This is Doug Batchelor, how about an amazing fact? Living on New Zealand’s North Island is a very large cricket-like insect with thorny legs, called the
Tree Weta. These giant flightless bugs typically live in holes in trees and eat lichen, flowers, seeds, and fruit. Some species grow four inches long and are as heavy as a cell phone, but don’t reach for them if they vibrate. They can deliver a very painful bite with their powerful mandibles and also inflict irritating scratches with their bacteria laden spiny legs. The menacing physical appearance of the Weta, makes these giant thorny bugs scary enough, but when you mix that with the zombie like ability to revive from the dead, well you have one spooky bug.
Of course the Weta doesn’t really return from the dead but they do sometimes play dead. When threatened it might lay still for a short time on its back, with its legs splade, claws exposed and its jaws wide, open and ready to scratch and bite. Another way Weta seem to cheat death is when they revive after being frozen alive for months. In the winter, their bodies might be covered with frost at times and temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius or 14 degrees Fahrenheit. They’re able to put themselves in a type of suspended animation, because their hemolymph blood contains a special anti-freeze that prevents ice from forming in their cells.
Wetas can only pretend to rise from the dead, but the Bible says “A day is coming, when all the dead will be resurrected”. Stay with us friends, we’re going to learn more as Amazing Facts bring you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: hello listening friends, welcome to Bible Answers Live. And as you can tell from the title of this program. It’s a live, international, interactive Bible study. And we’d be delighted if you interact with us, you can listen, you can call in with your Bible questions. That number, toll free number 1-800, we still use that old 800 number, 1-800-GODSAYS, 1-800-463-7297. And my name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening listening friends. And Pastor Doug, let’s begin the program with prayer. Dear Father once again, we thank you that we have this opportunity to study your word together. We do ask for your blessing and your presence, be with those who are listening, wherever they might be and be with us here in the studio as we search the scriptures. For we ask this is Jesus name, Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Pastor Doug you opened the program, by talking about a bug from New Zealand that, well looks rather intimidating but it has this remarkable ability to endure cold and then also, to play dead and then suddenly spring back to life.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, it’s from what I read, I’m never seen one I’ve never been to New Zealand. But they’ve got a whole variety of this Weta bugs and you could find it on them on the internet. But they have copper in their blood and when exposed to air, it starts to turn like a bluish green colour, something like inner freeze and it works inner freeze. They can look for all practical purposes like they are dead and frozen and immobile for months. But really there in just a suspended animation, and when it warms up, they suddenly spring back to life again. And it reminds me, there’s a few examples of this in nature but, that reminds me of the verse where Jesus said in John 5:28 “Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth. They that have done good to the resurrection of life, and those that have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation” and these are the words of Jesus.
He said “the hour is coming”, it was in the future. A lot of people think, when you die you go right to heaven or hell before the judgment or resurrection. And that’s not really what the Bible teaches. The Bible tells us that the judgment day and the resurrection are in the future. And there’s good news, if our listening friends have love ones that they know, have died in the faith and they can be encouraged that they could see them again. And there is hope, God can rise the dead, and if people would like to know more about this subject. What does the Bible teach about the subject of death? You think everyone would want to know because it’s something that given time, everybody’s going to experience, it’s the big mystery. But the teaching is very clear from the Bible, from the teachings of Jesus, and we have a special offer, that we’d like to make available to anybody that has a question about this subject.
Pastor Jëan Ross: It is a book we don’t offer this too often but, deals with the subject of what happens when a person dies. The book is entitled “Spirits of the Dead” and then it’s got a sub line on the cover, it says “Do they Speak and Hear?” If you’d like to learn more as to what the Bible has to say, with reference to those who are dead. Give us a call, 1-800-835-6747 and we’ll be happy to send you the book “Spirits of the Dead”. The number again is 1-800-835-6747. Pastor Doug, we’d like to welcome a new radio station that is carrying Bible Answers Live. The core letters, “WDCX” and it is in Buffalo, New York. Also heard in Toronto, Canada, and then there is an AM station, WDCX 9:90 am, which is in Rochester, New York.
Pastor Doug: Welcome
Pastor Jëan Ross: So if you’re listening in WDCX, welcome to the program, give us a call with your Bible question.
Pastor Doug: Alright! Is it time? Is it that time, we go to the phones now?
Pastor Jëan Ross: It is! Time to go to the phones, our first caller this evening, we have Marilee who is listening from California. Marilee welcome to the program.
Marilee: Thank you
Pastor Doug: Hi
Marilee: My question is, how are Christians sanctified?
Pastor Doug: How are Christians sanctified? Well, you find the word “sanctified” about 62 times in the Bible. And what that really means, the word “santa”, I think if we know a little Spanish, santa is like a “holy”. You got the Santa Biblias, its “the Holy Bible”. It means, how do we go through the process of becoming holy? When we first accept Jesus, through he’s giving us credit by our faith, in His sacrifice, in His grace. We are declared to be forgiven and righteous, and that’s called justification. Now that’s where He justly declares us to be new creatures and forgiven. But now we got the issue of our life experience in our memories and our habits. How do we then live a holy life? Well, He promises to give us the power of the Holy Spirit and His mind and a new heart, a new covenant as a new heart. And then we through, spending time with Christ, we begin to live a new kind of life. We walk, we become new creatures.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, Jesus said in “John chapter 17, verse 17”, He said, “Sanctify them”, speaking of those who put their confidence in Him. “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth”. So the studying of God’s word, produces that change of heart that brings us into harmony with, well the whole government of heaven, that principle of love.
Pastor Doug: Is it transforming influence into word. And so, you know, the whole devotional life, it’s not just study the word, pray, that’s communication with God because the better we love God, the better we want to obey Him. and so spending time with God through His speaking to us, through His word, through talking to Him through prayer, and then sharing our faith, our faith is really wielded in our own hearts and minds, as we give it a way to others, it’s sealed. So there’s some basics right there Marilee.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, we do have a book dealing the subject of salvation, it also covers sanctification, and really, at the heart of sanctification is “the surrender of self”, and that’s what the book is called, it’s called “The Surrender of Self”, how do we surrender ourselves to God, to allow Him to do His work within us? If you’d like to receive that book Marilee, give us a call 1-800-835-6747. You can ask for the book, “The Surrender of Self”. Or anyone that’s listening, we’ll be happy to send that out.
Marilee: Okay.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Joel is listening in Tennessee. Joel welcome to the program.
Joel: Hi pastors, how you doing?
Pastor Doug: Doing well.
Joel: I have a question, one question. Is it okay to wear wedding band, or jewellery that is given to us by our family?
Pastor Doug: Well 1st, let me explain to everybody. There’s going to be a whole lot of people in heaven that wear jewellery. And jewellery, when you just look at what is it, I mean, as far as, you know, the tangible product or thing, it’s minerals, its gold, its silver, its gems, and typically, unless you’re getting your plastic costume jewellery or something. In Bible times, that was money. You can often, they didn’t always mint coins, they would, you know, I think when Eliezer wanted to give a gift of money to Rebecca, it says, “He gave her a bracelet”, and then tells how much it weighed. There are different values attached to these things, and they carried it around them, on their bracelets or on their rings or whatever, and it was often money. In the New Testament, it says, “That a Christian should not be adorned with gold or silver, or precious stones, but with, it’s the inner man”, and so it’s the inner adornment that is really important. Now wedding ring, you don’t find anything about the wedding ring in the Bible, so if you’re asking for a scripture, we can’t really give you one. The wedding ring is a tradition that, I think it dates way back to Babylon, which was adopted then, through a series of changes of kingdoms, it eventually found its way to Egypt, and from Egypt, and it found its way to Rome, Roman Empire, from the Roman Empire, kind of, it seeped into the Roman catholic church, and it’s pretty universal now. You can go to China or Japan or anywhere, a wedding ring is supposed to be a symbol that a “person is married”, but it doesn’t make a person married, and it doesn’t ensure a marriage, it’s a token. But I, you know, personally, I just avoid any kind of jewellery. For one thing, being a man working with my hands, I find it gets in the way. But the other thing is that, just, I don’t want to do anything to make anyone stumble. So the Bible says, “Don’t wear any gold or it’s not the outward adornment”, I just avoid it. So I don’t know if I gave you a clear answer Joel, but you have that verse Pastor Ross, that was talking about in Peter?
Pastor Jëan Ross: I’ll pull it up here just in a moment, I’m, what came to mind while you were talking, is the book that we have, that you might want to tell Joel about.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, we got 2 books actually, that address jewellery. 1 I wrote called, “Jewellery, How Much is too Much?” And then there is another one by Joe Cruz, called, “Colourful Cosmetics and Jewellery”, and we’ll let you pick one of those, and be happy to send it to you, and it’s got a lot of scripture in it, for what these principles are.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, there’s several reference in the New Testament that talk about adorning, probably one of the clearest is, “1st Peter chapter 3, and its verse 3, 1st Peter chapter 3, verse 3”, it says, “Do not let your adornment be outward arranging of the hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of fine apparel, rather, let it be the hidden person of the heart”. That’s 1st Peter chapter 3, verse 3. And then the book “Jewellery, How Much is Too Much?”, deals with a number of other passages or scripture on this subject. The number to call is 1-800-835-6747, that is our resource line, and ask for the book ,”Jewellery, How Much is Too Much?”. And Pastor Doug, you mentioned, there was another one.
Pastor Doug: Pastor Joe Cruz’s book called, “Colourful Cosmetics and Jewellery”, I think we still carry that.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Either one of those books, we’ll be happy to send that out to you. Our next caller is Jim and Jim is in Oregon, listening online. Jim, welcome to the program.
Jim: Hi pastors.
Pastor Doug: Evening.
Jim: I have a question that has perplexed me for a long time.
Pastor Doug: Alright.
Jim: Since Jews were conquered by the Babylons, and 5, approximately 596 B.C, and the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was in 457, that’s about a 140 year period. And then, where does the 70 year prophecy of Jeremiah fit in? What are the years for that?
Pastor Doug: Well, if you look in “Daniel chapter 9, verse 2”. Well, the prophecy you’re talking about, first appears in “Jeremiah 25:11”. It says, “The whole land will be desolation in an astonishment, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon 70 years”. So 1 key is, He says, “The whole land a desolation”. The 1st captivity that was carried away by Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was in that 1st captivity. Nebuchadnezzar did not desolate Jerusalem with the 1st war, It was years later, under King Zedekiah, he came back and Zedekiah rebelled, that’s when the city was burned, the temple was destroyed. And so that’s got to be your starting point. I think, you know, I’m going from memory, I thought that was like 586 but then you read in the book, “Daniel chapter 9”, and it says, “In the 1st year of the reign of Darius. I Daniel, understood by books, the number of years were of the word of the Lord, came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolations, and I set my face to pray”. He realized that time period was approaching when they would be allowed to go back. And it was actually with the 1st king of Persia, they were given freedom to go back, so, and start rebuilding. But and also
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes, just to build on that. There were 3 decrees that were given, that allowed the Jews to go back and build Jerusalem, the temple, and then finally the wall. The 1st was by Cyrus in 537, which would be the end of 70 year period
Pastor Doug: 70 year period.
Pastor Jëan Ross: But it wasn’t until 457 B.C, which is the 3rd that really allowed them to rebuild the wall. So they started rebuilding the temple, but then it wasn’t for a number of years, there was another decree by Dararius, Dararius the 1st in 520, and then finally Xerxes in 457 B.C.
Pastor Doug: So the key is, that I wouldn’t go from the destruction of Jerusalem to 457, that was the final of 3 decrees, the prophecy was, “the land would be desolate and the people would be scattered”, they were allowed to come home after the Persians took control. I don’t know if that helps a little bit Jim.
Jim: Yes, that does.
Pastor Doug: Very good. Now we have a lesson that talks about some of these prophecies and rebuilding, is it, God sets a date for the judgement, doesn’t that include the decree to go back to Jerusalem?
Pastor Jëan Ross: It does, deals with Daniel chapter 9 and those prophecies. Again, the study guide is, “God Set a Date for the Judgement”, we’ll be happy to send that to you, if you’d call our resource line, that’s 1-800-837-6747. There’s also another one, “Right on Time”, that also talks a little bit about the judgement, it deals with that time prophecy, you can also ask for that study guide entitled, “Right on Time”. Our next caller is Marcus, and he is calling from North Carolina. Marcus, welcome to the program.
Marcus: Hi, thank you pastors.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Marcus: I have question about angels. Our bodies are made out of flesh and bones but what are their bodies made off?
Pastor Doug: Well, that’s a good question. The Bible tells us that, “These are spiritual creatures. And, you know, it says, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood”, so 1 thing we know, is their not flesh and blood but it says there, you know, “principalities and powers in heavenly places”. Angels are called, “Ministering spirits”. Now, you say, “What are they made off?” There’s a whole dimension of very real life that’s around us that we can’t see. I believe, before Adam and Eve sinned, that they had open communion, that they, Adam and Eve lived in 4 dimensions, they not only had the length and the breath and the depth of the dimensions we live in now, but there is a spirit, 4th dimension that is around us now, that they somehow lost the sensibility to detect. Where, that’s where, were cut off from God and the spiritual, you know, Bible says, “God is a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth”. So I can’t put in a test tube what that looks like, just by virtue of the fact that we are separated
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, there is a verse that kind of tells us a little bit about this, its “1st Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 40”, where the apostle Paul says, “There are celestial bodies”, with reference to the angels, terrestrial bodies, but the glory of the celestial is one , and the glory of the terrestrial is another. So it doesn’t really go into detail but it does talk about celestial bodies. Now some say, “Well, maybe that’s the stars or the planets”, others say, “Well, that’s really referring to the angels, these created beings in heaven”. So there is a different dimension that the Bible clearly describes.
Pastor Doug: And celestial there means, “Heavenly”. It’s like, you know, these creatures that live in the presence of God. So I don’t know if we’re helping Marcus, with that, if yeah, it’s hard for us to give you a diagram on what angels are made off.
Marcus: Alright.
Pastor Doug: That’s a good question I’d like to know too, if you find out more about it.
Marcus: (Laughing) thank you.
Pastor Doug: I appreciate your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Next caller is Shawn, and he is listening from Detroit Michigan. Shawn, welcome to the program.
Shawn: Yes, thank you very much Pastors Batchelor, Ross. I’ve got a question about the lying, I believe it’s in Revelation, I don’t know, but the pure remain pure and the impure, about the probation period, when “people are sealed off, as to their choice and there’s no more choosing”
Pastor Doug: I think its “Revelation
Shawn: You know what I’m referring to?
Pastor Doug: 22” that we’re talking about and it starts with “verse 11”. It says, “Let the unjust be unjust still, and let he that is filthy be filthy still. Let he that is righteous be righteous still, and he that is holy, holy still”. So
Shawn: I have a question about that.
Pastor Doug: is that the verse you’re talking about?
Shawn: Yes, I have a question about that
Pastor Doug: It’s easy to remember, “Revelation 22:11”.
Shawn: Okay. It seems that there’s so much hostility when the war is being witnessed. Now, are we approaching that time where it’s just people, you make camps in their respective territories, and do you feel, because know the war, the war approaching in our time now.
Pastor Doug: Yes, I really do. I don’t think there’s ever been a time in history like we have today. Not only the, you know, the political upheaval and the financial upheaval, and the natural disasters, you know, the whole creation is groaning and travailing right now.
Shawn: Right.
Pastor Doug: But just even. Biblically, when you line up the prophecies, it seems like, you know, we’re somewhere right know, living between 2 thousand years from the birth of Christ and the death of Christ, we are
Shawn: Right.
Pastor Doug: right in that window, between the 2. And there was 2 thousand years from Adam, when you add up the ages of the Bible, I know people will argue “how old the earth is”, but just forget that
Shawn: Sure.
Pastor Doug: for a moment. If you just add up the ages in the Bible, there’s about 2 thousand years from Adam to Abraham,
Shawn: Right.
Pastor Doug: you got the age of the patriarchs, you got 2 thousand years from Abraham to Christ 1st coming
Shawn: Right.
Pastor Doug: Then there’s approximately 2 thousand years from His 1st coming to His 2nd coming, that’s 6 thousand
Shawn: Right.
Pastor Doug: And then we have a 1 thousand year Sabbath where we live and reign with Christ, during the millennium
Shawn: Right.
Pastor Doug: So if it’s going to fit within that scheme it all, we’re living right there, in that window. Who, what is the day and hour, I don’t know.
Shawn: Right, to get specifically. It just seems that, the war is so hostile, there’s such hostility to the witnessing of Christ now.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, there is and. You know, I think we’re going to see a, I think the Holy Spirit’s going to be poured out, you’ll probably see some persecution and you’ll see great revival at the same time, they usually go hand in hand
Shawn: Right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, we have a parallel verse here in “Daniel, chapter 12”, that kind of tells us a little bit more about this. Daniel 12 was one, it says, “And at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, never such, since there was a nation even to that same time”. So here, you have the closed of human probation, and there is this time of trouble, the Holy Spirit is withdrawn to the wicked, and we can begin to see, the consequences, the results of what happens when people turn away from the Holy Spirit., just the violence, the war, the turmoil, the crime. Bible says, “It’s going to get worse”, but there’s a promise. It says, “During that time, God’s people shall be delivered, everyone found written in the book. Of course that book is “The lambs’ book of life”.
Pastor Doug: Right. Well hope that helps a little bit Shawn, and appreciate your question tonight. By the way, that opens up another line friends, so we do have a couple open, if you want to call in with your Bible question, got your pencil ready? It’s 1-800-463-7297. And I think we’re going to have a couple more callers before our break.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Let’s go to Lucy, who is listening in Tennessee, listening on WITA. Lucy, welcome to the program.
Lucy: Hi Pastor, how you doing?
Pastor Doug: Doing well, and your question tonight Lucy?
Lucy: My question tonight pastor, is if someone has been faithfully tithing to a church, and will God forgive them if they took a break from tithing because they took out, they had to take a significant lone out, and it’s left them really strapped?
Pastor Doug: You know, I know that, that is a tough situation to be in. I guess the 1st question we need to ask is, “do we think that tithing is something that has to do with obedience?”
Lucy: Yes.
Pastor Doug: And if it’s a command in the Bible, and if it has to do with obedience, then really, your question is not about tithing, it’s not about telling the truth, or lying, or stealing, it’s about, because you know, God says, “Will we rob God” and He speaks about tithe. It’s really a question o, “trust and obedience”. And
Lucy: Okay.
Pastor Doug: then your question would be, “can we take a break
Lucy: Yes.
Pastor Doug: when it comes to obedience, when things are tough?
Lucy: (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: Let me give you another scenario.
Lucy: Okay.
Pastor Doug: A business man goes on an extended business trip and he really starts missing his wife’s affection. Can he say, “Well, you know, I would never think of being unfaithful to my wife, but it’s really being taught right now because I’ve been away from home for so long”. Is that a legitimate excuse?
Lucy: No.
Pastor Doug: Okay. So the question really is, “Does God want us to obey Him in this” and, but I know it’s really difficult, a lot of people are struggling financially now. What I have discovered is “9, 10th, seems to go farther than 10, 10th”. When you tithe, it is actually a financially better situation, because God tells us that He will open the windows of heaven, bless us, and rebuke the things that devour our increase. And I think that “Malachi chapter 8” Pastor Ross?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes.
Pastor Doug: So, you know, the best financial advice I give you, towards prosperity, is to be faithful in tithing, and you know, God never says, “there won’t be a test”, but He does His miracles when we have the hardest tests on these subjects.
Lucy: Okay.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, it’s also important to know, that the time that we want to be as faithful as possible, it is where facing difficultie.
Lucy: Okay.
Pastor Jëan Ross: God is able to bless us and perform miracles when we put our confidence in Him. You know, it’s one thing to, you know, do what’s right when everything’s going well, but when you really need God’s help, even the more, you want to be faithful in everything.
Pastor Doug: Amen. We do have a study guide we’d like to send you Lucy, for free, that I think will encourage you, and it’s called, “In God we Trust”, “In God we Trust”. And we’ll send that to you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The number to call Lucy is 1-800-835-6747. And again, you can ask for the study guide “In God we Trust”, and we’ll be happy to send that out to you. We do have a few phone lines still open, if you’d like to get your call in this evening, the number to call is 1-800-463-7297, that’s 463-7297. Melissa is listening from Chattanooga Tennessee. Melissa, welcome to the program.
Melissa: Hi, thank you.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Melissa: I have a question about “Revelation 22”
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Melissa: 1st verse 12 says that, “Behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me” and that’s Jesus speaking, and He says, “To give every man according as his work”. Know, from my understanding, that’s eternal life, right?
Pastor Doug: Yes. Well, yeah. Of course, when He rewards them, the saved are rewarded with eternal life but when He comes, some others get the opposite reward.
Melissa: Yeah. Well, my question now, comes from “The tree of life, in verse 2”. If those people already have eternal life, why do they need the tree of life? Why the fruit from the tree of life?
Pastor Doug: You know, evidently, there is something tangible in that tree, in that fruit, that helps sustain cells so they reproduce and they don’t die. Keep in mind, “God did tell Adam and Eve, because of their sin, they were expelled from the garden”, and God said, that “Less they eat from the tree and live forever”. So the gift of eternal life, you know, is something that God gives us but it seems like there’s some connection with the tree because when man stopped eating from that tree, he died at 900 years, his cells stopped repairing themselves, and those that are redeemed get to eat from that tree forever, they’ll live forever. So it’s a gift, but God uses practical means, you know, when He 1st made Adam and Eve, He designed us to eat, to live, and to work, we weren’t just going to sit on clouds. So I don’t know what it is in that, someone said it was (inaudible 27:17) and Eve but I don’t think so.
Pastor Jëan Ross: (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: Something in that fruit.
Melissa: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, I don’t know what your thoughts are Pastor Ross?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah, it’s also an act of faith. There is something about the fruit, but also when we continue to eat off the tree of life, we’re acknowledging that our life comes from God.
Pastor Doug: Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: It is an act of faith, and that’s why, in the test, they came to Adam and Eve, they could eat from the tree of life, but in not eating from the tree of, the knowledge of good and evil. By them not eating of it, they were also confirming their faith in God and the provision that He made. Of course, the devil tempted them, and we know how the story ended. So by eating off the tree, we’re acknowledging that our life comes from God, He’s the source of all life.
Pastor Doug: That’s right.
Melissa: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Well hope that helps a little bit Melissa. And I’m trying to think what we have we don’t specifically have a book. By the way, the tree of life is the cross. Ultimately for the Christian, the tree of life is the cross, Jesus died on a tree, He is that fruit, He said, “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you”. The music doesn’t mean we’re going away so don’t get spooked. We are coming back, this is just break time, it gives our stations an opportunity to identify themselves and lets you catch a breath, get a pencil, get a drink of water. And don’t forget to be prepared, write down the e-mail address or I should say, “The web address for Amazing Facts”, we have resources there 24 hours a week, it’s “Amazingfacts.org”. We’ll be right back.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: We’re back friends, and we trust some of you have joined us in route. This is Bible Answers Live, it a live engaging Bible study, we invite you to participate , if you have a Bible question, you can call in. we have, I think, 1 or 2 lines still opened, and that, just in case you’ve ever wondered, we got about 12 lines and we have 2 opened but we’ll move through the calls quickly if you have a call or have a question, give us a call, 1-800-463-7297. And I am still Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Jëan Ross: My name is still Jëan Ross. Pastor Doug, we mentioned a free offer at the beginning of the program called, something about spirits
Pastor Doug: “Spirits from the dead”.
Pastor Jëan Ross: There we go, Spirits from the dead, I didn’t have it open in front of me but we did mention a website that Amazing Facts has, that is also focused on bringing to light the truth of what happens when a person dies. It is simply entitled, “www.truthaboutdeath.com” , “truthaboutdeath.com”, it’s got a tremendous Bible study on this topic, as well as some various other resources, so
Pastor Doug: Matter of fact, I think we also secure the website, “Deathtruth.com”. So they can ever just type in “Deathtruth” now, and both websites will get them there. There is a, I like using this word, “Plethora” of information there at those sites, dealing with the subject of, “what happens when someone dies?” a lot of confusion in the cemetery among Christian regarding that subject.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Going to the phone lines. Mary Ann is listening from Union City, New Jersey on WMCA. Mary Ann, you’re on the air.
Mary Ann: Yes, hi pastor, I wanted to ask you a question about “baptism”. I was born Roman Catholic, baptized as a baby, changed over to Pentecostal. I don’t have to be re-baptized right?
Pastor Doug: Well, have you been baptized biblically, in other words, “by immersion”?
Mary Ann: No, I was a baby, you know
Pastor Doug: Just sprinkled as a baby.
Mary Ann: the Roman States sprits, the sprits sprinkle the water and that’s it.
Pastor Doug: Well the key is. Now Mary Ann, before I forget, don’t forget, we’ll send you a free study guide, specifically on “the subject of baptism”, and Pastor Ross will tell you about that in just a minute.
Mary Ann: Thank you.
Pastor Doug: But baptism is 1st a person must repent, before they’re baptized. Jesus said in “Matthew chapter 28”, that “The disciples were to go and to teach all nations, baptizing them”. So before baptism, there’s some teaching that has to happen. In the “book of Acts, chapter 8”, Philip said, “We need to believe with all of our hearts, and be baptized. So babies can’t really be taught. The fundamentals of the gospel, of course babies have no sins to repent of. Paul was told to be baptized calling “the Lord washing away his sin”. But babies haven’t sinned they don’t reach the age of accountability until they’re old enough to really understand the issues of right and wrong, and that may varies a little bit with children, depending on how they mature, but you know, somewhere between, I don’t know, 10 and 12. Kids usually mature when they understand these spiritual issues. And so, you were dedicated as a baby, Jesus was brought to the temple when he was a baby, and dedicated but it wasn’t baptism. He was baptized at 30. And so, baptism and dedication are 2 different things, and you need to be baptized biblically and.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, Jesus set an example for us, and He was baptized when He began His public ministry at the age of 30, now that doesn’t mean that everyone has to wait until they’re 30 but the point is, that it needs to be a decision that somebody makes for themselves, and a little baby doesn’t make that decision, the parents do, and I think there is a place for parents to dedicate their children, but that’s a little different from baptism.
Pastor Doug: Now, with your experience in the Pentecostal church or Pentecostal friends, make a good emphasis on spiritual baptism, being baptized in the spirit. And that’s true, we need both, the Bible says, “We need to be born of the water” that’s water baptism, that’s a choice that we make, and “Spirit baptism”, which is ultimately a choice God makes. And so, we need both baptisms. And we’ll send you a study guide on that subject, hope that it helps answer your question.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The study guide is entitled “Purity and Power”. And if you’d call 1-800-835-6747, ask for the study guide on baptism, entitled “purity and Power”, we’ll be happy to send that to you, it’s filled with important scripture passages, and this is probably one of the most important subjects that one can study from the word. Again, that study guide is “Purity and Power”, and the number is 1-800-835-6747. We have L, who is listening from New Jersey on 570 am. L you’re on the air.
L: Thank you. I wanted to ask you a question regarding. How can I explain to a none believer the, I understand the creation of Adam and Eve, but how did it develop after that? They want to know, “how it started with Adam and Eve, and then it just continued from there”. So I wanted to get a way of explaining it to them.
Pastor Doug: I know you’re not asking me, “how Adam and Eve procreated”?
L: No, but how did it develop after that? how did
Pastor Doug: Well, from them until here, it sort of worked that way. But I, I know I’m still not capturing what, are you wondering “how did the world get populated
L: Exactly, thank you.
Pastor Doug: With so many different people”? Okay, well if you read in. By the way, in the “book of Luke, chapter 3”, you can trace the genealogy of Jesus, matter a fact, he does that all the way back to Adam, just one person at a time, he counts back the generations from Jesus, all the way back to Adam, and it’s a very thorough description, that matches up with the chronologies you find in “Chronicles” or in, yeah, “The Chronicles of the kings” , and in “the book of numbers”.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Ant then of course, you also have the story in “Genesis, chapter 11”, talks about “the building of the Tower of Babel”, and at that point in time, everybody spoke the same language, this is after the flood, and then it says, “God confused their languages, and those that spoke a similar language went off on their own and dispersed across the earth”, and it was that point in time, that you had the various languages, the various cultures, and because people went to different geographical areas, you have certain prominent traits that came out, and you have the different races. So really, it traces its way all the way back to the Tower of Babel, and you can read about that in “Genesis, chapter 11”.
Pastor Doug: And 1 more thought L, is if you read in “Genesis 5”, it tells us “Adam and Eve had sons and daughters beside Cane and Abel”, they had, you know, they lived, I think Adam was 930 years, and if, you know, even for a quarter of your life your fertile and productive, and your children have children just in one generation or the 1st millennium, there could have been hundreds of thousands of people in the world. So people can spread and populate pretty quick, given 4 thousand years since the flood. So I don’t know
L: Alright.
Pastor Doug: if we’re answering your specific question, but
L: Yes, that’s, I’m just going to go back and read it that way. Next time they have a question like that, I may be able to explain it as simple as you guys did.
Pastor Doug: Alright. Hey, we appreciate it, and God bless. I can’t really think of a lesson we’ve got on that.
Pastor Jëan Ross: I don’t know if we have a book on that, but
Pastor Doug: We have an article dealing with the Tower of Babel, if they go to the website.
Pastor Jëan Ross: And that would be “Amazingfacts.org”, and look under the section that say, “Library”, and a matter a fact, just type it in the search bar.
Pastor Doug: Yeah, look for “Babel”.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Babel and it’ll come up. We’ve got Monica, who is listening from Brooklyn, New York. Monica, welcome to the program.
Monica: Hi, goodnight pastor.
Pastor Doug: Evening, and your question?
Monica: My question is, a couple of weeks ago, we had communion in church and I was wondering, how does one part take of communion and still be, like a sinner before God? Can you still do it unweather, could you like?
Pastor Doug: Yeah, well, are you referring to Paul’s comment, where he says that, “We should not eat of the bread in an unworthy manner?”
Monica: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: What does that mean? Well, 1st of all. You know, some people might have a very trivial attitude when they part take of these emblems of the Lord’s body and blood, and just going through the ritual, without having, made our hearts right with God, and reconciling with one another. If we’ve got anger and bitterness in our heart towards someone else and we’re partaking of the communion, it’s really, kind of a mockery of the sacrifice of Christ. Pastor Ross did you have that verse?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yes. Paul speaks about communion, and its “1st Corinthians, chapter 11. Verse 29”, he says, “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner, eats and drinks judgement to himself, not discerning the Lords body”, then he goes on in verse 30, “for this reason, many are sick and weak I mind you, and many sleep”. So it is a serious thing, when somebody partakes of the communion service, and they don’t have the reverence or recognize the significance of what that means.
Monica: Like if you have something against someone, and you know that communion is coming up, maybe you could like, go to that person and apologize
Pastor Doug: Yeah, you can’t control, exactly! You can’t control what their attitude might be, they may choose to still be angry, and that’s not your responsibility. But if you go in genuine sincerity and humility, and say, “brother, sister, you know, we’ve had some kind of problem, or there has been some issues, and I just want you to know, I apologize for my part and one of these problems are, I pray you’ll forgive me, I want to be right before God”, and if they’re Christians, they should also share those sentiments. And then you, when you go before God, you will really get a blessing out of a communion service, if you confess your sins to God and you try to right and reconcile with others that will go a long way.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, it’s also interesting, if you read the account of Jesus and His disciples in the upper room, when He ate the Passover with them for the last time. The disciple on their way to the upper room, were arguing about “who would be the greatest in the kingdom”, and Jesus wasn’t able to share with them, the wonderful truce that He wanted to because of all of the envy that they had in their heart, and selfishness to remove that selfishness, Jesus did the work of a servant in washing their feet. And that’s what communion enables us to do, it enables us to go to those who we have, perhaps some difference of opinion or whatever the case might be, and we can serve them and in so doing, allow the Holy Spirit to unite our hearts in genuine Christian love.
Pastor Doug: Yup. I appreciate your question Monica. I don’t think, no we have a book specifically on the communion service I can think of. But
Pastor Jëan Ross: No we don’t. Alright! Well thanks for that call. Next caller is Eddie, and he is listening from
Eddie: Hello?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Eddie, you’re on the air.
Eddie: Yes, my question was, is that, does God punish anybody, even when they go against His law? 1 of the laws is, do not commit adultery. So this is (inaudible 41:56)? And I’d like to know, what type of punishment does God give that, or does He ever give that any kind of punishment towards that person, him or her, whoever it might be, towards that end
Pastor Doug: Well.
Eddie: or is it always forgiveness? I understand what you’re saying, we all must forgive, but the fact that something was done and is continuously being done, that’s not right, is it?
Pastor Doug: Well, if a person breaks any of God’s commandments, and of course adultery is 1 of those. The penalty for sin, according to God, and God ultimately judges people in the end,
Eddie: Okay.
Pastor Doug: as a death, it’s very serious. All sin needs to be 2 things, it’s not just repentance. The Bible tells us that, “whoever confesses and forsakes their sin”. So it’s one thing to say, you know, “I’m sorry that I’m in trouble because I’m living in sin”. God also wants us to repent and get power to turn from that sin and repent and forsake it, and live a new life. And that’s where people find mercy. King David committed adultery, and God only forgave him
Eddie: Right.
Pastor Doug: repented of it, and turn from it. So
Pastor Jëan Ross: But having said that, there are still consequences to sin
Pastor Doug: Yeah, David (inaudible 43:13)
Pastor Jëan Ross: See for example, David situation, there is still consequences. And you know, you use the case of somebody committing adultery. There are consequences, maybe not at 1st, but especially if 2 people commit adultery and end up getting married. There is the thought in the back of that person’s mind, “their commitment wavered once before, what’s the chance of that commitment wavering again”?
Pastor Doug: That’s right.
Pastor Jëan Ross: So no matter what the sin is, it does have consequences, not only for eternity if we don’t repent, but even now, there are consequences.
Pastor Doug: So Eddie, I hope that helps a little. We have, we do have a study guide, talks about “Happiness for husbands and wives”, and it does address marital faithfulness in there, we’ll be happy to send you.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The study guide is entitled, “Keys to a Happy Marriage”. And anyone who would like to get that resource, call 1-800-835-6747, you can ask for the study guide, “Keys for a Happy Marriage”. We’ve got Lisa, who is listening from Missouri, Dexter Missouri. Lisa, welcome to the program.
Lisa: Thank you, how are you doing tonight?
Pastor Doug: Doing really well. How are you doing?
Lisa: I’m doing just fine, just got home from church. (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: Good. Well, we’ll do a continuation of your Bible study for a moment here. You have a question on the Bible or?
Lisa: Wait, yeah, anyway, I. My question is, we hear a lot about, when we pass on and we make, you know, fortune enough to make it to heaven. We will be able to recognize our loved ones, and they’ll recognize us. My question is, if your husband and wife, I’ve heard different things from this. When you meet them in heaven, will you still recognize them as your spouse? Or will you recognize them in a different way? I’ve heard people say that you will recognize them as a brother and sister in Christ, but not as your spouse that you had on earth.
Pastor Doug: Lisa, are you married?
Lisa: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Which way do you want it when you get to heaven? This is a test. (Laughing)
Lisa: Well I’m hoping I’ll recognize them, you know, as still my spouse.
Pastor Doug: I know, I’m just giving you a hard time. I know 1 dear lady, she said, “You know, I’ve been married to this character for 50 years, when we get to heaven, it’s over” (Laughing)
Lisa: (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: So you hear all kinds of stories, but let me read to you from the Bible. “Matthew 22. Jesus is answering a, kind of a riddle that was given to Him, about someone married, a woman married to 7 different brothers, and who she going to be married to in heaven”. Jesus said that, “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God”. Now there was the angels, their primary love is God. And when God made Adam and Eve, He told them to “be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth”. Well the new earth is going to be pretty well populated with the redeemed, but that does not mean, in the case. See the scenario they gave Jesus, is one of multiple marriages in all that baggage. In the case of 1 couple here on earth that loved each other, and in the resurrection, they may not continue having children, but I don’t think God hands them divorce papers. I think that bond, that love, that friendship they have in this life, of course they’re going to have that, because you take your experience from this life, your education with you.
Lisa: Yes.
Pastor Doug: You know, God doesn’t brainwash us when we get to heaves, so we don’t know who we are anymore.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, we have a verse in “1st Corinthians, chapter 13”, where the apostle Paul says, “But now we see through a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known”. So it’s referring to what happens to the redeemed, and he’s says, “When that time comes, we shall see face to face”, but then he also says, “We will know, even as now we know”. So with reference to relationships and friends, I’m sure we’ll recognize each other, I’m sure we will know each other. Now, the Bible also tells us that “those painful memories will eventually pass away and not even come to mind”, but the good memories, I’m sure we’ll remember that, especially when we see people.
Pastor Doug: So yeah. I always like to ask, when we get our new bodies and we’re in heaven. Will our discernment be dulled or enhanced? And so, of course we’re going to recognize. People says, “Grandma, you know, when she died, she was 98 years old. In heaven, she’s not going to have wrinkles and grey hair, how am I going to find her? I don’t think anyone is going to have any problem, if nothing else, your angel will have directory assistance and they’ll put us (Laughing)
Lisa: (laughing)
Pastor Jëan Ross: (Laughing)
Lisa: Yes. See, I lost my mother 4 years ago, and my mother and my father where married for 50 year, never been apart, except if they had to be in a hospital and, you know, my father he’s, you know, that’s what he thinks about, you know, when his time comes, you know, seeing her and. I had somebody in my church one time, to say that if, you know, “all will know each other, but we’ll only recognize each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, like we won’t know each other the way we did here on earth”. And I was confused about that.
Pastor Doug: I think love relationships developed here in this life, Christian love relationships, and especially those in marriage, where you got a Christian husband and wife, are going to be even richer in the kingdom. So don’t you worry about that, you know, when Jesus says, “they’re neither marrying nor are given in marriage”, that’s the verb of marrying, there are probably no new marriages there, because there is no need for procreation. But like I said, I can’t imagine God giving them divorce papers when they get to the kingdom, if they want to hang out together through eternity, they’re going to enjoy each other’s company.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Our next caller is. Thank you for your call Lisa. Our next caller is Michael, and he is listening from Georgia. Michael, welcome to the program.
Michael: Hi.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Michael: I was wondering about the tops called “Bay blades”, some of them have bad names and mythical creatures like “Pegasus and dragons, and stuff”. I was wondering if it’s bad to play with them because some of them have bad names.
Pastor Doug: Well, if you’ve got any kind of toy or a cartoon or anything, and it’s got, you know evil names. I think you’re better off not playing with those things and just avoiding that atmosphere. As far as dragons are concerned, in the Bible, it uses the word dragon, but it’s usually talking about a “Lizard or some kind of reptile”, it wasn’t talking about, you know, a mythical, you know, diabolical monster. Now, the devil is sometimes portrayed as a dragon in “Revelation”, but, you know, that doesn’t mean. Americas portrayed as a
Pastor Jëan Ross: Beast.
Pastor Doug: As a “Beast”, and yeah, there’s different animals that are used for different creatures, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a pet lizard.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, any of this, we just got to be careful. There is this culture today, sort of on the dark side.
Pastor Doug: Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: The ghost, the goblins, the witches, the dragons
Pastor Doug: Dragons, yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: and all of this kind of things. I don’t think we want to have anything to do with that, you know, the root of that, deals with the dead and with witchcraft, and that kind of thing, and you know, there are, even toys reflect that kind of thing. So I would stay away for that, go with the things that are pure and holy, and clean.
Michael: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Appreciate that Michael. And I’m trying to think, we probably, what do we have? We got
Pastor Jëan Ross: Do we have a book on that, on dragons?
Pastor Doug: We got a book called, “The Beast, The Dragon, and The Woman”, but (inaudible 50:49) Yeah, that’s a different subject.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Yeah, that’s different.
Pastor Doug: Hey Michael, you know what? You would really enjoy the Amazing Facts Bible study guides they got pictures on every page.
Pastor Jëan Ross: You know, we got a study guide that talks about the dragon. “Conquering the Dragon” or something, “finding the Dragon”, remember that?
Pastor Doug: That’s the amazing, yeah! That’s the “Amazing Adventure Study Guide”
Pastor Jëan Ross: “The Amazing Adventure Study Guides”. Matter a fact, I think you can actually
Pastor Doug: “Slaying the Dragon”
Pastor Jëan Ross: “Slaying the Dragon”, that’s what it’s called, and probably available, if you go to the Amazing Facts website. You can type in there, “Amazing Adventure”, and it’s a series of studies just for kids. I think you’ll really enjoy that.
Pastor Doug: I think Michael can watch the video online, I think?
Pastor Jëan Ross: That’s right, at “Amazing Adventure”. Alright, let’s see if we can get a few more caller in here. We’ve got Kirk, who is listening if Florida. Kirk welcome to the program.
Kirk: Good evening. How you guys
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Kirk: I guess you’re doing well. my question is kind of, it’s a little bit difficult but.
Pastor Doug: Get real close to your phone, we can barely hear you.
Kirk: I’m sorry, I heard you, one of your sermons or something, you mentioned something about, “there was a seal that the Roman guards put on the tomb”, and after, you know, Jesus was laid to rest on Friday. And I was thinking, “How did those women expect to get in there Sunday morning? And it was just confusing me, you know, I can’t imagine that the Romans were going to, you know, just open it back up for them. And I didn’t know if there was any material, or any thoughts on that, or something, I just, you know, not that I don’t believe that it happened, it just, I just couldn’t figure out, “how they thought they were going to get in there”.
Pastor Doug: They were, you know what? They weren’t sure. If you look in “Mark 16”, “when the women went to the tomb, in the dark of that Sunday morning”, they said among themselves, “who will role away the stone from the door of the tomb?” They were, you know, they hadn’t finished embalming Jesus but they couldn’t leave the tomb opened so some strong men rolled this big stone into place
Kirk: Alright.
Pastor Doug: and wedged it. And now, the women come to finish embalming His body and they don’t know how they’re going to do it, but they go anyway, hoping that they can recruit some help, somehow
Kirk: Okay:
Pastor Doug: And so they were asking that question, they weren’t even sure. And you find that in “Mark 16:3”.
Kirk: They had the same question I had. (Laughing)
Pastor Doug: Yeah.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Well, you know, it’s also possible that, “they knew about the stone but maybe they didn’t know about the seal”, you can read in “Matthew, chapter 27”, where it’s the following day of the, Jesus died on Friday, and then on Saturday, you have the Jewish leadership going to Pilate, saying “You know, we thing this person,
Pastor Doug: Body might get stolen.
Pastor Jëan Ross: His body might get tampered with or something”, and so they set the seal, and the guard on Saturday. If those who were there at the death of Jesus didn’t stay by the tomb, they probably didn’t know that the Romans would come and set the seal upon it.
Kirk: Correct. Okay. Alright, well, you know, that helps some I guess, you know, I think that makes, you know, clears me up some.
Pastor Doug: Yup! They weren’t sure, God providentially worked it out for them. Thank you for your call Kirk, we got time for 1 more Pastor Ross?
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, let’s go to, I don’t know let’s go to Rob, Rob who is in Orlando Florida. Rob, welcome to the program.
Rob: Hey guys, how you doing?
Pastor Doug: Doing well. Can we dive right in to your question, because we are running out of time?
Rob: Hey, let me ask you this. When Adam and Eve got kicked out of the garden, what was the 1st thing they raised?
Pastor Doug: They raised Cane.
Rob: Cane. And that was just kind of a joke I’ve been (inaudible 54:05)
Pastor Doug: (Laughing) okay.
Rob: (inaudible 54:07)
Pastor Doug: Good.
Rob: Appreciate it, thank you. You guys are the 1st one that got it right today.
Pastor Jëan Ross: (laughing)
Pastor Doug: (Laughing)
Rob: They put a mark on Cane, then they said, so the others, God said, “So the others wouldn’t touch him”.
Pastor Doug: So no man
Rob: Who were they? He said, “They, they would bother you”, and I believe all the words in the Bible be true and I have no question with that or anything. I was just wondering, if you can kind of help me with that?
Pastor Doug: Well good question, let me do my best. When God told Adam and Eve to “Go forth, be fruitful and multiply”, and of course, they lived hundreds of years. Even Cane knew, that “soon the earth”, you know, he had sisters he took one of them as his wife. He knew that soon, the earth was going to be full of people. They were very intelligent back then, and he was able to extrapolate, that “soon there was going to be a lot of people in the world, and the people would view him as the 1st murderer, and that someone would want to get vengeance on him, for that title”. So I think he’s made that statement in anticipation of the multitudes that were going to be filling the earth. So I hope that helps a little bit Rob. We might have time to squeeze in 1 more Pastor Ross.
Pastor Jëan Ross: Alright, let’s go over to Joshua, who is in Michigan. Joshua, welcome to the program, Water for Michigan.
Joshua: MY question is like, I’ve heard from people with the Bible, biblical evidence, that when baby dies, it goes to heaven. Where do they draw the line?
Pastor Doug: When you say where they draw the line, you mean, how old a person needs to be? If a baby,
Joshua: Yeah.
Pastor Doug: what is that age? Well
Joshua: Well what is the age that if they die at, they go to hell?
Pastor Doug: Well first of all, if a baby, you know, babies are innocent before they commit any sin. There is a difference between being born with a guilty nature. In other words, we’ve got a sinful nature, selfish nature that we’re all born with. And committing sin’s on our record. Babies have no record of sins, and so, if a baby dies before it reaches the age of accountability, they don’t go to the lake of fire to be punished.
Joshua: What is the age accountability?
Pastor Doug: That’s the question. You know, it varies probably, because God looks on the heart, right Joshua?
Joshua: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Some people, some young people, when they know the difference between right and wrong, and God knows in there heart, that they are able to say, “I know this is what God wants but I don’t want to do it”, and they’re choosing, they’re old enough to make an intelligent choice, they start to reach, they understand what the consequences of those choices are, they reach that age of accountability. And it varies, you know, it may go as early as 8 or 9, you know, I don’t know, the Bible doesn’t give an age. Jesus went to the temple at 12, that’s probably a little older. And, you know, on up to 12 or 13, God looks on the heart and He knows. But, hey I appreciate your question Joshua, and all of our friends, we love hearing from you. Keep in mind this is a listener supported program. We’d like to stay on your station, it’s only because you let us know you’re listening. Go to the Amazing Facts website, drop us a line. It’s simply “Amazingfacts.org”. God bless, we’ll get together again next week.
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