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Series Code: AFBA
Program Code: AFBA022141S
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00:03 - [Announcer] It is the best selling book in history. 00:05 No volume ever written has been more loved and quoted, 00:09 and its words sometimes simple and sometimes mysterious 00:13 should always be studied carefully. 00:16 It is the Bible, the Word of God. 00:19 Welcome to "Bible Answers Live," 00:22 providing accurate and practical answers 00:25 to all your Bible questions. 00:28 This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. 00:31 To receive any of the Bible resources 00:33 mentioned in this, broadcast call 800-835-6747. 00:39 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 00:45 Now, here's your host from Amazing Facts International, 00:48 Pastor Jean Ross. 00:50 - Hello, friends, this is pastor Jean Ross. 00:52 Pastor Doug is out this evening, 00:54 but this is "Bible Answers Live." 00:56 And how about an amazing fact? 00:58 One of the most outstanding flights ever made 01:00 by any war pigeon took place on October the 18th, 1943. 01:04 On the day before the flight, 01:06 the British 56 infantry division had requested air support 01:10 to assist them in breaking the stubborn German defense lines 01:13 in the heavily fortified village of Calvi Vecchia in Italy. 01:17 However, soon after the message was sent, 01:20 the British suddenly succeeded 01:21 in making a surprise breakthrough. 01:23 Without warning, the German resistance collapsed completely, 01:28 and the English troops quickly overran the little town. 01:31 The British quickly realized that this unexpected victory 01:34 would be disastrous for them unless they could get word 01:37 through it once to call off the American air support 01:40 that they had so recently requested. 01:42 If not, they would certainly be massacred by U.S. planes 01:45 as they're now occupied the very possession 01:48 that they had asked to have bombed. 01:50 It was at this point that they discovered 01:52 that they could not get word of their danger 01:54 to the airfield. 01:55 All communications had broken down in the hectic advance. 01:59 There was no choice now, 02:00 but to rely to send their urgent message 02:03 on one of the pigeons always kept on hand 02:06 for just such an emergency. 02:08 G.I. Joe was the pigeon chosen 02:10 to carry this life or death message. 02:13 Flying swiftly over the battle-torn land, 02:15 the pigeon flew the 20 miles 02:17 back to the U.S. air support base in 20 minutes, 02:21 arriving just as the planes were warming up 02:23 to take off for their mission to Calvi Vecchia. 02:26 The successful completion of the historic flight 02:29 saved the lives of more than a thousand British soldiers. 02:33 After World War II, G.I. Joe was housed 02:36 at the U.S. Army's Hall of Fame in New Jersey, 02:38 along with 24 other pigeon heroes 02:41 and was awarded the Medal of Gallantry. 02:43 The only bird or animal in the United States 02:46 to receive such an award. 02:48 In March of 1957, 02:50 he was placed with the Detroit zoological gardens 02:53 where he died on June 3, 1961 at the age of 18. 02:57 Now, did you know friends, that the Bible also talks 03:00 about a lifesaving message that was carried by three angels? 03:04 Well, stay tuned for more 03:06 as Amazing Facts brings you this edition 03:08 of "Bible Answers Live." 03:10 Well, you know, Pastor Carlos, 03:11 we introduced the program by talking about G.I. Joe, 03:13 this pigeon that had this life and death message, 03:17 an urgent mission, and it was a timely mission. 03:20 He had to get that mission back to the air base, 03:23 to call off the air support. 03:25 Now in the Bible, we read about an urgent message. 03:27 It's also a timely message. 03:29 - Yep. 03:30 - And it is something to do 03:31 with the second coming of Christ. 03:32 Where do we find this urgent message? 03:34 - I think that the message you're talking about 03:36 is the three angels message in Revelation chapter 14. 03:39 - That's right, the three angels messages 03:41 of Revelation chapter 14. 03:43 Revelation 14 is an interesting chapter. 03:46 It begins by describing a group of people called 144,000. 03:51 And then you have this urgent message, 03:53 the three angels message. 03:54 And then right after the proclamation 03:56 of the three angels messages, 03:57 you have a prophetic picture of the second coming of Christ. 04:00 Jesus' picture, coming in the clouds of heaven, 04:03 and He's coming to reap the harvest of the earth. 04:06 So the message that just precedes 04:08 the second coming of Christ 04:10 is what we call the three angels messages. 04:12 Now, I've got it here in front of me. 04:14 So let me read, at least the first angel. 04:16 We don't have time to read all of them, 04:17 but let me read the first angels message. 04:19 And you find that in Revelation 14:6, 04:22 and this is what it says, 04:24 "And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, 04:26 having the everlasting gospel to preach to those 04:29 that dwell upon the earth, to every nation, tribe, 04:32 tongue, and people saying with a loud voice, 04:34 'Fear God and give glory to Him 04:37 for the hour of His judgment has come 04:39 and worship Him that made the heavens, the earth, 04:41 the sea, and the springs of water.'" 04:44 See, here we find the first angels messages 04:46 calling people to worship God as the Creator. 04:49 It's announcing there's judgment hour 04:51 that is about to begin or has begun. 04:55 It's also interesting to note that this message 04:56 has to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people 04:58 because the second coming of Jesus is gonna affect 05:01 every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 05:03 - Amen. 05:04 - The second angel talks about Babylon. 05:05 Says Babylon's fallen, 05:07 and then the third angels message 05:09 is where we find the most fearful warning 05:12 anywhere in the Bible. 05:13 It talks about the beast power 05:15 that says "If anyone worships the beast or his image 05:18 or receives his mark in his forehead or in his hand, 05:20 the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." 05:23 Very important warning that we find 05:25 during that third angels message. 05:26 So there might be some of you who are listening 05:28 and you might be wondering, 05:30 wow, never heard about the three angels messages. 05:32 I wanna learn more. 05:33 Well, we do have a study guide. 05:35 It's one of our classic Amazing Fact study guides. 05:37 It's called "Angel Messages from Space" 05:40 and it deals with the three angels of Revelation chapter 14. 05:44 We will be happy to send this to anyone who calls and asks. 05:48 Now, Pastor Carlos, you're gonna give us two numbers. 05:50 The one is the number people need to call 05:52 if they want to get this free resource, 05:54 it's called "Angel Messages from Space." 05:56 And if you can't exactly remember that title, 05:58 just ask for the study guide 05:59 about the three angels messages, 06:02 and they'll send that to us. 06:03 So what is the number for the free resources 06:05 and what is the phone number 06:07 if people have a Bible question 06:08 they wanna call right into the studio now? 06:10 - Great, so if you wanting this free offer, 06:12 you can call 1-800-835-6747, 06:16 1-800-835-6747, 06:19 or if you wanna call us and give us your Bible question, 06:24 you can also call us at 1-800-GOD-SAYS or 1-800-463-7297. 06:30 - Now I think 1-800-GOD-SAYS is just the abbreviation 06:33 of 463-7297. 06:35 - Yep. 06:37 - The phone number that we have there. 06:37 All right, well, Pastor Carlos, 06:39 before we go to the phone lines, 06:41 we always wanna begin with prayer. 06:42 You know, we recognize the Bible is God's book, 06:45 and if we're gonna understand it correctly, 06:46 we need the Spirit to guide us. 06:47 So why don't you start with prayer. 06:49 - Father, we thank you again for the blessing 06:51 and the opportunity to come together and open your Word. 06:54 We ask a blessing for those that are calling, 06:55 and may You give us discernment and wisdom 06:57 so that it may be Your Bible and Your Word 06:59 that answers not a human answer, 07:01 and we may be blessed. 07:03 So we ask and beg these things in Jesus name. 07:05 Amen. - Amen. 07:07 All right, Pastor Carlos, who do we have first? 07:09 - All right, first we have Martha from Chico, California, 07:12 Martha, you are on the air. 07:14 Good evening. 07:15 - [Martha] My question is in regards to the six seals 07:20 in Revelation 6. 07:23 Now, I'm not sure 'cause I just started to study 07:27 this morning. 07:28 I'm not sure what the first seal, the conqueror, relates to, 07:34 but then the others where it talks about conflict 07:36 and scarcity and widespread death, etc. 07:40 I'm wondering if these cannot be applied 07:47 to what our world is going through today 07:50 or if this is something that's still in the future. 07:55 - Okay, yes, good question. 07:57 In the book of Revelation, we find three series of sevens. 08:00 We have the seven churches, 08:01 we have the seven seals, and we have the seven trumpets. 08:04 And then later on we read about something called 08:06 the seven plagues and that's a separate item, 08:09 but the seven churches, the seven seals, 08:11 and the seven trumpets, 08:13 they cover roughly the same time period of Christian history 08:16 from the time of the early church, 08:18 we're around 31 AD, when Jesus ascended to heaven 08:21 and the apostles began to preach 08:23 all the way through to our time. 08:25 You can find that addressed in these series of sevens. 08:29 So the seven churches deal with church history, 08:32 the seven seals deal with experiences 08:35 that God's people go through during the Christian era, 08:38 and the seven trumpets deal with wars or judgments 08:41 that come during that time period, 08:42 specifically talking about the first seals 08:45 of the seven seals find this in Revelation chapter six, 08:48 the first seal describes the first century of Christianity 08:52 from about 31 AD through to 100 AD. 08:56 This is the time of the apostles. 08:58 You'll notice the opening of the first seal 09:00 describes a rider on a white horse 09:03 and he's given a crown and he's going forth conquering 09:05 and to conquer. 09:06 It's the symbol of the gospel, going forth, 09:08 being preached by Paul and others, 09:10 even one of the disciples, Thomas went all the way to India 09:13 to preach the gospel. 09:14 So that white horse represents that first 70 years 09:17 when the gospel was spreading so rapidly 09:19 throughout the Roman empire, 09:21 the next is a red horse 09:23 and the red horse is a symbol of persecution 09:25 that came upon the Christians from about 100 to 313 AD. 09:30 Terrible persecution that came from pagan Rome. 09:33 And the reason for that is because the Christians 09:35 refused to acknowledge the emperor of Rome 09:37 as a deity or as a god. 09:39 And so they faced all kinds of opposition. 09:42 So red is a symbol of blood. 09:43 It describes that time of trial, 09:45 that persecution that came upon the church. 09:48 The next horse just real briefly is described 09:50 as a black horse that describes the time period after 313, 09:54 when you had the legalization of Christianity, 09:57 and over the centuries that followed, 09:58 all kinds of pagan practices 10:00 found their way into the Christian Church. 10:03 That leads into the dark ages as we know. 10:06 And during the dark ages, 10:08 which is the fourth horse or the fourth seal, 10:11 it describes the time of death and famine. 10:14 And this was really a description of what was happening 10:16 in Western Europe, 10:17 in the Christian nations of Western Europe at this time. 10:20 There was a terrible plague called the Bubonic plague 10:22 known as the Black Death that killed 10:24 an estimated quarter of the population of Western Europe. 10:28 That's one in four people died from the Black Death. 10:33 So there was a terrible time that happened there 10:35 during the dark ages. 10:37 The next seal talks about the reformation persecution. 10:40 So the seals have a historical application. 10:43 However, there are different aspects of the seal 10:46 that we find echoed in the seven last plagues. 10:50 And we know that the seven last plagues 10:51 is yet in the future. 10:53 Jesus said one of the signs of the last days 10:55 would be an increase in pestilence. 10:57 And Pastor Carlos, it seems like we're seeing 10:59 an incredible increase in disease. 11:01 And of course, we're in the midst of a global pandemic. 11:03 - Pandemic. 11:04 - So I think that is one of the signs 11:06 that we are nearing what the Bible says, 11:09 we are nearing closer to the second coming of Jesus. 11:12 Does that help, Martha? 11:14 - Yes, it did. 11:15 And I thank you for your time and your wisdom 11:18 and I really appreciate it. 11:20 - All right, thank you for your call. 11:22 - All right, next we have Brittany from here, 11:24 Sacramento, California. 11:26 Good evening, Brittany, you're on the air. 11:29 - [Brittany] What does the Bible say about persecution? 11:32 - All right, what does the Bible say about persecution? 11:35 Well, persecution comes to those 11:37 who are standing up for what they believe to be true. 11:41 Now there is good persecution, 11:43 but there can also be bad persecution. 11:47 There are those who stand up for things that are not true 11:49 and they might face opposition or trials of persecution. 11:52 But from a Biblical perspective 11:54 throughout Christian history, 11:57 those who have stood for the truths of the Bible, 11:59 they did face opposition. 12:01 At sometimes the persecution was terrible, 12:04 at other times, it wasn't as intense. 12:07 But if we were standing up for Bible truth, 12:09 we will face opposition because those who are opposed 12:13 to the light, they don't want you to be sharing your faith, 12:16 they don't like that. 12:17 And so yes, those who try to live a godly life 12:19 will face trials and persecution. 12:21 Jesus faced trials when He was on the earth, 12:23 His disciples faced trials. 12:25 And in the last days, 12:27 according to the three angels messages, 12:29 the Bible speaks of those who are true to God, 12:31 they also will face persecution and trial, 12:34 but God will sustain them and carry them through. 12:36 So yes, the Bible does talk about trials and persecution 12:39 coming upon believers. 12:40 - Does that help, Brittany? 12:43 - Yeah, that's great. 12:44 I'm going through that now 12:45 because I have this class assignment 12:48 and it's driving me crazy 12:50 because I'm only spending 3+ days 12:54 worrying about it and it's starting me nuts. 12:57 - Well, you're right, there are all kinds of things 12:59 that we face from day to day, 13:00 some more important like a class assignment. 13:03 If we're getting a grade, that's an important thing. 13:05 And sometimes we just gotta say, "Lord, I need your help." 13:08 And the Bible tells us to cast all our cares upon Jesus 13:11 for He cares for us. 13:13 That doesn't mean we don't have to do our part, right? 13:14 We always wanna do the best we can. 13:16 So we do everything we can 13:17 and then we leave the results with God. 13:18 We just put our trust in Him. 13:20 Thank you for your call, Brittany. 13:21 Who do we have next? 13:23 - Next we have Jose from Puerto Rico. 13:25 Good evening, Jose. 13:27 - [Jose] Thank you. 13:28 My question is regard the Jesus suffering. 13:33 If Jesus' suffering is a byproduct of our transgression 13:39 or our requirement for our salvation. 13:41 And the question is anchored in the, for example, Isiah 53, 13:45 the reason for His suffering. 13:47 As a servant. 13:49 - Okay, all right. 13:50 Thanks for your call, Jose. 13:52 I think we cut off there just a little bit at the end, 13:54 but I think we've got the gist of your question there. 13:57 Christ suffering or His persecution on the earth, 14:00 was that in order to obtain salvation for us, 14:03 or was that an example of His righteousness? 14:07 Both. 14:08 I think on the one hand, all of our problems, 14:11 everyone has sinned and come short of the glory of God. 14:13 We're in need of righteousness. 14:15 And of ourselves, we cannot produce righteousness, 14:18 but Jesus lived a perfect life from His birth 14:21 till His crucifixion, perfect life, 14:23 a perfect life of righteousness. 14:26 Not only did He die for our sins, 14:29 but He also lived a perfect life for our salvation as well. 14:33 So when we accept Jesus, a personal Savior, 14:35 not only are our sins paid for, 14:37 but His life of righteousness 14:39 stands in the place of our lives of unrighteousness, 14:42 and we stand before God just as if we have never sinned. 14:46 So yes, the trials that Jesus went through 14:48 were very real and we can claim His life of righteousness 14:52 on our behalf. 14:54 And that's the, the public truth, 14:55 the theological term there, Pastor Carlos, justification, 14:58 where we're accepted before God 15:00 just as if we have never sinned, 15:01 we are clothed in Christ's robe of righteousness. 15:04 - Amen. 15:05 And that same power that was manifested in His life 15:07 is also given to us to participate in the divine nature. 15:10 - And the theological term for that is called 15:12 sanctification. - Sanctification. 15:13 - So not only does He forgive us, 15:15 but He transforms us. - Amen. 15:17 - And then that leads to our final hope, 15:19 and that is glorification. - Glorification. 15:21 - Glorification is when Jesus comes again, 15:23 when these mortal bodies put on immortality. 15:25 Of cause that's the great hope of the Christian. 15:27 - Amen. - Thanks for call, Jose. 15:28 Who do we have next. 15:29 - Trent from Austin, Texas. 15:32 Hello, Trent, you are on the air. 15:33 Welcome. 15:34 - [Trent] Just wanna let you know, 15:35 I'm a former AFCOE student from 2015. 15:38 So it's good - Oh, good 15:39 - [Trent] To talk to you again, Doug. 15:39 - All right, great. 15:41 - [Trent] Yeah, so my question is in Ezekiel chapter 40 15:45 through 48, there's that long prophecy of the vision 15:50 that Ezekiel had about a third temple being built. 15:54 And I was wondering, 15:55 is that the one that's being talked about 15:57 that's being built in on the new earth during the millennium 16:02 or in heaven in the millennium 16:03 or what temple's that supposed to be exactly? 16:06 Okay. - [Trent] And how do we know. 16:07 - All right, there's two parts to that temple 16:09 that's being described. 16:10 The temple described that we find Ezekiel 16:12 is really a description. 16:14 Now bear with me, is a description of the church triumphant. 16:18 The characteristics given of that temple 16:20 is a description of God's people 16:22 empowered by the Holy Spirit, 16:24 going forth to the nations of the world, 16:26 preaching the gospel. 16:27 There's a great revival that takes place. 16:30 So that temple has a symbolic application. 16:33 Now, if Israel had been faithful 16:36 and they had fulfilled all of the requirements 16:38 that God had placed, perhaps in a very real sense 16:41 that temple could have existed here on the earth, 16:43 but the covenant required an agreement on both sides. 16:47 And unfortunately, Israel fell short in that, 16:50 they eventually rejected the Messiah, 16:51 and as you know, Christ ended up being crucified. 16:54 But in the Bible we find five different types of temples 16:58 or sanctuaries. 16:59 You have the heavenly that you read about in Hebrews, 17:01 you have the earthly, 17:02 the one that Moses built in the wilderness, 17:04 you read about in Exodus. 17:05 And then of course you also have another temple 17:07 that Solomon built. 17:08 And then the one that was rebuilt 17:09 after the seven years of Babylon in captivity, 17:11 that's all the earthly. 17:13 And then Jesus said, speaking of Himself, 17:15 destroy this temple. 17:16 I mean, three days I will raise it up again. 17:18 So Christ is described as a temple. 17:21 And then the Bible says, 17:22 "No, you know that your body is the temple 17:24 of the Holy Spirit." 17:25 So if the Holy Spirit is working within us, 17:27 we're a temple, a temple for God. 17:30 And then I think the one that connects with this passage 17:33 in Ezekiel, the Bible says, "Know you not 17:35 that you're living stones." 17:37 Speaking of the church and Christ is the cornerstone 17:40 we all built up together. 17:42 So this temple description here 17:44 is a description of God's people, 17:45 especially in the last days 17:47 that are taking the everlasting gospel to the world. 17:50 Hope that helps, Trent. 17:52 - All right, next we have Efrank from New York. 17:56 - [Efrank] Yeah, yeah, yeah, 17:57 Pastor Ross and Pastor Carlos, 18:00 I have a question for you gentlemen tonight 18:02 that I'm concerned in regards 18:06 because I've been believing for many, many years 18:08 in celebrating Easter in a Christian way, 18:13 which I discovered was not Christian by believing 18:16 in figures like the Easter bunny, Easter candy, 18:20 and other pagan beliefs. 18:22 And my question for you gentleman tonight is, 18:24 is it written in the Bible that those things 18:28 like the Easter bunny and other fictitious characters 18:32 are not found in the Bible and they are not Christian 18:37 because it leads to a form of paganism, 18:41 because I always thought that 18:42 maybe believing in a very fictitious rabbit 18:46 that's giving candy on a certain period of time of the year 18:52 was not such a bad idea. 18:52 But when I read the Bible, 18:53 I saw that those were pagan beliefs. 18:56 - Yeah, well, let me say something about that, Efrank. 18:58 Thanks for your call. 18:59 All right, so first of all, 19:00 does the resurrection of Jesus have anything 19:02 to do with Easter eggs or rabbits or bunnies? 19:05 And the answer of course is no. 19:07 The whole idea of Easter, 19:08 you don't find the word Easter in the Bible. 19:10 Now in the king James Version, you'll find the word Easter, 19:13 but more accurate translation of that 19:15 is actually a reference to the Passover. 19:17 You'll find that in the New King James 19:18 and other translations today 19:20 had used the word Passover. 19:21 So during the middle ages from 313 AD onwards, 19:28 as Christianity was legalized in the Roman empire, 19:29 there were a number of pagan practices 19:31 that came into the church 19:34 in an attempt to try and draw in the pagans. 19:37 And even some pagan holidays or pagan icons 19:41 eventually got Christian names. 19:43 Even some pagan statues were renamed 19:46 after certain Bible characters, 19:48 but they were actually Pagan's statues. 19:50 So when it comes to Easter 19:52 or it comes to celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, 19:54 yes, there are some pagan trappings that you find there. 19:59 Now, to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, 20:03 I mean that's a wonderful thing 20:04 and the Bible celebrates His resurrection 20:07 from cover to cover in the Old Testament, 20:09 in symbols and types, and in the New Testament, 20:12 you have the stories of the resurrection of Jesus. 20:14 The Bible does tell us though that baptism 20:17 is the symbol that God has chosen, 20:19 baptism by immersion to celebrate His resurrection, 20:22 death to the old, resurrection to the new life. 20:25 But to remember the resurrection of Jesus 20:27 around the Passover is by no means wrong, 20:31 but I think we need to be careful 20:33 in trying to place some value on these pagan ideas 20:38 that have kind of come into Christianity. 20:41 We do have a book, Pastor Carlos 20:43 is called "Baptized Paganism," 20:45 and we'll be happy to send this to anybody 20:47 who calls and ask. 20:48 And it'll kind of give you some of those pagan origins 20:51 of some traditions that have found their way 20:53 into the Christian Church. 20:55 And I think you'd find that interesting 20:57 if you were to read that. 20:58 Just call and ask for the book "Baptize Paganism." 21:00 - 1-800-835-6747. 21:03 - All right, thanks for your call Efrank. 21:04 Who do we have next? 21:06 - Jeff from Arizona you are on the air. 21:08 Welcome, Jeff. 21:10 - [Jeff] Hey, good evening, guys. 21:12 Real quick before I ask my question, 21:15 I'm not a Seventh-day Adventist, 21:16 but we are basically 99% identical. 21:19 - Okay. 21:21 - I believe Sabbath is Saturday, 21:23 yes, absolutely, baptism by immersion, everything. 21:28 We're pretty much identical. 21:30 Question I have is to do with soul sleeping. 21:34 So in Matthew, what is it? 21:38 Matthew 27:38, I think it is 21:41 where the thief on the cross tells Jesus, 21:43 "Hey, Master, you know, don't forget me." 21:46 And Jesus said, "Today you'll be with Me in paradise." 21:50 So is the term paradise 21:53 is that speaking of Him actually 21:58 as one of the very few that are in heaven? 22:00 - All right, good question. 22:01 What about that passage that you find, 22:03 it's actually in Luke, 22:04 where it talks about Jesus saying 22:06 to one of the thieves on the cross, 22:07 I think Carlos is looking up the verse for us there in Luke. 22:09 So there's two there's on either side of Jesus. 22:12 The one is saying, "If you are the Christ, 22:15 then come down from the cross and save us." 22:17 That's what one of the thieves was saying. 22:20 Apparently both of them at first were saying that. 22:22 But as the one was listening to what was happening, 22:25 observing what was happening, conviction took ahold of him. 22:27 And he finally turned to the other thief and said, 22:29 "You know, we are getting what we deserve, 22:31 but this Man," speaking of Jesus, 22:32 "He has done nothing wrong." 22:33 And then the Holy Spirit even illuminated his mind more 22:36 because he finally turns to Jesus and he says, 22:38 "Master, remember me when You come in Your kingdom." 22:42 Now it's important for us to note, 22:44 the thief was not expecting to receive his reward that day. 22:47 He said, "Lord, remember me when You come in Your kingdom." 22:49 Jesus then responded and said, 22:51 "Assuredly I sound to you today, 22:53 you will be with Me in paradise." 22:55 Now in the original Greek, there are no punctuation. 22:58 There's no commas in the original Greek 22:59 that came many years later. 23:01 And depending upon where you put the comma, 23:03 that can change the context of that verse, 23:07 the words that Jesus is saying. 23:09 You see, Jesus was not saying that the thief 23:11 would be with Him in paradise that day, 23:14 because you read on Sunday morning, 23:16 the resurrection, Jesus said, 23:17 "I've not yet ascended to My Father in heaven." 23:20 So Jesus didn't go to heaven the moment He died 23:23 on Friday afternoon, 23:25 but rather what Jesus said to the thief that day, 23:28 that He would remember him when He comes in His kingdom, 23:31 He gave him the assurance. 23:33 Why is that so important? 23:34 When you accept Jesus as your personal Savior, 23:37 you have the assurance that very moment, that day, 23:41 you can have the assurance that God will remember you. 23:44 Now, of course, we wanna stay connected to Jesus, 23:46 we wanna trust in Him, 23:48 but we can receive that forgiveness that very day. 23:50 We don't have to wait, there's no time 23:53 where we need to prove that we are genuine with God. 23:56 We can, by faith, claim the promise 23:58 that He wants to give us 23:59 and that's what Christ was emphasizing 24:01 to the thief that day. 24:02 - Amen, and that's Luke 23 verse 42 and 43. 24:06 - Thanks, Jeff. - All right. 24:07 Next we have Judy from Texas. 24:09 Good evening, Judy. 24:11 - [Judy] Hi, good evening, pastors. 24:13 Thank you so much for being there to answer our questions. 24:16 - Happy to do it. 24:18 - [Judy] I have a question about Genesis 3:6 24:20 when the serpent is enticing Eve in the garden. 24:27 And it says, "And when the woman saw 24:28 that the tree was good for food 24:29 and that it was pleasant to the eyes 24:32 and the tree to be desired to make one wise, 24:34 she took up the fruit thereof and did eat 24:37 and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat." 24:42 Does this mean he was with her 24:44 when the serpent was doing his thing. 24:47 - Oh, okay, good question. 24:49 The answer is no, he wasn't at the tree 24:51 when Eve was talking to the serpent. 24:53 Apparently Eve sort of wandered off by herself 24:55 for a little while. 24:56 We don't know how far Adam was from Eve, 24:58 but when it says her husband with her, 25:01 it's referring to in the garden, her companion, her friend. 25:05 So she took of the fruit and she gave it to Adam. 25:08 And we know Adam wasn't there because she brought it to him 25:11 and she gave it to him and she said, 25:12 "I've eaten of the fruit, 25:14 you need to eat of the fruit." 25:15 And eventually Adam took and ate. 25:17 So he wasn't there at the moment when the devil tempted her, 25:22 but he was in the garden with her. 25:24 And that's the reference or that's the emphasis 25:26 of that verse that we find there. 25:28 Does that help, Judy? 25:31 - Helps a lot. 25:32 Could I pop in a real quick one? 25:33 My daughter and my son-in-law argued with me 25:36 about how do we know Saturday is the seventh day. 25:40 - Okay. 25:42 - [Judy] 'Cause anybody could have named Saturday Monday 25:43 or Sunday Monday. 25:45 I'm having a hard time convincing them. 25:47 - All right, let me see if I can answer this, 25:49 we got just a few seconds before our break. 25:51 Yes, the seventh day of the week is Saturday. 25:53 We know that because Jesus died on Friday 25:56 and that's called the preparation day. 25:57 He rested in the tomb on Saturday and He rose on Sunday, 26:01 which is the first day of the week. 26:03 So if you just look at the experience of Jesus 26:06 and then of course you can ask any Jew, 26:08 what day of the week is the Sabbath? 26:09 And they'll say it's the seventh day, it's Saturday, 26:12 and of course the whole nation of Israel has been keeping, 26:15 at least the Orthodox Jews 26:16 have been keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath. 26:18 So if you look at the Jewish nation, 26:20 you look at the Bible, you look at the experience of Jesus, 26:22 it makes it quite clear. 26:23 There's no doubt as to which day of the week 26:25 is the seventh day. 26:27 That would be, as we know it today, Saturday. 26:30 Well, friends, you hear the music in the background. 26:32 The program is not over, we're just taking a short break 26:35 and we'll come back with more of your Bible questions. 26:37 So don't go far, we'll be right back. 26:39 (bright music) 26:42 - [Announcer] Stay tuned. 26:43 "Bible Answers Live" will return shortly. 26:50 - [Announcer 2] Amazing Facts offer 26:52 some of the best Christian resources for all ages. 26:55 We hope our products will enrich your life 26:57 and your walk with the Lord. 26:59 In the "Blueprint" Bible lessons, 27:02 you'll uncover the history of good versus evil 27:05 and learn how this ages old conflict 27:07 makes sense of our world and your life. 27:12 - [Announcer 3] Get yours today by calling 800-538-7275 27:16 or visit afbookstore.com. 27:22 (door creaking) 27:27 - [Narrator] Throughout recorded history, 27:29 tales of ghosts and spirits can be found in folklore 27:33 in nearly every country and culture. 27:37 Egyptians built pyramids 27:38 to help guide the spirits of their leaders. 27:41 Rome sanctioned holidays to honor and appease 27:45 the spirits of their dead. 27:46 Even the Bible tells of a king that used a witch 27:50 to contact the spirit of a deceased prophet. 27:54 Today, ancient folklore of spirits and apparitions 27:57 have gone from mere superstitions 27:59 to mainstream entertainment and reality. 28:03 Scientific organizations 28:05 investigate stories of hauntings and sightings, 28:08 trying to prove once and for all the existence of ghosts. 28:15 Even with all the newfound technology 28:18 and centuries of stories all over the world, 28:21 there is still no clear cut answer. 28:27 So how do we know what's true? 28:31 Why do these stories persist? 28:34 Does it even matter? 28:38 We invite you to look inside and find out for yourself. 28:45 Visit GhostTruth.com. 28:49 (bright music) 28:53 - [Announcer] You're listening to "Bible Answers Live," 28:55 where every question answered 28:57 provides a clearer picture of God and His plan to save you. 29:01 So what are you waiting for? 29:03 Get practical answers about the good book 29:05 for a better life today. 29:10 This broadcast is a previously recorded episode. 29:13 If you'd like answers to your Bible-related questions 29:15 on the air, please call us next Sunday 29:18 between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Pacific time. 29:21 To receive any of the Bible resources mentioned 29:24 in this evening's program, call 800-835-6747. 29:30 Once again, that's 800-835-6747. 29:36 Now, let's rejoin our hosts for more "Bible Answers Live." 29:40 - Hello, friends, welcome back. 29:42 This is "Bible Answers Live." 29:44 My name is John Ross and with me this evening 29:46 is Pastor Carlos. 29:47 Pastor Doug Batchelor is out this evening, 29:49 but we are taking your Bible questions live. 29:51 And if you have a Bible related question, 29:53 the phone number to call is 800-463-7297. 29:59 Again, that number is 800-463-7297. 30:03 That'll bring you right in here to our studio 30:05 and we will try and answer as many questions as we can. 30:08 Okay, we're gonna go to the phone lines. 30:09 Who do we have next? 30:10 - We have Chi from New York. 30:12 Welcome, Chi, you are on the air. 30:14 - [Chi] Thank you so much. 30:16 I want to know what the Bible says is in 1 Peter 3:19-20. 30:21 - All right, well, why don't I read it 30:22 for those who are driving. 30:25 Verse 19 says, "By whom also he went 30:27 and preached to the spirits in prison 30:30 who formally were disobedient 30:32 when once the divine long suffering waited 30:34 in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, 30:37 in which few that his eight souls were saved 30:40 through the water." 30:41 So you're probably wondering about these spirits in prison. 30:45 - [Chi] Yeah, I was trying to minister to one of my friends 30:48 and he brought up this classic scripture. 30:50 I couldn't explain it. 30:51 - Oh, okay, great question. 30:53 Well, in order to understand 30:54 what Peter is talking about here, 30:57 we need to read the previous verse, which is verse 18. 31:00 So I started reading verse 19, 31:01 but I'm gonna start now in verse 18 31:03 and you'll get the context 31:04 and then it begins to make sense. 31:06 It says, "For Christ also suffered once for sin, 31:08 the just for the unjust that He might bring us to God, 31:12 being put to death in the flesh, 31:14 but made alive by the Spirit." 31:18 Now I wanna pause right there. 31:19 The subject that Peter is addressing here 31:21 in this passage is the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, 31:24 the Holy Spirit that made Christ alive. 31:27 And then he says in verse 19, 31:29 "By whom, 31:30 by whom," that is the Spirit, 31:32 "By whom He," Jesus, 31:34 "went and preached to the spirits in prison 31:38 that were disobedient in the days before the flood" 31:42 or in the days before Noah. 31:43 And you can read the rest of the verse there. 31:45 So what's been addressed here is that Jesus 31:48 was resurrected by the same Spirit 31:50 that He preached to the antediluvian world. 31:53 So those living before the flood, 31:55 the Holy Spirit was preaching to them. 31:58 And it was Christ through the Spirit 32:00 that was preaching to them. 32:01 And how do we know that? 32:03 Well, we read the account in Genesis 32:05 where the Bible says, 32:06 "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, 32:10 but his days shall be 120 years." 32:12 So during that time period, 32:13 the Holy Spirit was striving with those before the flood, 32:17 but they hardened their heart. 32:19 Now it was the Spirit of God, 32:20 it was in essence Christ through the Spirit 32:23 that was appealing to them, 32:24 asking them to come to repentance. 32:26 They refused and so the Bible goes on in verse 20 32:29 to tell us that only eight souls were saved, 32:31 that would be Noah and his family. 32:33 So it's not talking about when Jesus died, 32:36 His disembodied Spirit somehow went down into hell 32:40 to the people that were there before the flood. 32:42 There's a whole doctrine 32:44 that's been built on a misapplication of the phrase, 32:47 the first verse in verse 18, which talks about the Spirit. 32:50 It's the Holy Spirit that being emphasized. 32:52 And the Holy Spirit did speak to the people 32:54 before the flood. 32:56 - Yeah, I think there's a great verse also 32:57 in Isaiah 42:6-7. 32:59 It says talking, the Father about the Son. 33:01 "I have given you as a covenant, as light to the Gentiles," 33:04 and Isaiah 42:7 says, "To open blind eyes 33:07 and to bring out prisoners from the prison." 33:09 - Ah-huh. - So it's the prisonment 33:11 of the mind to slavery to sin. 33:13 - That's right. - That's liberating us. 33:15 - And of course that's part of the mission of Jesus 33:17 said, "I've come to set the captors free." 33:19 - Amen. 33:20 - Well, He didn't break down any prison doors, 33:22 but spiritually speaking, He set the captives of sin free. 33:25 - Amen. - And that's really, 33:26 what's been addressed here in the verse. 33:27 Does that help, Chi? 33:29 - Yeah, it's helped a lot. 33:30 Thank you so much. 33:31 - Ah, you're welcome, thanks for your call. 33:32 - All right, thank you very much. 33:33 Next we have Jerry from Rocky Place, Georgia. 33:36 Good evening, Jerry to "Bible Answers Live." 33:39 - [Jerry] Good evening to you. 33:41 - Hey. 33:42 - [Jerry] I'm just wondering about John, 33:45 the gospel of John 10:34 is what I was wondering 33:51 what y'all thought about, 33:52 but you might wanna start with 33, 34, and 35. 33:55 - Yeah, all right, thanks, Jerry. 33:57 I'm gonna read it for those who are driving in their car. 34:00 I'll start over here in verse, 34:02 let me start in verse 32 just so we get the context. 34:05 Jesus answered them. 34:06 Christ is having a discussion 34:07 with the religious leaders of His day. 34:09 "Many good works I've shown you from My Father, 34:12 for which of these do you stone Me?" 34:14 And then they respond, verse 33, 34:16 the Jews answered and said, 34:17 "For a good work we do not stone You, 34:19 but for blasphemy 34:21 and because You being a man make Yourself God." 34:24 So Christ would refer to Himself as being the I AM 34:29 or Christ would sometimes say, 34:30 I am the Way, the Truth, the Life 34:32 and the religious leader said, "Ah, this is blasphemy. 34:35 If you claim to be able to forgive sins, 34:36 or if you claim titles that belong to God, 34:39 well, biblically speaking, it's blasphemy." 34:41 Now it was not blasphemy for Jesus for He is God, 34:44 He is the son of God. 34:46 But there was this dispute. 34:47 And verse 34, "Jesus answered them and said, 34:50 'Is it not written in your law, 34:53 'I said, you are gods.' 34:56 If he called them gods to whom the Word of God came 34:59 and the scriptures cannot be broken, 35:01 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified 35:04 and sent into the world 35:05 'You are blaspheming' because I said, 35:07 'I am the son of God?'" 35:09 So He's referring to an Old Testament passage, 35:12 I believe in Psalms. - Yep. 35:14 - Where it refers to people as being gods. 35:18 But it's with a small g, it's not a capital G, 35:20 it's not referring to the divinity, 35:23 but there was certain rulership or lordship. 35:27 Another word for translation that is lord or overseer. 35:31 So Christ is saying, 35:32 "You're condemning Me 35:33 because I'm calling Myself the Son of God 35:35 and yet I have been sanctified by the Father. 35:37 My works prove that I am the son of God." 35:40 And He says, "But you claim to go by the law. 35:43 But the law refers to people as being rulers 35:47 or overseers or lords, and yet you're wanting to condemn Me 35:51 for being a ruler or an overseer or a Lord?" 35:55 In essence, Jesus was just turning the situation 35:57 back on them because they were accusing Him 36:00 of something that He didn't do. 36:02 - And that's in Psalms 82:6. 36:05 - Did that help a little, Jerry? 36:08 - Yeah, that helped some there, 36:09 but I just wondered about, 36:11 of course, I got the old King James Version and gods, 36:14 when it says ye are gods there, it's an all capital letter. 36:18 - Right? 36:19 When it's translated the New King James 36:20 and even actually overhearing John, 36:21 it's all small case gods. 36:24 So it's not referring to the one and only true God. 36:26 Remember the pagans, the nations surrounding Israel, 36:28 they also had deities or gods and that overseers and lords. 36:33 And I think a better word there for God 36:35 if you go back into the original Hebrew 36:37 has to do with rulership or lordship. 36:39 - Yeah. 36:40 - That's really been reflected. 36:41 - It's actually the word Elohim. 36:43 Is the word that shows up - As ruler, lord. 36:45 - Okay. - Judge. 36:46 - Judge, to judge. - Yeah. 36:48 - Okay, well thanks, Jerry. 36:50 Who do we have next? 36:51 - Christopher from Huntington Park, good evening, 36:52 you're on the air. 36:55 - [Christopher] Good evening, Pastor Ross. 36:57 - Yes, welcome. 36:58 - [Christopher] I have a question, 36:59 it's regarding the mixed fabrics. 37:03 - Okay. 37:04 - [Christopher] I just want to know 37:06 if they're part of the ceremonial laws or the moral laws, 37:08 and if they are part of the ceremonial laws, 37:11 are they done away with? 37:12 - Okay, great question. 37:13 All right, let me give you a little background 37:15 for those who might be listening. 37:16 In the Old Testament, we have different categories of law. 37:19 You have, for example, the moral law, 37:21 we call that the Ten Commandments. 37:22 Of course the Ten Commandments are still binding. 37:24 It's still wrong to steal, or kill, 37:26 or committed adultery, it's always been wrong. 37:28 Eve broke one of the 10 commandments, 37:30 actually more than one when she took of the fruit 37:33 that God said don't take and eat. 37:34 She broke the commandment that said thou shall not steal, 37:37 she coveted. 37:38 That's the 10th commandment she gave to her husband who ate. 37:40 Thou shall not murder or kill. 37:42 So you can look at all different types 37:43 of Ten Commandments that she broke. 37:45 So you got the moral law, the Ten Commandments. 37:46 It's always been in effect. 37:48 You have the civil laws. 37:49 The civil laws govern the nation of Israel. 37:51 The principles of the civil law, 37:53 if followed by civil authorities, 37:56 tend to a more prosperous, happier people. 38:01 Many of the nations of Western Europe, 38:03 the Christian nations, 38:04 especially the Protestant nations 38:06 that were founded on Protestantism, 38:08 they prospered because they followed a number 38:11 of the principles found in the civil code 38:14 that we find in the Old Testament. 38:15 Not all of it applies today 38:17 because God was the direct King or Ruler of Israel, 38:20 it's a little different in our situation. 38:22 Then you have the health laws. 38:24 And of course the health laws would relate to being healthy 38:26 and practical. 38:27 And yes, you don't wanna eat those things 38:28 that are unclean, 38:30 and there's some practical aspects of that. 38:31 And so of course that's applicable today, 38:33 but then you have the ceremonial laws. 38:34 And the ceremonial law had to do with the priesthood, 38:36 it had to do with the sanctuary, 38:38 it had to do with the sacrifice, 38:39 but they were also connected with the ceremonial laws, 38:42 some additional customs that the people were to follow 38:45 here specifically. 38:46 One of the regulations not to wear clothes of mixed fabrics. 38:50 And the reason for that is because God wanted to make 38:53 a distinction between His people 38:55 and the pagan nations around them. 38:57 One of the things the pagan nations would do 38:59 is they would have mixed fabrics in their clothing. 39:02 They would shave their beards in a certain way 39:05 as a sign of worship for the dead. 39:07 There were many different customs that God said, 39:10 "No, don't have any part of it. 39:12 I'm gonna separate. 39:13 You're gonna be a different people." 39:14 Now we can take the principle of that 39:16 and we can apply that today. 39:17 Should Christians dress differently than the world? 39:21 I believe so. 39:21 Not that we should be fanatical, 39:23 but they should be a cleanliness, 39:26 there should be a modesty that is found with Christians 39:29 that is different from the world. 39:30 So you can apply a principle there, 39:32 but no, there is nothing wrong 39:34 in having a shirt made of cotton and polyester, 39:38 other than it's probably uncomfortable. 39:40 I don't know, 39:41 but it seems like everything nowadays 39:42 has got a little bit of polyester in it, 39:43 but no, you're not breaking any Biblical law by doing so. 39:49 Does that help, Christopher? 39:51 - [Christopher] Yeah, can I ask a quick question? 39:53 - Yeah, real quick. 39:55 - [Christopher] When you say about the mixed fabrics, 39:58 are you saying that we cannot mix plant with animal fabrics? 40:03 - No, no, you can. 40:04 I mean, today we gotta be practical. 40:06 Some fabrics do very well when you mix them. 40:09 You're talking about like wool and cotton? 40:13 - [Christopher] Well, I'm talking about like spandex. 40:15 Can we wear spandex with cotton and polyester. 40:17 - Oh yeah, yeah. 40:18 I think the principle here is 40:20 there needs to be a distinction 40:21 between the dress of the Christian 40:23 and the dress of the world. 40:24 And that was the point that was being emphasized 40:26 by these ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. 40:29 Christ or God wanted the Israelites to look differently 40:32 and to dress differently than the pagan nations around them. 40:36 And so that's why we have these principles, 40:38 practical principles that were applied. 40:40 But today, no, there's nothing wrong 40:41 in wearing clothes of mixed fabric, 40:43 but we do wanna follow the principle of modesty. 40:47 - [Christopher] Okay, okay. 40:48 I appreciate it, thank you. 40:49 - All right, you're welcome, 40:50 thanks, Christopher. - All right. 40:51 Next we have Sherry from Wisconsin. 40:52 Good evening, Sherry. 40:54 You are on the air. 40:57 - [Sherry] Hi, pastors. 40:59 My question is in Job 3 about Leviathan. 41:06 - Yes. 41:08 - [Sherry] And I'm wondering if that creature is related 41:15 to the creatures in Revelations or was there, 41:22 it's my understanding that Job 41:23 was one of the first books written. 41:25 - Yes. 41:26 - [Sherry] And if that's true, 41:29 was there a world before us 41:34 that threw the creature in the bottomless pit? 41:38 - Okay, yeah, let me see if I can give you 41:39 a little more information. 41:41 When you're reading the book of Job, 41:42 you read about several creatures, the one being Leviathan 41:45 and the other one called behemoth. 41:47 These are two animals 41:48 that we don't have an exact likeness today. 41:52 If you look at the characteristics, 41:54 for example of the behemoth, 41:56 it really looks like some kind of a dinosaur. 41:59 He's got big round legs 42:00 that look like the legs of an elephant, 42:02 but he has a big thick tail 42:04 and he's got a long, strong neck and he lives by the reeds. 42:08 So what Job he's referring to is animals 42:11 that existed before the flood. 42:13 Many of these animals were destroyed in the flood. 42:15 And of course we had the fossil record to back that up. 42:18 And Leviathan for the most part could have been 42:20 some kind of a seagoing dinosaur 42:24 that existed before the flood. 42:25 We just got the fossil remains of that. 42:28 Job, being an old book, 42:29 it's possible that there were still stories around 42:32 of these great monsters or sea creatures, 42:35 maybe even at the time some survived the flood. 42:38 And they were around, of course today they would be extinct. 42:40 So no they were real animals. 42:42 Although in the book of Revelation, 42:44 you also read about different creatures and beasts, 42:47 but those are symbolic. 42:49 For example, it talks about one beast 42:51 that has seven heads and 10 horns. 42:54 Well, there's no animal today that has seven heads 42:56 and 10 horns. 42:57 So that's clearly symbolic, 42:58 but what's described here in Job, 43:00 it sounds like a real animal that existed. 43:03 And if you go back to the fossil record before the flood, 43:06 yeah, there were these giant animals 43:08 that lived on the earth and in the sea. 43:12 - [Sherry] Job asked God 43:18 about being prepared to rise against leviathan 43:22 - Yeah, in other words, who can go up against Leviathan? 43:25 I mean, he was a great powerful sea-like creature 43:28 and who can try and take it on. 43:31 Now, it is interesting that a dragon in the Bible 43:34 symbolizes the devil. 43:36 Leviathan was a giant reptile of some kind. 43:39 Maybe it was a symbol for the devil, 43:41 but in the context of Job, it was a real animal. 43:45 'cause he goes on not only talk about behemoth 43:47 and not only talk about leviathan, 43:48 but to talk about other animals 43:49 that are very common even today. 43:51 So it's a description of some of these creatures 43:53 that God made that lived before the flood. 43:57 And I think that's the point that's been emphasized there. 44:00 So thanks for your question. 44:02 - All right, next we have Becky from Texas. 44:04 Good evening, Becky, you're on the air. 44:08 - [Becky] Yes, hello, how are you doing? 44:09 - Hi, Becky. - We're blessed. 44:11 - [Becky] Yeah, my question is concerning 44:14 when there has been a gender change surgically 44:21 and you know the person as a male, 44:23 but then has become a female. 44:27 And-- 44:29 - Are you wondering 44:30 what would be the proper Christian approach 44:32 or response - [Becky] Right. 44:34 - To a person like that? 44:35 You know, it's kind of interesting 44:36 that we even have these discussions today. 44:38 I mean, 50, 60 years ago, you couldn't get, 44:41 oh, maybe you could, I don't know, 44:42 what surgeries to try and change your gender. 44:45 I think the bottom line is God loves everyone 44:49 and God can reach everyone, 44:51 and homosexuality, although it is a sin 44:54 that the Bible condemns, 44:56 it can be forgiven and a person can repent. 44:59 And I know of people who have lived their lifestyle, 45:02 but they come to know Christ 45:03 and they have confessed their sins 45:05 and they've changed their lifestyle. 45:09 I think we wanna build a relationship with a person 45:10 to try and win them over to Christ, 45:13 but there's a delicate balance between respecting them, 45:17 but not necessarily agreeing with those things 45:20 that they are doing that is wrong. 45:22 And it's not just this particular area of sin, but any sin. 45:28 I know people who wanna honor their parents, 45:31 but perhaps their parents are doing things that are wrong 45:34 or a violation of the Ten Commandments. 45:36 How do you walk that line between honoring your parents 45:39 and yet not participating or supporting or endorsing 45:43 the things that they're doing that you know is wrong? 45:45 And so that's where we need to pray for wisdom and guidance 45:47 on an individual basis. 45:49 We want to be Christ-like 45:51 in the way we interact with people. 45:53 Jesus ministered to them, 45:54 and I think we need to see in every person, 45:57 a soul that Christ died for. 45:59 In other words, we wanna reach every person 46:02 with the good news of salvation and try and encourage them. 46:04 So you've gotta pray for wisdom. 46:05 That that is a tough question, a difficult situation. 46:08 And each case is gonna be a little different, Pastor Carlos, 46:12 but I think that's where we need to pray 46:13 and ask God to guide us and help us. 46:15 - Amen. 46:16 Just loving them and letting the Holy Spirit 46:18 do the work in their heart. - Let the Holy Spirit do 46:18 what only He can do. 46:20 Well, thanks for your call, Becky. 46:21 Who do we have next? 46:22 - Abigail from Georgia. 46:24 Good evening and welcome to "Bible Answers Live." 46:29 - [Abigail] My question is if Elijah went to heaven, 46:35 like the heaven where God dwells, did he see God? 46:38 Even if the Bible says that no man saw God 46:41 or has seen Him. 46:43 - Okay, yes, Elijah was taken to heaven. 46:45 He was taken up to where God is 46:47 because you're reading the gospels 46:48 that Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus 46:49 in the Mount of transfiguration. 46:51 So if Elijah and Moses were in heaven, 46:54 of course, Moses died, 46:55 he was resurrected according to Jude, 46:56 and he was taken to heaven. 46:58 If they're in heaven, I'm sure they they're able to see God. 47:01 The verse you're referring to is in John chapter three, 47:04 where Jesus says, "No, man has ascended up into heaven 47:06 and come back down except the Son of Man," 47:08 and He's speaking about Himself. 47:10 So what Christ is referencing there is that 47:13 He's the one that has brought the truth from heaven, 47:16 He's the one that has come to earth 47:17 to reveal what God is like in His fullness, in His glory. 47:24 - Excuse me, pastor. 47:25 I'm so sorry to interrupt, - yeah, go ahead. 47:27 - [Becky] But I'm talking about the one John 1:18. 47:30 - Which one? 47:32 - [Becky] John 1:18. 47:33 - John 1:18. 47:35 (group chattering) 47:36 Okay, let me read the verse just before, 47:39 talks about the law came through Moses, 47:41 but grace and truth came from Jesus Christ. 47:43 "No one has seen God at any time. 47:44 The only begotten of the father 47:46 who is in the bosom of the Father, 47:47 He has declared Him." 47:49 Again, that reference to seeing God. 47:50 It's not just seeing God, 47:53 but it's seeing to reveal God. 47:55 In other words, nobody has revealed God but the Son. 47:59 That's the spiritual application of that. 48:02 For example, the disciple said to Jesus, 48:04 "Show us the Father and it suffices us," 48:06 and Jesus says, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." 48:10 So when it's saying no one has seen the Father, 48:13 it's not just visually, it's not just seeing Him, 48:16 but it's seeing and revealing, seeing to show the Father. 48:20 Only Christ can show us what the Father's really like. 48:26 - Oh, okay. 48:27 Thank you so much for answering my question, guys. 48:29 - All right, you're welcome. - All right. 48:30 - Thanks for calling. 48:31 - Next we have Milo from Rhode Island. 48:32 Milo, you are on the air. 48:35 - [Milo] Hey, how are you? 48:36 - Blessed, how are you? 48:40 Sorry. 48:41 - [Milo] Question in regards to companionship 48:43 for a young adult male. 48:47 I'm in my mid twenties, recently born again 48:51 and seeking for a companion in this world. 48:58 Just wanted to know whether God will provide one for me 49:01 or do I have to do the soul searching myself. 49:03 - Oh, okay, good question. 49:04 Of course, there's nothing wrong to seek a companion, 49:08 to seek a spouse. 49:09 Marriage is honorable, it was something that God gave, 49:13 but we do wanna be very wise and careful 49:15 in choosing a spouse. 49:17 And that's where we wanna pray and ask God to lead. 49:20 Marrying the wrong person can be, as many people know, 49:23 it can be a very difficult thing. 49:25 Marrying the right person, 49:26 someone who loves the Lord can actually enhance 49:28 your spiritual growth with Christ 49:30 and draw you closer to Him. 49:31 So what part do we have to play? 49:33 I think we wanna pray for guidance and wisdom, 49:35 but there's nothing wrong in getting to know people 49:37 or befriending people. 49:39 Some of the guidelines that the Bible does speak of, 49:41 it says don't be unequally yolked. 49:43 So don't go out looking for somebody 49:44 that doesn't believe in Christ, or is not a Christian, 49:47 or who doesn't hold your religious beliefs, 49:49 or doesn't understand the Bible 49:50 in the way that you understand it, 49:52 because you're creating problems for yourself. 49:54 So find a good Christian person, 49:56 somebody that loves the Lord, 49:57 somebody that shares your ideals 50:00 and there's nothing wrong, Pastor Carlos. 50:02 I know have some folks who are happily married, 50:04 wonderful Christians 50:05 and they found each other on a Christian, 50:08 - Dating site. - Yeah, single site. 50:10 So nothing wrong with that. 50:11 God can work through that as well, 50:12 but you do wanna pray and ask God for guidance and wisdom 50:16 and then just lay it all before the Lord and say, 50:18 "Lord, is this the one that you want me to marry?" 50:20 And the Holy Spirit will lead. 50:22 God will convict us if our hearts are sincere 50:24 and we want to do His will. 50:25 All right, I think we have time for one or two more, 50:27 Pastor Carlos. 50:28 - All right, let's go quickly. 50:29 Jerry, from Paradise, Michigan. 50:30 Good evening, you're on the air. 50:33 - [Jerry] Yes, hi. 50:34 Can you hear me okay, 'cause I'm calling from off grid? 50:36 - Yeah, no, we can hear you. 50:38 - [Jerry] I've heard all my life the saying 50:39 that God helps those who help themselves, 50:43 but I've heard recently that it's not scriptural 50:46 and that it's more truthful 50:47 to say God helps those who cannot help themselves. 50:50 Can you shed any light on the truth of either of these 50:52 or are they in supposition? - Sure. 50:54 Yeah, absolutely. 50:55 The thought God helps those who help themselves 50:58 is not found in the Bible. 50:59 I think that was Benjamin Franklin if I'm not wrong 51:02 or one of those famous writers that mentioned that. 51:06 But you know, the principle we find in the Bible 51:08 is that God helps those who recognize their need of help. 51:13 He doesn't just help those who can't help themselves, 51:15 He helps those who recognize their need of help 51:17 and they turn to Him for help, that's the key. 51:21 So in one sense, yeah, you do need to help yourself 51:23 in that you need to turn to God. 51:25 Those who don't turn to God, 51:26 they don't receive the help that God wants to give them. 51:29 But at the end of the day, 51:30 if we turn to God and we trust in Him 51:31 and we ask Him for help, especially in spiritual things, 51:34 He will help us without a doubt, He will help us. 51:37 So hope that helps a little bit, Jerry, yeah? 51:40 God will help those who recognize their need 51:42 and turn to Him for help, that's the condition. 51:45 I think we have time for one more. 51:46 - One more. 51:48 Marlin, Good evening, you're on the air. 51:50 - [Marlin] Hello. 51:52 Thank you for taking my call, Pastor Carlos, Pastor Ross. 51:57 My question was that I heard 51:59 in one of pastor Doug Batchelor's sermons 52:04 to the children from a few years back, 52:07 that there is a varying amount of time 52:11 for your duration in hell based on like what your sins were. 52:19 It all results in death. 52:20 But the amount of time that you spend there changes 52:23 depending on your sins. 52:24 And I was wondering where that came from. 52:27 - Okay, yes. 52:27 Let me share a few thoughts. 52:29 Of course, the end result of all sin is death 52:31 and that is eternal death, 52:33 but God does reward both the righteous and the unrighteous 52:36 according to their deeds. 52:38 There are varying rewards. 52:39 You find in Luke 12:48, 52:42 it says, "Those who have committed things 52:44 deserving stripes and did not know 52:46 they were given few stripes, 52:48 but those who knew better," and I'm paraphrasing 52:50 'cause of time, "they were given more." 52:52 So God is fair and just 52:55 even in the punishment of the wicked, 52:57 but He's also gonna reward people on the other side, 53:00 on the good side, 53:01 based upon their service, and their devotion, 53:03 and their love for Him. 53:05 Everyone gets eternal life, 53:06 but there are still varying degrees of reward 53:08 that we read about in Revelation chapter 22. 53:11 So Luke 12:48 and Revelation 22. 53:13 Friends, don't go away. 53:14 We'll be right back. 53:16 (bright music) 53:19 - [Announcer] Thank you for listening to today's broadcast. 53:21 We hope you understand your Bible even better than before. 53:25 "Bible Answers Live" is produced 53:27 by Amazing Facts International, 53:29 a faith-based ministry located in Granite Bay, California. 53:35 - Hello, friends, welcome back to one of our best parts 53:37 of "Bible Answers Live." 53:39 We're gonna try and answers many of your questions 53:41 that have come in via email. 53:42 So Pastor Carlos, - Yes. 53:44 - How many questions do we have this evening? 53:45 Let's go for it, what's the first one. 53:46 - We have about five questions here. 53:48 This is Connie. 53:50 She's asking my nephew says the Bible is fictional. 53:52 How do you know there is a God? 53:54 - How do you know that there's a God? 53:55 Well, first of all, you gotta read the Bible. 53:56 The Bible reveals to us that there is a God. 53:59 How do you know the Bible is true? 54:00 Well, the Bible reveals prophecy, 54:03 prophecy reveals the future. 54:04 And if you look back in the Bible 54:05 and you can see how accurately 54:07 the Bible predicted things that took place, 54:10 that'll strengthen your faith in the Word of God. 54:12 And when you trust the Word of God, 54:14 it'll lead you to the God of the Word, 54:17 which is God, the Savior Jesus Christ. 54:19 - All right, next, we have a question from, 54:22 let me see if I do this correctly, Nnozi. 54:24 - Okay, very good. - Did I do that right? 54:26 - I think so. 54:28 - Why didn't God forgive satan 54:29 and what sin can we partake in today 54:31 that God cannot forgive? 54:33 - Okay why didn't God forgive satan, 54:34 and is there a sin that we can commit 54:36 that God cannot forgive? 54:37 Well, satan committed that sin that God cannot forgive, 54:40 and the Bible refers to that as the unpardonable sin. 54:43 It is the sin against the Holy Spirit. 54:45 It's when a person hardens their heart 54:47 to the point where they don't even hear 54:49 the promptings of the Holy Spirit, 54:51 their conscience in essence has been deadened. 54:54 The Bible tells us it's the goodness of God 54:56 that leads a person to repentance. 54:58 So if we've rejected the Spirit of God 55:00 that leads us to repentance, 55:01 how do we come to a point of repentance? 55:03 And if we don't repent, how can we be forgiven? 55:06 So yes, there is a sin for which there is no forgiveness 55:10 and that is the sin of rejection against the Holy Spirit 55:13 or the unpardonable sin. 55:14 satan has committed that sin. 55:16 - Next is from Jesami. 55:18 In the book of Job it talks about the sons of God 55:21 gathering before God as well as satan. 55:22 Who are the sons of God? 55:23 - Okay, short answer on this one, 55:25 the sons of God are the representatives 55:27 of the unfallen worlds. 55:30 Psalms talks about the elders as a group of people 55:33 that are there in heaven. 55:34 How do we know that they're the representatives 55:36 of the unfallen worlds? 55:37 Because you're reading Job that the devil shows up 55:39 and God says, "Where did you come from?" 55:41 And he says, "Oh, from walking up and down on the earth." 55:43 So we know this gathering was not on the earth, 55:45 it was some other place, probably in heaven. 55:47 And the devil came representing the earth and saying, 55:50 "Well, you know, that's my domain now, 55:52 that's my kingdom." 55:53 And God says, "Well, if you notice there's someone 55:54 in your kingdom that really belongs in My kingdom" 55:56 and you have the whole story of Job. 55:58 But we believe these sons of God are these representatives 56:01 of these different realms, 56:03 these worlds that you read about in Hebrews chapter one. 56:06 - All right, last one quickly, 56:07 what did Christ mean when He said we must be born again? 56:10 - To be born again we have to accept Jesus 56:11 as our personal savior, we confess our sins, 56:13 we ask for the Holy Spirit to do a work in us 56:16 that only He can do. 56:18 And just as surely as we do that, 56:19 God is faithful, He'll forgive us and He'll cleanse us. 56:22 Friends, thank you for joining us for "Bible Answers Live," 56:24 look forward to seeing you next week. 56:27 (bright music) 56:28 - [Announcer] "Bible Answers Live," 56:30 honest and accurate answers to your Bible questions. 56:34 (bright music) 56:37 - Did you know that Noah was present 56:39 at the birth of Abraham? 56:40 Okay, maybe he wasn't in the room, 56:43 but he was alive and probably telling stories 56:45 about his floating zoo. 56:47 From the creation of the world 56:49 to the last day events of Revelation, 56:51 biblehistory.com is a free resource 56:54 where you can explore major Bible events and characters, 56:57 enhance your knowledge of the Bible, 56:59 and draw closer to God's Word, go deeper. 57:02 Visit biblehistory.com. 57:06 - [Announcer 2] Did you know Amazing Facts 57:08 has a free Bible school 57:09 that you can do from the comfort of your own home? 57:11 It includes 27 beautifully illustrated study lessons 57:15 to aid in your study of God's Word. 57:17 Sign up today for this free Bible study course 57:20 by calling 1-844-215-7000, 57:23 that's 1-844-215-7000. 57:29 - [Narrator 2] In six days, 57:31 God created the heavens and the earth. 57:34 For thousands of years, man has worshiped God 57:37 on the seventh day of the week. 57:38 Now, each week, millions of people worship on the first day. 57:43 What happened? 57:44 Why did God create a day of rest? 57:47 Does it really matter what day we worship? 57:49 Who was behind this great shift? 57:51 discover the truth behind God's law and how it was changed. 57:55 Visit SabbathTruth.com. 58:00 - Every year, 40,000 souls in North America 58:03 end their own lives. 58:05 Suicide is a terrible tragedy. 58:07 And while it's difficult to talk about, 58:09 we need to face it together as Christians. 58:12 That's why in my new book, "Choosing Life," 58:14 I share the biblical perspective about suicide, 58:17 answering some difficult questions 58:19 about faith and salvation along the way, 58:21 and offering practical tips 58:23 that should help and encourage others. 58:26 Jesus wants us to choose an abundant life in Him. |
Revised 2022-07-30