Listeners’ Questions No. 1, 2, 3
These are among the most frequently asked questions of “The Bible Answer Man,” along with his answers.
* Wh ere did Cain get his wife?
Cain married one of his sisters or another close relative. The book of Genesis does not attempt or purport to give an exhaustive list of every child born to Adam and Eve, just the ones who were of the most importance to the writer and his purposes. Also, the proscriptions against familial intermarriage were not given until a later date when the degenerative effects of sin--including damage to the genetic structure that resulted in birth defects-- became progressively worse. Thus, the prohibition was given to curb the destructive effects of man’s sins and conversely to promote personal, physical, and societal well-being.
* Does one have to be water baptized in order to be saved?
We believe that water baptism is a very significant event for the Christian, and that they should be baptized (see Matthew 28:19). However, the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:17 that “ . . . Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel. . . . “ Thus, Paul makes a distinction between the Gospel, which by definition means the good news of salvation, and the act of baptism. Hence, Christians should be baptized, but in and of itself, it does not save anyone.
* Does the Bible teach reincarnation?
The whole tenor of biblical teaching is the exact opposite of this idea. For example, reincarnationists believe that everyone lives multiple lives, whereas the Bible states that an individual lives only once (Hebrews 9:27). Secondly, “salvation” for the reincarnationists is based on works--paying off their karmic debt. Scripture on the other hand teaches that salvation is not earned, indeed cannot be earned, but is a gift of God to us (Romans 3:19-23). Moreover, most reincarnationists believe that they are divine, that is, God or a part of God. Thus mankind’s greatest problem is not sin as the Bible defines it, but that people do not recognize their inherent divinity. However, the Bible declares that this is the very falsehood that severed mankind’s relationship from the one and only true God in the first place (Genesis 3:5-23). There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31), and though mankind is made in God’s likeness regarding some attributes, nonetheless, we will never become God or gods (Isaiah 43:10-11.
* How old is the earth?
The Bible does not explicitly tell us how old the earth is but simply states that God made it, whenever that time was.