Transforming Love

Scripture:
Date: 06/24/2018 
A 42-year old South African surfer, Chris Bertish, has just accomplished what many thought was impossible.
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Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hello listening friends, would you like to hear an amazing fact? A 42-year old South African surfer, Chris Bertish, has just accomplished what many thought was impossible. Bertish paddled a surfboard unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean. It took him 93 days to cover 4600 miles and almost 2 million paddle strokes, all of this was done while standing up.

The epic journey took him from Morocco on the northwest coast of Africa, past the Canary Islands across the Atlantic to English harbor in Antigua in the Caribbean Sea, his custom built board was about 20 foot in length and weighed 1350 pounds. The board included a small cabin in the front, that allowed birds to take shelter from the elements and a number of tech amenities such as a water maker, a satellite phone a radio a Mac book and a radar device to alert other ships to his presence. You don't want to get run over when you're riding a surfboard.

Weather and exhaustion worked hard against him as he paddled 12 to 15 hours every day, surviving for nearly three months on freeze dried meals. Beciuse his board was riding low in the water his feet in his ankles were almost always wet. Waves threatened to swamp him, he also had several run ins with sharks who tried to bite his surfboard to see if it was edible. Why did Bertish endure this grueling three month journey of across an ocean on a surfboard? Well, partly it was to test the limits of paddle board possibilities, but mostly it was to raise money for his favorite charities, and six million dollars came in through this heroic journey. The Bible tells us, charity is the most noble human motive, stay with us friends we're going to learn more, as amazing facts brings you this edition of bible answers live.

[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]

Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends to bible answers live, we do have lines open if you want to call in with a Bible question, that's why we're here, we don't claim to know it all or have all the answers, but we will search the word together. Here it is, here's the phone number, of course it's a free call. It seems like all the calls are about free now. 800 God says, 8004 637 297 with your Bible questions, or question about living the Christian life, and we'll search the word together. One more time, lines open, you're ready, 8 004 637 297 and once again, my name is Doug Batchelor, Pastor John Ross is, he's probably somewhere in the air crossing the Atlantic Ocean now but not on a paddle board, he's in a jet I'm guessing.

We're going to start the program as we always do with prayer. Father in heaven, thank you so much again for just this wonderful privilege to be able to proclaim the word via radio. I just pray that you'll arrange these divine appointments Lord, and that the questions asked in the answers given, are all in harmony with truth. We pray this in Jesus' name Amen. Well, I was really amazed when I heard this report as many others have by now, about Chris Bertish and his epic adventure crossing the Atlantic, the little cabin that he had on the front, the nose of his surfboard, just barely big enough for him to crawl in and, he'd lock it up, he rests during the day when it was the hottest.

That he'd sometimes paddle all night long when it was cool, looking at the bioluminescent trail crossing the Atlantic. It's pretty spooky when you see whales surface and all you've got is a surfboard. Not to mention the sharks. That's a lot of life threatening adventure, and he endured it all because of charity. I like the way the old King James uses the word charity, charity is another word for love. Comes from that word you've heard before, agape. One of the greatest chapters in the Bible is first Corinthians chapter 13. I'm going to read verses four through 13 roughly.

Charity suffers long and is kind. Charity envies not. Charity does not boast itself. It's not puffed up. It does not behave itself unseemly. It doesn't seek her own. It's not easily provoked. It thinks no evil. It rejoices not in inequity but it rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Charity never fails. Now, he closes, abides faith, hope and charity. These three, but the greatest of these, is charity. Whenever I say the word charity, just insert the word love. The greatest of these is love, greater than faith and greater than hope and they are great. Love is the most important thing.

Bible says God is love, it defines him. The law of God is summed up in love. You've heard the song, Jesus loves you. That's what the Bible tells us friends, that we have a free offer, that I think will just bless your heart. All you've got to do is call and ask for it. It's called, a love that transforms. Maybe you'd like to have that transformational love in your life, you will enjoy this Bible study resource. It's a beautifully illustrated study guide, it's free. You just got, if you call and you ask for one, we'll send it to you need to read it, and it will touch your heart.

A love that transforms, if you want the free resource, this is a different phone number it's, 8008356747. Again, for the free resources, we mentioned during the broadcast, that's 8008356747. If you're calling into the studio that's, 800 God says with your Bible questions. We still got a couple of lines open. One more time, 800 463 2797 with your Bible questions. If you want the free offer, a love that transforms, call that other number, 8008356747, you can even look at it online, at amazingfacts.org. All right, we're going to go to our first caller, who called in early and is waiting patiently. David, you're on the air with Bible answers live.

David: Hello pastor Doug this is David from Sacramento

Pastor Doug: Hi, thank you for calling David.

David: My question is about Gog and Magog. I found them in Revelation, the book, and I don't have a Bible with me right now, but I would like to know who or what, Gog and Magog are?

Pastor Doug: Good question. Gog and Magog are the, they represent the enemies of God's people. Now one of the keys to understanding revelation, is know a little bit about the Old Testament. Because there are, I think, about 404 verses in Revelation, 278 of the 404 verses in Revelation can be found almost word for word somewhere else in the Old Testament. When you look in Ezekiel 38 and 39, I'll read the first verse for you David, "And the word of the Lord came in to me saying, Son of Man, set your face against Gog in the land of Magog." Gog and Magog, Gog, represents these people, and you find them first in Genesis 10, they were enemies of God's people.

In Revelation 20, it talks about Satan being bound because all the wicked are dead, there's nobody to tempt, the earth is in ruins, and that at the end of the 1,000 years, it says the rest of the dead, the wicked come back to life. All the wicked who've ever lived. It calls them Gog and Magog, the enemies of God's people. They launch an attack on the City of Gog.

Now you not only find that revelation where it says they surround the beloved city, that's Revelation 20, you find this also in Ezekiel 38 and 39, were it talks about Gog and Magog come against God's people who are dwelling peacefully.

In both Revelation and in Ezekiel it says, they cover the earth like a cloud, in another place it says like the sand of the sea and God rains fire down from heaven on them and devours them. Ezekiel says he will rain down fire and brimstone. This is at the end of the 1000 years, when the wicked make their final assault on God, led by the devil himself and Satan then is cast into this lake of fire, that is formed from the fire evidently raining from heaven.

David, that's a great question and you'll be happy to know, we have a study guide that talks about Gog and Magog, and what happens at the end of the millennium, and it's called A 1000 years of peace, will send you a free copy. All you've got to do is call in. That number once again, for your free lesson 8 008 356 747, 8 008 356 747. We do appreciate your call. With that, we're going to go on and talk to, let me see, Lisle is calling from Ed Moore Michigan. I know where that is ,I've been there before. Leslie you're on the air with Bible answers live.

Leslie: Hello.

Pastor Doug: Hi, thank you for calling.

Leslie: Can you hear me?

Pastor Doug: Yes, and your question?

Leslie: Leslie.

Pastor Doug: No that's okay. Your question Leslie?

Leslie: My question is, when Jonathan told David he had to hide after the celebration of the new moon, when his father got mad because he gave him permission, was that the last time he saw him?

Pastor Doug: Yes, good question. No, you read. It says later, that Jonathan came and he met David when he was hiding in the woods by the cave of Adullam. That was the last time they hugged each other and made a covenant together and that was the last time David saw Jonathan alive. After that, Jonathan died in a battle with the Philistines on the mountains of Gilboa, that would be the last chapter of 1st Samuel. I think it's Chapter 30, maybe it's 31 of 1st Samuel. Jonathan did see David one other time.

Leslie: Well. Okay, thank you.

Pastor Doug: All right you're welcome. You can look that up, you’ll see it for yourself . It's in 1st Samuel ,it may be 22 or 23 I'm trying to remember, but you'll see it there. Thank you, good question, Leslie. One of my favorite stories is the stories about King David. Did you know King David's name is mentioned in the Bible more than Moses, more than Abraham and more than Jesus? David's name is the most frequently mentioned name in the Bible, about a thousand times his name is mentioned. All right with that, we're going to talk to Chantelle, who is calling from Salem Oregon. Chantelle, welcome you're on the air with Bible answers live.

Chantelle: Hi pastor Doug?

Pastor Doug: Hi. Thank you for calling.

Chantelle: I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed a prophecy encounter I was watching online.

Pastor Doug: Good, the program we just did in Florida. Great.

Chantelle: Yes, that was a great yes.

Pastor Doug: Your question tonight?

Chantelle: Okay, I 'm calling, I need some help understanding a little more pf Proverbs three, five and six. Especially the beginning. Just probably verse five mostly. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." When I'm faced with this situation and I have to make a decision, I do have some understanding and knowledge about what was going on. How do I do I put that aside? How do I not lean on with the information that I do know?

Pastor Doug: Right. I understand what you're saying. It could sound like Solomon is saying here, "Don't use your own understanding." But of course Solomon, earlier in Proverbs, says quite a bit about with all your getting, get wisdom. Obviously, you get wisdom so you have good judgment. When he says, "Don't lean," it means not as your principal prop. Principally, trust on the Lord, not your understanding. Because sometimes, you'll see things happening and you say, "I don't know, what do I do?" And you can rationalize things in your mind that might go against God's word.

Solomon saying, don't go with your rationalization above the word of God. Trust the Lord with all your heart and don't put your primary trust in what you can reason. Let me give you a prime example, just this week, I was preaching about King David and King Saul kept trying to kill King David. God kept delivering David. God told David, "You're going to be king." But David got so tired of running from Saul, he reasoned in his mind and said, "I may as we'll go to the Philistines and live with them, even though they're our enemies because Saul is going to eventually get me and maybe I'll stop searching for me."

David made a big mistake. He leaned on his own understanding in this case, instead of trusting what God had said to him through Samuel the prophet. It caused all kinds of problems and he nearly lost his family, they were kidnapped by an enemy because he was trusting his rationalization instead of the Lord. Later he repented of that and things worked out. We get into trouble over time when we try to use our reasoning instead of what God's word is telling us. it doesn't mean don't use your reasoning in making decisions. God wants us to reason with him.

Chantelle: I use the Bible as a guide as much as applies to the situation. I'm constantly asking God for guidance. What should I do? If I'm right in the middle and I just don't know

which way to go, I'm hoping I'll get an impression-

Pastor Doug: Some kind of providential signal or something.

Chantelle: Yes, the way you've described it in your sermons, you were impressed to go in this direction or that or you were impressed to say something.

Pastor Doug: You wanted to know the will of God regarding something right?

Chantelle: Well, yes the will and just-

Pastor Doug: You got to make a decision.

Chantelle: -I never feel pulled in one direction or another. I feel neutral and time goes by and I'm thinking, "Well, I'm not I'm not feeling one thing or another." Finally, I just have to make a decision, so then--

Pastor Doug: Some of the criteria that I gave, is first of all, Jesus said, "Seek." You might be searching in God's words and say, "Lord give me some guidance here." Look for providencial openings. Get Christian counsel which you're doing now. You're calling and asking trying to get some guidance. Talk to other people that know you and get good Christian counsel. The Bible says in the multitude of counselors there's safety. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will impress you. Don't put all of your weight on impressions of the mind or heart. That is a factor I think that sometimes God's Spirit does really impresses you and you get a piece about one direction and no peace about the other.

I've got a free book that I'd be happy to offer you Chantelle, it’s called Determining the will of God. It has all of these points plus about six more. You can you can download it for free at the amazing facts Website or we'll send you a copy. Just call 8008356747. We'll send you a copy of Determining the will of God, or anybody out there if you're struggling with some of those decisions. Thank you for your call Chantelle. We're going to try and get a couple more callers. We do have some lines open now and if you want to call with your Bible question, now is a good time. 800, with your Bible question 800 4637297. That's 800 God says because we're using the Bible. Talking next with, let's see, Greg calling on line six. Hello, Greg. I bet you didn't know you’re on line six ,calling from Orange New York. How are you doing?

Greg: Good. Good evening?

Pastor Doug: Your question tonight?

Greg: Yes, there was one of the statements in Revelation chapter 4. It has to do with John taking up the heaven, sees the emerald rainbow around the throne of God. I have some insight on it, I think, but what do you think of that?

Pastor Doug: Yes, it says is a rainbow round about the throne side and to like an emerald. That's I think verse three of Chapter four. The rainbow colors obviously, are not the same as our colors, and of course is not in the rainbow that's celebrating St.Paddy's Day. It's just a beautiful color of life and in the world so often, vivid green is so much more the verdant color of life. It's basically, God has got this bowl of light, the color of an emerald, around his throne, symbolizing that life emanates from him. I've done a study before where numbers have meanings in the Bible. I've done a very vague study. I'm not an expert on it but I've seen some interesting studies where people go through the colors in the Bible and the meanings of those colors.

Greg: Yes. The question was the emerald rainbow, emerald green and the rainbow is multi colored.

Pastor Doug: he doesn't mean rainbow, when he says rainbow there, he's really talking about a bow of light. You've probably seen the moon shining through the clouds and you see a bow around the moon?

Greg: [unintelligible 00:18:44] Aramaic from the Syriac and it says an emerald rainbow.

Pastor Doug: Right. The word rainbow though, is talking about just the light being diffused in a bow shape. It doesn't mean that it's got the seven colors that we see in the typical rainbow.

Greg: I have a little understanding on that. The light is in seven colors-

Pastor Doug: What is your thought on this? Are you-

Greg: -natural rainbow and that reflects the seven Spirits of God. Revelation three, four and five. The emerald rainbow, I have a little insight on that. There is from the creation of the earth, light has always been coming on the earth from the east with no beginning point, continually rising from the east. Yet, as light rises continually till today, and dawn breaks, you have indigo green blue, indigo violet, violet indigo blue, green orange yellow, orange yellow red on sunrise-

Pastor Doug: Let me give you something to think about.

Greg: - and it falls away to the west. Light then starts falling way into darkness. which is continually done red, orange, yellow no green, blue indigo, violet. In the Millennial Kingdom, his throne room is going to be on the earth, and the green is midway between the sunrise and the sunset.

Pastor Doug: All right, well, let me give you something to think about that you may find related to what you're saying, is on the breast plate of the high priest, there were 12 stones, and those stones when you do a little research there are very similar to the colors of a rainbow. Those are the same stones that are in the foundation of the New Jerusalem. While you're doing your study on the bow around the throne in chapter four, you may want to look also in Chapter 21 and 22, where it talks about the foundation stones in the New Jerusalem.

I think you'll find that interesting after you look that up, you may have already done it. I'd love to hear what you think about that. Thank you for your question, Greg. We do need to keep going here and we're going to talk next to Christy, who's calling from Albuquerque New Mexico. Christy, you're on the air with Bible answers live.

Christy: Good Evening?

Pastor Doug: Evening. Thank you for calling.

Christy: Thank you. My question is about the Trinity and is it Biblical in scripture?

Pastor Doug: All right. Well, first of all, you won't find the word Trinity in the Bible. There's a lot of words that we use to describe things in the Bible. You don't find the word millennium but the teaching of the Millennium better known as the thousand years, is there in Revelation 20. You'll find a lot of things that we use terms for, the Bible talks about the God head, but it's talking about who are the persons, or what's first establish there is more than one.

Now, in the Bible when it says hero Israel, Deuteronomy chapter 6, hero Israel, the Lord our God is one. When it says that, it's talking about one as in united. Because Jesus said, "A man will leave his father and mother, cleave to his wife and they become one." Well, there's two of them. Jesus said regarding the apostle's father John 17, "Father, I pray they may be one." Well, there were 12 of them, but it says one. For the Jewish mind, one meant unity, because many of the pagan gods they had different gods with their different territories and they fought with each other like the Greek gods and the god of the bushes and the trees and the birds and the bugs. God said, "No, our God is a one God."

In Genesis, God says, "Let us make man in our image." You've got some plurality there, right at the beginning. At the baptism of Jesus, you've got God the Father ,who says this is Matthew chapter three. God the father says, "This is my beloved son," Jesus is in the water. Then God the Spirit comes down in the form of a dove, there you get the three. Jesus said, "Go-" Matthew 28, "Go baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Through eternity, God the Father, son and spirit are eternal, because God has always been love, and you cannot have love with one person. Love is always made real in giving to others or expression to others. God always manifests Himself in these three persons that are unique individuals, of God the father, and their function seem different, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Just yesterday, I was reading the first chapter of 1st Peter, I'll look at it very quick. Peters says, an apostle, chapter one verse one of the 1st Peter, "Peter an apostle Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Leisha, Cappadocia, Asia and Bethania, elect according to the full knowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the spirit, obedience and sprinkling the blood of Jesus Christ."

Right there in the introduction, he says, "The father, the son and the spirit." You see that all being mentioned. I've got a free book I'll send you, Christy, on the Trinity. Would you like a copy of that? It all you've got to do is call amazing facts, and call this number 8008356747. Say, "Listening to amazing facts, I'd like the free book on the Trinity." I'll send it to you. Just please read it. You'll see a lot more scripture than I have time to share in our short broadcast. We do have another line or two open. I'm going to take another call before our midway break. Talking next to Don who's calling from Sacramento. Don, you're on the air with Bible answers live.

Don: Hello. Good evening.

Pastor Doug: Evening.

Don: I'm calling about a scripture I remember that goes something like this. I don't have it right in front of me, but it goes something like, "Oh, that man would praise the Lord for his mercy and goodness to the children of man." My question is, what would you say are some of the best ways that a man can praise the Lord for the Lord's mercy and goodness?

Pastor Doug: What is the best way?

Don: Just some of the ways or some of the better ways or, maybe is the best way.

Pastor Doug: I think the best way for us to praise God is when we live consistent Christian lives. We praise God when we tell others what he has done for us. That's what it means to praise him. There are some Christian programs where they say, "Let's all praise the Lord," and they wave their arms in the air and they repeat over and over, "Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord." Well, that's not praising God. That's just making noise, really.

The way you praise the Lord is by extolling his virtues in his character. When we say, "God is good," or when we tell people, "God has been so good to me," or, "God has provided and God has blessed," we are praising God, we're giving him credit. We're attributing to him his beautiful qualities. That's really how you praise God and then living out his teachings in your life is exhibit A of praising God. It means I believe in him and I'm going to live my life to glorify him. It’s in Psalms verse three, it says, "That we might praise God for his wonderful works to the children of men." I've seen what you're saying.

Don: Okay. That’s a great answer. Thank you.

Pastor Doug: All right. Thank you very much, Don, appreciate your question. With that, how much time we got left? We've got one minute. Tell you what friends, we're just going to have a break in a moment. It's not fair to start a question and just cut you off. Don't go away, matter of fact, we were going to get all your, I think everyone here, we should be able to get everybody lined up and we have a line or two open.

Here's the phone number if you want to call in with your Bible question. It's 800 God says, 800 4637297. I see one operator in there looking bored. Why don't you give them a call and ask a Bible question and they'll pass it on here to us in the studio. Want to remind you that amazing fact is really available all week long. If you have any other Bible questions, or interests or studies, just go to amazingfacts.org. Amazing facts is just gobs and scads and a blizzard, a kaleidoscope, a plethora of resources. At amazingfacts.org, there's videos you can watch, you've got amazing facts of faith like we have here on the radio program. A lot of resources you can download for free.

amazingfacts.org. We are going to take a brief break for our station ID and coming back with your Bible questions in just a moment.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

Pastor Doug: Welcome back listening friends. For any who joined us along the way, this is Bible Answers Live, and we do have a couple lines open, 8004637297 with your bible question, of course, a free phone call, we'll do our best to search the word together. My name is Doug Batchelor, Pastor Ross is on his way back from a weekend of evangelism in South Africa, we let him go to his home town for a little while and he'll be back with us again next week. We're going to go back to the phones. Let's see, I think Patty has been waiting patiently. Patty, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.

Patty: Hi.

Pastor Doug: Hi, thank you for your patience.

Patty: No problem.

Pastor Doug: What's your question today?

Patty: I have a question, if we are saved, "I saved all of them so that no man can boast," then what does it mean when we go for the judgment? If our sins are put as far as from the east to the west, then what is the judgment?

Pastor Doug: That's a good question. When we come to Jesus and we're saved, we're saved by faith. When we accept Christ by faith, then we begin to live a new life and the Bible says, "All things are passed away, all things are made new, we're born again, we're new creatures and there's a difference in the life". When we love the Lord, He says, "If you love me, keep my commandments", meaning that if we do love Him, the result of that is that we're going to want to obey Him. In the judgment, it will determine we're saved by faith, but if we are saved, Jesus said, "You'll know them by their fruits". There will be a difference in the works. We're not saved by works but the works are evidence that we've been saved, does that make sense?

Patty: Yes.

Pastor Doug: If a person is saved, there will be a difference in the works. Even Paul says, when he says in Ephesians, "We are saved by grace through faith", he says, "We're saved for good works." It doesn't mean we're saved by our works, it means--

Patty: Then, we're judged by our works and we're saved again, accordingly or-?

Pastor Doug: Well, no, we're saved entirely by faith, but when we are saved by faith, there's going to be a difference in the life. Jesus said there'll be many that will come in the last days and they'll say, "Lord, Lord, we cast our devils we did many wonderful works," He'll say, "I don't know you." They're trusting in their works. But then He says, "Depart for me you who work inequity." He said, "You said you love me, you said you serve me, but your works aren't showing that." Let me give you one more example, okay? Patty, you are with me?

Patty: Yes, I'm with you.

Pastor Doug: Matthew Chapter 25, verse 31. Jesus tells a parable of the great judgment day where He separates the sheep from the goats, right?

Patty: Right.

Pastor Doug: In that parable, what He says to the cheap, He says, "Well done good and faithful servants, enter into the joy of the Lord, you're saved, for when I was hungry you fed me, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, when I was naked, you clothed me, when I was sick or in prison, you came to me." What is He judging them by?

Patty: Their works.

Pastor Doug: Do you love your neighbor?

Patty: They're judged by their works.

Pastor Doug: God is saying, "Did you love your neighbor?" When you are saved by faith, is it a faith that is just verbal? It's like James says, "If you show me your faith without your works I will show you my faith by my works." Christ says to the lost, "I was hungry, you didn't feed me, I was naked--". You can't feed and clothe everybody in the world, but God gives us opportunities as believers to do good to all people. If we really say we love God, then He says, "Prove it, and show love to one another." That's what He said.

Patty: I understand that, it just seems confusing.

Pastor Doug: It seems like a conflict sometimes, uh?

Patty: Yes, you think, "Okay, you've been forgiven your sins." [crosstalk]

Pastor Doug: Are you worried that your works aren't good enough, and that's why you're asking this?

Patty: Probably, yes.

Pastor Doug: Let me send you a free study I think will encourage you, it's about the subject of grace and law. The book is called Does God's grace blot out the law? It's a beautiful book that explains how we're saved by faith and what role does works or law have. I think you'll find it says we're saved entirely by faith, but then it helps people understand what is the function then of obedience or works or the law. It's all interchangeable really.

Patty: I understand we're supposed to be obedient.

Pastor Doug: Yes, can I send you a free copy of that?

Patty: That'll be great, thank you.

Pastor Doug: Yes, it's called, Does God's grace blot out the law, ask for the book on grace and law when you call 8008356747. I think you'll be blessed by that. That does free up a line if someone wants to call with a question. Again, 8004537297, thank you very much, Patty. I'm going to talk now to Susan, who's calling from Cabazon, California. I've been to Cabazon. Hello, Susan.

Susan: Hello.

Pastor Doug: You're on the air.

Susan: Yes, my question is, if we get married in front of God just the two of us, are we married in God's eyes?

Pastor Doug: Just two people, no witnesses?

Susan: Yes, it's two people go to the Lord and they do their vows and it's just them and the Lord, are they married in the Lord's eyes?

Pastor Doug: I used to think that when I was young. I used to think, "Well, marriage is really between God and the only one present when Adam and Eve got married was God and they were certainly married, why do I need to have a service and a minister, all the government involvement, license and blood tests?" The more I said it as I got older, I realized marriage is a covenant, and covenants usually have witnesses.

Then I started asking the question, "Why wouldn't you want to be married where you have it public?" That's really an important question. Let me have you think about something, if two people walk out of a closet and people start wondering, "Are you guys married? What's going on?" You tell them yes or no, "When did you get married?", "Well, we got married when we were in that room", "Why didn't you invited anybody?", "Well, we didn't want anyone to know, we didn't want to pay for a marriage license" [chuckles] The bible says, "Let all things being done decently and in order." Why wouldn't you want to do it according to the law?

Susan: I guess is because it's so expensive and a lot of people don't embrace the relationship.

Pastor Doug: You can have an inexpensive wedding and it can be legal. You can get married by Elvis pretty cheap in Las Vegas, I'm not recommending that but they have some pretty cheap weddings. You don't have to spend thousands of dollars, you can go to a Justice of the Peace and you have two witnesses, everyone's got a couple of friends. But you hate to say when you love someone, you've made a covenant that is supposed to last for life and you say, "Well, we kind of did it ourselves." It starts sounding a little bit like a second-hand wedding.

There are some states that recognize common law wedding, by the way, what I'm talking you about this, I'm talking to myself because I used to believe that it doesn't matter, you can have a hippie wedding and call it marriage but I've come to believe that, I think the Bible says, "Obey the laws of the land," and things should be done decently and if you're Christian, you do it in the presence of God and others, one of the first miracles of Jesus was at a wedding and there were plenty of witnesses from what you read.

Susan: That makes sense.

Pastor Doug: I hope that helps a little bit, but it's a good question. I know others are asking it because I did. Thank you very much, Susan, I do have a book I can send you, a study guide, I'll send you a free copy on, Keys for a Happy Marriage. I think you'll get a blessing out of that. Anyone out there that wants to know what are the Bible keys for a happy marriage, we'll send it to you too. You noticed all through this broadcast, we offer most of our resources for free. If you would like a copy of that, call this number, this is different from the studio question's number, it's 8008356747.

We've got a bank of gifted young people that are manning the phones for us, they will pray with you, they'll take your request, get your address and mail you the study guides. That's how we do it, I appreciate your call Susan. We are going to talk next to Stanley calling from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Stanley you are on the air with bible answers live.

Stanley: Hey Doug, I hope you are adjusting to the post [inaudible 00:40:14] they are better than I am, I'm depressed over that but.

Pastor Doug: That was my era.

Stanley: Let's talk about some good things. I'm a huge fan of your show, I catch you a couple of times a month and have for several years now, but I never listen when you slap on a tape, I turn off the radio because calling radio that is not live should be dead, don't you agree?

Pastor Doug: Well, sometimes I can't be omnipresent, so we want to have the program every week. The reality is, Stanley, that for every person that calls in, there is about 2,000 listening that don't call [crosstalk] he can cancel the program if I'm traveling.

Stanley: - talk radio but I think that is wrong. I listen for the callers, every bit as much for the host, as I do for the host, in fact, many shows I wait before the callers to the host, that's not on the show, the show where you are the star and deservedly so, there is an issue that has been coming up repeatedly over the decades for me, and it's down to present in my mind to steal a word from you. It's been on the present in my mind of late because of something I have been watching on lots of cable show, but I catch it on YouTube. The question is, and you've got some biblical citations here that are applicable, feel free to toss them in.

The general question is, what sort of commonality, sort of interplay, sort of intersection should be the non believing and believing communities have? The reason I have been thinking about this a lot lately is because I have been watching something called the Atheistic Experience out of Austin, and they always encourage and successfully encourage Christians to call and the debates are fascinating to listen to, and I learn a lot and I have had my mind changed here and there by both callers and the host.

Pastor Doug: Let's turn it into a question.

Stanley: I wonder how do you stand on this question Doug?

Pastor Doug: All right well, on the question of interacting, I do think it's important if people are honestly open and they want to dialogue and debate, is there a god? We are living in a society where I have seen a few studies, I sat down at a dinner earlier this year and started talking to person next to me, and lo and behold, it was George Barna, who is the one of course started the Barna survey research group. There's some studies out that show that gradually, the United states is becoming less and less of a Christian country than it used to be. I think we need to know how to engage atheists in a loving way, of course you always cringe when you hear a Christian that once to become [unintelligible

00:43:10] debating or talking with an atheist, and they are not giving logical reasons, they are just saying what the bible says.

Of course the atheist is thinking, "Well, so?" I think when you are talking to atheists you can't use your bible as your source book. You need to be able to give them logical reasons why the bible is dependable and why you believe what you believe. I used to be an atheist, so when someone says, "Well, but the bible says," I thought, "Well, so what? You believe a book? Why do you believe that book?" You have to get past that and understand that the Bible is a dependable document. Having those kinds of interactions, I think they are very helpful. I appreciate all your kind words, Stanley. We are going to take a couple of more callers here. Thank you very much for your question. Talking next to Lee who is calling from is it Cana Virginia? Lee you are on the air with bible answers live.

Lee: Hello, thank you very much for taking my call.

Pastor Doug: Yes and how can we help you tonight?

Lee: Well, the question I have, I was actually listening to an earlier radio program, and I would say I myself, I have answered the call of the ministry and avid Bible reader. I try to study, learn as much as I can. The question I had, I heard a very experienced minister make the comment earlier, that salvation through grace was not sufficient. That water baptism was a requirement of true salvation. I have never believed that. I believe that the grace of Jesus Christ is sufficient and I have preached on that. That has been my message through it all. I wonder what your thoughts are on that about the necessity or lack thereof of water baptism.

Pastor Doug: Well, there is a lot of things that god calls us to do when we accept him. But we are not saved by doing those things. God calls us to support his work with tithes and offerings, but if for some reason a person doesn't or can't, they are not saved because they did or didn't do that. Among the things god calls us to do, when we love him and we are surrendering to him, Jesus said, "Go there for teach all nations baptizing them." But the thief who died on the cross next to Jesus, and Christ promised he would be in paradise, he didn't get baptized and obviously baptism, Christ gave him grace and probably gave him credit for his own baptism, because Jesus was baptized not for his sin. I suppose that some of us, just like Jesus did not die for his death, we get credit for his death.

I would think of those who can't be baptized, they get credit for his baptism by his grace. I have been in the hospital or been into prison where a person is on death row, or they are dying, hooked up to machines and they can't get baptized, but they accept Christ, I expect to see them in the kingdom, based on the grace of God. Is baptism important? Very important. Jesus said, "Unless you are born of the water and the spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven." We are not saved by it, if a person can't be. There will be people in heaven that did not know, you should only have one wife, like king David and Solomon and many others I can name. Jacob and Abraham.

Well, it's a sin I think, for a man to have more than one wife at a time. [laughs] Or a woman to have more than one husband. There will be people in heaven that had all kinds of problems. I think there is going to be people that weren't baptized Biblically, or they weren't baptized at all, but they just didn't know. If you read in Acts chapter 17, I think it's verse 30. It says, "At the times of this ignorance God winked at." By the grace of God sometimes they just don't know, they are living up to the light they have and he winks at their ignorance.

We are all saved by grace. I'm sure when I get to heaven I'm going to find out some things that I got wrong. I know there is a lot of things that get wrong, I know about but there is probably some I don't know about. I'm not trusting in my knowing and doing everything right, I'm trusting in his grace. Baptism is important, I don't want to understate that, but we are not saved by baptism, we are saved by a faith, love, grace. Hey, I have got a book I can send you if you'd like. I'll send you a free copy and it's just called, Baptism is it Necessary? I think it has a really good balanced approach. Would you like that?

Lee: Yes, certainly. Absolutely.

Pastor Doug: Yes just don't be afraid to call one more number just so they can know where to send it. If you call 8008356747, anyone that wants to understand this subject, 8008356747. It's a great study and we'll send you a free copy. Thank you for your good call. I appreciate that, Lee. Next we are going to be talking to Philip. Good Bible name. Philip calling from Texas, listening on satellite radio, welcome Phillip you are on the air.

Phillip: Thank you, I had a question but the lady that brought up the question about works and judgement, the believer saved will be judged with their works to see if they receive rewards and Jesus said, "A man who, a person that gives a child a cup of cold water in his [inaudible 00:49:02]"

Pastor Doug: Will not lose their reward.

Phillip: Yes, will not lose their reward. I had my brothers years ago tell me, " Well, why do you want reward?" You can have this beautiful ground but if you see to thank him for all of the [inaudible 00:49:15]

Pastor Doug: Yes, there are varying degrees of reward in the kingdom and even Jesus told the apostles that. Some of that judgment is going to determine the extent of reward. I don't know if some are going to heavier crowns than others, or if it's going to be just closer to the Lord, or like the monopoly board, you'll have a mansion Jesus has prepared that's going to be more park place in Boardwalk.

Phillip: We can't even imagine this place.

Pastor Doug: What does that matter? I just want to be there. I just say, "Lord,I just want to be there." No one wants to be saved by the skin of their teeth, but boy, I will be happy to be there. Was that your question or did you have another one?

Phillip: I think that will do it. I just wanted to say that it is really important. Your works will be judged not for your salvation but for your, for any reward, position, doing something for the Lord, you might have a job to do. We cannot imagine how we're--

Pastor Doug: Yes, it's going to be wonderful. But not only that, part of what it says about the judgment and the works, it's not just the saved, it says even the wicked are judged according to their works. The lost, their books are open and they're cast into the lake of fire and, evidently, there's not only a varying degree of reward for the saved. The Bible is very clear, there's a varying degree of reward for the lost. Jesus said, "He who did many things wrong is beaten with many stripes."

That's a figure of-- but there's varying degrees of reward. Appreciate your call and your question Phillip. I'm going to-- let me see here. I think Kristina is next. Kristina calling from Arkansas, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live. Hi, Kristina, sometimes the phone is muted, are you there? Stepped away from the phone. Colleague, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live, do you have a question?

Bob: I'm not Kristina.

Pastor Doug: Oh, we may have a wrong name tag there? What is your name?

Bob: I'm Bob.

Pastor Doug: Bob, let's take your call. Kristina is probably is saying, "Here I am." Hang on Kristina, I see you now, I punched the wrong button. Your question, Bob.

Bob: Leviticus chapter 23, verse three. It's talking about the feasts there after the word I'm living bread verse three et cetera. First, it talks about, verse two speaks with [unintelligible 00:51:49] that these are the feasts of the Lord, you shall proclaim to be my holy convocation, these are my feasts. Then, it seems like that it switches gears and talks about the Sabbath. Then in verse four, "These are the feasts of the Lord." I'm just was wondering--

Pastor Doug: Was the Sabbath in the same category as the other feasts?

Bob: Is verse three supposed to be a feast Sabbath or is it just somehow detouring and saying, "The Sabbath you need to keep," kind of thing?

Pastor Doug: Well, I think the Lord deliberately says, "I want to talk to you now about the feasts. They are annual convocations," that's what He's talking about. Then as a parenthetical statement, He says, "Now, six days you work and the seventh is the Sabbath." He's basically saying, "This is not a feast, this is a holy weekly convocation." Then He says, "Now, these are the feasts."

He actually, I think God is deliberately, through Moses, setting the Sabbath in a different category, it's one of the 10 Commandments. He's saying, "As I'm talking about the feasts, keep in mind these are annual feasts, they come once a year," tyhe weekly Sabbath is different from the annual Sabbaths. He's actually drawing that out before He gets into the various feasts. We often do that when we're talking--

Bob: Yes, this one other person were trying to tell me that since it's in the thing there in verses one to four et cetera, it was supposed to be a feast Sabbath but it doesn't sound like that to me, though.

Pastor Doug: I think Moses is-- he's going out of the way to completely separate it. He says, "Look I'm going to talk to you know about the feasts," and all of them that he mentions,

the seven annual feasts, are annual. Then he stops before he gets into it and says, "Six days your work is done the seventh day, this is weekly it's not annual, is the Sabbath." This is gone back to Adam and Eve. It's a part of the 10 Commandments, don't do any work in it, it's a holy convocation.

Then he says, "These are the feasts." Even holy convocations proclaim them in their seasons. Different from the weekly cycle. He pulls it out as something separate. I've got a free book I can send you it's called Feast Days of Sabbath if you like a copy, Robert.

Bob: Okay.

Pastor Doug: Tell you what, let's do that, call the resource line 835-- of course 800, 8356747, ask for a free book on Feasts Days in Sabbath. I made such a big deal out of trying to get a hold of Kristina. I need to take her call. Kristina, now you really are on the air.

Kristina: Hello?

Pastor Doug: Hi, thank you. Sorry, I was calling you before and I pressed the wrong button.

Kristina: That's fine. It's funny that you said Bob because my husband's name is actually Bob.

Pastor Doug: [laughs] Well, when I heard a man's voice, I thought, well maybe her husband came to the phone. Pastor Russell is not here and he usually does the phones, I think I mixed up. Your question tonight.

Kristina: My question had to deal with the laws in the Bible. Now, I know the 10 Commandments were directly from God but, are the other laws also directly from God? Or were they written by Moses?

Pastor Doug: All of the-- well, the work of God is, all the law, all the Bible is all considered the Word of God. There were laws that were in a different category that were called ordinances. If you look in Deuteronomy chapter four, it makes a distinction there, when it talks about them. Let me see if I can find that for you real quick. Deuteronomy chapter four if I go, let me see at verse 29. He says that, "He declared unto you his law, even 10 Commandments which He commanded you to perform and the Lord gave me at that time these statutes and these ordinances."

You've got the law and then you've got the, let me see here. I can't find it. Yes, it's in Deuteronomy chapter four. He talks about, he says, "You got the 10 Commandments and the statutes and ordinances." 10 Commandments are of an eternal nature. It's always wrong to lie, steal, kill, and so forth. Then, you've got law that was helpful laws, which is just good practical information for sanitation and health and long living. Then, there were ceremonial laws that were to be connected with the sanctuary and the sacrifices to help them recognize Jesus when he came.

I'll be happy to send you a free book that talks about Written in Stone. It will help you understand the relationship of long grace. Call 800-835-6747 ask for Written in Stone, we'll send you a free copy, Kristina and anyone who asks. Thank you, friends, for listening to Bible Answers Live tonight. It's been a pleasure. It always seems like it goes so fast and if you want to keep studying with us, we're here every week. You can also go to us every hour of the day at amazingfacts.org. God bless.

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