S1: Hello friends. It's time for the second hour of Open
S1: Line with Doctor Michael Moody Radio's Bible Study Across America
S1: and the world. And we're talking about your questions about
S1: the Bible, God and the spiritual life. My name is
S1: Michael Ray. I'm professor of Jewish studies and Bible at
S1: Moody Bible Institute. So glad you're with me today. If
S1: you have a Bible question today, don't phone in. It's
S1: a special all mailbag, all the time edition of Open Line.
S1: But you can write your question. Just go to our website,
S1: Open Line Radio.com, and you'll see a link there that
S1: says Ask Michael a question. You click on that and
S1: it will fill out. Bring up a form that you
S1: can fill out, and you can ask your question right
S1: there and then it will go into a future mailbag.
S1: But today we're trying to clear the spindle. Answer so
S1: many of the questions that have piled up. And so
S1: joining me today in studio is Eva Redlich. She's my
S1: colleague on the faculty of Moody Bible Institute. She's a
S1: co-contributor to the Moody Bible Commentary and the Moody Handbook
S1: of Messianic Prophecy. She's also my wife. Uh, Memorial Day weekend.
S1: We got married way back, uh, at the dawn of time.
S1: And so I am so glad that we have been
S1: together answering Bible questions for each other for all these
S1: many years. And also joining me is our mailbag expert. Uh,
S1: she is the producer of Open Line. Her name is
S1: Tricia McMillan. I'm so glad you're here, Tricia. Tricia is the, uh,
S1: every week you hear Tricia when she brings in the
S1: Febc mailbag. What is the Febc mailbag? Tricia.
S2: Uh, it is the same mailbag, but now, uh, we have, um.
S1: An underwriter.
S2: An underwriter, friends who have come alongside and said, we
S2: want to make sure that we're helping to support Open Line.
S1: And that those friends are Far East Broadcasting Company and, uh,
S1: we love them. And they are using technology to bring
S1: the good news all the way around the world. And
S1: they also have terrific follow up with radio and with
S1: not just with doing using radio and internet, but also
S1: with with real life people following up, bringing the gospel
S1: to people. And you can always go to. And you
S1: can learn all about them, pray for them. And also
S1: when you get there, uh, look for their podcast with
S1: Ed Cannon to all have heard. And I think knowing
S1: about Febc is a great benefit of anyone to know
S1: how to pray for reaching people around the world. Uh, okay.
S1: We're going to go right back to the mailbag, though.
S2: All right. We're going to dive in here. Rich Rodas, uh,
S2: listens on the website and says, I'm currently located in
S2: China and I love your show. I understand the concept
S2: of sin, but I don't understand evil. Uh, there are
S2: bad things that happen that, you know, awful things that happen,
S2: that just anguish and anger people, especially when it involves children.
S2: How can these types of evil exist and not be
S2: swiftly taken care of by God, knowing the evildoers will
S2: land in hell or even be redeemed and forgiven seems unjust?
S2: The delay in swift justice nearly shakes the faith of
S2: the believers.
S1: Yeah.
S3: Yeah, I think, you know you can fill in the
S3: blank for whatever kind of evil that and horrible, heartbreaking
S3: things are happening that you see to your own family
S3: or just internationally in the news. But I think he's
S3: brought up an important link here when he says, I
S3: understand the concept of sin, but I don't understand evil.
S3: I think that evil is an outgrowth of sin.
S1: Mhm. Yeah. And and of course, uh, he's not asking
S1: why do bad things happen to good people. Right. He's
S1: actually saying, why do good things happen to bad people?
S1: And why doesn't God judge them instantly? You know, we've
S1: all been in a situation when we hear someone say
S1: something blasphemous or you see someone doing something terrible, we
S1: want to say, let's step aside because we think a
S1: bolt of lightning is coming out right now. Well, that's
S1: what the psalmist Asaph or Asaph was thinking of when
S1: he wrote Psalm 73, and he's struggling with the fact
S1: that God is not. Acting quickly to judge them. And listen,
S1: I just want you to hear a couple of things
S1: that he says.
S3: This is Psalm 73.
S1: Psalm 73, verse 15. He says, if I had decided
S1: to say these things aloud about all these doubts and
S1: worries and concerns that he had, I would have betrayed
S1: your people. When I tried to understand all this, it
S1: seemed hopeless until I entered God's sanctuary. Then I understood
S1: their destiny. Indeed. You have put them in slippery places.
S1: You make them fall into ruin. How suddenly they become
S1: a desolation. So the first thing he understands is when
S1: he goes to worship. He says, you know what? It
S1: looks like they're not going to face judgment, but God
S1: will act there. Think about walking on ice. How suddenly,
S1: in those slippery places this has happened to me. You know,
S1: I let my dogs out the side and it's here,
S1: cold and snowy in Chicago, and the little pathway at
S1: the side of my house is turned to ice, and
S1: I'm walking along there, and next thing you know, I'm
S1: flat on my back suddenly. And that's what this is
S1: talking about, that that's what the destiny that God has
S1: for the wicked, that there's going to be sudden judgment.
S1: And then another thing, he says, uh, that he was stupid,
S1: he was embittered. I was stupid and didn't understand. I
S1: was an unthinking animal toward you. That's verse 22. And
S1: I really pondered why it was that he says, I
S1: was an animal when I was only living in the
S1: moment and trying to figure out, why isn't God judging now?
S1: Why does he wait? He's I think he says I
S1: was an animal before you because animals want instantaneous. They
S1: don't think about the future. They're only in the present.
S1: We used to have a dog that we wanted to
S1: put outside, and he didn't want to go outside when
S1: we were leaving. And so we would we would stand
S1: there on the deck, you know, step out. Come on,
S1: come on. He'd just look at us like, no, I'm
S1: not going out. And then every time I would take
S1: a little treat.
S3: Little tiny dog biscuit.
S1: Yeah. What would you do?
S3: Toss it out. He'd run right out after that.
S1: And then I closed the door and he'd like, oh,
S1: I totally forgot they were going to close the door
S1: because he was in the moment. He didn't have a
S1: sense of future. But we are eternal beings, and we
S1: recognize that there is a future and there will be
S1: a judgment for these things. And we shouldn't be beasts
S1: before God, but rather we should Understand that God has
S1: a purpose and a plan, and even though these evil
S1: things happen and he will judge. Uh, it's who knows
S1: why it is that. He doesn't judge instantly, but their
S1: feet are in slippery places. He has a purpose and
S1: a plan, and he will fulfill it.
S3: And this is you know, I think that all of
S3: us who love God and hate evil are struck with
S3: this question when we see things happen. And and I
S3: think another encouraging passage for all of us to take
S3: a look at is Habakkuk, because he begins the book
S3: and he says, how long, O Lord, will I call
S3: for help? And you will not hear? I cry out
S3: to you, violence, and yet you do not save. Why
S3: do you make me see iniquity and cause me to
S3: look on wickedness? And so and the whole book is
S3: this kind of question. And at the end it resolves
S3: that he says, yet I trust God and know he's
S3: going to bring righteous judgment. So read Habakkuk, along with
S3: Psalm 73, to to look for encouragement to these heart
S3: breaking questions.
S2: Okay, thank you for that encouragement. Thank you for your question, Rich.
S2: Peggy in Illinois listens to. Since witchcraft is mentioned in
S2: the Bible, what may be done today to address it?
S2: Are there any books that I could read or prayers
S2: for protection when I live next to a woman who
S2: practices witchcraft?
S3: Well, you know, I think with in her question, there
S3: is a warning flag for anyone who is thinking along
S3: this way. Looking for a book to or prayer to
S3: say for protection is almost wandering into the realm of
S3: the occult itself.
S1: Yeah. We don't.
S3: We.
S1: Don't want to run and get garlic or anything like that.
S3: Hang up wolfbane or horseshoes or, you know, spit three
S3: times and turn around. Um, that's not what we need
S3: to do when we're confronted with any kind of evil
S3: or wickedness.
S1: So whenever I think about witchcraft and demons and evil,
S1: I'm always drawn to Luke chapter ten when the 70
S1: returned with joy, saying, Lord, this is verse 17. Lord,
S1: even the demons submit to us in your name. So
S1: Jesus sent out 70 of his followers, gave them authority
S1: to preach, and they were like, wow! We can cast
S1: out demons. And he said to them, I watched Satan
S1: fall from heaven like a lightning flash. In other words,
S1: Satan is a defeated foe. He was already cast out
S1: of heaven. He was already judged at that point. He's
S1: going to be judged again at at the crucifixion of
S1: the Messiah when he crushes the, the, the head of
S1: the serpent, so to speak, from Genesis 315. He'll be
S1: cast ultimately into the abyss, not ultimately into the abyss.
S1: And then judge one more time, he'll be cast into
S1: the lake of fire. So Jesus is talking about Satan
S1: as a defeated foe. And then he says, look, I've
S1: given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and
S1: over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will ever
S1: harm you. So that's what I would say to Peggy.
S1: Nothing's going to harm you. She can't do anything to you.
S1: She may try, but she can't. Uh, you are under
S1: the protection of the Holy Spirit. You are secure and safe.
S1: Then he says, uh. However, don't rejoice that the spirits
S1: submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written
S1: in heaven. In other words, Jesus says, don't focus on
S1: the occult. Don't focus on demons. Don't focus on this stuff.
S1: Focus on your own salvation. Focus on the fact that
S1: you know the Lord. So I think when I meet
S1: believers that are sort of consumed with the demonic world,
S1: with witchcraft, with with demonization and all these different things,
S1: I want to say Jesus said, that's not that's not
S1: our focus. Our focus ought to be on what God
S1: has provided for us, not what the enemy is trying
S1: to do to us.
S3: Right? And I think we need to encourage ourselves by knowing,
S3: as it says in second Timothy one seven, God has
S3: not given us the spirit of fear, but power and
S3: love and a strong mind. And then he goes on
S3: to say in first John that greater is he who
S3: is in you than he who is in the world.
S3: So stop being afraid and instead refocus your mind on
S3: the Lord Jesus.
S2: She talks about I did not read this part of
S2: the email, but she talks about specific things that this
S2: neighbor has.
S3: Who cares?
S2: Okay, I was going to say, how do you how
S2: do you when you see those sometimes the visible you
S2: can freak yourself out with those things, right? Because you
S2: start dwelling on them and thinking about them. So what
S2: could she do to intentionally focus on the salvation and
S2: to focus on not being fearful and these kinds of things,
S2: but memorizing the Scripture.
S1: Here's a here's something that I think I'm sure you
S1: can find it on the internet. I know it's in
S1: Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology 33 benefits of our salvation. Uh,
S1: if you look up Louis Barry Schaefer, maybe I'm speaking
S1: out of turn, but I'm guessing that if you googled
S1: chafer Lewis Sperry Chafer, 33 Benefits of Salvation. And he
S1: lists them, they're wonderful. Uh, and.
S2: And these are things like.
S1: Uh, security that we are safe in God's hands. Uh,
S1: that and you just go through those and then meditate
S1: on that. Don't think about what I'm saying is that's
S1: how we rejoice.
S3: And and.
S1: In our names being written in the book of life.
S3: And these, uh, you know, statues or whatever she sees
S3: in her neighbor's yard. They're just like the idols that
S3: we see in the prophets that Isaiah and Jeremiah talked about.
S3: They are nothing. They are just plaster, and they have
S3: no power over her. So just avert your eyes and
S3: look back at Scripture.
S1: Yeah. Focus on Scripture.
S3: Yeah. Okay.
S2: All right. Thanks for that question, Peggy. Did you want
S2: to go to the break?
S1: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Let's go to a break. Thank you.
S1: Thank you. I'm so glad you're here, Tricia. I'm ready
S1: for more questions. Come on. We're going to go to
S1: a break now. We're so glad that you're listening in
S1: to Open Line with Tricia McMillan and me, Michael Radonich.
S1: We're going to be back with more of your questions
S1: on this all mailbag, all the time program of Open Line.
S1: So stay right there. We'll be back with more questions
S1: straight ahead. Welcome back to Open Line. I'm Michael Radonich
S1: I'm so glad you're joining me today. And I'm here
S1: with my Bible answer partners. Eva Reed who is a
S1: professor at Moody Bible Institute and also the a contributor
S1: to the Moody Bible Commentary, the Moody Handbook of Messianic
S1: Prophecy and my partner in life. And also joining me
S1: right here is Tricia McMillan. She is the producer of
S1: Open Line. She's with me every week. You know her
S1: from the mailbag, the Febc mailbag portion that we do
S1: on the program every week. Uh, but I'm grateful for
S1: other partners, the kitchen table partners, or the people who
S1: keep open Line on the air every week by giving
S1: their gift monthly. And, uh, now, Tricia, sometimes I wonder
S1: why in the world would someone be willing or want
S1: to even become a kitchen table partner with so many
S1: people have, and I'm so grateful for them. Uh, but
S1: you said you just got a really cool email from
S1: someone who became a kitchen table partner today.
S2: Yes. Well, Diane emailed or sorry, gave a gift earlier
S2: this month and said I gave to Open Line because
S2: this program has helped me tremendously in having a better
S2: understanding of the scriptures, leading to my growing more in
S2: my walk and relationship with Jesus Christ.
S1: Wow.
S2: So I think that's why a lot of people give
S2: to support and join us around the radio kitchen table.
S1: Yeah, I was so grateful for people who want to
S1: partner with us. It is. I can't even express how
S1: grateful I am, and I really this is, you know,
S1: my real hope. When I first started Open Line back
S1: in 1957. Was to help people in their walk with
S1: the Lord. To help them take their next step to grow.
S1: And even some people find the Lord through open lineups,
S1: which I'm so grateful for, and then continue to grow.
S1: And so by people becoming monthly partners, kitchen table partners,
S1: they are helping that process continue. And I'm so grateful
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S1: I will send you a special Bible study designed exclusively
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S2: All right. Our next question is from Lois in Indiana.
S2: Listens to since the angels who left their first estate
S2: and are chained up to wait for judgment. Who do
S2: you think the evil spirits are who are roaming about
S2: the earth? Because we always think of them as being
S2: like Satan fell with a third, and we think of
S2: them as just being the fallen angels. But it says
S2: that they're.
S1: Well, the thing is, in first Peter chapter three, uh,
S1: I think is what they are talking about. It says, uh,
S1: he went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison
S1: And therefore this person is saying, these are the evil
S1: spirits in prison right there, chained up, waiting future judgment.
S1: But I don't think that those spirits in prison are
S1: referring to demons, unless there's another verse that Lois is
S1: talking about. I think that's talking about, uh, that he
S1: made proclamation to the spirits who are now in prison.
S1: In other words, uh, in first Peter 319, it's talking
S1: about that Jesus preached through Noah to the people of
S1: Noah's day who rejected the message. And now they are
S1: spirits locked up in prison. Uh, is that.
S2: Perhaps there's a there's a passage in, um, verse in
S2: second Peter.
S1: Second Peter.
S2: Two four that said, for if God didn't spare the
S2: angels who sinned, but threw them down into Tartarus and
S2: delivered them to be kept in chains of darkness until judgment.
S1: Okay. Now, those, uh, there are some who are in
S1: the abyss. I believe in revelation. They are released in
S1: the tribulation period, and they ultimately will be judged and
S1: cast into the lake of fire. So there are some
S1: demons that have been not all, but some demons that
S1: are awaiting judgment. They're going to be released one more
S1: time from the abyss. Uh, and then they will again
S1: face judgement, final judgment, and be cast into the lake
S1: of fire. But I don't think it refers to all
S1: fallen angels, some of the fallen angels. And I'm not
S1: sure why God chose those to go into the abyss
S1: and await that final day when they're going to be
S1: released for one last attack. And I'm not sure God knows.
S1: I don't know, you know, no one knows. But it
S1: doesn't mean that all demons were placed in bondage there. Uh,
S1: there's some obviously many that are still active trying to
S1: through through the work of Satan, which is he seeks. He.
S1: He is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.
S1: So he goes about wanders the earth to do that, right?
S2: So, um, yeah, in Jude six and seven also mentions, yeah,
S2: some of the the eternal chains and darkness.
S1: Yeah.
S3: And when we think about these things, though, don't you
S3: think we need to go back to a little bit
S3: of what we were saying about the woman who was
S3: concerned about witchcraft. We don't need to be focusing on
S3: this and being afraid of them.
S1: Yeah. It's not. It's I don't think it's healthy. I
S1: think people really are too demon oriented at times when
S1: they when they think about it. I think we need
S1: to be salvation oriented. Not that we should be ignorant
S1: of it, but when you look at how do we
S1: deal with spiritual warfare? I think Ephesians six is don't
S1: go looking for it. Stand against it. Uh, you don't
S1: have to cast it out. You don't have to renounce it.
S1: What it says is resist. Stand against. That's what it means.
S1: And and it says embody this lifestyle. And that's what the, the,
S1: the armor of God is. The armor of God is.
S1: It doesn't mean you pray it on. You live this lifestyle.
S1: So you know, you have the sword of the spirit,
S1: the Word of God, and read the word. You know,
S1: you have the breastplate of salvation. Focus on your salvation,
S1: which is our protection. Uh, if you have the if
S1: your feet are shod with the gospel of peace, that
S1: means go share the gospel. That's that's the lifestyle that
S1: we need to resist. And and I think that's where
S1: our focus ought to be.
S2: Okay. All right. Thanks for that question, Lois. Gary wrote
S2: us from Illinois, listens to WNBA. My wife and I
S2: were reading a devotional recently based on Luke 431 through 37. Um,
S2: which is Jesus going down and casting out, um, a man? Sorry.
S2: Casting out demons out of a man who had an
S2: unclean spirit. A demonic spirit. Mhm. Um, and the writer
S2: of this devotional was a physician and says many doubt
S2: the accuracy of this diagnosis, saying it was more likely
S2: insanity or a seizure disorder, but certainly not demon possession.
S2: There's even a medical diagnosis for this called trance and
S2: possession disorders. Uh, Gary, who wrote in with the question,
S2: says I'm troubled by this. I looked it up in
S2: a Bible concordance, and the word demon is used 16
S2: times in the Gospels. So I believe there's I'm fairly
S2: certain that demons were at work and are at work
S2: in the world and didn't see much in the commentary,
S2: the Moody Bible commentary. So I was wondering what you thought.
S2: Are these is this a delusion kind of thing, or
S2: is this are they demons? Like.
S1: I think when the Bible talks about demon possession or
S1: actually the the most common phrases in the Bible are
S1: either demonization or demonized. That's the word that's used in Greek.
S1: It would really instead we we translated demon possession, but
S1: it should be demonized. He had a daughter who was demonized.
S1: The other thing is possessing a demon spirit. An evil spirit.
S1: That's another way it's described. Okay. And I think when
S1: the Bible talks about it. Yes, that's true. I think that, uh,
S1: first of all, uh, there was a, I think a
S1: real upsurge at the time of the coming of the
S1: Messiah of Demons activity, getting involved in people's lives in
S1: this way. And that's why there was so much confrontation
S1: about it by the Lord Jesus. I think there are
S1: still today animistic, demon oriented pagan cultures where there's still
S1: a good deal of demonization in the lives of people. Uh,
S1: I don't think believers can be demonized, but I think
S1: what happens and this is unfortunate. Just. We know this story, Eva.
S1: We had this friend who had, uh, psychological issues and
S1: was being treated by medicine. And someone told him, no,
S1: it's a demon. Stop taking the medicine. Uh, and it
S1: was a disaster.
S3: Yeah.
S1: So. Right. So, uh, they cast out, allegedly, the demon.
S1: And you're going to be fine. You don't need to
S1: take this medicine. But they actually did have a psychological issue.
S1: So I think in Luke four, we're dealing with a
S1: demonization issue. But today it's not always a demonization issue.
S1: Sometimes it's a psychological issue. And, you know, so, uh,
S1: I think the best thing is to see if a
S1: person is dealing with these issues, a Christian psychiatrist would
S1: be able to determine whether it's a demonization issue or
S1: a psychological issue.
S3: And and perhaps this devotional that they were talking about reading.
S3: There are some people who want to strip the, the, the, the,
S3: the New Testament of any sort of supernaturalism. And they
S3: say it's all it's only it was only medical. It's
S3: only natural. It's nothing supernatural. And that's not where we
S3: want to go when we look at the scriptures.
S4: Yeah. Okay.
S2: All right. Thank you for that. Thanks for that question, Gary.
S2: Autumn wrote us from Ohio listens to CRF going to
S2: Luke 15 now. Um, Jesus gives several parables. The first two,
S2: the lost sheep and the lost coin display. A shepherd
S2: or owner who seeks and finds the lost. The third
S2: is The Lost Son depicts the lost having to come
S2: back to the Master and Father, where the father is
S2: not seeking, he's just standing and watching and waiting. Can
S2: you explain the difference between these parables and how it
S2: ties into salvation? Why was there no seeking in the
S2: third parable of the Lost Son?
S1: I'm going to give a kind of a quick answer
S1: on this in parables. We have to ask, what is
S1: this about? This is not about how people come to salvation.
S1: It is about how much God values sinners, lost people
S1: just like the lost coin and the lost sheep and
S1: the lost son. In each of them it communicates how
S1: much God values the lost, how much he cares about
S1: the lost, and how much he wants them to be,
S1: to be, to come home to him. And it also
S1: deals with the son, the older son who represents religious hypocrisy,
S1: people who don't care about the lost the way God does,
S1: but they just care about themselves and want to be
S1: kind of righteously legalistic, you know. And so it's not
S1: really explaining how people are saved. And yet I can
S1: say this the Bible teaches, Jesus said all that the
S1: father has given me will come to me. Uh, it
S1: says in Luke, in acts 13, all who were appointed
S1: for eternal life believed. So the Bible teaches both that
S1: God appoints God draws people, and then also people must believe.
S1: And so what you see are both those things right
S1: there in those parables. Okay. We're going to be right
S1: back with more of your questions on this all mailbag
S1: day of open line. Stay right there. Ever been reading
S1: your Bible and come across an unfamiliar name, place, or
S1: object that left you confused? Well, you're not alone. That's
S1: why we want to send you the Ultimate Bible Dictionary,
S1: a practical resource with hundreds of clear, accessible definitions enhanced
S1: by colorful maps and illustrations that bring the Scripture to life.
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S1: It's another all mailbag, all the time program on Open Line,
S1: another edition. You've sent so many emails, we thought that
S1: it'd be really good to to kind of clear the
S1: spindle with all the questions you've sent in. And so
S1: I'm here, Michael Ray. And joining me is Eva Ray
S1: Jelinek and Tricia McMillan and Tricia. Uh, let's continue with
S1: these questions. Let's try and answer as many as we can.
S2: All right. I have another parable question from Luke 16.
S2: But before I get to that one, uh, a follow
S2: up to the previous question on Luke 15. Yeah. Um,
S2: from Autumn, she was asking about the three lost, the
S2: lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son parables
S2: that Jesus told us earlier in the program. You had
S2: said parables need to be read because they're standalone stories.
S2: And so how how are how does that statement apply
S2: to Luke 15 with these three parables that you kind
S2: of tied together?
S1: Well, the reason I tied those together is that they
S1: all come together. It says all in Luke 15, all
S1: the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to
S1: him and the religious leadership. The Pharisees and the scribes
S1: were complaining, this man welcomes sinners and eats with them.
S1: So he told them this parable. He tells the story
S1: of the the lost sheep. And then he says, or
S1: what woman? And so he's continuing to address the same issue, uh, with,
S1: with those religious leadership, uh, by talking about the lost coin.
S1: And then in verse 11, he says, he also said,
S1: indicating he's still addressing the very same issue. So although
S1: these are three different parables, they're all addressing the same
S1: issue and they were told one after another, three stories
S1: in a row to address the issue that was raised
S1: about how can how can he care about these sinners?
S2: So it's a time when our, our little, um, chapter, uh,
S2: our little, uh, division things within to tell you what
S2: the story is.
S1: Our conjunctions help. Yes. Yeah.
S2: Okay. All right. So Luke 16, it does say. He
S2: also said. But this is to the disciples now instead
S2: of to the leaders. Okay. Yeah. All right. So Alison
S2: in Illinois listens to WNBA and said in Luke 1609
S2: talking about this is now the parable of the dishonest manager.
S1: Mhm.
S2: Um, it says, I tell you, make friends for yourselves
S2: by means of the unrighteous money, so that when it
S2: fails they may welcome you into eternal dwellings.
S1: Oh, you know what? I just want to say something.
S1: You just nailed something exactly right in verse six and
S1: 16 when it says it's like a shift. He also
S1: said to his disciples, and now I think he's addressing
S1: the same issue of God's concern for the lost. But
S1: now it's not to the religious leadership. Now it's what
S1: should you do about it, you disciples?
S2: Yeah. These are people closer to him. His audience has shifted.
S1: Yeah. And he's going to tell this other parable. Go ahead. Okay. Question.
S2: So Alison wants to know, can friends in that verse
S2: that I read be interpreted souls for Christ? And if not,
S2: can you help me understand the meaning of this?
S1: Yeah. Uh, in 1609, it says, make friends for yourselves
S1: by means of unrighteous money. Now, this is about the
S1: unrighteous steward. And of course, Eva, uh, people want to say,
S1: is Jesus teaching unrighteousness?
S3: No, of course not. He's not saying be unrighteous like
S3: the steward was unrighteous. He's saying, use take that principle
S3: of wisdom, that he was wise in the ways of
S3: the world. You need to be wise in the ways
S3: of eternity.
S1: Yeah, that we can use. Just like he used money
S1: to set himself up when he was getting in trouble, right?
S1: We can use filthy mammon, you know, filthy money, which
S1: we think is. Oh, that's always dirty. No, we can
S1: use it for the kingdom.
S3: Money is neutral.
S1: Yeah.
S3: It's the love of money.
S1: That's exactly.
S3: It's not money itself.
S1: And he says that just as he used money to
S1: set himself up, he's. Now he says that believers, his disciples,
S1: should also use money.
S3: Yeah.
S1: Uh, to advance the kingdom. And the way they do
S1: that is make friends for yourselves by means of the
S1: unrighteous money. So when it fails, they may welcome you
S1: into eternal dwellings. And I would just say that, uh,
S1: you know, even I we give to missionaries, you know,
S1: we're using our money for the kingdom. Yeah. And, uh,
S1: there's going to come a day when I go into
S1: the presence of the Lord when we enter the kingdom. Right?
S1: They're going to be friends. I've made that. I don't
S1: even know about that when I. There'll be people there saying,
S1: you know, you gave money to Dave and Barbara or
S1: to Pete and Carol, and they brought the gospel to
S1: me in Irian Jaya or to.
S3: South America.
S1: In South America. And I came to the Lord through
S1: their ministry. And you have made we have a friend
S1: for eternity now, because I have in a sense, what
S1: I've been trying to do is make friends for yourselves,
S1: for eternity, for myself, for ourselves, by giving to the
S1: ministry and using money to advance the kingdom. And that's
S1: the principle there. Those are the friends, the people that
S1: will be one to the Lord through using the money
S1: for the kingdom.
S2: So then it seems the answer would be yes. It
S2: could be interpreted souls for Christ. Yeah. Okay.
S3: And using whatever money you have to to advance the
S3: work of God and it's, you know, it may not
S3: be soul winning. It may be providing for the poor
S3: who maybe already know the Lord. But they're destitute because
S3: it says in Proverbs, he who gives to the poor
S3: lends to the Lord. So use your money, because where
S3: your treasure is, there will your heart be also. I
S3: think it's related to all of that kingdom principle of
S3: of using your your money, your money to advance whatever
S3: God is doing on earth.
S2: Okay. All right. Thank you. Um, Gerson in Florida listens
S2: to and wants to know about jealousy. Haha. Sort of.
S2: Galatians 520 and 21 talks about how jealousy is a sin.
S2: But in Exodus 3414 it says God is a jealous God.
S2: And actually you are never to bow down to another God,
S2: because Yahweh, being jealous by nature, is a jealous God.
S2: So someone asked Gerson if there's a contradiction in what's
S2: said in these two verses, and wasn't sure how to
S2: answer that.
S1: Uh, well, jealousy is one of those things that we
S1: can have righteous jealousy or unrighteous jealousy.
S2: So similar to anger.
S1: Yeah.
S2: Okay.
S1: And so in a in a sense, we can say
S1: that God is a jealous God. That's righteous jealousy if
S1: we will ever go to idols. Right? That's that's righteous jealousy. Now,
S1: if what is unrighteous jealousy? I'll give you an example. Uh,
S1: since I have the most faithful wife that ever has
S1: lived on the earth. If my wife were not flirtatious
S1: and she were not in any way, uh, and she
S1: wasn't doing anything like that, and I still she happened
S1: to be talking to some man. Uh, and I see it,
S1: and I become jealous, even though there's no cause that's
S1: unrighteous jealousy. And we all have heard about people who
S1: have unrighteous jealousy.
S3: Now there are suspicious in their cruel because they think
S3: that their spouse is cheating on them when their spouse isn't.
S1: Yeah.
S3: Or or or even thinking of cheating on them. For example.
S1: The, uh, you know, the the student that sees me, uh,
S1: having lunch with a student at Moody and says, I
S1: wanted to have lunch with him. Why isn't he having
S1: lunch with me? Well, I never asked, you know what
S1: I mean? And so as a result, they become jealous. Oh,
S1: he plays favorites. And, uh, the end result is that
S1: they they they actually can make trouble. And that's unrighteous jealousy.
S1: So the God's righteousness is seen in his jealousy. You know,
S1: just like a man ought to be jealous of his wife.
S1: Were flirtatious. Right. On the other hand, God's not like that.
S1: But we can be unrighteously jealous.
S3: And.
S1: By projecting these kinds of false thoughts.
S3: Right. And in the in the passage he points out
S3: in Galatians five, it really is a whole bunch of
S3: things that are that are bad immorality and impurity and
S3: sensuality and, um, all of these things all together. And
S3: so these are bad things. But yeah, but God's concern.
S1: But it even has outbursts of anger. And yet in Ephesians,
S1: the very next book, it says, uh, be angry, yet
S1: do not sin. So what does it say? Anger isn't wrong.
S1: It's the outburst of anger.
S2: But can we, as sinful humans, are we able to
S2: have righteous jealousy?
S1: Yeah. Yeah, sure.
S2: Okay. Like how? I mean, like I think about, yes,
S2: we could have righteous anger, but it's really hard, I think,
S2: to even know what that looks like on a sinful human,
S2: because it seems like it's such a fine line between
S2: what takes you over into, um, the unrighteous anger or
S2: the unrighteous jealousy. Like, so often, it's it's from a sinful, uh,
S2: place that that is kind of springing forth. And so
S2: how do you how can you tell if it's a
S2: righteous or unrighteous jealousy?
S1: Okay, so I, I know of a woman that established
S1: a friendship with a man that was not her husband.
S1: They did not have an immoral relationship. But this woman
S1: had become really best friends with another man. And her
S1: husband had a righteous jealousy, and he didn't get angry
S1: and explode. But he sat down and said, listen, this
S1: ought not to be. I'm the primary male relationship. You
S1: ought to have. Not saying you can't be friends, but
S1: this person has displaced me. And she was penitent and restored.
S1: But you see, that would be your righteous H's jealousy. Uh,
S1: when when that woman was involved with a person that
S1: she ought not to have as her primary relationship.
S4: Okay.
S3: A classic story of unrighteous jealousy is Othello by Shakespeare.
S1: Yeah.
S3: He was so jealous of his wife, and he was
S3: prodded on by this wicked man. Iago.
S1: Iago? Yeah.
S3: And it is a story of disaster. His wife was
S3: totally faithful to him, but his unrighteous jealousy led to tragedy.
S3: And it's one of the great tragedies of literature. And
S3: it's a great example of this.
S1: Of unrighteous.
S3: Unrighteous jealousy.
S4: Okay. All right.
S2: Thanks.
S1: We're going to take a break again. Here we go. Uh,
S1: I keep waiting for you to ask me another question,
S1: but the time's up. We're going to be right back
S1: with more of your questions in just a moment. Uh,
S1: you're listening to Open Line with Michael Jelenic, Eva melnik,
S1: and Tricia McMillan. When we come back. we've got more
S1: of the mailbag coming up. So stay right there. We'll
S1: be right back. So many people have questions about Israel.
S1: That's why Chosen People Ministry is one of our partners
S1: is offering a free booklet, Why Israel? This book explores
S1: the topic of Israel through the lens of Scripture, bringing
S1: clarity to a controversial topic. Has the church replaced Israel
S1: and the plan of God? Does ethnic Israel still have
S1: a future? What about Israel today? If you'd like answers
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S1: Scroll down to the link that says Free Gift from
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S1: to sign up for your own copy of Why Israel?
S1: Welcome back to Open Line. So glad this has been
S1: just a great time. As we cleared the spindle for
S1: this Memorial Day weekend and all mailbag all the Time program.
S1: I'm so thankful that you've joined me today. And, uh,
S1: Tricia McMillan, my name is Michael Melnick. We're doing our
S1: best to answer the questions you've mailed in. And so, Tricia,
S1: let's see what else we can cover.
S2: All right. Linda in Tennessee listens to WNBA. Says recently,
S2: I discovered that the word homosexual was not in the
S2: Bible until the 1950s. Can you please explain the Greek
S2: word Arsa arsenokoitai? Yes. That word and how you see
S2: the translation.
S1: Uh, and, you know, she did a little second question there.
S1: Is this translated more toward molestation than homosexuality? Uh, which
S1: is what it is contended.
S4: Okay.
S1: Okay. Uh, this is, uh, let me just say, first
S1: of all, I think that that believers have sometimes made
S1: homosexuality the single worst sin. And God, you know, there's
S1: a lot of sins out there. And I'm not saying
S1: homosexuality isn't a sin. I believe that God never intended
S1: sexual relations between to be with same sex relationships. It's, um,
S1: but God didn't intend sexual relationships outside of marriage, even
S1: heterosexual relationships outside of marriage. And there are many things
S1: that are an abomination to the Lord. In fact, slander
S1: is an abomination. So let's put this in perspective. I
S1: think God loves all people. For God so loved the world.
S1: We need to love our homosexual friends. Uh, we need
S1: to do our best to win them to the Lord. Uh, I,
S1: I just I want to really clarify how much we
S1: have to care about those people who have same sex
S1: attraction and same sex relationships. All that said, though, the
S1: current advocacy for same sex relationships is saying this very
S1: thing that the word homosexual was not used in any
S1: Bible translation until 1946. And the answer to that is
S1: the word homosexual did not exist until about 1891 or 2.
S1: It was coined at that time. So the behavior of
S1: same sex relationship is spoken of in the Bible. Uh, but, uh,
S1: the that behavior, uh, was not called homosexuality. It's described.
S1: It is not using that word because the word didn't
S1: exist when the Bible was translated, for example, into the
S1: King James Bible. It's only modern translations that use that.
S1: And for example, in First Corinthians six. It uses this
S1: word arsenokoitai. It is taken right out of the book
S1: of Leviticus, which was translated into Greek in Leviticus as
S1: describes same sex relationships and calls it a sinful. And
S1: then the Septuagint translates it and uses the word male
S1: sexual relations. And that generally is the word that's used
S1: for the, uh, the, the male who is active in
S1: sexual relations. And then in first Corinthians six, there's another word, malakoi, uh, which, uh,
S1: in Eve is Bible. She. We were talking about this
S1: word recently. It's the word translated in the New American
S1: Standard as effeminate. Right. Yeah. And, uh, but I don't
S1: think it means effeminate. When I looked it up in
S1: the Greek lexicon, it was the passive recipient of a
S1: male sexual relationship. The male receiving it has nothing to
S1: do with molestation. It doesn't have to do with pagan, uh, actions.
S1: What it's referring to are same sex relationships. And, uh,
S1: that's what Paul says ought not to be, as well
S1: as other issues. I mean, the very same passage he
S1: deals with stealing. Robbing. So, uh, I believe that he
S1: says that in first Corinthians six, uh, where he he
S1: says these things, uh, he says, don't be deceived. No
S1: sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers. And then he uses that word, uh,
S1: malakoi and arsenokoitai, uh, sexual homosexual relationships.
S3: People seem to be okay with that.
S1: Yeah. And no thieves, no greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive
S1: people or swindlers will inherit the God's kingdom. And so
S1: what happens is people want to make homosexuality something Thing
S1: worse than all these other things. These are all things
S1: that will separate us from God and and we we need.
S1: But it says and such were some of you used
S1: to be like this? We can be redeemed from that.
S1: So the Lord Jesus died for all our sins, including
S1: same sex relationship sins.
S3: And rose again.
S1: And then he rose again. He died for the sins,
S1: rose again, proving he's God. And he can redeem us
S1: if we'll trust in him.
S2: Yeah, I like the end of the verse where you said, um,
S2: you used to be like this, but you were washed,
S2: you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of
S2: the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God.
S4: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
S1: So we don't have to say, oh, that's that's what
S1: we are. And there's no hope. There's great hope.
S4: Yeah.
S2: Yeah. Thank you. Uh, next question is from Joanne in Florida.
S2: She says we usually say amen at the end of prayer.
S2: Does that mean so be it? Or is it giving
S2: reference to the sun god?
S3: Uh, well, first of all, it's not giving reference to
S3: the sun god. Amenhotep has nothing to do with the
S3: word Amen. This is, you know, the internet's a wealth
S3: of bad information. And the word amen is, is we
S3: see it in Greek, but it actually comes from the Hebrew,
S3: from the same word. It's just a transliteration that came
S3: into Greek. And it means and it does mean truth
S3: or it is true, it and it is used in firm.
S1: It actually literally means firm.
S3: Firm. Yeah, it is firm. And uh, and it's interesting
S3: that where Jesus is called the Amen in revelation 314,
S3: it is really a reference, I think back to Isaiah
S3: 6516 where he talks about how God is truth. It's
S3: the same thing. He is called the Amen and the word.
S3: We read the New Testament and Jesus is teaching and
S3: he says, verily, verily, I say to you, it actually
S3: is Amen, Amen, I say to you. He used it
S3: at the beginning of so many statements, where as we
S3: have come into the to the practice of when someone
S3: is praying, we say Amen. Meaning yes, we agree. May
S3: it be so. May it be so.
S1: Yeah. Well, can you believe it? That's the program for
S1: this week. Thanks for listening, everyone. Especially those of you
S1: who sent in these really terrific questions. I really appreciate that. Uh,
S1: as always, I'm grateful to Tricia McMillan for putting this
S1: mailbag together and joining me and for for helping me
S1: answer these questions today and also Courtney. Courtney Young, our engineer,
S1: did a great job making this all flow together. Thank
S1: you so much for that. Uh, remember you can check
S1: out our web page, Open Line radio.org. It's got all
S1: sorts of great links. You can see our current Bible
S1: study resource, how to become a Kitchen table Partner. You
S1: can see my own website. Keep reading the Bible. We'll
S1: talk about it next week. Open line with Doctor Michael
S1: Wright is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of
S1: Moody Bible Institute. Have a great Memorial Day. Bye.