Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hello, listening friends. Would you like to hear an amazing fact? Werner Forssmann, a 25-year-old doctor in Germany had a radical idea. He proposed a new way to examine the human heart and his idea was flatly refused by hospital administrators. Forssmann's innovative idea was to send a thin catheter through a vein or artery directly into a living pumping human heart and have a better look around. It was revolutionary for 1929, and the superiors thought this kind of experiment would kill a patient.
Forssmann was convinced that by combining the catheter placement with an X-ray, physicians could detect human heart problems earlier and save lives. Forssmann was determined to try. When his bosses said no, the young doctor decided to move forward anyway. He persuaded a young nurse to unlock the cabinet of catheters and to allow him to do the procedure on her, but he tricked her. While she was strapped to an operating table, he instead stuck the catheter into his own arm.
She screamed for him to stop, but he went ahead anyway. Then, with the help of the same panicked nurse, Forssmann walked down a flight of stairs with a catheter in his heart and persuaded a very reluctant technician to take an X-ray. He had made medical history. Then, of course, the hospital fired him. Marginalized by the medical community for years, Forssmann's bold experiments were studied by other scientists who advanced this technique and ultimately revolutionized medicine.
In 1956, Dr. Forssmann was working in another hospital when he received a phone call and was told that he had won the Nobel Prize for his innovative work on heart catheterization. Even today, with our incredible medical technology, nothing can see or repair the human heart the way God can. This is why David prayed, "Search me God and know my heart." Stay with us, friends. We're going to learn more on this edition of Bible Answers Live.
Voice-over: You're listening to Bible Answers Live, honest answers to your Bible questions. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's Join our host, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Pr. Doug: Hello, listening friends. This is Bible Answers Live. We are a live international interactive Bible study, very excited to do the most wonderful thing in the world, talk about the Word of God and how to live forever. I can't think of anything more important than that. Talk about what the plan of God is for our lives and to understand his teachings. If you have a question about the Bible or living the Christian life, we invite you to give us a call. We have several lines open right now. Here's the phone number 800-GODSAYS, that's 800-463-7297. One more time, 800-GODSAYS, 800-463-7297 will bring your Bible question into the studio here in Northern California.
We also have free resources that we give out during the program, so keep your pencil handy. We’ll be giving you some websites where you can watch ongoing Bible studies. Tonight pastor Ross is off, but we're going to launch into our program with prayer.
Father in heaven, thank you very much again for your blessings and, Lord, for the truth. You say thy word is truth, and that's our focus of study tonight. Be with us, Lord. Pray that your glorified in all that we think or say, we ask in Jesus name, Amen. I can see several times in the Bible where it makes it pretty clear that Jesus was God, because the Bible tells us in 2 Kings that, "God and God only knows the thoughts of men's hearts." Only God knows what you're thinking in your heart.
Sometimes a person might look at you and by your expression they can make an educated guess of what you're thinking, but only God can really look into the human heart and know exactly what you're thinking better than you do. Several times in the Bible it says Jesus knew what was in man. Jesus knew what they were thinking. You can look for instance, in Mark chapter 2, Luke chapter 9.
Here's one, Luke 9:46, "An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest, but Jesus knowing the reasoning of their hearts," and then he addressed this with them. So many times Christ knew what they were thinking. God even knows what you want before you pray, but he tells us to pray because it does good to us when we pray. What conversion is, is a change of heart. The Bible says being born again is being given a new heart. That's what conversion is all about. Would you like to have a new heart, friends? God tells us that he'll make us new creatures. Says, "The new covenant is I'll put a new heart within you."
We have a free study tonight. It's a beautifully illustrated, you get pictures through it and some great scriptures, and reasoning, and Bible studies. We'll send it to you free. It's called A Love That Transforms. How do you get that new heart? Just call the resource line. This is another phone number. You're ready? It’s free. 800-835-6747, if you'd like this free Bible study, A Love That Transforms, and after you read it and you give your heart to the Lord, you give it to someone else. 800 is the phone number. 800-835-6747, just tell them you're listening to Bible Answers Live.
With that, we're going to go to the phones again. We do have several lines open. If you dial and it rings for a minute, just give our operators a chance to pick it up. That number, 800-GODSAYS, 800-463-7297 brings you into the studio. All right. Going to go to the first call. Talking to Stephanie. Stephanie, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Stephanie: Hello, how are you tonight?
Pr. Doug: I'm doing great. How are you?
Stephanie: I'm good, thanks. I'm calling from Albuquerque, in New Mexico. I had a question about predestination. Both in Romans 8 and Ephesians 1, specifically verse 4 and 5 where in the New King James, it reads, "Just as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will."
Then down at 11 and 12, it says, "In Him, also we have obtained an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory." My question is-
Pr. Doug: You were just now reading from Ephesians or Romans? You gave me two verses.
Stephanie: That was Ephesians verse 4 and 5 and then verse 11 and 12.
Pr. Doug: Ephesians what chapter?
Stephanie: Chapter one.
Pr. Doug: Chapter one, okay. I just want to make sure we're looking at the same verses. You're wondering do these verses mean that God decided in advance who was going to be saved?
Stephanie: Yes.
Pr. Doug: This is a common misunderstanding. If you look at what is happening here in the time of Paul, many Gentiles, non-Jews, were learning about God and learning about Jesus through the apostles that were teaching to them. Many of the Jews that were in Rome and Ephesus, where Paul's writing, were hearing from the Jewish converts, well, God chose the Jews, that were His chosen people. They were almost leaving them feeling like the Gentiles were second class.
Paul was saying to the Gentiles, "No, God chose us also. Way back, it was God's plan the Gospel should go to all the world. It wasn't just for the Jews." People have misunderstood and thought God has arbitrarily said ahead of time, "I'll save this person and not that person." That wouldn’t make sense because the Bible says, "God would have all men to be saved."
Then you can read in 2 Peter chapter 3, or you read it--Well, I think it’s like verse 8, says, "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." How many does he want to come to repentance? All.
Stephanie: Everyone of us.
Pr. Doug: If you read the end of the Bible, in Revelation, this great appeal, it says, "Whosoever will let Him come and take the water of life freely." Whosoever. John 3:16, "Whoever believes in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life." Everybody is free to come. If God has predecided who's going to be saved, why are we doing mission work?
Stephanie: Exactly.
Pr. Doug: He'll save who He's going to save and then the rest are all doomed. If God created some people-
Stephanie: What are they talking about when they say predestined?
Pr. Doug: Well, that means that God, before the foundation of the world, had also planned that Gentiles should hear the truth.
Stephanie: Okay, got you.
Pr Doug: When he says He's predestined us, he means the Gentiles he's writing to in Ephesus and Rome, that we should also be saved. Now, I'll give you a little tip.
If you look in chapter 3, 2nd Peter chapter 3, Peter says, I think it's like verse 15. He says, Paul sometimes says things that are hard to understand, and those that are unstable, twist it to their own destruction." You'll never read, James, Peter, Mark, Matthew, Luke, saying things that leave us confused about predestination. They're all very clear. Sometimes people hear what Paul says when he's telling the Gentiles, You have also been predestined to be saved," and they think he's saying that God has hand-picked a few people to be saved and everyone else is just already destined to be lost. That's not true.
Stephanie: Okay. All right. Thank you for clarifying that for me.
Pr. Doug: All right. Thank you. By the way, I've got a free book, I'll send you if you'd like.
Stephanie: That'd be great.
Pr. Doug: It's simply called, Can A Saved Man Choose to be Lost? If you call our resource number, Can A Saved Man Choose to be Lost? It explains predestination. The number is 800-835-
Stephanie: One second. So 800-835-
Pr. Doug: 6747.
Stephanie: 6747. Thank you so much.
Pr. Doug: Give them a call. They're standing by right now and they'll send you the book.
Stephanie: Okay, thank you.
Pr. Doug: Thank you, Stephanie. Appreciate your patience. All right. With that, we're going to talk next to David who's I think calling from Sacramento. David, you're on the air with Bible answers live.
David: Hi, Pastor Doug.
Pr. Doug: Hi.
David: Is it okay for us to eat turkey?
Pr. Doug: Well, now I guess what you're talking about David is, is it okay for a Bible-believing Christian, because of the laws that are found in Leviticus that say that you should not eat certain unclean animals, like people shouldn't be eating skunks, shouldn't be eating vultures. What about turkey? Is it in the category of the clean or the unclean birds? The clean birds were the foraging birds. Now, when you look at the clean and the unclean laws for diet, most people have no problem with these laws. People don't typically eat the unclean foods except, among the animals, people don't eat camel but they do eat pork. People don't need rats, that's one of the unclean foods, but big problem is typically pork.
Among the fish, if it was seafood, it was supposed to have two things, fins and scales. Problem there is shellfish is unclean. They're scavengers. Pigs are scavengers, vultures are scavengers. God did not want people eating scavengers because it's very unhealthful. Matter of fact, the best diet, and everybody knows this today, is a vegetarian diet. God said look, "If you're going to eat meat, eat the clean meats. These were things that could be brought to the temple and offered.
Among the animals, that needed a cloven hoof and chew the cuds. You got a rule for the fish, fins and scales. The rule for the animals, cloven hoof, chews the cud, like a cow, goat, sheep, so forth. Among the birds, it was to be a foraging bird. In other words, the animals that go around in the woods and pick seeds, like a chicken or a turkey, or a dove. A technically a pigeon. People in New York City will probably never starve in a famine because there's plenty of pigeons there. Those were clean birds because they're foraging birds. They were not to eat the birds of carrion or the Raptors like eagles and vultures and things like that.
Those are the rules for the animals, David, and I hope that helps a little bit. We do have a lesson that talks about what the Bible says about the clean food and the unclean food. It's called God's Free Health Plan. If you call our resource number 800-835-6747, we'll send you a copy of God's free health plan. Thank you for your call. Going to talk next with Michael who's calling from Miami, Florida. Hi, Michael, are things drying out down there?
Michael: Yeah. Actually, no power. We're accessing a lot of [unintelligible 00:14:39] blackouts. There's still a lot of debris lying around. I'm not going to hit it directly, but it's still leaving a mark.
Pr. Doug: Well, I know what that's like. I was in Miami in 1964 when they had hurricane or it was at 65, Betsy. We were taking surfboards down the street when I was a kid. I know what that's like. Anyway, we're glad that you're alive and well. Your question tonight.
Michael: Yes, my question is on, how do you know that it is God that is talking to you? You have a talk in your mind, because I know that when there's like, I guess, a moral front, we always have the Bible as a guideline, but I'm asking more in terms of like questions that you might pray on. Like asking God for guidance on whether or not you should start or get a certain job. How do you know that upfront, that in your mind is of God or perhaps of your own-
Pr. Doug: Your own mind wandering, yes. That's a great question. I tell you what, let me, first before I answer the question, I want to tell you, I've got a book I've written. I'll send you a free copy. It's called How to Know The Will of God. It covers the same principles I'm going to share with you.
First of all, the best way to know, of course, is, what does the word say? Sometimes you might be saying, "Lord, I'm choosing between two paths that are okay. Two jobs. I don't know which one I'm supposed to do." Big decision. How do you know what God's will is? How do you know if you're just getting your own conscience or your own feelings that are directing you as the voice of God?
Several things you do. One is, of course, look at the word. Then you also get Christian Counsel. The Bible says, in the multitude of counsel, there is safety. Get the advice of people you trust with good judgment. Sometimes you'll have the leading of the Spirit, you'll have a desire in your heart that you feel is leading you. Sometimes that's placed there by God. That's psalms 37 says, "He'll give you the desires of your heart." Sometimes God will place a desire in you for the thing he wants you to do.
Sometimes you'll see providential things happening. You're thinking of going somewhere and all of a sudden there's a hurricane. Well, that means you can't go. Maybe that was God telling you. Pardon the pun. There's providential things that happen. You start putting, I think I've got like 12 things in the book, ways to know and recognize the voice of God or the will of God. You put them together, and you can make a pretty good judgment. Sometimes you simply need to be patient and keep listening. You know what I mean?
Michael: Yes.
Pr. Doug: Most important, most dependable is make sure you have scriptural backing for what you think the voice of the spirit is guiding you. Sometimes a person says, "The Lord told me." You and I know God doesn't speak audibly to very many people. It's usually a strong impression a person might have that through their conscience, the Holy Spirit is speaking to them. It seems real, but it's usually within. Send for that book, Determining The Will of God, and we'll send you a free copy. The number is 800-835-6747. Ask them for Doug's book on the will of God. 800-835-6747.
Thank you for your call, Michael. That does free up another line. If you have a Bible question, pick up your phone, give us a call right now. With that, we're going to go talk to James, who's calling from Delaware. James, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
James: Good afternoon, Pastor Doug, how you doing tonight?
Pr. Doug: I'm doing better than I deserve. How are you?
James: I am doing fine thanks. Fine thanks. My question is, how were the old saved? Abraham and Noah and all, how were they saved?
Pr. Doug: Well, that's a great question. The Bible says that Abraham believed God, and God counted it to him for righteousness. That's way back in the book of Genesis. That goes pretty far back. They were saved by faith in the Lamb of God. Do you remember the story in the Bible where Abraham was going up the mountain with Isaac, and God had told him to offer his son? All the way up the mountain Isaac says, "Father." Abraham hadn't told him what they were doing yet. He says, "Father, we've got the makings for the fire and we got the wood, where's the lamb?" Abraham said, "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb."
Of course, that was a double statement. God provided a lamb up on the hill, but Jesus provided Himself as the Lamb of God. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus, when Jesus came to the Jordan, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." In the Old Testament, they were saved by faith, looking forward to the Lamb of God. That's every time they offered a lamb or a goat, they were looking at the day when the Lamb of God would come. We are saved by faith, looking back at the cross to the Lamb of God.
Everybody is saved by Jesus. Nobody is saved by works. Nobody is saved by Buddha, or Muhammad. The only way anyone can be saved is by Christ. That makes sense?
Jame: Yes.
Pr. Doug: All right. Yes, all the patriarchs were saved by faith. You would also appreciate the lesson that we're offering to others tonight. It talks about being saved by faith and getting that new heart. It's called A Love That Transforms. If you'd like a free copy of that, just call 800-835-6747, ask for the study A love That Transforms. We appreciate your call, James.
Again, that opens up a line. Wow, we got lots of lines open. If you want to get your Bible question in tonight, maybe you've had some biblical conundrum that you've been wondering about, then pick up the phone. Here's that number again to reach the studio with your Bible questions. Some question about living the Christian life, or the Word of God, 800-GODSAYS. 800-463-7297. One more time, 800-463-7297. Give us a call. We are live. I'm going to go next and talk to Maria, who's calling from Redding, California. Maria, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Marla: Yes. Hello, hello, this is Marla.
Pr. Doug: Oh, Marla, I'm sorry. It said that I just-- I looked at it too quickly.
Marla: It's okay. I had a question about Daniel 2:43, because it’s meaningful to me since it's in the days of these kings that God sets up a kingdom. Whether that's the judgment of the righteous dead, being the rock coming out of the mountain, or what.
Pr. Doug: Let me read. Do you want me to read this for people who are driving?
Marla: Yes.
Pr. Doug: Okay, because we've got probably 80% of those listening are maybe in their cars or working around the kitchen. They don't have a Bible at their fingertips. It says in Daniel chapter 2, and I'm going to read. You said verse 43, I'll back up to verse 42. As the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mix soft with soft clays, so they'll mix with one another in marriage, but they will not lay hold together just as iron doesn't mix with clay. Is that the verse you're wondering about?
Marla: Correct, yes.
Pr. Doug: Well, let me give you something to think about. The angel comes and explains to Daniel, or the Holy Spirit explains to Daniel, what the interpretation of this dream is. He tells the head of gold represents the kingdom of Babylon, silver, Persia, bronze, the Greek Alexander the Great. The iron is the feet of iron and clay, the iron legs is Rome, the iron and clay is a mixture of the Roman Empire with religion. Iron is Rome, the clay is like religion. What you have during the Dark Ages, you get the mixture of the Roman kingdom that then transitions into a quasi-Christian Roman kingdom.
Something else that's very interesting is the number one building material in the world today is iron mixed with myrrh clay. It's called concrete. Around the world, there's buildings springing up everywhere and they're made--You've probably seen them pouring concrete before, and what they do is they reinforce iron. They dump the concrete on top of it and you get iron mixed with clay. How would Daniel explain that to King Nebuchadnezzar way back 500 years before Christ? We're living in the age of iron and clay right now. We're living in the age where you've got the division of the European kingdoms.
The 10 toes represent the divisions of the Roman Empire, it ended up becoming-- it became the Holy Roman Empire. You had Catholicism and the king, you had religion and the breakup of the Roman Empire were ruling Europe. Then has then since then broken up and spread around the world. In South America, they speak Spanish because that was one of the kingdoms of Rome. In Brazil, they speak Portuguese because Portugal was one of those divisions of Rome. In America they speak English because the Saxons were one of those divisions of Rome. See what I'm saying? In Canada, they speak French.
The divisions of this Roman Empire spread around the world. The whole world uses the Roman calendar today. The reason we got a month called July is after Julius Caesar, and August is Augustus Caesar. The Roman influence spread around the world. We're living in the age of the divisions of the Roman Empire.
Marla: Okay, I so appreciate this. I'm mainly focused on that really helped. The first part of the verse, they mingled seed among themselves. I wanted to ask you, if Maria Theresa Habsburg, being married in 1736, she's the only one that didn't interbreed, and she had 16 children and she told them all who to marry, and they all married kings and queens. I'm just thinking, could that be relating specifically to a certain time period?
Pr. Doug: You're on the right track. It wasn't just Maria, that you mentioned. At one time, Queen Victoria of England was related to just about every head of Europe through marriage. What they tried to do is when the Roman Kingdom broke up, they tried to create peace in the former provinces through intermarriage. They intermarried the kings and queens, and that's where you get the word Blue Bloods. Some of them, their genetics were so bad through intermarriage that they had hemophilia, and they called them the Blue Bloods. They did not work. They could not weld together the kingdom.
Charlemagne tried to reunite the Roman Empire, as did Kaiser Wilhelm and Adolf Hitler and Napoleon, and they all failed. They did it through intermarriage, through war. We're living right now in the time of those kings. We've got a great Bible study that talks about Daniel chapter 2. We'll send you a free copy if you like. It's called The Millennial Man. It's a historical lesson. If you ask for our historical lesson on the millennial man, we'll send you a free copy of that, Marla. I think you'll find that a blessing. That number, 800-835-6747, 800-835-6747.
Do you still have lines open? That number to call in with your Bible questions is 800-GODSAYS. That's 800-463-7297. I'm going to see if I can start on another phone call before we get to our break. We're going to talk to David in New York. David, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
David: How are you, Pastor? How are you doing today?
Pr. Doug: I'm doing wonderful. How can we help you tonight?
David: Okay, Pastor, I have a question. I watch a lot of sermons on YouTube and [unintelligible 00:26:37] in church, they text me good stories and all of that. I do spend quite time in the Bible. I get up at five or so and I do spend time in the Word of God. I feel that the Lord wants me to spend more, but it seems like I can't get over that bridge.
Pr. Doug: You're wanting to know, how do I spend more time with God?
David: Yes.
Pr. Doug: Are you going to church also?
David: Yes, sir.
Pr. Doug: Well, I'll tell you what. I've got a few good suggestions for you that may help. You may already be doing it. If you don't mind standing by for just a few moments, David, when we come back after the break, you're going to be first in line of the phone calls. We're going to talk about some ways that you might be able to feed more of the Word of God and get over that bridge that you're talking about. How does that sound? Can you hold on for me?
David: That sounds great.
Pr. Doug: All right. Hey, you stand by, and we'll start out with David when we come back. I want to remind our friends before we go to our break, that we have a great website and amazing facts has incredible Bible study information. YouTube's videos, other study links, simply amazingfacts.org. Check it out. Don't go away, coming back.
Voice-Over: Stay tuned. Bible Answers Live will return in a moment.
Okay, friends, let's start with the basics. We know we're here, but we're not here for very long. The most important thing would be if we could learn during this life how to live forever. This is the central focus of Amazing Facts. There's a lot of wonderful things that Christian ministries do. I believe in Christian education, but if the schools lose the message of salvation, you end up with more educated sinners.
I think it's very important for us to build churches, but if the churches lose the message of salvation, they just become buildings and shells. I think it's important to have a medical ministry and build hospitals, but if they separate that from the message of salvation, you just prolong a sinner’s life for a little while. That's why for years, Amazing Facts has made it our focus to present the saving truth that sets people free. Friends, we want to thank you for your support and your gifts. We will do our very best to convert those resources into the currency of heaven. May God bless you, and keep Amazing Facts in your prayers.
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Every Bible question you have answered moves you one step closer to the fullness of God's will for your life. So, what are you waiting for? Get the answers you need for a fuller, richer, more confident life. You're listening to Bible Answers Live. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. If you'd like answers to your Bible-related questions on the air, please call us next Sunday between 7 PM and 8 PM Pacific Time. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join pastor Doug Batchelor for more Bible Answers Live.
Pr. Doug: Welcome back, listening friends, to Bible Answers Live, and we are live. We do have phone lines open. If you have a Bible question, we invite you to pick up the phone, give us a call. 800-GODSAYS, 800-463-7297. Shouldn't have to wait very long. That's why we're going right back to the phones now. We're going to continue talking with David. David, let me see. Are you still there with us?
David: Yes, I'm here. Hello, Pastor.
Pr. Doug: Hi. You were asking a question about how to spend more time with the Lord?
David: No, no, no. Actually, I was asking from 2 Timothy 4:14
Pr. Doug: Will you pardon me for one second, David? We got two David's, hang on, I've come to the wrong David. All right. Now, this is David Day, in New York, correct?
David: Yes.
Pr. Doug: Yes. We've got two people lined up named David, and I grabbed the wrong one. How you spend more time with the Lord, and you want to know how to get more out of it. You want to go to the next level?
David Day: I want to break that bridge. I know that the Lord wants me to spend more time and not to stay so much on the YouTube and sermons.
Pr. Doug: Do you listen to the Bible on tape sometimes? Like if maybe you're working with your hands or driving?
David Day: Oh, yes, I have it in my car. Yes, I have it in my car when I'm driving. I have several books that I listened to.
Pr. Doug: Have you read the book, Pilgrim's Progress?
David Day: I've actually seen the movie. Yes.
Pr. Doug: Well, I think you'll find the book is much better. Anyway, Pilgrims Progress. Have you read the book Steps to Christ?
David Day: Yes, I have.
Pr. Doug: That's another wonderful book. Well, it sounds like if-- The Bible Promises, if you draw near to God, He will draw near to you. I'm just sharing with you things I have found that help me. Get some biographies of great Christian leaders, and read the biographies about their conversions. You're going to find that you're inspired by what inspired them. If you read some of the writings you find some of the great Christians. John Newton who wrote Amazing Grace, incredible testimony you can read, that will, I think, encourage you. The story of David Livingston, and a number of others. Some of the testimonies bring to life how others found great victory in Christ.
I found encouragement with that. Then in your prayer life, just having a list of things that you pray about, and not only praying and talking to God, but then listening and God's Spirit speaks to you. If you go to the Amazing Facts' website, we've got a number of materials and devotions and videos there, that I think you'll also find a real blessing. We'd encourage you to try that as well. Thank you very much, David. I hope that helps. I'm now going to go to the other David. David, you're still there?
David: I'm here, Pastor, how are you?
Pr. Doug: Sorry about the false alarm earlier. Glad you hang on.
David: Okay. [laughs] How are you?
Pr. Doug: Doing well. Your question tonight?
David: Yes, my question is from 2 Timothy 4:14. Can I read it real quick?
Pr. Doug: Please.
David: Paul's writing to Timothy and it says, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works". This question has been bothering me for quite some time. Because Jesus says, "Forgive seven times," or is it 7 times 70? Do you think, based on this verse, there's ever a chance that someone can do so much harm to us, either because they're resisting the gospel or for whatever reason, where I rightfully can say before God, "May the Lord repay you according to all the evil that you've done to me".
Pr. Doug: It's a great question. When you read the Psalms, and I've wondered this myself. I'm not on this program because I claim to have all the answers. King David sometimes, in the Psalms, he seems to call down wrath on his enemies. He says, "Let their table be a snare," and he says all kinds of very direct things. Now, David, if you know David, I mean, if you look at the David in the Bible, a lot of David's Rami tonight, when you look at the David in the Bible, he forgave King Saul who tried to kill him twice. He had an opportunity to get even and he wouldn't.
You knew that David had a real heart of forgiveness, but he would sometimes pray that wrath would fall on his enemies, usually because they were hurting the people of God. Paul actually is not praying for wrath to fall on Alexander the coppersmith. It's believed that Alexander the coppersmith had something to do with Paul being rearrested in Rome. He ultimately was beheaded for this. He didn't say, "God get even with him," because Paul is the one who said, "Don't do evil unto your enemy, but overcome evil with good." Paul's the one who said that.
Actually, Paul is quoting Solomon too. He says the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. He's just stating a fact, Jesus said everyone is going to be rewarded according to their deeds. Paul is not saying, "Oh, I hope God gets even with him." I think Paul was kind of sad saying it. He says, "The Lord will repay him according to what he's done."
David: Okay. Yes, that make sense.
Pr. Doug: He's not really calling a curse down on him. If you'd ask Paul, "Would you rather have Alexander converted or condemned?" He'd say converted?
David: Okay. Yes, that makes sense.
Pr. Doug: All righty. Well, thank you very much. Appreciate your question, David. With that, we're going to talk next with Robert who's calling from College Place, Washington. Robert, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Robert: Hello, Pastor Doug.
Pr. Doug: Hi, thank you for calling.
Robert: My question is regarding John 5:24. We believe that in Revelation, I think it's 14:6, where there's supposed to be a judgment going on but then Jesus says that people won't be judged if they hear His word and believe in Him."
Pr. Doug: Let me read this for people listening. In John 5:24, "Truly, truly I say to you that whoever hears my words and believes Him who sent me, has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but is passed from death to life." Well, there's several different phases of judgment when the Lord comes. One is what you would call the pre-Advent judgment. That's what Peter says, "Judgment must begin at the house of God." Peter does say there is a judgment for the house of God, people who profess to be believers.
You also find a reference to that in Ezekiel 9. Then there's a judgment during the 1,000 years where the saints are basically Participating in a judgment. Then you've got the final executive judgment. It's sometimes called the white throne judgment, where the wicked are all gathered before the Lord and they're executed according to their works. The righteous don't have to fear the executive judgment, because when we accept Christ our names are entered into the Book of Life.
This is why Jesus said, if you accept Him, "If you hear my word and you believe it, you have eternal life." Now, there are some who are outwardly professed, "Oh, yes, I accept you Jesus," but then during the investigative judgment, it's found their frauds. They're the ones who are saying, "Lord, Lord," but the works--The Bible says we're saved by grace, but we're judged by our works. Their works, don't show that their heart's been changed. They will come in to that last judgment because they aren't the ones who are really believing.
Those who really believe, for the Jew to believe doesn't mean to just acknowledge, to believe means to be live. You believe it and you act upon it. Those who are really be living in Jesus, they have passed from judgment into life. They have nothing to fear from judgment. See, because during the pre-Advent judgment, we're not there, are we? We're not standing before judgment, but Christ is our representative, we pass directly from our death into the resurrection. I think that's what Christ is talking about. We have nothing to fear of the executive judgment. Okay, does that make sense?
Robert: Okay.
Pr. Doug: Let me just back up. When the Lord comes, is he distributing rewards good or evil? In other words, when he comes to save, you're saving the lost and lost, right?
Robert: Correct.
Pr. Doug: Some investigation takes place before He comes. Does that make sense?
Robert: Yes.
Pr. Doug: Okay. That's what's known as the pre-Advent or investigative judgment. The one that Peter refers to when he says, "Judgment begins at the house of God. The righteous have nothing to fear from the great white throne judgment that you find in Revelation that you spoke about. The books aren't-
Robert: That's what Jesus is talking about there in verse 24.
Pr. Doug: Yes, we've already been with the Lord for a thousand years in heaven. Why would He judge us and then say, "Op, I made a mistake. I've got to take you out of heaven."
Robert: Right.
Pr. Doug: See? So, all right, hey, we do have a lesson, I'll send you a free copy and it's called Facing the Judge. All you've got to do is ask for that. Thank you for your call, Robert.
By the way, that does free up another phone call if somebody would like to give us a call. For that lesson that I just mentioned to Robert, called Facing the Judge, if anyone wants to better understand the Judgment, call 800-835-6747, 800-835-6747. If you have a Bible question, call 800-463-7297. Again, if you want to call in with a question to the studio, 800-GODSAYS, 800-463-7297. Still have room, lines open and time left in the program.
I'm going to talk to Ronald, calling from New York. Ronald, you're on the air with Bible Answers Live.
Ronald: Hello. Hello-
Pr. Doug: Hi.
Ronald: - Pastor Doug. Yes, I was calling about some demonic phone calls I was getting. It talks about Ephesians 13, "We fight not against principality and powers-"
Pr. Doug: Ephesians 6:13.
Ronald: 6:13, yes.
Pr. Doug: "We're wrestling not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against rulers of darkness and heavenly places." There's a battle going on between good and evil.
Ronald: Yes, because I was receiving some weird phone calls not too long ago, but I blocked the phone calls, and the person will be talking-- My roommate, he answered the phone and the person said, "Tell Ronald this is Satan," and the person, every time I will answer the phone, a person will be hissing like a snake and they will keep calling. If I would think something inappropriate, the phone will ring. It's like it's reading my mind.
Pr. Doug: You know what you do in a case like that?
Ronald: Then things will be moved and I will hear knocks on the door and then the phone call will ring, but I blocked the phone call.
Pr. Doug: First of all, if someone's making a prank phone call, hang up. If the Devil's making a prank phone call, hang up, and don't let him mess with your mind, because the Bible promises, "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."
Ronald: That's what I quoted to the dem--When the person called, I quoted that to him, but he kept calling back. It would stop-
Pr. Doug: I wouldn't even quote- '
Ronald: It would stop but it would call back again.
Pr. Doug: Well, you know what, Ronald? Don't even engage the person. If someone calls, whether it's a prank phone call or whether it's a demon on the other end of the line, don't even talk to them. There's only one time that Jesus talked to the Devil in a brief conversation. There was one question. No other time did He ever engage in a conversation. We should never do it. None of the Disciples did that. I would just hang up and just pray and say, "Lord, just bring peace into my heart and peace into my home," and overcome evil with good. Sing a holy song. Just sing something encouraging. Don't let the Devil distract you with those things.
He just likes to harass you to even think about it. Don't give the Devil the benefit. You're quoting the right Scripture is Ephesians chapter 6. You just resist with the Armor of God.
Now, I do have a free lesson I'll be happy to send you, Ronald, if you're still there.
Ronald: Yes.
Pr. Doug: The lesson is called The Armor of God. I'll send it to you, just call this number, free. 800-835-6747. It's a book I've written called The Armor of God. It's easy, it's a short booklet. 800-835-6747. It will encourage you on how to wage war against these harassing spirits or whoever it is that's doing it. Hey, thank you so much for your phone call.
We're going to talk next with Susan, who's calling from Champaign, Illinois. You are on line one, Susan. Hello.
Susan: Hello.
Pr. Doug: Welcome. Hi, thanks for waiting.
Susan: Yes, I would like to know if a believing Christian can ever lose their salvation.
Pr. Doug: That's a good question. I'll tell you, it's a big debate and there are good Christians on both sides. I want to be careful to just make it very clear, if you were John Wesley who founded the Methodist church, you would say, "Yes, a believing Christian can lose their salvation." If you were John Calvin, you would say, "No, once you're saved, you're saved." If you're a Luther, you would say, "Yes, you could lose your salvation." If you were George Whitfield, you'd say no. There are good--It's a big debate on the Christian assurance.
Now, the idea is you don't want to be thinking once you're saved, you always have to live in fear. "What if I do something wrong, will I lose my salvation?" That's one danger, that you have no peace. The other danger is that you think that, "Once I'm saved, I can do anything and I can't lose my salvation." That's presumption. You've got the tension between the peace and presumption. The fact is, you do have examples in the Bible of people who were once Spirit filled, that grieved away the Holy Spirit and they were lost.
King Saul is one dramatic example. He was actually a prophet at one point, chosen by God, filled with the Spirit of God but over a course of years- It didn't happen overnight- he just continued to rebel against God's Word, became proud mostly, became jealous of David, and he harbored this jealousy and bitterness, and ended up killing himself. We don't expect that Saul was saved. The last thing he does is he goes to a witch. He gets involved in Demonism.
You've got Judas who was an Apostle. Jesus sent him out, preaching, teaching, casting out demons, but Judas just harbored the spirit of covetousness and he wouldn't let the Lord deliver him. Now some would argue Judas was never saved, and that may be. Then you do have cases like a prophet named Balaam. Balaam was a prophet of God, and God used him, but he ended up getting covetous and he turned from following God to chasing after a god of money and he was lost.
You've got examples in the Bible where you need to be careful. Even Jesus says in Revelation, He writes to the church. He says, "Unless you repent," It's a message to the Church, I think the Church of Smyrna, that, "Unless you repent, I will take your candlestick out of its place." The Lord, in all His messages to His church, He tells them to remain faithful. "He that endures to the end." There's a message all through the Bible about Christians holding on, don't giving up the good fight of faith. The implication is that it is possible for a Christian to lose their faith. That's why we've got to nurture that relationship.
Now, having said that, Christians shouldn't be living in fear every day that I'm going to have an up and down relationship, or I'm saved today, lost tomorrow. Saved today, lost tomorrow. We need to have a faith that if we continue to come to the Lord, He will never let go of us. Every day Paul said, "I die daily." Every day, Paul said, "I'm going to say no to self and yes to Jesus." Every day Jesus said, "Take up your cross." It's a daily choice to say, "I'm going to deny myself and follow Christ today," and that begins with prayer first thing in the morning.
I think the Devil would love to have people believe that once you come forward in a church and you say The Sinner's Prayer and you accept Jesus, you may have a honeymoon with the Lord for a little while, then you can do whatever you want and you can never be lost. I don't see that in the Bible.
Susan: You said yourself, people shouldn't be afraid of maintaining their salvation, but if I don't get up and pray and if I do deliberately what I want instead of what He wants, am I then losing my salvation?
Pr. Doug: If you continue to only do your will and not God's will- Now let me just tell you what Jesus said, "Not everyone that says, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but they that do the will of my Father." Doing God's will is pretty clearly taught by Jesus. You can read where John says, and this is in the First Letter of John 2:15, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For if any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that's in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is of the world, and the world will pass away and the lust thereof, but he that does the will of God will abide forever."
Yes, every day, Paul says, "We've got to fight the good fight." There's a wrestling that happens. Don't be discouraged if there's some effort involved in Christianity. The idea that there is no effort is a myth. That's why Paul said, "You put on the Armor of God and you fight the good fight of faith."
Susan: Doesn't that become works more than faith then?
Pr. Doug: It's a fight of faith, it's not a fight of works. See the difference? If we're not doing the right works, there's usually a problem with the faith. It's really all about love. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." If we're struggling with obedience, it's often a love problem and not an obedience or works problem. The more we love Him, the better we will obey Him. The more you know Him, the more you love Him. Bible says, "We love Him because He first loved us, right?" The more we look at the cross, we see how much He loves us. We see how much sin hurts Him. It makes us want to do His will.
Susan, the lesson we offered tonight when we began the program is meant for you. I really hope you'll take advantage. It's a free offer and it's a great lesson, Bible study. Talks about salvation and how to have that assurance. Would you like us to send you that free copy?
Susan: Yes.
Pr. Doug: All right. All you've got to do is make one more phone call. Nobody's going to harass you or knock on your door or bother you. We'll just send it to you. The number is 800-835-6747 and ask for it. It's called A Love That Transforms. How do you have that assurance? A love the transforms. I think you'll enjoy that. Okay?
Susan: Thank you.
Pr. Doug: All right. God bless you, Susan. Thank you for your call. With that, we're going to talk to Tammy calling from-- I hit David again. Here, let me see her. I'm going to go to Tammy, you're on the air? Tammy in Berkeley California?
Tammy: Hi.
Pr. Doug: Hi. Thanks. Thank you.
Tammy: I'm here. Thank you very much. I love everything you do. I love you guys with the program and I've learned so much from the online Bible study or school that you guys have.
Pr. Doug: Wonderful.
Tammy: We had Bible trivia at church, I was nearly unstoppable. Thank you, to God be the glory.
Pr. Doug: Wonderful. Hey, how can we help you, Tammy? What's your question?
Tammy: Yes. I'm always concerned about using the Lord's name in vain. I know that we're not supposed to, absolutely. It's very clear in the 10 commandments about that. I think is the third one, or am I mistaken? I was listening to the Radio Metro show, your show wasn't on yet, but it was another show. They said that if you say, "Oh my God, or gosh, or things like that, that's using the Lord's name in vain." I'm like, "Oh my gosh." I've heard people say, "Oh, Jesus Christ." I'm just like-- I can imagine if you say the GD word which I don't use, but-
Pr. Doug: You're wondering, is that taking the Lord's name in vain?
Tammy: Yes, the GD word I know that's definitely.
Pr. Doug: Let me address that before we run out of time. First of all, not taking the Lord's name in vain, it means when you say you're a Christian, you take God's name. If you're going to say you're a Christian and you don't live like a Christian, you're taking His name in vain. You see? To take a person's name in vain means that you say, "I belong to this person." Like it used to be, not so much more as it used to be, but a woman would marry a man she'd take his last name. If she takes his last name and she runs around with another man, she's taking his name in vain.
That's one understanding, but it certainly does include that you should never take the name of the Lord, and they used to make vows, and they'd make oaths, and they'd make promises, and they'd use the Lord's name. You should never use the Lord's name in an oath, or a vow, or a promise, and then break it. Then also, it is certainly true that we should never take the name of the Almighty on our lips irreverently. That's probably what this other pastor was talking about. Without seeing the program I don't exactly know, but from what you said, I'm inclined to agree.
I don't like when people say, "Gee whiz," because that's a derivative of saying Jesus name. Or they say, "Gosh." I know it's a habit with so many people. I used to have that habit when I first came to the Lord. Don't worry, the Holy Spirit can help you break that habit. Whenever we're using an experlative like that, Jesus said, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." We don't need to say these things where we're not only directly taking God's name in vain using His literal name, but even using derivatives of it.
I agree. I think that it's wrong. I hear kids and their-- Even in church, I hear kids say, "Gosh," and I wince. I say, "What does that mean?" They don't even think about it. They don't know what it means. I say you try to educate them and say that's a derivative of wanting to say God's name in vain or some other form of it.
Tammy: Because people, we have a bad--saying, "Oh my God." We have a really bad habit.
Pr. Doug: People say it on the news. You hear it on television. Every time I hear it, I wince a little bit. Hey, I tell you what? We're almost out of time, but I want to give you something, Tammy, that I think will help you. I wrote a little book. It's easy to read. It's a little book called The Name of God. It's called The Name of God. If you've got a pen handy, Tammy, you waited a long time, I want to send you a free copy. Just write down this toll-free number 800-835-6747, ask for the book, The Name of God. 800-835-6747, and I'll send you a free copy.
Also, you can probably read that book for free online if you go to the Amazing Facts website. A lot of the studies that we've offered tonight, you can also do for free at our website. We like to put the hard copy in people's hands because then we know you're going to read it. Sometimes I give out web addresses and it's too easy. People don't go online and do it. If you are a diligent person and you will remember this web address, can you remember the words amazing facts?
Go to amazingfacts.com.org.net.tv, and we have all those domains, it will take you to one of the best websites out there. Now, I'm feeling a little guilty because we invited everybody to call in and a lot of people called in and I didn't get to all the calls. Now, dear friends, can we still be friends? Give me another chance next week. In the meantime, do take a look at the website amazingfacts.org, help us stay on the air. You can donate there online. God bless you. Jesus is the truth that will set you free.
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