Announcer: It is the best-selling book in history. No volume ever written has been more loved and quoted; and its words, sometimes simple and sometimes mysterious, should always be studied carefully. It is the Bible, the Word of God. Welcome to "Bible Answers Live," providing accurate and practical answer to all your Bible questions. This broadcast is a previously-recorded episode. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this broadcast, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now here's your host from Amazing Facts International, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Doug Batchelor: Hello, listening friends. Would you like to hear an amazing fact? In 1954, a little 4-year-old girl, Marina Chapman, was abducted from her home in a remote mountain village in South America. Evidently, something went wrong with the kidnapping plans and her captors abandoned her deep in the Colombian jungle. Though often tormented by insects and loneliness, Marina miraculously survived 5 years with the help of a troop of capuchin monkeys. There was plenty of water in the jungle, and the monkeys would often leave her scraps of fruit and seeds until she learned to find it for herself. She eventually learned to climb trees and even catch small birds with her bare hands. When two hunters found her 5 years later, she'd forgotten any human language and lost all inhibition. Not remembering her birth name, she never found her family. Marina was later adopted and became re-civilized, moved to the UK where she married and had a family. A few years ago, her story was produced in a book called "The Girl with No Name." Can you imagine that, Pastor Ross, living out there in the jungle thinking you're an animal and then discovering you're a human and it's like you find out you're a different creature?
Jëan Ross: That's right. Yeah, just sort of being raised by the monkeys, at least following their example and finding what food you could and then, "Wow, there's people like me out there."
Doug: Yeah, there's not enough time to tell the whole story, but she said she spent enough time where she understood the simple language of the monkeys. I mean, you know, they didn't speak, but they had different signals for different things and she could recognize them. And when people doubted her story, some of the zoologists who listened to her descriptions of the capuchin monkeys and how they communicate they said she sounds like she lived with monkeys. She knew a lot about them, and-- anyway, she's still alive today. But it's a fascinating story, and it makes me think about--finding out you're a different creature reminds me of that verse--now, King James says it a little differently there in 2 Corinthians 5:17. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature." I think other versions say a new creation. "Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." And, boy, she had a whole new life when she went from the jungle to being adopted by a family and going from the jungle to living in England. I mean, talk about a radical transformation.
Jëan: And of course, you know, the point you bring up there, if we want to go from living on this earth filled with sin and sorrow and suffering and death to the new earth where there is peace and joy and eternal life it requires a radical change. Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again or you cannot even see the kingdom of heaven." So our free gift talks about that experience of being born again. It's called "Life in the Spirit," and this is free. We'll send it to those who are listening. If you're in North America, just call our number. It's 800-835-6747. You can ask for the free gift. It's called "Life in the Spirit." You can also dial #250 on your smartphone, say "Bible Answers Live," and then also ask for the book "Life in the Spirit." If you're outside of North America, and of course, Pastor Doug, we have many people who are listening around the world, just go to the website. Just AmazingFacts.org. We have a free library, and you'll be able to read the book there as well. Well, before we go to the phone lines, as we always do we like to start the program with prayer. So let's do that now. Dear Father, we thank You for this time that we have to be able to open up Your Word and study and, Father, it is our desire that because of the program that's happening this evening that lives will be transformed, that people might be born again. And so, Lord, we ask for Your Spirit to guide in these-- in the time together, in the questions, and in the answers; and we ask this in Jesus's name. Amen.
Doug: Amen.
Jëan: Our first caller this evening is Dan listening in Colorado. Dan, you're on "Bible Answers Live." Welcome.
Dan: Hey, pastors. Good evening to you.
Doug: Evening.
Dan: At such stances where maybe driving a car and we're tempted to drive over this motorcycle officer or if we're going to run our car off of a bridge or so, does this come from a evil heart or the wicked one? I get these thoughts all the time. Of course, I do not act on them. Do they show my evil heart?
Doug: Well, I do think that-- you know, all of us are fallen. Also keep in mind our minds are kind of creative computers, and I'd be embarrassed for anybody to see all the crazy thoughts that goes through my mind. You know, most of them we know how to subdue and we put them out of our minds. But because God gave us curiosity and He gave us imagination, there's all kind of things that will swirl around in your brain. If there's any kind of thought that is evil or you're going to, you know, harm somebody or it's sinful or impure; when we recognize those thoughts are coming, then we need to put them out. Some of it is the temptation of the devil. Some of it--James says we're drawn away by our own evil lust. And so in the same way the devil was a free moral agent that was able to choose to do something wrong, we also have that choice. Not every wicked thing we do there's a devil behind it. I think sometimes people just make those choices. And of course the devil is there and his fallen angels to tempt us, but through the power of Christ and the Spirit, you know, we can put out those thoughts. We can reject or resist those thoughts. It's not a sin every time you're tempted with a crazy thought. Even Jesus was tempted, the Bible says. He was tempted to throw himself down from the temple. Of course it was the devil tempting him, but he rejected that. And whenever he was tempted to do anything wrong, he rejected it. So we have that same privilege through the same power.
Jëan: And, you know, I think the book that we're offering for free called "Life in the Spirit" will talk about that, how we can live that victorious Christian life. And I think as Pastor Doug mentioned, it's important to recognize not every crazy thought is sin unless we dwell upon it. Those times you just push that out of your mind and say--redirect your thoughts to something wholesome. If you'd like to receive the book, the number to call again is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book. It's called "Life in the Spirit." Or dial #250 on your cell phone, say "Bible answers live," and say "Life in the Spirit." Thank you, Dan. We've got Debbie listening in Canada. Debbie, you're on the air.
Debbie: Hi, Pastor Ross and Pastor Doug. How are you doing?
Doug: Great. Thank you for calling.
Debbie: Okay, I have a question. First of all I have to say that I'm in the YouTube chat, and last week there was a bunch of us chatting about abortion and there was somebody in there that doesn't think she'll ever be forgiven even when she asks for forgiveness for having an abortion before she knew Jesus and I was just wondering if you could give us some insight on that, please.
Doug: Yeah, the Bible is pretty clear that the only sin that cannot be forgiven is what you call the unpardonable sin. Some have thought; well, that must be abortion or infanticide, but that's not true. God will even forgive that. You know, because of the sin of David his baby was lost, and Manasseh offered his children. They passed through the fire he was--and God forgave him. And so of course if--any sin that we're willing to repent of and forsake we will be forgiven. The Bible says all manner of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven unto man. And so God is extremely merciful, and we're--if we're genuinely sorry and we repent He will forgive. And I pray that that young lady, if she's listening now, will just believe that Jesus is a better Savior than she is a sinner and He can save to the uttermost the promises.
Jëan: And of course 1 John chapter 1, verse 9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." There is no condition associated with that but that we're willing to confess and forsake and God is able to forgive. So we take courage from those promises. Thank you, Debbie. We've got Gary listening in Illinois. Gary, welcome to the program.
Gary: Thank you. In Luke 22, verse 20 it says, "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which was shed for you." Now, again, shedding of blood is talked about in Romans 3:25. "Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood." Okay, so I looked up that word and it means gift offering to remove wrath of God. So is the New Covenant the removal of wrath of God?
Doug: No--well, the word covenant very simply means agreement. Every time you buy a house or a car or even get married, it's a covenant. And so the old covenant was ratified by the blood. It was symbolic. It was ratified by the blood of goats and lambs. It was the law of God written in the stone tablets where the people made a promise. They said, "All the Lord has said we will do." It was an agreement. God said, "Keep these commandments. I'll bless and protect you." They said, "All the Lord has said we'll do." That was the agreement. It was ratified with a sacrifice. The New Covenant is the same law written now in our hearts instead of stone ratified by the blood of Christ. And so the propitiation, the intercession for our sins is made by the blood of Jesus, but the covenant itself is the agreement that God will save us because of the blood of Christ. And He puts a new heart in us that causes us to walk in His ways and keep His laws.
Gary: Thank you.
Doug: All right. And we--you know, we've got that great study guide talking about the law where it talks about--well, it's about grace and the law. I can't remember the name of it right now, but--
Jëan: "Does God's Grace Blot out the Law?"
Doug: That's it. Yeah. That talks about the covenants right there. That's the one. Thank you.
Jëan: That's right, the number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book. It's called "Does God's Grace Blot out the Law?" And we'll send it to you, Gary, or anyone listening in the US or in Canada. Dial #250 on your cell phone and say "Bible answers live" and ask for it. We'll get in the mail. Junith is listening right across the border in Nevada. Junith, welcome to the program.
Junith: Blessed evening to both of you. My question is about the tree of life. As we all know, we're going to worship the Lord of the Sabbath Jesus on the Sabbath in Isaiah 66:22 to 23. My focus is the tree of life. Shall we have potluck in the tree of life or can we access the tree of life any time we want to because it's right nearby the throne of God? So maybe we cannot access because we need some reverence around the throne of God, that all the time that we can't access it?
Doug: Yes, well, keep in mind the tree of life is going to be replaced. The Garden of Eden that God planted as near as we can tell, in the same way that New Jerusalem is coming down from heaven, before the flood it seems that God caught the garden up and--because that garden is going to be in the new earth. Adam had free--as far as we can tell he had free unlimited access to the tree, and that is going to be restored. Everything is going to be restored not just the same but even better. So I doubt that God is going to ration how often you can eat from the tree. But in the same way in this life, you know, you don't want to eat ice cream six times a day, I think people are going to have self-control and they're not going to eat it more than they need to.
Jëan: And, of course, the Bible tells us that the fruit of the tree is somewhat unique, a different kind of fruit every month on the tree of life. So you can get your fill of June's fruit, whatever they might be, but then July; well, there's a different kind of fruit on the tree, yeah. Maybe you got your favorite type of fruit that comes around once a year. Who knows? But of course; yes, it's a symbol of eternal life that we have. So something special. Mark is listening in Michigan. Mark, welcome to the program.
Mark: Good evening, pastors. In Joshua 6, it tells the story of Israel's victory over Jericho. We recently heard an evangelist say that the walls came down on the Sabbath. It's challenging to think God scheduled the actual slaughter on the Sabbath. So is there any evidence that the 7-day march began on a Sunday the first day or on a different day of the week?
Doug: Yeah, well, we don't know what day it began, but I'm quite certain that God did not orchestrate the walls of Jericho so that on the Sabbath day they did the most work. When it talks about they march around the city one time for 6 days, that means sequence. It doesn't mean day of the week. The first day of marching, you know, they blew the trumpets and they marched around the city. Second day, third day--one of those days may have been the Sabbath, but He didn't ask them to do anything other than--you know, I tease folks and say they were just taking a nature walk and special music with the trumpets. That's all that happened. So that may have happened on the Sabbath day, but I think the day that they actually attacked the city it may have been a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. We don't know. But I doubt it was the Sabbath day. It's, you know, no more than Israel today would launch a battle on the Sabbath day.
Jëan: And, you know, one of the verse that comes to mind Jesus said--talking about the destruction of Jerusalem that occurred in 70 AD, Christ talking to his followers said, "Pray that your flight be not in winter neither on the Sabbath day." Well, if he's talking about them fleeing for their life and he says pray that you don't have to do it on the Sabbath; well, it only makes sense then that the conquering of Jericho with all the distraction won't be on the Sabbath.
Doug: Why would God command that if He would tell them to pray in Matthew 24? That's right.
Jëan: All right, well, thank you, Mark, appreciate that. We have Liam listening from Ohio. Liam, welcome to the program.
Liam: All right. Thanks for taking my call. My question is regarding John 6. The way that I read it, it seems like Jesus is claiming that his body blood, soul, and divinity are part of the bread and wine of communion. And I'm really having a hard time seeing it any other way, but I know that plenty of Christians see it as just a symbol or--our Lutheran friends see it as consubstantiation, and I was hoping you could walk me through the way that you see it--
Doug: Now, which verses are you looking at?
Liam: I mean, kind of the whole thing. He feeds the 5,000 and the Psalm 23 enactment.
Doug: Says, "Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you." Yeah, well, now keep in mind at the Last Supper--so the big question, and this was a big debate between Protestants and Catholics during the reformation, is that is the priest actually converting the emblems of the bread and the grape juice into the literal body and blood of Jesus. And Luther, who at one time was a Catholic priest, and Calvin--both Catholic priests, they said, "No, it's a symbol." And their argument was when Jesus had the last supper and he's sitting there with his disciples and he's all intact and he points to the bread and he says, "This is my body and this is my blood," he wasn't asking them to participate in some kind of cannibalism because for one thing that's forbidden in the Bible. You know, you're not supposed to eat unclean food or blood. In fact, one of the first commandments in the Bible is do not eat blood. So yeah, I think it's clearly a symbol of the sacrifice that Jesus was making. And there's no need for the Lord to actually biologically transfer, make that grape juice into blood. You know, I think I've been to communion services and I used to attend mass--Catholic mass at military school and the bread was not human flesh. It was a wafer. And when the priest drinks the grape juice, it's not blood--literal blood. So I think it's a pretty strong argument that it's a symbol for the life. Now, you look in the Old Testament and you've got the story of Melchizedek, who is a type of Christ, and he brings out to Abraham bread and wine and--that nourish the army. Well, Christ is like Melchizedek, tells us in the Book of Hebrews, and he nourishes us with his life and the gospel. So yeah, I think it's a symbol.
Jëan: Yeah, just to add to that a little bit more, you know, if you look at the actual passage itself, I think it gives us a clue. Jesus said, "Most assuredly--" This is verse 53. "Most assuredly, I say unto you, unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." Well, even the disciples wondered about this. And there were many that were in the crowd, it says, that they were offended and they walked no longer with him, and Jesus turned to his disciples and he said, "Are you also going to forsake me?" And they said, "Well, Lord, where are we going to go? You have the words of life." But then they respond in verse 60. It says they said, "This is a hard saying. Who can understand it?" So even them were --they were puzzled. "What do you mean, Jesus, eat your flesh and drink your blood?" Then Christ explains this. Verse 63 he says, "It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ is to receive his Word. That's what Jesus said. So he's clearly talking about symbols. And just as we need physical food to give us physical strength, we need to receive His Word and His Spirit in order for us to have spiritual strength.
Doug: Yeah. And then when Jesus says in Matthew chapter 12 and-- I think this still is verse 1. He says, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees." And the disciples thought, "Oh, we forgot to bring lunch." And Jesus says, "No, no, not literal leaven." He said, "I'm talking in spiritual terms. This is talking about the teaching of the Pharisee." So Jesus often spot--spoken symbols and the disciples thought, "Drink your blood and eat your flesh?" And he said, "No, no. It's a symbol."
Jëan: Great question, though. Thank you, Liam. We've got Joe listening in Arizona. Joe, welcome to the program.
Joe: Hey, guys. How are you tonight?
Doug: Doing great.
Joe: All right. Well, I'm going to try to keep this really simple. First off, is there an email that can be sent because I have a question but it's kind of a big question and has lots of parts to it and I don't want to take up all the time on your show?
Doug: We do have an email.
Jëan: Yeah, let me give it to you. Yeah, it's simple. It's just BALquestions@amazingfacts.org. That's BALquestions@amazingfacts.org.
Joe: All right. Thank you. So my question is I was raised the same way that you guys, I guess, preach; but I've recently been listening to somebody I found on YouTube and his whole ministry is that we're the angels from heaven, and it's kind of ironic that you said in your opening about we're fallen because that's what he says. And so my question is like there's--the only problem I'm finding with it is--with the fallen angels, the demons that are talked about in the Bible, like when there was a demoniac and he threw the demons out of the body into the pigs. So you have all of these demons running around. So I'm assuming that they had bodies to begin with. And just like Lucifer goes in and out of, you know, people, where are their bodies and--I mean, who are they? Is it just all the fallen angels and all--they can go on anybody's bodies at any time?
Doug: Yeah, well, first of all, for our friends listening, the Bible tells us that, you know, sin began with Lucifer, a great angel of God who rebelled. He was cast out of heaven. He persuaded one-third of the other angels, his former partners you might say, to follow him and they've come to the earth. Now, the Bible says angels are spiritual beings. They don't have bodies like we do. Paul said we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. So angels are not flesh and blood. They've got some kind of a spiritual body. It's different and sort of a mystery for us, but they-- you know, they can appear. Can the fallen angels possess whoever they want? No. That's the devil's complaint to God. He said, "You set a hedge about Job." And so the Lord limits what the devil can do to harm us, but some people open themselves up to the devil and--you know, they can actually get to the point where they're demon-possessed, and it's why Jesus cast out devils and he sent the disciples forward saying, "You can cast them out." Now, on the other question you mentioned, the Bible is pretty clear people are not angels. They were separate creatures. People are not fallen angels. I think that's what our Mormons friends teaches, that we come down to earth and get bodies. It's almost like a form of reincarnation. The Bible doesn't teach that. Our lives began when we first became--when we're born and we became conscious of our existence, and our eternity depends on what we do with the gospel and this life. So do you want to add anything to that?
Jëan: Yeah, I thought maybe just the--we do have a study guide called "Did God Create the Devil?" It talks about the fall of Lucifer. The Bible says, speaking of the good angels, they're our ministering spirits. And as Doug said, we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. So there is a dimension of this that we don't fully understand, but they are very real. If you'd like to receive the study guide called "Did God Create the Devil?" we'll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and ask. The number for that is 800-835-6747 or just dial #250 on your cell phone, say "Did God create a devil?" And that's the name of the study guide. We'll send it to you. Eron is listening from New York. Eron, you're on the air.
Eron: Hi. Good evening. Multiple places in the Bible says we must confess our sins to God because only He can cleanse us from our sins as He forgives us, but it says in James chapter 5, verse 16 that we should confess our faults or trespasses to one another. Can you tell me the meaning behind that verse?
Doug: Sure, and he says part of the reason for doing that is that we might pray for one another that we can be healed. Can--and if you look in like the New King James Version it doesn't say confess your sins, it says confess your trespasses. There are different words for sin and iniquity. And I think that it's appropriate for believers to share with their friends, you know, where I'm struggling and in confidence you can tell a person, you know, "Please pray for me. I struggle with gossip," or whatever it is. You're not required to do that for forgiveness, you just--sometimes we'll share with friends that we can trust areas in our lives where we need prayer, and we invite them to intercede and pray for us. But this is not an admonition to confess sin. You're not required to confess sin to other people.
Jëan: You know, one preacher put it this way. He said public sins need to be confessed publicly, private sins you need to confess privately, and then individual-- if you sinned against an individual you need to go to them first and you need to try and make things right. So you've got to pray for wisdom. You know, sometimes things happen in people's lives and it's not for everyone else to know about. They need to reconcile with their friend or work things out and not make a big public scene of it, but there are times where if people are aware of something that was done publicly you need to confess that. All right, hopefully that helps, Eron, thank you. We do have a book talking about forgiveness. And I'm trying to think of the name, Pastor Doug. I think you wrote the book.
Doug: Yeah, it's--yeah, it's a new-- "The Gift of Forgiveness."
Jëan: "The Gift of Forgiveness," yes. The number to call for that is 800-835-6747. We'll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and ask. Just dial #250. And, Pastor Doug, you've got a sermon, I always enjoy this one, on forgiveness, and I think it's available on--
Doug: Seventy times seven.
Jëan: That's what it's called, "Seventy Times Seven." So anyone wanting to learn more about that, just take a look at that sermon and you will be blessed. We're going to Eron in--I think we were just with Eron, weren't we? Christopher in California. Christopher, welcome to the program.
Christopher: Hello.
Jëan: We have about 1 1/2 minute before the break.
Christopher: Okay, my question is, would it be a sin for me to buy from Apple and Microsoft or any company that supports abortion and LGBTQ rights?
Doug: All right. Well, that's a great question. Too bad we only have 30 seconds to answer it, but let me just explain it this way. You know, there are--some companies are so big and there are banks that--like when you put your money in a bank, probably most major banks probably have investments and support some of these companies. And you're going to go crazy trying to buy food in a supermarket that doesn't also sell alcohol and cigarettes. So are you supporting the alcohol and cigarettes when you buy your avocados at a certain market? At some point you just got to say, "Look, if I don't have peace about it," you don't do it. And--but, you know, some of these are big conglomerates. And you could actually say, "I'm not going to do or buy anything that's used by Apple or Google and it's going to sort of eliminate everything." So, you know, you have to be careful and wise in how you make those decisions or you could actually be--end up on an island or in a cave somewhere. Hey, friends, don't go away. We're coming back with more Bible questions in just a minute, and the best is yet to come. Tell your friends to tune in. We'll be right back.
Announcer: Stay tuned. "Bible Answers Live will return shortly.
Doug: Hi, friends. Pastor Doug Batchelor. This morning, my wife Karen sent me on a mission. She said, "When you're taping your announcements this morning, tell people about my favorite Amazing Facts app." It's called the Amazing Facts radio app. You simply type that in, "Amazing Facts radio," you can download the app and you can listen to good Christian music, Bible reading, sermons all day long. Keep your faith focused in heaven through the day. Check it out if you haven't done it yet, the Amazing Facts Radio app. You'll be blessed.
Announcer: Doug Batchelor was the teenage son of a millionaire father and show-business mother yet he was living in a cave. He had everything money could buy, everything but happiness, but all of the fun and excitement he enjoyed left his life out of control. His search eventually led him to a cave above Palm Springs that became his home. While Doug scavenged for food in garbage bins, his father owned a yacht, a Learjet, and an airline. But in his cave home, he discovered a dust-covered Bible. As he began to read, he soon learned of his true purpose in life. "The Richest Caveman" is the extraordinary true story of Doug Batchelor that tells how a rebellious teenager who once lived in a cave became a tremendous soul winner for Jesus Christ. It's a thrilling testimony of the transforming power of God's Word. To order your copy of "The Richest Caveman," call 800-538-7275 or visit AFbookstore.com.
Announcer: In six days God created the heavens and the earth. For thousands of years, man has worshiped God on the seventh day of the week. Now, each week, millions of people worship on the first day. What happened? Why did God create a day of rest? Does it really matter what day we worship? Who is behind this great shift? Discover the truth behind God's law and how it was changed. Visit sabbathtruth.com.
Announcer: You're listening to "Bible Answers Live" where every question answered provides a clearer picture of God and His plan to save you. So what are you waiting for? Get practical answers about the good book for a better life today. 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 p.m. and 8 p.m. 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 rejoin our hosts for more "Bible Answers Live."
Doug: Welcome back, listening friends, to "Bible Answers Live," sometimes called BAL. And we're so thankful that you've tuned in to this live international interactive Bible study. And if you've got a Bible question, you can call it in to 800-GOD-SAYS. That's here in North America. That's 800-463-7297. I've only been sharing that number for about 25 years. You think I'd have it by now. 800-463-7297. We're also streaming live. If you want to see the video, it's on Amazing Facts Television. That's AFTV. It's on Facebook-- Amazing Facts Facebook, Doug Batchelor Facebook, and YouTube. You can be watching as well as listening. I don't know why you'd want to because the answers are all verbal, but anyway for those that are visual you can watch as well. And we want to especially welcome some of our stations. We've got stations around the country. Special greeting to our friends listening in Paso Robles on KPRL and also in Sacramento on KFIA, one of our mothership stations here in California. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Jëan: My name is Jëan Ross, and we're going to go back to the phone lines. Next caller that we have is Anna listening in Oregon. Anna, you're on the air.
Anna: Evening, pastors.
Doug: Evening.
Anna: So I don't have the verses like I usually do, but in the beginning God said that it was good for man to not be alone. But then I think in Matthew Jesus says that if you can keep from it, then do that. So that's my question.
Doug: Yeah, good question. So, you know, God originally He said--when He made man He says it's not good for man to be alone. Now, that was just a--I think that's an umbrella truth that God made man to be a social creature. Man is made for relationship. And of course, He made woman because the ultimate in that relationship is a man and a woman and a family. But I think it's good that people aren't alone, just even--He wants us to have friends and be social, have accountability. Jesus sent people out two by two and it was, you know, two men. So it was important for them to have relationship as well. But Paul--now, Jesus never said it's wrong to marry. Jesus said that in the last days woe to those that are with child and nursing during the great time of trouble, and Paul alludes to that. There was a great time of persecution during Paul's time, and he says in those cases it might be better not to marry. Do you have that, Pastor Ross?
Jëan: Yeah, you'll find in 1 Corinthians chapter 7, verse 6 where, again, the context there is this persecution coming upon the Christ--on the church. He says, "For I wish that all men even--were even as myself, but each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion." So, you know, at a time of severe persecution, of course this wasn't just in the time of Jesus or, you know, 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed in 1st century. But there were times of persecution even during the dark ages where it was difficult to support a family. People were running or moving from place to place. When it came to mission activity, sometimes it was easier for missionaries to enter into difficult areas and to go maybe unmarried. But this is not a general statement because it's pretty clear that God created them male and female in the beginning and He performed the first wedding, and it is a type of the relationship that God wants to have with His church. So there's nothing wrong with marriage.
Doug: Yeah, of course Paul, he says husbands love your wives, wives love your husbands; and he talks a lot about marriage and the marriage relationship and he says the marriage bed is undefiled. And so, you know, Paul made this one statement and it was during a time of persecution. He's also talking to people who are involved itinerant preaching, and he said it's a little easier to get around and preach the gospel if you don't have a family and kids. So does that make sense hopefully, Anna?
Anna: Yeah. Yeah, it does. But I mean, didn't Jesus say in Matthew that if you can keep from it then do that?
Doug: Well, Jesus--yeah, Jesus said some people are born eunuchs, some people are made eunuchs of man, but each one has his own gift. I don't know that Jesus was ever advocating, that He did warn during the time of trouble that, you know, it could be hard for those that are with children. But I don't think Jesus had a—
Jëan: None of the apostles were married. You know, Peter was married because he speaks about Jesus performing a miracle of healing his mother-in-law and there were a woman that traveled with Christ and the disciples and helped provide. So yeah, He was not against marriage.
Doug: Yep. Thanks, Anna.
Jëan: Okay, Robert listening in Washington. Robert, welcome to the program.
Robert: Hello, Pastor Ross, Pastor Doug.
Doug: Hi, Robert. Thanks for calling.
Robert: No problemo. I have three Bible verses here and they all sort of contradict each other. I guess you've got a couple of them. Galatians 5:4 where we're estranged from Christ by attempting to be justified by keeping the law. And then there's Romans 3:20, "By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified." But then there's the opposite the one on ad verse where it says in Romans 2:13, "The doers of the law will be justified by keeping the law."
Doug: Yeah, well, I don't think there's a contradiction because the word law--and you have to read the context. The word law could mean one of several things. You have the moral law of the Ten Commandments. And by the way, in the Old Testament God actually makes the distinction between the different laws. And so Paul writing to these people they understood. When he's talking to the Galatians, the Ten Commandments are never mentioned in Galatians. It's really--well, I shouldn't say they're never mentioned. The big--the particular commandment that is mentioned in Galatians is talking about circumcision. They were believing that they were going to become righteous through obeying some of these ceremonial laws. You know, Paul would never say it's now okay to kill or lie or steal or break the Ten Commandments. So I think most people, that's what you would call a self-evident truth that God is never saying it's okay to break those laws. Now, we're not justified by keeping any law. We're all justified by faith. But then when we are saved by faith, we want to obey God's law. And so that's what he's talking about there in Romans chapter 2:13, that there's--we're justified by obedience. And so--I don't know, hopefully that made sense. You know, the--we're judged by our works, and you read this in Revelation chapter 1. We're judged by our works because our works demonstrate if we've been saved by faith. Now, that's the key if you understand that. If you are saved by faith, your works and obedience will be different. So, you know, Solomon in the end of his book he said, "Here's the whole duty of man. Fear God and keep His commandments, for God will bring every work into judgment with every secret thing." Any thoughts?
Jëan: Yeah. Well, we've got a book. It's called, "Does God's Grace Blot Out the Law?" And it deals with these very passages. The number to call for that is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book "Does God's Grace Blot Out the Law?" You can also just dial #250 on your cell phone, say "Bible Answers Live," and then ask for the book "Does God's Grace Blot Out the Law?" And once again, if you're outside of North America just go to the website AmazingFacts.org and you can read the book there in the free library. Next caller that we have is Lisa in California. Lisa, you're on "Bible Answers Live."
Lisa: Hi, hi. Good evening, pastors.
Doug: Evening.
Lisa: Hi. So my daughter was baptized a Christian. She has been in the Christian colleges. She was raised a Christian. To cut the story short, last month she came and told me and my family that she was a trans man. So my question is, is in the Bible I know it mentions things that if you surround yourself with certain types of people--like I think it's Proverbs 13:20, the wise that the wise, just surrounding yourself with wholesome people so that you won't be influenced. So I have four minor children and they all look up to her. And so my concern and my question is, what if that person is your daughter? She's an adult, she's in college, but I'm concerned about my little ones because I've been trying to keep this away from them--not away, but try to teach them how it's not acceptable. How we love people but it's just not acceptable, but at the same time now it's in the family. So what does the Bible say when it's your family?
Doug: Yeah, that is very difficult. And it's just--you know, it's sort of indicative of the culture we're in right now. The devil is going after all the young people, and he's getting them all mixed up about their gender identity. They're never--the scope of the problem was never like it is now because it's almost been subsidized. But what do you do in your family? You know, you love your daughter and you want to show unconditional love and acceptance, but you certainly don't approve of the lifestyle. And how do you protect the children from an unwholesome influence or the wrong messaging coming to them? Well, that takes the wisdom of Solomon and the courage of Elijah. I think that what you have to do is--you know, you want your older daughter to feel that she can come to you and that there's love there, but you probably need to have a conversation where you say, "You know, you know we don't approve of this, and we sure don't want that influence on the kids. You know, we'd ask that you respect that." And just monitor their interaction. If there's no respect for that decision, then you might say, "You know, we don't want you around the little kids unless we're around," or--I don't know. You'd have to have some boundaries or something. But that is a tough situation.
Jëan: It is. It is a tough one. As you said, Pastor Doug, it seems like it's becoming an epidemic in our society. It's almost being promoted, it seems like. Social media and all the rest of it. But I think as a parent, you know, your first priority is to try and protect your children, especially the younger ones, and still be kind to the older ones that might be making decisions contrary to us. But setting those boundaries I think is important. All right. Thank you, Lisa. We've got Sam listening in Arizona. Sam, welcome to the program.
Sam: My question is I know that we're not supposed to buy or sell on the Sabbath, and I wanted to know if you guys have ever had a challenge with that. I mean, I know you guys travel and such.
Doug: Sure, well, I--you know, Pastor Ross can speak for himself, but--and by the way, this is not like a church law. It tells us in the Book of Nehemiah that the people were not supposed to be getting involved in business and buying and selling on the Sabbath. It was a holy day. It's not a day for doing our work. In our family, most Sabbath keepers, whether you're Christians or Jews, you know, if you've got to buy things, you do your shopping, you don't do that on Sabbath. That's just sort of--and that's why you've even got blue laws in the country. It's because the early Christians realize you're not supposed to be shopping on Sunday and they actually outlawed it. Now, I'm not saying that that should happen, but I'm just saying that's why those laws came from. They knew that that was not a day for shopping. So--but in every now and then, and Pastor Ross and I we travel internationally, and I'll be taking another international trip next week, sometimes when the time change and airports are delayed you find yourself even in spite of your best planning things go wrong and all of a sudden you've-- you're in some foreign country and the Sabbath is coming. You'll be caught in emergencies. And Jesus said, you know, sometimes the ox is in the ditch and you do your best to prepare to avoid that, but I think God is a loving and understanding God. And there's a place in the Bible where Hezekiah he prayed one time. The priests were trying to keep up with the demands of the people for offering sacrifice and Hezekiah said, "They haven't had a chance to cleanse themselves the way they should. Lord, have mercy on them." And God heard his prayer and forgave the priests so they could just keep up with the demand for sacrifice. So I think God is a practical God, but we should do everything we can to avoid those occasions.
Jëan: Yes, interesting. Even back in the time of Christ, the day before the Sabbath, our Friday, was referred to as the preparation day. And so they--knowing the Sabbath was coming, they would buy what they have to buy. They would cook with that so that on the Sabbath they could rest. And so I think even today we want to do as much of the shopping and the preparation as possible the day before the Sabbath so we can rest. However, as Pastor Doug says, there are times where somebody in the family might get sick and you need to take a trip to the pharmacy to get some medicine. That's perfectly okay. That is an emergency type of situation, but we want to prepare as much as possible beforehand.
Doug: Yeah. And I found one of the verses. It's in Nehemiah chapter 13, verse 17, and Nehemiah says, "Then I contended with the nobles of Judah." This is when they were having the people of Tyre. They were coming and buying and selling in the city. "I contended with them and said, 'What evil thing is this you do and you profaning the Sabbath? Did not your fathers do this? Did not our God bring all this disaster on this city? Yet you bring out a wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.' So it was at the gates of Jerusalem as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded the gates to be shut.'" Because all the pagans were coming in to sell things, people couldn't resist the temptation. It was on sale, you know. So they understood that even going way back then.
Jëan: All right. Thank you. Next caller that we have is Jim listening in Texas. Jim, welcome to the program.
Jim: Thank you, gentlemen.
Doug: Sure.
Jim: My question is pertaining to Jesus being in the tomb three days and three nights. And I've heard Pastor Doug explain pushing back into Thursday when he's beginning to--when he's arrested and all. But that's still Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. I still don't get where the 2 days come-- the third day comes in.
Doug: Yeah, well, that time period overlaps into 3 days. So the sufferings of Christ--you know, sufferings of Jesus began even before he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. He's, you know, praying and sweating blood. It's--he was in agony before anyone else laid a hand on him. So--and Jesus, you know, he explained even in the last supper that heaviness. So I think that you can count Thursday as part of that. So you got Thursday, Friday, Saturday. He rises Sunday morning. And in the Jewish calculation any part of a day could be considered the day. So if the experience bled over into a day, you could count that day. They didn't count it by the minutes and the hours.
Jëan: You know, we have a book. It's called "The Sign of Jonah," and it talks about three days, three nights and that'll explain that even in more detail. So to get that, just call 800-835-6747 or you dial #250 on your phone and say "Bible Answers Live" and ask for the book "Three Days, Three Nights, The Sign of Jonah," and we'll send that to you. Next caller that we have is John listening in Nebraska. John, welcome to the program.
John: Yeah. Good evening, pastors.
Doug: Hi. How are you doing?
John: Got a question from Revelation verse-- chapter 2, verse 10. It states in there, of course, we're not to fear our upcoming problems that the devil is going to put on to us, but it says our trials and tribulations will be 10 days. Can you please explain the 10 days?
Doug: Yeah, this is the message--and Pastor Ross may want to comment on this as well. This is the message to the church of Smyrna. This is one of the ages of the church. I think it's the second age of the church after Ephesus. There was a time of great persecution. In prophecy, a day represents a year. And this was a time of severe persecution, I believe under the Emperor Diocletian.
Jëan: Yeah, from the year 303 through 313, a total of 10 years. And this--of course, there was persecution throughout the period of Rome and the Christians, but this 10-year period was Diocletian's attempt to completely eradicate Christianity. And, of course, Christianity was legalized by Constantine in 313. So 10 years before that there were a terrible time of persecution that took place in Rome and all of the Roman provinces throughout Asia Minor.
Doug: Yeah, they not only burnt Christians, they burned Bibles. He was trying to, like you said, eliminate the Christian faith. So it's not talking about 10 days in the future. That message to the church of Smyrna is describing 10 days during that second age of church history. Okay, thanks so much.
Jëan: Steven in California. Steven, welcome to the program.
Steven: I was wondering seven men married the same woman. They were all brothers. One died after the other, and they asked whose wife she would be in heaven and Jesus said for when they arrived they need to marry or given in marriage--or as the angels. So is there a Scripture that actually says we will be reunited with our loved ones?
Doug: Well, we'll be reunited with saved loved ones. And you could look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 16. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them." So there you have it. We are together with them. "In the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we will always be with the Lord. Comfort one another with these words." He's--Paul's saying--he was actually writing to the Thessalonians. He says, "You don't need to sorrow about--as others because you've lost your loved ones. You'll be reunited." And the understanding is with those who have died in faith, the dead in Christ.
Jëan: And one more verse, 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 12 Paul writes, "For now we see as in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am known." So we get to know each other. We're going to interact. We're going to be able to worship God. We'll see our loved ones, our friends. It will be a day of reunion when Jesus comes. All right. Thank you, Steven. We do have a study guide that talks about the second coming of Christ. It's called "Rescue From Above," and we'll be happy to send that to anyone who calls and asks. The number is 800-835-6747. Ask for the study guide "Rescue From Above" or dial #250 on your smartphone and ask for that study guide. Dave is listening in Florida. Dave, welcome to "Bible Answers Live."
Dave: Hey, pastors. How are you doing?
Doug: Doing well, thank you. And you?
Dave: I'm quite fine. I was having a Bible study yesterday. I stumbled upon Matthew 10, verse 28 where it says that fear him not which killed the body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Could you clarify that for me a little bit because I'm a little bit confused in that part?
Doug: Yeah, well, I think that all of us know that we've got a physical body. And so the Lord is talking about that there. And a person could have a physical body without any personality in it. You know, if a person is brain dead, their body might keep functioning but--it's like the, you know, lights are on but no one's home. So you've got your character, which is the combination of your spirit of life and the body, your personality. Jesus said don't be afraid of those who might torture your body and they can't really touch your soul, soul meaning the part of you that will be your personality in a new body in heaven. Said, "But fear him who can destroy both the body and the soul in the lake of fire." So--I don't know. Does that answer what you're asking?
Dave: Kind of. Because what I want to get clarification because I know--other person will read this and say--use this to justify to say; yes, since we have body and we have a soul, which, you know, the world believes in, you know, when you die you’re, you know, spirit as they say. So I just want--as I said, you know, like when I was doing the study that the Spirit said to me that--you know, I think the same thing that you said is speaking your mind, fear you can who can kill both body and mind. That's what I get. But I just want to confirm that what I get from that is actually so forth because I know a person will read this and make a whole entire doctrine from this.
Doug: Yeah, they got the soul as like a separate ghost that floats around outside of your body, but the Bible is pretty clear that--and you'll look at other verses, that the soul is the combination of the breath of life and the body together, and that we don't come back from the grave. We're not conscious, and we don't go off to heaven until the resurrection and the judgment.
Jëan: You know, Paul said, talking about the resurrection, "I shall know even as I am known." So that ability to still recognize who we are to know who we are, to have our own thoughts, our own feelings, the essence you might say of life. So it's that part sometimes referred to as the soul and then the body. Whereas Jesus says he can destroy both body and soul in hell, that almost contradict--or that does contradict the idea that the wicked will have an eternal burning soul in the lake of fire. Jesus says he shall destroy it. So there isn't some part of our being that lives on independently from the body.
Doug: Right.
Jëan: All right. Thank you, Dave. We've got Caleb listening in New York. Caleb, welcome to the program.
Caleb: Hello, Pastor Doug Batchelor, Pastor Ross.
Doug: Evening.
Caleb: How are you guys doing?
Doug: Doing great.
Caleb: So I have a question about kings when I know I should be studying prophecy right now, but prophecy I'm going to let that--you guys teach prophecy because you guys are amazing at it. But my question is from 1 Kings 2nd verse-- 1 Kings 2, verse 13 to 25. I think it's--why did King Solomon kill his brother Adonijah? Because I started reading this and I'm confused like-- because he asked for a wife.
Doug: Yeah, Adonijah wanted to have Abishag. Abishag had been a concubine, you might say, of David's. Adonijah tried to make himself king, and after David died Adonijah--you know, he kept his head down for a little while, but it really bothered him that his younger brother-- Solomon was the youngest. It bothered him that his younger brother, he felt like, took the throne. And so he began to conspire again, and one of the first things he was going to do is he thought, "If I have David's wife, that will show that I have his throne." When Absalom wanted to overthrow David as king, he took his concubines. And so Solomon being very wise, he saw what his brother was up to and that it was going to lead to a rebellion and went--Adonijah, he actually got Bathsheba to make the request for him. Solomon's mother Bathsheba. And he said, "You know, can I have that beautiful girl Abishag as a wife? After all, you know, David never knew her. She was just sort of a hot water bottle to keep him warm when he was getting old." And Solomon saw through what he was up to and he said, "All right, you stepped over the line now. I'm not going to have--I'm not going to be living in the shadow of fear that you're going to try to assassinate me or take over the kingdom." He had already tried it once. So then Solomon killed Adonijah and he also killed Joab who had conspired with Adonijah to overthrow Solomon. So he was basically trying to just bring peace to the kingdom, and it did. It brought--he had to settle his leadership and bring peace. Hey, friends. We are going to sign off. As you've heard before, we sign off in two stages. We're going to say farewell to those on satellite, but the rest of you stay close by. We're going to be doing some rapid fire Bible questions in about 30 seconds.
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Jëan: Hello, friends, and welcome back to "Bible Answers Live." This is the part of the program where we get to answer some of your email questions that you've sent. If you'd like to email us your Bible question, just BALquestions@amazingfacts.org. Pastor Doug, Daniel is asking, what is your take on reverence in the sanctuary?
Doug: We should do it. I could probably say more than that, but, you know, God is a holy God and in particular--now, when we say sanctuary, you know, a lot of churches today, they are using a multi-use facility. They may be meeting in something that serves as a school during the week or an auditorium and--but when we set a site for religious purposes and we've invited God's presence, I think there should be reverence there. The Bible says the Lord is in His holy temple at all the earth keeps silent, and we should bow in reverence before His name. So if the angels are by the throne of God saying, "Holy, holy, holy," then God's people when we come into the presence of God should show respect.
Jëan: Okay. Warren is asking, "How can Satan and his angels still be alive today if they cannot eat from the tree of life?"
Doug: Well, if the devil had a digestive system like a human or like a physical creature, that would be--that would make sense. But the Bible tells us that angels are spirits, and I don't know that the spirits are sustained by eating, you know, bananas or fruit or--nothing in the Bible says that the devils need to eat or drink. There's some kind of--they're sustained in some other way. We don't understand it's something of a mystery in that world, but--yeah. So I don't think that he's needed to eat from the tree of life.
Jëan: All right. Then we have Kathy that's asking, "Where in the Bible does it say that children who die before the age of accountability will be saved if their parents are saved?"
Doug: Well, that is--that's a difficult subject because, you know, on one hand you're asking every child that's ever lived that dies before the age of accountability are they all in heaven, and there's some question where that but then is--certainly I don't believe children that die before the age of accountability are going to be suffering in hell. But then Paul says something--I think it's 1 Corinthians chapter 7 where he basically says that the children of the believing parent are sanctified by their parents' faith. And so the believing parents has had some sanctifying influence. And many times the Bible when a person was saved it says they and their house, meaning maybe their family, their children. Hey, friends. I hope that helps a little bit. We are so thankful that you've joined us for "Bible Answers Live." We are a faith-based ministry, meaning we're brought to you by you. If you've been blessed, keep us on the air. We'll study next week.
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