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Scripture Reading:  Colossians 1:3-12

Bible Question Box

(January 2005)

Intro.

   Col. 1:9-12 – We ask Bible questions to be filled with Bible answers so we can know the Lord and in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walk worthy of the Lord, be fruitful, & strengthened.  For this we give thanks.

#1 – “If Adam and Eve were the first two on earth, how did we end up with so many different races?”

1.  Adam & Eve were the first humans – 1 Tim. 2:13; Gen. 2:7, 21-22.

  a.  Adam was the first man – 1 Cor. 15:45.

  b.  Eve the mother of all living – Gen. 3:20.

2.  Two models:

  a.  Evolution:  Mankind is changes occurring over millions of years; anatomically modern man appeared about 200,000 years ago.

  b.  Biblical:  All descended from Adam & Eve – Acts 17:26 (one blood).

-Where did the different races come from?

1.  Bible does not classify humans along the “racial” lines that are common to modern thought.

  a.  Current major race groups:  Australoid, Caucasoid, Mongoloid & Negroid.

  b.  Many, many differences exist among people than just skin color, hair texture & facial features.

2.  Genos (from ginomai, “to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being”); “kindred, offspring, family; stock, tribe, nation…i.e. nationality or descent from a particular people (KJV:  kind, kindred, offspring, nation, stock, born, diversity).

3.  Genos (kind, kindred) is never used of a pigmentation distinction.

  a.  Scriptures speak of nations, tribes, tongues (languages) & peoples, but does not focus on shades of skin color.

  b.  Geographical regions or close cultural associations.

4.  Following facts from the Bible are relevant:

  a.  All humans came from a solitary human couple – Gen. 3:20; Acts 17:26 (“out of one” stock or one male).  This describes humanity from the divine vantage point – cf. Mal. 2:10.

  b.  God is no respecter of persons – Acts 10:34.

    1)  prosopolemptes – lit., “lay hold of a face”.

    2)  God does not look at the color of a person’s face – He looks at the quality of his soul – 1 Sam. 16:7; Gal. 2:6.

  c.  From the beginning, God designed humans with the potential of ethnic expansion; Variation was / is a part of the human genetic reservoir.  The potential for variability exists within the different “kinds” of biological organisms.

    1)  cf. Cattle – Gen. 1:24-25; etc.

    2)  Humans – DNA mechanism for skin color variations (AaBb, heterozygous – two dominant, two recessive genes) easily & adequately explains such differences.

  d.  The dispersion of the human family after the flood – cf. Gen. 1:28; Gen. 11:4, 5-8.  This separation created circumstances that accommodated the physical variations that exist today.

5.  The likenesses of all ethnic groups far outnumber the differences.

  a.  Likenesses distinguish humans from the animal “kinds” that God created.

  b.  Differences in humans show God’s infinite wisdom & powerful creative design, Psa. 139:14  

Where Did the Different “Races” Come From?, Wayne Jackson

(URL: http://www.christiancourier.com/questions/racesQuestion.htm)

The Origin of Races, Bert Thompson, Ph.D., www.apologeticspress.org

#2 – Would you explain gossip:  What is it?  What causes it?  What can be done to prevent it?

   -(See:  Bible Question Box, Nov03)

-What is it?

1.  The word “gossips” is used once in the NKJV (1 Tim. 5:13, “to bubble”; “of persons uttering or doing silly things”), but its concept & conduct is there in such words as tale bearing, whispering, slander, backbiting, tattlers.

2.  “Gossip” is idle talk, rumors &/or false accusations about others – It is sin (2 Ths. 3:11).

3.  Takes several forms:  Slander, tale bearing, busybody; backbiting & whispering.

  a.  Slander (whispering, secret slander):  Defame by an evil report, false accusations; empty, idle words about others that tear down – Psa. 101:5; Prov. 10:18.  Don’t start it or spread it.

  b.  Tale-bearer:  One who carries around morsels of information, an informer who is slanderous or backbiting – Prov. 18:8.

    1)  Reveals “secrets” (confidences, private counsel) – Prov. 20:19; 11:13.

    2)  Stirs up strife – Prov. 26:20 (16:28).

  c.  Busybody:  Meddler in the lives of others – 1 Pet. 4:15.

  d.  Backbiting:  “to defame”, speak evil of another – Psa. 15:3.

-What causes it?  Causes include…

1.  Hateful, angry heart – cf. Lev. 19:16-18.  (It certainly is not an expression of love; it stirs up anger.)

2.  Pride & envy – Rom. 1:29-30; 2 Cor. 12:20.

3.  Idleness – 1 Tim. 5:13; 2 Ths. 3:11.

 -What can be done to prevent it? 

1.  Love our neighbor as ourselves – Lev. 19:18 (Matt. 22:39).

2.  Cleanse our hearts & put away sin – 1 Pet. 2:1; Jas. 4:8-10.

3.  Be busy (work, serve the Lord & others, 2 Ths. 3:11).

4.  Control the tongue – Prov. 12:17-22.  (Stop & think before you speak:  Is it true or false?  …Will it help or hurt?  …Will it encourage or discourage?

Conclusion

1.  The tale we should be telling is the one of a Savior & salvation – the tale of the gospel (Mk. 16:15).

2.  God help us to put away the sin of gossip & love our neighbor as ourselves, for we are all truly of “one blood”.