Hello, friends, grab
your Bible and a friend
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and sit back as we
explore God's word together
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on this edition of House Calls.
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Welcome to House Calls.
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Those of you who are
sitting at your televisions,
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or if you are on
the radio, welcome,
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don't look to the
left or the right,
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keep your eyes on the road.
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John and John chiming in here.
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Hello, John.
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Good to see you, John.
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Yeah, good to see you too.
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It seems like, it'd be nice
to be able to do this everyday
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but it's a
challenge distance wise.
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That's right.
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John lives out
west, we met at west,
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he decided to move out west
into the upper Columbia region
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where the trees are taller than
mountains and more beautiful
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and I live in the
un-indescribable Midwest.
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I'll leave it there.
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Good to have you
in our program today.
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We thank you for tuning in.
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We love it here,
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because it's
where God has called us.
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One day it's gonna be just
as beautiful as California.
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If you live in
Illinois, forgive me.
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But we're gonna get
into the Bible program today
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that really makes a difference.
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We love House
Calls and that's why
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we're glad that
you've chosen to tune in.
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And we have Bible questions,
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we're gonna
continue on our topic
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which is about
God, what a topic, John.
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What a topic? God's character.
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Yeah. The character of God,
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we're gonna talk about that
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and we're gonna share with you,
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what is, send your
questions and your comments
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and just a moment, but
before we do any of that,
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John always has prayer for us.
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So let's bow our heads...
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Let's do that.
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Father in heaven,
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we again appeal for
your presence here today.
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We ask that you
would send your Spirit
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to feed us through Your
word with a knowledge of You,
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because we know that
as finite human beings,
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we're just incapable of
fully understanding things
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unless you give us that insight
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and so, Lord,
we trust Your word,
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we trust You to lead
us through this program
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in Jesus' name, amen.
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Amen.
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Friends, I want to thank you
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for your questions and comments
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that you send to us,
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and if you have
any that's going around
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in your mind right now,
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we get snail mail, we
get computer printouts,
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we get those text that
continue to come into us.
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If you have any questions
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that you're
thinking about sending to us,
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here is the email address.
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Send those to
housecalls@3abn.org.
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That's housecalls@3abn.org,
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and we will do our
best to respond to them,
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which means John is
up to the batter's box.
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Go ahead and let's
catch the first question.
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Find out what do we have today.
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All right.
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This question comes from Lan
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and he says after being
presented with this question,
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I'm not sure how to answer it,
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I was hoping you could help.
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As we read the story of creation
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in the Book of Genesis,
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God is
identified by the pronoun He
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in Genesis 1:26, 27,
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the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
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collaborated to create male
and female in their own image.
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The question is,
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how could both male and
female be patterned after
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or created
after their own image,
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if there were no
female God, if you will,
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for Eve to be patterned after
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and no model to
exemplify the feminine half
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of the family unit for humanity.
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Is it wrong to think off
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the male God had as one
would think of human males,
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since they were the ones
Adam was patterned after.
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So good question, good question.
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I'm gonna resist
until you answer.
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Go ahead.
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Well, we both
have different things
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and there's lots of
ways to answer this question
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as there are with
many of the questions
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that we get here on House Calls,
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and we thank you
for sending those in.
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But one of the
things we forget is,
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God is not just talking about,
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when He is talking about images,
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He is not just saying
that the image is our physique
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or even how we think.
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It's the whole person,
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is the image of God
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and the person
who would have God
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does include male
and female attributes.
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Okay, now God is thought of
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and he presents
Himself as a male,
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as the head of all of creation.
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But throughout
scripture you'll find many times
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where God uses language, John,
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that includes a
femininity, sort of speak.
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Also we have to be careful
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not to boil down
God to how we look.
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Because God is spirit
and it goes far beyond
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what we can comprehend.
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uses the term 'El Shaddai'
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which in literal translation
is the many breasted one,
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it's as if someone
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he is holding and
caring for someone
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as a mother does
up to her breasts,
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nurturing and feeding
and providing security.
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So in that respect,
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God is pictured as a
woman caring for her child.
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It's further elaborated
on that very same concept
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in Isaiah 49:15.
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Can a woman forget
her suckling child,
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that she should
not have compassion
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on the son of her womb?
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Yea, they may forget,
yet will I not forget thee.
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So he can't forget
the ones he has created
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as a woman would create a child.
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So you know, we
can't just limit...
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Procreate.
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Re-procreate as...
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I mean, obviously we're not
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putting bring the
resistance that aren't,
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but clearly he,
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his image
includes all the attributes
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of man and woman in Adam and Eve
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that have been
passed down through history.
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And you find that
throughout scripture.
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Now the main analogy
of course we find is God
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as head as the man,
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and he is the husband
of the wife, His church,
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He also speaks
of the New Jerusalem
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as being a bride.
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So in that way, the
Bible presents to us,
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um, you know, his "maleness"
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but to just simply
say well, you know,
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God is like males and not
like females is incorrect,
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because he even
himself portrays a likeness
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to many of the
attributes of females as well.
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It's the whole
person, it's the whole
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and all of humanity
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as God reveals
Himself in His character.
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Okay, so when Isaiah says,
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I'm God and
there is none like me.
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One of the things
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that we have to put
into perspective there is,
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the adverb,
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there is none like me
is using that description.
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When you think of
God's creative ability,
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and this is something
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that I think you
addressed a moment ago,
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someone asking well,
what about male and female,
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well, God is a
not a tree either,
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but He created the tree,
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God is not a fish
either but He created a fish.
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Everything that
God did in creation,
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He did it so that
they could procreate.
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You know, the seed of the orange
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creates another orange
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but the orange
didn't create the orange,
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what came first,
the orange or the seed,
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you know, we say
the chicken or the egg.
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Everything that
God did in creation
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was to procreate to
bring forth after its kind,
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you see in Genesis.
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So you had the
mother and the father
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to bring forth
son and the daughter
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after their kind.
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So when one of the things that
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when you tiptoe
through this topic,
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you don't want to
call God dual gender,
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but both genders
came forth from God,
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'cause that's widely
important to understand.
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So who is God?
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He is the
creator and His diversity
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and His ability
creates everything
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that we have in our society,
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but I want to also
add this component here,
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and this is in
the modern context.
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One of the reasons
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why that's so widely
important to understand
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that God created
the male and the females
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because He
created them to procreate.
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So now today in the
context of modern society
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today where much
emphasis is put on
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same sex marriage.
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You see, man with
man, woman with woman.
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If that was God's plan,
there will be no procreation.
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The human race would have ceased
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to procreate centuries ago.
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So the purpose of God
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and one of the ways
I heard preacher say
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this which is so
profound, he says
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when man and
woman comes together,
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they complete the image
of God in the human race.
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And they have become one.
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Right.
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So as the father and the son...
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as we are one,
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so that the world will know
that we sent you by your unity,
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by the man and the
woman being joined together
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to complete the image
of God in the human race.
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And then the unity in the church
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to show that God sent us,
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so God is into unity.
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But anytime that
unity is distorted,
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which is I
mentioned this briefly,
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there is a occult
image called Baphomet,
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Baphometi in the Latin
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or in the Italian
which is a dual gender,
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beast of, Satanic
beast of dual gender.
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That's not...
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that doesn't
represent the true God.
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That's a
distortion of the true God,
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because that is the catalyst
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by which many of the
components of concepts today,
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that it doesn't really matter,
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man with man, woman with woman.
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Well, and I
think the other thing
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that goes to say is
analogies have limits.
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You know, you can go too
far with just about any analogy,
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and I think you
can go so far in this
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sometimes that
then people try to,
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you know, create
the duality of God,
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male and female and
all those other things
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but analogies only go so far.
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And we have to be careful
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not to go beyond
what the Bible says.
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Wonderful, John, go to John 13,
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a question came in
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and I think this is a very basic
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short answer if you really,
00:09:54.46\00:09:56.19
what do you think about it.
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Recently I saw in
3ABN a communion service
00:09:57.93\00:10:01.03
and there was no foot washing.
00:10:01.06\00:10:03.37
I thought this was always done.
00:10:03.40\00:10:05.43
Please explain.
00:10:05.47\00:10:07.00
Well, because of the air time.
00:10:07.04\00:10:09.54
Because of air time
the foot washing was done
00:10:09.57\00:10:11.87
before that
00:10:11.91\00:10:13.61
and then the airtime
was appropriately used
00:10:13.64\00:10:15.58
for the purpose of
having the communion service,
00:10:15.61\00:10:19.58
the ceremonial part of it,
00:10:19.61\00:10:21.55
the bread and the wine
00:10:21.58\00:10:22.92
and putting the
sermons together.
00:10:22.95\00:10:24.35
But surely we
completely support the examples
00:10:24.39\00:10:27.59
that are left by
Jesus in John chapter 13,
00:10:27.62\00:10:30.19
where He said, um,
00:10:30.23\00:10:32.83
He gave us an example that
we should follow as He has.
00:10:32.86\00:10:37.87
So when He girded Himself,
00:10:37.90\00:10:40.17
put His towel on wash
the feet of His disciples,
00:10:40.20\00:10:43.84
we still look at that as
the ordinance of humility.
00:10:43.87\00:10:47.08
So that's the
quick answer there.
00:10:47.11\00:10:48.78
Yes, the reason why
it wasn't done on air
00:10:48.81\00:10:51.15
because of the value,
00:10:51.18\00:10:52.55
the valuable nature of airtime
00:10:52.58\00:10:54.85
rather than
people watching us wash
00:10:54.88\00:10:57.15
each other's feet
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and you can really
communicate that on radio.
00:10:58.55\00:11:00.92
So we have to be
mindful of the fact that
00:11:00.96\00:11:02.72
whatever we do on television,
00:11:02.76\00:11:04.09
when it's duplicated for radio
00:11:04.13\00:11:06.26
and you hear the
swashing of water and...
00:11:06.29\00:11:08.33
what are they doing.
00:11:08.36\00:11:09.70
You really can't communicate
that in a media setting.
00:11:09.73\00:11:12.13
That's the only
reason why that wasn't done.
00:11:12.17\00:11:14.04
That's right, that's right.
00:11:14.07\00:11:15.64
Another question here,
00:11:15.67\00:11:17.57
it surrounds John 14:1-3
00:11:17.61\00:11:21.61
and this is from Denise,
00:11:21.64\00:11:22.98
she says that
00:11:23.01\00:11:24.35
her sister is a
Jehovah's Witness
00:11:24.38\00:11:25.91
and believes that John
14:1-3 is specifically aimed
00:11:25.95\00:11:29.02
at the disciples and
not for everyone else.
00:11:29.05\00:11:31.55
Okay.
00:11:31.59\00:11:32.92
And Jesus is talking
only to the disciples.
00:11:32.95\00:11:37.43
How do we know that Jesus
wants to include the church
00:11:37.46\00:11:40.63
in what he says here.
00:11:40.66\00:11:42.63
And she says for context,
00:11:42.66\00:11:44.40
she says as you
know Jehovah's Witnesses
00:11:44.43\00:11:46.10
believe that only the
144,000 are going to heaven,
00:11:46.13\00:11:48.47
those are joining that
church in that movement.
00:11:48.50\00:11:52.54
So they're more of an exclusive
sectarian in that perspective.
00:11:52.57\00:11:55.64
So this is the
approach that they have...
00:11:55.68\00:11:57.55
she says I haven't
done a lot of studying
00:11:57.58\00:11:59.01
into this specific verse
00:11:59.05\00:12:00.38
and their teachings on it,
00:12:00.42\00:12:01.78
but the quick answer there is
00:12:01.82\00:12:05.02
how do we know this
pertains to the church.
00:12:05.05\00:12:06.96
Well, everything
Jesus taught the disciples
00:12:06.99\00:12:12.19
was to prepare them for
their leadership in the church.
00:12:12.23\00:12:18.03
Okay, so when we are talking
about the teachings of Jesus
00:12:18.07\00:12:21.77
and what he is
saying to the disciples
00:12:21.80\00:12:23.77
who then keep in mind,
00:12:23.81\00:12:26.34
wrote down these words
in the Gospels for who?
00:12:26.37\00:12:29.98
For the church. For the church.
00:12:30.01\00:12:32.25
They themselves understood
Jesus to be teaching them
00:12:32.28\00:12:36.32
for the church
to then learn them.
00:12:36.35\00:12:38.82
That's right.
00:12:38.85\00:12:40.39
So, you can't
exclude that passage
00:12:40.42\00:12:45.03
and separated from
00:12:45.06\00:12:46.39
what the church
receives as a message
00:12:46.43\00:12:49.00
because God always designed
00:12:49.03\00:12:52.23
when He pulled
His disciples together
00:12:52.27\00:12:53.64
to teach them things that
00:12:53.67\00:12:55.00
they would then
pass on to the church.
00:12:55.04\00:12:56.44
He even said, you know,
00:12:56.47\00:12:58.47
these things you won't remember,
00:12:58.51\00:13:00.48
but later you remember 'em.
00:13:00.51\00:13:02.81
Because God will bring
them to mind through his spirit
00:13:02.84\00:13:05.11
so they can then
share them with the church.
00:13:05.15\00:13:06.98
And that's where the
gospels were written.
00:13:07.02\00:13:09.78
You even find in Matthew,
00:13:09.82\00:13:14.12
let's see
00:13:14.16\00:13:15.49
in Matthew Chapter 16,
00:13:15.52\00:13:21.80
it says there that
00:13:21.83\00:13:25.03
Jesus answering Peter says,
00:13:25.07\00:13:29.07
"Blessed are you,
Simon for flesh and blood
00:13:29.10\00:13:33.04
has not received into thee,
00:13:33.07\00:13:34.54
but my Father which is
in heaven I say to you,
00:13:34.58\00:13:36.41
thou art Peter..."
00:13:36.44\00:13:38.75
A verse often
misconstrued to mean,
00:13:38.78\00:13:41.52
the establishment of
the Roman Church but,
00:13:41.55\00:13:44.75
he saying here up on this
rock, I will build my Church
00:13:44.79\00:13:47.22
and the gates of hell
should not prevail against it.
00:13:47.26\00:13:49.92
And I would give you the keys
00:13:49.96\00:13:51.46
unto the keys of
the kingdom of heaven
00:13:51.49\00:13:53.90
and whatsoever you
shall bind on earth
00:13:53.93\00:13:55.40
shall be bound in heaven.
00:13:55.43\00:13:56.77
Whatsoever you
shall loose on earth
00:13:56.80\00:13:58.17
shall be loosed in heaven.
00:13:58.20\00:13:59.53
This is an expanded view
John of the church itself.
00:13:59.57\00:14:02.20
He is not saying on Peter
the rock I'll build my church,
00:14:02.24\00:14:05.11
but on Christ, on me,
00:14:05.14\00:14:07.81
on this rock I
will build my church,
00:14:07.84\00:14:10.48
but He is
giving the keys to who,
00:14:10.51\00:14:13.35
the disciples.
00:14:13.38\00:14:14.72
That's right.
00:14:14.75\00:14:16.08
Who then established
the church with the gospel
00:14:16.12\00:14:20.69
and so you could say here,
someone could argue here well,
00:14:20.72\00:14:24.23
he was just meeting
with the disciples here,
00:14:24.26\00:14:26.09
he was just
telling the disciples
00:14:26.13\00:14:27.46
this is in for the church.
00:14:27.50\00:14:28.83
But clearly God always spoken,
00:14:28.86\00:14:30.20
and he always taught in
the context of his mission
00:14:30.23\00:14:33.44
that would continue
through them to reach the world
00:14:33.47\00:14:36.37
and establish a
church for the main purpose,
00:14:36.40\00:14:38.67
the primary purpose
00:14:38.71\00:14:40.04
of spreading the
everlasting gospel.
00:14:40.08\00:14:41.41
That's right.
00:14:41.44\00:14:42.78
So this kingdom idea,
00:14:42.81\00:14:44.45
which is very wonderfully
handled in the Bible.
00:14:44.48\00:14:48.55
John 3-16,
00:14:48.58\00:14:50.19
the most quoted
scripture of all time.
00:14:50.22\00:14:53.36
Let me just begin with this one.
00:14:53.39\00:14:55.46
"For God so loved the world
00:14:55.49\00:14:59.36
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
00:14:59.39\00:15:02.56
that whosoever believeth in Him
00:15:02.60\00:15:05.80
shall have everlasting life."
00:15:05.83\00:15:08.67
Okay.
00:15:08.70\00:15:10.07
"Shall not perish but
shall have everlasting life."
00:15:10.11\00:15:13.21
Whoever,
00:15:13.24\00:15:14.58
it was not narrowed
down to just the disciples
00:15:14.61\00:15:18.91
and then when Jesus
commission the disciples,
00:15:18.95\00:15:22.42
He says go therefore
and teach all nations
00:15:22.45\00:15:25.45
baptizing them in
the name of the Father
00:15:25.49\00:15:27.82
and of the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.
00:15:27.86\00:15:29.36
Another controverted issue
00:15:29.39\00:15:30.73
among some
denominations about the baptism.
00:15:30.76\00:15:33.09
But He said the gospel
is for the whole world.
00:15:33.13\00:15:35.83
Why is the gospel
for the whole world?
00:15:35.86\00:15:37.47
Why he is believing in baptizing
00:15:37.50\00:15:39.03
for the whole world?
00:15:39.07\00:15:40.40
Go again.
00:15:40.44\00:15:41.77
He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved,
00:15:41.80\00:15:44.57
so the salvation is
for the whole world,
00:15:44.61\00:15:46.27
not just for the disciples
00:15:46.31\00:15:47.64
and what's gonna happen
00:15:47.68\00:15:49.01
at the end result
of that salvation road.
00:15:49.04\00:15:50.98
Matthew 25:34,
00:15:51.01\00:15:53.62
"Then the King will say
to those on His right hand,
00:15:53.65\00:15:56.52
'Come, you blessed of my Father,
00:15:56.55\00:15:58.32
inherit the
kingdom prepared for you
00:15:58.35\00:16:01.29
from the
foundation of the world."
00:16:01.32\00:16:03.29
Whoever, who is
ever, who has ever,
00:16:03.32\00:16:06.19
whoever has accepted him
00:16:06.23\00:16:07.66
will be
inheritors of the kingdom,
00:16:07.70\00:16:09.60
Matthew 24:31...
00:16:09.63\00:16:11.47
Are you saying that
gospel is inclusive?
00:16:11.50\00:16:13.13
The gospel is inclusive.
00:16:13.17\00:16:14.70
It's not exclusive. No.
00:16:14.74\00:16:16.30
It's inclusive.
00:16:16.34\00:16:17.67
I love the language that you're
using there from the Bible.
00:16:17.71\00:16:20.28
Matthew 24:31,
00:16:20.31\00:16:21.64
"And he will send his angels
00:16:21.68\00:16:23.01
with a great sound of a trumpet,
00:16:23.04\00:16:24.38
and they will gather together
his elect from the four winds,
00:16:24.41\00:16:28.08
from one end of
heaven to the other.
00:16:28.12\00:16:30.72
Not just 12 disciples,
so when the church grew,
00:16:30.75\00:16:34.16
the Bible says in Acts Chapter 2
00:16:34.19\00:16:36.76
and the Lord added
to the church daily
00:16:36.79\00:16:39.16
such as should be saved.
00:16:39.19\00:16:40.96
3000, 5000 so
many more were added
00:16:41.00\00:16:44.03
then all they could say
was multitudes were added.
00:16:44.07\00:16:46.97
And so the kingdom
gospel is not as narrow minded
00:16:47.00\00:16:50.57
as some try to portray it,
00:16:50.61\00:16:52.21
that they're the only
ones who gonna be there,
00:16:52.24\00:16:53.98
only the 144,000.
00:16:54.01\00:16:56.18
No, when David
the Psalmist says,
00:16:56.21\00:16:59.25
open wide the gate,
00:16:59.28\00:17:00.62
so that the nation that
keepeth the truth may enter in.
00:17:00.65\00:17:04.39
See.
00:17:04.42\00:17:05.75
And you know what,
the idea of remnant...
00:17:05.79\00:17:08.36
Right.
00:17:08.39\00:17:09.72
Throughout the Bible
is never in the context
00:17:09.76\00:17:13.03
of the only ones saved.
00:17:13.06\00:17:15.46
It's always in the
context of whom God
00:17:15.50\00:17:18.37
will use to save
and reach the world,
00:17:18.40\00:17:21.77
with the gospel of salvation.
00:17:21.80\00:17:23.44
So the remnant are the ones
00:17:23.47\00:17:25.57
He is using to
deliver a message,
00:17:25.61\00:17:27.74
to bring salvation to the world.
00:17:27.78\00:17:29.41
In fact, with Israel itself,
00:17:29.44\00:17:31.45
He said, I've chosen you
00:17:31.48\00:17:33.01
and of course it
pertains to Christ initially
00:17:33.05\00:17:34.75
but then Peter used it
at the day of Pentecost
00:17:34.78\00:17:38.39
in the context of the church.
00:17:38.42\00:17:40.36
That's right.
00:17:40.39\00:17:41.72
That you will bring
to the world my salvation
00:17:41.76\00:17:46.26
and that is the
concept of remnant,
00:17:46.29\00:17:48.20
and so lot of people
skew this idea of remnant
00:17:48.23\00:17:50.33
as the only one saved
00:17:50.37\00:17:52.33
and that is absolutely not true,
00:17:52.37\00:17:54.37
the remnant is one used by
God to deliver that gospel,
00:17:54.40\00:17:58.64
to deliver the message
of salvation to the world.
00:17:58.67\00:18:01.24
And that whole concept,
00:18:01.28\00:18:03.71
let me add
another one, by the way,
00:18:03.75\00:18:05.38
the reference I just
made to open wide the gates
00:18:05.41\00:18:07.45
is Isaiah 26:2,
00:18:07.48\00:18:09.25
"Open the gates
that the righteous nation
00:18:09.28\00:18:11.79
which keeps the
truth may enter in."
00:18:11.82\00:18:13.56
What gates?
00:18:13.59\00:18:14.92
That's the gates
into the New Jerusalem.
00:18:14.96\00:18:16.29
Blessed are they
that keep his commandments
00:18:16.32\00:18:17.79
that they may enter
through the gates into the city,
00:18:17.83\00:18:21.10
that they may have a
right to the tree of life
00:18:21.13\00:18:22.80
and may enter through
the gates into the city.
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.57
So the gates
we're talking about here
00:18:25.60\00:18:26.94
is the gates of
whoever enters in will be those
00:18:26.97\00:18:30.87
who honor the truth.
00:18:30.91\00:18:32.57
That's what
that is talked about,
00:18:32.61\00:18:34.14
but also you find
here in 1 Peter 2:9,
00:18:34.18\00:18:38.55
"But you are a chosen nation,
00:18:38.58\00:18:40.52
a royal
priesthood, a holy nation,
00:18:40.55\00:18:43.49
his own special people
00:18:43.52\00:18:45.45
that you may
proclaim the praises of him
00:18:45.49\00:18:47.52
who called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light."
00:18:47.56\00:18:50.43
And this very same people
that Peter is referring to says
00:18:50.46\00:18:53.60
these are the ones
that looked forward
00:18:53.63\00:18:55.86
to a new heaven and a new earth.
00:18:55.90\00:18:58.63
In 1 Peter he
carries on the gospel
00:18:58.67\00:19:00.64
looking for an hastening
00:19:00.67\00:19:02.00
of the coming of the day of God.
00:19:02.04\00:19:03.61
So what manner of
conversation we should be in
00:19:03.64\00:19:06.44
if we're
looking forward to that,
00:19:06.47\00:19:07.98
everyone of us is
looking forward to the kingdom
00:19:08.01\00:19:09.84
to being fulfilled,
00:19:09.88\00:19:11.21
and nobody is gonna perish
00:19:11.25\00:19:13.31
that has accepted
Jesus Christ and His truth.
00:19:13.35\00:19:16.18
And this doesn't minimize
that the truth doesn't save.
00:19:16.22\00:19:19.62
Okay, this doesn't minimize
00:19:19.65\00:19:21.89
that the truth isn't important
to believe and act upon.
00:19:21.92\00:19:25.73
Okay, just because, you know,
00:19:25.76\00:19:27.63
we're saying that
the salvation of God
00:19:27.66\00:19:30.23
and the gospel is
inclusive not exclusive
00:19:30.27\00:19:33.54
and that all who come
00:19:33.57\00:19:34.90
and are baptizing
to Christ will be saved
00:19:34.94\00:19:36.94
that somehow God
doesn't have a specific truth
00:19:36.97\00:19:41.41
that is not only
for the present day
00:19:41.44\00:19:43.21
but something that a
church and an individual
00:19:43.24\00:19:46.58
who is a disciple
of Christ shouldn't,
00:19:46.61\00:19:48.35
you know, adhere
00:19:48.38\00:19:50.02
or at least order
their life to follow.
00:19:50.05\00:19:52.42
So, you know, I think sometimes
00:19:52.45\00:19:54.29
with these
unique ideas of remnant
00:19:54.32\00:19:58.46
and things that
you see out there
00:19:58.49\00:19:59.83
and they're the only
ones being saved I think,
00:19:59.86\00:20:01.83
it surrounds typically a truth
that if you don't believe it,
00:20:01.86\00:20:05.00
then you can't be saved
00:20:05.03\00:20:06.87
and that's not necessarily true.
00:20:06.90\00:20:10.01
There are truths.
00:20:10.04\00:20:12.61
I would say there is
truths that are hill to die on.
00:20:12.64\00:20:14.81
Right.
00:20:14.84\00:20:16.18
And then there are teachings
00:20:16.21\00:20:17.95
that we have
some differences on.
00:20:17.98\00:20:19.38
Right.
00:20:19.41\00:20:20.75
And our salvation is not
dependent upon those teachings,
00:20:20.78\00:20:23.72
it's dependent
upon the hill to die on.
00:20:23.75\00:20:25.75
Right.
00:20:25.79\00:20:27.12
The Gospel of Christ,
His salvation, redemption,
00:20:27.16\00:20:28.99
the law of God, you know,
00:20:29.02\00:20:31.53
the love of God, His character,
00:20:31.56\00:20:33.53
those things that are
present truth for this day.
00:20:33.56\00:20:36.26
One guy said and
I'm not gonna say this
00:20:36.30\00:20:37.83
because this is
not an important topic
00:20:37.87\00:20:39.33
but one person speaking
about the pre-tribulation,
00:20:39.37\00:20:42.07
post-tribulation,
00:20:42.10\00:20:43.44
pre-tribulation
pre-millennialist,
00:20:43.47\00:20:44.81
post-tribulation
pre-millennialist,
00:20:44.84\00:20:46.68
don't ask the
question right now,
00:20:46.71\00:20:48.28
because I'm not gonna answer it.
00:20:48.31\00:20:49.64
He says I'm a pan tribulation,
00:20:49.68\00:20:51.18
it's all gonna
pan out in the end.
00:20:51.21\00:20:53.65
He said, in other
words we gonna all be saved
00:20:53.68\00:20:56.28
so whether it's post-tribulation
00:20:56.32\00:20:57.95
pre-millennialist
00:20:57.99\00:20:59.32
which in fact,
00:20:59.35\00:21:00.69
that means when is
Jesus going to come,
00:21:00.72\00:21:02.56
He's gonna come
after the tribulation
00:21:02.59\00:21:04.59
before the millennium.
00:21:04.63\00:21:06.16
That's what post-tribulation
pre-millennialism.
00:21:06.19\00:21:09.66
I know it's a tongue twister
00:21:09.70\00:21:11.10
but we are post-tribulation
pre-millennialist.
00:21:11.13\00:21:14.60
Some people teach Jesus is gonna
00:21:14.64\00:21:16.00
come before the tribulation
00:21:16.04\00:21:17.54
and take the church
out of the way secretly,
00:21:17.57\00:21:19.81
that's pre-tribulation
pre-millennialism.
00:21:19.84\00:21:22.51
You know, I do want to still
do the program on dispensation.
00:21:22.54\00:21:27.28
What is difference between
00:21:27.32\00:21:28.75
the dispensationalist view today
00:21:28.78\00:21:30.72
that's
preponderant in Christianity
00:21:30.75\00:21:32.59
and the biblical view?
00:21:32.62\00:21:33.99
That's right. So, wow!
00:21:34.02\00:21:35.42
Stay tuned for that one.
That's gonna be a good topic.
00:21:35.46\00:21:37.93
Adding to that again also
I have a question here, um,
00:21:37.96\00:21:42.60
Martha from Minnesota,
sent from my iPad, okay.
00:21:42.63\00:21:48.80
I am amazed that how afraid
and I'm reading her comments.
00:21:48.84\00:21:53.27
I am amazed that
how afraid you two are
00:21:53.31\00:21:56.38
of the issue of
speaking in tongues
00:21:56.41\00:21:58.71
and what it says in the Bible.
00:21:58.75\00:22:00.65
I have asked many
Seventh-day Adventists
00:22:00.68\00:22:02.52
about the issue
00:22:02.55\00:22:04.09
and they respond exactly
the way that two of you do
00:22:04.12\00:22:06.92
which is avoid the one verse
00:22:06.96\00:22:09.36
that talks about
speaking in tongue,
00:22:09.39\00:22:11.29
speaking in
tongues edifying oneself.
00:22:11.33\00:22:14.40
We're not gonna avoid the verse.
00:22:14.43\00:22:15.90
We haven't avoided in past
00:22:15.93\00:22:18.00
but you have avoided
the other verses around it.
00:22:18.03\00:22:21.20
This text and there is context.
00:22:21.24\00:22:24.01
I can make a
single verse say anything,
00:22:24.04\00:22:26.88
but you got to put
the context together.
00:22:26.91\00:22:28.68
Okay, so I'll...
00:22:28.71\00:22:30.25
anyway let me just,
00:22:30.28\00:22:31.61
let me give you
a perfect example.
00:22:31.65\00:22:33.28
John is here
today, oh, which one?
00:22:33.31\00:22:37.79
There are two of us.
00:22:37.82\00:22:39.42
Let's get specific,
00:22:39.45\00:22:40.79
the tall one, that
6'9.5'' flatfooted,
00:22:40.82\00:22:43.79
6'10'' he is never
barefooted, that's John Stanton.
00:22:43.83\00:22:47.16
The shorter one,
that's John Lomacang.
00:22:47.20\00:22:49.83
But if I said, go ask John,
00:22:49.86\00:22:51.73
in this building
you create a chaos
00:22:51.77\00:22:53.60
because there is so many
in this building name John.
00:22:53.64\00:22:56.04
The context,
00:22:56.07\00:22:57.41
go ask John the electrician
that works in specific...
00:22:57.44\00:23:02.54
That's how the
Bible is in context.
00:23:02.58\00:23:04.41
So for you to
pull out one verse,
00:23:04.45\00:23:06.05
and we're gonna read that verse,
00:23:06.08\00:23:07.42
but we're gonna put
it back into context
00:23:07.45\00:23:09.08
only as you put
the battery in the car
00:23:09.12\00:23:10.85
does it have a meaning.
00:23:10.89\00:23:12.22
A car without a
battery is not going anywhere.
00:23:12.25\00:23:15.09
Let's go ahead and read this.
00:23:15.12\00:23:16.46
It says and it says,
00:23:16.49\00:23:17.89
they always skip
right to the verse
00:23:17.93\00:23:19.96
that talks about
speaking in tongues
00:23:20.00\00:23:21.63
and interpreting
the different languages.
00:23:21.66\00:23:23.90
That's included,
what's wrong with that.
00:23:23.93\00:23:26.30
You have to, that's
part of the context.
00:23:26.33\00:23:28.40
You can't just ignore something
00:23:28.44\00:23:30.74
that is clearly
written in the Bible
00:23:30.77\00:23:32.27
just because it doesn't
agree with your doctrine,
00:23:32.31\00:23:34.38
we're not.
00:23:34.41\00:23:35.74
Aren't you supposed to
be scholars of the Bible?
00:23:35.78\00:23:38.35
Why do you ignore the verse that
00:23:38.38\00:23:40.05
very clearly
states 1 Corinthians 14:13
00:23:40.08\00:23:43.25
speaking in tongues is
a way to edify yourself
00:23:43.28\00:23:46.49
and to pray in the spirit.
00:23:46.52\00:23:48.16
There is
absolutely nothing wrong
00:23:48.19\00:23:49.69
with speaking in tongues
00:23:49.72\00:23:51.06
to edify your
spirit when you are alone.
00:23:51.09\00:23:53.93
Don't throw out the
baby with a bathwater.
00:23:53.96\00:23:55.86
Okay, now the first
question I want to ask is why...
00:23:55.90\00:23:59.73
and I want you to
respond back to me
00:23:59.77\00:24:01.10
because I have the answer
00:24:01.14\00:24:02.47
but since this is your question
00:24:02.50\00:24:03.84
I want you to respond back.
00:24:03.87\00:24:05.21
Why do you need
to edify your spirit
00:24:05.24\00:24:06.71
and what do you mean by that?
00:24:06.74\00:24:08.81
Why do you need
to edify your spirit
00:24:08.84\00:24:10.65
and what do you mean by that?
00:24:10.68\00:24:12.01
When the Bible,
00:24:12.05\00:24:13.38
when 1
Corinthians 11, 12, 13 and 14
00:24:13.42\00:24:16.38
or make it even narrower
00:24:16.42\00:24:17.75
12, 13, 14 it's
talking about the church.
00:24:17.79\00:24:20.32
Chapter 12 deals with the
all the gifts of the spirit.
00:24:20.36\00:24:23.76
Chapter 13 narrows down
one of those gifts, love.
00:24:23.79\00:24:26.83
It amplifies how
important it is about prophecy,
00:24:26.86\00:24:29.40
different
languages, different spirits.
00:24:29.43\00:24:31.43
It amplifies how
important love is,
00:24:31.47\00:24:33.40
the tongues have failed,
00:24:33.44\00:24:34.77
the prophecy was ceased
00:24:34.80\00:24:36.14
and the greatest
of all those is love.
00:24:36.17\00:24:38.01
Now we get down to chapter 14
00:24:38.04\00:24:40.28
which the gift of
tongues is talked about.
00:24:40.31\00:24:42.11
Now let me go ahead
00:24:42.14\00:24:43.48
and make a very
clear point here.
00:24:43.51\00:24:44.91
Gift, what is a gift?
00:24:44.95\00:24:47.22
Isn't the gift something
that someone gives you?
00:24:47.25\00:24:50.02
Now, let's go ahead
and break this down.
00:24:50.05\00:24:52.29
If someone gives you a gift
00:24:52.32\00:24:54.69
do you at Christmas
time or your birthday,
00:24:54.72\00:24:58.36
do you say to all your
friends go to my website,
00:24:58.39\00:25:01.70
those are the
only gifts that I want.
00:25:01.73\00:25:03.77
If you give me anything
else, I'm not gonna accept it.
00:25:03.80\00:25:06.00
Nobody does that.
00:25:06.03\00:25:07.84
Now people have bridal
showers and pre wedding showers
00:25:07.87\00:25:13.31
they got whole lot
of stuff that I need,
00:25:13.34\00:25:16.28
so if you pick
form any of those, fine.
00:25:16.31\00:25:18.68
But if not, hey I
accept the gift anyway.
00:25:18.71\00:25:21.22
Why did the Lord
give gifts anyway?
00:25:21.25\00:25:25.69
Ephesians Chapter 4
makes it clear why He gave...
00:25:25.72\00:25:28.06
John, go to Ephesians Chapter 4.
00:25:28.09\00:25:30.86
I want to put this all together
00:25:30.89\00:25:32.43
so we can make this
really, really clear
00:25:32.46\00:25:34.66
what verse 13 is about
00:25:34.70\00:25:37.20
and we're gonna
keep it in context.
00:25:37.23\00:25:38.57
That's the most
important part of it
00:25:38.60\00:25:40.47
and then as you're
going to Ephesians Chapter 4,
00:25:40.50\00:25:43.17
you know, about He gave
00:25:43.20\00:25:44.77
some to be a
apostles and prophets.
00:25:44.81\00:25:46.14
Are you there? Yup.
00:25:46.17\00:25:47.51
Okay, so as John reads that,
00:25:47.54\00:25:48.88
we're gonna come
back to this and see.
00:25:48.91\00:25:50.25
Now one thing I want to
lay the foundation on here is
00:25:50.28\00:25:53.72
one of the misconceptions about
speaking in tongues is that
00:25:53.75\00:25:56.75
it is the evidence
of the Holy Spirit.
00:25:56.79\00:25:59.99
That is not true.
00:26:00.02\00:26:01.59
Speaking in tongues is not
the evidence of the Holy Spirit.
00:26:01.62\00:26:04.73
The evidence is the
fruit, not the gift,
00:26:04.76\00:26:08.90
by their fruits
you will know them,
00:26:08.93\00:26:12.70
not by their gifts.
00:26:12.73\00:26:14.77
Matthew 7.
00:26:14.80\00:26:16.14
By their fruits you
know them and here is...
00:26:16.17\00:26:18.91
to prove that
00:26:18.94\00:26:20.74
the day of Pentecost on was
00:26:20.78\00:26:23.58
when the gift of
tongues was given
00:26:23.61\00:26:26.05
to people that didn't have
00:26:26.08\00:26:27.85
that ability to
speak in those languages.
00:26:27.88\00:26:30.42
You know, I would say,
00:26:30.45\00:26:31.79
what you see at Pentecost
is the practical application
00:26:31.82\00:26:35.39
of the gift of tongues.
00:26:35.42\00:26:36.76
Right.
00:26:36.79\00:26:38.13
The other scriptures
are alluding to the gift
00:26:38.16\00:26:40.30
but it doesn't show you
the practical application.
00:26:40.33\00:26:41.80
Right.
00:26:41.83\00:26:43.16
So if you want to
know how it's used
00:26:43.20\00:26:44.53
in the context
in which it's used,
00:26:44.57\00:26:45.90
that's where you go.
00:26:45.93\00:26:47.27
If I took training
for three and half years
00:26:47.30\00:26:48.87
and the lawyer says, now
I'm sending you to Germany.
00:26:48.90\00:26:50.81
Huh, Germany, I'm English.
00:26:50.84\00:26:52.74
Don't worry,
00:26:52.77\00:26:54.11
I'll give you
the gift of tongues,
00:26:54.14\00:26:56.08
you will be able
to speak in tongues
00:26:56.11\00:26:58.51
and they will be
able to understand.
00:26:58.55\00:27:00.82
But, but if they
don't understand and...
00:27:00.85\00:27:04.52
somebody's got
to interpret this.
00:27:04.55\00:27:05.89
We're gonna talk about that
00:27:05.92\00:27:07.26
but let me just
make this first point,
00:27:07.29\00:27:08.62
and I'm gonna
have John read this.
00:27:08.66\00:27:09.99
In John 20:22
00:27:10.03\00:27:12.06
you see many people
think that Acts 1:8 was
00:27:12.09\00:27:16.43
where the Holy Spirit was
given to the disciples, not so,
00:27:16.46\00:27:20.14
John 20:22 speaking of
Jesus and His disciples
00:27:20.17\00:27:23.94
and when He had said this,
00:27:23.97\00:27:26.27
He breathed on them
00:27:26.31\00:27:28.44
and said to them
receive the Holy Spirit.
00:27:28.48\00:27:33.21
They did not go away speaking
in anything but Galilean.
00:27:33.25\00:27:37.49
They didn't speak
any other language.
00:27:37.52\00:27:39.69
So what's the difference between
00:27:39.72\00:27:41.06
receiving the Holy Spirit then
00:27:41.09\00:27:43.19
and the Holy
Spirit being poured out
00:27:43.22\00:27:44.73
on the day of Pentecost?
00:27:44.76\00:27:46.70
The difference is,
00:27:46.73\00:27:48.06
they were still
in their native land,
00:27:48.10\00:27:50.30
on the day of Pentecost,
00:27:50.33\00:27:51.67
He was going to send
them to the rest of the world.
00:27:51.70\00:27:53.87
Okay, but go
ahead and read that,
00:27:53.90\00:27:55.24
now we're gonna
understand why He gave these...
00:27:55.27\00:27:57.27
Ephesians 4:11...
00:27:57.31\00:27:58.87
Exactly.
00:27:58.91\00:28:00.24
"And He Himself
gave some to be apostles,
00:28:00.28\00:28:02.24
some prophets, some evangelists,
00:28:02.28\00:28:04.08
and some pastors and teachers,
00:28:04.11\00:28:06.21
for the equipping of the
saints for the work of ministry,
00:28:06.25\00:28:09.65
for the edifying of
the body of Christ."
00:28:09.68\00:28:12.49
Okay.
00:28:12.52\00:28:14.06
So the question is,
00:28:14.09\00:28:15.59
why do you want
to edify yourself,
00:28:15.62\00:28:17.16
that's the question I asked.
00:28:17.19\00:28:18.66
Gifts are not given
for personal edification.
00:28:18.69\00:28:21.30
Gifts are given
for the edification
00:28:21.33\00:28:23.20
of the body of Christ.
00:28:23.23\00:28:25.03
If I was a preacher
00:28:25.07\00:28:26.47
and I stayed home
and preached in my house,
00:28:26.50\00:28:28.17
who am I edifying.
00:28:28.20\00:28:29.90
No one, not even
myself. That's right.
00:28:29.94\00:28:32.74
Because I'm saying, you know,
00:28:32.77\00:28:35.38
you heard of the
phrase speaking to the choir.
00:28:35.41\00:28:37.55
Well, a choir of one is
a waste as one person says
00:28:37.58\00:28:41.18
the smallest gift is a
man wrapped up in himself.
00:28:41.22\00:28:44.82
So now you have Christians
that are by themselves
00:28:44.85\00:28:47.82
and they feel the need
to speak in a tongue to who?
00:28:47.86\00:28:52.46
And not only that,
00:28:52.49\00:28:53.93
they're speaking in a
language they don't understand.
00:28:53.96\00:28:56.16
I'm gonna get to that. Okay.
00:28:56.20\00:28:58.27
So the first thing
00:28:58.30\00:28:59.63
I want to
emphasize is the edification.
00:28:59.67\00:29:01.40
These gifts were
given for the purpose,
00:29:01.44\00:29:03.20
were given for the purpose,
00:29:03.24\00:29:04.57
let me not talk
like a New Yorker,
00:29:04.61\00:29:06.01
I'll speak like a Californian.
00:29:06.04\00:29:08.14
Were given for the
purpose of edifying the church,
00:29:08.18\00:29:12.51
not personal edification.
00:29:12.55\00:29:14.45
The reason why,
now we're gonna read,
00:29:14.48\00:29:16.55
now I'm gonna go to 1
Corinthians Chapter 12,
00:29:16.58\00:29:19.45
then we're gonna
jump on to the verse.
00:29:19.49\00:29:20.96
I'm gonna read
verses 8 down to verse 10.
00:29:20.99\00:29:26.13
"For to one is
given the word of wisdom,
00:29:26.16\00:29:28.40
1 Corinthians 12:8,
00:29:28.43\00:29:31.43
through the Spirit,
00:29:31.47\00:29:32.87
to another the word of knowledge
00:29:32.90\00:29:34.67
through the same Spirit,
00:29:34.70\00:29:37.01
to another faith
by the same Spirit
00:29:37.04\00:29:40.54
to another the gift of
healings by the same Spirit."
00:29:40.58\00:29:44.15
You'll think that Paul,
00:29:44.18\00:29:45.51
you would say
that I got it Paul,
00:29:45.55\00:29:46.88
I know it's the same spirit
00:29:46.92\00:29:48.25
but he's trying
to make a point here.
00:29:48.28\00:29:49.62
"To another the
working of miracles verse 10
00:29:49.65\00:29:51.92
to another prophecy
00:29:51.95\00:29:53.66
to another discerning of spirits
00:29:53.69\00:29:56.36
to another
different kinds of tongues
00:29:56.39\00:29:59.89
to another the
interpretation of tongues."
00:29:59.93\00:30:02.50
verse 11,
00:30:02.53\00:30:04.37
"But one and the same
spirit works all these things
00:30:04.40\00:30:08.97
distributing to each one
individually as he wills."
00:30:09.00\00:30:14.81
And what's the purpose of it?
00:30:14.84\00:30:16.24
You go all the way
back to the very beginning,
00:30:16.28\00:30:18.08
he makes it clear,
the purpose of this,
00:30:18.11\00:30:19.88
is for the
purpose of ministries,
00:30:19.91\00:30:21.72
for the edifying of the church,
00:30:21.75\00:30:23.59
for the building
up of the church.
00:30:23.62\00:30:25.25
So the question
is, now let's go ahead,
00:30:25.29\00:30:27.39
we're gonna pick that one verse
out of 1 Corinthians 14:13,
00:30:27.42\00:30:31.16
and then we're gonna
put it back in the context
00:30:31.19\00:30:33.19
and finish the picture.
00:30:33.23\00:30:34.56
In any time you're ready
to chime in, John, you can.
00:30:34.60\00:30:36.97
Okay, let's go to 1
Corinthians 14, all right.
00:30:37.00\00:30:39.73
Here we go.
00:30:39.77\00:30:41.10
And we're gonna read verse 13.
00:30:41.14\00:30:43.37
"Therefore let him
00:30:43.41\00:30:44.94
who speaks in a tongue pray
00:30:44.97\00:30:50.65
that he may interpret."
00:30:50.68\00:30:53.68
Now, why would he
pray that he may interpret,
00:30:53.72\00:30:58.72
because he doesn't even
have personal edification.
00:30:58.75\00:31:03.43
Because what
needs to happen for him
00:31:03.46\00:31:05.79
to have personal edification,
00:31:05.83\00:31:07.90
there needs to be
some interpretation.
00:31:07.93\00:31:10.27
You have to know,
what it's being spoken.
00:31:10.30\00:31:12.80
Right.
00:31:12.83\00:31:14.17
So now, why is it so
significant in Corinth,
00:31:14.20\00:31:17.24
because Corinth was
a multinational city
00:31:17.27\00:31:21.64
by a seaport?
00:31:21.68\00:31:23.45
The Corinthian experience
was a Church of inter...
00:31:23.48\00:31:26.38
inter ethnicity.
00:31:26.41\00:31:28.65
Various languages met there.
00:31:28.68\00:31:30.95
That's why when you put
this whole thing together.
00:31:30.99\00:31:33.29
Now let's go to verse 14,
"For if I pray in a tongue,
00:31:33.32\00:31:37.43
my spirit prays,
00:31:37.46\00:31:40.00
but my
understanding is unfruitful."
00:31:40.03\00:31:43.10
Once again you still
don't have personal edification
00:31:43.13\00:31:45.60
'cause you don't
know what you're saying.
00:31:45.63\00:31:47.90
Now what does that mean?
00:31:47.94\00:31:50.41
So why would I pray in a
spirit and not understand?
00:31:50.44\00:31:53.41
The Lord is saying...
00:31:53.44\00:31:54.78
Paul is saying here
00:31:54.81\00:31:56.14
and this is what I want
to emphasize very carefully,
00:31:56.18\00:31:58.78
he is not saying,
00:31:58.81\00:32:00.32
he is not talking
about something that happens.
00:32:00.35\00:32:02.58
He is saying,
okay, let's just say,
00:32:02.62\00:32:04.32
let's just say,
00:32:04.35\00:32:05.69
you go ahead and
pray in a spirit.
00:32:05.72\00:32:07.19
What's the benefit?
00:32:07.22\00:32:08.56
You don't even know
what you're talking about.
00:32:08.59\00:32:09.99
He is not citing
something that happens,
00:32:10.03\00:32:12.69
he is trying to prevent
a person from doing that,
00:32:12.73\00:32:15.23
because in the Corinth's Church,
00:32:15.26\00:32:16.93
you had a Greek here,
00:32:16.97\00:32:18.67
you had a Roman here,
you had an Italian here,
00:32:18.70\00:32:21.10
you had a person
from Antioch here,
00:32:21.14\00:32:23.24
they had all these
different languages
00:32:23.27\00:32:24.84
and they preferred to
speak in their own language.
00:32:24.87\00:32:28.21
Paul said wait a minute,
00:32:28.24\00:32:29.58
wait a minute, wait a minute,
00:32:29.61\00:32:30.95
if anyone speaks in a tongue,
00:32:30.98\00:32:32.31
let it be by two or
at the most by three
00:32:32.35\00:32:34.38
and let somebody interpret.
00:32:34.42\00:32:36.22
If there is no
interpretation, shoo...
00:32:36.25\00:32:38.62
keep silent.
00:32:38.65\00:32:40.12
That's the context of the story.
00:32:40.16\00:32:41.66
See.
00:32:41.69\00:32:43.12
And so now let's go
down to the context,
00:32:43.16\00:32:45.19
let's go down,
this fully go down,
00:32:45.23\00:32:47.00
so verse 13 is not saying
00:32:47.03\00:32:48.96
that they're speaking in tongues
00:32:49.00\00:32:50.33
and edifying themselves.
00:32:50.37\00:32:51.70
Verse 13 is saying,
if you speak in a tongue,
00:32:51.73\00:32:54.44
you need to pray
that somebody interprets,
00:32:54.47\00:32:56.81
because you won't even
know what you're saying.
00:32:56.84\00:32:59.11
So now, if you don't
know what you're saying,
00:32:59.14\00:33:01.58
what language are you speaking,
00:33:01.61\00:33:03.98
that's what Paul
in essence saying.
00:33:04.01\00:33:05.65
He's not saying
this is happening,
00:33:05.68\00:33:07.02
he says if you begin
to speak in a tongue,
00:33:07.05\00:33:09.48
that God gifts you
with, pray for interpretation.
00:33:09.52\00:33:12.15
Why?
00:33:12.19\00:33:13.52
Because he would
not gift you with this
00:33:13.56\00:33:14.89
unless there is interpretation.
00:33:14.92\00:33:17.03
That's why it says pray
that there is an interpreter.
00:33:17.06\00:33:19.16
And verse 13 and 14
illustrates the very same thing.
00:33:19.19\00:33:21.93
So lastly, now to show
you this is not some strange
00:33:21.96\00:33:24.77
ethereal language
00:33:24.80\00:33:26.13
that's from out
of space somewhere
00:33:26.17\00:33:27.50
that you don't understand,
00:33:27.54\00:33:28.87
that's a way of communicating
between you and God,
00:33:28.90\00:33:30.41
I'll emphasize that.
00:33:30.44\00:33:31.77
And, John, if you got Romans 8?
00:33:31.81\00:33:34.21
Romans 8?
00:33:34.24\00:33:35.68
And we often read
Romans 8:28, you know,
00:33:35.71\00:33:37.91
all things go together.
00:33:37.95\00:33:39.28
I want you to go
to Romans 8:26 and 25,
00:33:39.31\00:33:42.32
we're gonna show you
00:33:42.35\00:33:43.69
what the spirit actually does
00:33:43.72\00:33:45.05
when it comes to
prayer, all right.
00:33:45.09\00:33:46.42
But now verse 18 of 1
Corinthians Chapter 14.
00:33:46.45\00:33:49.42
Look what Paul says
and Paul in verse 18 says,
00:33:49.46\00:33:53.23
he's gonna show
you, he says guys,
00:33:53.26\00:33:55.10
I want you to know,
00:33:55.13\00:33:56.46
I speak in so many
different languages
00:33:56.50\00:33:59.00
and this more languages
than any of you speak in,
00:33:59.03\00:34:04.04
but that is not
gonna do any good,
00:34:04.07\00:34:05.97
if I'm gonna come
and speak in a language
00:34:06.01\00:34:07.38
that nobody understands.
00:34:07.41\00:34:08.81
Look at verse 18,
00:34:08.84\00:34:10.25
I thank my God 1 Corinthians 14,
00:34:10.28\00:34:12.85
I speak with tongues
more than all of you."
00:34:12.88\00:34:16.75
But verse 19,
00:34:16.79\00:34:18.12
"Yet in the church
00:34:18.15\00:34:19.92
I would rather speak five
words with my understanding,
00:34:19.95\00:34:23.69
that I may teach others also,
00:34:23.73\00:34:26.39
than ten thousand
words in a tongue."
00:34:26.43\00:34:29.63
And by the way if we
look at the King James Version
00:34:29.66\00:34:31.53
it says in an unknown tongue.
00:34:31.57\00:34:33.87
So Paul is in
essence saying here,
00:34:33.90\00:34:35.74
I got the ability...
00:34:35.77\00:34:37.11
I speak in so many
different languages,
00:34:37.14\00:34:38.47
but what good
is that going to do
00:34:38.51\00:34:39.84
if I come into a place
00:34:39.87\00:34:41.21
and there is nobody
there to understand that.
00:34:41.24\00:34:42.64
So he is not talking
about something that's strange.
00:34:42.68\00:34:45.15
The reason why Paul was
more gifted than the Galileans
00:34:45.18\00:34:47.55
as Paul was more learned,
00:34:47.58\00:34:49.38
and he did have the ability
00:34:49.42\00:34:50.75
to speak in different languages,
00:34:50.79\00:34:52.12
but the Galileans,
00:34:52.15\00:34:53.49
fishermen and tax collectors
00:34:53.52\00:34:54.86
and people that
didn't menial work,
00:34:54.89\00:34:57.03
they didn't have the education.
00:34:57.06\00:34:58.39
So God gifted them
instantly with the ability
00:34:58.43\00:35:01.06
to communicate to the world.
00:35:01.10\00:35:02.50
Now here is the
question, John gonna answer it.
00:35:02.53\00:35:05.47
Do we need a special tongue
to speak to God in prayer?
00:35:05.50\00:35:08.84
Read the verses for me, John.
00:35:08.87\00:35:10.97
"Likewise the spirit
also helps in our weaknesses,
00:35:11.01\00:35:14.08
for we do not know what
we should pray for as we out,
00:35:14.11\00:35:17.38
but the spirit himself
makes intersession for us
00:35:17.41\00:35:19.95
with groaning
which cannot be uttered."
00:35:19.98\00:35:21.48
Okay, stop there.
00:35:21.52\00:35:23.69
We want to do what
only the spirit can do.
00:35:23.72\00:35:25.62
We want to groan as
only the spirit can,
00:35:25.65\00:35:28.99
with groanings
which cannot be uttered.
00:35:29.02\00:35:32.43
So that means,
00:35:32.46\00:35:33.80
you can say what you want
00:35:33.83\00:35:35.16
and do it how you want
00:35:35.20\00:35:36.53
but you can't do it
00:35:36.56\00:35:37.90
because only the spirit does it.
00:35:37.93\00:35:39.27
Go on.
00:35:39.30\00:35:40.64
"Now he who searches the hearts
00:35:40.67\00:35:43.47
knows what the
mind of the spirit is
00:35:43.51\00:35:45.97
because he makes intercession
00:35:46.01\00:35:47.41
for the saints
according to the will of God."
00:35:47.44\00:35:48.94
Okay.
00:35:48.98\00:35:50.31
So when I pray,
00:35:50.35\00:35:51.91
even when I pray,
00:35:51.95\00:35:53.62
what seems clear to me
00:35:53.65\00:35:55.52
the spirit takes that
prayer and fixes it up
00:35:55.55\00:35:59.62
and he does it with groanings
which I can never utter.
00:35:59.65\00:36:02.92
So this idea that
speaking in tongues
00:36:02.96\00:36:05.29
is an utterance to communicate
00:36:05.33\00:36:07.53
in a secret language to God
00:36:07.56\00:36:09.60
is not supported by scripture.
00:36:09.63\00:36:11.40
That something in the
Greek called glossolalia
00:36:11.43\00:36:14.24
which is the
confusion of tongues.
00:36:14.27\00:36:16.71
Not a special prayer language.
00:36:16.74\00:36:18.87
Hopefully we
answered your question,
00:36:18.91\00:36:20.78
but if you read
the whole context
00:36:20.81\00:36:22.14
you'll simply see that
00:36:22.18\00:36:26.78
God was saying in
the Church of Corinth,
00:36:26.82\00:36:29.88
there needs to be
things done in order.
00:36:29.92\00:36:32.69
Interpret only when a tongue
is used, no interpretation,
00:36:32.72\00:36:39.29
please don't use the tongue.
00:36:39.33\00:36:41.30
And the tongue by
the way was a gift.
00:36:41.33\00:36:43.16
Hopefully I made it clear.
00:36:43.20\00:36:44.80
I think so.
00:36:44.83\00:36:46.17
Good job,
00:36:46.20\00:36:47.54
in fact we have
answered these questions
00:36:47.57\00:36:49.64
in fairly good detail
00:36:49.67\00:36:51.01
because we have
less time for our topic
00:36:51.04\00:36:52.67
but we do need to finish it up
00:36:52.71\00:36:54.04
and we have 20 minutes to do it.
00:36:54.08\00:36:55.41
Okay, so if you
have any more questions,
00:36:55.44\00:36:57.41
were you gonna send
them, housecalls@3abn.org.
00:36:57.45\00:37:00.95
That's housecalls@3abn.org.
00:37:00.98\00:37:03.82
I have to slow
down like a Californian,
00:37:03.85\00:37:05.45
I used to live there.
00:37:05.49\00:37:07.09
John take the
topic away from me now.
00:37:07.12\00:37:09.92
We've been talking
about the character of God.
00:37:09.96\00:37:12.49
It was our topic
in the last program
00:37:12.53\00:37:15.40
and today we're gonna
finish that up in this program,
00:37:15.43\00:37:17.77
and specifically
00:37:17.80\00:37:19.93
how the character of
God has been misrepresented.
00:37:19.97\00:37:24.11
Not only is it misunderstood
by those that don't follow God,
00:37:24.14\00:37:28.48
but it's been misrepresented
by those who say they do.
00:37:28.51\00:37:32.61
And so we have a big challenge
here in Christianity today
00:37:32.65\00:37:36.05
how you can weigh a gospel.
00:37:36.08\00:37:39.19
If you number one,
00:37:39.22\00:37:40.56
don't have the right gospel
00:37:40.59\00:37:41.92
and the true God
in His character.
00:37:41.96\00:37:44.13
And number two,
you have a people
00:37:44.16\00:37:45.89
who already think
they know who God is
00:37:45.93\00:37:47.93
and don't want anything to do
00:37:47.96\00:37:49.30
with the God that
they think they know.
00:37:49.33\00:37:51.83
Let me read you just a
brief couple of sentences
00:37:51.87\00:37:55.00
from the book Steps to Christ.
00:37:55.04\00:37:56.37
I think this says a lot,
00:37:56.40\00:37:57.74
I couldn't say
any better than this.
00:37:57.77\00:37:59.11
Okay.
00:37:59.14\00:38:00.48
"God has bound our hearts to Him
00:38:04.21\00:38:06.08
by unnumbered tokens
in heaven and in earth.
00:38:06.11\00:38:08.88
Through the things of nature,
00:38:08.92\00:38:10.39
the deepest and
tenderest earthly ties
00:38:10.42\00:38:12.45
that human hearts can know,
00:38:12.49\00:38:14.12
He has sought to
reveal Himself to us.
00:38:14.16\00:38:17.06
Yet these but
imperfectly represent His love.
00:38:17.09\00:38:20.46
Though all these evidences,
00:38:20.50\00:38:21.90
though all these
evidences have been given,
00:38:21.93\00:38:23.73
the enemy of good
blinded the minds of men,
00:38:23.77\00:38:27.00
so that they
looked upon God with fear;
00:38:27.04\00:38:29.84
they thought of Him as
severe and unforgiving.
00:38:29.87\00:38:33.27
Satan led men to conceive of God
00:38:33.31\00:38:35.84
as a being whose chief
attribute is stern justice,
00:38:35.88\00:38:39.75
one who is a severe judge,
a harsh, exacting creditor.
00:38:39.78\00:38:44.02
He pictured the
Creator as a being
00:38:44.05\00:38:46.76
who is watching with jealous eye
00:38:46.79\00:38:49.22
to discern the
errors and mistakes of men,
00:38:49.26\00:38:51.93
that He may visit
judgments upon them."
00:38:51.96\00:38:54.53
And then notice
this, this is a key thing.
00:38:54.56\00:38:56.43
"It was to
remove this dark shadow,
00:38:56.46\00:38:58.90
by revealing to the
world the infinite love of God,
00:38:58.93\00:39:02.10
that Jesus came
to live among men."
00:39:02.14\00:39:04.84
Praise the Lord.
00:39:04.87\00:39:07.01
That is the reason Jesus came
00:39:07.04\00:39:09.31
as first and foremost
reason to show us the Father,
00:39:09.34\00:39:13.08
to reveal who God really is.
00:39:13.11\00:39:15.22
And let me tell
you, John, today,
00:39:15.25\00:39:17.02
we have no
greater need than this
00:39:17.05\00:39:20.72
that people reveal
or that they see a true,
00:39:20.76\00:39:24.33
the true character of God again,
00:39:24.36\00:39:26.39
His love, His kindness,
00:39:26.43\00:39:28.63
His forgiveness,
00:39:28.66\00:39:30.60
that they maybe drawn to Him,
00:39:30.63\00:39:32.27
accept the salvation that
He freely offers to them all
00:39:32.30\00:39:35.40
and to be saved,
00:39:35.44\00:39:36.77
because this
world is wrapping up.
00:39:36.81\00:39:38.97
You know, John, I look around
00:39:39.01\00:39:41.78
and I see the disasters
happening in this world.
00:39:41.81\00:39:43.58
The increase in tornadoes
00:39:43.61\00:39:44.95
and the
earthquakes that are happening,
00:39:44.98\00:39:46.31
the destruction,
00:39:46.35\00:39:47.68
the pain caused
to men and women,
00:39:47.72\00:39:49.65
around this world by
many things going on,
00:39:49.68\00:39:52.92
and we attributed
to climate change.
00:39:52.95\00:39:55.79
And I don't deny climate change,
00:39:55.82\00:39:57.19
I mean, our world is changing,
00:39:57.23\00:39:59.66
but the reason for the climate
change has less to do about
00:39:59.69\00:40:02.50
what we are doing to it
00:40:02.53\00:40:03.87
although we
certainly contribute to it,
00:40:03.90\00:40:06.00
but it's less to do with that
00:40:06.03\00:40:07.37
than it does with the world now
00:40:07.40\00:40:09.34
in its age falling apart.
00:40:09.37\00:40:12.81
Sin has taken its toll
00:40:12.84\00:40:15.28
and sin is not only
having a effect on our hearts
00:40:15.31\00:40:19.81
but it's having an
effect on this world
00:40:19.85\00:40:21.55
where it is
growing seeking deliverance
00:40:21.58\00:40:24.75
from the pain of sin.
00:40:24.79\00:40:27.69
And you're seeing the groanings
acted out in the disasters
00:40:27.72\00:40:31.56
that are coming upon this earth.
00:40:31.59\00:40:32.93
It is acting out
what it is feeling
00:40:32.96\00:40:36.30
and the death that
it is suffering from.
00:40:36.33\00:40:39.43
It is less about
God doing these things
00:40:39.47\00:40:42.80
than the fact that He is trying
to hold the earth together
00:40:42.84\00:40:46.01
long enough to
get the gospel out
00:40:46.04\00:40:47.98
before the earth
simply falls apart.
00:40:48.01\00:40:50.91
And so the earth
is falling apart,
00:40:50.95\00:40:53.05
this gospel needs to go out
00:40:53.08\00:40:54.62
and a key part of it
is the character of God.
00:40:54.65\00:40:58.45
If we go out there
and just say God is...
00:40:58.49\00:41:00.52
he is angry at sinners
00:41:00.56\00:41:02.16
and he is destroying
people that are living in sin.
00:41:02.19\00:41:05.26
Right.
00:41:05.29\00:41:06.66
That's not the picture,
00:41:06.70\00:41:08.03
that's not the
whole picture at all,
00:41:08.06\00:41:09.40
that's a skewed picture of God.
00:41:09.43\00:41:11.43
God in his love is
trying to get a message out
00:41:11.47\00:41:14.10
so that we might be
delivered from a world
00:41:14.14\00:41:15.57
that is falling apart.
00:41:15.60\00:41:16.94
Very good point.
00:41:16.97\00:41:18.31
I like the way you put that,
00:41:18.34\00:41:19.67
because lot of people say,
00:41:19.71\00:41:21.04
and I want to use a term,
00:41:21.08\00:41:22.41
I want to shock
you a little bit.
00:41:22.44\00:41:25.85
One of the most
horrible pictures
00:41:25.88\00:41:27.25
I saw of God was
00:41:27.28\00:41:28.62
a guy in the
military died, I don't know,
00:41:28.65\00:41:31.45
I don't remember
what the cause was,
00:41:31.49\00:41:32.85
I think he died in battle.
00:41:32.89\00:41:34.46
And his funeral was
being held in one of our states
00:41:34.49\00:41:37.53
and a church,
00:41:37.56\00:41:39.33
a local church had
signs God hates fags
00:41:39.36\00:41:43.77
and God killed
him and, you know,
00:41:43.80\00:41:45.83
that is just not who God is.
00:41:45.87\00:41:48.90
That is so unlike God,
that is not God at all.
00:41:48.94\00:41:52.87
God doesn't go out
assassinating people.
00:41:52.91\00:41:55.78
That is the misrepresentation
of God on that extreme end
00:41:55.81\00:41:59.68
and some Christians "Christians"
00:41:59.71\00:42:02.88
who have
misrepresented God will say
00:42:02.92\00:42:05.42
God killed fags or
God killed the gays.
00:42:05.45\00:42:07.96
God doesn't hate
gays and hate fags.
00:42:07.99\00:42:10.59
God doesn't hate the murderer.
00:42:10.63\00:42:12.49
God doesn't hate the thief.
00:42:12.53\00:42:13.86
God does not...
00:42:13.90\00:42:15.60
God hates the sin.
00:42:15.63\00:42:17.10
And note as he label
people these things, you know,
00:42:17.13\00:42:19.40
when we're saying these words
obviously the world understands
00:42:19.43\00:42:21.90
what it mean, but
God has no labels.
00:42:21.94\00:42:23.87
No.
00:42:23.91\00:42:25.24
All of us have sin and fallen
short of the glory of God.
00:42:25.27\00:42:28.11
And the point you
made a moment ago,
00:42:28.14\00:42:29.48
which I was going back to.
00:42:29.51\00:42:30.95
The Lord wants to deliver
us from certain destruction
00:42:30.98\00:42:33.98
which is coming.
00:42:34.02\00:42:35.35
The illusion you
made Romans 8:22,
00:42:35.38\00:42:38.75
all of creation groans,
00:42:38.79\00:42:40.82
like with labor pains until now,
00:42:40.86\00:42:43.12
even creation, the earthquakes,
00:42:43.16\00:42:44.86
the floods, the
increase of violence,
00:42:44.89\00:42:46.93
the tremors in the ground.
00:42:46.96\00:42:48.46
When you are robbing the world
00:42:48.50\00:42:49.83
of its natural
resources the way we are,
00:42:49.86\00:42:51.57
the world is
being literally raked,
00:42:51.60\00:42:53.80
free of its resources.
00:42:53.84\00:42:55.27
When you're
polluting the atmosphere
00:42:55.30\00:42:56.67
with so much carbon
00:42:56.71\00:42:58.81
and so much radio
waves are going through
00:42:58.84\00:43:01.41
and you're trying
to control the rain
00:43:01.44\00:43:02.78
by shooting
beams to make clouds,
00:43:02.81\00:43:05.15
when you're just manipulating
what God has placed here
00:43:05.18\00:43:07.82
to be naturally occurring,
00:43:07.85\00:43:12.72
the world is
gonna respond to that.
00:43:12.75\00:43:14.86
You know, if you
try to take a chicken
00:43:14.89\00:43:16.26
and turn into a dog,
00:43:16.29\00:43:18.99
it may bite you.
00:43:19.03\00:43:20.73
You know, that's a
terrible illustration
00:43:20.76\00:43:23.23
but here is the
point I want to make.
00:43:23.26\00:43:24.60
The reason why we've
chosen to bring this out
00:43:24.63\00:43:27.24
because even the
disciples hiccupped
00:43:27.27\00:43:30.17
when it came to knowing that
00:43:30.21\00:43:31.71
Jesus came to reveal the Father.
00:43:31.74\00:43:33.88
John 14:9 Jesus said to him,
00:43:33.91\00:43:37.45
"Have I been with you so long,
00:43:37.48\00:43:39.51
and yet you have
not known Me, Philip?
00:43:39.55\00:43:42.48
He who has seen Me
has seen the Father,
00:43:42.52\00:43:45.52
so how can you say,
'Show us the Father?"
00:43:45.55\00:43:49.52
' See that's
what happening today.
00:43:49.56\00:43:50.89
People are misrepresenting
God and some of them like Philip
00:43:50.93\00:43:54.66
claim to be with Jesus
00:43:54.70\00:43:56.23
and they still haven't seen him.
00:43:56.26\00:43:58.60
Matter of fact even
the night on the lake
00:43:58.63\00:44:00.27
when the terrible winds
00:44:00.30\00:44:01.90
and the storms beat
up against the boat,
00:44:01.94\00:44:04.31
when Jesus calm the winds
and the waves, the disciples,
00:44:04.34\00:44:07.91
the disciple
said who can this be,
00:44:07.94\00:44:11.48
that even the winds and
the waves obey his voice.
00:44:11.51\00:44:13.38
Even they have...
00:44:13.42\00:44:14.75
so for Christians
today to be in the same boat
00:44:14.78\00:44:17.59
as the disciples
is not an odd thing,
00:44:17.62\00:44:20.32
so for those of us
00:44:20.36\00:44:21.79
who have been called to
uplift the name of Jesus
00:44:21.82\00:44:25.19
and give the world a
revelation of His love,
00:44:25.23\00:44:26.86
that's what we're doing.
00:44:26.90\00:44:28.23
You know, and Jesus had a
lot to teach the disciples,
00:44:28.26\00:44:30.93
that's why he said,
00:44:30.97\00:44:32.30
I've been with you so long
00:44:32.33\00:44:33.84
and you ask me to
show you the Father.
00:44:33.87\00:44:36.94
The reason why
is because I mean,
00:44:36.97\00:44:38.31
know what's in the
heart of these disciples.
00:44:38.34\00:44:40.34
They had some
that disagree with them
00:44:40.38\00:44:41.71
and they said to Jesus,
00:44:41.74\00:44:43.28
should we call fire down
from heaven and devour them now.
00:44:43.31\00:44:45.95
I mean, their
mentality was this judgmental
00:44:45.98\00:44:48.85
exacting God that we just
read about and Jesus is saying,
00:44:48.88\00:44:53.76
I have been with you so
long that you don't know,
00:44:53.79\00:44:56.09
that's not God.
00:44:56.12\00:44:57.79
That's the devil.
00:44:57.83\00:44:59.63
In fact when it
comes to any of the issues
00:44:59.66\00:45:01.96
that we've gone throughout life,
00:45:02.00\00:45:04.50
you know, morality
is definitely getting
00:45:04.53\00:45:09.87
worse and worse.
00:45:09.90\00:45:11.24
I mean, our immorality
00:45:11.27\00:45:12.64
I should say is
growing in this world
00:45:12.67\00:45:15.08
and God's word
has a lot to say about
00:45:15.11\00:45:17.11
what those immoral acts are,
00:45:17.15\00:45:19.38
but those immoral
acts are responded to,
00:45:19.41\00:45:23.02
they are appealed to the people
that are acting out like that,
00:45:23.05\00:45:26.12
they are appealed to
by God who loves them
00:45:26.15\00:45:27.82
and doesn't want them to perish.
00:45:27.86\00:45:29.69
And everything that
Jesus did, you know,
00:45:29.72\00:45:32.79
He was accused of eating
and drinking with sinners.
00:45:32.83\00:45:35.50
How can you eat and
drink with those sinners?
00:45:35.53\00:45:37.57
He did that
because He loved them,
00:45:37.60\00:45:40.04
He wanted to save them.
00:45:40.07\00:45:41.40
And let me tell you the church,
00:45:41.44\00:45:44.37
what somebody said, you know,
00:45:44.41\00:45:46.04
if you're looking
for a perfect church
00:45:46.07\00:45:47.41
the moment you get there,
00:45:47.44\00:45:48.78
it's not perfect anymore.
00:45:48.81\00:45:51.05
None of us are perfect
and we all have our issues.
00:45:51.08\00:45:54.88
In fact the
closer you get to Jesus,
00:45:54.92\00:45:56.25
the more of your
imperfections you're gonna see.
00:45:56.28\00:45:58.09
The more we see
how much we need him.
00:45:58.12\00:46:00.12
And so you know,
just to pick one issue out
00:46:00.16\00:46:02.59
and one of the
issues of the day,
00:46:02.62\00:46:03.96
the challenges
of the day is LGBT,
00:46:03.99\00:46:05.96
you know, gay, lesbian
and we call it, you know,
00:46:05.99\00:46:08.30
preferred to is
their agenda, you know,
00:46:08.33\00:46:10.43
and there maybe
some agendas going on
00:46:10.47\00:46:11.80
something is going on there,
00:46:11.83\00:46:13.17
but let me tell you,
00:46:13.20\00:46:14.54
God's response
to that is to eat,
00:46:14.57\00:46:16.47
drink with them and to
share His love with them.
00:46:16.50\00:46:20.08
I'm so glad you brought that up
00:46:20.11\00:46:21.51
because it's so easy
for us to label them.
00:46:21.54\00:46:25.45
It sounds just like
the Pharisee who prayed,
00:46:25.48\00:46:28.15
thank God, I'm
not like other men.
00:46:28.18\00:46:31.35
And the publican,
00:46:31.39\00:46:33.36
Lord be merciful to me a sinner.
00:46:33.39\00:46:36.79
Daily we must
ask for God's mercy,
00:46:36.83\00:46:38.69
and I love the
way you point it out.
00:46:38.73\00:46:40.26
His mercies are
new every morning.
00:46:40.30\00:46:42.96
Every morning,
John, the point that,
00:46:43.00\00:46:45.70
what this world need
00:46:45.73\00:46:47.07
so badly today is a revelation
of the character of God's love.
00:46:47.10\00:46:50.37
Prophecies have
their right place
00:46:50.41\00:46:52.57
and then the prophecies
are gonna be fulfilled
00:46:52.61\00:46:54.51
because the Lord has
given them to be fulfilled
00:46:54.54\00:46:56.88
to let us know in the
timeline of human history,
00:46:56.91\00:46:59.31
where we are as it
relates to man's hope
00:46:59.35\00:47:01.88
and the time that they have
00:47:01.92\00:47:03.25
to make a
decision to accept Christ.
00:47:03.28\00:47:05.25
But here is God
and sometime people say
00:47:05.29\00:47:08.02
this is something else,
00:47:08.06\00:47:09.39
I want to illustrate this
00:47:09.42\00:47:10.76
because lot of times people say,
00:47:10.79\00:47:12.13
you know, when you talk about
my New Testament Christians,
00:47:12.16\00:47:14.56
they tend to say that like well,
00:47:14.60\00:47:16.13
we're just dealing
with the God of love
00:47:16.16\00:47:18.60
because the Old
Testament God was angry.
00:47:18.63\00:47:20.64
But let me read you some
Old Testament scriptures,
00:47:20.67\00:47:22.64
Jeremiah 31:3,
00:47:22.67\00:47:24.41
"The Lord has
appeared of old to me, saying:
00:47:24.44\00:47:28.81
"Yes, I have loved you
with an everlasting love,
00:47:28.84\00:47:33.68
therefore with loving-kindness
I have drawn you.
00:47:33.72\00:47:37.92
Thus that mean angry
God of the Old Testament.
00:47:37.95\00:47:40.29
So the Lord, that's
even in a New Testament
00:47:40.32\00:47:42.69
when Jesus is on the
earth every reference
00:47:42.72\00:47:44.93
He made was to
the Old Testament.
00:47:44.96\00:47:47.00
You know, and
sometimes, John, I mean,
00:47:47.03\00:47:48.36
we read the Old Testament
verses that are about God
00:47:48.40\00:47:51.80
and His judgments or
against certain people
00:47:51.83\00:47:54.40
and groups of
people, nations even,
00:47:54.44\00:47:56.47
whole nation is wiping them out.
00:47:56.50\00:47:58.17
And using his people to do that.
00:47:58.21\00:48:00.08
That is there,
00:48:00.11\00:48:01.74
that doesn't mean
it's a different God.
00:48:01.78\00:48:04.58
God in every judgment
is acting in a loving way.
00:48:04.61\00:48:08.95
But in a sovereign way.
00:48:08.98\00:48:10.32
Absolutely, completely sovereign
00:48:10.35\00:48:12.19
but he is also
doing in a protective way,
00:48:12.22\00:48:14.26
I mean, you who have children,
00:48:14.29\00:48:16.42
who want to protect them,
00:48:16.46\00:48:18.66
if you see that
someone is gonna do them harm,
00:48:18.69\00:48:21.13
what are you gonna do?
00:48:21.16\00:48:22.63
Are you gonna
invite them into your home
00:48:22.66\00:48:24.13
and just have dinner with them,
00:48:24.17\00:48:25.50
and say
everything is okay, you know,
00:48:25.53\00:48:26.87
that's just their lifestyle.
00:48:26.90\00:48:28.24
You're gonna protect them
00:48:28.27\00:48:29.60
and God in his way
00:48:29.64\00:48:30.97
when he send them into the land
00:48:31.01\00:48:32.41
that he gave them,
the land of Canaan,
00:48:32.44\00:48:34.01
God knew there were
nations there were evil.
00:48:34.04\00:48:37.11
I mean, through and
through to the very core.
00:48:37.15\00:48:39.98
And the phrase I like to use is,
00:48:40.02\00:48:42.52
I use frequently is that God
00:48:42.55\00:48:44.92
extended judgment early to them.
00:48:44.95\00:48:47.56
It was a
prejudgment judgment really,
00:48:47.59\00:48:50.43
not that he did
not judge it right,
00:48:50.46\00:48:53.80
he absolutely
judges, he knows everything,
00:48:53.83\00:48:55.96
but these group, these
nations that he judged,
00:48:56.00\00:48:59.57
you can read about
what they were doing,
00:48:59.60\00:49:00.94
they were
sacrificing their children.
00:49:00.97\00:49:03.24
I mean, they
were walking in fire
00:49:03.27\00:49:04.87
and calling the
Gods in the spirit world
00:49:04.91\00:49:07.31
down into mix
and mingle with them,
00:49:07.34\00:49:09.71
they were corrupt,
00:49:09.74\00:49:11.08
they were so sexually
driven in their moral,
00:49:11.11\00:49:13.48
in fact like a lot
of societies today,
00:49:13.52\00:49:15.82
that God said to his
people stay away from them
00:49:15.85\00:49:18.19
unless you become like them,
00:49:18.22\00:49:20.46
and what God did in some of them
00:49:20.49\00:49:22.06
that went so far
beyond the boundary
00:49:22.09\00:49:24.53
that he set for morality,
00:49:24.56\00:49:26.43
that they were unredeemable.
00:49:26.46\00:49:29.53
Now it's hard to believe
that some will be unredeemable
00:49:29.56\00:49:31.53
but that's the
case with some people
00:49:31.57\00:49:32.90
at actually get to that point
00:49:32.93\00:49:34.57
where God knows that
there is no point of return.
00:49:34.60\00:49:37.87
And you know, Romans 1 says that
00:49:37.91\00:49:40.38
God gave them up to
their wild imaginations
00:49:40.41\00:49:43.38
and there foolish
hearts were darkened.
00:49:43.41\00:49:45.15
And his heart was
paining giving them up.
00:49:45.18\00:49:47.98
Don't think that God
sitting and going, it's time,
00:49:48.02\00:49:50.25
I'm gonna go after them.
00:49:50.29\00:49:51.62
No, He with the tear in His eye,
00:49:51.65\00:49:54.32
He brought destruction upon them
00:49:54.36\00:49:55.69
and is the same thing
that will happen in the future
00:49:55.72\00:49:57.93
when the wicked are
consumed by the fire
00:49:57.96\00:50:00.46
that comes out of heaven.
00:50:00.50\00:50:02.03
Revelation 20, they're consumed
00:50:02.06\00:50:03.73
because they have
held on to their sin
00:50:03.77\00:50:05.77
and it's their sin
that needs to be destroyed
00:50:05.80\00:50:08.34
and they because
they held to it have...
00:50:08.37\00:50:11.97
they have been consumed by it.
00:50:12.01\00:50:14.91
I would say they've
been consumed more by the sin
00:50:14.94\00:50:17.01
that is in them than by the
God that is sending the fire.
00:50:17.05\00:50:21.15
But anyway this approach,
00:50:21.18\00:50:23.75
this understanding of
God is so necessary today
00:50:23.79\00:50:26.99
that we see that these are,
00:50:27.02\00:50:28.36
even those acts are acts
00:50:28.39\00:50:30.53
of love and
compassion for his people,
00:50:30.56\00:50:32.63
he is protective of them,
00:50:32.66\00:50:34.00
he is caring for them as
a father would his children
00:50:34.03\00:50:36.56
and he wants us to come to him
00:50:36.60\00:50:38.97
and then the devil
turns around and pings him
00:50:39.00\00:50:41.20
as a judgmental
exacting God that is vengeful
00:50:41.24\00:50:46.27
and that is a
picture of him to a tee,
00:50:46.31\00:50:50.51
not the God we serve.
00:50:50.55\00:50:51.91
That's why when the
Lord reveals Satan in his,
00:50:51.95\00:50:54.48
in all of his exploits, he says,
00:50:54.52\00:50:56.72
he was a liar,
00:50:56.75\00:50:58.25
he was a murderer
from the beginning,
00:50:58.29\00:51:00.72
he abode an evil and
then the devil comes along
00:51:00.76\00:51:04.16
and tries to paint
God as this horrendous,
00:51:04.19\00:51:08.70
well, if you think I'm evil,
00:51:08.73\00:51:10.07
who do you think
is gonna burn you
00:51:10.10\00:51:11.87
for ever and ever and
ever and ever and ever.
00:51:11.90\00:51:13.87
Me or him,
00:51:13.90\00:51:15.24
he is even going to burn me
00:51:15.27\00:51:16.91
and people never
come to the conclusion
00:51:16.94\00:51:19.34
that even Satan
himself is not gonna burn
00:51:19.37\00:51:21.84
for ever and ever.
00:51:21.88\00:51:23.21
He is gonna be destroyed,
00:51:23.24\00:51:24.65
so why would God burn the
victims of Satan sin longer
00:51:24.68\00:51:28.92
and with more intensity
than the devil himself.
00:51:28.95\00:51:31.75
So this is ridiculous.
00:51:31.79\00:51:33.12
Serving God throughout
eternity and loving him
00:51:33.15\00:51:34.62
knowing that over
00:51:34.66\00:51:35.99
on the other
side of the universe
00:51:36.02\00:51:37.36
that your loved ones
that he is keeping them alive
00:51:37.39\00:51:39.29
to inflict pain, it just,
00:51:39.33\00:51:42.66
it doesn't compute, it
doesn't make any sense.
00:51:42.70\00:51:45.33
Can we kind of...
00:51:45.37\00:51:46.70
maybe wrap,
00:51:46.74\00:51:48.07
start to wrap this up
by talking about the cross,
00:51:48.10\00:51:50.41
because what
Jesus was doing there
00:51:50.44\00:51:54.91
needs to also be correct
in our minds, in our hearts.
00:51:54.94\00:51:58.01
All right. Sure.
00:51:58.05\00:51:59.41
There is this idea
out there that Jesus,
00:51:59.45\00:52:03.49
the good cop, you know,
00:52:03.52\00:52:05.12
you've heard the
terms good cops, bad cops,
00:52:05.15\00:52:07.56
Jesus the good
cop was at the cross,
00:52:07.59\00:52:10.63
He suffered,
00:52:10.66\00:52:12.06
God poured out His
vengeance upon Him,
00:52:12.09\00:52:13.86
the Father did,
00:52:13.90\00:52:15.33
so that He could be appeased
and that He would then love us.
00:52:15.36\00:52:20.90
When in fact,
00:52:20.94\00:52:23.77
God the Father was in Jesus
00:52:23.81\00:52:25.74
revealing His love to
humanity, drawing them to Him,
00:52:25.77\00:52:29.98
and Jesus was
pointing to the Father
00:52:30.01\00:52:32.25
as the one that love them
00:52:32.28\00:52:33.92
through His act of
giving up His life.
00:52:33.95\00:52:36.52
Jesus, God, the
Father gave His Son to us.
00:52:36.55\00:52:40.89
He gave Him to us
because He loved us.
00:52:40.92\00:52:43.66
John 16,
00:52:47.16\00:52:50.60
if you have a
comment go ahead and make...
00:52:50.63\00:52:52.20
I'll do this but
you've heard that statement,
00:52:52.23\00:52:54.74
you know, this appeasing God,
00:52:54.77\00:52:56.10
this thing is there.
00:52:56.14\00:52:57.47
I hear it
frequently even from pulpits
00:52:57.51\00:52:59.21
and it makes me
cringe every time I hear it.
00:52:59.24\00:53:01.68
Why would God say to us,
00:53:01.71\00:53:03.04
I will never leave
you nor forsake you
00:53:03.08\00:53:05.35
but forsake His Son at
the hour of His greatest need.
00:53:05.38\00:53:08.15
What Jesus
experience was would anyone
00:53:08.18\00:53:10.69
who turns away
from God will experience
00:53:10.72\00:53:13.46
this separation from God
00:53:13.49\00:53:15.06
but my
understanding of the cross
00:53:15.09\00:53:18.36
and I will give you
my understanding now.
00:53:18.39\00:53:21.20
This is my interpretation,
00:53:21.23\00:53:22.76
I have no
scripture to support this
00:53:22.80\00:53:24.63
but I believe one of the reason
why the clouds were so dark
00:53:24.67\00:53:27.50
because if God said
00:53:27.54\00:53:28.87
I will never leave
your nor forsake you,
00:53:28.90\00:53:30.24
I believe one of the reasons
00:53:30.27\00:53:31.61
why the clouds
were so dark that day
00:53:31.64\00:53:32.97
is because God the
Father was so close to His Son,
00:53:33.01\00:53:35.11
that if His glory was revealed,
00:53:35.14\00:53:36.64
He would have consumed
everyone on that mountain
00:53:36.68\00:53:39.18
in the presence of His Son.
00:53:39.21\00:53:40.72
Jesus died because He felt
00:53:40.75\00:53:43.52
the weight of
the sins of the world
00:53:43.55\00:53:45.72
and that those sins that
He knows are horrible to God
00:53:45.75\00:53:50.96
would cause him to be
separated for ever from His God,
00:53:50.99\00:53:54.06
and He experienced
that separation of Himself.
00:53:54.10\00:53:56.77
He experienced that
00:53:56.80\00:53:58.13
with the weight of
the sin of the world,
00:53:58.17\00:53:59.50
but the Father still loved Him.
00:53:59.53\00:54:00.87
What is the issue of that?
00:54:00.90\00:54:02.84
That was never an issue
00:54:02.87\00:54:04.97
but Jesus did experience
that second death for us.
00:54:05.01\00:54:08.01
That's right.
00:54:08.04\00:54:09.38
I founded the text
here from John 16:25,
00:54:09.41\00:54:12.71
Jesus obviously taught
the disciples many things
00:54:12.75\00:54:15.22
and He says here in these words,
00:54:15.25\00:54:16.95
these things I
have spoken to you
00:54:16.99\00:54:18.45
in a figurative language,
00:54:18.49\00:54:20.02
you know, sometimes in parables,
00:54:20.06\00:54:21.39
sometimes in
prophetic kind of signals,
00:54:21.42\00:54:23.32
other things that He
spoke didn't really understand
00:54:23.36\00:54:26.33
and He considered figurative
00:54:26.36\00:54:27.70
but He said but
the time is coming
00:54:27.73\00:54:29.70
when I will no longer speak
to in a figurative language
00:54:29.73\00:54:31.83
but I will tell you
plainly about the father.
00:54:31.87\00:54:34.70
In that day you
will ask in my name
00:54:34.74\00:54:36.57
and I do not say to you
00:54:36.60\00:54:37.94
that I will pray
the Father for you, why?
00:54:37.97\00:54:41.64
For the father Himself loves you
00:54:41.68\00:54:44.58
because you have loved me
00:54:44.61\00:54:45.95
and have believe that
I came forth from God.
00:54:45.98\00:54:48.68
I come forth from the Father
and have come into the world,
00:54:48.72\00:54:52.62
again I leave the
world and go to the Father.
00:54:52.65\00:54:55.09
Jesus is saying
I'm so one with Him,
00:54:55.12\00:54:56.86
what I do is what He would do.
00:54:56.89\00:54:58.53
He sent me to redeem
you, He send me to save you.
00:54:58.56\00:55:01.56
He loves you as much as
He loves me and I love you.
00:55:01.60\00:55:05.93
It's all about the
love of the Father.
00:55:05.97\00:55:07.74
He didn't need to be appeased
00:55:07.77\00:55:09.50
but He knew that sin
must be paid for as a price.
00:55:09.54\00:55:13.88
To pay for that
rebellion in that sin
00:55:13.91\00:55:15.81
and Jesus was willing
to be that perpetuation,
00:55:15.84\00:55:18.51
not to appease God
00:55:18.55\00:55:20.35
but to pay the penalty for sin
00:55:20.38\00:55:22.28
that was demanded by the law
00:55:22.32\00:55:24.39
and now you have a gospel,
00:55:24.42\00:55:25.85
not only that portrays
Christ in a different way
00:55:25.89\00:55:27.92
but you have a gospel
that is actually getting
00:55:27.96\00:55:29.36
rid of the very law
that Jesus Himself went there
00:55:29.39\00:55:35.13
to respond or at least
to provide justice for.
00:55:35.16\00:55:39.77
Jesus would not
have to go to the cross
00:55:39.80\00:55:42.07
if the law could
have been done away with.
00:55:42.10\00:55:44.04
Right, very,
very important point.
00:55:44.07\00:55:46.51
If He could have abrogated
00:55:46.54\00:55:47.88
the thing that would have
prevented his death and ours,
00:55:47.91\00:55:50.18
he would have said,
00:55:50.21\00:55:51.55
let me just nail
this law to the cross
00:55:51.58\00:55:53.65
and get it out of the way
00:55:53.68\00:55:55.02
and he said that's another way
00:55:55.05\00:55:56.38
that God is being
misrepresented John,
00:55:56.42\00:55:58.15
I said that's
another program all together,
00:55:58.19\00:55:59.89
but the reason why the law
of God still exists today is
00:55:59.92\00:56:02.59
because he is showing that
00:56:02.62\00:56:03.96
God is a God of mercy
00:56:03.99\00:56:06.36
but God is a
God of justice also.
00:56:06.39\00:56:08.56
Because He is a God
of mercy and justice,
00:56:08.60\00:56:10.33
the law is still there.
00:56:10.37\00:56:12.17
Why would he say, the
wages of sin is death,
00:56:12.20\00:56:15.87
if there is no
law to point out sin.
00:56:15.90\00:56:18.34
I throw back to
you before we go.
00:56:18.37\00:56:19.71
Well, I know that too
00:56:19.74\00:56:21.08
that we have the
classic experience
00:56:21.11\00:56:23.01
where they're
pointing to the saints
00:56:23.04\00:56:24.68
in the end of time versus here,
00:56:24.71\00:56:27.02
the patience of
the saints are those
00:56:27.05\00:56:28.38
who keep the commandments of God
00:56:28.42\00:56:30.65
and the faith of Jesus.
00:56:30.69\00:56:33.59
So you have what,
00:56:33.62\00:56:35.16
our evangelical
friends will say,
00:56:35.19\00:56:37.19
we have faith now,
00:56:37.23\00:56:38.56
we live in this
era of faith and grace,
00:56:38.59\00:56:40.00
not at the law
and you have a clearly
00:56:40.03\00:56:42.16
a people at the end of time that
00:56:42.20\00:56:43.53
not only keep the law of God,
00:56:43.57\00:56:44.90
they're obedient but they
do it with the faith of Christ.
00:56:44.93\00:56:47.94
it's both
together, it's harmony,
00:56:47.97\00:56:49.34
it's not either or.
00:56:49.37\00:56:50.71
It's one of those
apparent dichotomies
00:56:50.74\00:56:52.21
that only God can understand
00:56:52.24\00:56:54.24
and know fully but we
need to I think embrace
00:56:54.28\00:56:58.01
and true to truly
understand His character.
00:56:58.05\00:57:00.35
You know what John?
00:57:00.38\00:57:01.72
We could not even be who we are,
00:57:01.75\00:57:03.35
had it not been for the
grace and the love of God.
00:57:03.39\00:57:05.49
We cannot even claim to
be children to be royal,
00:57:05.52\00:57:09.02
and I like 2 Peter 2:10,
00:57:09.06\00:57:11.06
"Who once were not a
people but now a people of God
00:57:11.09\00:57:13.66
who had not obtain mercy
but now have obtained mercy."
00:57:13.70\00:57:16.56
Friends, we are
only able to receive
00:57:16.60\00:57:18.63
God's mercy because of Jesus,
00:57:18.67\00:57:21.00
He is the conduit of mercy,
00:57:21.04\00:57:22.77
the author of
love and compassion
00:57:22.80\00:57:25.14
so keep trusting Him
00:57:25.17\00:57:26.64
because one day when He comes,
00:57:26.68\00:57:28.38
He wants to meet you in peace.
00:57:28.41\00:57:30.01
God bless you
until we see you again.
00:57:30.05\00:57:32.28