Questions and Answers

© 06-12 Colin Melbourne

Answers to subscriber's questions on death, pre-marital sex, idolatry, and the KJV-only chestnut.

Who's Right: Who's Wrong?

Q: Please quote me a Scripture in the Bible where it says sex before marriage is a sin, and please explain to me what is sexual immorality.

A: Somebody's wrong, and it's not God. This is an easy one: For starters please study these passages carefully:

Ge. 2:24, 1 Co. 6:12-20, Eph. 5:3-7, Eph. 5:31, Col. 3:5-6. 1 Tim. 5:22b, Gal. 4:19-21

Note that God says a man will be united to his wife, and the two will be one flesh. He does not say: A spotty-youth will be united to his latest silly-girlfriend, and the two will become one flesh. Because sexual intercourse is for married couples: Man and wife.

Especially clear are the following: For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

The KJV uses the charming term; "concupiscence" which means sexual desire, and "possess his vessel in sanctification" means control your body in holiness. Youths snigger, but the wise take note, and learn because;

That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. 1 Th. 4:3-8 KJV

Likewise, to avoid using sexually explicit language the KJV Translators chose the euphemistic phrase "defraud his brother" to mean encouraging to sin sexually.

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Heb. 13:4 KJV

The KJV word "whoremongers" covers all the sexually immoral, including those who consort with, or traffic, in prostitues.

If that isn't enough to convince you, you're not looking for truth, but an excuse to sin. Also read: What is sexual immorality? For a clear biblical answer.

Are paintings and icons of Christ idolatrous?

Q: What is said about painting pictures of Christ? Is it an idol to do so? I was raised Catholic, but am now a believer and do not go near Catholicism at all, and am often trying to tell the truth to my Catholic family. I have a large, very moving painting of the face of Christ that I painted in my living room.

A: Yes, it is a clear example of idolatry and you should destroy it or risk compromising your witness for Christ. Here's what God says:

Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them Deut. 5:8-9 KJV

You are to worship the Living Christ not the work of your own hands. The fact that the Holy Spirit has prompted you to write about it is evidence enough that you are convicted.

The Lord will bless you when you obey Him. How can you tell your family to repent from idolatry when you make idols yourself?

You may plead that you don't bow down to it or worship it, that it merely stimulates your faith. To which I reply, remember Gideon and the ephod. (Ju. Ch.6-8) His intention was honourable, but Israel's hero put up a detestable thing in his town, and it became an idolatrous snare for him and his family. The mighty man fell into the sin of idolatry doing what you do.

Burn the thing to honour the LORD Jesus Christ, and see what He does in your life.

Born once: Die twice

Q: What happens to those who don't believe in God when they die?

A: First, please understand that it's not enough to 'believe in God'. 'Believing in God' doesn't save anybody, such people are thrown into Hell along with all who don't believe in God.

To be saved you must be born again, you must believe in The LORD Jesus Christ, and receive Him as Lord and Saviour. That means you believe in your heart that He is God in the Flesh, died for you, and rose again.

Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Roman Catholics, and many religions claim to 'believe in God', whilst rejecting the Deity and Sacrifice of Christ. All are cast into Hell because they are unbelievers: Jesus Himself said so after His Resurrection:

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end... He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Holy Bible, Rev. 21:6a,7-8 KJV

That is The LORD Jesus Christ speaking. The One we each have to answer to. Make sure you are genuinely born again, and not simply a churchgoer or religious person. Man's "religion" is idolatry.

Only the KJV is God's Word in English?

Q: What is your opinion of KJV-onlyism? The view that only the KJV is the true Word of God in the English language.

A: There's no doubt that the KJV Standard text of 1769 is by far the most accurate English Translation of the Holy Bible. I also enjoy the Tyndale Bible, from which the KJV was derived. Tyndale's 1534 New Testament is majestic. Most of the KJV NT was taken word for word from Tyndale's translation.

Tyndale's 1534
translation

<< 84% of the KJV NT was copied directly from this.

Some KJV-only people almost turn the KJV into an idol don't they? I use the KJV Standard Text. I choose the KJV because it is definitely the most accurate translation into English. Sometimes, in the past, and depending on the English comprehension of the recipient, I have used the 1984 NIV. But I avoid doing so now because it may lead people to use the Corrupted NIV 2011.

Many of my friends and associates are KJV-only believers. I appreciate their attitude, but we must keep in mind something important. God's message is simple, and He communicates with us on our level. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to sinners, and leads them to salvation. It is the message, the Word of God, not the letter, that is important. The letter kills, the Spirit gives life. That is why so many ministries who claim to follow the Word closely have no anointing or effect. If they really followed the Word, they would have His Spirit's anointing and power.

You must have both the Word and the Spirit to get Bible results. This becomes plain when you are on the mission field, and communicate the Gospel in a non-English language. Most of our ministry is not in English.

I don't argue with anyone about this. I asked God what His opinion is on the KJV only debate, and He showed me personally a long time ago. Perhaps it will help others too.

But be aware that there are many Bible versions (in addition to the ones cults make) that I would not use because they dilute and distort the message of Christ. I wouldn't give the recent barrage of ecumenical versions shelf-space. That is why they are not available on this site. ie. NIV, TNIV, ESV, NASB, NKJV, GNB, NET Bible, and so on. They are not based on the Received Text, but on corrupted Hebrew and Greek texts concocted by cults and heretics. Please read some of the Dean John Burgon books for more information about this vital topic. They are wonderfully comprehensive, and detailed.

Corrupted 'Bible' versions I happily burn include; the Jehovah's Witness' New World Translation, the ICC Church of Christ 'KJV' with it's demonic footnotes and reams of instructions, Masonic Bibles (as used to 'swear in' leaders of the Uncle Sam cult), Book of Mormon, the SDA cult's Clear Word Bible etc.