Hello friends this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? During World War II a twenty-one year old man entered an enlistment center and eagerly asked to join the service. He said his name was Kincaid and he wanted to become a flyer. After passing the physical he was accepted into the Air Force and after training in the United States he was assigned to a bomber squadron in Ben Ghazi Air Base in North Africa.
As a skillful gunner on a B-24 bomber he was decorated and promoted to Sergeant, but then one day his best buddy was killed and he was so deeply affected that Kincaid, the young airman, asked for a transfer. Because of his sterling record the transfer was granted. The flyer immediately returned to the United States and went to see his commanding officer. His name he told his astonished commanding officer was not Kincaid it was Fletcher. And he was not twenty-one years old as his military record stated he was only sixteen. He had been only fifteen when he entered that year before lying then both about his name and age.
Tom Fletcher was the youngest combat flyer in Ben Ghazi. At the age of sixteen he was already a veteran. He had completed 35 combat missions flying 300 hours and had been given the air medal with one silver cluster and five bronze clusters and had won the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Sometimes young people doubt that God can use them in His service because of their youth. Stay with us friends. We are going to learn more as “Amazing Facts” brings you this edition of “Bible Answers Live”.
[PROGRAM INTRODUCTION]
Pastor Doug: Welcome to a fresh installment of “Bible Answers Live” and if you have any Bible questions we do have some lines open. Now would be a very good time to pick up your phone and dial that toll free number. 1-800-GOD-SAYS. 1-800-463-7297 brings you into the studio where we are and there’s another number we’ll give you a little later for our resources. But, give us a call now and you have a good chance of getting your question on the air. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Good evening Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Good evening Pastor Jean.
Pastor Ross: Good to be here this evening. Before we get to our Bible questions tonight; let’s start with a word of prayer. Dear Father which art in heaven we are grateful once more for this opportunity to study your word. We ask a special blessing upon us as we open the Bible and we ask a special blessing on those who are calling in with their questions and those who are listening. For this we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: The amazing fact you opened the program this evening with this young man with the name of Fletcher; just a tremendous story. Such a young man involved in such an important work.
Pastor Doug: Yeah he was of course decocted and here he became a Sergeant and enlisted at fifteen, but history really is rife with young people that became enlisted in the military and sometimes in their enthusiasm they were able to pass for a little older age. I think in our culture we know that cigarettes and alcohol are sometimes sold to twelve and thirteen year olds because they look twenty-one. And so they get by and they get into the military and then become involved in amazing exploits.
And the reason that we picked this amazing exploit is because as we travel and I know you have experienced this, too, because you have been around the world Pastor Ross. I don’t know if there is the same fervor for mission work among young people as we’ve seen in years past. And I just wanted to challenge any young people that might be listening right now.
God has a big plan for your life and whatever your calling is in life; it should involve great exploits for God; some adventure for God. Some field of service because so often we are being bombarded with advertisements that say to find a job that will help you get the most money, the best car, the nicest house and the prettiest wife or you know whatever. The illusion of success and young people are not hearing that call come to the mission field. So deny yourself and pick up that cross because God as adventures for you to risk your life and to go help someone else. Spread the gospel; go into a third world country.
Pastor Ross: Absolutely. That’s the greatest adventure anyone can have is to be sharing the gospel with someone who has never heard it before. And watching the Holy Spirit which changes their lives; it’s a thrilling experience.
Pastor Doug: You know there are risks involved, but when you enter the Lord’s army He promises to watch over you and great things happen. Now we have got an amazing—and friends I know you probably hear us say this frequently—but, I really mean it now. This is one of the best books and it is very inspiring of all the books that “Amazing Facts” has given away and shared. This particular one has been one of the most popular so if you don’t have it; take advantage of the offer tonight that Pastor Ross is going to tell you about.
Pastor Ross: The little book we have as the free offer is entitled “The Drummer Boy’s Prayer”. It’s a classic and deals with a young drummer boy and his prayer and how this prayer was answered.
Pastor Doug: This was during the civil war and an amazing and true story.
Pastor Ross: If you would like to get “The Drummer Boy’s Prayer” all you’ll need to do is call our resource number. 1-800-835-6747 and let me repeat that it’s 1-800-835-6747 and ask for “The Drummer Boy’s Prayer” and they will send that out to you. It is just a tremendous book I have read it and it is a great blessing. We have some internet questions that have come in Pastor Doug.
The first on is, “If Satan was an angel and he was with God and he sinned and was able to deceive one-third of the angels of heaven; how can we as humans that have lived in a sinful world and have sinned everyday expect to live without sin after Jesus comes?”
Pastor Doug: Well it is true that Satan was a beautiful and perfect angel and he fell and one-third of the angels fell under his deception and influence, but people need to remember that two-thirds of the angels did not fall and they are still holy and sinless. And in the same way that God created His creatures perfect the Bible says about the devil that thou were perfect in all thy ways. God did not make a devil He made a beautiful angel who chose to be a devil. It is a free choice. But, God can recreate us and we become perfect through Christ and He not only gives us justification, but sanctification and righteousness that we don’t possess now.
So it is possible. It’s the whole plan of salvation that God saves us from our sins. It is a miracle and all you have to do is look through the record of history. The drug addicts that are delivered and alcoholics that are sobered and angry spouses that find tranquility and I mean there is just so much evidence of the transformation power of the gospel that you can do it.
Pastor Ross: We have a promise in Scripture in Nahum Chapter 1: 9 where it says, “…affliction shall not rise up a second time.”
Pastor Doug: Yeah you looked up the same verse as me because when we are in heaven that will never be a problem again. Well people say well how do I know—you know I like to remind people Pastor Ross that theirs is only one evidence of sin that stays with us through eternity and evidently when Jesus rose from the dead He still had the scars in His hands; even with His glorified body. And those scars and those marks will be there through eternity to remind us of what the price of sin is and how much He loves us.
Pastor Ross: Do you think those marks in His hands and His side can also be a continual guarantee that sin will not rise up again because we’ll see it and remember the cost of what God paid to save us?
Pastor Doug: That’s right. I think that it is going to be the memorial of His love that will be a protection.
Pastor Ross: Very good. Our next question is could you please explain Matthew Chapter 24: 20 where it says pray that your flight not be in winter neither on the Sabbath day.
Pastor Doug: Now alright when Jesus is talking about a flight; He is not talking about an airline flight. He is talking about fleeing for your life and this is in the story where Jesus is describing two things. One He is taking about the destruction of Jerusalem. He is also talking about the end if the world when a similar tribulation will come upon the believers. And He says that we should pray that our flight would not be in the winter neither on the Sabbath day.
Well He says do one thing that those that be in Judea flee into the mountains. If you had to root around up in the hills for food in the wintertime it is pretty slim pickings and at least during the harvest time there is something to eat or during the more temperate times of the year. And obviously if you have to pack and flee for your life it is not the kind of thing you’d want to do in on a day of worship and so He specifically tells us pray that it will not be on the Sabbath or in the wintertime. And I wonder how many people pray that prayer? I have prayed that prayer and I thought that day and hour before the tribulation we have to flee I’d hate for it to be in the winter when you have to flee into the elements.
Pastor Ross: Umm-hmm. That’s right. Well let’s go to the phone lines. And we do still have some open so if you have a Bible related question this would be a good time to call. Our first caller is Mario and he is listening on INT from Austin, Texas. Welcome to the program Mario and your question.
Mario: Hi. Greetings in Christ the Lord.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Mario: My question involves visions and dreams and from hearing about what you were just speaking about I could say it could be a used tool of us brave soldiers to get confirmation to where your next step of faith walk will be. What about the believers? Do visions and dreams apply today and how much can the believer discern them?
Pastor Doug: Alright. That is a good question. If you read in Joel Chapter 2: 28 Mario it says, “It will come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your old men will dream dreams; your young men shall see visions.” Now Peter quotes this same verse in Acts Chapter 2: 17 and he says it will come to pass in the last days that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. So dreaming dreams and seeing visions seems to be synonymous with the baptism of the Spirit.
Some of the ways that God communicates with people is of course through His word. But, then in a more supernatural sense He does use dreams and visions and angels. And in Revelation an angel came to John and Daniel had dreams. Joseph had dreams and interpreted dreams. So we need to be careful because if you read in Ecclesiastes I believe it is and may be Pastor Ross will help me find it and I’ll tell you what it is; it says a dream comes to a multitude of business. I know that is what it says, but I forget the verse. Sometimes because of the business of the day; if we spend our day at an auto parts store stocking the shelves with little numbers, you’re going to dream numbers. If you play chess all daylong; you might see a chessboard in your sleep just because your eyes are focused on it. So sometimes a prophetic dream comes because of eating too much before you go to sleep and then a multitude of business can be induced by drugs. When I was a hippie living up in the hills I actually took before I was a Christian I want to emphasize that. I took a hallucinogenic so I would have dreams and perhaps have some divine vision I thought I was taking some of these American Indian hallucinogenics. But, you know they were just drug induced dreams. But, God does speak through dreams and when those dreams come they are such a profound sense of the divine impact that the dream and that’s why Pharoah said this is an unusual dream. He then assembled all of his wise men and Nebuchadnezzar he got all of his wise men together and said this is not a normal dream. There is a divine message in here somewhere. The image and the clarity of those dreams were very three dimensional.
So a person who has those kinds of dreams; God does still speak through them. And God will not give a dream like that without eventually giving an interpretation of it. Or otherwise, He is just messing with our minds. Does that make sense Mario?
Mario: Yes that is perfect. Excellent because my spirit came into complete agreement with everything you said. It was the verses I was reading as well while you were speaking.
Pastor Doug: Well praise the Lord. We hope that does help a little bit and hope it will be some encouragement. You know in our study guide online we’ve got our historical study guide and the first one deals with the dream in Daniel Chapter 2 and I know you’d appreciate that.
Pastor Ross: You can get them by going to the “Amazing Facts” website at “Amazing Facts dot org”. Or next caller is Darren and he is listening on WBAJ from Leesville, South Carolina welcome to the program.
Darren: Thank you.
Pastor Ross: And your question?
Darren: Yes and good evening.
Pastor Doug: Good evening. Yes and I appreciate that station. I did a program there in South Carolina and a lot of listeners from WBAJ showed up. It was a privilege.
Darren: Yeah I remember that.
Pastor Doug: Oh you were there? Well bless your heart.
Darren: My question concerns a wine once again. I know you get that a lot. I listen to the program. They record it and send it out here to my station. I listen to it a lot and I have heard it a number it times. But, there are always these few Scriptures that I am always wondering about. I wonder how they relate and give me some insight. Luke Chapter 1: 15 John has prophesied that He will come not drinking wine or strong drink. I can read that whole Scripture, “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. And he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost and even from his mother’s womb.” And then also later in Luke Chapter 7: 33 Jesus says to I believe it is the Pharisees, about John the Baptist who came neither eating bread nor drinking wine and you say that he is the devil and that the son of man is coming both eating and drinking and you say behold a gluttonous man and a wine bibber; a friend of publicans and sinners. Now if this is not a fermented substance why is this of relevance here?
Pastor Doug: Well let me take a stab at it. I think I hear where you are coming from. When you talk about John coming neither drinking wine; a Nasserite was not supposed to eat anything from the vine whether it was fermented or not. Not even raisins. And so just to be so absolutely sure there was no temptation or risk there; they were to eat nothing from the vine. It says Jesus came eating and drinking and it doesn’t say wine there and strong drink; it just says eating and drinking and I‘d like to refer you to Luke 5: 33 and it says. “Why do the disciples of John say fast often?” And Jesus said look John is very austere. He has a Nasserite vow and he fasts often. The son of man on the hand; he is coming eating and drinking. And I don’t think that meant drinking alcohol. I think it meant that He is not fasting and He did obviously drink things from the vine. So He wasn’t under a Nasserite vow.
Darren: And so in that Scripture probably the term “wine bibber” would not be associated with a fermented wine?
Pastor Doug: No notice in that Scripture Jesus doesn’t call himself a wine bibber the enemies accused Him of being a wine bibber, but they also accused Him of being a glutton and accused Him of being a devil and a lunatic. So He wasn’t any of those things. So I don’t think we must go bay the false accusations of His enemies.
Darren: Okay then quickly if I can add to that I would like to reference Romans Chapter 14.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Darren: I believe this also deals somewhat in the subject because Paul begins to say, 1 “To him that is weak in the faith…” so the subject matter is going to be the faith and he goes in verse 2 to say 2“…he that is weak eateth only herbs…” and I would probably add there probably doesn’t drink wine. Because he goes on in the Chapter and he says, “Let him that eateth not judge him that eateth nothing.” Later in the verse he says, “Nothing is unclean of itself.”
Pastor Doug: Alright well let’s talk about that. In Romans Chapter 14 when Paul says, “For he who is weak in the faith eats only herbs.” Why do you think that someone of weak faith would eat only herbs? Can I submit to you that Paul is talking to the Romans?
Darren: Umm-hmm.
Pastor Doug: He was talking about those who were afraid to eat any meat; clean or unclean because they thought that it had been offered to idols. They believed that once something had been offered to an idol it was no longer a clean meat; a sheep, a goat, a chicken or whatever. But, they wouldn’t eat it and they said no; we cannot eat it now because I’ll be participating in idol worship. So Paul said well you know their faith is weak and they are very impressionable. And Paul refers to this in 1 Corinthians and it is where he says, “Whatever you buy in the shambles…” in other words the shambles is where it means the bizarre or the flea market. He said eat it and don’t ask questions for conscious sake. Maybe Pastor Ross is looking that up for me.
Pastor Ross: 1 Corinthians 10: 25.
Pastor Doug: Yes, thank you. So there’s a big dispute in the early church about whether believers could eat the meat that was sold by the pagans. I am talking about even the clean meat because it had been offered to idols.
Darren: And if I may later on in that Chapter verse 21 it says, “It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine neither anything whereby your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” Was that also not fermented?
Pastor Doug: Well let us take verse and first of all let me ask you, “Do you struggle with an addiction to alcohol?”
Darren: No sir, no I don’t.
Pastor Doug: Okay let me just make a real quick observation here. Let’s just suppose for moment and I don’t believe this, but let’s just suppose that we could find somewhere in the Bible in the New Testament where it seemed like that you could find believers drinking fermented alcohol. You can also find where slavery was spoken of by Paul and you can also find where they had multiple wives. We are now living in a time where we are just on the threshold of the second coming of Jesus. And the Bible says we are a nation of kings and priests. Proverbs says it is not right for a king to drink because it perverts judgment and a priest was to never drink and that’s why [inaudible] and [inaudible] were slain because they drank wine and then went into the presence of the Lord.
And then when you consider that it is an addictive substance and I forget hear anywhere between 1 in 5 or 1 in 7 drinkers become wither a problem drinker or an alcoholic and I am not sure what the difference is.
Darren: That is what I have heard also.
Pastor Doug: So if you don’t want to do anything to make your brother stumble then what Christian could eat—I mean rather could drink alcohol and how would you drink alcohol with a clear conscious?
Darren: Well personally I believe I go on when I read it says if you have faith have it unto yourself and before God.
Pastor Doug: Why would you want to—I mean is it okay for a Christian to use drugs that alter our state of consciousness or judgment or discernment?
Darren: I would say that on your—or that moment of responsibility. I know we have a responsibility to keep our self pure and clean before God, but what else…
Pastor Doug: Darren are you a parent?
Darren: No I am not a parent.
Pastor Doug: Well let’s just say for a minute you were. If you had children and they said look I am only using a little bit of cocaine in moderation when I am by myself. I do it with a clear conscious; would you buy that? Because it is an addictive substance and alcohol is, too.
Darren: Well that’s true.
Pastor Doug: Alcohol is more deadly in our society than cocaine is and I don’t see how Christians could support the use of that? I am trying to be kind, but we have probably budgeted a little too much time for this question and if you don’t mind. Have you read the book I wrote on alcohol and the Christian?
Darren: “Wine and the Christian”, yes I believe I have.
Pastor Doug: Okay well that is the best I have to offer right now. I hope that helps a little Darren, but we need to move on because several people are waiting.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Russell who is listening on INT from Dallas, Texas. Welcome to the program Russell and your question?
Russell: Thank you and good evening Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Russell: My question has to do with being a student. If you are a student and you have some require classes that if you attend; you would be attending them on the Sabbath. And by doing so would you be technically or literally breaking the Sabbath?
Pastor Doug: Well if it is not a religious class then I wouldn’t feel very good about that. You know where are many examples in history and in the Bible of people who said I am not going to break God’s law even though the consequences are severe. Not only did some people lose their jobs because they wouldn’t break the commandments; remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The king said if you don’t bow down you are going to lose your job and your life. And Daniel was told if you don’t worship just the king; if you are caught praying and only for thirty days, it wasn’t a long term thing he said just for thirty days break the law. And Daniel said no I am not going to do it once. And so there are all kinds of tests that come to us regarding the law of God and if it is not okay to occasionally commit adultery and occasionally to steal; then I would treat the Sabbath the same way. If it is the law of God; then it’s the law of God. And if it requires a class in—fortunately in North America and I have written many letters for teachers that we do have laws that protect students because of religious beliefs. Often they will make some accommodation. But, in some countries they won’t. You have to go to school six days a week and if you don’t show up on the Sabbath they punish you.
Russell: Okay.
Pastor Doug: I would say take a stand for the Lord and if you honor Him He will honor you.
Pastor Ross: Let’s go to our next caller. Bruce is listening on KFIA Hidden Valley Lake, California welcome to the program and your question?
Bruce: My question is about Chapter 11 the book of Revelation. Now starting at around Chapter 7; I have a couple of questions here in this Chapter where they refer to the main street in Jerusalem as Sodom in Egypt where Jesus was crucified. But, it seems like there is some kind of closure at the end of the Chapter when they die and the world witnesses it and then they are called up to life again after three and one-half days of death. And then they go right into the seventh trumpet brings the world terror is one of the sub-titles in my Chapter, but it seems like a closure where these guys just finished a very important closure in the church and then now all that is left is judgment after they leave. Is that true?
Pastor Doug: Well there was a judgment that came. The two witnesses is a deep historic—it is a study in history—well the two witnesses—well let me just back up and say something for everybody listening--there are three primary views of Revelation. There is one called futurism and that is the left behind that is that most of Revelation is still in the future from Chapter 4 on. There is prederism and most of the Charismatic’s believe in futurism. There is predarism which is the prederists view which is everything in Revelation happened by the first century by the Nero fulfillment as the anti-Christ. And that is what most of tour orthodox Catholic friends believe. Then there is the historists view which is where I am and many of the Protestants Luther, Spurgeon, Wesley, Calvin; most of them were historists. Isn’t that right Pastor Ross?
Pastor Ross: Yes.
Pastor Doug: That means that Revelation is covered in the history of the church. The two witnesses cover the history in the church where there was an all attack against the word of God, the law, and the prophets and in the New and the Old Testament these are the two witnesses with a sword with two edges. In France was the birth of atheism. They burned Bibles in the streets and then after three and one-half years; a year is a day in prophecy, they revoked and repealed the law banning the Bible and they allowed the Bible to go to the people. It was exalted up to heaven as you might say to all of Europe. And a great judgment had come upon France and Napoleon and there was a great turmoil during that time.
But, so the symbols here all have an application in history. I don’t know if all that made sense? There is a book I will recommend Bruce if you have not read it; it is a classic and it changed my life. It is called “The Great Controversy” have you read or heard of that book before?
Bruce: No I have not.
Pastor Doug: If you call our resource number and ask them if they have a giveaway version of “The Great Controversy”.
Pastor Ross: Let me give you that resource number again. It’s 1-800-835-6747 and just ask for “The Great Controversy”. Pastor Doug I hear the music and it sounds like our break is coming up.
Pastor Doug: Well it is and we want to tell you before we go to some of the announcements and things we want to share. Go to our website we like to mention it because when you go there you are going to find like a tree of life. “Amazing Facts dot org” and it branches out from that homepage into a thousand different branches and there is fruit on all of those branches. You are going to find lots of free resources and there are sermons to listen to. There is video and sermons you can watch. And there are a lot of Bible studies and things to enhance your personal walk and your witnessing ability. Take a look at “Amazing Facts dot com” meanwhile we will be right back.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: Welcome back friends and if you have just tuned in the title kind of tells it all and if you have a Bible question in North America or Canada the toll free number is 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463-7297. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: My name is Jean Ross. Pastor Doug, we have mentioned this before on the program; it is about something important coming up in May and that is the Ten Commandment Day. Are we going to be doing something special in connection with that as well?
Pastor Doug: Yes that is right we are going to be having a live satellite broadcast from here in Sacramento. We will be cooperating with 3ABN who will be up linking on Friday night and a Saturday morning service that will help pave the way for the May 7th event. A lot of churches are sort of getting together to sort of exalt the law of God. And you know—there are two dynamics during the month May that are almost the opposite. One is this Ten Commandment Day and then a few weeks later is the release of a movie where they will be serving the antithesis of the word of God and that is the Da Vinci Code movie that is expected to be—you know is hailed to be a blockbuster something like the Passion was, but it is undermining the Bible and saying that it can’t be trusted and it is that some people are actually believing it.
And we have a book that is coming out. It is not available yet, but it will be out in a few weeks and we’ll tell you about it. It’s called Mary Magdalene “The Truth About Mary Magdalene” and the woman at Jesus’ feet. And if people want to have a great sharing book; we’re trying to make these available as inexpensive as possible to share with people that are coming out of the theaters and wondering about can the New Testament be trusted. You know did Jesus have an affair with Mary Magdalene like the Da Vinci Code says? This book really nails it and it is very interesting to read. But, we will tell you more about that and keep praying and keep your ears tuned and we will tell you more about that.
Pastor Ross: Alright our next caller Johannes and he is calling from Manton, California and he is listening on KEIT welcome to the program.
Johannes: Hello and good evening Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Good evening and your question tonight?
Johannes: My question is like this little boy I told him because he got in a fight. I said hey you shouldn’t do that. You should love your enemies. And he said oh does that mean you should love Satan, too? And I didn’t have an answer for that one.
Pastor Doug: Well that is a good question because on first glance you’d wonder well aren’t we supposed to love all of our enemies? The reason we love our enemies is that our love has the power to turn them into friends. Pour love has the power to convert them and to influence them to good. Satan has lost all redeemable quality because he has committed the unpardonable sin. And there is a Scripture in the Bible where the prophet came to Johasiphat and said why would you love or defend those who hate me? The devil has vowed he is never going to change and so when Jesus said love your enemies he is talking about recruiting souls from Satan’s army. But, you are never going to love Satan over to Jesus’ side. And so we are never commanded to love him. Matter of fact we are told not to love him. But, I know on an elementary level a child might think well what is it we are not supposed to love all of our enemies? Jesus is talking about people.
Pastor Ross: Absolutely.
Johannes: Okay thank you.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Good question.
Pastor Ross: Thank you for your call. Our next caller is Joe listening from Long Island, New York on WMCA. Welcome to the program Joe and your question?
Joe: Yes thank you for taking my call. I know there are certain things that we will never fully understand until we are with the Lord. I know without the Lord that I am going to hell and I love the Lord. And He desires that none should perish, but if He knows all things then why did He even make us if He knew that some would go to hell forever and ever?
Pastor Doug: Well that is a good question. The reason is love. If parents choose to have children if they are honest and logical they know they are taking a chance that they will not obey them and they may turn on them and cause them problems. And God knew this and he took that risk. The other thing is any farmer who goes out planting crops knows that all the seeds he is scattering are not going to sprout. And even if you go to the store today and you buy grass seed there’s a fine print that says, “Most of what is in this bag is grass seed. But, some weeds are in here and we can’t control it perfectly.”
And God made this world and He created man In His own image and he knew what would happen, but because of His love; He took that risk. And it is going to break His heart that some people are going to choose not to love Him and they will choose to believe a lie and love the devil. But, that’s probably the best answer I have.
Joe: Yes. Well like I said I deserve hell. I know I do, but I know He sacrificed His life for me and I love Jesus. It’s just that I don’t know maybe the enemy is playing tricks at me. Because I know what the word of God says.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Jesus said straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life. Few that will be to find it. And the Lord says that with tears in His voice. He wants everybody to accept. But, He knows that in a war there are causalities and this is a war between love and selfishness and there is going to be casualties.
Pastor Ross: And you know even one person saved throughout the long term of eternity it would make it worth it. Yes that is right that eternity is worth it. And our next caller is Alisha listening to us on WMCA in Brooklyn, New York. Welcome to the program Alisha and your question?
Alisha: My question is Ephesians 4: 8 where it says, “He is sent up on high and led captivity captive.” What does that mean?
Pastor Doug: Well captivity is death. When Jesus ascended to heaven the graves of some of the saints who were sleeping around Jerusalem were raised. When the Lord went to heaven he took those captives with Him. He led those who had been in captivity into heaven. Go ahead Pastor Ross.
Pastor Ross: That’s Matthew 27: 53 about the resurrection.
Pastor Doug: Right. And he led the captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. The Lord has basically come to set the captives free. This ancient wording that you would find in the King James Version –or I should say this older wording is a little more difficult—I am looking up another translation here.
Pastor Ross: While you look that up I thought I might mention that Christ not only overcame death, but at the resurrection it’s believed that many of those although we have no record of it being involved in the early Christian church. That they ascended with Him.
Pastor Doug: Yes. Here it is in the NIV which I don’t often use, but it makes it a little easier Alisha. It says in Ephesians 4: 8. This is what it says, “When He ascended on high he led captives I His train. Leading captivities captive sounds like you are still making captives still captives. They used to lead the captives home in a parade of freedom. And here it says He leads the captives in His train and gives them gifts unto men. So Christ came to set the captives free. And He took the first fruits home with Him when He ascended to heaven. I hope that helps. Does that make sense?
Alisha: Yes it does make sense.
Pastor Doug: Alright. Praise the Lord and thank you very much for your question.
Pastor Ross: Thank you very much for calling Alisha. Our next caller is Harold listening on WHR in Jamestown, New York. Welcome to the program Harold your question.
Harold: Hello.
Pastor Ross: Hello.
Pastor Doug: Hi.
Harold: My question is about Leviticus 11: 8.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Harold: It says we’re not supposed to touch the carcasses of unclean animals.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Harold: Well I found out that bonded leather and genuine leather Bibles are made out of pigskin.
Pastor Doug: Well I don’t want to make your life more difficult, but on most soap if you read the ingredients on it a word called tallow or tallowite is on there. It is a chemical being for it because it is so hyper-processed that most of that is from the fat of—sort of the combined fat of everything from cows to pigs to whatever else the slaughter houses might offer up. And that is processed and used for soap; unless you buy Neutrogena or one of these glycerin soaps. But, the command there in Leviticus where it says carcasses is not the same as processed. Let me give you an example. When you dig in the soil and plant your tomatoes the chances are that some of the calcium in the soil is from the bones of unclean animals. Or technically you could say that I am touching a carcass. Well it has been so processed by nature that the idea of it being contaminating is not there anymore.
In the same way when you touch a Bible or grab a foot ball that might be made of pigskin. They used to make footballs from pigskin and they called them pigskin, but I don’t know if they are anymore. I don’t think you are going to get contamination form that. The Lord—this was a law about the cleanliness. The dead carcass of an animal is usually full of worms and vermin and it is very foul and it is going through the process of decomposition. That is what the Lord had in mind. Don’t eat their flesh or even touch the carcass.
Harold: Okay.
Pastor Ross: Thanks for your call Harold.
Pastor Doug: But, I still don’t use pig soap to wash with.
Pastor Ross: That’s right; how can you get clean?
Pastor Doug: Just seems like a paradox to me, but somehow you do; I guess.
[Laughter]
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Tony listening from Yakima, Washington on KOAH and welcomes to the program Tony; your question.
Tony: Hi. I’m calling referring to the Acts Chapter 15: 24.
Pastor Doug: Okay Acts 15: 24 and I will read it for our friends. 24”Since we have heard some who have went out from among us have troubled you with words; unsettling your souls, saying you must be circumcised and keep the law to whom we give no such commandment.” And do you have a specific question in mind on this verse?
Tony: Yes, well what is he talking about when he says law?
Pastor Doug: Well the Jewish Christians were telling the new Gentile converts that they were required to keep all of the ceremonial laws and ordinances. And he specifically mentioned circumcision because they had Jewish laws about the Sabbath and that is why Paul said let no man judge you regarding the Sabbath days which are shadows and were nailed to the cross. They had laws about sacrificing lambs and going to the annual feasts and all these were nailed to the cross. But, of course this is not a verse that is intended by the Apostle to be used to say you don’t need to keep the Ten Commandments anymore. Because that would be tantamount to saying it is now okay to kill and to lie and to steal. So it is not dealing with that it is dealing with the ceremonial laws.
Tony: Yes. Well I was just sort of curious if in your opinion that tithing should be referred to as a law under this particular category because a lot of churches are saying if you do not tithe you are on the wrong side of the fence with God and will face the consequences.
Pastor Doug: That is a good question and one way you can divide the ceremonial laws and what laws are part of God’s standard that carries on through the New Testament is what things you find as a part of the law of God before Moses. And you do find the law regarding tithing even before Moses. It goes all the way back to Abraham who gave a tenth of to Melchizedek and Jacob who promised to give a tenth to the Lord if He would promise to bring him back safely.
Now in the New Testament Tony I really think that tithing is elementary school or kindergarten because when you get to the New Testament tithing is rarely mentioned because it seemed like such a small amount. In the New Testament they were selling their property and basically liquidating and laying down their proceeds. It wasn’t ten percent. It was in some cases 50 and 100 percent. So you know tithing—if a Christian is going to tithe and they are not even capable of kindergarten tithing then the sacrificing that you see in the New Testament they will never be able to achieve that.
Pastor Ross: Does that answer your question Tony?
Tony: Yes okay I appreciate your time.
Pastor Doug: We do have a free study guide on that. It’s called “In God We Trust” and we will send it to you for free.
Pastor Ross: Just call the resource number 1-800-835-6747 and ask for the study guide “In God We Trust” and it deals with the whole subject of tithing.
Our next caller is Derrick listening from Westerberg, Minnesota and listening on the satellite. Welcome to the program Derrick your question.
Derrick: Yes how are you guys? It is Westerberg, Michigan, but that is okay. My question is on Colossians 2: 16. Last week a person called in and asked about it and you referred to the food and drink as being to idols.
Pastor Doug: Okay.
Derrick: And I always thought it was dealing with the ceremonial law which you were just talking about. And it was dealing with offerings found in Ezekiel 45: 17 I always thought the food offerings and drink offerings was dealing with the ceremonial law.
Pastor Doug: Yes you are probably—well I think you are right that would certainly be part of it.
Derrick: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Because those things were connected with the sanctuary. And all of the ceremonial laws and ordinances are connected to the sanctuary were abolished. And that is why went Jesus died on the cross the veil was torn and that is why God was signaling to the church that our body is the temple.
Derrick: Okay yes I was just making sure because I heard you say it was idolatry and I just thought I don’t think it was dealing with idolatry there. They were talking more about the offerings and stuff that they had back then.
Pastor Doug: Well I think it includes that and I am going to tell you that you are right. That it probably is more accurate to apply the food and drink offerings in the sanctuary than to talk about the food sacrifice idols. But, I was just applying the principles of the laws that were nailed to the cross. So I appreciate that. It’s a good point.
Derrick: Yes. Okay and just for the last caller maybe if you looked at Luke 24: 44 it talks about pretty much what all the laws of Moses are and what is done away with. It says concerning Jesus you know there it makes it pretty clear.
Pastor Doug: Yeah well okay and hopefully he is still listening.
Derrick: Alright.
Pastor Doug: And thanks a lot.
Pastor Ross: Thanks Derrick. Our next caller is Joe listening on KJCR from Fort Worth, Texas welcome to the program Joe and your question?
Joe: Praise the Lord!
Pastor Doug: Praise the Lord!
[laughter]
Pastor Doug: I can say ditto to that and your question.
Joe: Yes I am pretty nervous, but last night I was talking to my sister about—I was somewhat trying to rekindle her faith and she brought up something about the 1000 year period and she told me that all the sinners are going to be suffering or that long. And how can we have a loving God if He is going to do that to something He created? And I haven’t gotten that far I am barely in Acts in the New Testament. And I was wondering if you can point me to a chapter and give me some insight on that so I’m able to maybe help her and give her the truth.
Pastor Doug: Wonderful. Well there are two lessons that we’ll send you for free. And let me tell you about that quickly. One is we have a lesson about the 1000 years that you find in Revelation. And if you ask for our study guide on the millennium they will send that to you for free. Then we have another study guide that is dealing with the lake of fire. And it is called “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?” And probably, did you say it is your sister you are studying with Joe?
Joe: Yes.
Pastor Doug: She may be connected to some of the beliefs that, those 1000 years is a time of purgatory.
Joe: Yes the purgatory. My sister I think she got it from her boyfriend. He is the one that brought up purgatory and I am familiar with the term, but I don’t know what it means.
Pastor Doug: Well purgatory is not in the Bible. Purgatory is a belief that is embraced by the Catholic Church and it comes from the same word as to purge. And it is sort of a burning that is preparatory to heaven and it is like a mini hell you have to go through to be cleansed after death for heaven. And there is nothing in the Bible that teaches that. And so the teaching of purgatory and the word of purgatory doesn’t even appear in the Bible. Once you die you are either saved or lost. God is not going to give you partial punishment and then save you after death. So Jesus says there are two resurrections. The resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation. And a person is either going to have everlasting life and a glorified body or they are going to be punished for their sins and cast into the lake of fire. There’s no middle ground. God is not going to burn you for a little while and then give you your glorified body.
Joe: Yes okay.
Pastor Doug: Nothing in the Bible teaches that. But, many people misunderstand hell and they believe it is going to burn through endless ages and the Bible teaches that people are punished in hell according to what they deserve and Malachi 4 says they are burned up.
Joe: Yes I got one of your sermons about how Jerusalem was going to burn for an eternity or something like that.
Pastor Doug: Yes the gates of Jerusalem will be burned with an eternal fire and of course they are not still burning.
Joe: Yes I tried to throw that at her, but I don’t think I worded it right.
Pastor Doug: Well you look and when you get the lesson that I just mentioned on hell “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?” there is a lot of myths connected with hell that are in no way in the Bible.
Pastor Ross: Let me give you the phone number for that lesson Joe. 1-800-835-6747 and it is the lesson “Is the Devil in Charge of Hell?” and then there is the other lesson that deals with the millennium or the 1000 years period and it is called “A Thousand Years of Peace”. Then you just ask for those two study guides and they will be happy to send this out to you. Thanks for your call. And our next caller is Dexter and he is listening from Forest City, Arizona on INT and we welcome you to the program Dexter your question?
Dexter: How are you doing? My name is Dexter Thomas and my question is about the military. I was in a situation in which I thought the Holy Spirit was telling me not to go to the military because of in the position I would have had I would have had to shoot and guide the missiles and I know in His commandments it says thou shall not kill. And I mean like even if I had a doctoral like being a doctor or something I feel like that by me repairing those soldiers I still know that when I do help them or heal them that they will have to go out and do their jobs. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
Pastor Doug: Well you know one of the most complicate dilemmas for a Christian is in regard to how you respond to the military. Christians want to have the freedom to enjoy worship in their churches. And at the same time we don’t want to be involved in taking life, but we want to respect our countries. And so this has been a struggle for the church across the ages about—I mean I can go back in history where everyone from the Hussies who believed in going to war to the Puritans who didn’t. You can find example sin the Bible of David who was of course a man of war. And then you have got others like John who would rather be to turn the other cheek than to lift a hand.
So the way I deal with it is on a personal level relationship we should never do anything to offend ourselves or to hurt another person. When it comes to a civil relationship; if you are a policeman for instance and you see a robber has hostages then you might need to use your justified force to deliver those people. So there is a place for that and I think we are all thankful that villains aren’t running the country. But, in some instances they still are. But, if you know what I mean that we do still have some civil order. So that is just something you have to deal with on a personal level. And if you are called into the military try to deal something where you can heal or save lives and is not combative.
Dexter: Can I –I mean even Peter said that we should obey God more than man right?
Pastor Doug: Exactly. The big question is nor obeying God. We all know we should do that the question is; are we disobeying God if we get involved in some military form of service. I hope that helps Dexter we are going to try to take one or two more calls. Who is next Pastor Ross?
Pastor Ross: Let’s go to Sam who is listening in Dallas, Texas on JKCR welcome to the program and your question?
Sam: Yes my question is in Ester Chapter 9: 26. I am stuck on the [inaudible] and it means the casting of blood.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Sam: I don’t know what that means and is the casting of blood to continue to the present? And what time did they have this casting of blood?
Pastor Doug: Well they don’t cast lots anymore, but the Orthodox Jews and the ancient Israel there was a holiday every year called Purim and the name of the holiday came from casting lots in the Persian language I think lots was pura. And it was a holiday to commemorate the great deliverance the people had during the time of Ester and Mordechai. And so it is just a term that means lots. But, Orthodox Jews I think still celebrate that. Maybe one more Pastor Ross if we have time.
Pastor Ross: Alright let’s go to Michael who is listening on WMCA in Erickson, New Jersey welcome to the program and your question.
Michael: Hi. My question is pertaining to Christians and divorce and Matthew 5: 32.
Pastor Doug: Yes.
Michael: I was wondering it seems like this Scripture is ignored.
Pastor Doug: Let me read this for our friends who may not have a Bible handy. Jesus said, “But, I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason, except for fornication” that is sexual immorality, “Causes her to commit adultery.” And whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Well the word of the Lord cannot be any clearer in that respect and Jesus is of course speaking here to believers. The Jewish nation they were the believers in Christ’s time and there are a couple of definitions that are expanded by the Apostle Paul that give a little more reason. If a pagan couple and one of them accepted Christ and then the partner said well I don’t want to be a Christian I don’t believe in you and they depart. Paul seemed to indicate in 1 Corinthians 7 that, that person was then free to remarry. But, a Christian should not marry somebody who has been divorced without Biblical grounds.
And these things are still in place and you are right Michael unfortunately it is not observed very well. We do have a lesson that deals with the happiness of husbands and wives and we will send you a free copy of that Michael if you would like. Oh I just heard the music and I guess that means no more questions Pastor Ross.
Listening friends once again if you’d like to take advantage of some of the resources that we have mentioned in our program. We have a series of 27 Bible studies that start with a great understanding of the Bible and takes you all the way through some of the deeper things of Revelation. If you would like to enroll I that go to “Bible Universe dot com”. Very simple and even if you type in “Bible University dot com” it takes you there. And don’t forget our special offer tonight.
Pastor Ross: Our special offer is the “Drummer Boy’s Prayer”. And if you haven’t read that it is well worth you reading it. To get that just call our resource number 1-800-835-6747.
Pastor Doug: Very good and keep in mind friends that this program is listener supported and we’d love to hear from you. God bless and remember this is not so much about the details it is about the person Jesus who is the truth that sets you free.
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