“QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS” Lesson 177

Q: What is deliverance?

A: Deliverance is being set free or rescued. This is why Jesus Christ was sent by the Father so that we might be set free from our sins and rescued from the spiritual death of hell (Isa. 61:1, John 3:16-18, Rev. 20:14-15). If we believe in God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead and that Christ was delivered over to deliver us from our sins and through Him we were justified then we too will be resurrected into life eternal (Rom. 4:24-25, 1 Cor. 15:20-23). The entire creation and everything in it will be delivered when Christ comes again (Rom. 8:18-25, Rev. 21:1-4). “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36). He (God) has rescued (delivered) us from the dominion of darkness (sin) and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son (Christ Jesus) He loves in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins (col. 1:13-14). God delivers us from sin just as He delivered Daniel from the mouths of the lions (Dan. 6:19-23) and we are not wounded (eternally) from sin in our lives (Rom. 8:38-39).

Q. When God says that He has set our ending and the beginning, does that mean everything in between, even our sins,
short comings and faults? If so, why does the Body of Christ criticize each other when one falls short?

A: God told and showed Peter through a vision that he should not call any person impure or unclean (Acts 10:28b). And God shows no favoritism (Acts 10:34). It is sad that Christians think more highly of themselves than they should (Rom. 12:3-8) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). It is by grace we all have been saved and not from anything we do on our own (Eph. 2:8) so no one of us should criticize another. Yes, God knows the end from the beginning and this includes everything you do in between (1 John 3:20). Romans 12:9-21 tells us to be devoted to one another in sincere love, do not be conceited, as far as it depends on you live in peace with everyone and whatever you do, do it to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31-32). We are warned against passing judgment (Rom. 2:1-4), slandering others (Lev. 19:16) and being idle busybodies (2 Thess. 3:11). Remember that Satan is the accuser and critic of the brothers (Rev. 12:10b) and we never want to be like him.

Q: What responses can I make about sex to someone who says; “if it happens, it happens. I believe God lets everything happen for a reason”?

A: I am presuming that you are speaking of premarital sex when I write these Scriptures out for you. These are direct quotes from the Bible as I could never say it as well as what is written in God’s Holy Word. Whatever happens should happen for a reason and that reason is to glorify God and not to “blame” God for one’s own lack of pride and self-control. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to god the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). “Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality…because these are improper for God’s holy people” (Eph. 5:3); “Flee from sexual immorality. The one who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:18-20)? “Each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband, so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Cor. 7:2-6); “It is God’s will that you should avoid sexual immorality and that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (1 Thess. 4:3-8).

Q: When Abraham denied Sarah was his wife, Abimelech took Sarah and God came to Abimelech in a dream. Please let me know why God spoke to Abimelech. Was it because Abimelech did not know Sarah was married and God did not want him to sin or because Sarah was the wife of a prophet? If both, which was the main reason?

A: You are right on both counts. This story records God’s providential protection of His people and His plan to produce a godly seed through Abraham and Sarah, which was the covenant He made with Abraham (Gen. 17). God’s preventing the destruction of Abraham’s marriage by adultery reinforced the fact that the Israelites should not destroy their marriages by adultery or intermarry with pagans. Since Abimelech was, in a sense, innocent, he pleaded to Abraham’s God not to destroy a Nation because of his “almost mistake”. Abimelech was spared because he obeyed God and returned Sarah, untouched, and asked Abraham to pray for him. I am sure the main reason was to preserve the covenant between Abraham and God but also to bring Abimelech to God as stated in Genesis 20:17. Man makes mistakes and God allows this but prayer and repentance always brings forgiveness from God.

Q: What specific thing did Pharaoh do in Ezekiel 30 that would make God so angry that he would break both his arms?

A: Ezekiel 30:20-26 is Ezekiel’s fourth of seven prophecies against Egypt recorded after the Babylonians defeated Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon) broke the ‘arm’ of Egypt (disarmed; took away the strength to fight) so she was unable to defend Judah. Egypt’s arm, symbolizing strength (not a literal arm) was not even put in a splint so as to become strong enough to hold a sword. Egypt ‘broke her arm’ (lost power) in her feeble attempt to rescue Israel but this was only a prelude to God’s full judgment. God said He would ‘break both of Egypt’s arms, the good arm as well as the broken one’. In other words God would totally destroy Egypt’s strength. Her ability to protect both others (the broken arm) and herself (the good arm) would be eliminated.