...We Answer

Not every answer might comply with everybody's way of seeing things. Then I kindly ask you to hold it with Paul, who said in 1 Corinthians 13 that we now see in part. All of us answering here, stick to the basic faith statements as defined in the Apostle's Creed, yet further to that we know that there are also Biblical topics not related to salvation itself, that different people understand and see differently. So please keep this in mind in case you "stumble" over a certain answer - we would like you to be blessed by the challenge of different aspects!

Answer Set 4

Question: Please explain the meaning of Isaiah 57:1

"The righteous perish, and no-one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no-one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil", (NIV).

Answer from Polly: The righteous die. The society then was so bad that the righteous people in Israel, also called devout and those who walk uprightly, had to die in order to find peace. Observing the evil all around apparently frustrated them and they could do nothing to turn the nation back to the Lord. The only way the righteous could be spared from such frustration was to die. Many scholars interpret this to mean that God 'took their lives' to spare them from having to endure the evil suffering.

Question: What is the meaning of the verse, Rule on Rule, a little here a little there (Isaiah 28:10-13)?

"For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there." Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to his people, to whom he said, "This is the resting-place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose" - but they would not listen. So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there - so that they will go and fall backwards, be injured and snared and captured.

Answer from Polly: The speakers in verse 9 were probably the priest and prophets mentioned in verses 7-8 and were angry that Isaiah was treating them as if they were young children. So they mimicked him as if he were speaking 'baby talk' to them (verse 10). The leaders were acting as if he were an adult 'lecturing' a little child; 'a little here, a little there' was a method used in teaching children, introducing a little knowledge at a time. Isaiah said that if they did not want to listen to him they would be made to 'listen' to another people who had a difficult and different speech. Foreign lips would deliver the message of judgment on them.

He was referring to the Assyrians who were coming on Israel and would conquer it. Since they had refused to listen to God's messenger, Isaiah, God would turn their mocking back on them and they would be injured, snared and captured by a people whose language they did not understand.

Question: What are some good passages relating to friendship in the bible?

Answer from Polly: Jesus will call you 'friend' if you do what He commands (John 15:14), and warns that friendship with the world is hatred toward God (James 4:4). The book of Proverbs has lots of verses on friendship including; 'a friend loves at all times' (Proverbs 17:17) and 'do not make a friend with a hot-tempered man' (Proverbs 22:24).

Question: In the light of Psalms 150:6 - can a sinner praise God and will be acceptable?

⁶ Let everything that has breath prasie the LORD. Prasie the LORD.

Answer from Polly: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23); however, Christians do not stay in a state of sin but continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15), offering your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).

If you are not saved then know that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15), and you must only believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved (Acts 16:31) as God wishes that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).

A good 'praise prayer form' to follow could be the A.C.T.S.

A - adoration for the Lord (Psalm 34:1-3, 96:1-4, Matthew 4:10).
C - confession of sin (1 John 1:9).
T - thanksgiving to God (Colossians 3:17).
S - supplication/request (Philippians 4:6, James 4:2-3).

Question: How do you please God?

Answer from Polly: Paul writes in 1st Thessalonians 4:1-2 that the Holy Scriptures are instructions on how to live in order to please God. All Scriptures are God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and used to instruct so that we might be thoroughly equipped for every good work (pleasing to God).

Be saved and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord is the first and foremost way to please God (Romans 10:8-13).

Keeping His Commands is what counts (1 Corinthians 7:19b, John 14:21, Psalm 119:10, Proverbs 4:4, 22:17-18, John 13:34). Reading the Word of God has a cleansing effect upon the mind, will and emotions (John 15:3); reading and listening to the Word builds faith (Romans 10:17, Galatians 3:11); God commands we devote ourselves to reading, preaching and teaching the Scripture (1 Timothy 4:13).

Your spiritual act of worship is to offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1-2). This means to keep yourself from all the evils of the world, keep your mind on God (Ephesians 4:22-32, 5:15-20, 1 Peter 1:14-16 and 22).

Question: What biblical information can you give on 'The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste'?

Answer from Polly: The term 'the mind is a terrible thing to waste' was an ad for the United Negro College Fund and is not found in the Scripture. However, there are many passages that teach us what our mind is to do. We devote most of our waking moments to thinking and the Bible tells us what to think about (Philippians 4:8); it says to renew our minds and approve what is God's will (Romans 12:2); we are to love the Lord with all our mind (Matthew 22:37); take our thoughts captive and give them up to God (2 Corinthians 10:5) and do not let them be led astray from sincere devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). God will open your mind so that you can understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45), so that Satan might not out-wit us (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Prepare your minds for action (1 Peter 1:13); be clear minded (1 Peter 4:7). Wasting the mind would be thinking always about what belongs to your earthly nature (Colossians 3:1-17), and not live by the desires of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16-21)..