Pastor Doug Batchelor: Hello, listening friends. Would you like to hear and amazing fact? For about 500 years, the Roman Empire was the undisputed military powerhouse that conquered most of the Western world. This was due in part to their heavy investment in their military and war machines. Today, there are about 195 countries in the world, and most spend something for their military budget.
Of all these countries, The United States of America spends the most, taking up to 42% of the world's military expenditures. In other words, almost half of the world's military investment is made by one country. In fact, if you added up all the military budgets of Europe, China, Russia, Japan, the Middle East, Australia, East Asia and Latin America, you'd still have a sum less than what the United States alone spends on its armed forces.
For example, just in 2016, the United States spent 611 billion dollars in the military, whereas a country in second place, China, spent only 215 billion. No wonder the United States remains, by far, the most powerfully armed nation on Earth, and the world's only real military superpower.
The book of Revelation 13 identifies two beasts in the last days, that will try to compel uniform international worship. It will certainly require a large military power to enforce this. Did you know the Bible also foretells an escalation of war will be one of the signs of the last days? Stay with us, friends, we're going to learn more as Amazing Facts brings you this edition of Bible Answers Live.
Voice over: You're listening to Bible Answers Live, honest answers to your Bible questions. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's Join our host, Pastor Doug Batchelor, and our co-host Pastor Jean Ross.
Pastor Doug Batchelor: Welcome friends, lines are open. This is Bible Answers Live, and if you have a Bible question for the next hour, we're going to do our best to search the word with you and find the answers. The promise is, "If you seek, you'll find," and that's what we're going to do. Lines are open, if you call now good chance you'll get your question on tonight's program.
That number, once again, is 800-God-says. That is, 800-463-7297. It's free phone call, of course, in North America. 800-463-7297. We invite any question regarding the Bible or living the Christian life. We don't talk about romance or finance, but we talk about the word of God, and how to live forever. One more time, 800-463-7297. I'm Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jean Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening listening friends. Pastor Doug, as we always do, let's start the program with prayer. Dear Father, we thank you that we have this opportunity to open up the Word and study together. Lord we pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us as we search for truth. For you've promised that if we seek, we shall find. Pray for your leading, view those listening wherever they might be and lead us to clearly understand the scriptures for we ask this in Jesus name, amen.
Doug: Amen.
Jean: Well, Pastor Doug, you can't help but notice the amount of discussion in the current media with reference to military buildup, various weapons of war, the potential for outbreak of war, even nuclear war with everything happening around nowadays. You were reading in your texts, that probably there's never been a time when the United States and some of the other countries in the world, they've been so armed and so prepared for just a massive conflict. It's been many years since World War Two, and in the meantime, there's been a stockpile of weapons, so it's almost as if we facing some Armageddon.
Doug: At the end of World War Two, Douglas MacArthur, following the signing of surrender by Japan. He made a statement, and he said, "We have had our last chance. If we do not devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door." I mean, he saw the horrors of what happened with World War Two. Of course, America did use nuclear weapons back then or atomic, I should say weapons in Japan.
Now, there's an awful lot of sword or saber rattling, as they say, between Iran, North Korea, Russia, and the news is filled with tension between the nations. Jesus foretold in Matthew 24, speaking of his return in the end of the world. He said "You'll hear of wars and rumors of wars." We certainly have that right now in the news every day. "See that you are not trouble." He said, "This is normal, this is going to happen. For all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom."
Now, we have certainly seen an escalation of this in the last days. I mean just in the last century, some of the last survivors that lived over the time of world War One. There's still people walking around in the world today that were alive, during World War One and World War Two, not many left. We're losing people who actually fought in World War Two, there all-- My dad was one of those who passed off the scene.
You think about that the world involved in war. Now what would happen now with the way weapons has become so devastatingly accurate. They used to just carpet bomb back then because the bombs-- If they got within a football field with their target, they felt good. Now they are laser guided, bunker busting, infrared night bombing and stealth bombing. It's just really unimaginable of what the devastation would be if the nation's, major nations, get involved in releasing these weapons they've stockpiled.
We hope to after the end of the cold war, It would settle down. Now people are wondering, does this mean we're at the threshold of what the Bible calls the battle of Armageddon? No friends. There may be a big battle coming, but it is not the Bible battle of Armageddon yet, that's coming also. If you'd like to know, what is the battle of Armageddon? We have a free offer for you and you don't want to miss this one.
Jean: It's a book written by Joe Crews, the founder of Amazing Facts. It is a classic, and the book is simply called Armageddon. We'll be happy to send that to anybody who calls and ask. If you want to know more about what the Bible says with referencing this great battle of Armageddon, we will be happy to send it to anybody who calls. The number to call for our resource phone line is, 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Armageddon.
The number again is 800-835-6747. If you have a Bible question, our phone line here at the studio is 800-463-7297. That'll bring you right to the studio with your Bible question. Our phone lines are open, it's a good time to pick up your phone and give us a call. Our first caller this evening is Michael, and Michael is listening in Florida. Michael, welcome to the program. You're on the air.
Michael: Hello, Pastor Doug, Pastor Ross. Good to speak to you again.
Pastor John: Thank you. Good to hear from you and your question tonight.
Michael: Yes. Okay. I hope this question doesn't come off too odd or arbitrary. Anyway, I had one recently heard that-- or at least it was implied to be that billiards, because he gave a pool is something that, I guess is not Christian. At least that was the impression that I got, particularly from the article that I was reading on line that was referencing the writings of [inaudible 00:09:12], Ellen White.
Where I believe she mentioned how a Christian will not find themselves in a place that they couldn't ask God's blessing on such as the fear, the event cause, the ability to lose. The thing I'm confused at really is, whether or not it was the actual game of pool or was it the environment of the billiard halls. I know usually, there will be like bars and stuff like that.
Doug: All right. Well, let me see if I can dive in. I'm going to bring your volume down a little bit, Michael, because we're getting some digital squeal from your phone or something. What about the game of pool? Is it wrong for a Christian play pool? Especially in the 1800s, pool halls were almost, or the pool tables were almost exclusively found in the saloons, in the bars filled with smoke, drinking, and it wasn't that good an environment. It was also true of bowling back then.
When you think about the actual game, the game of bowling or pool, a game of physics, it's just a fascinating game. In that respect, when you talk about geometry and the physics of it, there's nothing inherently evil with balls rolling around a table. Statements you might hear from 18th Century authors that talk about that probably first and foremost are talking about a couple of things.
One, the environment, there was almost always, I think billiards may have become very popular in France. It was always in the bars, gambling, betting, drinking, a lot of thick smoke. I know. I used to go to those places [laughs] in my younger days. The other thing with any game is, for a Christian, you've got to ask yourself, am I being competitive? Because competition can consumer person, and the other is the time. Am I wasting time?
I used to love the game of chess. Still do. I don't play much anymore because you just have to ask how much time do I have to put into those things. If a Christian had a pool table in their house and they were playing a game of pool, I would not fault that, because- it's like I said, it's a game of physics is no more evil than ping pong or another game where you're just playing the physics of a ball.
The other questions you'd ask is the environment, the amount of time you spend and do you get into the competitive spirit where one person is putting down another person. Or they getting so competitive they get upset if they lose? That is generally true with any sports. Hopefully, that answers the question, Michael and I haven't had that question. I appreciate it. I thought you're going to ask me about the scripture that talks about playing pool. I couldn't find it.
Jean: Our next call is Charles, listening from Alabama. Charles, welcome to the program.
Charles: Hey, how's it going?
Doug: Good, thanks for calling.
Charles: Okay. I had a question for you. It was basically about incest. We know it's not right. Even science seems to indicate that it's not a good thing to do. In the Old Testament, I believe there might've been some verses about incest, maybe in Leviticus. Basically my question was about God creating the earth in such a manner with only making two individuals initially as far as we know, so where insets will be necessary. Even after that I know, Noah and his three sons and their wives repopulated earth. It seem is no incest would have taken place again. That's my question.
Doug: All right. Well, back in the days of before Noah, in the time of Adam and Eve, when you think about it, Adam and Eve had the same origin, same parents, you might say. Matter of fact, it was even stranger than that then that Eve came out of Adam and every other man has come from a woman except the first woman came from a man. That's kind of strange.
As time went by because of the problem with genetic vitality being diminished through inbreeding, and we all know that whether it's the dogs or horses, whatever it is, if there's too much inbreeding, you have all kinds of genetic mutations that cause weakness and disease. By the time of Moses is where you first see the laws that say that a man was not to marry his brother.
Now Abraham married his half-sister Jacob married his first cousin, Isaac married his first cousin. It wasn't that unusual then, but then as time goes by it's more and more encouraged for vitality and health, to stay away from marrying too much within the family. As I've traveled around the South Pacific, I've stayed and visited and done ministry in islands where you just had a small group of people living on an island.
They would naturally start to marry pretty close to the family tree, and they ended up with all kinds of defects and problems and genetic weaknesses because of that. There are certain diseases that you'll only find, for instance, among the Jewish people because, over the years they've tried to be loyal to marry other Jewish people, and if you don't get any outside blood, you can sometimes have those weaknesses. Anyway, that's the reason I think that God, especially for bad and the Lord wants us to--
Charles: I can understand why it's wrong. I guess my question is more, why would God create it, like I say from the beginning to where it would have to occur if it's wrong? I feel like it was wrong then it should have been wrong in the beginning, right?
Doug: No, not necessarily. Because, the reason that it's wrong, well for one thing in a family, brothers ought to be protecting their sisters, not marrying them. Maybe back in the days of Adam and Eve when nobody was in the world and people's genes were perfect. Adam and Eve had come from the hands of God and they were eating from the tree of life before they were driven from the garden. You wouldn't have that problem, but as time goes by, just wasn't appropriate. Yes. I appreciate that, Charles. Good question.
Jean: Next caller is Patricia, and she's listening from Portland, Oregon. Patricia, welcome to the program.
Patricia: Hi, pastors. How are you doing this evening? I have a request first of all, and that would be for prayer for John Poppy, who is homeless and is in dire need of a place to stay. That's my request, please. Then the question I have is, I know that the Bible speaks of not consulting mediums or spirits any kind of spiritualism, stuff like that. I've noticed that in forensic science, sometimes when they can't solve a cold case file, they have been resorting to mediums, people that call themselves psychics. I was wanting to know what you would have to say about that, considering what the Bible also says, of course.
Doug: Yes. Well, there's several passages in the Bible where it speaks in very strong terms against mediums, astrologers, witches, those who have familiar spirits that consult the dead and all this kind of witchcraft and wizardry is forbidden by the Lord. If God gives a prophet some kind of supernatural power, it's just right up front. It's not working with the diabolical arts of the dark side.
Jean: Well, we've got a number of verses referencing that. I'm just looking at one in Leviticus 19:31. It says, "Give no regard to mediums or familiar spirits. Do not seek after them to be defiled by them." The Bible is quite clear. If we're seeking guidance and we're seeking advice, the one to go to would be God is the one that can direct a Christian. We shouldn't be seeking guidance from mediums, or here the Bible says familiar spirits. Those who consult to the dead.
Patricia: Yet in real life, these people are solving murder cases. Is that insignificant that they're helping out in a way?
Doug: All right, so the question is, what about some of these folks that are supposedly consulting with the police departments and helping them solve cases, whether they're murderers, missing person, burglary, and we've probably heard about those things before. That doesn't mean it's the power of God. Even back in the days of the disciples in the book of Acts, it talks about a magician who the people gave a lot of attention to. I think this is like Acts 9 or might be 10.
Simon, and they thought he had the great power of God. It was actually the power of the devil because the devil. Let's suppose the devil inspires somebody to kidnap someone. Well, the devil then can tell a psychic where that person is hidden. The devil's got that information, he can pass it on and then leave everyone thinking that the psychic has got great spiritual power from God. Well, he may have spiritual power, but it's not from God.
Jean: Yes. That passage in Acts is actually in Acts 8, talks about Simon who practiced sorcery and had quite a following there in the area of Samaria. When he saw the disciples performing miracles, he wanted to do the same thing. He offered to buy the Holy Spirit.
Doug: Yes, and Peter had some pretty strong words for him for attempting that. The witch of Endor, went and saw a witch. He killed himself the next day and the Bible says, because he consulted a woman with a familiar spirit. God's pretty clear he does not want his people using these dark arts, for information.
Jean: Of course the Bible says the devil is very powerful. He's the highest level of the angels prior to the fall, and so he's able to deceive. The Bible speaks of him being a deceiver from the beginning, he's going to deceive people any way he can.
Doug: Yes, and we have a lesson specifically dealing with does, God inspire psychics and astrologers? We will send you Patricia a free copy. If you just call the resource line.
Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the study guide called, Does God Inspire Astrologists and Psychics. We'll be happy to send this to you, Patricia, or anybody who calls and asks. That number again is 800-835-6747 and the phone line here to the studio in Sacramento, California is 800-463-7297. Next caller that we have waiting online, is Eric listening from Canada. Eric, welcome to the program.
Doug: Eric, are you there? You might have the mute on. Eric listening on satellite from Canada. One more time, Eric? There we are. Eric, are you there?
Eric: Hi there.
Doug: Hey, sorry your question tonight.
Eric: I was just wondering why you teach the same doctrine as the Roman Catholic church with Good Friday and Easter.
Doug: Tell me what do you mean by that?
Eric: Well, you guys don't seem to think that God doesn't know how to count three days and three nights.
Doug: Are you saying that you think that Jesus did not die on Friday?
Eric: No. He didn't die on Friday.
Doug: Is your reason because Matthew chapter 12 it says, "As Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth, three days and three nights."
Eric: That's right.
Doug: Can you show me where in the Bible it says the heart of the earth is the tomb.
Eric: Is the grave and heart of the earth--
Doug: Where in the Bible does it call the heart of the earth 'The Tomb'?
Eric: Well, I'm not proficient neither, so.
Doug: Well let me just give you something to think about because a lot of people I think make that mistake. The verse you're talking about appears one time in the Bible and it's in Matthew chapter 12. Jesus said, "As Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so the son of man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights." You're right, it is three days and three nights. Jesus was betrayed Thursday night, he began to suffer for our sins.
Thursday night, Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, Christ was paying the penalty for sin. He was in the heart of the earth. That means in the clutches of the world, the devil was punishing him. He was experiencing. Matter of fact, when Jesus was arrested Thursday night, he said, "Now is the hour of darkness" so you can start calculating. That's why it starts Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, he rose Sunday. The Bible is pretty clear. It tells us that it was the preparation day when Jesus was crucified, which is what the Jews called Friday.
Jean: Of course, Jesus referred to the devil is the prince of this earth. When it talks about Jesus being in the heart of the earth, that was the time when Christ voluntarily allowed himself to come into the control of the power of evil. Of course, Jesus resisted. He never sinned, but he was separated from the Father as we have the account in the garden of Gethsemane. The heart of the earth was just a time of trial, a time of testing for Jesus, the suffering of Christ was not just on the cross. Suffering started earlier Thursday evening there in the upper room with the disciples and then the garden of Gethsemane.
Doug: Two very significant things happened. Thursday He had the last supper, and then He prayed in the garden, "Not my will, thy will be done," three times. He began to shed blood. His blood didn't just start falling on the cross. He began shedding blood Thursday night, not only when he sweat and prayed, he perspired blood. They beat him and he bled and then he bled on the cross. That was Thursday night and he suffered Thursday, Friday, Saturday arose Sunday. We have a book we'll send you on that that I think you'll enjoy. Eric, it's a good question. It's called The Sign of Jonah.
Jean: The Sign of Jonah. The number to call is 800-835-647. You can ask for the book called The Sign of Jonah that actually looks at this passage of scripture and looks at some of the other verses in the Bible to help explain this. We will be happy to send that to anybody who calls and asks. That number is 800-835-6747, ask the book called The Sign of Jonah. You can also read the book for free Online at the Amazing facts of website. Just type in there, The Sign of Jonah. Our next call is Alex listening from Michigan. Alex, we have just a few more minutes before our break.
Alex: All right guys, real quick question for you. Okay. I learned tonight that somebody who committed adultery and gets divorced is not to remarry that's the command of the Lord as far as they can never get remarried. Now I am remarried. Okay. That was my situation. I won't go into a bunch of long details. I was married for 26 years. It was a very dysfunctional marriage. I broke down, I walked out of the marriage. I was very distraught from a lot of things that I was dealing with.
Anyway I sent back to my ex-wife a long time ago. I asked her, "Hey, I ask you to forgive me." She said, "Hey, I forgive you," and she asked me to forgive her for a lot of her failures, and I told her I forgive her. Before I went there and I asked her I asked the Lord, "Do you want me to go back to my marriage? Do you want me to be reconciled? He said, "No, I don't want you to go back to that marriage." He said, "I'll show you."
Because I was in a lot of turmoil over it I went back to talk to my wife and we asked each other for forgiveness. Then we got into a really, really bad fight and I said, "Lord, you are really showing me that you do not want me to come back to this marriage." I dropped it and I said, "Okay, Lord, I believe that you've forgiven me."
Doug: Hey Alex, we got to turn this into a question before we run out of time.
Alex: Okay, so a person that committed adultery and is divorced, according to the scripture, they're not allowed to get remarried, but I've remarried. What am I supposed to do?
Doug: Well, there's a lot of people that sin, and it doesn't mean it's the unpardonable sin. Jesus tells us pretty clearly a man shall leave his father and mother, cleave to his wife, they will be one flesh. He says, "What God has joined together, let not man put asunder." We're supposed to recognize marriages, as sacred divine covenant. Now, a lot of people fail and a lot of people sin. Is it the unpardonable sin? No.
You have David in the Bible who committed adultery and married someone he shouldn't have married, which was Bathsheba, and he was punished for that. He suffered, but God forgave him and later accepted Bathsheba as his wife, but there were consequences. I can't change what the Bible says. These are the words of Jesus you're going to find in Matthew 5-- You just read Matthew 5:27-30, and it's all pretty clear.
I have a book, I'll send you a free copy of Alex that I think you'll appreciate, and it's called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. It's a free book it has not just this verse It's got all the verses. It talks specifically about your question. It's an important question. I want you to understand what the Bible says. Don't lose hope. When Jesus met the Samaritan woman, she said, "I've had five husbands." [laughs] Or actually Jesus said, "You've had five husbands and you're married to someone now are living with someone now you're not married to."
Still He accepted her and forgave her sins and she started working for Him. God meets us where we are at. You cannot always unscramble scrambled eggs. We appreciate your call. Ask for the free book. The number is 800-835-6747, and the book is called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. Call that number. We'll send you a free copy and we thank you for your call. Listen friends. We're not going away. We're just going to take a brief break. We're going to get a drink of water, catch our breath and we do have lines open. Call with your questions. 800-463-7297, we're coming back.
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I think it's very important for us to build churches, but if the church has lose the message of salvation, they just become buildings and shells. I think it's important to have a medical ministry and build hospitals, but if they separate that from the message of salvation, you just prolong a sinner's life for a little while. That's why for years, Amazing Facts has made it our focus to present the saving truth that sets people free. Friends, we want to thank you for your support and your gifts. We'll do our very best to convert those resources into the currency of heaven. May God bless you and keep Amazing Facts in your proofs.
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Voice over: 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. This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. If you'd like answers to your Bible related questions on the air, please call us next Sunday between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific Time. To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned in this evenings program, call 800-835-6747. Once again, that's 800-835-6747. Now, let's join pastors Doug Batchelor and Jean Ross for more Bible answers live.
Doug: Hello listening friends, Bible Answers Live back for the second half. If you tuned in along the way, we are, as you can tell from the title, a live Bible Answer program. We invite you to call in with your questions. We have the numbers lines open. Here's the number 800-463-7297. If you call and it rings a little bit, he that endures to the end we'll get on the air, just let it ring and someone will get your call, 800-463-7297. I am Doug Batchelor.
Jean: My name is John Ross and be ready to go right back to the phone lines. We have Joshua listening from Michigan. Joshua, you're on the air.
Joshua: Hello?
Doug: Get close to your phone Joshua. You're in Michigan and we're in California.
Joshua: Hi. I have a question. Can you hear me all right.
Doug: You on speaker phone?
Joshua: Yes.
John1: Is there a way to get on the old fashion version, where you pick it up?
Joshua: I got it all set.
John1: That's a whole better. Thank you.
Joshua: Sorry about that. My question is more of just thinking out loud. I was listening to the program about Armageddon and it was very fascinating. There's a lot of conversation about that. I'm thinking how important it is for us to love God with all of our heart, our soul, and our mind, and our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Those are the two greatest commands. Still, there's like the things that are going on, like the end times haven't happen yet? How to resurrect the two, you know, loving others, but also being aware of the end times?
Doug: Well, why isn't asking that question because I know people that become so preoccupied with the win and how of Jesus coming that they forget, the most important thing is, no matter what happens in the world, we're to be nurturing our relationship with the Lord, where we love the Lord, with all our heart, whatever circumstances come, whatever tests we face, we want to be a witness for God.
That's got to be the priority. We all have heard about people who see what's going on in the world and their response is, 'run to the hills and get survival gear and food that will last buried underground for 20 years. That's somehow going to save you'. If you don't have a loving relationship with the Lord, none of that's going to save you. "Seek first," Jesus said, "the kingdom of God, His righteousness and all the other things, they'll take care of themselves."
Joshua: Amen.
Doug: The reason we do talk about the signs of the times and prophecies is to stir people so they'll say, "Hey, I better get my life together, because the world may not last forever. These are serious times, and I need to be ready." "These are the times that try men's souls someone wrote." The world's wrapping up and they're seeking after the world, the things of the world, and they need to be seeking after God. That's why we let people know be aware of the times.
Joshua: That's what Christ said when he was in His ministry, He said. Do you recall--
John1: When you see these things begin to happen, lift up your eyes, and pray always that you might escape all these things and stand before the Son of Man. He wants us to keep the priority of seeking first his kingdom. Hey, Josh, we'll be happy to send you that book we're offering tonight. It is actually a booklet that's easy reading very interesting, called Armageddon. Just call the resource number and we'll send that to you.
Jean: The number to call is 800-835-6747. You can ask for the book called Armageddon. We'll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks. Our next call that we have is Grace listening from Washington. Grace, welcome to Bible Answers Live.
Grace: Hello, everyone.
John1: Hi, how are you doing?
Grace: I'm doing good. Thank you for taking my question. I was wondering, I never know if I'm saved. I always struggle with feeling like I have to do certain things to be saved, and I know that's not how it works because I know no matter what I do, I'll never be good enough to be saved. I don't know. Just I don't really know how you can tell. I don't want to be presumptuous but I don't want to be afraid all the time, either.
Doug: Well, that's a good question. A lot of people battle with what you're describing there. I need to give you an honest answer. There's a lot of misinformation that circulates among Christians. Because some people become so works oriented, pastors have swung the pendulum to the other side, and they say, there's nothing you can do to be saved. Well, that's patently not true. What separates the saved from the lost is indeed something that the saved do.
You need to believe, you need to come to Jesus, and you draw near to God, He will draw near to you. For the prodigal son to be forgiven. He had to get up and come home. See what I mean there? It's something you need to do. It's based on faith. Christ said, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We need to tell the Lord we are sorry for our sins, confessing to the Lord and repent of our sins. He promises if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all in righteousness.
Then as we receive the Lord, we're to walk in the Lord. That may be the part that you wonder, am I ever walking well enough? I think the very term saved confuses people. Saved makes it sound like you've arrived. When you come to the Lord, you come just like you are like the song says, Just as I am. God accepts you based on faith. You come and you repent, you can confess, you believe, and he receives you. All your sins are cast into the depths of the sea.
Then begins sanctification. Justification is when you come to the Lord just like you are. Sanctification is now the process of walking with the Lord, and you're not to walk in fear. How many times did Jesus say, "Don't be afraid?" If you love the Lord, you need to have faith, that if you really love him, and you're doing what you can to try to please Him because you love him not to be saved, that he will finish the work he's begun in your life.
The Bible calls him the author and the finisher of our faith, believe that the Lord is not going to try to catch you when you've made a mistake and take you out. Believe that he is going to continue to work in your life as you trust him to transform you because being a Christian is a conversion. It means, old things are passed away. All things are made new. We become new creatures. Isn't that right?
Grace: Yes. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Doug: If you see that you're you're struggling to grow, don't be discouraged, draw closer to the Lord, focus on the Lord, we become like what we look at. If you're looking at Jesus, you will become like him. We'd like to send you a book that I think will give you some peace. It's called Three Steps To Heaven. It's a simple book, but I think it'll really help you to find confidence in your relationship with the Lord. Would you like that?
Grace: Yes, please.
Doug: It's free. Just call the number, Pastor Ross is going to give you.
Jean: The number is 800-835-6747. The book is called, Three Steps to Heaven. Again, that number is 800-835-6747, and ask for the book called, Three Steps to Heaven. We'll be happy to send it to you grace or to anybody who calls and asks. Again, I want to remind you that all of the resources that we talked about here on the program are also available at the Amazing Facts website to amazingfacts.org. Our next call is Phil listening from Toronto, Canada. Phil welcome to Bible Answers Live.
Phil: Two question. First, birth defects through inbreeding, are they related to the fall in the garden? Are they a product of the fall in the garden? Second question, the lady asked the boat or for us to pray for the gentleman who was homeless, would she not, or would it not be her obligation to take that gentleman in knowing that he's in need of a place to stay? I'll take to call or listen your answer up there. Thank you.
Doug: Thank you, Phil. Two questions. First question was about inbreeding. Did it cause the fall? No, I don't believe that. The fall was caused because Adam and Eve did not believe the Lord when He said, "Don't eat from the forbidden tree." I'm sure that the fall contributed to the problems from intermarriage. Maybe, if the world if they're never been sin, I'm quite sure that wouldn't have been any genetic mutations if they're never been seen in the world. Just like there were no thorns or thistles or any problems with creation until sin. Your second question. If you know a homeless person that needs help, is a Christian obligated to take them in? No. The Bible does say, "You know I was hungry and you brought me food. I was thirsty. You gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in." Not every family you know, I know some single mothers and they got children and it's certainly not appropriate to bring a homeless man in the house.
You might just not have the resources and space. You might be living in a city where there's 500 homeless people on your way to work. You can't practically bring all of them into your home. You probably make a good point, Phil, that Christians don't do as much of that. I don't even do it as much. I used to pick up hitchhikers and bring them home. ,y wife would go, "Oh, okay." Sometimes is there's safety issues.
Sometimes the people, they have drug problems today and you've got family with children, you just got to be wise. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will say, this is a person who's it will really benefit from that. It is a valid question. Anyway, thank you for your questions Phil and that does open another line. If you have a Bible question. We still have about 20 minutes left. 800-463-7297. Pick up your phone now. Who's next?
Jean: We've got Christie Jill, listening from Montana. Christie, welcome to the program.
Doug: Hi Christie. I've been to Missoula.
Christie Jill: Hello. My question is more of like an advice thing.The Mormons are sending their missionaries out constantly. I guess the Mormons are now coming to Montana. Anyway. I don't believe that they are a Christian faith. I would just like to have a couple of scriptures that I could pull out that are just concrete just to arm myself because they've done a lot of studying, a lot of preparing to go on these missions to come to your door and they always catch me a little off guard. I just was hoping that you could give me a, just a few scriptures I could pull out and say, "I don't believe that the Mormon faith is the truth faith and this is why."
Doug: All right. Very good. First of all, at the core of-- I want to be careful, I've met to some lovely Mormon people. They're lovely people. They're lovey families.
Christie Joe: Absolutely.
Doug: Their theology I do think is a cultish theology. I want to separate the two. I know just some tremendous Mormon people. They have very high ethics, are very honest, very hardworking, close families. In their theology when you study it, they basically believe our God is not the final God. That our God once was a lower kind of God, and worked his way up and ended up getting a galaxy or his own dominion and that someday we will be gods.
But this was what God said to Adam and Eve, or the devil actually told Adam and Eve that if you eat the forbidden fruit, you will be as a god. There was someone put out a video a few years ago called the God Makers, it's probably dated now. It talks about a number of the teachings of Mormonism, that being one. Then this is a question I ask is I say, "is God growing and becoming greater?"
They say, "Yes." I say well, "Does God know everything? If he knows everything, how can you learn something if you know everything." The very idea that God is somehow expanding and becoming a bigger God, you just can't support that. The Bible says, "I am the Lord and there is no other," and that's an Isaiah. Maybe Pastor Ross is going to look that up. There is no other God. The idea there are other gods out there in the cosmos of their galaxies or universes. That I think is a foundational problem.
Jean: The verse you're looking at, Isaiah 45:5 and it says, "I am the Lord. There is no other, there is no god besides me."
Doug: Then also the idea in their teachings that Jesus is not the God, eternal God, the creator, they think Jesus and Lucifer, somehow brothers at one point and it came to the world and nothing could be further from the truth. Christ is the creator. All things that were made were made by him. You can read John 1, and the devil is a creation. Lucifer was a created angel that fell and so they were not brothers. There's just some real foundational problems. When you have a foundation that's crooked, everything else in theology starts to get crooked.
Jean: Isaiah 8:20 says, "To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." The law, which when we talk about the law, we took in about the first five books of Moses. That's what the Jews understood as the law. The testimony would be everything else that the prophets wrote. If what a person says and what a person teaches contradicts the law of God, contradicts what the scriptures have said, on the Bible's pretty clear there's no light in them.
Doug: Yes, I studied with Mormon several times. When I catch him on a scripture they can't answer, they say, "Yes, but the book of Mormon, or the Pearl of great price," and they quote some other extra biblical Book by Joseph Smith. If it conflicts with the Bible and they'll say, "This is fresh information the Bible's older," and of course this having a whole another Bible that they say was written by the 10 tribes that came to America. We know from DNA now the 10 tribes, the American Indians are not from Israel. The whole thing was based on a myth that's caused a lot of problems. You can look up that book or the video, The God makers. I bet the YouTube is online for few day.
Christie Jill: Okay.
Doug: Hey, thank you very much. There'll be a lot of scriptures there. I appreciate that Christie Jill.
Jean: Next call is Rick from Fort Lauderdale in Florida. Rick, welcome to the program.
Rick: Hey, thank you pastors. I loved all your show on Facebook. It's really a very good. I have a question about revelation. It mentions wormwood. What is wormwood? Is that like a meteor?
Doug: Some have said that, I think the word Chernobyl in rush and someone told me it translates a wormwood and wormwood was a bitter herbs. In Revelation-- Pastor Ross might address it because he does seminars in Revelation.
Jean: Did you know the word wormwood first finds his origin all the way back in Deuteronomy 29:18, and literally it means bitterness. There was some kind of a route that was rather bitter and you have the story of how the water turned to wormwood, meaning it was bitter. People couldn't drink it. In Revelation, that symbol is used, it's referencing a star called wormwood, meaning bringing bitterness in the Bible.
Water represents the truth, represents life. There is a corruption of the truth and it's referring to a time period where false doctrines were introduced that corrupted the truth of the gospel that originally was preached by the apostles. It's a counterfeit doctrine, a counterfeit teaching. The word literally just means bitterness. It's connected with a type of bitter root.
Doug: People, when the Israelites were crossing the desert and they were dying of thirst and they ran into a pool of water and they couldn't drink it because the waters were bad. Pastor Ross and I were camping out in Nevada desert and there was a spring out there and it had a sign. It said, "You can't drink from this spring." It killed the cows when they came across and how disappointed they were. That's what happened to the living water was polluted by great apostasy in the church during the dark ages. That's why you find that phrase wormwood. Some people wondered if Chernoble if that was describing what happened there. I don't think that's what that is a fulfillment.
Jean: Just to be real frank with you. There's a number of scholars, especially in during the early reformation time period that identified this wormwood that you read about in Revelation 8:11 as being the rise of Islam, and its expansion during the Ottoman Empire. Kind of interesting study there. It's referencing the fifth trumpet. Fifth and sixth trumpet.
Doug: Anything we can send Rick on that or?
Jean: I don't think we have a book specifically on.
Doug: You could probably look up online, Rick. There's a book that's public domain by Uriah Smith. It's called Daniel and the revelation. I've seen it's free online.
Jean: You preached a sermon series not too long ago called, Islam and Christianity.
Doug: Islam, Christianity and prophecy?
Jean: Yes.
Doug: They can go to Amazing Facts and order that Islam, Christianity and Prophecy. Thank you for your call, Rick. Appreciate it.
Jean: Next call is Tanya listening from Michigan. Tanya, welcome to the program.
Tonya: Hi, how are you doing?
Doug: Good. Thank you for your call, and your question.
Tanya: Great. I have a friend who's a Christian and I have a person who is a Muslim. Now this person who's a Christian wants to go against the Bible evenly unyoked and go Muslim. Now he wants me to accept and turn my back on the Lord, which of course I'm not going to do. Now I know that it's right to forgive and all that sort of thing. Just because you forgive, does that mean that you have to let the person in your life, even if you disagree, or would that be turning your back on the Lord?
Doug: It depends. There are people that we want to maintain a relationship with so that we can influence them in a positive way. If someone has turned from Christianity and they're trying to convert you, well then-- It's like you said, can two walk together if they're not agreed. It's really hard to be friends with somebody that on an intimate level you can be casual acquaintances. You may work in an office with people, with all kinds of people.
Tanya: That's what I mean, so just casual.
Doug: People work together in offices that have all different kinds of religious backgrounds and you can be polite and friendly and have lunch with them. You start becoming a close friend with somebody that's trying to pull you from your beliefs and that's not good.
Tanya: I really don't want to continue this friendship but he basically wants me to, "Oh, just accept it." I'm like, "No I can't do that."
Doug: You got to put the Lord first.
Tanya: Amen.
Doug: They need to know where your boundaries are. You just say, "As much as I might care about you as a person, God is first in my life." Jesus said, you got a hand, a foot or an eye that is offending you, even though they're very close, cut it off.
Tanya: That's what I told him.
Doug: Sometimes we have to cut off close relationships that are dragging us down.
Tanya: Right. That's what I told them and he just yelled at me and he just turned a deaf ear.
Doug: Doesn't sound like a good friend and you're going to be losing much anyway, Tanya, [laughs] If they're yelling at you. If you have to turn away from somebody because they're dragging you down, Bible tells us we kind of become like our friends. You want to pick wise friends. It says, "He who would be wise he's going to have wise friends." If you want to be a strong Christian, find strong Christian friends.
Now that doesn't mean you don't associate with non-believers or you could never witness but there's a difference here. Thank you very much for your question, Tanya. We're going to try and squeeze in a couple more calls.
Jean: We've got Ben listening in Iowa. Ben, welcome to the program.
Ben: Thank you for your program, and thank you for watching it. I really enjoy it. A marriage by a pastor to perform the ceremony for people to be married. Can two people that make commitment to each other and live with each other for number years be married.
Doug: You want to be legally married as opposed to illegally married because the Bible does say, we should obey the laws of the land. If someone says are you married? You want to be able to say yes, definitively. You don't want to tell the state, "No, we're not married," for tax reasons, and then tell everyone else, "Yes, we are married," because then you're not being honest.
What would be why would a Christian not want to be legally married where you-- You don't have to have a pastor, you can have a justice of the peace. It'd be nice to have it done with a church and a pastor because then you're doing the covenant in a religious context. Would you have a problem with that or are you asking on behalf of someone else or you just curious?
Ben: I'm asking because I have a daughter that's lived with a man for 20-some years. They never had a marriage before a minister, but they don't claim to be married but yet they've been together for over 20 years.
Doug: I don't want to meddle in their lives, but I wonder what prevents them from getting married?
Ben: In the beginning, if he got married they were going to take the family farm away from him.
Doug: For financial reasons they're not getting married? I think that you need to do the right thing, because it is the right thing regardless of the consequences. If a man and woman are going to live together and enjoy the intimacy of marriage, they should make the covenant in the presence of God and it should be recognized in our society. Obviously, if two people are married you want those around and know you're committed so they're not making passes at you, you and your spouse. You know what? I've got a book. You might want to send them a copy. We'll send you one for free and you can give it to him, Ben.
Ben: Thank you.
Doug: It's called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage we talked about earlier tonight. We'll just call the number.
Jean: The number is 88356747. You can ask for the book called Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. We have Donna listening from Texas. Donna, welcome to the program.
Donna: Yes. My question is, did Judas have a choice in the betrayal of Jesus?
Doug: Yes, he did. Now because God knew what Judas was going to do doesn't mean that God made him do it. God just knew what Judas was going to choose. God knows everything, doesn't He? We can still have a choice and because God knows what we're going to choose doesn't mean He's making us choose. The prophecy said that Jesus would be betrayed by a friend. Judas didn't do it because the prophecy said it. The prophecy said it because they knew what Judas was going to choose, but Judas was a free moral agent like all the other apostles. The Lord wanted Judas to be saved. He didn't want him to be lost. He washed his feet and he pled with, but Judas resisted because of his pride.
Donna: That makes sense, no doubt.
Doug: Hey, I appreciate your question. We got two minutes. Can we do a question in two minutes Pastor Ross? It'll be tight.
Jean: Yes, we'll have Jay listening from South Dakota. Jay, we have just two minutes left.
Jay: How are you doing?
Doug: Good.
Jay: My question is on salvation. I attended another church and their teaching is, "Once saved always saved." Just maybe clarify a little bit about that.
Doug: Let me make a quick comment on that. I do believe a Christian can live with some confidence about the relationship with the Lord. The idea that once you are saved you've lost your freedom to be a lost is not taught in the Bible. Salvation is a love relationship you cannot force love. There are several examples in the Bible of people who were saved that lost their salvation because they turned from the Lord. Now those who believe in 'once saved always saved' they say, "Well, they never were saved." That's sort of their escape clause.
You've got King Saul chosen by God, filled with the Holy Spirit. Even prophesied but through his pride he grieved it away the spirit took his own life. Judas sincerely followed the Lord. Even went out with the other apostles casting out devils and preaching but he would not give up his pride in his covetousness and his lie went out. Jesus says in Revelation, repent or I will remove your candlestick out of its place. These are messages to churches. He said unless they repent they're going to lose out. We got a book on this.
Jean: Matter of fact the book is called Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost?
Doug: Just send for that. Jay, we'll send it to you free. The number 800-835-6744, Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost? Friends we are out of time for the question part. Still have some important announcements to come final appeal from Pastor Ross and I. If you enjoy the program, we're here because people like you go online, keep us on the air with a donation. God bless.
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