Doug Batchelor: Hello friends, this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? On January 10, 1954, a British-built de Havilland Comet, one of the first commercial jet airliners tore apart in mid-air and went down in the Mediterranean Sea killing all 35 passengers and crew. Then two other comets mysteriously crashed in similar disasters. Engineers eventually discovered the poorly designed square windows were a fatal error.
Stresses and fatigue were concentrated around the sharp corner points of the windows. Over time, the plane's fuselage cracked causing a catastrophic loss of pressure and many deaths. All commercial airlines now have rounded windows. Friends, the Bible says too much stress and fatigue can also make people crack and fall apart. Stay with us we're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
Advert: Welcome to Bible Answers Live with author and evangelist Pastor Doug Batchelor. Is understanding God's Word a challenge? Are there passages or scripture that are a mystery to you? Maybe it's difficult to reconcile what you've read in the Bible to what you've always believed. If you have Bible related questions, stay tuned to get honest, practical answers straight from the Word of God on Bible Answers Live.
Bible Answers Live is a production of Amazing Facts Ministries, dedicated to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world. Our lines are open, so call us now at 800-GOD-SAYS, that's 800-463-7297. Now here's your host, Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Doug: You heard the number and if you want to call in with your Bible question, we do have lines open one more time, 800-GOD-SAYS 800-463-7297. Welcome to Bible Answers Live. If you're tuning in for the first time, this is a live international interactive Bible study and you can participate by listening as we search the Word together, or if you have a Bible question you would like to call in 800-463-7297. Lines are open, my name is Doug Batchelor.
John Ross: My name is John Ross. Good evening listening friends and Pastor Doug, as usual. Let's begin the program with a word of Prayer. Dear Father, we thank you that we have this chance to open up the Word and study. We ask your blessing upon this program. Be with those who are listening Lord and guide us into a full understanding of your Word, the Bible. Thank you, Lord and we commit this in your keeping in Jesus name, Amen.
Doug: Amen.
John: Pastor Doug, you opened the program by talking about well several air disasters all by the same manufacturer of a particular type of airline or aeroplane, and they discovered that it's the shape of the windows that were really causing a lot of the problem. Who would have guessed?
Doug: Yes you'd be surprised. I'm sure that engineers can explain it in more detail but the square windows, it's just all of the vibration and stresses seem to focus fatigue on the corners. Where when they had a round window -- that's probably why God makes eggs round, they're so durable that way, but the round window they just didn't have that problem. Unfortunately, it took three of these planes having some catastrophic decompression up there and basically fell apart, cracked from these corners in the windows, before they really realized what the problem was.
Now all the aircraft -- forget the rounded windows, but as we mentioned, people can fall apart too from too much stress. Even Jesus after spending a day teaching and healing and ministering to people, he said to the disciples Mark 6:31, "Come aside by yourselves into a deserted place", meaning a wilderness spot, "and rest a while." For many were coming and going and they didn't even have time to eat. As they say, you can't burn the candle at both ends for very long.
God designed an oasis in time and it's part of the creation story, where he wants us to get that rest that helps us recover from the stresses of life. It's called the Sabbath. I bet most people don't know that six of the leading causes of death in the United States namely heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide are all related to stress. Someone else said between 75 and 90% of all physician office visits are attributed to stress-related ailments or complications according to the American Psychological Association.
Not to mention what they say it does to families. That's why the Lord wanted us to have that place to round out our week and take care of those stress, the fatigue that just comes with everyday living. Every week on the Sabbath we're to have that rest to recharge our batteries and to also calibrate our spiritual compass back with God. Maybe you'd like to know more about how you can discover that blessing that God has put in a day of rest. We have a free offer that talks about that tonight.
John: We have a book called 'Why God said Remember'. We'll be happy to send this to anybody who calls and asks. Again the book is called 'Why God said Remember' and the phone line for our free resource is 800-835-6747. Again that number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book 'Why God said Remember'. We'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks. Well Pastor Doug, I think we're ready to go to the phone lines. We have Josiah who is listening on from Texas on line. Josiah welcome to the program.
Josiah: Hey, thanks for taking my call.
Doug: Absolutely. How can we help tonight?
Josiah: I basically have a question about entertainment. I've read and watched a couple of sermons on holy living as far as ‘A Voice in the Wilderness' and 'A Love that Transforms'. I agree with most of it except I'm a little -- I'm wondering a little why we should sound fanatical about entertainment if it's possible that it doesn't make us sin or it's fictional like we're not watching gladiator like it happened back then.
Or sermons can actually be preached on how you can actually find God in movies and I can actually find myself being a good witness with it and get close to people I'm trying to share the gospel with and use the related parables and stuff. I remember Jesus said, "If your eye causes you to sin, then you can cast it off." and, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." I don't think we should be afraid of watching, for example, Harry Potter or whatever has a good overall message and just enjoy it for what it is right now like Sugar and [inaudible 00:06:52].
Doug: You put this into a question. It sounds like you're making a statement.
Josiah: Yes well, basically that's my question. I guess what I found fanatical I guess about whatever has an overall good message it's possible--
Doug: Well, we have no problem with a good message. If there's a video or a DVD -- nobody has these VHS tapes anymore, that has something positive, that meets the biblical criteria of whatever things are just and noble and true and good. It says, "Think on these things." If it's a sin, in other words if it's a person can sin in their heart, why would you want to watch something where people are being killed or people are committing adultery and vicariously participate in your mind with things that you know that Jesus wouldn't approve of. I mean, it would be hard for me to say, "This is a great witnessing opportunity, let's go watch people get shot together."
You see what I'm saying? I'm not saying that there's never a time where there's anything good that might be produced by Hollywood though it is rare. There have been some good things that have come out. The vast majority of entertainment just has a problem passing the criteria where David says, "I'll set no evil thing before my eyes." I think you're referencing a sermon that I delivered 14 years ago in New York. The principle's still the same.
Josiah: Okay
Doug: Did you ever take a look at our lesson on that subject? We've got a study called 'A Voice in the Wilderness'. There's a study that goes with it, I don't know if you've read that.
Josiah: It just sounded like it might be whoa, okay. It sounds like Amish thing.
Doug: Well, compared to what the world is doing today, I think Bible Christians -- if you're really trying to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and feed your mind on those things that are good and do what Jesus would do and watch what Jesus would watch, you're probably going to seem a fanatic. Jesus said, "There are things that are highly esteemed among men that are an abomination to God." There are things the world's going to think "Oh this is great, nothing wrong with that." God says, "I have a different perspective." Yes, I suppose Christians probably do look straight-laced compared to what the world does for entertainment.
John: We have a study guide dealing with the subject of character development and how we need to watch and be aware with what we allow to come into our minds and our hearts. It's called 'A Love that Transforms'. That Amazing Fact study guide and we'll be happy to send this to anyone who calls and asks. The number again is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called 'A Love that Transforms'. You can also read it for free online at amazingfacts.org. We have Nicholas who is listening from Kansas City Missouri. Nicholas welcome to the program.
Nicholas: Good evening Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross.
Doug: Evening.
Nicholas: I have a question. Did Jesus accept tithe? And if my life was my ministry and I didn't have another income, could I accept tithe?
Doug: I think first of all the principle of giving tithe, if you're giving it to yourself it ceases to be giving. Even my family, we're involved in a full-time ministry but I think that it's dangerous for us just to give to our ministry, and so Karen and I look for other ministries. We know other ministries will give to us. You have to give away from yourself. Now your first question, did Jesus accept tithe?
Nicholas: Yes.
Doug: Pastor Ross might correct me but there's no record that I know of where it says that Jesus specifically got tithe. People gave offerings to Jesus group and Judas kept the offering bag we know about that. Whether any of that was tithe, I don't think there's any record in the Bible that it was. But we have a lesson on tithe and what the Bible says about it and who should receive it and who should not. If you like we can send you a free copy of that Nicholas.
Nicholas: That'd be great, but I guess my question further was, if someone was to send me tithe, would that be acceptable?
Doug: If you're involved in a full-time Christian ministry -- I thought you said something about paying yourself tithe. If you're doing a ministry that meets the biblical criteria of tithe, then there's no problem with that.
Nicholas: Okay.
Doug: But I would be careful about paying yourself tithe, because that could get into a cycle of -- the whole idea of tithe and offerings is to give away from yourself. None of us have a problem giving to ourselves. It comes natural. It stirs selfishness in our hearts and it increases our faith when we give away from ourselves. Hey I appreciate your question Nicholas, and we'll send you that study guide on 'In God we trust'.
Ross: The number to call 800-835-6747. You can ask the study guide called 'In God we trust'. We're happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks. Our next call is Patricia, and she's listening from Portland, Oregon. Patricia welcome to the program.
Patricia: Yes, good evening Pastors. I'm going to get right to the question. I'm looking at Psalms 25 and I told the other gentleman that I was asking about the verse 14, but I'm actually asking about verse 10 and 14 because they seem related. Verse 10 of Psalms 25 states, "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, through such as keep His covenant and His testimonies." My question is, what is His covenant and what are His testimonies? Then 14 says, "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him and He will show them His covenant." Again the covenant word, but in this verse I'm interested in knowing what is the secret of the Lord, what does that mean?
Doug: I appreciate your question Patricia. The Bible talks about the Covenant that God made -- there's several covenants, but the principle covenant that you find David talking about was the 10 Commandments. If I'm not mistaken Pastor Ross says in Deuteronomy 4 says, "Then He gave them His covenant which He commanded them to perform even 10 Commandments and wrote them onto tables of stone." We're living now under the new covenant which is not the Ten Commandments written on stone, but the Bible says a new covenant is, "I will write my law on their hearts." He puts that same law, but the motivation comes from the heart.
Testimonies included all of the other laws. One of the greatest chapters in the Bible is Psalms 119. Just take a pencil some time go through Psalms 119 and circle all the times it talks about the testimonies of God and the laws of God. It's a beautiful Psalms on that subject. He's talking about the rules that guide our life in a nutshell. The second part of your question, I think was about verse 14. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him and He will show them His covenant.
If the new covenant is 'God writes His law on our hearts' and people out there might be thinking, why would David be talking about the new covenant, he's in the Old Testament? The first time you hear about the new covenant is the Old Testament. Jeremiah, Ezekiel both talk about writing His law on our hearts. Way back in the 10 Commandments, Moses, said, "He wants to put His law on our hearts." That really always was the Covenant and He reveals the secret of the Lord to those who fear Him. He will show them His covenant, the law of the Lord written in the heart. I don't know Pastor Ross, you got anything to add to that?
John: We got a study guide dealing with the subject of the 10 Commandments and how those principles can be applied to our lives -- the law can be written upon the heart. It's called "Written in Stone' and we'll be happy to send that to Patricia or anybody who calls and asks. The number to call is 800-835-6747, and you can ask for the study guide called, 'Written in Stone.' Again the number is 800-835-6747. Our free study guide is called 'Written in Stone'. We'll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks.
Doug: I appreciate your question Patricia.
Patricia: All right.
John: We have Bill who's listening from Toronto, Canada. Bill, welcome to the program.
Bill: Yes, thank you for taking my call. 2 Timothy 2:13, what does that mean, "And there's still teachers out there teaching that we have to confess and repent every sin or we’ll be condemned." How do these two line up?
Doug: Are you talking about -- I'm just making sure I've got it right, 2 Timothy 2:13, "Evil men and -
Bill: [unintelligible 00:16:01]
Doug: Are we talking about "Evil men and seducers will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived."?
John: Is that 1st or 2nd –
Bill: 2 Timothy 2:13, "If we're faithless, He will remain faithful for He cannot dishonor himself."
Doug: I'm sorry yes. I had the wrong verse. "If we are faithless He remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself." Are you wondering, does this mean that it doesn't matter whether we have faith or not?
Bill: Right, because other teachers are teaching that unless we confess every sin and repent of every sin, we will perish.
Doug: First of all, not everybody can remember every sin. We do need to repent and confess. The first words of Jesus when He began His ministry, was, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near." and the first words of John the Baptist were, "Repent". Peter when he started his sermon at Pentecost he said, "Repent and you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." So repentance is humbling ourself and then God cleanses us. We come to the Lord, we humble ourselves and he lifts us up and that's in the book of James.
It does say, and I believe it's Hebrews 6, Pastor Ross, "Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that comes to God-- no it's Hebrews 11:6. “He that comes to God must believe that He is and He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him."
John: Yes, Hebrews 11:6.
Doug: We can't say that what Paul is saying here in 2Timothy is, God doesn't care whether we have faith because everything else in the Bible--- Jesus said that, “If you believe all things are possible.”
John: Actually the verse just before that in verse 12, 2 Timothy 2 it says, "If we endure we shall also reign with him, if we deny him he will also deny us." So there is a degree of endurance that is faith and trusting.
Doug: Yes and he obviously doesn't want us to deny him. Then John 3:16, "Whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."
Bill: I attended a church that I was in the -- I divorced a woman and I was living in common-law with another woman and then we came to Christ and they said, “If we stayed together, we would perish.” So that's wrong?
Doug: Well, you're going to marry the woman that you're with? Is that what they were asking?
Bill: No, we’re living in common-law when we both accepted Christ, but they said they accept no divorce and remarriage. They accept divorce but no remarriage. Anybody who remarries will perish.
Doug: No, that's not biblical because you've got examples in the Bible of people like David who -- his marriage to Bathsheba certainly started as adultery and it says that God said to David, "You took Uriah’s wife." but later when David repented it says he comforted his wife and God continued to speak through David and gave him Psalms. You have Jesus revealing himself to the woman at the well and he said, “Go call your husband.”
He said, “Yes, you've had five husbands and the one you're living with now you're not married to.” Obviously He then reveals to her He's the messiah. She's going to be saved even though she had a pretty scrambled marital background. The idea that these marriage problems, divorce and remarriage becomes the unpardonable sin, the Bible doesn't teach that. Is it sin? Yes, adultery is sin, divorcing without biblical grounds is sin and I would hope whoever you're married to now you'd want to be legally married to them. You start where you're at.
Bill: Okay, maybe I missed your answer, so when we're faithless, He remains faithful.
Doug: Yes, but I just want to make sure you're not reading into that verse something that isn't there. God isn't saying he doesn't care whether or not we’re faithful.
Bill: Does the homosexual who continues to be a homosexual or an adulterer? They’re people sleeping outside of marriage do they get condemned, because clearly it says therefore faithless he remains faithful, we repeat them?
Doug: Well let me give you a -- let me answer with a verse, if you read in Hebrews 10:26 it says, “If we continue to sin willfully after we've received a knowledge of the truth, there remains no sacrifice for sin.” If a person knows God's will, and they're going to continue to live in high-handed rebellion against the will of God, they can't claim forgiveness for deliberate sin. Now, there'll be people that are forgiven for all kinds of things, because God winks at our ignorant, but when we know what God wants and we just say, “Well, I don't care, you're going to be faithful whether I'm faithful or not, I'm just going to continue sinning.” well that's rebellion against God that is dangerous.
There's a book, and don't let this title scare you, Bill, there's a book we'll send you for free and it's called 'Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning?' Don’t let the title scare you, it really is a good comforting book and it's filled with Scripture, and I think you'll find that interesting. Appreciate your call.
John: The number to call is 800-835-6747. That is the resource line, you can ask for the book, 'Is It Possible to Live Without Sinning?' We’ll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks. Friends you can also read that for free online at amazingfacts.org. Our next caller is David listening from Willits California, David welcome to the program.
David: Can you hear me?
John: You're on the air.
David: All right, I’ve been doing a little bit of Bible study in here, and I see in -- and I know a little bit about this abomination, the desolations that Jesus talked about in Matthew 24:15, where it says, “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the Holy Place.” I got that and if I understand it rightly, that's something that he was dealing with in -- or Daniel was dealing with in Daniel 9 right? Is that correct?
Where Daniel 9:27, I think he speaks about this time of Jerusalem in the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, influence of the consent.
Doug: You do have that yes, in Daniel 9:27. He also refers to it in Daniel 11:31. It says, “The abomination that makes desolate,” and then in Daniel 12:11. It doesn't use abomination of desolation specifically, but you find the same principle in the prophecies of Daniel 7 and 8 also. Daniel talks about this power that would desolate God's people in several chapters. That’s why Jesus says as written by Daniel, and Jesus doesn't give a specific verse because it's a theme all through Daniel.
David: What I've got a question about is in verse 11 on Chapter 12 it says, “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abominations of desolation is set up.” Now this is the thing I'm confused about, “There shall be 1290 days,” and in verse 12 says, “Blessed is he who waits and comes to the 1,335 days.” I've never heard anybody talk about these two time prophecies, and so I'm trying to figure out where does that fit in all this time plan, with Daniel and --
Doug: I'm so glad you asked David. Now you asked the question about the chapter in the Bible that has more time prophecies than any other chapter. In the typical three minutes we try to budget for a question, we're not going to be able to cover it, but we will send you a magazine called -- it's a study on Daniel and Revelation and it does address the 1290, 1260 and 1335 days of Daniel 12.
David: Good, because I’ve never heard it.
Doug: We’ll be happy to send you a magazine that has it. I think it's even charted in the magazine, and it's our magazine on Daniel and Revelation.
John: To receive that you'll need to give us a call at 800-835-6747. You can ask for the magazine on Daniel and Revelation. I believe you can also read that for free online at amazingfacts.org.
Doug: It’s not online yet.
John: It’s not online, okay. Probably the best thing, give us a call on the resource line, and we’ll be able to get that to you David, or anybody wanting to study further, not only about this subject in Daniel 12, but also the Book of Revelation, it’s also included in that. Our next caller is Ell listening from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Al, welcome to the program.
Al: Yes, can you hear me?
Doug: We do, Al from Albuquerque, thanks for calling.
Al: Yes. How are you Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross? How are you doing?
Doug: Doing good, doing great.
Al: Great, great, praise the Lord. The night before last day or a few nights ago, I got up and read some scriptures, and I called it the three seeds. One is Deuteronomy 5:29, the other one is John 14:21 and the other one is Revelation 22:14.
Doug: You have questions about those three scriptures?
Al: No, it’s just that they’re so clear, that I can’t understand why other people can't understand that. To me in Deuteronomy of course it says, “Oh that there should be such a heart in them, that they would fear me and keep my commandments always.”
Doug: “They would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be Al with them and their children.”
Al: Right, forever. The other one is 14:21, “He that has my Commandments and keeps to them, he is the one who loves me, and he that loved me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself unto him.” That's already in the New Testament, and then of course the last one is 22:14 everybody knows that one about, “Blessed are they who keep my Commandments, where they'll have the right to eat from the tree of life.”
Doug: “And enter through the gates of the city.”
Al: Praise the Lord.
Doug: I guess your point is, it's not so much a question, but you're just making the point that God's Word really does say the commandments, if we love Him we'll keep His Commandments.
Al: From the Old Testament all the way through the new.
Doug: Yes, it is a clear truth that's why I wonder why people struggle with that. All the commandments God wants us to obey are for our good. He’s not asking us to do anything -- it's like a parent that loves their children. It’s like, "I love you, don't play in the street. I love you don't stick that screwdriver in the electric socket." They are Commandments because the parents love the children and they want the children to live, and so yes absolutely I agree with that.
Blessed are those that keep His Commandments. God says, "If you know these things, happy are ye if you do them." Jesus said, “Think not I've come to destroy the law. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill, and it'd be easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one jot or one tittle to in any way pass from the law till all is kept.” Yes, that's a principle you're going to find. Al, it sounds like you would enjoy that lesson that we offered earlier if you haven't read it already talking about, 'Written in Stone' dealing with the subject of the law of God. You can get that by calling 800-835-6747. You're listening to Bible Answers Live.
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Doug: We’re back listening friends, we’re going to take more bible questions in just a moment, but something has to happen first. You need to call in with your questions, we got lines open, are you ready? 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297. If you call now, good chance your question will be on tonight's broadcast live. One more time, 800-463-7297, give us a call if you have a Bible related question or a question relating to living the Christian life, we'll do our best to search the word together. My name is Doug Batchelor.
John: My name is John Ross and we have Charles who’s listening from Atlanta Georgia. Charles you’re on the air.
Charles: Hey, how are you doing tonight?
Doug: Doing good, thanks for calling.
Charles: Thank you. As I was waiting here, we're talking about a subject question I wanted to ask. I just want to get some clarification about the adultery and the marriage question. I was listening to a previous program and the person on that program was a very adamant about that no matter what, if you married and either one was divorced for any reason other than adultery, that according to scripture you’re required to get a divorce and no longer be in that marriage because being in the marriage alone was still continuing in sin.
My question was, in my case on my first marriage was because of adultery by my ex-wife. My wife that I'm married to now, hers was not that she knows that, but neither one of us were professed born-again Christians at the time that we got married. It was several years later that we both started attending church and both of us were baptized at the same time.
Doug: You got a new beginning.
Charles: It’s from that point on that we start anew.
Doug: Exactly, you’re new creatures, you didn't have that knowledge. It would be very impractical for preachers to tell people that pagans, unbelievers come to the Lord and they’re somehow supposed to go looking for their former spouses and through all the scrambled marriage, things that happened. No, God meets you where you're at and that's why I share the example of the woman at the well in John 4. The Lord revealed himself to her. I seriously doubt she went looking for her first husband to marry him again. But who knows, he may have been remarried already.
It's unrealistic to ask people to do that. Now, if people come to the Lord and they realize, “Hey, I'm living with someone I'm not married to,” they need to do that right, they need to be a witness and you don't want to give people grounds for doubting your relationship with the Lord and avoid the appearance of evil. People should get legally married, that's what we were sharing with a former caller. But yes, you come to the Lord where you are and He takes you where you are, and you get a new beginning. But once you know the Bible says, “Sin is not knowing,” if we know what God wants, then we need to be living up to that.
John: We have a book called Marriage Divorce and Remarriage. What the Bible says about this and we'll be happy to send it to you Charles or anyone wanting to learn more about this subject. The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage.
Doug: That will help. Thank you for your call Charles. Our next caller-
Charles: Thank you and God bless you in your ministry.
Doug: Appreciate it.
John: Our next caller is Tony listening from Houston Texas. Tony, welcome to the program.
Tony: Hey, how are you?
Doug: We're doing better than we deserve, how are you?
Tony: Doing good. Doing good. I had a question, I heard something about some people and I don't want to mention names. But I believe in the Book of Isaiah, there was a book of prophecy about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe it's found in the book of Isaiah 53, “By his stripes, we’re healed.” There's a thing now that people are taking around saying that the stripes was for the spiritual and not for the physical, but I believe that both physically and spiritually that we’re healed by those stripes that were on the back of Jesus Christ. Can you give light to this or shade some light to this?
Doug: The answer is found in verse 5 itself. By the way, for those who missed it, this is Isaiah 53, a wonderful messianic prophecy about Jesus. It says, “He was wounded for our transgressions, the wounds and the punishment,” the beatings that Jesus received, he was taking our punishment. “He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement, the punishment that means for our peace was upon him.” In other words for us to be justified He took our punishment and by his stripes, here it says whipping, we are healed.
All of this goes together, the sufferings of Jesus, He took our penalty. Not only is the penalty for sin death, the penalty for sin is punishment and death. It's not just death, the punishment of for the loss is they are, every man punished according to what they deserve and they're thrown in the lake of fire, which is the second death. Jesus suffered and died, and part of His suffering was being whipped, the way they refer to that in the Bible is stripes because it would leave a stripe down a person's back when they were whipped. Am I answering what you're asking, Tony?
Tony: So pretty much it was for the physical and for the spiritual?
Doug: Yes, where spiritually we receive spiritual forgiveness, it doesn't mean we have to go get whipped, but Jesus was physically whipped and He took a punishment that we all deserve. Used to be in public when a person was being punished, they would flog them, they would either hit them with rods or whips, and He took that punishment we deserved. Not every sin required the death penalty, even Paul, he says, he was whipped 39 times. Three times, he got 39 lashes, I think.
That was one of the punishments for offenses that didn't require death, is various amount of lashes. It's just saying Jesus took our punishment, so we get spiritual and physical healing through that as well. When it says healing, we're healed from our sin. Some people receive physical healing as well but this is not a promise that everybody's going to be physically healed, because Paul was sick.
Tony: Because when I pray with somebody, myself, I always include by His stripes we are healed and [unintelligible 00:36:45] it because it was all odd just it only means spiritually. Just it was like members, why would you believe something like that? Why not also believe it for the physical?
Doug: Pastor Ross and I believe in physical miraculous healing as well. I don't know if that means that every person that praises prayer, that it's going to be the magic bullet that's going to heal all diseases or a pill. But I do believe that Jesus, through his sufferings, bought the right to physically heal as well. It often does. But if you live long enough, you’ll get sick of something that will kill you.
[laughter]
The penalty is sin, and we get old and die but he wants to prolong our tranquility. Hey, I appreciate your call Tony and thank you very much for your question.
John: We have Brian listening from Arkansas. Brian, welcome to the program.
Brian: Hey, how are you doing?
Doug: Doing well.
Brian: I have a question. I have trouble knowing that I am --I'm been saved, I believe that I am saved and I know that my Lord is justified to forgive us of all sin, but how come I still get this feeling like, “Am I truly surely saved?” I make use of my past sin and –
Doug: Yes, you have feelings of conviction and –
Brian: Yes, I worry about my salvation and I know that the Lord, He is just to forgive us of our sin when we confess and we repent and truly I'm sorry. But why do I feel sometimes that, “Am I a true child of God?”
Doug: It’s not wrong to examine yourself and I think you'll find if in 2 Corinthians 13:5. It says, “Examine yourself whether you are in the faith, test yourselves.” It's appropriate every now and then to just do a check, when we're talking about eternity just say, “Lord, I don't want to be one of those that says, “Lord, Lord,” and doesn't really know you.” just like David prayed that prayer, “Search me and try me, see if there be any wicked way in me.” God wants us to live with peace and confidence but it's a good idea to check the rear-view mirror every now and then, and to make sure that you're going straight and following the Lord. You know what I'm saying?
So feeling the conviction-- if the devil is convicting you about sins you've already repented of and ask God to forgive you for, and you've turned from, well, that's just the devil trying to take away your peace. Because if God forgives you, you can't set yourself up at a higher tribunal than that of God.
Brian: Because I've done some bad things in my past and I’ve turned from all that now, and I'm trying to live like he would want me to live. I try to read as much as I can but sometimes I don't get to read The Bible every day. I know I should read the Bible every day and I've been struggling, it's one of my struggles. I'm an over the road truck driver.
Doug: You know what you might try? I did a long distance drive this week and I've got the Bible on-- I don't know if anybody still has CD players, everything is mp3, but I've got the old CDs of Alexander Scourby reading the King James Version in my car and my truck. I stuck it in there and I listen to-- I think I listened to the book of Job twice, Nehemiah. That’s great, you just drive along, you listen to it being read, you can pause it and think about it, back it up. You may not be a prolific reader but you can still feed on the Word, it's so convenient these days.
John: Also Brian, remember that the Bible tells us we need to walk by faith not by sight. It is good for us from time to time to examine ourselves and make sure that we're living-- surrender to Christ. But on the other side, we also need to be faithful and believe that He is going to fulfil His word. If we confess our sins, the Bible says He’s faithfully just to forgive us and it cleans us from all unrighteousness. Having faith in His promise and taking God at His word is also something that we need to do. Don’t get discouraged if you have these feelings of doubt, just turn to God, claim His promise, trust in Him and move forward in faith.
Brian: I know my Lord loves me, I know He loves me but it's a constant battle. I have one more question if it's okay, if we're not too out of time.
Doug: Well, let's see out if it's a big question or not.
Brian: No, it's not. I was just wondering, me and my wife are separated and I don't know how-- we were not really, I don't know, we're just two different people and I don't know what to do about it.
John: How long have you been married?
Brian: Four years but I think we got married for the wrong reasons, we weren't living according to God's will. She got pregnant and so by doing the right thing, I married her. Now we're separated because we're two different people. We weren't together very long when we first got together before she got pregnant.
John: Did you go to a church together?
Brian: Well, I tried to go to church with her, she's kind of not want to go and I want to. My daughter, she goes to church faithfully and she's the one that got me back into church and--
Doug: I was just going to say the best thing to do is it's-- if marriage is serious business and if you're going to save or salvage a marriage, that's also-- it's serious and it requires some investment. It'd be good if you had a pastor somewhere that you'd both be willing to sit down and talk to. I don't know where she's at on this but the best thing you can do is, of course, be as attractive as you can be as a Christian husband and if she's open too. It sounds like you said that she got pregnant, you have a child together, right?
Brian: But we got married because she got pregnant and I wanted to do the right thing, and she miscarried the baby. But now, four years later, we can't get along because we didn't really know each, we were living in sin as well before we got married and we barely knew each other when this happened, and so now we're separated.
Doug: Well, the best thing-- I really recommend Brian that you try to find a local pastor you can counsel with. If she won't go, at least, you go yourself. That book that Pastor Ross offered a little earlier is really a good book and it gives you some great Bible principles on what you do when it comes to being a Christian when you're grappling with things like marriage, divorce and remarriage. We’ll send you a free copy, I really recommend you ask for that and try and get some local counsel. Three minutes with a pastor on the radios, you’re going to need more than that.
John: The number to call this 800-835-6747, you can ask the book Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage, we'll be happy to send it to you Brian or anybody who calls and asks. We have Derrick who is listening in Pennsylvania. Derrick, welcome to the program.
Derrick: Hi everybody.
John: Hi.
Derrick: My question actually somewhat relates to Brian's question that he just asked, but obviously it's his second question. However, mine on the other hand, my relationship with my ex yielded a child and we did not get married. My child was born out of wedlock. I guess my question is I've heard of the scripture and I can't recall the exact verse, but mentioned this how-- because of my sin and having a child out of wedlock, my descendants, several generations thereafter will not be allowed admission into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Doug: No, the Bible doesn't teach that.
John: If a child is born out of wedlock, it does not prevent them from going to Heaven. Jesus was conceived in a very unusual way and it certainly is not going to prevent Him. You have one of the judges of Israel, his name was Jephthah, but he was illegitimate, it was not going to prevent him from being in the Kingdom of Heaven. Solomon is the result of David's having stolen another man's wife. Solomon came from David and Bathsheba, it wouldn't prevent him from going to heaven.
When it talks about the third and fourth generation in the Bible, it's talking about the influence of the parents. If the parents turn from God, their influence can influence their children for 3 or 4 generations away from God. then he says in the next verse, “Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.” By the way, that verse about 3 and 4 generations is in the Ten Commandments.
Derrick: All right, I guess the one that I think I believe in is in Deuteronomy 27:3, maybe.
Doug: Deuteronomy 27:3.
Derrick: I think that, and I'm going off of memory at the moment.
Doug: Oh, we'll look real quick. And what does the verse roughly say?
Derrick: I believe it was as my question is stated. From my understanding, it was 12 generations after a child was born after wedlock.
Doug: You might be talking about-- I think I know what you're talking about. They had laws about people they could and could not enter into the assembly of the Lord and they said the illegitimate could not enter in, that didn't mean they couldn't come to the Lord or be saved. But there were some high criteria for those that were serving in the temple of the Lord.
John: You know, the Bible says that the child shall not bear the sins of the father and the father the sins of the child. So each person makes their own decisions.
Doug: That's Ezekiel 18.
John: Correct, now of course, the influence of the parent carries on from one generation to the next but that's different than salvation.
Derrick: And I guess-- what exactly are you referring to when you talk about the influence of the parent?
Doug: Well, parents, of course, by their example, they can influence children in idolatry and that often is passed on. They learn that habits, and little things we even know in our culture today, that children of alcoholics are more disposed to have those problems, children of abusive parents are more disposed to be abusive parents themselves. So--
John: Then on the positive side, good Christian parents have a good influence in their children, and their children are more likely to follow the example of the parents in their faith and practice.
Doug: So, I hope that helps a little bit, we appreciate your call Derrick. And that book that we offered a moment ago on marriage, I think may also help answer that.
John: The number to call again is 800-835-6747 and the book is called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage, we'll be happy to send that to anybody who asks. We have Hailey, who's listening online from Ontario, Canada. Hailey, welcome to the program.
Haley: Hi.
Doug: Hi, Hailey, get close to phone.
Hailey: This is how close I am to my phone.
John: Okay, great.
Doug: And your question?
Hailey: My question, it's found in the last book which is in Revelation. It talks about a beast from the sea. I mean the earth, my bad.
Doug: A beast that comes up out of the earth that's in Revelations 13, I think, verse is that 11? And the second beast that comes up out of the earth, is that what you're wondering?
Hailey: Yes.
Doug: You want to know what that beast is?
Hailey: Yes.
Doug: It's the United States. The first beast in Revelation 13 is talking about apostate or a corrupted Christianity in Europe, its headquarters in Rome. Then the second beast comes up from a new land. That's come in up out of the earth, the other beast comes up out of the sea. It represents the United States. Now, we’ve got a whole study about that that's got pictures, and lines, and arrows and it’s a very interesting study, and it's called The US in Prophecy. Would you like a free copy of that?
Hailey: Sure.
Doug: The USA in Prophecy.
John: All you’ll have to do is call our resource line, 800-835-6747. You can ask for this really interesting study called The USA in Bible Prophecy. Again, for anyone wanting to learn more about what does the bible say about the United States? Is there anything interesting or significant about that? Well, take a look at the study guide. Again, that number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide on The US in Prophecy.
Doug: You know something, I'm almost embarrassed to say but I’ve typed my name into Google before. Actually, I typed my name in the YouTube. I do it when no one's watching. Well, I was curious because there's lots of Amazing Facts sermons on YouTube but one of the most popular sermons is the one about the USA in Prophecy. I was surprised by that. People are very interested in that sermon, they're like 80,000 people that wanted to see that sermon.
John: There you go, you can just go to YouTube, type in Doug Bachelor, US in Bible Prophecy. I'm sure you'll be able to pull up that sermon.
Doug: I appreciate your call, Hailey.
John: Thanks Hailey. We have Deborah who's listening from Detroit, Michigan. Deborah, welcome to the program.
Deborah: Hello?
John: You're on the air.
Deborah: Yes, my name is Deborah. I'm calling because I have a question about my neighbor who's talking about God and everything. He was telling me that I want to see if you have any information that I can explain to him that he was telling me that the devil and Jesus went to war, and that Jesus lost.
Doug: The Bible does say in Revelation 12, there was a war in heaven. But it says that Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and his angels. It says there was war in heaven. The dragon and his angels were cast out. Now, your friend might be talking about when Jesus died on the cross, the devil probably thought temporarily he had somehow won a victory. But actually, when Jesus died without sinning on the cross, he said that it is finished. He was talking about that through His death, the devil's kingdom was finished.
The idea that Jesus lost, that is not true. Jesus won that battle. I'm wondering what study do we have that talks about the war in heaven. Is that the one on the Bride of Christ?
John: Well, another one on Is The Devil In Charge Your Hell? It talks about the origin of Satan and the war in heaven. We'll send that to anybody calling and ask. Deborah, the number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask the study guide called Is the Devil in Charge of Hell? Again, 800-835-6747, ask for the study guide Is The Devil in Charge of Hell? We'll be happy to send that to you.
Doug: I hope you enjoy that Deborah, appreciate your call.
Deborah: Okay, you're welcome.
Doug: Thank you, God bless you. Take a look at that study guide, anyone out there if you want to know about why is there good and evil. Pastor Ross, we also did a video couple of years ago that has been very widely seen. A matter of fact, it's been translated in many other countries right now called Cosmic Conflict. I bet somebody's probably already put that on YouTube. We'd be happy to sell them to you. I think they're only about $3 for the DVD now.
But if you want to see the Cosmic Conflict, explains the war between good and evil and why is there sin in this world. Then you can go to amazingfacts.com. If you haven't seen our website a new website, by the way it's .com or .org technically it's .org. Just check it out, amazingfacts.org. It's a good place also to click contact us. Tell us if the program's been a blessing. We’d love to hear from you personally. If you can do something to keep us on the air, we're especially grateful. Talk to you. Study together again next week.
Voiceover: This has been a pre-recorded broadcast of Bible Answers Live, a production of Amazing Facts Ministries. If you would like to order the materials mentioned on this broadcast, call 800-835-6747 from 8:00 AM to midnight, Eastern Standard Time. That's 800-835-6747. If you've missed an episode of Bible Answers Live, you can find it on our website; amazingfacts.org. You'll also find our online sale catalog of books, tapes and other materials, as well as numerous free resources on nearly every Bible topic. Putting the answers to your Bible questions right at your fingertips.
If you've been blessed by this program, let us know, write to us at P.O. Box 909, Roseville, California, 95678. Be sure to tell others about the program and join us again next time for more Bible Answers Live with Pastor Doug Batchelor.
Speaker 2: I grew up in a church-going family. We were at every meeting, I sang in four of the choirs there. I directed three. Very involved, very active. It almost seemed like busy work sometimes. I went to Sunday school. I knew about God. I knew about Jesus. But I didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. My senior year in high school, I got the news that my father had been murdered. I played it off well. No one really saw that I was struggling with it. It just really felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled and I tried to fill it with drugs, with alcohol, with partying. After college, I just stopped going to church all together.
One day, on a Sunday, because I didn't feel like going to church with my mom, I thought I should get a little bit of word. She had the satellite system hooked up and I'm flipping through channels, and then the logo pops across, "Amazing Facts presents." I've listened to a lot of different ministries but here, this was the first time and he's actually saying something where I had to grab my Bible, and actually pick it up. I've never heard this before. Let me look through and find this. I went through all the historical, I went through all the study guides and. I just couldn't get enough.
Then the Sabbath came on. He's going through the appeal while I'm just going, "Lord, I hear you. I have to go to the church.” I show up. It was funny, I didn't feel like I was going to be judged, anything judgmental, or anything. I walked in the door and I just felt at home. But there's still a problem. I'm still partying. I was still going out to the bars. At this time, I was selling cocaine to pay my rent. 16 days later, I find myself in a life-or-death situation. I just came back from a liquor store and grabbed a bottle of vodka.
There I am, high of cocaine, with my Bible in hand, trying to do a Bible study. I heard an audible voice, "Just look at yourself.” I did and I was like, "What am I doing?” I got on my knees, I said, "Lord, if you do not take this away from me now, I'm going to kill myself.” I was going to continue with this lifestyle and I was going to end up overdosing, having a heart attack, whatever it was. "You have to take this away. All of it." That day, He lifted all of it away from me. It was all God. When God does something in your life, He does it complete.
Voiceover: For more than 45 years, the ministry of Amazing Facts has been helping people from all walks of life understand their Bibles better than ever before. Through television, radio, and the internet, we impact countless lives each day around the world by sharing Bible truth that transforms lives forever. If you've been blessed by our programs, will you help sharing this work with a text deductible gift today? When you support Amazing Facts, you give lasting hope and make it possible for others to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and experience His eternal love. To give a gift, call 1-800-891-7171. Once again, that's 1-800-891-7171 or go to donate.amazingfacts.org.