Q. Things seem to be very confused and dangerous in today’s world. I am afraid of what might happen. What shall I do?
A. We can be sure then that God is in perfect control of everything. We assume that what He allows, He does for the purpose of maturing us so that we will be good stewards of the kingdom in heaven which may be soon to come. Don’t be discouraged. Be ready. The Word of God says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turns it wherever He will” (Prov. 21:1).

Q. I am not rich like other people seem to be. Can I make it through in this life?
A. God makes you a wonderful promise in His Word and wants us to be discerning about money. In His Word, the Lord says, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold” (Prov. 22:1). If we will seek to please the Lord about money and everything else, we can be sure that He will help, provide, and bless our lives no matter what may be our economic status.

Q. I do some drinking and it doesn’t seem to hurt. Is this okay?
A. You’re playing with fire. Alcohol can be the ruin of your life and we would advise against it. The Scripture says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Prov. 20:1).

Q. I am discouraged when I see the easy and rich lives of so many people whom I know to be evil. Is this the way God wants it?
A. Be sure that God knows about your situation and wants you to patiently trust Him no matter what may be your outward circumstances. In the Scripture, God says, “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. . . But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away” (Ps. 37:17,18,20).

Q. Is it true that the Bible teaches the fall and rise of the house of Israel. How shall I understand this?
A. Yes indeed, the Bible teaches that the house of Israel is fallen and desolate. Jesus said, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Matt. 23:38). Christ continued saying, “For I say unto you, You shall not see Me hereafter, till you shall say, BLESSED IS HE THAT COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD” (Matt. 23:39). “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?” (Romans 11:11—12). When God brings to pass the fulness of the Gentiles, that will be a marvelous day in both Gentile and Jewish history. That era could come to pass soon.

Q. Why does the Bible say that the Gospel is “to the Jew first”? Some teach that based on this verse, Jewish evangelism is to be given first priority. Is that what this phrase means?
A. One of the verses in which this statement occurs reads as follows: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

It is an historical fact that the Old Testament is a Jewish book, largely authored by Jewish writers; and that the Jewish prophets preached the Gospel to the Jewish nation. Thus, the Jews had the first opportunity to hear this glorious message of redemption. However, God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35) and wants all men to be saved (2 Peter 3:9), so Gentiles are also to be included in the outreach of the Gospel message. “To the Jew first” thus means that it is a matter of chronology, not priority as some would interpret it.

Q. I heard a minister preach on Hebrews 10:24-27, and he said that missing church was tantamount to the “unpardonable sin.” Is this true?
A. The passage in question is talking about two different subjects. The first two verses are speaking about church attendance: “And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

God knows that we are edified by meeting regularly with other believers, and encourages us to do so. When we fail to do what God asks of us, that is “sin,” but it is by no means the unpardonable sin.

“For if we sin willfully afterthat we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26-27).

Here the writer is “changing gears,” and moving to a different subject. Those who have heard the Gospel (“received the knowledge of the truth”), and continue to “sin willfully” (by rejecting the Gospel) have no other way of being saved.

Continued, repeated rejection of the wooing of the Holy Spirit to bring one to Christ is the unpardonable sin. Thus, this sin cannot be committed by one who is already a Christian. But unbelievers are cautioned to heed the Holy Spirit, before such a time that God allows them to continue unchecked in their unbelief.