Short Answers

25 answers to questions you may encounter along your spiritual walk.  Although answers are provided, we encourage you to seek out the backup for these answers as well to better establish your belief and understanding.

IF GOD

 

  1. Why do you have a personal belief in God?

A god here is loosely defined for this question as something miraculous rather than something per the laws of nature.  There are only 2 explanations for the start of the universe – natural and not natural or supernatural.  To have something come from nothing violates the laws of physics, specifically the 1st Law of Thermodynamics.  Therefore, the creation of the universe was a supernatural event.  Therefore, some form of a “god” must have preexisted the universe to have done this.   [www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #75 P 2]

WHICH GOD?

 

  1. Why do you believe Jehovah is the one and only God?

First, I believe there is a God and I believe in the Bible.  Jehovah is described to us in the Bible as the one and only God.  Further I have looked at other suggestions as a god and find them all to be good intentions which evolved into a religion rather than a God which proved himself thru teachings and prophecy. [www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #75 P 2]

  1. Why do you believe the Jesus is the Son of God?

The Bible I believe teaches it. (John 3:16-18) [www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #75, P 3]

  1. Can you respond to the claim that Jesus’ virgin birth was simply a common claim among emperors at the time and so it made him seem like a king?

It is likely that someone claimed all the characteristics of Christ before his time other than his crucifixion story and that his kingdom was not of this world.  It is what you would have expected of earthly kings with absolute power in their realm.

THE BIBLE

 

  1. Why do you believe the Bible is the inspired word of God?

It provides a combination of scientific statements which contemporaries did not know (paths of the sea Psalm 8:8, “singing of the stars: Job 38:7, “hangs the earth on nothing” Job 26:7, “springs of the sea” Job 38:16, “rain water cycles” Ecc. 1:7, atoms Heb 11:3, atomic energy, Matt 17:20), lack of contemporary myths, prophecy fulfilled (Jesus born in Bethlehem, called a Nazarene, trip to Egypt, silent before accusers, crucified, resurrected, etc.), and statements showing divine wisdom (“meek shall inherit the earth” Matt 5:5).  People have spent thousands of years trying to discredit it and have failed completely.  No other document is in the ballpark of this. [www.occg.institute/ The Christian Array –  7.3.1, 8.3.2]

  1. Why do you believe that the New Testament is our complete revelation and that no organization, council, or person is authorized by God to add to it or take away from it?

When we add to or take away from the New Testament teachings, we are specifically violating the teaching of Rev. 22:18-19.  [REV 22:18-19]

  1. Do you believe we continue to get Revelations from God today?

Revelations 22:18-19 teaches “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book”.  I understand this to mean that the full revelation was given in the first century and we do not continue to get revelations. Our problem today is not getting more revelation, but rather following what we have. [REV 22:18-19]

  1. Why do you believe that we should be obedient to whatever the New Testament says?

James 4:17 says “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin”.  To follow your own preferences instead of New Testament teachings would be in rebellion to the word of God. [JAMES 4:17]

 

  1. How many personal religious preferences do you need to follow instead of what the New Testament says to be in rebellion to God?

One. James 4:17 says “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin”.  To follow your own preferences instead of New Testament teachings would be in rebellion to the word of God. [JAMES 4:17],

[occgthink.org/ PROJECT PAPERS/ OCCG-037 TEACHING POSTERS, P. 3]

  1. Why do you believe that we are not subject to the Old Testament?

It is what the Bible teaches. The Old Law prepared the way for Christ.  He fulfilled it and it was done away with.  It is a true historical document.   [GAL. 3:24-25]

THE CHURCH

  1. Do you know what the New Testament requires for salvation?

Hear, believe, repent, confess, be immersed, and live a Christian life. [www.occg.institute/TOPICAL LESSONS, 6.3]

  1. Why are we baptized for the remission of sins?

It is specifically what the New Testament teaches in Acts 2:38. [ACTS 2:38]

  1. Why are we baptized by immersion?

The word “baptism” is transliterated from a similar word in Greek which meant “immersed”.  King James had been sprinkled, so when the translators created the King James Version, they were afraid to put the word immersed in, and resorted to “baptism” instead.  Clinical sprinkling started in the 3rd century, general sprinkling was approved in the 14th century, and infant sprinkling was approved in the 18th century, Acts 8:38-39 clearly indicates they went down into the water, baptized, and came up out of the water.  Hardly required for a sprinkling.

[www.occg.institute/ TOPICAL LESSONS 6.3]

  1. Why is instrumental music not acceptable in worship?

What is done in worship to God is a religious question and we are guided by God’s word.  We are instructed to sing.  Instruments are not mentioned even though they were available and the lyre, flute, harp, trumpet and cymbal were used in some Old Law worship activities (II Chron. 29:25-26).  Instruments were not used in the first century and it was 667 AD before they were introduced.   If you are going to follow the New Testament example, you are not going to use instrumental music.

[www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – 99, P. 1]

  1. Why does God allow pain and suffering to exist?

Whereas I might like to make pain a little less painful, the absence of pain would represent an impossible situation.  Pain helps you keep your hand out of fires.  The suffering of not looking as beautiful as someone else could only be solved by everyone looking exactly the same, and of the same age.  The suffering of someone dying could only be solved by everyone living forever.  The existence of pain shows the wisdom of God rather than the wisdom of man. [www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #83, P. 3]

  1. What does the New Testament say about the organization of congregations?

A monarchy, Christ is the king (Eph 5:23)

Shepherds over local congregation (I Tim. 5:17)

Deacons over administration (Acts 6:2-3)

Ministers preach, rebuke, exhort & instruct (I Tim. 4:2)

[www.occg.institute/TOPICAL LESSONS –  6.8]

  1. What does the New Testament say about being homosexual?

Nothing.  Clearly it is a temptation similar to adultery and drunkenness which some among us must deal with.  We are to love and help all people. [www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #81, P. 6]

  1. What does the New Testament say about homosexual conduct?

Homosexual conduct is condemned as a lot of other temptations such as adultery and drunkenness are.   If we are going to follow God’s word, we simply cannot engage in or condone adultery, homosexual conduct, or drunkenness.   [www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #81, P. 6]

EVOLUTION

  1. Name an example of something we see which is impossible to achieve thru atheistic evolution.

Sight, hearing, taste, touch, flight, white blood cells, thinking etc.  On occg.institute website there is a link to a free book which shows more than 60.  The Christian Array (TCA) articles which are posted have described more than 100.

[occg.institute/ MAILING LIST / IMPOSSIBLE FOR EVOLUTION free book]

  1. Do you believe small horses can evolve into a large horse?

Yes.  This is basically a change in size, color, or shape.  It is a subcategory of evolution and is referred to as micro or display evolution.  Proof of this subcategory is not proof of the other subcategory, macro evolution. [www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #74, P. 4]

  1. If you believe some things can evolve but other things can’t, how do you distinguish between the two?

The other type evolution is macro or creative evolution.  This is not a change is size, color, or shape, but the invention of new characteristics, e.g. you have no eyes and develop eyes.  These are incredible design steps and clearly indicate and intelligent designer.

[www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #74, P. 4]

  1. How much scientific proof is there for the theory of evolution of species?

None.  It is an unproven and unproveable theory.  There are only observations compatible with it, which are necessary but not sufficient to prove it.

[www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #75, P. 4]

  1. Is evolution of species possible?

Evolution of species (macro evolution) involves complex designs which are simply not possible by chance mutations. They show the clear handiwork of an intelligent designer.   [www.occg.institute/ TCA E-Magazine – #75, P. 4]

  1. If there is a single thing we see which atheistic evolution cannot achieve, is atheistic evolution disproven?

Yes. It takes only one impossible situation to disprove any theory. (Common sense)

  1. Were the heavens and the earth created in 144 hours?

Points for this are that the periods are referred to in Genesis 1 as “numbered days” with a morning and an evening.  In the remainder of the Bible all indications of numbered days were clearly 24 hour periods.  Points against this are that the 24 hour period of the earth did not exist until the Sun was created on the third day; the entire creation period was referred to as a day in Genesis 2:4 (NASV); and we accept that light has been travelling towards us for millions of years.  God certainly could have done it in 24 hours or any other time period He desired, so what you conclude is an interpretation.   If you let this become the center of your discussion rather than the existence of God, you have made a mistake.  [www.occg.institute/TOPICAL LESSONS 3.5]