After Cain killed Abel, he said, “Those who come after me will slay me.”  My question is: the only law was regarding the eating from the tree of good and evil.  How did Cain know about revenge if there was no law then?

Sincerely,
Questionable Payback

Dear Questionable Payback,

Revenge isn’t a matter of law; it is a natural emotional reaction.  After Cain killed Abel, God punished him by forbidding him from farming (which had been his previous livelihood – Gen. 4:2) and by forcing him to wander as a fugitive (Gen 4:10-12).  Cain feared that others would kill him because that is what he did when Abel made him mad (Gen 4:8).  It is natural to fear that others would do to you what you have already done.

     According to 1 Timothy 3:12, if the candidate recently went through a bankruptcy (and not paid his bills, walked away from a home, etc.) due to mismanagement of his finances, does he fall under the words "beyond reproach"?

Sincerely,
Fairly Frugal

Dear Fairly Frugal,

1 Tim 3:8-12 discusses the qualifications for a deacon.  Deacons are required to be men of exemplary character.  Your question deals with the relationship between a deacon and money.  The Bible says that deacons must not be greedy for dishonest gain (1 Tim 3:8).  Sometimes, when someone doesn’t pay their bills, it is because of a desire to cheat people or to avoid paying what they owe.  If that is the case, the man is definitely not qualified to be a deacon.

However, as we all know in these difficult economic times, sometimes people are unable to pay their bills, but it isn’t for lack of trying.  When someone is unable, but willing, to meet their financial obligations, the issue isn’t as clear-cut.  If the man in question is careless and frivolous with spending, he may very well be disqualified.  However, if he is a good man that has simply fallen upon hard economic times, it wouldn’t necessarily disqualify him from becoming a deacon.

[This question is a reply to “Born That Way”]

Thank you.  I agree with you 100%  about sin and it being a choice.  My question isn't about sin; it's about iniquity… unless you're saying they are one and the same.  I feel that sin is what we choose to commit, but iniquity isn't necessarily a choice; it's more of a compelling or predisposition to commit sin.

Sincerely,
Similar But Different

Dear Similar But Different,

Sin and iniquity are the same thing.  The word ‘sin’ means ‘to miss the mark’ and refers to someone failing to live according to God’s standards.  The word ‘iniquity’ means ‘that which is opposed to law’ and refers to someone that breaks God’s standards.  The two words can be used interchangeably.

A note to our readers: we've received a lot of requests for video tutorials addressing common questions.  Here is one explaining the differences between the Old Testament and the New Testament.  Happy studying!

- The AYP Team