S1: Hello, friends. Welcome to the second hour of Open Line
S1: with Doctor Michael Ray Moody Radio's Bible Study Across America.
S1: I'm Michael Ray Melnick, I'm professor of Jewish studies and
S1: Bible at Moody, as well as the undergraduate dean. I'm
S1: here today and every Saturday trying to do my best
S1: to answer your Bible questions. And normally, the bulk of
S1: the program is your calls with your questions about the Bible,
S1: God and the spiritual life. But today it's all mailbag
S1: all the time. So the best way to be in
S1: touch is by going to our website, online radio.org. You
S1: can post a question there. There's a link that says
S1: Ask Michael a question and you can ask right there
S1: and it'll come up in a future mailbag. But today
S1: I'm going to be answering the questions you've sent in,
S1: and not just me. Eva melnick, who's is an adjunct
S1: faculty member at Moody Bible Institute, as well as a
S1: contributor to the Moody Bible Commentary and Moody Handbook of
S1: Messianic Prophecy. And she is also she happens to be
S1: my wife, my favorite Bible teacher. She and I studied
S1: the Bible together all the time. I'm glad you're here, Eva.
S2: I'm so glad to be here. Yeah.
S1: This way you can answer the Bible questions. You don't
S1: have to text them.
S2: Yeah, that's.
S1: That's what they say. This is what you usually do.
S1: And then also, Tricia McMillan is here. She is the
S1: producer of Open Line and the person who put the
S1: mailbag together. Thank you so much, Tricia. Glad you're here.
S1: I love these programs. I love sitting around talking about
S1: the Bible. And we were laughing the first hour about
S1: how it took some time to get through those questions.
S1: And the reason it took some time was because we
S1: all talk about it. And I guess that's the fun part.
S1: That's why it's the Bible study across America.
S2: And Trish doesn't just put questions together. She's a she's
S2: a graduate of Moody Bible Institute I understand. I am yeah.
S2: And double graduated.
S1: Bachelor's and.
S2: Master's right. That's right. Yeah. That's she knows stuff.
S1: Yeah I love it. There are some times when people
S1: call the program and we know that we're not going
S1: to get that question on the air. And Tricia will
S1: get on the line and answer their question right with
S1: them off the air, which I love it when you
S1: do that. Yeah, yeah, when we.
S3: Have time, I try. Yeah.
S1: So anyway, we're going to go right back to questions.
S3: Yes. And some of these are very unique ones that
S3: we've not had before. And so I'm really excited to
S3: hear your answers to them. So our first question is
S3: from Betsy in Florida. She listens to R&B. When I
S3: read Jesus's answers to people's questions in the Bible, it
S3: seems like they don't match the question is this because
S3: of the translation? And so I wrote as one example,
S3: the rich young ruler, which I forgot to write down
S3: the actual verse. So I'm going to flip here to
S3: mark ten, where the rich young ruler asked, good teacher
S3: 17 right? Yes, good teacher, what do I need to
S3: do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus responds, why do
S3: you call me good? Yeah. What? That's not. That wasn't
S3: the point of my of my question. And then he says,
S3: you know, you know all the commandments, but but it
S3: often seems like Jesus, it's not just here's what you
S3: do or yes or no. You know, if it's a
S3: yes or no question, it's a little more involved than that.
S3: And why?
S1: I think that the very point, I mean, Jesus is good.
S1: So why does he ask that question? Why do you
S1: call me good? I think he's trying to diagnose not
S1: just for himself, because obviously he knows what's inside of us.
S1: Even in these interactions. He knows what's in man. It
S1: says at the end of John two, but rather he
S1: is helping the person think about why are they? Why
S1: are you asking me this question? What are you trying
S1: to do? Just butter me up? Do you really think
S1: I'm good? Do you understand what I mean? What do
S1: you call me? Good. Yeah, he's kind of probing. What?
S1: That which he knows about the person intuitively or I
S1: think omnisciently.
S2: Yeah. About us.
S1: Yeah. Not intuition, but Omniscience. Uh, so that's the one
S1: thing that he's doing. But he often doesn't give the
S1: answer that's expected. I think that that's just amazing. Uh,
S1: and it serves to show how unpredictable the Messiah is. Uh,
S1: I've got a book brewing that I want to write
S1: about that, that when you look at how Jesus responds
S1: to people, he always gives the unpredictable, unexpected answer. One
S1: of my favorite examples of that is Luke 13 and
S1: and the reason for that, it is it's sort of
S1: an upside down view of the problem of evil. And
S1: the reason I say that is it says in Luke 13, uh,
S1: some people came and reported to him about the Galileans
S1: whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Apparently Pilate,
S1: at their Passover sacrifices, took them, killed people, and mixed
S1: their blood with the sacrifices they were offering. He was
S1: a bad guy pilot, right? And he responded, do you
S1: think that these Galileans were more sinful men? Sinful than
S1: all Galileans, because they suffered these things? What did we
S1: expect of the Messiah when they came with that sympathy? Oh,
S1: I'm so sorry. This is. Wait, wait. I know what
S1: your real question is. Were they worse? And that's why
S1: God allowed it to happen. Do you think they were
S1: more sinful than you are? And you're safe because you're
S1: not sinful? No. I tell you, unless you repent, you
S1: will perish as well. And then he says, or they 18.
S1: Then he. Jesus raises another problem of evil. This is
S1: not human evil, but natural evil. We would call it
S1: a tower in Siloam fell on them and killed them.
S1: Do you think they were more sinful than all the
S1: other people who live in Jerusalem? No, I tell you,
S1: unless you repent, you will perish as well. And then
S1: he tells the story of the barren fig tree. And
S1: why it is that the barren fig tree gets to
S1: not be destroyed right away, which it should be, because
S1: the farmer asked for patience of the owner. He says,
S1: you know, I know it's not producing anything, but let
S1: me give it another year. I'll, I'll, I'll put some food,
S1: plant food around it. I'll fix it up and let's
S1: see if we can get more fruit. It's. And the
S1: decision is made to let it go for another year.
S1: Out of God, out of patience. And what he is
S1: saying is, the reason everyone doesn't experience evil is because
S1: God is being patient. He's giving you time to repent
S1: because if we all got what we deserved, we'd be
S1: flashed in an instant. We'd be gone. Uh, and this
S1: is an utterly unacceptable answer that focuses on God's mercy
S1: despite our evil, rather than, yeah, those people were bad,
S1: and that's why they got that. Do you understand? It's
S1: just an upside down answer and start studying Jesus answers
S1: to questions. I'd say 90% of the time he gives
S1: an upside down answer.
S2: Right? So these are.
S3: They're not translation issues as to why there doesn't seem
S3: to be a question and then a response that correlates
S3: to the question.
S1: It's a messianic.
S2: Issue.
S3: Okay.
S1: It's when you're the Messiah, you know what people need
S1: to hear, right? Yeah. That's, uh, I think that's it's
S1: one of my favorite things as I, as I've studied
S1: the Gospels, that's the thing that strikes me the most.
S1: I mean, read the Good Samaritan, the story. There's no
S1: such thing as a good Samaritan, right? Right. And so
S1: when the Lord Jesus gives the answer about the Good Samaritan,
S1: he what? That's not what we expected to hear, right? Uh,
S1: in the first century, there was no expectation that there
S1: was one good Samaritan. And the Lord Jesus tells that story.
S1: Who's the true neighbor? So, yeah, it's I love that.
S1: It's It's there's so many things I love about the
S1: Lord Jesus, but when I study these, I'm thinking, wow,
S1: this is just great. And as a teacher, one of
S1: the things I've tried to do is sometimes when when
S1: students ask questions in class, I try to answer not
S1: the question that they're asking as well. In addition, I
S1: want to answer the question that they're really asking the.
S2: Question behind the question. Question behind the question.
S3: And I think you do that on Open Line. We'll
S3: talk about that sometimes off the air. Yeah. That there's
S3: there's often a question behind a question that we, that
S3: we really want to know.
S2: Yeah.
S1: Yeah yeah. That's what I do. Sometimes I'll probe for
S1: it and sometimes I'll just answer it. I know right. Yeah.
S1: But that's, that's because I've watched the model of the.
S3: Lord and I've studied it. Yeah, yeah. Okay. Thank you
S3: for that question, Betsy. Our next question is from George
S3: on Facebook and Matthew 20 1028. Sorry, Matthew ten verse 28.
S3: It says, don't fear those who kill the body but
S3: are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him
S3: who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
S3: What does this mean? It seems to say that the
S3: body and soul will be destroyed in hell, and that
S3: those who go there won't suffer for eternity. Is that
S3: what it's saying? What is he trying to say?
S1: The question here is about Annihilationism. There are some people
S1: who teach that eternal separation from God is that those
S1: who are lost will just be after some time of suffering.
S1: They'll be poof, gone, annihilated, and then, and thereby they
S1: are eternally separated from God. Uh, I I, I think
S1: that some people feel that's preferable. Uh, I'm not sure,
S1: but I what I would want to do is stick
S1: to the text, what it's talking about when it talks
S1: about destroy the soul, or that's talking about eternal, perpetual,
S1: never ending destruction. It's the forever process. And, uh, there's
S1: a verse.
S2: In that revelation 1411. Sure. Um, that kind of sort
S2: of speaks to that. Hang on. Let me let me
S2: find revelation. Where is that? In the Bible. Oh, it's
S2: near the end. The end. Toward the end. Yeah, yeah. Okay. Here.
S2: Hang on. All right. 1411 says, and the smoke of
S2: their torment goes up forever and ever. Those who worship
S2: the beast and his image. And whoever receives the mark
S2: of his name. That's sort of a picture of what
S2: eternal torment is right there at the end.
S1: It never stops.
S2: It's never stopping. It's not annihilationism, but it is perpetual suffering.
S1: And and, you know, in Isaiah 56. I think that's interesting.
S1: This is not just a New Testament concept. It's also
S1: an Old Testament concept. And also there's the verses that
S1: Lord Jesus says, where, uh, where the worm doesn't cease,
S1: you know, and it's just that it's a forever ever thing. But, uh,
S1: and the fire never is quenched. Uh, but in Isaiah,
S1: let's see if I can actually find it in Isaiah 56. Uh,
S1: I think it is it unless I'm I'm wrong, I'm
S1: probably wrong. Uh, but there's a verse in it that
S1: also talks about it. It's I'm sorry, Isaiah 66. How's that? Yeah.
S2: That's that sounds good.
S1: That sounds says, uh, they will see the dead bodies
S1: of the men who have rebelled against me, for their
S1: worm will never die. Their fire will never go out,
S1: and they will be a horror to all mankind. So
S1: it's not just talking about their bodies there. It's talking
S1: about perpetual, eternal separation from God. Uh, Isaiah 66, verse 24. So, uh,
S1: let me just I'm going to try and pull this around.
S1: One of the most heartbreaking things is that people who
S1: were created to have eternal fellowship with God are because
S1: of sinfulness and rebellion against God, are going to be
S1: separated from him forever. And I have seen too many
S1: followers of Jesus kind of. When they get mad at
S1: people who don't know the Lord, they kind of gloat
S1: about this. You'll see. All right. But this should be
S1: the most heartbreaking thing that we've ever, ever encountered in Scripture,
S1: and it should be the great motivation that we're going to.
S1: Present the good news of Messiah and how much God
S1: loves people to everyone. That's what I think is so crucial.
S1: This should be not something that we ever are happy about.
S1: This is only only something that should motivate us to
S1: let the love of God be known to people so
S1: they will trust in him. We're going to come back
S1: with more questions in just a moment. This is open line.
S1: Stay right there. Did you ever feel Christians can't do
S1: anything about the growing anti-Semitism in the world? Well, that's
S1: why Chosen People Ministries is one of our partners, is
S1: offering a free book called Uncommon Allies American Jews and
S1: Christians Uniting Against Hitler, 1933 through 45, written by Alan Shore.
S1: This book shows the importance and power of Christians standing
S1: against anti-Semitism in the past. So will be motivated to
S1: do the same in the present and the future. Just
S1: go to Openline radio.org. Org. Scroll down until you see
S1: the link that says A Free gift from Chosen People Ministries.
S1: Click on that and you'll be taken to a page
S1: where you can sign up for your very own copy
S1: of Uncommon Allies. Sometimes Bible reading can feel like looking
S1: at a bunch of puzzle pieces, not quite sure how
S1: they fit together. That's where Paul Benware survey of the
S1: New Testament comes in. This comprehensive guide helps you understand
S1: how each book fits into God's perfect plan. Connecting the
S1: dots from the Gospels to Revelation. It's yours. When you
S1: give a gift of any size to open line, call
S1: (888) 644-7122 or visit open line radio.org. We're back. I'm Michael
S1: Ray Zellnik and joining me today is Tricia McMillan. She
S1: put together the mailbag. It's an all mailbag all the
S1: time Program, and Tricia was concerned. I couldn't answer these questions.
S1: And so she also invited Eva Radulovic to be here
S1: so that she could make sure that the questions got
S1: answered appropriately. I'm glad you're here too, Eva.
S2: So, yeah, here we go. Having a good time.
S3: I love our Bible studies together and I love answering
S3: people's questions. So our next one is from Kenneth in Illinois,
S3: listens to WNBA. He is looking at John 14 two,
S3: which is when Jesus says he's going to prepare a
S3: place for us or for for them. Um, and he says,
S3: I've been bothered for many years by the translation because
S3: there are two different translations on this verse. One says,
S3: if it were not, so would I have told you
S3: that I go to prepare a place for you? This
S3: makes sense to him, he says. The other translations reverse
S3: take away the question to make it a statement and
S3: kind of reverse the meaning almost. And it says if
S3: it if it were not so, I would have told you.
S3: But there are a lot of statements that are not so.
S3: And Jesus doesn't tell us those. So which is the
S3: more accurate translation?
S1: Well, I'm going to just read it to you. Okay.
S3: Now just to clarify, this is you translating the Greek
S3: on the air. Yeah. That's it. Okay.
S1: Uh, in my father's house, there are many rooms. Many
S1: people say mansions. No. It's rooms.
S3: Maybe mansions is a nice idea. Yeah, it's.
S1: Actually apartments, to be clear. Dwelling places. All right. And
S1: then it says if it were not so, then I
S1: would have told you. For I go to prepare a
S1: place for you. That's it. Then I would have told you.
S1: That's what I would have told you. So that's it?
S1: I'm reading it.
S3: But why would he go to the trouble of telling you, hey,
S3: I'm going to make a place. Because if I wasn't
S3: making a place, I would have told you I wasn't
S3: making a place.
S1: He's the one that's been telling them all about eternal life.
S1: And if I wasn't going to do this, if you're
S1: going to be hanging around, floating on a cloud with
S1: your little harp, I would have told you. But no,
S1: I'm actually going to prepare a place for you. I'm
S1: not leaving you behind. Not to bring you back with me.
S1: I'm going to make a place for you. That's why
S1: I'm going ahead.
S3: Okay, so I would have told you what was going
S3: to happen. Yeah, because if it wasn't this other way.
S3: This way that I have been telling you, I would
S3: have told you that. Because I would have told you
S3: what was actually going to happen.
S2: Yeah, yeah.
S3: That's okay. So I haven't been lying to you this
S3: whole time.
S2: Exactly right.
S3: That's basically what he's saying. Yeah. Okay. Well, I hope
S3: that clears that up. Kenneth, um, when I saw your question,
S3: I was like, yeah, that's a great question. Because even
S3: in my notes in my Bible, it has a little
S3: footnote that says and some translations say this. And so
S3: it is confusing to know which is the right. Why
S3: did some put a question mark in there just to
S3: make it seem make more sense?
S1: For example, the translation I worked on, which was the
S1: CSB once. Once it was all in, the editors were
S1: reworking it and making sure everything was right. They had
S1: an English stylist who makes sure that it's I mean,
S1: it really says the same thing either way, but making
S1: it so that that's what they have. They always have
S1: an English stylist trying to make sure that it's understandable
S1: to the English reader. Okay, to.
S3: To have the least amount of confusion with what they're reading. Okay.
S3: All right. So kind of related to that, Nathan in
S3: Washington listens to me and wants to know are the
S3: kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven the same
S3: thing or are they different? We have Jesus teaching about both. Um,
S3: in the New Testament, in the Gospels, are they the
S3: same thing or are they different things?
S1: Well, uh, first of all, there are there were interpreters
S1: in the early 20th century and late 19th century that
S1: treated the kingdom of heaven as it was used in
S1: the Gospel of Matthew as something distinct from the From
S1: the Kingdom of God in the other gospels. And the
S1: problem with that is they don't understand that Matthew was
S1: written to Jews, and that Jewish people often used a
S1: euphemism for the word God, and the euphemism that was
S1: commonly used was heaven, because that's God's abode. So you
S1: can talk about where God is. The kingdom of heaven
S1: and the kingdom of God are exactly the same thing. Uh,
S1: does that make sense? Uh, so.
S3: Yes. So instead of saying his name. Yes. Because he
S3: was the one who cannot be named. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
S3: So they would say heaven.
S1: The ineffable name of God, the unpronounceable, unspeakable name of.
S3: God that we talked about last hour.
S2: Yeah.
S1: Then then what you do is you say, uh, heaven.
S2: Heaven, the kingdom of heaven. And you say it's mostly
S2: in Matthew where the phrase appears. Yes. Because Matthew is
S2: a very Jewish gospel.
S1: Yeah. Writing to Jewish people. And so Matthew is using
S1: the euphemism kingdom of heaven. Now, what is the kingdom?
S1: The kingdom is the rulership of God. And, uh, what
S1: what that refers to. Now there is a sense where
S1: God is our ruler, our king, right now. Um, but
S1: very often in Scripture, when it talks about what the
S1: kingdom of heaven will be like, it's also a very
S1: Jewish idea, which is the mouth of God. Uh, when
S1: is that going to come? Eva, you should tell us.
S2: The kingdom, the ultimate kingdom. When Messiah comes and reigns
S2: on the throne of David for a thousand years. Yeah. So?
S1: So in a sense, we have the beginning of it now.
S2: It's now. Not yet. Yeah. But now. Not yet. Yeah.
S1: Because he's reigning over us spiritually. Mhm. So the kingdom
S1: of heaven is among us, right. But one day he's
S1: going to be really among us, ruling us at the
S1: kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. Uh, when
S1: he reigns from Jerusalem.
S3: So is it a similar idea to sanctification that we
S3: are sanctified? But we are. We are still always in
S3: the process of being sanctified. Yeah, it's in the same way, the.
S2: Same kind of idea.
S3: There's a a now lesser version, but there will be
S3: a completed version later. I see what you mean in
S3: terms of the Kingdom. Yeah, there's.
S1: The the present sanctification, which is a process and ultimate sanctification,
S1: which is when we're glorified. Okay.
S3: So in the same way, this, this kingdom, we are
S3: in the kingdom of the kingdom.
S1: Spiritually, in this kingdom, obviously, he's reigning over us. He's
S1: our king. Okay. Right. But then there will.
S3: Be an ultimate the at the millennial reign. Yeah. The king.
S3: The ultimate kingdom of God. Yeah.
S2: The the lion and the lamb are not lying down together.
S2: There's no end of war. Now. Right now. Yeah. You know,
S2: death is common now. Won't be common then.
S3: Okay. So with this, thinking about the kingdom of God,
S3: is this part of with this language or the kingdom
S3: of heaven? Is this kind of lumped not lumped. Is
S3: this kind of connected to the the king, the reigning
S3: ruling king that they were expecting of the Messiah? Yeah.
S3: So like his.
S1: Lord Jesus deals with this. They expected the Messiah to
S1: come and kick out the Romans and establish peaceful reign
S1: with Israel at the head of the nations, and what
S1: the Lord Jesus says was right now we've got a
S1: spiritual kingdom for you. Okay. Uh, and you can experience
S1: spiritual peace if you believe in the Messiah. I will
S1: reign over you now, but ultimately I'm going to return,
S1: and then I'm going to establish that kingdom of peace
S1: on earth. Okay. And so that. That's what it is. Okay.
S3: Yeah. All right. Thank you.
S2: And I think that's a little bit of why why
S2: Jesus is talking about in the, in the least, uh,
S2: favorite promise to claim in John 1633 when he says
S2: these things, I have spoken to you so that in
S2: me you may have peace. In the world you will
S2: have tribulation. But but be encouraged. I have overcome the world.
S1: Yeah. He's our king.
S2: He's our king now. Right.
S3: All right. Thank you for that question, Nathan. Randolph in
S3: South Carolina, listen to the Good News Network. Um, and
S3: says that Paul appeals to Caesar in acts because of
S3: his Roman citizenship. The Jewish people bring Jesus before Pontius Pilate. Um,
S3: who was Roman? Right. Roman ruler. Okay. So was Jesus
S3: a Roman citizen also? Pontius Pilate gave his verdict that
S3: he found no laws of Rome were broken by Jesus.
S3: What was Paul born in Rome? I mean, like, what's
S3: the difference between the two that he could claim that?
S3: Could could any Jewish person under this Roman jurisdiction that
S3: they were living in claim that.
S1: Only American, an American, would ask this.
S2: Question.
S1: Because we have birthright citizenship if we're born in America. Yeah,
S1: we're citizens of America, right? It's the Roman Empire. Did
S1: not have birthright citizenship. Okay?
S2: Yeah. If you were born in the Roman Empire, it
S2: didn't give you birthright citizenship.
S3: Yeah. So then how was Paul, a Roman citizen?
S1: Well, either. Probably his father purchased it. Oh, uh, there
S1: were certain things that you could do. Remember when Paul
S1: says that he's a Roman citizen citizen, and he says, uh,
S1: you you purchased your citizenship? I think he says to
S1: a centurion, but I was born a citizen. So probably
S1: his father purchased it. And and Paul was born into
S1: that because it is passed down to your children. Okay. But, uh,
S1: everyone is born in the Roman Empire. Was not a citizen.
S1: Sometimes the emperors would grant soldiers from other countries that
S1: joined the Roman army citizenship as a gift for, uh,
S1: you know, they didn't get the GI Bill. What they
S1: got was, was citizenship. Okay. And the And the privileges
S1: of that. So he was under the Lord. Jesus was
S1: under the governance of Rome because Rome was governing Judea.
S1: And that's why he was brought to Pontius Pilate. Someone
S1: would say governance. Some would say oppression. But nevertheless, they
S1: were governing authority in Judea. Um, on the other hand,
S1: he was not a citizen. Uh, so he could not
S1: have claimed I appeal to Caesar, as Paul did. Okay. Uh,
S1: later on in the book of acts, because he was.
S1: Paul could do that because he was a Roman citizen.
S1: But the Lord Jesus was just a he was Jewish
S1: from Israel.
S3: Okay. And had not purchased a Roman citizenship.
S2: And there were certain there were certain, um, Roman cities,
S2: cities that they had jurisdiction over where the people who
S2: were from those cities had colonies. Yeah. Colonies that had citizenship. Yeah. Okay.
S2: Like Tarsus or like Philippi. There were I don't.
S1: Know if Tarsus was was a colony, but Philippi.
S2: Philippi. Yeah. So, so.
S3: But the the land of Israel was not.
S2: Was not okay.
S3: All right.
S1: Thank you.
S3: That helpful. Yes.
S1: Very and sherwin-white Roman citizenship and law I think. Yeah. Right.
S1: Is the name of the book. Anyway, uh, we're going
S1: to come right back with more of your questions. These
S1: are such great questions about the Lord Jesus. Maybe we'll
S1: have more, I don't know, but the questions about the Bible,
S1: God and the spiritual life. So don't go away. This
S1: is Michael, Eva and Trisha answering your questions. We'll be
S1: right back. We're so glad that Febc partners with Open
S1: Line with Doctor Michael, bringing the Febc mailbag every week.
S1: Learn how Far East Broadcasting Company is taking Christ to
S1: the world at febc. Org on their weekly podcast. Until
S1: all have heard with Ed Cannon, you'll hear stories of
S1: lives changed by Messiah all across the globe. Again. You
S1: can hear the podcast when you visit febc. Dot org.
S1: That's facebook.org. Welcome back to our total mailbag program today
S1: of Open Line. Uh, Eva Dolnick is here with me
S1: and so is Trish McMillan. And you have contributed greatly
S1: by sending in all these questions. And so we're going
S1: to try and get right back to it. Tricia what
S1: have we got next?
S3: All right. David from Illinois listens to me and said,
S3: I recently heard about a deliverance ministry and the main
S3: scripture that they use to support the power to cast
S3: out demons is from Mark 16 verse 17. Is this
S3: verse speaking to all believers, or was it just for
S3: certain believers?
S1: Well what? Mark 16 verse 17 says, uh, has to
S1: do with us casting out demons. Now, before we do
S1: anything else, let me explain what deliverance ministry is. It
S1: generally says that when we keep on sinning, it's because
S1: there are demons controlling believers. The Bible says greater is
S1: he who is in you than he is in the world.
S1: I don't think that certainly demons and Satan can have influence, oppress,
S1: attack believers, but I do not believe they. It's reasonable
S1: to cast demons out of followers of Jesus because God
S1: possesses us, not demons. And so, uh, the, the verse
S1: that he's speaking of these signs will accompany those who
S1: believe in my name. They will drive out demons. Well,
S1: that doesn't say whether it's in believers or not. Now,
S1: the problem with deliverance ministry is it does say that
S1: it is driving demons out of followers of Jesus. And
S1: so I think that's one problem. Second issue is this
S1: is an interesting passage because it is part of the Addendum,
S1: so to speak, that some scribe put onto the gospel
S1: of Mark. And it's I don't believe it's part of
S1: the earliest and best manuscripts. And the footnote in mine
S1: says in this bracketed area it says verses nine through 20.
S1: Many manuscripts omit bracketed text. So that's what I would say. However,
S1: one of the most important lessons about deliverance ministry I
S1: find in the book of Ephesians when it talks about
S1: us being involved in spiritual warfare. When I look at
S1: that passage in Ephesians six, it doesn't say that we
S1: are to. Cast out demons. It says, this is why
S1: you must take up the full armor of God, so
S1: that you may be able to resist in the evil day.
S1: And then it even use uses the word stand or
S1: stand against, which is the same root as resist. In
S1: this passage. And then. Ever. Ever.
S2: What was that? Wait, wait, what was. What was that
S2: Ephesians passage for people to write down at home?
S1: It's Ephesians chapter six, verses 13 and following. Yep. And
S1: then you've got a verse for us too, don't you?
S2: I do, I do. Um, in first Peter it says
S2: chapter five, uh, first Peter chapter five, verse eight and nine,
S2: it says, be sober. Be of sober spirit. Be on
S2: the alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a
S2: roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm
S2: in your faith, knowing that the same experienced suffering is
S2: being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
S1: So what are you supposed to do when when he
S1: seeks to devour us?
S2: It doesn't say cast out. What does it say? Resist.
S1: Don't remove. Resist.
S2: Resist, resist. And what are you supposed to be firm
S2: in your faith.
S1: Yeah, but what's the key word, though?
S2: Resist.
S1: And.
S3: Tricia. Yeah. James four seven says, therefore, submit to God.
S3: But resist the devil and he will flee from you.
S3: And then verse eight says, draw near to God, and
S3: he will draw near to you.
S1: Yeah. Okay. But resist.
S3: The devil, and he will flee from.
S1: You. Exactly. So when we talk about spiritual warfare, Ephesians
S1: six first Peter five James four, it's not remove the
S1: devil and then you won't sin. What is.
S3: It?
S1: Resist, resist, resist. Stand against. And how do we resist?
S1: We resist with the Word of God. We can even
S1: quote it. We can resist.
S3: Well, and that's what Jesus did at his temptation. Exactly.
S3: He quoted the word of God back.
S1: And we can resist, uh, by putting on the armor
S1: of God. Uh, there are so many things we can do,
S1: but what we can't do is we can't cast out
S1: the flesh. But we can resist the enemy. So that's, uh,
S1: by the way, I just think that's one of the
S1: great lessons that we. It's easy to say, I was
S1: just going to cast out this demon, and then I
S1: won't have the, you know, problem with gluttony anymore. No.
S1: Go on a diet. There we go.
S3: So thank you for that question, David. Related to this,
S3: Sharon wrote us on Facebook and wanted to know what
S3: the reasoning behind the order of putting on each piece
S3: of the armor of God is in Ephesians six. Um,
S3: she has prayed, starting head to toe, but that doesn't
S3: seem to be what the Bible is teaching. Can you
S3: kind of go through what the. Is there a reasoning
S3: behind the order in Ephesians six verses 13?
S1: Well, I'm not sure if the I can say that
S1: there's an exact order, but I think when it says
S1: put on the armor of God, wouldn't you say it's
S1: much more of a practical lifestyle than praying something on?
S1: We don't pray on the armor. What we do is, Uh,
S1: it says stand or, uh, the idea of resist against stand,
S1: therefore with truth like a belt. So what we need
S1: to do is live our lives based on the truth,
S1: and then, uh, righteousness. Like armor. Like armor on your chest.
S1: We have to, uh, I think, experience righteousness, which would
S1: be justification by faith in Jesus and then living in
S1: accordance with that. Uh, and have our feet. You can
S1: go through it sandaled with readiness of the gospel. So
S1: we have to be ready to go and tell anyone
S1: about Jesus. These are lifestyle situations. So often people think,
S1: if I just pray this, then I'm safe in in
S1: spiritual warfare. No, this requires a lifestyle that affects how we,
S1: the way we live, is how we will be successful
S1: in spiritual warfare.
S2: Yeah, and I think it think it has to do
S2: just exactly like you say that it is. It is
S2: a lifestyle that allows us to stand firm. I think
S2: that's that's the big word that we see over here
S2: in this.
S1: Which is related to the word.
S2: Resist. The word resist. Right. And I don't think that
S2: it's like you say, it's not like a, it's not
S2: like a, a code for how you should be, what
S2: you should do for a second and third. I think
S2: these are all things that should be done all the time.
S1: Normal lifestyle, normal lifestyle. What I think is so funny
S1: is that people would like I think this is just
S1: my nature. I'm not trying to criticize others. I would
S1: like an easy answer to the issue of sin.
S2: Yes, I.
S1: Would like I would like it. Just, you know, if
S1: I just.
S3: Take this pill and you won't see anymore, I.
S1: Just pray on this, this, these things and I'll be
S1: I'll be good, you know? But this is talking about
S1: having a transformed life, which happens through prayer, I think
S1: is one of those spiritual disciplines, but other spiritual disciplines
S1: as well that as we practice spiritual disciplines, God uses
S1: that so that we can live a righteous life as
S1: we do. As we practice spiritual disciplines and seek openings
S1: to share the gospel, we have our feet shod with
S1: the gospel of peace.
S2: So I think another thing that's interesting about this passage
S2: is that it it it's so many of these different
S2: items are quotations from the book of Isaiah. Oh, yeah.
S2: I think that is very interesting too, because it shows that,
S2: you know, all the Bible is important, all the Bible
S2: is applicable. We need to spend time in it to
S2: get to know him in order to stand firm.
S1: I think sometimes Paul was reading Isaiah when he wrote
S1: that I wonder too.
S3: So anyway.
S1: But yeah, that's that's I think the key I've heard
S1: many people say just pray on the armor of God. Well,
S1: you can do it. It's not going to help. What
S1: you have to do is live the armor of God.
S1: And that comes with, uh, practicing spiritual disciplines.
S3: All right. Thank you for that.
S1: Yeah. Let's take a break. All right. We're going to
S1: come back with more of your questions In just a moment. Uh,
S1: this is open line. It's an old mailbag program, so
S1: you can't call today. But even right down here, she's
S1: answering questions. Tricia is asking and also answering questions. Appreciate that. Uh,
S1: and I'm going to be right back. I'm Michael Ray Dominic.
S1: You're listening to open I. We're all going to be back.
S1: So don't go away. Welcome back to Open Line. Tricia
S1: McMillan is here with me. I'm Michael Ray Melnick, and
S1: Trish is asking the questions you've sent in. Eva Ray
S1: is here as well. Answering questions with me. She is
S1: my my ultimate kitchen table partner. Because we study the
S1: Bible together, sometimes at the kitchen counter. Sometimes we have
S1: a bar in our kitchen and sometimes at our kitchen table.
S1: We read together. And that's that's always so fun. And
S1: I think that's what the whole idea that we have
S1: of kitchen table partners, people who listen regularly, sit around
S1: the radio kitchen table, they study the Bible with me
S1: every week, and I'm so grateful for them listening. And
S1: then some have decided to become, uh, official kitchen table
S1: partners by committing to give monthly to Open Line so
S1: we can stay on the air weekly with our Bible
S1: study across America. And I think that that is so
S1: crucial and so helpful. I'm so grateful for it. Some
S1: of you might consider becoming kitchen table partners, and the
S1: way to do that is just by going to our website,
S1: online radio.org or calling (800) 864-4712 two. When you sign up,
S1: I'll send you a Bible study moment prepared exclusively for
S1: our kitchen table partners. I think you'll really enjoy that again.
S1: Call 4712, two or just go to Open Line Radio.
S3: All right. Our next question is actually I'm combining two questions.
S3: One from Kristen in Tennessee. One from Gordon in Florida,
S3: who are both trying to talk with friends about their faith.
S3: And their friends are raising concerns and saying that the
S3: Bible is untrustworthy because it's been edited so many times
S3: that you can't trust what it says, or that they've
S3: made up stuff after the fact that's been put into
S3: the Bible. Um, how could they respond to this? And
S3: are there any resources you would recommend that would help
S3: assess the accuracy of the Bible to show that inerrancy
S3: and that it's trustworthy?
S1: Well, I'm going to just say Eva's like she's so
S1: big on history and geography. And yeah.
S2: I think that's one of the reasons that we can
S2: have real confidence in our faith is because it is
S2: based in time and history, geography. But as far as
S2: the as the manuscripts themselves, the reliability of the manuscripts.
S2: I'll just talk about the Old Testament for just a minute.
S2: Michael can maybe pick it up on the new. But
S2: I think one of the greatest evidences for the reliability
S2: and accuracy of the scriptures as we have it was
S2: the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. And they were
S2: discovered in 1947, in Qumran by the Dead Sea. And
S2: those manuscripts that had been hidden there before the Roman
S2: destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. these manuscripts date back to, say,
S2: 200 BC, B.C., 200 years before the Messiah came. They
S2: are virtually the manuscripts that have been found and translated
S2: word for word, for the documents that we have in
S2: our Bibles today. They're very little.
S1: Difference. And before that, the earliest Old Testament was like.
S2: About 1100 A.D..
S1: Yeah, about a thousand, let's say. So. So it threw
S1: back the manuscripts more than a thousand years. And they're
S1: still the.
S2: Same, and they're the same.
S1: So there wasn't any corruption that was happening. Now you
S1: could find there's a textual variant or this or that,
S1: but that's the great thing. One of the reasons why
S1: the New Testament, I could say is accurate is that
S1: we have so many manuscripts. Right? And with all these manuscripts,
S1: you can see the variants. But even when there's a variant,
S1: it's so textual criticism, it only affects less than 1%
S1: of the New Testament in terms of anything. And even
S1: then it's so easy. So it might be something about
S1: it might say our or your and they are used synonymously.
S1: That's a good bit of the differences. And then there
S1: are things when we look at those manuscripts, if I
S1: sent you ten notes written by ten students and they
S1: all say, happy birthday, Tricia, and each one spells happy
S1: birthday wrong, but in a different way. Okay, we still
S1: know what the original note that they copied said, which
S1: was happy birthday. Happy birthday. And that's what we have.
S1: We have so many variants with the New Testament, so
S1: many manuscripts. When we put them all together, we know
S1: what this original was. So it is accurate and strong.
S2: Yeah. If there are two, two books that you want
S2: to think about that you might want to pick up
S2: and read for yourself. It's one is seven Reasons Why
S2: We Can Trust the Bible by Doctor Erwin Lutzer, published
S2: by Moody Press. And if you want to go publishers,
S2: Moody publishers. I'm living in the past. Yeah. And and
S2: also Josh McDowell's book on evidence that a man's verdict
S2: has a very strong presentation of the reliability of the
S2: New Testament and Old Testament text, the.
S1: New evidence that demands a.
S3: Verdict, the new evidence. Because that's a revised version, right? Okay.
S3: The new evidence that demands a verdict by Josh McDowell
S3: and seven reasons Why we can trust the Bible by
S3: Erwin Lutzer. Mhm. Okay. All right. Thank you for that.
S3: Our next question is kind of related. Um, James in
S3: South Carolina says Paul states to Timothy that all scripture
S3: is given by inspiration of God. But it seems he
S3: could have only been referring to the Old Testament, right?
S3: So based on that, he's in the New Testament because
S3: otherwise it's a source quoting a source. But why do
S3: we assume then, that the New Testament is inspired? Um,
S3: and then do we have evidence that God guided the
S3: hands when selecting the canon? So when when determining which
S3: books went into the Bible, how do we know that that's.
S1: Well, one of the things that that one of my
S1: favorite verses in First Peter is where Peter talks about
S1: Paul's writings and what he says. Let's see.
S2: Second Peter three.
S1: Second Peter three. Yeah. Verse 16. Uh, he says uh,
S1: about uh, just as our dear brother Paul has written
S1: to you, according to the wisdom given to him, he
S1: speaks about these things in all his letters, in which
S1: there are some matters that are hard to understand. Well, yeah,
S1: I've read Romans. There are hard things in there. Uh,
S1: the untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction,
S1: as they also do with the rest of the scriptures.
S1: So what is Peter doing with Paul's writings? He's equating
S1: them with the rest of the scriptures. So here we
S1: have a very early epistle by the Apostle Peter, and
S1: he recognizes the Apostle Paul's writings as Scripture. And so,
S1: you know, when Paul says, all Scripture is inspired, whether
S1: he was just mainly talking about the Old Testament or not, uh,
S1: that's one thing. But he also is included in Scripture
S1: himself by the apostle Paul. Uh, Peter, Apostle Peter. Right. So, uh,
S1: I think that is one of the things that is
S1: really important to see that the whole New Testament was
S1: considered inspired. Uh, and.
S2: Yes, and also like really early in this, in this
S2: very chapter, the first couple verses of Second Peter three says,
S2: this is now beloved, the second letter I am writing
S2: to you, in which I am stirring up your sincere
S2: mind by way of a reminder that you should remember
S2: the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets. That'd be
S2: like the Old Testament, right? And the commandment of the
S2: Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. So it's linking
S2: the the reliability and scriptural nature of the Old and
S2: New Testament. Yeah.
S1: And then Paul writes, this is kind of interesting because
S1: in first Timothy. Uh, second Timothy 316, we've got that
S1: he's talking about the Old Testament. But in first Timothy
S1: 518 he says, uh, for the Scripture says, do not
S1: muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.
S4: Green.
S1: That's actually Deuteronomy 25 four is from the Torah, and
S1: the worker is worthy of his wages. That's Luke ten seven.
S1: So what Paul is saying, the Scripture says, what does
S1: he include both Old Testament and New Testament? So that's important.
S3: All right. And then what, um, how do we know?
S3: Do we have evidence that when selecting the canon and
S3: the books that belong in there, that God was guiding
S3: the hands that did that?
S5: Well, it just seems to me.
S1: How do you know when a book is in the
S1: canon is if it's inspired? And when the books were written,
S1: they were immediately received by the churches as inspired scripture.
S1: And that's what what it was. So that by the
S1: time you come to the late fourth century, when Athanasius
S1: gives his Easter letter, he is not determining the canon.
S1: He is recognizing what has been the canon. You can
S1: see it, by the way, the Church Fathers have quoted
S1: the scriptures and they recognize the New Testament. They quote
S1: virtually every New Testament book as scripture. Okay.
S2: Let me just say, I encourage you to pick up
S2: Pastor Luther's book on the seven reasons why we can
S2: trust the Bible and understand what he's saying there. And
S2: don't look to Dan Brown in The Da Vinci Code
S2: for the origin of the canon or any of that,
S2: because Dan Brown and Da Vinci Code completely, completely wrong. Mhm.
S3: All right. Thank you.
S1: Yeah.
S3: Well do you want to try and squeeze this.
S1: I'll answer so quick.
S3: Okay. Sharon in Indiana wants to say she appreciates the program.
S3: Matthew 121 Joseph is directed to name the baby Jesus. Um,
S3: and it cites Isaiah where the name they're supposed to
S3: name him is Emmanuel. Why do we address him as
S3: Jesus instead of Emmanuel?
S1: Well, Emmanuel was a throne title, just like in second
S1: Samuel 1224, Solomon was given the throne title of Jedidiah
S1: or Friend of God. So that Is is why Immanuel
S1: is a throne title, but Jesus is the personal name
S1: that he was to give. But let me just say,
S1: Jesus as the Messiah is still Emmanuel, not just at
S1: Christmas time. He is always God with us if we
S1: put our trust in him. If we believe that he
S1: died for our sins and rose again, he will be
S1: Messiah in us. He will live in us and never
S1: leave us. That's the good news, isn't it? Well, we're
S1: going to say goodbye now. Yes. Can't believe the program
S1: is over. But it is. Keep in touch with open line.
S1: First of all, thanks, Eva. Thanks, Trish, for for joining
S1: for this day. And also check out our website open
S1: Line radio.org has all the links you're looking for. Keep
S1: reading the Bible. We'll talk about it next week. Open
S1: line with Doctor Michael is a production of Moody Radio,
S1: a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. See you next week.