Hello friends this is Doug Batchelor. How about an amazing fact? Cross breeding between animals of the same species is rare in the wild, but it becomes more common in captivity producing some amazing results. One of the most interesting hybrids is the liger. As you might have guessed the liger is an offspring of a lion father and a tiger mother. Their other scientific name is Anterior Leo Tigris. Ligers share characteristics of both their parents. Some look lion like, but others are more strongly revealing their tiger heritage. The liger cub usually has the typical tan coloring like a lion with tiger stripes running through it. The tiger mothers involved are usually the common orange color, but white tigers have also been crossed with lions to produce white ligers. Even their roar is made up from a lion and a tiger sound. They usually roar like a lion and chuck like a tiger. A male liger may have a mane, but it s generally shorter than an African lion. Ligers inherit the love of water which comes from their tiger side of their family.
Hybrid animals often display hybrid vigor. This means that the offspring grow much larger and faster than either parent. And it is appearing that many hybrids cause gigantism. This is why ligers are the largest cats in the world. They can stand twelve feet tall on their hind legs and weight in at over 1000 pounds. That is over a half a ton and is double the weight of a fully grown tiger. That is also a lot of kitty food. Traditionally these cats have a gentle and easy going disposition. Did you know that the Bible tells of a time when a race of giants roamed the land? 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: This is one of my favorite hours of the week when we can get together with our friends. The most important subject the truth and the word of God. It’s “Bible Answers Live” and if you have question this is an International, interactive Bible study and you are invited to call in. You can listen in and you can pray for us as we do our best to search the word of God and find out what the answers area. The toll free number in North America is 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463-7297. And right now is always a good time to pick up the phone and make your call. If you don’t get through on the first time Jesus said keep knocking, keep asking, keep seeking and He must have said keep dialing in there somewhere. But, don’t give up and hopefully you will get your question on the air. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: And my name is Jean Ross. Good evening Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Good evening Pastor Jean.
Pastor Ross: Let’s begin with a word of prayer okay? Dear Father we ask once more as we go to your word that you would lead and guide and give Pastor Doug the understanding from the things that he has read and we ask a special blessing upon those who are listening and those who call in. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
Pastor Doug: Amen.
Pastor Ross: You began the program with an amazing fact about ligers. They are this cross of hybrid of animals. It is most fascinating that these things are happening and I guess it happens in nature, but they can also do it in captivity.
Pastor Doug: That’s right. Occasionally in nature species that are of the same family will get together and they have a romantic episode. And then produce one of these hybrids. But, it doesn’t happen very often because as they say birds of a feather flock together.
Pastor Ross: That’s right.
Pastor Doug: But it is interesting that there are different kinds of bears you cross and in theory they have crossed—well not just theory, but they have crossed domestic cats with a lynx and some of these other wild cats. And I should add that in many cases the hybrid offspring are sterile and they can’t reproduce. Like most mules which are hybrids are sterile. But, what I was fascinated by was what they call the hybrid vigor or the genetic vitality it is sometimes called. Many people read this passage in the Bible about giants Pastor Ross and it is in Genesis Chapter 6. I’ll read it for our friends, “Now it came to pass when men began to multiple on the face of the earth” this is Genesis 6: 1 friends “and daughters were born to them that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the Lord said my spirit will not always strive with man for he is indeed flesh and yet his days will be 120 years. There were giants on the earth in those days and also afterward when the sons of God came unto the daughters of men and bore children to them. Those are mighty men of old who are men of renown.” And there has been a lot of wild speculation about who these giants came from and who these sons of God were that saw the daughters of men and some have speculated does this mean angels; fallen angels had relations with human women and they had these gigantic children?
Pastor Ross: There are some translations that I don’t think they are translations; they are more paraphrases that seem to indicate that.
Pastor Doug: Yes they do very heavy guessing when they do that. And then some say well maybe they are aliens that came down and had sexual relations with humans and they had these offspring. Friends all of those are wild inaccurate interpretations.
If you ever want to know what the truth is let the Bible speak for itself. Who were the sons of God? Well you read in John Chapter 1: 12 “But, as many as received him to them he gave the power to become the sons of God.” And you will find a number of references in the Bible where believers are called the sons of God. And up until the time of the flood the descendents of Seth—Adam and Eve’s son Abel was killed, but they had another son that was faithful and his name was Seth. Jesus came through the line of Seth. They remained distinct from the descendents of Cain who were very wicked they were called the children of men—mortal and the sons of God were the ones who had eternal life. And Adam is called the son of God because he believed in the Lord. When they remained distinct there was holiness, but when they were intermarrying with these others because evidently the daughters of Cain were beautiful. They lost their spiritual strength and physical strength just as today when people intermarry there is often a higher I Q of the children and sometimes they’re even taller. And so here in North America they have noticed a big surge in the height of the offspring having to do with Americans are a melting pot of many different races and there is genetic vitality or hybrid vigor there. And I couldn’t believe it. I saw this at the library and I saw photographs and they were twelve feet tall when they stood up and the backs come up to a person’s shoulders practically. They are enormous cats. And it made me think about the giants that roamed the earth. Could you imagine what that must have looked like back before the days of the flood when there were these races of giants?
Pastor Ross: Well the humans back then were probably taller than where we are today.
Pastor Doug: And you multiple that times the hybrid vigor and so.
Pastor Ross: And so yes they must have been huge.
Pastor Doug: And then the problem was they were big physically, but because they intermarried the children have now lost their faith and that is why God said their days will be 120 years from that statement until the flood Noah had 120 years to warn the people and prepare the Ark. Anyway you might have questions about that friend or any other questions. You can call the toll free number 1-800-463-7297 (GOD-SAYS). And we have a free offer that helps to explain how you can be a son of God. And Pastor Ross will tell you about that.
Pastor Ross: Our free offer this evening is on the topic of how to become a Son of God. The book is “Three Steps to Heaven” and we’d like to make that available to any of you who would call our resource line 1-800-835-6747. Just ask for “Three steps to heaven” how do we become the sons and daughters of God? The resource number is 1-800-835-6747. And the free book is “Three Steps to Heaven”.
Pastor Doug we have some internet questions we’d like to do before we go into the callers. This one sort of ties in because we have been talking about big animals and this one ties into that and says, If the dinosaurs died in the flood why does it say Noah took both clean and unclean animals and all of the animals into the Ark?
Pastor Doug: Well I believe the Bible means just what it says and I’m assuming Noah took two of every main species of animal into the Ark. It doesn’t mean he had to take a full grown Tyranna Saurus Rex or Brontosaurus and we don’t even know the skeletons we look at today could have been hybrids in themselves.
Pastor Ross: Umm-hmm.
Pastor Doug: But, he took two of the main species of all of the animals. These prehistoric animals that are extinct now it doesn’t mean that he left them all out there because that would have been disobeying God’s commandment. Anything God had created; he wanted to perpetuate and save, but man has rendered and the environment has rendered many animals extinct from the time of Noah to the present. Some estimates are that one quarter of the animals that used to exist are extinct and more. I believe he could have taken a dinosaur egg as long as he did something to keep it warm.
Pastor Ross: Yes.
Pastor Doug: And people often think. Does that mean he had to take two Chihuahuas and two great Danes and two German Shepards and two Basset Hounds and two of all these different types of dogs? No. He took two dogs. Matter of fact I think it is interesting that they have done dog DNA tracking and they say they can trace virtually every breed of dogs back to two dogs that were very much wolf or Husky like. And of the genetics of those two dogs all of the variety that you see in the world today came from just that one species.
Pastor Ross: Now of course I have also heard that mammoths have been found and everything including their entire body is intact including the hair and the flesh and everything is intact frozen as though they were alive.
Pastor Doug: Of course they were preserved until after the flood--and oh by the way among the hybrids I studied for this amazing fact—they did cross African elephants and Asian elephants. And it works.
Pastor Ross: Are they bigger—bigger than the African?
Pastor Doug: You know they didn’t say, but they just got a baby pacaderm out of it. So whatever it was.
[Laughter]
Pastor Ross: Alright. Our next question is an important one. If we are all worshipping the same God why are there so many different denominations?
Pastor Doug: That is a good question. And first of all friends I don’t believe that it is God’s plan that the church of believers should be so fragmented. Jesus said they will know you are my disciples by your love for one another and if our unity and love is a witness then our disunity and division is a witness for the devil. And the devil has sought to divide the Christian church to create confusion and to be a bad witness. And let’s face it a lot of churches and other religions and people will look at the Christian Church and how fragmented it is and they say oh they can’t get along with each other; they’re all disagreeing; what makes them think they have the truth? If there was unity it would be different. And the reason there are so many different denominations is they disagree on their doctrines and what they don’t understand is it was foretold and Paul said that after my departure that grievous wolfs will come in not sparing the flock to draw away disciples after themselves. Different people through history have held onto certain pet doctrines and they have built denominations around their pet doctrines and that is one reason for the division.
But, we have an offer that talks about you know why there are so many churches and we’ll send that to anyone that wants. It is called “Why is My Church Dead?” Oh a matter of fact wait a second—we’ve got a new title for that lesson and I am going to look that up here because for thirty years we had the old titles and we have updated the covers and lessons and I don’t remember all of the new titles.
Pastor Ross: Well while you are looking for the title of the book it is also interesting talking about different denominations could it be perhaps that these great Godly men of the past and I am thinking of the reformers and they just stopped studying and kind of stopped where that reformer had brought the truth and then a denomination grew out of that instead of continuing to study and gain more truth from God’s word? It is a progressive experience.
Pastor Doug: The title for the lesson is “The Bride of Christ” and if they would like a copy of that we will send it to them for free.
Pastor Ross: An important lesson and an important study. To get it you can call our resource number 1-800-835-6747. And ask for the lesson “The Bride of Christ”. We would also like to welcome a new radio station to our program this evening. That is Blue Ridge communications 88.1 FM in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. And we have probably some folks who are listening and we hope you’ll call in with your question this evening.
We are going to go to the phone lines. Our first caller is Cindy from Brinton, Canada welcome to the program Cindy your question?
Cindy: Hi and how are you tonight?
Pastor Ross: Good.
Pastor Doug: Good.
Cindy: My question is—and I am going to read from the Bible the King James Version and Deuteronomy 23: 2 it says “A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even unto his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord.” So my question is whether children who are born to parents who are not married will not be entering God’s kingdom even to the tenth generation?
Pastor Doug: No because by that definition one of the judges of Israel; his name was Jebsa, he was the son of an illegitimate relationship, yet God filled him with the Spirit and used him to deliver Israel. Even though they came to him and they said you are the best general and the bravest man and he said well if you cast me out why would you want me to lead you? And God did use him and spoke to him. When it talks about the congregation of the Lord it did not mean they could not live in Israel or be Israelites, but those that went into the temple you can see here where it talks about in the next verse An Amorite or a Moabite will not enter the congregation of the Lord. Well that would exclude Ruth. Ruth couldn’t go to heaven right because she was a Moabite. This was for those who would participate in the temple and the courtyard services.
They also had laws and I know it may seem a little bit severe, but dwarfs, people who are disfigured were excluded. The blind, the maimed could not go into the tabernacle. And the reason for this is it was talking about those who will be with God in heaven must be spiritually complete. And it wasn’t to make any statement about people who were handicapped or who were from other races or other cultures and so this was a law that had a spiritual application. A lot of these old ceremonial laws had a spiritual application for today.
Cindy: Okay. Alright.
Pastor Doug: Yes obviously God is not going to exclude people who—violate—is it in Ezekiel 18? Is this where it says; that the sons will not bear the sins of the fathers. If a child is born as a result of an illicit relationship it isn’t very fair to the child to say you can’t go to heaven no matter how much you seek after me. But, it was making a statement to the people that adultery was inappropriate. And these immoral relationships you know it often hurt the children for several generations.
Cindy: Okay.
Pastor Doug: Alright?
Cindy: Alright I have one more question. It is from my co-worker at work who asked me this question. He still believes that God is forgiving and that—we have this argument that God is loving and all of that, but he says to me well if God is so forgiving how comes he didn’t forgive Adam and Eve for eating the forbidden fruit and that is why the world is the way that it Is today.
Pastor Doug: Well He did forgive them and the penalty for the sin was death and He said well I am going to give you a chance though you might die physically to have forgiveness and I offer you everlasting life and that is why Jesus came is because He did provide mercy for Adam and Eve.
Cindy: Yes and that is what I tried to explain to him as well. But, he said if it was forgiving he would have said okay you messed up, but I am going to give you a second chance by not making the world destructive.
Pastor Doug: Well the only way that Jesus can forgive us is He takes our sin penalty and one thing that people often don’t understand is that God’s law is unchangeable. And when the law is broken there must be a payment made. And Christ said I will make the payment. The whole races in the universe needed to see what the results of sin would be so that this never happens again.
Cindy: Umm-hmm. Okay Thank you Pastor for it.
Pastor Doug: Well okay I hope that helps you a little bit Cindy. Thanks for calling.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Mike calling from San Francisco. Welcome to the program Mike your question?
Mike: Yes in Matthew and I don’t know the verse exactly, but Jesus speaks of how if you lust after a woman in your heart that you have committed adultery. I was wondering; could you comment on that?
Pastor Doug: Yes this principle and that is Matthew 5: 28 and this principle would apply not only to men, but to women. And the Lord says, “I say to you that whoever looks upon a woman and lusts for her in his heart has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Now I have counseled with men that say well you know this girl and I are dating and we are having these thoughts in our hearts and we may as well go ahead and do it because we are thinking it in our heart and Jesus said it is the same thing. Jesus isn’t saying it is the same thing. He is saying that the sin of the action begins with an attitude and so the attitude of sin in the heart is there so He is saying don’t even think it in your heart because the attitude will lead to the action.
Mike: Why is it only in Matthew and not the other gospels?
Pastor Doug: Well you will find among the four gospel writers they highlighted different aspects of the teachings of Jesus based on their memories and based on how they were inspired. There’s a lot of stories in Luke that you won’t find in Matthew and likewise the gospel of John and Mark. But, for whatever reason Matthew chose to include this because it stood out in his mind and he incorporated it in his account.
Mike: Well thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Okay. And by the way not only is it found in Matthew, but Paul talks about impure thoughts a number of times in his writings.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Pat in Ormsby, Illinois welcome to the program Pat your question?
Pat: Yes. Good evening and my question is from Ephesians 4: 30. It says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you are sealed for the day of redemption.” My question is what does the sealing mean? Are you sealed forever or what does this mean?
Pastor Doug: Well I believe that the Bible is telling us that when you are sealed by the Holy Spirit that means you are receiving God in your life and that the Holy Spirit is there is that evidence of the Spirit. The very fact that you can grieve the Holy Spirit means you can chase the Holy Spirit Away by resisting. The Bible talks about we are not to resist the Holy Spirit. So when we invite God into our lives and we receive the Spirit then we are sealed for the day of redemption. That doesn’t mean that you can’t reject the working of the Holy Spirit because there were cases in the Bible we can look at where they were Spirit filled and then they just drove the Spirit away by disobedience deliberate. King Saul for instance was sealed by the Holy Spirit when he was first anointed king, but he kept succumbing to his pride and grieved away the Holy Spirit.
Pat: Okay.
Pastor Doug: And David was a prophet of God and was Spirit filled, but he began to covet money and over a period of years he began to grieve away the Spirit.
Pat: Okay if you have like let’s just say you have a friend that is following God and maybe has been doing so for years and they’re sanctified and they are living the sanctified life and they all of a sudden did something wrong; maybe adultery or something I don’t know what.
Pastor Doug: Some act of disobedience.
Pat: They just got in a fight with their wife and the man drove off and even though he has been living the Spirit filled life and runs into another car and dies. Will that man still be saved?
Pastor Doug: I wouldn’t want to be judge first of all and second of all I wouldn’t know what was going on in his mind and heart. You are lending yourself to a hypothetical situation that lends itself to say why God would judge the broad example of His life based on a few moments of bad decisions at the very end and I don’t think there are too many cases like that. There are cases that God saves somebody who have lived very poorly all of their life. Like the thief on the cross. So if we are going to be fair that means that there are those that have also done righteousness that will lose salvation because at the end they quit at the finish line. Do you have a Bible handy?
Pat: Yes.
Pastor Doug: I am quoting a verse I went to earlier. In Ezekiel Chapter 18: “The soul that sins; it’ll die the son will not bear the iniquity of the father and neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” But, if the wicked turns from the wicked he shall live—and I am paraphrasing here to save time. And then he goes on and says in verse 24 “But, if the righteous man turns from his righteousness; he’ll die.” When I read the whole verse there that is what it says. So people can change teams because we have a free will. Praise God we can turn from our wickedness and turn to the Lord and find life. But, then there are those who walk with the Lord and then they give up their faith. That is why the Bible says we are to endure to the end. Right?
Pat: Right.
Pastor Doug: So the scenario that you just painted well I don’t know their situation, there are probably some people at the end because of some mental imbalance they get discouraged, but God can still save them because He knows the heart. You know it’s—people are free to turn away and it would be a terrible thing to get out of line and to quit the race just at the line.
Pat: Okay.
Pastor Doug: I hope that helps and I appreciate that.
Pat: That helps yes.
Pastor Doug: I do hope that helps a little bit because it was a tough question.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Douglas calling from Olan Mills, Maryland. Welcome to the program Douglas.
Douglas: Hi Doug how are you doing?
Pastor Doug: Good.
Douglas: Well I hope I am finding you guys all in good health.
Pastor Doug: Well you are.
Douglas: Good. Well finally you guys all in good health. I have an artery problem in my legs. I want to go to a church that is about 8 miles from me and I can’t walk it anymore. I can barely get a mile anymore and I have a tough time doing that. I do not have any friends or anybody who can take me. Is it permissible to use public transportation?
Pastor Doug: Well I would think so. There are some people who when you know—Pastor Jean was in New York this week. And well 80 % of people in New York don’t have a car because there is just no room on the streets for cars.
Douglas: I grew up there and I know what you mean.
Pastor Doug: Yes they take the subway or they take a cab. I know when I was in New York on the Sabbath my wife and I would get the subway tokens in advance and then would just take the subways as we went from church to church. But, there are cases where I know that people who come to our church every week and the only way they can get there is a bus. And I think God understands that.
Douglas: Okay I kind of figured it would be because actually it was a pretty heavy message that came to me about that and then further I thought that’s a test and then I thought no it’s not. Then I though t there is no reason not to go.
Pastor Doug: Well it’s good you think about these things. The problem is the good Christians don’t ask the good questions. It is okay to ask questions like that. When you stop asking questions the next thing you know the people are mowing their lawn on the Sabbath and they are going to the mall and everything they do every other day and so it stops being a Holy Day. So you have to ask practical questions.
Douglas: Okay I appreciate it.
Pastor Doug: Thank you Douglas.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Jeremiah calling from New Haven, Connecticut. Welcome to the program Jeremiah and your question?
Jeremiah: Hi there. My question is what the Bible says about political activism or political affiliation? Are we accountable for whom we vote for or how we fell about a secular bill or law? The thing that comes to mind that made me ask this question was the immigration bill that’s in the Senate right now. I think that as a Christian we know that these are not a good thing to allow twelve million plus immigrant’s citizenship because they are just seeking a better life, but as an American citizen I think it would be wrong because I think it will just eliminate the middle class and just create a gap between the rich and the poor.
Pastor Doug: Well let me try and share my views on how a Christian might relate to getting in on politics without sharing my personal views on the immigration issues that are plaguing the Nation right now. When it comes to the level of involvement a Christian has Jesus said render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and God the things which are God’s. That means there is something to be rendered unto Caesar to not only pay our taxes, but as citizens we do have a responsibility and accountability to share our values and our principles with the culture. And especially with issues that have some moral implications I think it is important for Christians to be involved and speak up on those issues because if the righteous are quiet during these times then the only one who is vocal is the wicked and they get their way. So I think it is important to be involved, but I don’t think Christians want to get so divided over political parties that they forget that they are really citizens of another kingdom. As Christians we are ambassadors of another world Jeremiah. So it is easy to get so embroiled in the politics on earth that we forget that we are really citizens of another kingdom. But, a final thought on that would be that Daniel was a man of God, but he was a politician and he was in the king’s cabinet and as was Joseph and as was king David and as was Moses and they had to get involved in politics at one point, but God stayed the center of their focus. I hope that helps a little and as you can tell we’re going to take a break here in just a moment. It comes at the half an hour every week and we have a few announcements, we take a drink of water and it gives you a chance also to grab a pencil and write down a phone number and address that you are going to hear. Don’t forget there is a free offer that we are offering tonight Pastor Ross.
Pastor Ross: Our free offer tonight “Three Steps to Heaven” I forgot about it there for a minute. “Three Steps to Heaven to get it just call the resource line at 1-800-835-6747 and we’ll be happy to send that out to you.
Pastor Doug: And also you can jot down “Amazing Facts dot org” and take a trip quickly to the internet. You’ll see a lot of interesting things there. Be right back.
[COMMERCIAL BREAK]
Pastor Doug: For our friends who have just joined us you are listening to “Bible Answers Live”. It is a live program and you’re invited to give us a call if you have Bible question. The number again is 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463-7297. Don’t forget you can also listen to a lot of the Bible questions. We have an ever growing archive at the “Amazing Facts” website and you’d be surprised you might even find your Bible question there. Just go to “Amazing Facts dot org” follow the media links to “Bible Answers Live” and you will see a plethora, a kaleidoscope of a whole lot of Bible questions from over the years. My name is Doug Batchelor.
Pastor Ross: And my name is Jean Ross. Welcome back to the program; at least the second half and we are going to go to Brent who is listening on the internet from Lavonia, Michigan. Welcome to the program.
Brent: Hello Pastor Doug and Pastor Ross.
Pastor Doug: Hi and how can we help you tonight?
Brent: Yes I have been reading and studying the book of Ezekiel recently and I have come to the last chapters and some of the commentaries I have read on the last chapters 40 and up with there is a temple and it is speaking of all the service and what goes on in this temple. Many of them put it in the millennium, but from what I know of the millennium I don’t think that is plausible. Is there any significant reference as to what this is or as to whether it is spiritual I some way?
Pastor Doug: Well I o think there is a spiritual understanding to this. Keep in mind when you get t Revelation that you have an angel measuring the temple. The whole vision of Revelation takes place in the temple. Ezekiel is somewhat of an introduction to Revelation. And Revelation explains Ezekiel and they go back and forth. Revelation talks about Gog and Magog and so does Ezekiel. Revelation talks about a river coming from the throne of God and it talks about a leaves for medicine and so does Ezekiel. I mean there are a lot of parallels between these two books.
Now the temple keep in mind that Jesus said destroy this temple made with hands and in three days I will make one without hands. And then later it talks about in the gospel of John he talks about his body and three days will raise it up. Two things in our day are signified by the temple. One is the body of Christ the church and then of course you have got your body is the Holy temple of the Holy Spirit as individuals. Peter said we are living stones in the temple of God. Do you know what I am saying?
Brent: Right.
Pastor Doug: So there is that aspect of what Ezekiel is talking about. And by the way the word temple appears the times in the Chapters of Ezekiel and most of them are in 41 on as you have said and they are being measured is talking about the different aspects and in heaven it says in Revelation that there was no temple in it for the Lord God is the temple in heaven. Keep in mind Brent that in the earthly temple things were killed when you went through the doors of the temple was an altar where you saw things killed. Obviously nothing dies in heaven. So God does have a dwelling place in heaven we might think of as His tabernacle. He is swelling with them, but the Old Testament temple where you’ve got the laver and you’ve got the altar where things die and the blood is sprinkled certainly there is no need for that in heaven. Does that make sense?
Brent: Yes that is why I didn’t think it was during the millennium.
Pastor Doug: Yes I agree it is not during the millennium. I think he is talking about spiritual terms here about the body of Christ and the church.
Brent: Okay. Alright. Thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Good question thank you.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Bess calling from Amory, Mississippi welcome to the program Bess you question?
Bess: My question is how we can know that we have been born again? I mean can we point to a specific time when it happens?
Pastor Doug: Good question. You may be able to because some people have a very dramatic conversion like the apostle Paul where you are just sort of knocked to the ground by a vision of the Lord and you repent and you’re born again and you’re baptized. Many people point to their baptism as their born again date, but in reality their born again time is when they fell in love with the Lord and they got baptized a little while after that. Some people’s conversion takes place Bess more as a process where Jesus said the wind blows where it will and you can’t tell where it came from or where it goes; it’s the Holy Spirit is working little by little until you finally say hey you know I am—I’ve changed direction. Some people made a u turn and it is very radical and some people make a long sweeping u turn. And but, the way you know that you are born again is not necessarily because you had a dramatic experience, but Jesus said you will know them by their fruits. If you have the fruit of the spirit then you have been born again. Do you love to talk about the Lord? Do you love to be where people are worshipping the Lord? Do you love to hear His voice and do His will? That’s the evidence that He has your heart.
You know there is a wonderful book called “Steps to Christ” that talks about how do we know if we are saved. It’s got the best chat I have ever read dealing with that. Matter of fact the book we are offering tonight “Three Steps to Heaven”’ that would be perfect for you Bess. We’ll send you a free copy.
Bess: Hmm. Yes.
Pastor Doug: Would you like that? There’s no obligation or anything. We just like to send it to encourage people.
Bess: Yes right.
Pastor Ross: Well let me give you the number for that Bess. It is 1-800-835-6747 the book is “Three Steps to Heaven” and it deals with how can we know for sure that we are saved and what do we need to do to make sure that our relationship with Christ is correct? Again thank you for your call Bess.
Our next caller is Jan and Jan welcome to the program and listening in Modesto, California. Hi there.
Jan: Yes. Good evening Pastors. I have a question about baptism and I am not sure if I am going to phrase this correctly. But, I understand that John the Baptist was baptizing and he baptized the Lord. But, I don’t understand where baptism came from and how it got started because I don’t remember that the Israelites were being baptized.
Pastor Doug: Alright good question. Actually the Israelites were sort of baptized. If you read in 1 Corinthians Chapter 10: the apostle Paul says the whole nation was baptized when they went through the Red Sea. It was a symbolic baptism because they went down into the sea and so that became a symbolic baptism and again when they crossed the Jordon River and came into the Promised Land. You do find a story in 2 Kings Chapter 5 where Naaman had leprosy and he was told to go through this ceremonial washing seven times for his leprosy to be washed away. The Bible compares leprosy to sin.
And so from that time people would wash themselves to remove their sin. Now we do know and it is not in the Bible, but we do know that John the Baptist there were a number of very zealous Jews who practiced ceremonial washings called the Essenes and they lived down by in Getty near the Dead Sea and the Jordon River and they had these baptisteries where they would ceremonially wash. They didn’t do it once, but they would sometimes do it once a day or once a week.
When John the Baptist called people to be immersed he was really the one who showed that baptism one time symbolized a cleansing of sin, a filling with the Spirit and a new birth and then the teaching of baptism was endorsed by Jesus when He was baptized and then of course all of the apostles continued to expand on it.
So that is a quick overview of where you will find that and by the way, Peter seems to imply that the whole world was baptized back in the days of Noah.
Jan: In the flood?
Pastor Doug: Yes all of the sin was washed away and it became a new earth.
Jan: Alright well thank you very much.
Pastor Doug: Alright and thank you a good question.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Jeff calling from Queens, New York and I was just there a few days ago. Welcome to the program Jeff your question?
Jeff: Yes hi Pastor Doug and good evening.
Pastor Doug: Good evening.
Jeff: My question is I am a single believer and I wanted to know what the Bible says about finding a Christian mate. Should I wait on the Lord or should I go about myself trying to find a Christian woman?
Pastor Doug: Well I am assuming when you say trying to find a-- that you mean when I wait on the Lord I am not going to pursue this person just have God drop it in my path. You might do that as an act of faith and say Lord I just want to know that this is your design, but there is certainly nothing wrong with pursuing because I think God has placed within most men and even within nature men pursue and women like to be pursued. And so there is no sin in pursuing somebody and going on a safari asking for God’s guidance to make sure you are looking in the right places. Some men just start going to single’s clubs and they ought to be just looking in church. You want to find your wife in a religious setting not at a singles bar. Some go to websites and if you are going to do that of course go to a Christian website. And I have known some who had success with that and I also have known some where it backfires. So you need to be careful because the internet is not the best forum to get to know somebody. So there is no Bible mandate against it and if you want to go by the Bible you need to have your father send his servant to Mesopotamia and he’ll buy you a wife like Abraham did for Isaac.
[Laughter]
Pastor Doug: Do you know what I am saying?
Jeff: Yes.
Pastor Doug: I am teasing you a little bit because I am saying that tongue in cheek.
[Laughter]
Jeff: That’s alright.
Pastor Doug: Abraham sent his servant to Mesopotamia to buy a wife for Isaac, but of course that doesn’t usually work in our culture, but you do want to take the counsel of your parents if they are around.
Jeff: And again real fast because there’s no real singles in the church I go to. It is me and maybe four other people so that is why I was wondering about it.
Pastor Doug: Well you are in a big city and if you visit the website of some other churches that while you are a member of one church you might have mid week services where singles meet at other times where several churches get together.
Jeff: Right.
Pastor Doug: And so that is another option. And then continue to pray and do what you can and you don’t want to be all consumed with it. But, say Lord if there is someone put there for me; bring me in contact with them.
Jeff: Alright well thank you Pastor Doug.
Pastor Doug: Well stay with it and happy hunting.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is David in Victorville, California listening on KTIE. David welcome to the program.
David: Thank you Pastors I appreciate that very much. By the way I’ll be taking my profession of faith this Saturday.
Pastor Doug: Well praise the Lord joining the church.
David: That is correct at my local church here. I was going through my Strong’s Concordance and in between the books of Ecclesiastes and Isaiah is a book called Canticles and I was wondering why my Bible doesn’t have Canticles and does it have to be a necessary book and I have never heard it discussed on your show?
Pastor Doug: Canticles Pastor Ross if I am not mistaken is a word for Song of Solomon. The word for sing in Latin is cancar. And I think that you are looking at Song of Solomon under a different name.
David: Okay then the Strong’s Concordance lists it basically as the original writing back in the 1800’s. Is that correct?
Pastor Doug: The book Canticles?
David: No the Strong’s Concordance.
Pastor Doug: Oh Strong’s. They may have listed it as Canticles. Yes that is Canticles. I thought you meant Canticles was written in the 1800s.
David: No, no, no.
Pastor Doug: That is the book you are going to find at that place in the Bible. Some have the old title to it.
David: Oh I see. Very good and no wonder I didn’t understand that. And quickly I have heard you mention—what type of reference Bible—I don’t have a reference Bible and I am looking to get a reference Bible. I thought of getting a Blender’s reference Bible. In your opinion I heard you are not very thrilled with the Scofield Bible.
Pastor Doug: I have got Scofield commentary right here on my computer and you can use it and glean some good things—I mean you eat the melon and you spit out the seeds.
[Laughter]
Pastor Doug: Scofield’s interpretation of prophecy I have serious problems with. And as any man if I wrote a commentary you can be sure I would have problems. Some of the best that I have found are usually done by a committee. Well first of all do you have a computer?
David: Yes I do.
Pastor Doug: Well there is free Bible software that I recommend that has a lot of commentaries that are outstanding and it is called E-sword and I think if you go to “E-sword dot net” you can download their software and make a donation and just support them for what they are doing. But, it is a great Bible study resource and they have a lot of free commentary. But, with my personal Bible I preach with from the New King James Version and I happen to have the King James and they have something new called the Open Bible. And it’s got references and resources all through it and it I developed by a committee and most of it 99 % of it I would agree with.
David: Open Bible?
Pastor Doug: Open Bible published by Thomas Nelson who produced it and maybe they will send me a free one for doing a commercial for them.
[Laughter]
David: Terrific and thank you and God bless you both. Have a great evening.
Pastor Doug: Okay God bless David.
Pastor Ross: Okay God bless David. Our next caller is John listening from California on KNDL welcome to the program John.
John: Hi. I have a couple of quick questions and this is regarding Isaiah 66: 22 &23 it mentions a new heaven and a new earth and my questions are will there actually be a day and a night with a moon and a sun outside the New Jerusalem? And verse 23 says from one new moon to another and one Sabbath to another all flesh will come to worship God. Is that literal?
Pastor Doug: Well let me just explain. The Bible says in the city of God there is no night. There is no need of the sun and some people take that to mean that there is no sun. It isn’t saying that; it is saying that the city is so bright you don’t need a sun there. But, there is still a sun because God said back in Genesis that as long as there is an earth that the sun and moon will continue. And when God says He is making a new heavens and a new earth we are to assume that what we have in the solar system now will still be there. We will still have a sun and a moon and stars. The sun divides our day so when it says from one Sabbath to another it means from week to week and when it says from one moon to another it simply means every month to month.
John: Is the new moon is that like He is looking back at as a memorial to what He has done because the new moon in the Old Testament pointed to what Christ did? Does that make sense?
Pastor Doug: Yes I am thinking about your question and I am not sure I know the answer. It’s a good question.
John: The new moon to another I see that as meaning if you are going to keep a new moon to another in the new earth it must be a memorial looking back to the sacrifice because the new moons in the Old Testament were looking forward to the sacrifice.
Pastor Doug: Well let me tell you what my theory is. I believe that originally God designed-- back before the whole world and our environment and everything got messed up by the flood and by sin-- that the moon cycle landed every four weeks right on the day. And then with the flood our earth tilted on its axis and the whole astronomy and everything got messed up and now it is a little more than that. But, I think that everything in heaven and every new moon will land on a Sabbath. It will be that every fourth week it will be a high Sabbath. Even in the Bible when the new moon landed on the Sabbath they called it a high Sabbath. When it did they claimed a double blessing. And so I think it is just saying from month to month and week to week those are the divisions of time that all flesh will come and worship before the Lord.
John: But, there will be a Sabbath day the seventh day of the week?
Pastor Doug: Oh yes because God said He made the Sabbath for man before there was sin. I mean it was part of His perfect plan in the Garden of Eden so why would He abolish that?
John: Yes I agree.
Pastor Doug: Okay?
John: Yes thank you.
Pastor Doug: Well good question thanks John.
Pastor Ross: Our next caller is Tyler listening in Nashville, Tennessee. Welcome to the program Tyler.
Tyler: Hi my question is from Deuteronomy Chapter 5: 2 & 3. I’ll read those texts from the King James Version. 2 “The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us alive here today.” My question is after that Moses repeats the Ten Commandments is this covenant referring to the Ten Commandments and if so then why in verse three is it referring to this covenant is not made with the fathers, but with us and what does that mean?
Pastor Doug: Yes the Ten Commandments were a special covenant God made there at the foot of Mt. Sinai matter of fact if you keep reading. Do you have your Bible open?
Tyler: Yes.
Pastor Doug: If you look in Deuteronomy Chapter 4: 13 let me go back and make sure I have the right verse. Yes 13 “And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even Ten Commandments, and He wrote them upon two tablets of stone. 14 And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.” This is the first time that God had called them as Nation because up until then they were just individuals in a tribe. Now they are being incorporated as a Nation and He made a covenant with them as a Nation and He is getting ready to bring them into the Promised Land. And He said here is my law; if you obey this I will bless you. And is that answering your question?
Tyler: Yes, but in Galatians and in Hebrews it talks about the covenant having to do with the shedding of blood and that nothing can be added to a covenant after like to do with the tester like the will.
Pastor Doug: Right.
Tyler: So how does that work into it?
Pastor Doug: Yes well God He did ratify the Ten Commandments covenant it tells you in Hebrews it said after the Lord tells the people everything that He will do; Moses sacrificed a bull and he sprinkled the people. And he said alright this covenant has been ratified with this sacrifice. Now the new covenant it is the same law except it is written in the heart and it is ratified by the blood of Christ. That’s why Hebrews says with a better sacrifice of His own son. You know there’s a book we’ll send you and it deals specifically with the new covenant. And it is called “Does God’s Grace Blot out His Law?” and if you would like to have a copy of that Tyler just call the resource number and we will send you a free copy of “Does God’s Grace Blot out His Law?” it is a little sermon book.
Pastor Ross: Let me give you that number to call 1-800-835-6747 and the little booklet is called “Does God’s Grace Blot out His Law?”
Pastor Doug: You know what? If he can still remember it we’ll send you “Why the Old Covenant Failed” that is more specifically—it’s a book we’ll send you and an easy sermon book to read and it has got a lot of references in it.
Pastor Ross: To get that he also needs to call the resource number 1-800-835-6747 “Why the Old Covenant Failed” Our next caller is Karenna calling from Fort Worth, Texas. Karenna welcome to the program.
Karenna: Hello and good evening Pastor Doug Batchelor. I have a question 1 John Chapter 3: 18. It says, 18 “My little children let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.” And in speaking in tongues is that bad?
Pastor Doug: Well when you say speaking in tongues there’s a big difference in the Bible of what that means. When it says speaking in tongues in the Bible it means speaking in a different language. Is it wrong to speak in a different language? Obviously it is not if you are doing it where you are being understood. In our culture today speaking in tongues in many churches is this static utterance which sounds like babbling from many people and they say it is a gift from the Holy Spirit. And then many Christians disagree with that; respectfully I hope, but that stammering or babbling and calling it a gift of the Spirit, there is no example in the Bible of Jesus doing that or the apostles. When the disciples spoke in tongues at the Pentecost the people listening understood them. They knew what they were saying in their languages because they were languages of the world. And it tells you in Acts Chapter 2 what those languages were. Karenna is that how you say your name?
Karenna: Yes.
Pastor Doug: I have a book I wrote because I used to belong to a church that practiced speaking in tongues and it was very confusing for me so I did a lot of study on subject and I’ll send you a free copy. Would you like it?
Karenna: Yes sir.
Pastor Doug: It would hurt my feelings if you say no. It’s called “Captured by Tongues” and it is a real clear study on the subject of tongues because I think that is at the heart of your question. Am I right?
Karenna: Yes.
Pastor Doug: Please just call the number and we’ll send it to you and no one is going to bother you and there is no obligation and enjoy it and if you have any comments call us back and let us know if it made sense.
Pastor Ross: Let me give you the number to call Karenna.
Karenna: Okay.
Pastor Ross: 1-800-835-6747 and the book is called “Captured by Tongues”.
Pastor Doug: Free book and free phone call you can’t lose with that.
Pastor Ross: Let’s go to our next caller and we don’t have too much time left, but Gill is listening from New York, New York welcome to the program.
Gill: Yes hi my name is Gill and I wanted to ask there are some Christians that believe that it is okay to drink. I personally feel that it is not okay to drink alcohol because it destroys brain cells. I mean I read in Ephesians 5:18 it says, “Do not get drunk on wine that leads to debauchery to be filled with the Spirit.”
Pastor Doug: Yes now Gill some people read that in the King James Version and it says do not drink wine whereas in excess. I think that means just don’t drink too much, but you are actually reading a translation that is more accurate there. And I think the new King James says do not be filled with wine which causes dissipation.
Gill: Well some people say I like to drink once in awhile on the Holidays and things like that and I feel it is a disservice to the brain cells that God created.
Pastor Doug: Well not only that, but there are a number of other verse in the Bible that say wine is a mocker and strong drink is raging and Noah drank wine and slept with his daughters no I am sorry Noah ran around naked. Lot drank wine and slept with his daughters. Let me get my patriarchs straight and all through the Bible it says give wine to him who is ready to perish. And since it is the most destructive drug in our culture how much should a Christian use that? Again Gill we have a book and I don’t know if you have read it is called “Alcohol and the Christian” we’ll send you a free copy of that id you like and tell us what you think.
Pastor Ross: Let me give you the number for that. 1-800-835-6747 the book is “Alcohol and the Christian” and also just a reminder that our offer for this evening is “Three Steps to Heaven” it is a great book that talks about how we can become sons and daughters of God. I think we have time for one more. Let’s go to Mike listening in Chicago, Illinois. Welcome to the program Mike.
Mike: Hi how are you doing?
Pastor Ross: Good.
Mike: Alright in the past year the person I love the most and I am closest to has become very, very ill. As a matter of fact now she is in a coma. And it is due to something I think that we brought upon ourselves. And my question is about that now I am at a point where I question my faith and I question God and everything. And I wonder if there is a God in heaven who listens to us crying day and night why does He allow so much pain and suffering even if we brought it upon ourselves?
Pastor Doug: Well you know I think first of all that God does hear the prayers. But, because He doesn’t always reverse the suffering it doesn’t mean He doesn’t care and He doesn’t hurt. I would argue that God hurts more than any one and whenever you’re in doubt Mike and this is an awkward time for the music to come up. Whenever you’re in doubt Mike about God’s love, don’t forget the cross. If is love then why is He suffering so much and it is because God is love that He suffered to save us from eternal suffering—or eternal loss I should say. And that we might enjoy everlasting life and so don’t doubt God’s love. He’s there and He does care and there may be days when the clouds block the sun, but the sun is still there. Well listening friends it is sometimes an awkward time to come to the end of the program. We are trying to minister to people both with truth and answers as well as comfort. And if you would most of all remember this is about the truth that sets you free. God bless.
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