Controversial topics that include praying for the dead, self-defense, rapture, and baptism were among the questions Bro. Eli Soriano answered during his first Ang Dating Daan Worldwide Bible Exposition of 2017 on January 6.
In his introduction before the Q&A segment, Bro. Eli remarked the content of the Bible – the words of our Lord Almighty – must be revealed and heard by the people.
“Kung alin ‘yung nasa Biblia, ‘yun ang gusto nating maitanyag. Kaya po ang tawag po natin dito ay Bible Exposition,” started the International Televangelist.
(Those in the Bible are what we proclaim. That is why we call this Bible Exposition.)
With God’s help, we try to reveal what God wants to be exposed: ang mahayag ang salita ng Dios (to reveal the word of God). Ang pagpapahayag ng salita ng Dios, para yun sa kaligtasan (The propagation of the word of God, that is for salvation),” added Bro. Eli, then citing Romans 10:10.
“Ang pagpapahayag ng salita ng Dios, para ‘yun sa ikaliligtas. Ang bibig ng tao, ginagamit ng Dios para ipahayag ang kaligtasan. At ang ipapahayag, ‘yung evangelio, aral ni Kristo, aral ng Dios, hindi ang aming sariling kaisipan,” further remarked the televangelist.
(The propagation of the word of God, that is intended for salvation. The mouth of man is used by God to reveal salvation. What will be revealed will be the gospel, the teaching of Christ, the teaching from God, not from our own mind.)
Q&A Highlights
On the question about praying for the dead, Bro. Eli replied that this belief is unbiblical and a futile act to do. He remarked that praying for the dead cannot change what was written in the Holy Scriptures on the life of a person who already died.
There was also a question about forgiveness of sins from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Bro Eli replied with the following biblical verses: Col 3:12-13, which says that if you forgive your brother, god also forgives you; and, Psalms 62:12, which talks how God remembers the good things you do for others, adding that God can even return what you do to your fellow men.
Bro. Eli answered a question from Ormoc City, Philippines about self-defense. The televangelist first talked about two types of sins: mortal and non-mortal, which is based in I John 5:16.
“Kung nakapatay ka para ipagtanggol ang sarili mo, ‘di ibibilang iyon ng Dios na mabigat na kasalanan. (If you had killed to defend yourself, God will not count it against you as a heavy sin.),” the preacher replied to the inquirer from Ormoc.
Finally, on the question from a visitor in Hermosa, Bataan, regarding Judgment Day and Rapture, Bro. Eli read II Peter 3:10-12 and I Thes. 4:16-17, among other verses to explain the circumstances that will occur before our Lord Jesus Christ arrives.
Meanwhile, Bro. Eli explained what will transpire during the final judgment of God, apart the televangelist’s discussion of the biblical basis of our Lord Jesus Christ’s 1,000-year reign and the imprisonment of Satan.
Bro. Eli said that during the judgment, God will have the final say and will use mercy as written in James 2:13.
Well-Attended, Netizen Participation
Thousands were physically present in nearly 2,000 coordinating centers of the Members Church of God International (MCGI) across the country and some countries abroad.
On social media, the biblical symposium has attracted thousands of viewers via the Facebook Live feature of the social networking site, as well as through live stream via the Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) Youtube Channel.
Using #QuestionsGotBiblicalAnswers during the live Twitter discussion for the event, the hashtag then reached the No. 1 spot of the Philippine Trends list during the evening’s event.
Ang Dating Daan Worldwide Bible Exposition is held monthly for Bro. Eli’s listeners from the Philippines and countries in the Middle East and Asia-Oceania. On an almost daily basis, however, he holds Bible Expositions for viewers and listeners from Latin American countries, also streamed via Facebook Live.
Written by Ma. Therese Quita
