forgiving the unrepentant? Can euthanasia be Christian? What makes a church a sect?
Is Jesus the one to follow? Did Jesus rise bodily? Jesus and the Holy Spirit? How is Christ coming back? A synthesis of traditions?
Am I a real disciple of Jesus? What do I do when I am tempted? Why should Christians suffer? Why are other Christians a problem?
Creationism? Evolution? Other populations than Adam's? Who was Cain's Wife? Does God feel threatened? Was he harsh on Pharoah?
No images? No art? Show no mercy?
Condoning Force? The Unknown date? The third or sixth hour? When did Jesus die?
It is time for the last installment of The Top 100 Questions: Biblical Answers to Popular Questions. Across 15 articles, we've examined the place of women and animals in Christianity, attitudes towards homosexuality and why discrepancies exist in the Gospels. Time to round off this series with four last questions.
41. John 14:12 - Greater Works? Is the age of miracles past, or ought we to be expecting increasing miracles, on the basis of John 14:12?
John 14:12 reads, "very truly I tell you, all who have faith in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."
Richard Bewes says that this scripture was once quoted to him by a man who had interpreted it "as an encouragement to expect greater physical miracles than Jesus ever performed."
However, Bewes argues that this scripture should be interpreted in terms of its context:
"the coming of the Holy Spirit in power." Bewes asserts that when the power of the Holy Spirit has been globalised, Christians worldwide will accomplish miracles greater than Christ's, but not in a physical, bt a spiritual capacity.
I find Bewes' answer very evasive, so this is my response. I think that the age of miracles is past or at least the age of divine miracles. Rather, I think that the capacity to perform a miracle, lies in the everyday person. We can all perform miracles in little or large displays of kindness. For me, this tackles one of the biggest issues that I've always had with religion: relying on an external force to act on our behalf. We can take control of our own lives by performing our own miracles.
42. John 14:28 - The 'Greater' Father? 'The Father is greater than I.' This is often quoted by those who want to disapprove the deity of Christ. What is behind these words?
As per usual, Bewes' response to this question comes down to semantics. John 14:26 reads:
"the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
According to Bewes, this is yet another example of how "New Testament texts combine all three persons of the Trinity in a single sentence." However, we need to remember that they all have different functions. Bewes asserts that "our salvation is authorised by the Father, achieved by the son and activated by the Holy Spirit."
This context shows that Jesus isn't speaking ontologically, but functionally. It is not Jesus' function to send the Father to do anything. Rather, it is the God that sends the son, and it is the Father that the son will return. And it is in this sense that the Father is greater.
Not that I know for certain, but I feel that whoever asked this question was a Muslim, Jew or somebody that doesn't recognise Jesus' divinity. And I think that Bewes' explanation puts them in their place.
44. Acts 20:28 - Did God die? The phrase in Acts 20:28 that God obtained his Church 'with his own blood; has provoked some of my unbelieving friends to ask sarcastically, 'Then did God die? Where does the answer lie?"
Acts 20:28 reads "keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseas. Be Shepherds of the Church of God, which he brought with his own blood."
Richard Bewes is adamant that these "words are an irrefutable painter to the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ - for it was his blood that was shed upon the cross for the sins of the world." The rest of Bewes' argument focusses on how it was the "external son who died upon the cross."
Yet I feel that Bewes undermines his whole argument by concluding "Did God die? Our respectful answer should be 'You tell me. Who is this? Jesus, who died on the Cross - for you?"
I think that non-believers would respond to this in two ways. Firstly, they'll argue that Jesus didn't exist. As he didn't exist, it's impossible for him to die. Secondly, if they do accept his existence, then they would only acknowledge him as a human being, and not a divine being. The fact that he dies demonstrates that he is a mortal human and not a divine God.
I think that in some sense, God did die. And by God, I mean Jesus. The Holy Trinity is all intrinsically linked and what affects one affects the other. As Jesus is the Son of God, part of God died when Jesus did.
46. Romans 14:10 - Are Christians judged? How true is it that Christians must face the judgement sent of God? Didn't Jesus teach that believers escape the judgement?
Bewes argues that the evidence for Christians facing God's judgement is massive. He clarifies that "it is not that we shall be saved for the last. We have already passed from death to life."
He continues by asserting that "there are enough indications in Scripture that the Christian will face the searchlight of Christ's enquiring gaze at the last date: How did you spend your days for me? How did you use your opportunities? How did you grow in character and discipleship?
Bewes then points to 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, which reads
"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no-one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown foe what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person';s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved - even though only as one escaping through the flames."
Bewes argues that this scripture is addressed towards the early church leaders. He asks "how are they building the work of God? Is the foundation secure? Will it end up like gold, or only as straw? For those who teach others, there are 'rewards,' but there is also a possibility of ''loss' - though not of salvation."
From what I know of Christianity, I would like to believe that everyone will be judged when they die. This promise of being judged will then serve as motivation to live a good life. It discourages complacency or arrogance, as Christians will constantly strive to improve themselves and help others. This is why I don't like the idea of predestination. I don't like how a person's fate is picked out before they're even born, and they can't do a thing to change it. This has the danger of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. If a person thinks they're damned to hell, then why should they try to be a good person?
And this concludes my fifteenth and last article concerning biblical questions. I've enjoyed writing these articles and I think I've learnt a lot more about Christianity and I hope you have too. However, I am still not an expert and as always, I welcome your comments and criticisms. Just keep it mature. Keep it respectful. Keep it intelligent.
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