Bible Questions Take 1
Posted by Job on April 3, 2008
1. What day did God create lights for the sky?
2. Who told Abram to sleep with the Egyptian hand maid?
3. What did God set in the sky as a token of covenant, never to destroy the earth by water again?
4. What name did Abraham call the place he was suppose to sacrifice his son?
5. What is the personal name of God?
Nnamdi said
Please correct me if I am wrong! Thank you!
1. Day 4
2. Sarah (my note: her name was Sarai at the time)
3. Rainbow
4. Jehovah-jireh
5. I AM THAT I AM
Job said
Nnamdi:
Thank you!
Bible Questions Take 2 « Jesus Christology said
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Faceless said
Hi,First I’m really sorry to be asking a question here,plus i agree with Nnamdi’s ans (the answer to question 4 in the NKJV says: The-Lord-Will-Provide. But its the same as Nnamdi’s)Anyway, i posted this quest yesterday :Hello everyone. I have a question, and i pray it doesnt cause or spark off any conflict, because i would hate if it did. Please, in the event that people have different views concerning this question, do not, or at least try not to engage in heated or harsh criticisms. So, this is my question:Do you think that it is right for men and women of God, who receive revelation from God, to sell (money) such revelation, either teachings, or preachings, in form of books and cds or whatever format? I know dt u might suggest that they need to sell it to cover certain publishing fees, or other fees incured in the technical aspect or the physical production of such revelations. But, do you think its right to sell them? I’ve bn having this doubts for quite a while now, and what made me remember is a scripture someone used, that says (in the bible) ”…peddling the [word of God?]” I dont know if it actually means the act of selling the word, but thats not the point anyway. Look at it this way, in Jesus’ time, how do you think the disciples, or even Paul, would see it, if people were, or even the disciples themselves, were writing down revelations from God on scrolls, and selling it to people ’so they could have a deeper knowl of God, and the holy Faith?’ I really need answers to this, cos ive bn having serious scepticisms about the ‘rightness’ of selling materials on Christianity.Please, i ask that you try to answer as openly as you can, and if possible, support your points with references to Scripture.
Job said
Faceless:
No, it is not right to sell revelation from God. This is not to say that pastors and such should not receive some sort of compensation or salary, for the New Testament says that they should (1 Timothy 5:18 cf Luke 10:7). But anything besides that is called “simony”, after Simon the magician in Acts 8:8-24, who was selling his magical arts (a sort of a witch doctor or root worker, medium, you know the type) and tried to buy the gifts of the Holy Spirit, presumably so that he could work the miracles that Peter was doing for profit also. Basically, messing around with the supernatural (or fooling people into thinking that you are) for money has always been done by those that deal in false religions, the pagan, animist, spiritist, occultist, etc. types. A lot of these people that had been following these false religions and were used to that sort of thing in their system tried to bring those same practices into Christianity, and the New Testament specifically condemns that in several places, letting people know that the Holy Spirit is not some genie in a bottle or magic lamp that you use to get rich or anything else that a person desires.
But an even bigger issue you are raising is this: what can be considered a legitimate revelation from God to people? The pastor who gets up on Sunday does not claim to be a prophet or apostle whose sermons are divine revelation that have the same weight and authority (by that I mean infallible nature) as the Bible itself. If anyone is claiming that their sermons, their songs, etc. are of that nature, then you shouldn’t receive the revelations from that person (whether they be sermons, songs, prophetic utterances, interpretations of dreams or tongues, etc.) even if they were PAYING YOU to listen to them.
I have to tell you, if a pastor wants to write a devotional or novel, record a CD, or put out a compilation of his sermons and people want to buy it, I honestly do not see a huge problem with it. But this whole industry of buying and selling, especially where the people are specifically making products for money and also tailoring what they produce to what they know will sell (i.e. self – help type stuff, things that encourage Christians to see themselves as powerless victims and blame everyone else for their sins, things that emulate whatever is popular in secular entertainment, etc.) is just chasing filthy lucre. You see the result now: we have this huge Christian entertainment complex of people that are experts at making Christians feel good, and as a result these people are extremely loyal to the folks that entertain them, to the point where they will follow them no matter what heresies they preach or how they live.
Faceless said
Thank you Job for answering.
John Kaniecki said
Faceless,
Hi hope you are well.
A lot has to do in the manner that they do it. Are they trying to spread the word of God? Or are they just selling their goods to make money?
I’ve known preachers who give away their material and invite others to photcopy it for maximum use.
The love of money is idolatry and a serious issue in the Church. Some churches are just businesses from a different angle. You go in to feel good and deliver the ‘minister’ some cash.
Love,
John