Questions & Answers

Harold S. Paisley

Question: Is there any further opportunity to be saved following the Rapture for those who have heard the gospel in this age of grace? Some have suggested that the children of the Lord's people although "left behind" at the Rapture will have another offer.

Answer: Such teaching concerning a special place for Christian's children, usually spread in secret conversations in homes is entirely without Scriptural authority. Like all other suggestive theories propagated in private, this should be rejected. The Lord Jesus stated of His ministry "In secret have I taught nothing" (John 18:20); a maxim which all ministers of the Word should adopt. It is abundantly clear from 2 Thes. 1: 7- 10 that judgment will be the portion of all those "who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." Again in solemn words Paul states in the following chapter "God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." This delusion refers to the Antichrist in the period beyond the Rapture and prior to the millenial reign of Christ. To all who are unsaved the gospel message states, "Behold now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). Beyond the moment of the Rapture, it will be forever too late!

Question: Did the assembly at Rome gather in the home of Priscilla and Aquilla? (Rom. 16:5).

Answer: From the fact that the apostle Paul asks the Christians at Rome to salute the church in the house of Priscilla and Aquilla would make clear that more than one assembly existed in the city of Rome.

It seems to have marked this devoted man and his wife to welcome believers to their home. When expelled from Italy they settled in Corinth, where contact with Paul led to their conversion (Acts 18:3). They devoted their home to believers. Apollos owed much to the teaching he received in their house (Acts 18:24-28). When Paul came to Ephesus, an assembly was in their house to which Paul, writing from there to the church at Corinth, refers (1 Cor. 16:19). Prior to the writing of the Roman epistle they had evidently gone back to the city of Rome where again an assembly was in their house.

The greeting of Aquilla and Priscilla as being "in the Lord" is suggestive of their acknowledgment His Lordship. In the world of the first century, they recognized His authority and freely gave their home as the gathering place around this divine center, our Lord Jesus Christ. Others gave their homes for the same purpose, as Philemon in Colosse and Nymphas in Laodicea (Phil. v. 2; Col. 4:15).

What value and appreciation filled the heart of Priscilla and Aquilla, perhaps of some means, who have it a priority to go to different places and help Paul in the gospel and in the testimony of assemblies. Of them Paul writes 'my helpers in Christ Jesus.' Then he adds, 'who have for my life laid down their own necks.'

It is interesting to note that for the first two centuries the Christians did not build places to gather. All their means and effort went to the preaching of the gospel and to enjoy fellowship with fellow-believers in a room in a home of Christians. It is likely that the large room for the making of tents by Aquilla and his wife would be a suitable place to enjoy the Lord's supper.