Ten Great Bible Questions

1. WHERE art thou?" (Gen. 3; 9.) This was God's first question to man.

How serious! How important! How significant! Old Adam and his companion

in sin were trying to hide from the presence of the Lord God; but God saw

them and found them. So it is with us. The words of Hagar. Sarah's handmaid,

are in place here: "Thou God seest me." (Gen. 16:13.) We would be infinitely better off if we were to remember these words at

all times. God sees us. Upon one occasion Moses said to the Reubenites and

the Gadites that if they did not live up to their contract, their sins would find

them out. "And be sure your sin will find you out.'" (Num. 32:23.) How true!

How true! The blessed Christ said it this way: "For there is nothing covered,

that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known." (Matt. 10:26.)

We may be able for a while to cover up some of our sins from the eyes of the

people, but we cannot cover them from the eyes of the Lord.

2. "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen. 4:9.) This was man's first question

to God. Cain and Abel had brought an offering unto God. "And the Lord had

respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering he had

not respect." This made Cain mad. "Cain was very wroth, and his countenance

fell." Because of this wrath and jealousy he slew his brother. In a very

important sense we are our brother's keeper. "For none of us liveth to himself,

and no man dieth to himself.'" (Rom. 14:7.) "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor

to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth. or is offended,

or is made weak.'" (Rom. 14:21.) We should always think what effect our

words and actions will have on others. "We then that are strong ought to bear

the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." (Rom. 15:1.)

3. "If a man die. shall he live again? (Job 14:14.) This old patriarch who

lived so long ago was interested in this question. The question has lost none

of its interest. And, thanks be to God. we have the answer plainly revealed in

the Bible. Jesus answered it: "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the

which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they

that have done good, unto the resurrection of life: and they that have done

evil, unto the resurrection of condemnation." (John 5:28. 29.) If we do good

in this life, we shall come forth to the judgment of life; and if we do evil, we

shall come forth to the judgment of condemnation. The inspired Paul

answered Job's question: "For as in Adam all die, even soin Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Cor. 15:22.) ''But I would not have you

to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow

not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and

rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."

(2 These. 4:13, 14.) Yes, the dead shall live again!

4. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose

his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"' (Matt.

16:26.) The Christ asked this question. This is a kind of two-in-one question.

I know of no answer to this question. Suppose it were possible to gain the

whole world, but while thus gaining the things of this world we lose our soul.

What shall we give in exchange for our soul? Again I say: This question is

unanswered and unanswerable.

5. "Who then can be saved?'' (Matt. 19:25.) This question was asked by

the disciples after Jesus had given them a lesson on the difficulty of the rich

going to heaven. He said something about it being easier for a camel to go

through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of

heaven. This brought forth the above question. What is the answer? There are

two answers in the New Testament. One of them is to the responsible

individual who is wanting to be saved from his past sins; the other is the erring

Christian. The answer can be read in many different places. Jesus answered

the first in Mark 16:16. Hear him: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be

saved.'" This is too plain to be misunderstood. To inquiring believers on the

birthday of the church the inspired Peter said: "Repent, and be baptized every

one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall

receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38.) The same inspired apostle told

a backsliding Christian how he could get back into the graces of God. Hear it:

"Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God. if perhaps the thought

of thine heart may be forgiven thee." (Acts 8:22. )

6. "Lord, to whom shall we go?" (John 6:68.) Many of the disciples went

back and walked no more with Jesus. He saidunto the twelve: "Will ye also go away?" Then Simon Peter asked the question

given here and answered it by saying: "Thou hast the words of eternal life."

When you turn down Jesus, there is no other one to whom you can go for

salvation.

7. "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?'' (Heb. 2:3.)

There is no salvation for us if we neglect this great salvation. It began to be

spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard it. One can

go to hell by doing nothing, but he cannot go to heaven that way. Hell will be

full of people who did not intend to go there. Most rational people intend to

obey God some time, but they seemingly forget that God has said: "Behold,

now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:2.)

God has not promised to save you tomorrow, or next week, or next year; but

he will save you now if you will come and obey.

8. "What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God"? (1

Pet. 4:17.) I know of no better answer than that given in 2 These, 1:7-9: "And

to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed

from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them

that know not God. and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the

Lord, and from the glory of his power." "And if the righteous scarcely be

saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1 Pet. 4:18.)

9. "Who shall be able to stand?" (Rev. 6:17.) We may be taking this

question out of its setting, but it is a good one for us to consider. Jesus said:

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Mark

13:13.) Again he said: "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a

crown of life. (Rev. 2:10) And once again: "Blessed are they that do his

commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in

through the gates into the city." (Rev. 22:14.)

10. "And now why tarriest thou?" (Acts 22:16.) This is a good question

with which to close this little study. This question was asked by an inspired preacher by the name of Ananias. It was spoken

to the praying, believing, penitent Saul. He was told to "arise, and be baptized,

and wash away thy sins." He did it. Will you? May God grant it.