Subject: 2 Cor. 1:20 |
Bible Note: WDC First of all questions like yours only come up in countries like United States. In Haiti where everyone is poor it isn't an issue. Only in the US do we worry about wealth and we are blessed above all nations in wealth. Our poorest person is hundred times better off than the richest person in some countries. That in itself ought to tell you something is wrong with this type of thinking. You also said everyone in the OT was rich, do you have any idea how many OT saints died in what we call poverty? None of us have to build a wall around our house to keep wild animals out at night. How many of use have lizards running around our houses, yet we know Solomon did. Better yet how many New Testament saints died in poverty. All of the Apostles gave up all earthly wealth to preach the gospel and all except John died horrible deaths besides. I never said there are no promises in the OT for us today. I simply said that if a promise is made to a particular person or nation or for a particular situation we would be wise in not trying to claim it for today. I gave the example Abraham, he was promised a son in his old age (100) does that mean that every man that lives to be 100 should expect to father a child? No. As far as taking things literal I’m with you. I think that is the only way to read the Bible, and one of things that is wrong in the church today is too many refuse to read it that way. There is a difference between reading the Bible literally and literally applying what you read to today. I have said it before and I will say it again. There are two classes of promises in the Bible, ‘specific’ and ‘general’. Specific was are promises made to a specific person, nation of people, or for a specific situation. General are for the Old Testament saints as well as the New Testament saints. Within the general classification is ‘conditional’ and ‘unconditional’ promises. Conditional promises are promise made based on a condition or expectation that God set down. Unconditional are just that without any strings attached. Again I pray this answers your questions Ed |