5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

(This post is a follow-up to “Blood In Both Directions”)

Does this mean, according to Paul, the justification and reconciliation could be attained despite the fact that the matter of faith in the Christ remained a secret until the first century when it became revealed to Paul and his associates?  Was the conscious faith not necessary until then for some reason?

 

Sincerely,
Just Wondering Jew

Dear Just Wondering Jew,

People who lived before Christ were still saved by faith in God.  The whole point of faith is that it is a matter of trusting whatever God has told you (Rom 10:17).  Faith assumes that there are pieces of the puzzle that aren’t revealed to you yet... but that the person (or in this case Deity) that you are putting your faith in is trustworthy (Heb 11:1).  The Old Testament saints had faith in Christ because they trusted in the Messiah that was to come.  The New Testament saints have faith in Christ as they trust the words of the Messiah who walked this earth many years ago… both groups have faith in Christ.  Each group had different instructions and different information that God had given them to follow, but they both had faith in the same God (1 Cor 10:1-4).  Each group had a conscious faith in God – just different rules to follow.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

Is gossiping good or bad (like, if on a blog, it says stuff about people that they said… true facts)?

Sincerely,
Facebook Friend

Dear Facebook Friend,

Gossip is always wrong, but we must clearly define what the word ‘gossip’ means and what the Bible says about it.  The word ‘gossip’ in the Bible means a ‘whisperer’ or a ‘secret slanderer’.  Rom 1:28-29 says that being a gossip is a sin worthy of death.  2 Cor 12:20 points out that gossip is divisive and destructive.  A gossip is someone that is involved in other people’s business – a busybody (1 Tim 5:13).  Whether on a blog, between two neighbors, or amongst the closest confidantes, when we talk about others in a disparaging way (even if it is true) for no purpose other than to flatter ourselves as being “in the know” or to receive attention – it is a sin (Pr 11:13).  A gossip wounds others with their words and doesn’t give them a chance to defend themselves (Pr 18:8).  Gossip always hurts someone, and the only way to stop the pain is to avoid gossip and avoid those who practice gossip (Pr 26:20).

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom