Ad: Welcome to Bible Answers Live, where you'll get honest answers to your Bible questions. Let's face it, it's not always easy to understand everything you read in the Bible. With 66 books and more than 700,000 words, the Bible can generate a lot of questions. If you'd like answers to your Bible questions, you've come to the right place. Now, here's your host, Pastor Doug Batchelor, president and speaker of Amazing Facts.
Pastor Pastor Doug Hello friends, would you like to hear an amazing fact? The world's longest commercial airline flight is from Dubai to Auckland, New Zealand, and it covers about 8,800 miles and lasts about 17 hours. That's a really long trip. Especially if you have a middle seat, take my word for it. Yet, that's nothing compared to how long some birds can stay in the air.
Thanks to the development of miniature lightweight electronic tags, researchers have discovered that the common swift is able to fly for 10 months straight. Scientists in Sweden carefully monitored the movements of 13 swifts over a course of two years. They noted from these transmitters, three of the birds did not land, even once, for 10 months. Now, that's a long non-stop flight.
Swifts can travel for millions of miles during their lifetime which usually averages about five and a half years, migrating between Europe and Africa with the seasons. They pluck insects from the air as they fly, that's how they eat, but how do they sleep? Evidently, each day at dusk and dawn, the common swift will fly up to an altitude of about two miles. From there, it's assumed, the birds take cat naps while they glide down, but no one's really sure. How would you like to be able to fly without ever feeling fatigue? Stay with us friends, we're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
Ad: You're listening to Bible Answers Live, honest answers to your Bible questions. Our phone lines are now open. If you have a Bible-related question, call us at 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That's 1-800-463-7297. Now, let's join our host, Pastor Doug Batchelor, and our co-host, Pastor Ross Ross.
Pastor Doug: Welcome listening friends to Bible Answers Live, and if you're tuning in for the first time, this is the best possible use of talk radio. I'm not talking about romance or finance, but the word of God. And if you have a Bible question, we got the lines wide open, just pick up the phone right now and give us a call, the number is 800-GOD-SAYS. Get a pencil, here we go again, 800-463-7297, that will bring your Bible question into the radio.
This is a live program, so if you have a question, very good chance you'll get your call on the air tonight if you pick up the phone and call with your Bible question now. Here's the number again, 800-GOD-SAYS, that's 800-463-7297. 800-463-7297 with your Bible questions. And I'm Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross, good evening friends, and Pastor Doug. Once again, let's start the program with a word of prayer. Dear Father, we thank you that we have this opportunity to open up the Bible and study together, and we ask for your blessing upon this program, be with those listening Lord and together, maybe search the scriptures for truth in Jesus name, Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: Pastor Doug, you opened the program by talking about a remarkable little bird that can fly an incredibly long distance, not only a long distance, but I guess able to stay up in the air, not just for a few weeks but amazingly [laughs] 10 months. That's hard to imagine.
Pastor Doug: It is, it's incredible. Now, I've known that birds like the great frigate bird, that's a sea bird, they can fly for weeks without landing, and they go down and they scoop sardines during the day from the ocean, and then they fly up high and they, I guess, doze. They've got big span, they doze with they are gliding up there. A horse can sleep standing up, but I'd never imagined there was a bird that did not touch down for 10 months, night and day, storm, wind. It's just that it's mind boggling when you think about it.
And it made me think about that verse in the Bible that's in Isaiah 40:31. It would be nice never to get tired, "Those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They will mount up with the wings like eagles. They will run and not be weary. They will walk and not faint." I've read some reports that people are more caffeinated today than they have ever been in history. It's not just the coffee and the tea, there's just gobs and gobs of different energy drinks. They call them energy drinks, they are just decaffeinated drinks.
And people are just looking for energy, and a lot of people out there feel spiritually fatigued, and they want to know, how do I get some spiritual energy? How do I get revived? Well, we've got something that we'd like to share with you friends that will give you a spiritual boost. It'll put some wind under your wings, and it's a book on revival.
Pastor Ross: The book is called, 12 Steps to Revival, and we'll be happy to send this resource to anybody who calls and asks. Again, the book is called, 12 Steps to Revival, and the phone number to call, this is our resource phone number is 800-835-6747. Again, that number is 800-835-6747, and you can ask for a free offer this evening, a book called 12 Steps to Revival. We'll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks.
And if you have a Bible question, our phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. Again, that's 800-463-7297, that'll bring you here into our studio, and we'll be able to get your question on tonight's program. One more time, here it is, 800-463-7297. Well, we're going to go to the phone lines. Our first caller this evening is Robert, and he's listening from Riverside, California. Let's see if we can get Robert on the phone.
Well, not just yet. I think they are still getting something done there on the other side, but Pastor Doug you know on my way driving here to the studio this evening, you couldn't help but notice all of the stores with the skeletons and the ghosts hanging out front.
Pastor Doug: [laughs]
Pastor Ross: We know the time of the year that we're in.
Pastor Doug: I've been noticing them for a month already [laughs]
Pastor Ross: And you know, a lot of folks are asking questions around this time of the year, "Well, what happens to people when they die?" Well, the Bible has something to say with reference to this subject, and Amaizing Facts has a website that deals with some important questions that people ask. Can the dead come back? What about ghosts? And, where do they come from? We have a website called ghosttruth.com.
Pastor Doug: That's right. And it'll answer a lot of questions people wonder during Halloween about seances, and death, and are they being spooked by real ghosts, not kids in a sheet. Just go to ghosttruth and it gives you Bible answers on, what happens? Do people turn into ghosts after they die? You'll find it very interesting.
Pastor Ross: All right, and I think we're ready. Robert, in Riverside, California. Robert, you're on the air.
Robert: Yes, hi.
Pastor Doug: Thank you for calling.
Robert: Yes, thank you, guys. I love your show. I have a scripture I hope you can find. I forget exactly where and it's in one of the gospels, but it's always come to mind, and I just thought of it. And I thought, "Well, why don't I give it a try?" It's bothered me for a lot of times, where the disciples at one time they said, "We're going down to a festival," or a feast, I forget which one it was, but something going on and they said, "We're going down, would you like to come with us?" to Jesus, and he said no. I think they asked him like twice, but I'm not sure. And then later, Jesus went down in secret.
Pastor Doug: Right. I think it's the Gospel of John.
Robert: I couldn't figure out what does this means? Does this mean that he's lying or he just--
Pastor Doug: Yes, that's the Gospel of John, Chapter seven, is I think the verse that you're looking for. And Pastor Ross, I just had it a second ago, and then I-- there is a feast and his brothers had gone to the feast and it says, after this, let me see here, yes, John 7, in verse eight he said, "You go up to the feast, I am not going up to this feast for my time has not yet fully come." And after this saying, he remained in Galilee, but after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. Is that the verse you were looking for?
Robert: Yes, that's it.
Pastor Doug: He went secretly, and some versions say he went secretly.
Robert: I think whatever Bible I was reading at the time I found that, I guess it said secret instead of private.
Pastor Doug: Yes, it's the same. He went in a clandestine way. See at this point, Jesus was becoming very popular through his miracles, and he knew his brothers were trying to push him into announcing he was the Messiah. And they said, "Why do you do these things secretly? If you are God, let everyone know." And he said, "No, it would cause such a ruckus." He wouldn't mess up his ministry, because it would draw up too much attention from his enemies.
Pastor Ross: I'm reading this here in the King James, actually it's the New King James that I'm reading and it's verse eight in particular, it says, "You go up to the feast." Jesus is talking and he says, "I am not yet going up to the feast for my time has not yet fully come." Now that's the way the King James and the New King James translate it, but there are some newer translations that omit the word yet. And that does give the impression then that Jesus said he would not go, and then suddenly he went in secret, but that's not what we read here in the textus receptus, or the King James, New King James original text.
Pastor Doug: King James says, "But he went as it where it in secret." It uses that word. Hey, I'm glad we're able to find it. I'm pretty use that's only place this appears in the Bible, Robert. If I'm not mistaken, that's the verse that you are looking for. Jesus was just trying to preserve his freedom to ministry in Jerusalem without being stopped or blockaded, because they were going to have a big crowd.
Now, later in his ministry, the end of his ministry, he did make a triumphal public entrance to Jerusalem, and it did outrage the religious leaders. Appreciate your call Robert.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Anthony, listening from Washington DC. Anthony, welcome to the program.
Anthony: How you doing sir?
Pastor Doug: Doing well, thank you for calling. And your question?
Anthony: Could you interpret Matthew 12, verse 25 and 26 for me?
Pastor Doug: We'll do our best. Matthew 12:25-26?
Anthony: Yes.
Pastor Doug: All right. It says, "And Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan cast out Satan is divided against himself, how shall his kindgom stand?"". Well, they were accusing Jesus of casting out devils through the devil. And Jesus was saying, "Your logic is flawed, because if the devil is attacking himself, he is not going to have a very effective kingdom." See, he said in verse 24, "This fellow cast out devils, but by Beelzebul, the prince of devils."
He was just illustrating that they're making a big mistake by assuming that he was doing this work of God of setting people free by the devil. Now, that's not to say that there aren't times when Satan has counterfeit healers that will look like they're casting out devils, but they're not. You know what I'm saying? The devil does sometimes use fake representatives that are wolves in sheep's clothing. Jesus was addressing the different principle here that it doesn't make sense for the devil to cast out the devil.
Anthony: I wanted to say this. I'm having problems finding out who to vote for, because you have the democratic and you have the republican, and I just want to know does that scripture pass into the voting?
Pastor Doug: Well, the Bible tells us to obey the laws of the land, and we have the privilege as a representative country to choose our leadership, and we've got to be careful during this program not to tell you who or how to vote for. We already have our hands filled talking about religion. We don't want to mix it with politics right now, but I think you need to look at not just the rhetoric of what you hear during an election, but you need to think about what will these candidates do with the court. What will they do with certain principles that would affect freedom to proclaim and practice your religious conviction.
That's what I tell people, is look at what it's going to do with the freedom of the proclamation of the Gospel, and to having a country where the court judges will support some morality. Anyway, that's probably all I better say about that.
Pastor Ross: Thanks for your call Anthony. If you have a Bible question, the phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. Again that's 800-463-7297, with your Bible question. Our next caller is Lois, listening in-- sorry Lois, who's listening in Las Vegas. Lois, welcome to the program.
Lois: Hello?
Pastor Doug: Hi, thank you for calling Lois. You're on the air.
Lois: Hi, good evening Pastor Doug. Good evening Pastor Ross. God bless both of you. I just started listening to your program on Radio 74 since the beginning of the year. I listen to it when I'm home, because I work at night which I don't enjoy very much.
Pastor Doug: Well, we're glad you called.
Lois: Go ahead, I'm sorry.
Pastor Doug: No, your question. We appreciate your call.
Lois: I was calling to find out what chapter could I find about-- well, I guess not wearing jewelry, because I was having a conversation with my friend at work. She's a Jehova Witness. She said to bring the chapter in the Bible, we're not really not supposed to wear jewelry. Probably a ring, or a watch. I don't know if I'm right, so I'm calling in to find out if you could help me.
Pastor Doug: Well, there are several verses in the Bible that give a principle of modesty in dress. And Pastor Ross might look up some of them for me real quick. I think one, is you're going to find in 1 Peter chapter three, where it's talking about Christian wives should not have the outward adorning, the wearing of gold. Paul says, and is it first or second Timothy says, "Not with gold, or pearls, or costly array."
Pastor Ross: 1 Timothy 2:9.
Pastor Doug: 1 Timothy 2:9.
Lois: 1 Timothy chapter nine?
Pastor Ross: Chapter two, verse nine.
Pastor Doug: Of course, you know the story where the children of Israel made a golden calf, and you read about that in I think Exodus 32. And they made the golden calf from jewelry, and then after they made the calf, and they were told to grind it to powder, and the lord made them drink it. God told the children of Israel, "Break off your ornaments." Pastor Ross might find that verse for me. He said, "Break off your ornaments, so I can know what to do with you."
Pastor Ross: The other verse we're referring to, just as a quick cross reference. It's mentioned twice in the new testament. The other one is 1 Peter 3:3-6. As a cross reference. You have 1 Timothy 2:9, and then also 1 Peter 3 beginning verse three.
Lois: Okay.
Pastor Doug: There's several other verses. You know what we ought to do, just to get you the best resources Lois, if it's okay with you, I will send you a book I've written on the subject. And it's called, Jewelry, How much is too much? I think most Christians agree that a person can go overboard, and the question is, what is overboard? Where is that line? And so, if you like a free copy of the book, it's got all these references in the book, and you can even share it with your friend after you read it. Just call our resource number.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Jewelry, How Much is Too Much? Again, the number is 800-835-6747. That is the resource phone number. Ask for the free book, Jewelry, How Much is Too Much? And if you have a Bible question, our phone line here to the studio once again, is 800-463-7297, 800-463-7297. That'll bring you here into the studio with your Bible question. Our next caller is Samuel, listening in San Diego, California.
Samuel: Well, thank you. Good evening. My question is more about a translation difference between the New King James version, and to other-- actually, other modern versions that are talking about the righteousness through faith in Christ. Roman 3:21 and 3:22, talks about the faith being revealed-- or actually, it says, "The righteousness of God is revealed." And then it goes on through faith in Christ. When you read the new English testament, NET, it says that through Christ's faithfulness, not through your faithfulness in Christ, or your faith in Christ, but rather because of Christ's very own faithfulness that we are saved.
To me, those statements are completely different. I understand that the son of God was faithful up until death, and through death and all that. When we're talking about personal salvation, I always thought that it was the believer's belief in Christ that got him placed in union through the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. And that was the righteousness by faith. Paul goes on and talks about that in the fourth chapter.
Pastor Doug: Do you want me to try to answer this? I think I got your question here. There's several translations that you're going to find in English that may render this verse a little different, but you're right, the nuances are very important. My favorite translations would be King James, New King James, and that does continue with the idea that it has something to do with our faith in Jesus. This is verse 22 in the New King James, "Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe." It's talking about us believing, us having faith. The translation say that it is a faith of Jesus. Where is it Pastor Ross in Revelation that says, one place keeping the commandments of God in the faith of Jesus.
Pastor Ross: The faith of Jesus, Revelation 14:12.
Pastor Doug: And [unintelligible 00:20:31] that talks about faith in Jesus. The way I've heard this explained, is we're supposed to have the faith that Jesus had in the Father, we have in Christ. It's like the faith of Jesus. He gives us this gift of faith. In one way, it could be semantics, but you're right. We are saved by choosing. We have a free will to exercise faith in God's promises. That's why a man came to Jesus once and said, "Lord, if you can heal my son-" He said, "If you believe, all things are possible. Now, you must choose to believe." Does that make sense, Samuel?
Samuel: Absolutely, and I appreciate your time.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Thank you very much for your question. Good question.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Ron, listening in Washington. Ron, welcome to the program. Hi Ron, you're on the air.
Ron: Hi. Thanks for taking my call.
Pastor Doug: How are you guys doing?
Ron: Do you hear me?
Pastor Doug: We can hear you.
Ron: Okay, great. My question is about the great heavenly host in scriptures that says, that the great heavenly host are looking down upon us. I was wondering who are these great heavenly hosts? Is this Moses, and Elijah, or is it our relatives, or, who might that be?
Pastor Doug: Well, I think you might be talking about-- there's one place where it says in Hebrew seeing that we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. That's probably not the verse you're talking about. That's talking about the examples of the faithful through history. Other places where it talks about the heavenly hosts watching, you've got in the book of Job, it talks about the angels and the leaders of unfallen worlds that looked down on what's happening in earth.
And then Paul, I think, talks about us being a spectacle to the universe, to men and angels. He gives us the idea that there are unfallen, of course there's also fallen angels called demons and devils, but there's unfallen angels in these heavenly intelligences that are watching. They can see what's happening in this world.
Ron: Okay. [unintelligible 00:22:40] they aren't the actual ancestors of the Bible?
Pastor Doug: No, I don't believe so, because first of all, there's a few rare exceptions like where God took Elijah to heaven, and Enoch, and Moses was resurrected, but the general resurrection of the dead happens when Jesus comes. It says, "When the Lord descends from heaven, the dead in Christ rise." That's in 1 Thessalonians 4. Jesus said the resurrection on the last day, three times in John 6, he says, "On the last day, I will raise them up."
The idea that all these dead people are up in heaven watching right now, like they're in a some balcony sitting, that's really not taught in the Bible. It says, Jesus said, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep." But then he said he was dead. If you're saved, let me just-- this confuses people, because you can walk through any kind of church cemetery, and you're going to see some tombstones will say, "Our beloved mother is now walking the golden streets." And another tombstone will say, "Our mother is sleeping in the arms of Jesus resting in peace." That's where you get RIP on the tombstones.
What confuses Christians, Paul says, "To be absent from the bodies, to be present with the Lord." What that means is, if you're a believer and if you die, the next conscious thought you have is the resurrection. You haven't been resurrected yet, because in this world, we still live in time, and the event hasn't occurred yet. For us, no they're not up there spying on us. It says, we're caught up to meet the Lord in the air together, we are caught up. This mass resurrection happens when Jesus comes. Again, 1 Corinthians 15, I forget the verse, says, "In the resurrection at the coming of Christ." Anyway, I don't know, does that help a little bit, Ron?
Ron: Thanks. I really appreciate it.
Pastor Doug: Hey, we'll send you-- we've got a book that talks about Are the Dead Really Dead? We'll send you a free copy.
Pastor Ross: All you'll have to do is give us a call on our resource phone number, the number there is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called Are the Dead Really Dead? We'll be happy to send this to you Ron, or anybody who calls and asks. It's a very important subject, and a great study. We also have a website dealing with this called deathtruth.com. Just deathtruth.com.
Pastor Doug: That's right.
Pastor Ross: A lot of great scripture or references there as well. Our next caller is Derrick, and he's listening in Jacksonville, Florida. Derrick, welcome to the program.
Derrick: Good evening.
Pastor Doug: Thank you for your patience. Good evening.
Derrick: Thank you for taking my call, I appreciate it.
Pastor Doug: And your question?
Derrick: The question is, when Lord Jesus died on the cross, did the angels who are watching there, did they know that he was going to be coming back, or did they, during the time when he was asleep, did they really think that he was gone for good?
Pastor Doug: Well, see, the angels were able to hear what Jesus said while he was alive. Jesus told the disciples on several occasions, "I'm going to go to Jerusalem. I will be betrayed into the hands of the gentiles. They will crucify me, and I will rise the third day." Jesus had often repeated that, the angels heard that. They of course were optimistic. The angels have faith that Jesus would, but it was very troubling for them to see their savior suffering and die, and be placed in a grave.
I think they did have the knowledge that he would rise. Of course, the angels were the ones that rolled away the stone, and met the disciples when they came to the tomb. I think they were in on the plan. Still there, Derrick? Does that make sense? Are you there?
Derrick: Yes, I'm here.
Pastor Doug: Okay, did that make sense?
Derrick: That makes perfect sense. I was wondering, I can only imagine the grief that they must have felt seeing that happening.
Pastor Doug: Yes, I'm with you. Hey, we really appreciate your phone call, and we do have a lesson that talks about angels, it's called Angel Messages from Outer Space. We'll be happy to send you that.
Derrick: Excellent. Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747. That is our resource phone number, and you can ask for the study guide called, Angel Messages from Space. We'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks. Again, that number is 800-835-6747. If you have a Bible question, the phone line here to the study, it's a good time to give us a call is 800-463-7297. Again, that's 800-463-7297. Pastor Doug, I think we're coming up on our mid-program break in just a few moments. Again friends, it's a good time for you to pick up your phone and give us a call, and be ready with your question for the second part of our program.
Pastor Doug: Yes, the best is yet to come. Don't go away. We see those of you who are standing by, and we're going to get your phone calls in just a few moments. Do also have a couple of more lines open. 800-463-7297. We're going to take a breath and get a drink of water, and we'll be back in just two minutes and take more Bible questions.
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Every Bible question you have answered moves you one step closer to the fullness of God's will for your life. What are you waiting for? Get the answers you need for a fuller, richer, more confident life. You're listening to Bible Answers Live. We still have a few phone lines open. If you have a Bible related question, call us at 1-800-GOD-SAYS. That's 1-800-463-7297. Now, let's join Pastors Doug Batchelor and Jean Ross for more Bible Answers live.
Pastor Doug: We are back and we are live, and we're going to go to the phones in just a moment. Do have one to two lines open. That number 800-GOD-SAYS, 800-463-7297. The truth will set you free. Every question you ask in learning the truth makes you even more free. I'm Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross, and Pastor Doug, we're ready to go to the phone lines. Our next caller is Matt, and he is listening from British Columbia. Matt, welcome to the program.
Matt: Thank you, sir. Thank you. My question is about the Harlot in Revelation. Who is the Harlot?
Pastor Doug: Now, you're talking about Revelation 17. Paul is in vision, and he describes a woman who's seating on a beast with seven heads and 10 horns, and it says, that she's arrayed in scarlet, and purple, and precious stones, and she got a name on her forehead, says Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. That woman represents a great counterfeit or unfaithful religious system. Then you have another woman in Revelation 12, who is pure. "She is clothe with the sun and the moon and the stars. The light of God."
The woman in Revelation 17 is called the Harlot, because she has become unfaithful and it says, "She sits amongst seven mountains." Well, there's a clue. It says that woman is the city that sits on seven mountains. Well, there is a major church that's in the city called Rome, that is called the City of Seven Hills that has become unfaithful to Biblical truth.
Matt: I see.
Pastor Doug: For instance, the Bible says, "Do not make idols and bow down to them." And of course, we know, in the Catholic system, there's a lot of idols that are made. A lot of people bowing and praying before idols of Joseph, or Mary, or Peter. And Bible says that only God can forgive sin, and yet, they say that you need to confess your sins to the priest, and the priest can absolve you of your sins in some form. It says this is a persecuting power.
The Catholic agrees that during the dark ages, they were responsible for persecution, because Pope John Paul II publicly apologized for what the church did, and that was back in 2000. I could go through a list of about a dozen things that most reformed theologians, now, friends, this is not Pastor Doug. I'm talking John Wesley, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Knox, Melanchthon, Spurgeon, all of these great reform preachers and pastors, believe the woman in Revelation 17, was the Roman Catholic Church.
There are a lot of lovely, spirit-filled Catholic people. I'm not trying to be critical. I'm just telling you what the prophecy was talking about what happened. There's your answer. We do have a book we'll send you on that and it's free. It's a book called, The Beast, the Dragon, and the Woman. Very popular book, as it just has a great way -- Joe Crews did a great job of explaining this.
Pastor Ross: Again, the number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called, The Beast, the Dragon, and the Woman. 800-835-6747, that is the resource phone number. If you have a Bible question, the phone line here to the studio is 800-463-7297. Our next caller is Kurt, listening from Shamrock, Texas. Kurt, welcome to the program.
Kurt: Hello, can you here me?
Pastor Ross: Yes, loud and clear. Thanks for calling, Kurt.
Kurt: I have a question for you. I listened to Chuck Smith from Calvary Chapel, and he had a DVD called Wisdom of the Ages. He talks about the different Bible versions, and he talks about the corruption of all the newer versions, and that the King James is the one that hasn't been corrupted by the Satanic Policy of Evil. If you look at Colossians 2:18, the King James says, specifically, you have not seen angels. And all the other verses say, that you have seen angels. And if scriptures is inspired by God, then, one of those-- on of them is right. I mean, you can't have contrary doctrines in the Bible. What do you say about that?
Pastor Doug: I appreciate that Kurt. There are some pastors out there, and if it's the same Chuck Smith I'm thinking of, he was a good man. He's one of the founders of Calvary Chapel, and I think he's passed away now. There's some that they call them King James only pastors. I am not in the camp of King James only. I don't believe that Pastor Ross is either, but we are in the camp that there's a big difference in translations. That's because most of the modern translations incorporate manuscripts that the early reformers felt were doubtful.
The King James, New King James, New American Standard, they are translated from what's called the Textus Receptus. The NIV and some of the other translations use not only the Textus Receptus, but they use doubtful manuscripts called the Vaticanus. That one came from the Vatican, and the Sinaiticus, that came from a monastery on Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai. There were some-- 90%, no, more than that, it's like 99% of all of them are the same, but there's some little doubtful spots in those other manuscripts.
Typically, when I preach or do Evangelism, I use either the King James and the New King James. New King James is very much like the King James. It just modernized some of the words, instead of 'ye', it'll say 'you', but the structure of the sentences is going to be almost identical. You're right. There is some differences. Now, I don't believe the King James was flawless. The King James was also translated by a group of scholars, and they made a few mistakes. Just little things with punctuation, but I do believe the word of God is perfect, and if you're in danger of believing too much or too little, believe too much of it. Don't start to question it.
Pastor Ross: We do have a book dealing with the Bible called, The Ultimate Resource. It talks about the Scripture and how we can understand it, and little bit of the background of how we got the Bible. We'll be happy to share this with you Kurt or anybody wanting to learn more about the Bible. It's called, The Ultimate Resource, and the phone line is 800-835-6747. Again, ask for the book The Ultimate Resource, written by Pastor Doug, 800-835-6747. Our next caller is Sonya, listening from New York. Sonya welcome to the program.
Pastor Doug: Sonya, are you there?
Sonya: Yes. I'm here. I'm here. Good evening pastors, how are you?
Pastor Doug: Evening, how are you?
Sonya: Good. Thank you. My question is just a general question. It's more childish, but I need to ask anyway. This is where the Bible where Jesus speaks to the Father, he prays to the Father, and there's also a part in there where it said that He's sitting on the right hand of the Father, sitting on our behalf. My question is when we get to heaven, are we going to be seeing Jesus and His Father, or is it going to be father alone?
Pastor Doug: Well, let me read a few verses. In 1st Corinthians 13:12, "For now we see through a glass darkly but then, face to face." If you go to Revelation, it says, "And God himself will be with us and we will see him." I believe we will see God the Father, and God the Son, face to face, in heaven.
Sonya: Okay. I thought that too, but I always say, "Let me be more sure and clear."
Pastor Doug: Yes. It's going to be the thrilling thing that could happen, is to be able to see the face of God in the kingdom, and I'm looking forward to being there. In Revelation 22:4, one of the last chapters in the Bible, and it says, let me see here, "And there shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of the lamb", the lamb is Jesus, "God and the lamb shall be in it, and his servants will serve him, and they shall see his face." That's pretty clear, isn't it?
Sonya: Pretty clear. Pretty clear.
Pastor Doug: You can read that last chapter in the Bible, Revelation 22, and you'll find those words and a great encouragement there.
Sonya: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: Appreciate your call, Sonya.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Robert, listening from College Place, Washington. Robert, welcome to the program.
Robert: Hi, there. Thank you, welcome. My question was from Galatians 5:4, and it talks about keeping the Commandments. If we keep the Commandments, we've fallen from grace.
Pastor Doug: I don't believe he's saying-- let me read this for you. If you look in verse three, Galatians is not talking about keeping the 10 Commandments. It's talking about believing that you're saved by keeping, especially the ceremonial loss, because you look it says in verse three, "I testify again to every man that is circumcised, he is a debter to do the whole law." Paul is talking about the ceremonial law. Obviously, Paul is not saying don't obey the commandment that says, "Thou shalt not lie. I want you to start lying, because if you don't lie, you're not saved." Paul is not saying, "You need to start committing adultery, and you need to start murdering. If you're keeping those laws, you're not saved." Do you see what I'm saying?
Robert: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Obviously, the apostle Paul would never tell the believers. He'd never encourage them to break the ten commandments. The Battle in Galatians is over the ceremonial laws that the Jewish Christians were telling the new gentile Christians. They needed to keep the feast days, and they needed to be circumcised. Paul was saying, "Look, if you think you're saved by all these sacrifices of the temple, the blood of goats is not going to wash away your sins. It's only the blood of Christ. You are lost if you're trusting in those things." Paul was never saying it's now okay to break the ten commandments.
You can see how absurd that would be for him to say, "Yes, of course, you can use God's name in vain." If you're teaching people don't use the name of the Lord in vain, for him to say, "Well you're not saved if you're teaching that." Jesus said, "Whoever shall do and teach the commandments is great in the kingdom of heaven." That's Matthew 5. Does that make sense?
Robert: That makes a lot of sense, thank you.
Pastor Doug: Galatians, the big discussion there is really dealing with the ceremonial law. We have a book we can send, Robert, talking about, Does God's Grace Blot Out the Law?, we'll send you a free copy, Robert.
Pastor Ross: Just give us a call on our resource phone number. The number is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide, Does God's Grace Blot Out the Law? Again, that number is 800-835-6747, and ask for the study guide, Does God's Grace Blot Out the Law? Our next caller is Ben, and Ben is listening in Sacramento, California. Ben, welcome to the program.
Ben: Hi, Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Hey, thanks for calling. Your question tonight?
Ben: Question is Romans 8:28. The reason why I'm asking on that, is because I lost my wife last year. I was wondering how does that verse pertain to--
Pastor Doug: Those kinds of tragedies?
Ben: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Yes, and I can appreciate that. I've had to stand by the grave of many family members. When you read the verse, let me read it for our listeners. It's a famous verse, Romans 8:28. "And we know all things work together for good, to them that love God, to those who are called according to his purpose." That doesn't mean that everything that happens is good, because there's a lot of things that happen that God is very sad about. That's why we pray, "Thy will be done", because a lot of times, it's not God's will that's happening. We should be praying that it is God's will.
God can take the bad things that happen, and work them together for good. He can bring good out of it, and we can just trust him that if we say, "Lord, I don't know why this happened, but can you bring good out of it?" An example would be Joseph, who was sold by his brothers. God never wanted Joseph's brothers to betray him, to sell him as a slave, to lie to their father. God never encouraged that, but God took what happened to Joseph and worked it together for good. He ended up becoming the Prime Minister of the kingdom and saved his family, and probably millions of people from starvation.
God worked it for good, and Joseph actually said that to his brothers, "I know that God allowed this to happen, that much life could be saved." I don't know what the good is that God is going to bring from the tragedy in your life. Sometimes, when we've gone through heartache, God is then able to use us to bring comfort to others that are grieving. There's even a verse that says, "We comfort others with the comfort that we get from God when we go through grief." I don't know, but God is somehow use it for good. He'll make good come from it. Does that make sense?
Ben: Yes, Pastor Doug. Thank you so very much, I appreciate it.
Pastor Doug: All right. Well, God bless you, and we appreciate your call, Ben.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Rick, listening from Florida. Rick, you're on the air.
Rick: Hi, pastors. Hey, Pastor Doug, you said in one of your answers earlier that the angels saw their savior when He was being crucified. Did the angels need a savior?
Pastor Doug: That's a good catch. I misspoke. I probably should've said the angels saw the savior. He wouldn't be their savior from sin, because the unfallen angels are sinless. They don't need a savior. The fallen angels, they've committed the unpardonable sin, they've gone too far. I don't believe Jesus died on the cross to save angels, there's nothing in the gospels that teaches us that.
Rick: Right.
Pastor Doug: It would be they saw their Lord, because He is their commanding creator.
Rick: Okay. I heard that, I just said, "I've never heard that before."
Pastor Doug: That's a good catch. I didn't mean-
Rick: Thank you so much. Love your show.
Pastor Doug: Yes, I'm glad you brought that up. Thank you.
Rick: Bye.
Pastor Doug: Bye-bye.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Joanna listening from Vermont. Joanna, welcome to the program.
Joanna: Hi, thanks for taking my call. The question I have, is did Adam and Eve die in the flood?
Pastor Doug: No, good question. Of course, they lived a long time. We don't know how long Eve lived, but it does tell us Adam lived 930 years. The flood did not come until a little more than 1,500 years after Adam. Adam was dead. A matter of fact, Methuselah died just before the flood, if I'm not mistaken. We, Amazing Facts, has a timeline where you can look on the history of creation. It's taken all the Bible dates, it's plugged them in, it shows how people's lives overlap. It's called biblehistory.com. Am I giving the right address, Pastor Ross?
Pastor Ross: Yes.
Pastor Doug: biblehistory.com. Amazing facts has about 30 websites. Sometimes, I forget which ones are com, and org, and net. You'll see that right there, Pam.
Joanna: Joann.
Pastor Doug: I'm sorry, Joann.
Joanna: [laughs] It's alright.
Pastor Doug: Take a look at that, and yes, Adam died well before the flood. And you see there's several generations that came after him. Lamech and Methuselah, the parents of Noah, also died before the flood.
Joanna: Okay. That's biblehistory.com?
Pastor Doug: biblehistory.com.
Joanna: Great, thank you.
Pastor Ross: I'm looking at it right here, so sure enough. biblehistory.com. I'm not sure if .org gets you there, but definitely .com will get you to that website, biblehistory.com. If you have a bible question, the phone line to call is 800-463-7297. 800-463-7297 with your bible question, and we'll try and get that on the program before we run out of time this evening. Our next caller is Carmen, listening from Texas. Carmen, welcome to the program.
Carmen: Hello, how are you all?
Pastor Doug: Doing great, how about you?
Carmen: I'm doing well. Thank you so much for answering this for me. I wanted to know, we had a recent death in the family, and I'm just curious, will we recognize one another after death?
Pastor Doug: Yes, if you look in your Bible in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul said in verse 12, a matter of fact I just quoted this a minute ago, "For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then", meaning in heaven, "I will know, even as also I am known." When we get to heaven, because our minds, our bodies, our spirits will all be improved. We'll have glorified bodies, our minds will be perfect and clear. Our discernment will be enhanced. We will be able to look at a person and see who they are in a deeper way than we can even now, because our perceptions are going to be greatly strengthened.
I will guarantee you that when you get to heaven, if you've had to lay grandma to rest, and she was an old lady, she will not look like an old lady in the resurrection. Grandma is going to be vibrant and young, and everybody is going to have this perfect, mature look about them, but we will know who they are. There'll be instant recognition. One reason we know this is that Christ, of course, guided by the holy spirit, he knew people he had never met before. He went underneath the tree and he knew Zacchaeus. He looked up and said, "Zacchaeus" and they never met.
When Jesus saw Nathaniel come to him, he said, "Here's an Israelite in whom there's no guile." Nathaniel said, "Lord, how do you know me?" He said, "I saw you under the fig tree praying." Our discernment, the Bible says we'll have glorified bodies like his body, our discernment will be enhanced in heaven. We will recognize our loved ones, and friends, even though we may be had been separated by years, even though we may have grown old on earth while they had been laid to rest before us. I can promise you that, and the angels will have a computer database to help put us in touch with anyone we're missing, some kind of heavenly Facebook, I guess.
Carmen: [laughs] Amen, thank you.
Pastor Doug: Hey, thank you Pam, God bless, good question. I know others are wondering the same thing.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Pam, I think we were just talking with Carmen, but Pam is listening from Wisconsin. Pam, welcome to the program.
Pam: Hello?
Pastor Ross: Hi, you're on the air.
Pastor Doug: Hi, Pam, I think I called the last two callers Pam, because I was looking at your name on the screen.
Pam: All right.
Pastor Doug: Your question? This is the real Pam now.
Pam: All right, this is the real Pam. I was calling, because I was wondering what is God's name. I know when we say God, I know that Satan is the God of this world, and some people when they say, God, they're not referring to the most high God.
Pastor Ross: Right. Well, it can be a deeper question, because the Lord goes by many names in the Bible. You know in the old testament, he was called Elohim, he was called Adonai. There's this famous song, he's called El-Shaddai. He was called Jehovah. Some called him Yahweh. We're not exactly sure how to pronounce the Tetragrammaton, but as nearest we can tell, it's something like Yahweh. And then God calls himself the I AM, Jesus, God the Son, is called in many names. He's called the Door, the Shepherd, the Living Water, the Bread, the Alpha and Omega, the Bright and Morning Star. There is a lot of names that God goes by.
You know I have a book, Pam, if you like I'll send you a free copy and it's called, The Name of God. People wonder, "Do I have to say a certain name when I pray?" Of course, we're told to pray in Christ name, but does it matter if we pronounce his name in English or Spanish, or we need to pronounce his name with a Hebrew pronunciation? People have all kinds of interesting questions about the name of God, because obviously, we're not to take his name in vain, there's no more sacred, so people want to get it right. Would like a free copy of that Pam.
Pam: Sure, yes.
Pastor Doug: All right, we'll send you the book called The Name of God.
Pastor Ross: The number to call is 800-835-6747, and ask for the book, The Name of God. And we will be happy to send that to you Pam, or anybody who calls and asks.
Our next caller is Oscar, listening from New York City. Oscar, welcome to the program.
Pastor Ross: Oscar, are you there.
Oscar: Yes.
Pastor Ross: Hey, thank you for calling. Your question tonight.
Oscar: Thank you. According to the Bible, we are body, mind, and spirit, right?
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Oscar: At what point of the conception thus the human fetus acquires the soul and the spirit?
Pastor Doug: Well, I think the only place that you can point to on the continuum of life, when human life is viable and sacred, is conception. Whenever people say, when the baby has developed and it has 5 billion cells, then we'll call it human. I think that when that spark of life happens, I've actually got a video of watching conception before, and something amazing happens to a cell. It's almost like it quivers. When an egg is fertilized, and you've got the joining of the genes of this two independent people that is forming a new person, it's really miraculous.
And even Solomon says, "Who can know, or who can tell how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child." It's a miracle. David says, "I'm marvelously made." When Bathsheba became pregnant, Bathsheba sent a letter to David and she said, "I am with child." Well, she maybe only a few weeks long, but she didn't say I'm with fetus, she called it a child. And so, I think you need to point to the point of conception, as when life becomes sacred.
Oscar: But there is no Biblical verse that states specifically at what point that actually happens, right?
Pastor Doug: Well, I do think that there are verses where it talks about that when a woman conceived, that God marked that point. And when Sarah was with child, I think there's several examples. When Zachariah and Elizabeth were with child, I don't think you're going to find a scripture anywhere that says at the point that the sperm and egg come together that becomes body, spirit, and soul. You're not going find that kind of verse. I think you're going to find the principle.
Oscar: Exactly, because biological life is in any cell, in any kind of cell, but not spiritual life.
Pastor Ross: Well, what do you think, I'm just curious. When do you think life becomes sacred?
Oscar: If God says that there is life in the womb, of course, there is life because there is a human cell. Whenever there is a human cell, there is biological life in the womb, but not necessarily that it is stating that there is a spirit and a sou,l or a spiritual life per se, unless it is explicitly specified.
Pastor Doug: Well, I would think I would have to respectfully disagree, and say I think that when it's either alive, it's human life, and it's sacred, and it has properties that are made in the image of God, that should be recognized and respected, we're not. Anyway, we're not going to find a verse that will spell out what you're asking for, but I hope that helps a little. How much time do we have left? We got one minute? Do we have someone out there that is willing to try a one minute question?
Pastor Ross: Sure, we got Bob who is listening in Tennessee. Bob, welcome to the program. We've got about a minute.
Ben: Yes, sir. I got a quick question. I've always wondered, when [unintelligible 00:55:56] was cast out of the garden after he killed Abel and went out and married, where did those people come from that they ended getting a wifefrom?
Pastor Doug: All right, good question, but I think what you meant to say when Cain got kicked out of the garden after he killed his brother, where did he get his wife from. Well, you read on later, it tells us in Genesis 5, that Adam and Eve also had sons and daughters. Many of them, and very likely Cain married one of his sisters. it shouldn't surprise us, Abraham married a half-sister, and Jacob married a first cousin.
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