Question and Answer Program No. 80

And I think because it's not a saving there could be some latitude among those who teach scriptures. However, if it's a saving issue since the Trinity as we wait Scripture with Scripture so much of the New Testament talks of the spirit son.

The father, in fact it applies each of them the same attributes in different passages Bible teacher Stephen baby today.

We set aside our normal Bible teaching to answer questions from you, our listeners, we have a phone number that you can use to call in with your Bible question. Any question that you have about faith. The Bible love to hear from you and answered on a future broadcast, to come back in just a few moments and give you the number that you can call with your question. Working to get started right now. You'll use it later when not meet with with the Arabs are required to wear IT job and just from my perspective. You know if the Christian woman more job to go in here. I was the right thing. I know Christianity does call for a job at all that you serve.

Thank you so much for calling in quite an interesting question for listeners who may not of heard the story, there was a French politician who visited the nation of Islam, a predominantly Muslim country, and she was scheduled to meet with some Muslim leaders there in that country, and as she was going into the meeting. She was handed a scarf to put over her head as is the custom in Muslim nations for women to keep their heads covered, she refused to put that scarf on. So Stephen the question is, is that the right thing to do it well. I don't know her faith if she did it based on Christian principles. But that's the context for our question today will and is a good question. We have to separate some things here in order to answer this biblically. Number one, we had to separate national sovereignty issues of of patriotism, a decorum with the gospel and those are two separate issues. What a political leader may or may not do may have nothing to do with the gospel. What this woman did or refused to do may have nothing to do with the truth of Scripture that is Christianity being sovereign over Islam. Tell her it's something she refused to do more than likely because of the cultural context. Let's make sure we separate those issues.

I know Scott EEE the bag back to this contract, all way back to Jefferson, who showed no respect for other monarchies. He would refused to bow and and I was considered somewhat scandalous, former president of ours that created quite a scandal when he ballad before the Japanese Emperor right so again I think those issues have to do with nationalism, patriotism, sovereignties of nations whose on top in his ruling leaving I and I don't want to bring that in to the gospel but I think we need to answer it as a relates to the gospel because one about a young girl who was raised in Muslim world and she's required to wear the hijab what it would about missionary who goes into a Muslim country and that should she wear that or not and and so let's let's deal with that as well.

Scott and I think that'll be helpful because these are what we call Romans 14 issues and you deal with it, friends, and other issues may not be whether or not you have your head covered, but it may have to do with something you do or don't do allow your children to do or or and and it goes back to a biblically principled approach in my violating a scriptural principle wouldn't violate a scriptural principle for a political leader or a young girl and listen country to wear a scarf. It may not, depending on the context. Right now we know in Iran.

They are forcing women Christian women to wear the hijab even before they go into their Christian churches and it's a violation obviously of their right to worship as they see fit and course we don't expect countries like these to respect the rights of Christians, but I don't think a woman is forced aware that even a Christian service is violating the gospel. It's a cultural mandate and I can go back in my mind to Paul in his treatment of Timothy and Titus.

On the one hand, he had Timothy circumcised in acts chapter 16 on the other hand, he refused to go along with Titus being circumcised in Galatians 2 course that's created quite a debate as to why he had Timothy circumcised, and why he didn't have Titus circumcised and it looks like he was inconsistent, but II think the answer is in the differences between those two situations.

Titus was a Gentile and for him to have been circumcised. It would've been viewed as him becoming a Jew and fitting in with the requirements of the Jewish believers and there was quite a battle. Should a Gentile believer be circumcised. Should circumcision be required. So for Paul to resist Titus being circumcised had more to do with the definition of the gospel for Timothy, it wouldn't of created quite the scandal and he did it out of sensitivity to the Jewish people they were trying to reach with the gospel. Timothy was of course his constant traveling companion as well and I like the way one author put this Titus's case was a theological issue.

Do you have to become a Jew to become a Christian. And so Paul refused. In that instance to have been circumcised for Timothy.

It was simply Christian freedom, and he felt that it would open some doors for him to be circumcised so I think for missionaries the question as well as a gonna distort the gospel. Are you violating scriptural principle is it hurting the credibility of of your testimony as a Christian, are you distorting the gospel. By doing so, and it may be, in some context know it isn't distorting the gospel.

It's just being sensitive to that culture. On other cases, it could be you know what this would be compromised as a relates to the gospel and one more illustration to give Scott and and I think this goes back to Daniel.

Daniel is abducted and taken into a pagan country and there are two things that happened to him were very aware of the first were not so, where the second.

The first was he was required to drink the Kings wine and eat the king's meat any refused why well because he knew that that would have distorted his his faith and belief and obedience to the law of Moses when he was not about to participate in the idolatry related to the Kings made in the Kings wine which would have been offered as libations before they drank, which would have been ceremonially unclean. This was not kosher meat. He would have been violating the Mosaic law and eating unclean meat and so he refused. This would have been a violation of scriptural principle thing that's most often this is that he was given a new name.

He was given and they built the Shatzer so here you have Amanda Jewish young man whose name Daniel means God is my judge and he was given a new name built the Shatzer which means bell that was the God bail bail sprints that could mean either Prince or a protector. So here he goes from communicating by his name that his judge is God to his God is real and and he's a prince of bail so that would have been horrific to this young Jewish believer and yet he never resisted it and never declined it affect Stephen.

Three of Daniel's companions that said the same thing happened to them as well. That's right, all of their names were highly significant and they were all changes as part of the psychological warfare to break these young men down. For instance, Ananias means God is gracious and his name was changed to Shadrach, which means illumined by the sun God Michelle was a name that meant who is like God and his is changed to me shack who is like Venus so magically from who is like God who is like Venus Azariah means the Lord is my helper's name was changed to a Bendigo I worship and I go that was the pagan god of wisdom. So you find in this culture, they are going to refused to do that which makes them disobedient to God's word so that's the question we have to answer is wearing the scarf making me disobey God's word or is it destroying the credibility of the gospel. While Daniel wasn't gonna follow Ballard bail and these other men that we can worship Venus and the sun God and so they knew that they could accept this name that was imposed upon them without violating their conscience or biblical principle. Stephen, I was thinking as you were talking. If, for example, there was a nation where the women who followed Islam voluntarily covered their head. I think that would be a situation where a Christian woman would not want to follow suit. But if you're in a culture where all of the women are covered and it's just it's it's just a natural part of that culture. Every woman is covered, no matter what she believes. I would think that there be no no violation of biblical principles for a Christian woman to cover in that context right. She's not gonna distort the gospel or hurt her credibility. She simply following that it may have come out of Islam and that illustration but she's not going to be viewed as a Muslim just because she follows that cultural norm. You know Wescott we have another illustration of the Hudson Taylor will appreciate him. We respect him, but he created a scandal because when he went to China, he realized that he was not able to gain entrance into the lives and hearts of people because of his European dress. The children were mocking him.

He had it. You his black clothing.

They had nicknames for him related to death that he finally realized the problem is I'm so different visually from this culture to harming me. So what he did as he shaved his head, the front of his hair off so that his hair began halfway back. He died it black and then he had a Q what we think of is a pigtail tied in to the back of his hair and then he put on the traditional robe and slippers so that he looked like a Chinese teacher and immediately gained access now as a result, the churches in England drop to support. He had staff members quit and it was it was quite scandalous, but he would require it. In fact, from that point forward that any man coming to work for the China inland Mission had to shave his head died black where the ponytail put on the rope so what's he doing.

He's simply adopting something which does not violate Scripture.

It doesn't violate his credibility. It's simply a cultural norm that he fit into and and we admire his courage today. Thank you Stephen, thank you so much for calling and asking that question was really an interesting interesting question and discussion. The number that you could use friend.

If you have a question is 910-808-9384 now I want to remind you that we don't answer that number. That number is only set up for you to call in and record your question, we will play it on a future broadcast you so you can call in anytime any day 24 hours a day to 910-808-9384 and we would love to get a question from you. Stephen earlier in your answer you mentioned Daniel and we have a listener who has a follow-up question regarding something you taught about Daniel and another series calling his book after 221 that the part that along with the other two guards that were mentioned after that nowhere in the final benefit Daniel let the unit I just curious how you came to that conclusion and stated it as a fact. Thank you very much Pauline thank you so much for calling in with your question.

I do remember that sermon from Esther Stephen where you said that in Pauline's right, you did just sort of state that is a matter of fact, and she's also right that the Bible does not call Daniel a UNIX so please, put on the hot seat today Stephen sounds like Polly Muscat have put me seat okay all right will fully thanks so much for that in an and here's my reasoning behind it. First of all, you're right, the Bible doesn't explicitly state that Daniel was a eunuch as a pastor teacher. There are times that you have to make up your mind or make a decision you can say he could have been.

He could be and I probably should've said that because there is no explicit statement and it's possible for me to be wrong can imagine preacher just said that. But it is possible, but let me give you the thought process. I had number one. The Hebrew language identifies the man that Daniel is handed to as a Sarris.

That's the Hebrew word in Daniel chapter 1 verse three says that the king ordered Ashkenaz, the chief of his. And here's the Hebrew word now and Cyrus officials is how it's translated, it can be translated officials or it can be translated UNIX and the same thing happens. Of course, without Philip being taken by the spirit of God to this Ethiopian you can either translated official or unit can there, it's translated eunuch the Greek counterpart to this Hebrew word, so I think it's intriguing that the word is used, and in it seems to fit culturally, historically these high officials.

Certainly those over the harems.

A lot of times is over young people were were UNIX to keep scandal as limited as possible. The other thing that leads me to believe that Daniel would become a eunuch is that he remain single.

His entire life. Unlike Joseph, for instance, who was raised to the highest position under Pharaoh, and he was married and had children when I given any of that. Daniel seems to remain single.

His entire life, so I put those two together and I make my statement that Daniel was a eunuch and Stephen, it's fairly common right when, in interpreting the Bible that we are just putting things together making deductions based on the facts that we do know you I think, for example, even the word Trinity doesn't I don't want to compare these two illustrations right right the word Trinity doesn't exist in the Bible, but we put the Bible's teaching together and we come to that. Really important.

Conclusion share in his Bible teachers and I'm speaking right now to a number of them.

You have to make decisions. There are times when you're not exactly certain, but You Way, Scripture against Scripture, certainly for what we call saving doctrine. There's no question it's a lot of these other issues that raise questions. The word rapture doesn't appear in the English Bible, we know the verb in Latin doesn't so that we get our word from rep Touro. We know there are a number of things about even our glorified Lord's body. We just assume and we assume ours will be like his because will be like him. Does that mean that will fly does it mean will do everything he can do what we don't know for sure.

I know my kids would be real disappointed of her and it will fly by the way, but why the reference to streets and gates.

Who knows we might be driving around something, but we just were not sure and I think because it's not a saving issue. There can be some latitude among those who teach scriptures. However, if it's a saving issue.

For instance the Trinity as we wait Scripture with Scripture so much of the New Testament talks of the spirit. The sun, the father, in fact it applies to each of them the same attributes in different passages. In fact, when you think about who came into your heart or your life.

We know that weren't well by the spirit were told God the father and God the son, we have God indwelling us so those are what we would call saving doctrine saving issues very very important and we have a lot of Scripture on them. A lot of this other stuff they were talkative, and I think even with that, Daniel. It's where you kind of okay here a couple of thoughts or some history subculture Hebrew word the application and that I come all the way back around Pauline and say to you I should have said he could have been a eunuch because I'm not absolutely certain. And before we move on Pauline.

I just want to commend you. The Marines were a church, you were known for taking what they heard and making sure that it lined up with Scripture and were really glad that that's what you do and I think Scott we ought to have more Christians putting their pastors, teachers on the hot seat with. Can you tell me why you believe that and where that is in Scripture that would be tremendously helpful to the church. I agree and thank you Stephen for being willing to even admit you wish you would've said something different that will friends.

Let me give you that phone number you can use to call in with your Bible question. It's 910-808-9384 jot that down and as you're studying the Bible or listening to Bible teaching or come across a question in any way, we'd love for you to call in and ask at 910-808-9384 is another question we received a call from Shelby, North Carolina give a biblical response to the movie shack. Thank you so much for your biblical insights and discernment concerning the issues of our culture Stephen was several years back. The book, the shack made a big star. In fact, and now just recently a movie has come out with the same title. Well first of all, the discernment level of the church. I think it is revealed at times like these, as at an all-time low just amazes me that what is sold under the guise of Christianity and Christian bookstores, but to just do a very very quick answer.

The novel, the story line is is attractive and if it comes out of a plot.

There's an abduction and a murder of a little girl and she's the daughter of a man who evidently sort of. It is in is a nominal Christian. He's living in sadness and then four years later, God drops them a note in his mailbox and invites him to this little shack where his daughter was murdered well. He shows up and then God comes to meet him and the Trinity takes human form.

In this novel, the father shows up as a large African-American woman loves to cook in the Holy Spirit is sort of this little Hindu type Asian woman is translucent and her name is Sanskrit for error or wind and then Jesus is a middle-aged carpenter. The book goes from there that the difficulty obviously is. It begins by talking about God.

It seems to assume the reality of the Trinity and so because of that hey let celadon a Christian bookstores. The truth is however very different. As you evaluate the things that are said it becomes a gospel of universalism. Everybody's basically going to heaven.

Even this man's father who had nothing to do with God or Christianity is seen in heaven later on.

God is quoted as this sort of flabby theologian, even the Holy Spirit is quoted as saying on page 203. I have a great fondness for uncertainty. Well, as we talked about earlier in the program. You could be uncertain about things like whether or not Danny was a eunuch but not about the gospel Scripture doesn't place those kinds of words in the mouth of the Holy Spirit. When pressed to explain himself God just says he reconciled to the whole world, not a God of judgment. Quote I don't need to punish people for sin is not my purpose to punish sin will Scott I just preached a message where we took a close look at God's clear condemnation of sin and the coming wrath of God because of sin. That's a biblical doctrine.

There is a coming great white throne.

The book of Revelation portrays for us were God will condemned to hell. Unrepentant sinners forever.

That sounds pretty judgmental to me.

It sounds like punishment to me in the Bible definitely gives that as not a suggestion but as an ultimatum to avoid you have Jesus saying really strange things in this book were he's telling you know this author that on the first person of ever fully trusted my life with the father and it it it makes him basically a created being. This is new ageism, the spirit says that Jesus is the first to absolutely trust my life within him. Well, Jesus never ceased to be fully God, by the way he chose to limit his deity as he grew the spirit of God allowed them to know more and more of who he really was. He had to be a man in order to die, but he had to be God. In order to die for all of our sin and fulfill this perfect life which he did. He is our example, but he's not is one author said a Guru blazing the trail where we can be like God to and that's how the shack presents Jesus. So in the end, this is simply heresy. It is un-biblical unorthodox. He packaged well enough mention of God to somehow make it onto the shelves of Christian bookstores which is to me the greater tragedy friends if you'd like to know just a little bit more about this and in perhaps even access a really helpful review.

I want to give you a website that you can go to as you know Stephen pastors a church in Cary, North Carolina just outside of Raleigh. That church website is colonial.orc that's colonial.org at the top of that page. There is a menubar and under resources.

You'll find a section called articles and if you go there. There is a really helpful review about the shack. Thanks again Tim for calling in with your question and thanks Stephen for that answer were just about out of time so we need to stop right here. We have many more questions, but will be back next month to take on some more of them. That number that you can use to ask your question is 910-808-9384. I also like to give you our office number if you'd like to speak with us if you'd like information about any of our resources. You can call us in the office at 86 648 Bible at 866-482-4253.

We love to be able to talk with you and help you in any way that we can. We also have a website that is filled with valuable resources. All of it is designed to equip and encourage you in your walk with Christ. All of Stephen's teaching is posted there. It's posted in audio for you to listen to and as written manuscripts. If you would prefer to read the messages but all of his teaching is posted there and that website is wisdom online.orc we have an app for your smart phone so download that if you haven't done that already.

Be sure like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter if you prefer to communicate electronically, you can send an email to info@wisdom online.orc is info@wisdomonline.org when we come back Monday were going to continue through our current series. I hope that you will make plans to join us at this same time next week right here on wisdom for the heart