Q: Could you give us some guidelines as to how to properly dress at Church services and social functions during the Feast of Tabernacles, especially at pool or beach parties?

We will be trying to answer this question as best as we can. In the past, the Worldwide Church of God attempted to strike a proper balance as to what is appropriate and inappropriate clothing, but in the process, some might have gone overboard at certain times by leaning too much to the "right" or to the "left." Occasionally, the Church was even accused of promoting a yard-stick religion, while at other times, it was perceived to allow for appearances which were clearly not in line with biblical standards.

Q: Please explain John 7:39. Why was it necessary that Christ be glorified in order for man to receive the Holy Spirit?

In John 7:38, Christ spoke of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the apostle John added in verse 39: "But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom [better: which] those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

Q: Would you please explain James 2:2?

James 2:2 contains a statement which, at first sight, may be difficult to understand, as it seems to contradict other biblical passages. A careful analysis of the Scripture shows, however, that there is no inconsistency, and that James addresses an important principle related to our Christian way of life.

James 2:1-6 reads, in context:

Q: Would you please explain the meaning of Colossians 2:16-17?

We have explained this passage, in detail, in our booklets, "Is That in the Bible?--Man's Holidays or God's Holy Days," and "God's Commanded Holy Days." In these booklets, we show from Scripture that Colossians 2:16-17 does not teach--as many have erroneously concluded--that the weekly Sabbath and the seven annual Holy Days are no longer binding; in fact, correctly understood, that particular passage teaches the exact opposite.

Q: In John 2:13-16 Jesus drove the money changers out of the Temple. Isn’t this an example when violent civil disobedience is acceptable?

 First of all, let us read these verses in the book of John:

"Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, 'Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!'”  

Q: Would you please explain your understanding on healing, and what specific procedures do you apply in your Church for anointing and public prayer requests?

We have discussed the issue of physical healing in several of our Q&As, http://eternalgod.org/qa/4963, http://eternalgod.org/qa/3221, http://eternalgod.org/qa/3749, http://eternalgod.org/qa/2842  , and also at length in our free booklet, "Sickness and Healing--What the Bible Tells Us."

The following issues will be discussed in this Q&A:

--OUR BELIEF ON PHYSICAL HEALING
--WHAT TO DO WHEN WE ARE SICK
--WHY ANOINT WITH OIL?
--THE USE OF AN ANOINTED CLOTH
--DOES GOD HEAL ONLY BAPTIZED MEMBERS OF HIS CHURCH?

Q: Why was there slavery in the Old Testament? Why didn't the early apostles condemn slavery? Will there be slavery in the Millennium?

We can safely say that it was never God's intent for man to engage in the kind of slavery which has brought so much misery and pain on others. We can also say that it was never God's original intent that there should be any form of slavery. And we conclude that it will be very unlikely that there will be any slavery in the Millennium.

To give an overview of the ORIGIN of slavery in the Bible, let us quote from The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, by James Hastings:

Q: You make continual reference to accomplishing “the work of God” in your publications and sermons; however, doesn’t the scripture in John 6:29 show that simply believing in Jesus Christ fulfills doing the work of God?

Understanding our part and responsibility regarding the work of God is a pivotal issue for those who claim to follow the Christian faith! The fact is that there is great confusion about exactly what the work of God means.

To truly comprehend what Jesus taught about the work of God, we must consider not only the verse in John, but, additionally, we need to compare other references in God’s Word. First, here is the text in question:

“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent’” (John 6:29).

Q: Does the Bible teach character development in angels?

In our last Q&A, we discussed the fact that God is creating His holy and righteous character in man, as it is His purpose to reproduce Himself in man--to enlarge His God Family through man. The same cannot be said about angels.

There is no indication in Scripture that it is--or has ever been--God's purpose to enlarge the Family of God--presently consisting of God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ--through angels. Rather, angels are created beings; they are all "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14).

Q: Does the Bible say anything about man's character development?

Actually, the Bible has quite a bit to say about this topic.

(1) To give a good definition of righteous character, as we want to apply this term in this Q&A, we would like to quote from several of Herbert Armstrong's writings, the late Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God.

In "What Science Cannot Discover About the Human Mind," copyright 1978, he wrote about righteous character as "the ability in a single entity to come to comprehend and distinguish the true values from the false, the right way from the wrong, to choose the right and reject the wrong, and, with power of will, to do the right and resist the evil."

In "Mystery of the Ages," copyright 1985, he elaborated, as follows: