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Bible Answers Live, honest answers to your Bible questions. Our phone lines are now open, if you have a Bible related question, call us at 1-800-GOD-SAYS. that's 1-800-463-7297, now let's join our host; Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Would you like to hear an amazing fact? On February 15th, 2013, the Chelyabinsk meteor surprised everybody when it shot across the sky over Russia exploding 18 miles above the earth in a blast 30 times brighter than the sun. The 65-foot wide rock, roughly the size of a five bedroom home, weighed 14,000 tons making it heavier than the Eiffel Tower. It's estimated the meteor was traveling at 42,000 miles an hour when it entered the atmosphere producing an explosion, but about the same kinetic energy, 30 times that of the atomic bomb that struck Hiroshima. About 1,500 people were treated for injuries mostly from flying glass caused by the shockwave that blew out windows in the area.
The flash from the superbolide meteor was bright, many nearby observers were sunburned by the radiance. Strangely, even though hundreds of astronomers around the world are constantly scanning the heavens looking for potentially dangerous asteroids and meteors, nobody saw this one coming. The Bible says, "The second coming of Jesus will be brighter, louder and more surprising than any random meteor." Stay with us friends we're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
Voice Over: You’re listening to Bible Answers Live, honest answers to your Bible questions. Our phone lines are now open, if you have a Bible related question, call us at 1-800-GOD-SAYS, that's 1-800-463-7297. Let's get to our first Bible question with Pastor Doug Batchelor and our co-host Pastors John Ross.
Pastor Doug: Good evening friends, this is Bible Answers Live, we are very thankful you've tuned in for this international interactive Bible study and tonight, lines are wide open if you have a Bible question, good chance if you call now, you'll get your question on tonight's program. The number 800-GOD-SAYS, that's 800-463-7297, will bring your Bible question live to our studio. One more time, you ready? 800-463-7297. if you have a Bible question this program is dedicated to searching the word and my name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor John Ross: My name is John Ross. Good evening listening friends and Pastor Doug, as usual, let's start the program with prayer. Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that we have this opportunity, once again, to open up the Bible and study together. We ask your blessing upon this program, be with those listening Lord. Lead us all together into a clear understanding of the Bible in Jesus' name, Amen.
Pastor, like you opened the program by talking about this meteor that came down over Russia, it is rather remarkable the power of this meteor, the size of the meteor, and then the suddenness with which this thing came. Nobody really expected it [laughs], and it caused quite an explosion. I guess everyone could be grateful that it didn't actually hit the ground, but it sounded like it exploded above the earth.
Pastor Doug: Yes, there's a number of YouTubes, there's probably thousands of them because a lot of the cars in Russia have dash cams. And there you just see the sky lighting up, it's like a nuclear blast. And it was in the daytime, it got much brighter than the sun. The other thing is a lot of offices had cameras on for whatever reason, to see the panic in people's faces when the windows blew out, they saw this bright light they thought it was the end of the world, they just weren't ready.
It just made me think, "Well, someday there is going to be a big surprise."Jesus tells us in such an hour, you think not the Son of Man is coming. Of course, none of us really knows how long we're going to live, not everybody gets a note from the doctor that tells them they've got six months left to live. A lot of people die suddenly, and so you need to be ready.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:27, speaking of His return, "for as lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be."
This meteor, there in Russia, it just lit up the whole sky for hundreds of miles even other countries could see that. Just the flaming brightness, nobody had to elbow you and say, "Did you see that?" Because it was so bright. Well, the brightness of the Lord's coming will be even brighter. Jesus tells us, "Therefore be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
It's going to be a surprise and friends, we have a book that tells not only about the certainty of Jesus' return, but a lot of folks are confused about how He's coming back. There's a lot of misunderstandings about what's going to happen with the Lord's coming. We've got a free book that talks about that, Pastor Ross is going to tell us about that.
Pastor Ross: It's a book called Anything but secret. It’s all about the second coming, it will give you some great scriptural and references, and also signs associated with the coming and how Jesus will come. And we're going to give that to anybody who calls our resource phone number and ask for it. Again the book is called Anything but secret, the phone number is 800-835-6747 and you can ask for the book Anything but secret.
Again, here's the number, hope you're ready, 800-835-6747. Pastor Doug, with got an e-mail in the office this past week, somebody was listening to Bible Answers Live, and they said, "We really enjoy the program, but you guys talk so quick when you give out that number, I don't have time to write it down." So we're going to do it one more time, here it is, 800-835-6747 046, that is our resource phone number if you'd like to call, ask for the book Anything but secret.
If you have a Bible question, the phone number here to the studio is 800-463-7297, that's 800-463-7297. The first caller this evening is Michael listening in Henderson, Kentucky. Michael, welcome to the program.
Michael: How you're doing?
Pastor Doug: Doing, well how are you?
Michael: I’m doing well, how’s your day?
Pastor Doug: Blessed, and your question tonight?
Michael: Yes, I have a question it's why does God allow evil in the world?
Pastor Doug: Well, first of all, everything God made, in the beginning, was a good. If you look in Genesis chapter one, two, it says, "everything God made, He said it was good, good, good." God makes his creatures free, among the highest of God's creatures, intelligent creatures that He made, was a beautiful angel by the name of Lucifer. Lucifer, because he was a free moral agent, he became jealous, he began to regret that he didn't have more power and the powers of God.
He basically rebelled against God. Just consumed with selfishness and he was evicted from heaven he came into our world shortly after it was created, enticed the original people; Adam and Eve, to listen to him instead of God, and sort of set up headquarters here on this planet. The Lord doesn't just completely destroy the devil because He doesn't want his beings to serve him out of fear, He wants us to serve him out of love because what He's asking is reasonable.
What you're seeing happen on this planet, and it's almost over, this world has been a stage to demonstrate to the world that the universe, the result of living for selfishness. That's a short answer, but we really actually have a video that talks all about why is there evil in the world if God is good, if God is powerful, I've just been doing a series on Job at our church where it talks about this battle between good and evil and why God allows suffering.
But if you go and look up cosmic conflict, Michael, on the Internet, cosmic conflict, you'll see a video we produced. You can probably watch it for free online now, it's been out for a few years or you can order one from us, and it explains about the fall of Lucifer and this is been the Christian teaching on the subject for many years.
Pastor Ross: We also have a book dealing with the subject called Did God Create the Devil?, That's actually an Amazing Fact study guide. Michael, we'll be happy to send this to you or anybody wanting to learn more as to why there is evil in the world, if God is a God of love, why do bad things happen to good people? I think you'll find the study guide very informative.
The number to call for the study guide is 800-835-6747, you can ask for the study guide called Did God Create the Devil? If you have a Bible question, the phone number here to the studio is 800-463-7297. Our next caller is--let's see, Golda listening from Washington. Golda, welcome to the program.
Golda: Good day.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Golda: On June first, there was the opening of the Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland. It's taken 17 years to build a 34 miles under the earth.
Pastor Doug: I was going to do that as Amazing Fact, you took it from me, that was next week. That's good, it's an amazing tunnel.
Golda: It's an amazing tunnel but what was even more amazing was the Satanic ritual of opening the tunnel.
Pastor Doug: What did they do? I didn't see that.
Golda: They are no more are they cutting a ribbon and doing speeches, there is this whole Satanic celebration going on and it's really quite disturbing. I can certainly link you to the link that I have, but you were talking about Satan with the previous caller, this is like a huge opening. Here, the Swiss are celebrating this including having parts of the people that died and the eight people died and they have part of the ceremony about them. There's things flying, there's devil's horns, there's nearly naked people, the whole thing is all about Satan. There's even a man dressed in a costume.
Pastor Doug: How would you frame this is a question then?
Golda: My question is, what is going on? I mean, has something opened that this--? What Biblical passages can be shown that this is an opening to this kind of Satanic stuff that is going to be happening more and more?
Pastor Doug: Well, I tell you that the more that some of these countries, and we're not immune in North America, continue to make the laws that choke off the proclamation of the Gospel and they support this humanistic agenda making man relive the God of the world, it's not surprising, you'll start seeing more and more ceremonies and things that seem to have tinges of Satanic rituals.
There is a verse in the Bible where Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:20, "But I say, that the things that the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that you should have fellowship with devils." Also in Verse 21, "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils. You can't be partakers of the Lord's table and the table of devils."
Invariably, when Jesus said, "If you're not with me, you're against me." And as nations and people reject the principles of the Gospel, the only thing left is if they're not with Christ they are with the enemy. They usually slip into diabolical practices and services. Golda, I haven't seen what you're talking about specifically, I can probably search and find it online. But yes it doesn't surprise me, I see stuff like that in Europe. I was in Switzerland not too long ago. Hey, appreciate your call. We do have that same Study Guide that talks about--
Pastor Ross: Did God Create The Devil?
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Pastor Ross: The number to call for that is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called Did Got Create The Devil? Our next call is Lenore, listening from Walla Walla, Washington. Lenore, welcome to the program.
Lenore: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Lenore: Thank you for taking my call. There is something that I cannot understand and that is the Blessed Trinity. I just can't get it through my head how three can be in one.
Pastor Doug: Well, you got three persons and they make up God. They are distinct individual persons. Now, there's obviously stuff about the Trinity that I'm sure we can't understand just because the Lord says, "As the Heavens are high above the earth, so are my ways above your ways." Then the Bible tells us, "God is past finding out," or beyond the finding out. There's a number of verses in the Bible that just tell us that, God, there's some mysteries that make God God.
But what we do know is that there are three distinct persons that compose what we call God. Even in creation, God said, "Let us make man in our image," God the Father, the Son and the Spirit. The baptism of Jesus, for instance, you see Jesus, He's God the Son he's in the water, and then you hear God the Father say, "This is my beloved Son." At that same moment, the Holy Spirit, God the Spirit, is coming down and Jesus says--
Lenore: It is a dove.
Pastor Doug: In the form of a dove. The Spirit sometimes, He doesn't have a body like the Father and Son, and so sometimes He's compared to the Spirit, at Pentecost He was compared to fire, Jesus said the Spirit is like a wind. There's all this ethereal nebulous kind of symbols because the Holy Spirit doesn't seem to walk around like God the Father and Son with a body. Even in Genesis, when God's making the world, it says as the Spirit moved on the face of the waters. So He sometimes is symbolized. A dove was a symbol of peace that was used there, but the Holy Spirit is a spirit. He's different.
Lenore: Can take many forms.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Pastor Ross: You know what else is interesting is there are two different words that defining the Hebrew for one. Now, there's a famous verse in the Old Testament that says, "Hear o Israel the Lord thy God is one," but the word, therefore, one is in a plural form. It doesn't mean one in numbers, but rather one in purpose. Again, the Bible says, "For this reason, a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined into his wife, and the two shall become one."
The idea of oneness is not only-- in our terms, we think of one numerical value, but one can also mean a unity of purpose and focus. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all one in their desire to save mankind. They're all working towards that goal.
Pastor Doug: We do have a book, we can send you a free copy of it, Lenore. It's called The Trinity: Is it Biblical? It takes a number of verses in the Bible and some analogies to help us understand and--
Lenore: I would appreciate that.
Pastor Doug: Yes, we'll be happy to send you. Actually, anybody that is interested if they'd like a copy.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called The Trinity. Again, the number is 800-835-6747 and ask for the book on The Trinity. We'll be happy to send that to you. If you have a Bible question, the number is 800-463-7297. Our next call is Robert, listening from Pennsylvania. Robert, welcome to the program. Robert, you're on the air.
Robert: Hi, thank you very much for taking my call. My question is if you have any advice or any Biblical passages that you could say to somebody who is trying to strengthen and solidify their faith, but still can't help but to doubt, and is having trouble completely giving himself over to faith? If that makes sense.
Pastor Doug: No, that makes perfect sense. I think everybody has moments of doubt and as long as there's going to be a devil out there-- If Jesus is all about faith, then the devil is about doubt. Even the devil tried to get Jesus to doubt His mission, he said, "If you're the son of God," well, the very word 'if' implies doubt. And Pastor Ross, it's at Romans 10 where it says, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." It might be 10:17, I'm trying to remember. But yes, through the word of God we can strengthen our faith.
Pastor Ross: Yes, Romans 10:17.
Pastor Doug: One is if you have regular time in the word. The other is spending time in prayer because as you talk to God and He answers your prayers. I'll just give you an example, real quick okay? How you get faith stronger. I was out riding in the hills on a clod in the woods. I had my cell phone, fairly new phone I just signed up for it, they're not cheap, smartphone bounced off the bike off in the grass way up in the mountains. When I realized I'd lost the phone I said, "All right, Lord, I know it's a long shot but I'm going to pray that you help me find it." I just began to retrace my steps and it's just a miracle, I found the phone there in the grass. If you saw the country I'm talking about, you'd know it was a miracle.
I got off my bike, got on my knees, and I said, "Thank you, Lord." My faith was stronger because I prayed, I saw a miraculous answer, and I realized that could not happen by accident. There is a God. I can tell you many many stories. I've prayed for things and God doesn't want us to just pray for the basics, pray for hard to do things. If you pray for miraculous difficult things, God gives you answers you say, "Wow, He's a powerful God."
Bible reading strengthens your faith, prayer, and then sharing your faith. As you give the truth to others, it settles in your own mind. As you give it away, it's like when the disciples gave the bread to others, it multiplied in their hands. As we share Christ with others, it'll multiply in our hands and your faith will grow. Those are the main three disciplines of the Christian life is reading the word, prayer, and witnessing, letting your light shine.
Robert: Perfect.Thanks so much.
Pastor Doug: All right. Thank you. Now, we do have a book that may help strengthen your faith a little bit and it's called The Ultimate Resource. We'll send you a free copy if you ask.
Pastor Ross: Again, the number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called The Ultimate Resource, 800-835-6747. We have Imah Jean, listening in New York. Imah Jean, welcome to the program.
Imah: I have a question. Do you have to be water baptized in order to,
--when you die--?
Pastor Doug: You mean to be saved?
Imah: When you die and you go to heaven or for your salvation, do you have to be water baptized?
Pastor Doug: Well, let me answer your question. There are going to be some people in heaven that were not baptized because they didn't know, or they could not be. Like there's this thief on the cross who died next to Jesus, Jesus said, "You'll be with me in paradise," but he couldn't come off the cross and get baptized. But why a believer would not be baptized, makes me wonder if they're willing to obey because Jesus said, "Whoever believes" and I'm quoting you from Mark chapter 16, "Whoever believes in this baptize will be saved."
Baptism is as important to a Christian as a wedding is to a marriage. If a person says, "Well, I want to be married." Well, you need to have the wedding. Baptism is the ceremony by which we're publicly admitting and confessing that we accept Christ, and we accept His forgiveness. Why a person wouldn't want to be baptized is what my concern is.
Imah: Well, I agree with what you're saying. I just want to be reassured that I have it straight because I was baptized by words, what they call spiritual a commitment that I swear that I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord, God and savior, but I've never been baptized in the water. I plan on going to Israel exclusively for that.
Pastor Doug: Well, good for you.
Imah: Because I believe that When you say salvation, does that mean that you go to heaven?
Pastor Doug: Well, yes, of course. In order to go to heaven, you want to be saved. You can't go to heaven if you're lost.
Imah: Just follow me. I know you're in theology. I just said [unintelligible 00:21:53] but I have to get it straight in my head. In other words, once I'm baptized and I accept Jesus as my Lord, God and savior, and my name is written in the book of life, then I go to heaven?
Pastor Doug: If you have surrendered your heart to Jesus, and you have accepted His forgiveness for your sins and you're baptized-- now you should be baptized. I heard you say you are baptized by someone speaking in words, the Bible says you should be immersed in water. There's nothing in the Bible talks about word baptism. It sounds like you're going to Israel and you're going to do a water baptism, that's very good. But if we have surrendered, we're following the Lord, and we're baptized, yes, you have eternal life is the promise. It's a daily experience.
Pastor Ross: We do have a book dealing with the subject called Baptism, Is it really necessary? ImahJean, we'll be happy to send this to you, just give us a call. I think you'll enjoy reading it. The number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book on baptism. Again, Baptism, Is it really necessary? The phone line to our resource number is 800-835-6747. Our next call is Jean listening from Clear Lake, Wisconsin. Jean, welcome to the program.
Imah: Okay.
Pastor Ross: Jean, you're on the air.
Jean: Thank you, pastors. My question tonight is I can't remember the verses where I have heard it but I've heard it twice now, the seven personalities of God. Now you always hearthe Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. What are the seven personalities of God?
Pastor Doug: I think what you're talking about is there's a verse in Revelation that talks about the seven spirits of God. It doesn't typically use the word personalities, some pastors may have translated it that way. It gives the characteristics of God, someone might call them the personalities in Isaiah-- first of all, Revelation talks about the seven spirits of God. Isaiah 11:2. I don't know if you have that there pastor Ross. You want to read it?
Pastor Ross: Yes. It says, "The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, that is the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." If you count that up, there's seven characteristics of the spirit.
Jean: Very good.
Pastor Doug: That'd be in Isaiah chapter 11:2. They're kind of the facets of the jewel of who God's personality is. Okay?
Jean: Now where would the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are they part of those personalities? Are those added?
Pastor Doug: No. They're three distinct persons. In other words, you may be a person with several characteristics; one person, several characteristics. Some of the characteristics of God are those seven that we just mentioned there. But God the Father, Son, and Spirit, all three have those seven characteristics, they are unique persons. Some people think that God, one day, He appears as the father, and then He changes His face, and the next day, He appears as the Son, and then later, He chooses to appear as the Spirit.
They're really three separate persons. In the baptism of Jesus, you see them all appear at the same time and unless Jesus is being a ventriloquist, they're distinct separate personalities. Or unless God talks to Himself because Jesus prayed to the Father. God, the Father, Son and Spirit are three distinct persons. Those three persons have some prime characteristics. That verse that we read yesterday about when Moses said to God, "Show me your glory," and he identified some of the characteristics of the Lord, long suffering and so forth.
Pastor Ross: The verse that we just read in Isaiah 11:2, it's characteristics of the holy spirit, but it's also a messianic prophecy, and it's talking about the Messiah or Christ where it says "the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him." It's a capital him. Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Father, share these same characteristics or qualities.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Hey, hope that helps a little bit, Jean. You might also enjoy that book that we're offering on the subject of the Trinity. We have time for one more quick call before the break.
Pastor Ross: All right. We've got Peter who is listening from Arizona. Peter, welcome to the program.
Peter: Good evening. How are you, gentlemen?
Pastor Doug: Doing well.
Peter: I believe that once saved, always saved. But my friends who are of another domination tell me that I'm dead wrong, and I can lose my salvation if I commit certain sins which they, of course, won't explain to me which ones. I would like to get your take on it.
Pastor Doug: All right. Hey, I appreciate your asking that question, it is a controversial question. We certainly don't want to do anything to diminish from another person's confidence. I believe a Christian can know he has eternal life which is what it tells us in first John, but you could also do things where you turn away from the Lord. You have several examples in the Bible, that people that once walked with the Lord and turned away.
Now Peter talks about the soul that was washed, that returns to wallowing in the mire and the dog returns to its vomit. You've got Balaam, who was a prophet of God, and through greed, grieved away the Holy Spirit. King Saul was prophesied under the influence of God's spirit, but through pride, he grieved away the Holy Spirit. Judas was one of the apostles, but because of his greed, he sold the savior for silver, and he ended up hanging himself.
It's reckless to say though, just because you come to the Lord and you once accept the Lord, that then you cannot lose your salvation. We've got a book, we'll send you a free copy. Can a Saved man be lost? Call the resource number and we'll send that to you, Peter.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747.
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Commercial Recording Voice: Every bible question you have answered moves you one step closer to the fullness of God's will for your life. What are you waiting for? Get the answers you need for a fuller, richer, more confident life. You're listening to Bible Answers Live. We still have a few phone lines open, if you have a Bible related question, call us at 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That's 1-800-463-7297, now let's join pastors Doug Batchelor and John Ross for more Bible Answers Live.
Pastor Doug: If you have Bible questions, give us a call, line's open 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297 will bring your Bible questions into our studios. If you joined us along the way this is Bible Answers Live I am Doug Bachelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is John Ross and again, friends, this is a good time if you have a Bible question give us a call, we do have some lines that are open. The number again, 800-463-7297. Our first caller in the second half the program is Monica Listening from Brooklyn, New York. Monica welcome to the program.
Pastor Doug: Monica are you there?
Monica: Hello.
Pastor Doug: Hi, we got you now.
Monica: [chuckles] Thank you for taking my call gentlemen. My question comes from 1 John 5:16, it says "If anyone sees his brother committing a sin, not leading to death, he shall ask and God will give him life to those that commit sins that do not lead to death." Now my question is how could I pray for someone who's committing a sin onto death? How would I know if that sin is on to death?
Pastor Doug: The Bible tells us there is one sin Jesus said for which there is no forgiveness and that's the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Other than that, it tells us in Mathew 12, and I think a couple of other places, all manner of sin and blasphemies will be forgiven under man, but he that blasphemes the Holy Spirit, they will not be forgiven. I think John here is talking about if there's someone out there and they've got a high hand at sin where they're rejecting God and they've turned their back, you can move on--
Monica: You would say that would be a sin on to death and no matter all the pro and help because they continue to blaspheme?
Pastor Doug: I don’t know that we know all the time, you've got to be very careful about saying I know this person has blasphemed the Holy Spirit. John is just saying there's one sin that I'm not saying you should pray for it. But who knows when a person has committed that sin? I don’t.
Monica: I see.
Pastor Doug: These people I would have given up on a long time ago in the Bible and I look at what God does and then He saves them. I think about King Menessa, who was a wicked king for 50 years and killed the prophet and some of his own children were sacrificed to devils, he was just a wicked king. You never would have thought that here he repented in an Assyrian jail and turned back to the Lord. I would have given up on him long ago. There's others, you just surprised.
Monica: It's still best to continue to pray for them even if we suspect. Like you say, we can’t know for sure because we can’t see their heart.
Pastor Doug: This is probably a place to apply that Scripture where Jesus said don’t cast your pearls before swine or give what's holy to the dogs. Sometimes you've got so much time in the day to work for people and so much time to pray for people. If there's somebody that is just putting up a stone wall and they're just not interested, then you stop praying for them and pray for those that are interested, because you've got so many prayers you can pray. We're not God, we have so much time in the day to pray. You may as well pray for those who are open as opposed to those who just seem to be shutting the doors.
Monica: Thank you so much. That does answer my question.
Pastor Doug: All right. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate that, Monica.
Pastor Ross: We have Charlete listening from Washington. Charlete welcome to the program.
Charlete: Thank you very much for taking my call. I'm really nervous since it's my first time calling.
Pastor Doug: Don’t be nervous, we're nice guys.
Charlete: [laughs] I know, that's why I'm calling. I was hoping that you could shade a light on a Bible verse that I've been actually just trying to understand for a long time. It's found in 1Peter 3:21 and the verse before is talking about how-- says when so long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah. It's talking about how Noah was saved and the ark was being built and so forth.
Then it says in verse 21, "the [unintelligible 00:34:43] where unto even baptism does also now save us, not putting away of the filth of the flesh." I guess, my question is it almost sound like in that verse it's saying that baptism saves us. I just feel like I don’t understand what it's actually saying there, and then not putting it the way the filth of the flesh.
Because I know when we accept Christ, He changes us [unintelligible 00:35:13] His law in our hearts and in our minds and we become a new creature. I was just wondering if you could shed some on that for me.
Pastor Doug: I'll do my best it is a difficult verse. First of all, Peter is making a comparison to-- The whole world was destroyed with the flood, the ark went through the water which is a symbol of baptism. Only those who went through the water there in the ark were saved. Just like the children of Israel had to go through the sea, Paul says that's a symbol of baptism. That's in 1 Corinthians chapter 10.
The children of Israel were baptized in the sea and then the pillar of fire, so they were baptized in the fire and the water. Christ said unless you're born of the water and the spirit, you cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven. Peter is making the point when he said, "not to put in the way of the filth of the flesh." It's not that we're saved by works, but it's by the answer of a good conscience towards God.
Meaning that when we're baptized we're coming-- Part of baptism is repenting. Remember John the Baptist, when they came to get baptized he said-- he preached a message of repentance. Sorrow for seen the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repentance means a turning away from sin and a willingness to walk in a newness of life. Peter is assuming that those who understand what baptism is all about are repenting of their sins and accepting by faith the forgiveness of Jesus.
Then they live in a newness of life and the filth of the flesh is put away. They've got a clear conscience towards God because of faith. Then he talks about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the same way Christ came to life Paul said baptism is a symbol of death, burial and resurrection. Peter here is, I think, playing on the same thing that Paul says about baptism. It's a symbol of death burial and resurrection. As Jesus was raised, we come out of the water to walk in a newness of life.
Charlete: Okay, that definitely helps [laughs]. I like the way you define that.
Pastor Doug: Well, thank you. Yes, it's a deep verse but we have a lesson we'll be happy to send you on the subject of baptism. Sounds like you understand it, but I think it touches on this a little bit. And I think it will be a blessing if you'd like a copy.
Charlete: Sure.
Pastor Doug: Thank you very much Charlete. Pastor Ross will also give you the number.
Charlete: All right thank you so very much.
Pastor Doug: You're welcome.
Pastor Ross: The study guide is called Purity and Power. Talks about baptism and again, we'll send it to anybody who calls and asks, the number is 800-835-6747. Ask for the study guide called Purity and Power. Our next caller is Patt, listening from Michigan. Patt, welcome to the program.
Patt: Hello.
Pastor Doug: Evening, thanks for calling.
Patt: I'm glad [unintelligible 00:38:04] what I'm [unintelligible 00:38:08] know in the last days with the two witnesses, either Enoch and Elijah because they didn’t die before.
Pastor Doug: No, some people say that the two witnesses are Enoch and Elijah because that verse says [unintelligible 00:38:25] the man wants to die and they say-- Well they didn’t die, so they must be the two witnesses that will die and be left in the streets. And that's sort of a logic behind picking them. If you think about it, Patt, for a moment, Enoch and Elijah now have glorified bodies. They've entered into eternity, they're not going to now get mortal bodies that die and have to rise again. There are a few that were favored, we only know about Enoch and Elijah in the Bible, they did not experience death like everyone else.
We know that there's going to be some people that don’t die when Christ comes. Because Paul says, "those of us who are alive when Jesus comes will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air," we never die. "Those who are alive and remain when Christ comes will be transformed or caught up then we meet the Lord in the air." When people argue and say it has to be Enoch and Elijah, they're the two witnesses because they haven’t died yet and they have to die, that argument doesn’t really hold water because there's a whole group of people that don’t die when Jesus comes.
I believe the two witnesses represent-- Some people say Moses and Elijah, but Moses and Elijah are a type of the law and the prophets. The two witnesses are the word of God. If you said the new and the old testament, that would be true. The law and the prophets, it's a sword with two edges. Zachariah talks about the two candle sticks by the throne of God. It's His word that he sent forth into all the earth.
Both Revelation 11 where it talks about the two witnesses and Zachariah chapter four, I think it is Pastor Ross, where it talks about the two candle sticks and two olive trees "Thy word is a lamp under my feet", that's why he said it's a candle stick. And so, it says, "These two witnesses have the power to proclaim plagues, and they shut up the heavens." Well, that's in the word of God, new and the old testament.
Pastor Ross: Zechariah four, in the past. [inaudible 00:40:16] you're thinking about there.
Pastor Doug: So we do have a book, we'll send you a book specifically on the two witnesses and it's called The Glorious Mount: Who are the two witnesses?. Patt, if you'd like a copy, no one's going to bother you, you just got to call and give the operators your number and they'll send you that, free of charge.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747 and just ask the book called, Who are the two witnesses?: The Glorious Mount. Again, it's 800-835-6747. Our next caller is David, and he's listening from Washington. David, welcome to the program.
David: Oh, my goodness. I love you, guys.
Pastor Doug: Hey, we're glad that you've got on the air. You're listening on Radio 74.
David: Awesome.
Pastor Doug: Good for you. Yes, that's a friend of ours that runs that.
David: Yes. I listen to you guys for the last five years. Love you, love you. Anyway, when I'm trying to talk to my brother, who is a non-believer, that the Bible is not just a legendary embellishment. He always catchesme on the quote from Jesus, where He chose the disciples that some of them would be alive when He returns. And that's where he doesn't believe in the Bible, he thinks that that can't be true. Maybe I'm--
Pastor Doug: No, I've heard people say that but that's actually in the bible. John clears that up, and he says, he didn't say that, that's a misunderstanding. In other words, if you look in John 21:21, that's easy to remember, John 21:21, Peter and John are walking with Jesus after Jesus rose from the dead. Peter seeing John walking behind, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what would this man do? What's going to happen to him?" Because Jesus had just told Peter he was going to be crucified."
Jesus said to him, "If I will, that he tarries till I come, what is that to you? Follow me." Now, John goes on to say, "Then this sane went abroad among the brethren that that disciple should not die." Yet Jesus did not say to him, "You will not die." But he said, "If I tarry -- If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?" Jesus never told the apostles that some of you are going to be alive when I come back.
Matter of fact, Paul said that the coming of Lord won't happen unless there's a falling away. And Paul knew he was going to die before Jesus came back and Paul lived. Paul was younger than most of the apostles because he was converted three and a half years after the others. So the idea that Jesus told the apostles, "You're going to be alive when I come back," He didn't say that. So, yes. Read in John 21:21, that whole passage there.
David: I will. Can I throw a quick one at you, every kid's asking me who created God? Where did God come from?
Pastor Doug: Well, that is a -- that's one of those mysteries, but I'm not worried about it because even those who don't believe in God, evolutionist, that say all of the intrigued organization and design, and symbiotic relationships we see in creation, they say, "Where did it all come from?" And they'll say, "Well, the sun exploded and that formed our solar system."
"Where did that come from?", "Well, there was a supernova and it formed our galaxy." "Where did that come from?" They get to a place, for they say, "we don't know, something always existed." So we're believing that there was an intelligent God that made intelligent things. Their believing in all these intelligence has come from nothing. That's harder to believe [laughs].
David: I told everybody that evolution, that origin of the species is a bunch of monkey business.
[laughter]
Pastor Doug: That, sure it is a monkey business.
David: Okay. I really appreciate you guys.
Pastor Doug: I got remember that one. Thanks, Dave.
David: You helped me a lot.
Pastor Doug: All right, I appreciate it. Bye-bye.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Hailu, listening from Silver Spring, Maryland. Hailu, welcome to the program.
Hailu: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Thank you.
Hailu: I've come by. Doug Batchelor, I love you. I listen to you any chance I get.
Pastor Doug: We appreciate it.
Hailu: Thank you. My question is my brother and I were discussing Bible and he's wondering why the Jews are still God's favorite people despite of the rejection that they demonstrate. So with my limited knowledge, I tried to explain but how would you explain for some question like that?
Pastor Doug: Well, the Samaritan woman at the well, and this is John chapter 4, she was arguing with Jesus and she said, "Our father, as Samaritan say, we should offer sacrifice on Mount Gerizim. And you Jews, you say, it should be on Mount Zion." And Jesus settled the question, He said to her, "Salvation is of the Jews." And Paul says, "Salvation to the Jew first and then the Gentile."
Now Paul did not say that because he believed that the Jews -- That God was showing them favoritism. Paul said that because he said, "God committed the oracles -- and Pastor Ross, mind to look that up-- for unto them was committed the oracles of God. You just type in the word 'oracle'. I bet you'll find that in the King James. God gave the word to the Jews. They were like, the keepers of the word.
And so, because they knew the word, and the Jews in the world today still have at least the old testament, they're not favored because of their DNA, they've been favored by exposure to the truth, those that listen to the truth. Nobody is saved by being Jews. There's going to be a lot of Jews that will be lost. And having blood of Abraham doesn't save anybody. They were favored in that they had the word of God and they were the ones to proclaim the Messiah, which they did at Pentecost.
All the apostles were Jewish, and those who believed at Pentecost were all Jewish, and they took the Gospel around the world, to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. So Jews can be saved today just like anyone else, but they must believe in the savior. Jesus said and John the Baptist, "don't think to send yourself where children of Abraham. God can raise up children to Abraham from the stones."
And over and over, Christ said, "Many will come from the east and the west, and sit down in a kingdom with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and the natural children of the kingdom, they'll be in our darkness." So, it's a mistake for anybody to think, "Because my ancestors were Jews", or for Gentiles, if we say, "Well, my ancestors, they go to church, my grandfather was a pastor and that means God's got to save me." God doesn't save anyone like that.
The Bible says He has no respecter of persons, He's made of one blood all nations. Now, I have a book that I'll send you a free copy. Did you find that verse, Pastor Ross? I have a book, I'll send you a free copy called Spiritual Israel. And it answers this question clearly. And how do you say your name, Hailu?
Hailu: Hailu.
Pastor Doug: Hailu. Okay. Yes. Well, all you do is call the resource number. It's in Romans, did you find it?
Pastor Ross: Yes, Romans 3:2.
Pastor Doug: Yes. "Unto them was committed the oracles of God." And we'll send you that book, Spiritual Israel.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Spiritual Israel. We'll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks. Again, that's 800-835-6747. And our next caller is Barbara, listening from South Carolina. Barbara, welcome to the program.
Barbara: Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Barbara: Good evening. I'm driving so I'm afraid I don't have the exact scripture citation. But in the book of Samuel, I've been reading a lot about David's life, and the second time he had an opportunity to kill Saul and didn't. They talked and Saul said, "I know you will be king," and asked David to be kind to his family, and David agreed. And then later on, the Gibeonites I believe,[crosstalk] David because of what Saul had done and asked David for some of Saul's grandson. And I believe he gave them, seven of them which they hanged. And I was wondering how David reconciled that was his promise to Saul.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Well, actually the ones -- and maybe Pastor Ross will look this up, I'm trying to remember, it's in maybe, in 2nd Samuel where there's a famine in the land and the days of David, and David is asking why. And God says, "Because of Saul's wrath against the Gibeanites." And the Gibeonites said, "We don't want a ransom of money, but we want the retaliation on the ones that tried to exterminate us."
And evidently, Saul and some of his family, he had several sons through concubines, Saul not only had Jonathan, Abinadab, Malki-Shua his sons through his wife, he had some concubines sons. So these are not grandsons of Saul, they're sons of Saul. And they were part of the plan, they urged their father to attack the Gibeonites as he was getting older. This is before he died in battle, of course.
So when David gave the sons over to be executed for what they had done, they were really paying for the genocide that they have brought on the Gibeonites. It wasn't that they were arbitrarily being killed because they were related to Saul. David did spare many of Saul's children. Saul had asked David, "Don't wipe out my seed." And David honored Mephibosheth, came and lived in the palace, the son of Jonathan.
Pastor Ross: Yes. You read that story in 2nd Samuel chapter 21. The whole chapter there talks about the experience to the Gibeonites.
Pastor Doug: Does that help a little bit, Barbara?
Barbara: Yes, it does. Thank you very much, God bless.
Pastor Doug: Thank you, I appreciate your call. That's a good question.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Joseph listening from Queens, New York. Joseph, welcome to the program.
Joseph: How are you doing gentlemen? First-time caller. Thank you so much for your service. You guys are helping out tremendously.
Pastor Doug: Well, thank you. We're glad that you've called in.
Joseph: My question's on Matthew 27:51-53 after Jesus died. What does that resurrection that takes place, it says the graves opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the graves at this resurrection. They went into the holy city and appeared to many. What exactly does that mean? It has always confused me.
Pastor Doug: Well, it is a good question. This is only mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew. John, Mark, Luke don't mention this story, but evidently, the same earthquake that shook the ground when Jesus died, graves were shaken open. A number of people in Jerusalem reported that after Sunday morning, after Christ rose, some of the patriarchs and saints that had been buried around Jerusalem-- this is not a general resurrection, it's a very special small group. Isaiah the prophet might have been in that group and others that had died in the area.
God honored them and he took sort of a trophy to Heaven with Him. Those are some faithful servants that were redeemed. They went into the city and appeared to certain people. It caused quite a stir, but it was a short specialized resurrection of a few saints.
Pastor Ross: There's an interesting verse in Ephesians 4:8. It's actually quoting from the Old Testament. This is Paul and he says, "Therefore he sayeth, when He, that's Jesus, ascended on high and went back to heaven, He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto man." You have the idea that when Jesus went up to heaven, He led those who were held captive by death, those who were resurrected, at least a certain group, they ascended up with Jesus after His resurrection.
Pastor Doug: I kind of like our first fruits of what was going to be the general resurrection when the Lord descends from Heaven. Yes, it's an interesting story.
Joseph: That group would be in heaven now.
Pastor Doug: Yes, absolutely. It doesn't say who they are, just one more little thought on that, David was buried in Jerusalem, but he's not in that group. Because Peter says in Acts chapter two, "David is dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day and he's not yet ascended to heaven." Under the inspiration of Holy Spirit, Peter said, "No, David wasn't in that group. It was a small group." Good question, I appreciate that Joseph.
Joseph: Very well.
Pastor Doug: Thank you.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Sandy listening from Pennsylvania. Sandy welcome to the program.
Sandy: Hi, good evening? Thank you for taking my call. Quick question, I've heard different teachings about blaspheming the Holy Spirit. One included that we could no longer do it because blaspheming was attributing the miracle of Christ to Satan. Can you give me an accurate and concise definition of blasphemy and how we can or cannot do it to this day?
Pastor Doug: Yes, and by the way, you'll find that in Matthew chapter 12, you can start with verse 31. It says, "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him either in this age or the age to come." Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be a sin that God cannot forgive because it's a sin for which you will not repent.
If a person persists in resisting the working of the Spirit in their life, they can grieve away the Holy Spirit. It usually doesn't happen in a day, it doesn't even happen in a year, but when someone continues to resist the Holy Spirit, they are gradually turning down the radio that is giving them the alarm, telling them to turn to God. Finally, when that radio is off, there's nothing more the Lord can do.
It's not any particular sin, but it's resisting the Holy Spirit in any area of your life. Now we do have a book, Pastor Ross, that talks about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and we'll send you a free copy, Sandy, if you just call that number.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask the book that talks about Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Doug: God bless your friends. Make sure and go check out amazingfacts.org. I have some important announcements coming your way stand by.
Voice Over: Thank you for listening to today's broadcast. We hope you understand your Bible even better than before. Bible Answers Live is produced by Amazing Facts; a faith based-ministry located in Sacramento, California.
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Speaker 4: Have you ever heard the expression before, they eat like a bird talking about somebody that has a minuscule appetite? Well, you might want to think twice next time when you use that expression. For example, take the hummingbird. In order for it to maintain its incredible metabolism, it has to eat about 50% of its body weight every day. To put that in perspective, if 100-pound woman was to eat like a hummingbird, she would have to eat 50 pounds of sugar a day just to maintain her body weight. Imagine that. Maybe you don't want to imagine that.
But perhaps who want to consider this another way. The hummingbird typically consumes between four to seven calories a day. On the other hand, a human about 3,500 calories a day. But if you were to eat like a bird, a hummingbird, you'd have to eat over 150,000 calories a day. That's like a man, 170 pounds, that would be eating 3,000 Oreo cookie. Under normal conditions, a hummingbird needs to eat every 5 or 10minutes, but there's actually one time during the year, the hummingbird will eat its entire body weight every day.
You see once a year, they make this migration of 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico; from Texas to the Yucatán Peninsula. In order to do that, the hummingbird feasts on nectar and gorges themselves on this nectar for about a week doubling their body weight. That's the only way they can store enough calories to help them with their 70-wing beats per second, a roughly four million-wing beats on that journey.
In the same way, friends, as we near the end of time, we need to be feasting and gorging ourselves on the nectar of God's word. We've got to be able to have that strength to get us through the times of trouble that are ahead. When it comes to the Bible and your personal devotions if you're going to eat like a bird, eat like a hummingbird.
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