3 Sure Things

TNG Radio, where today's culture and timeless truths come together.

It's reasoned, relevant content apologetics, worldview and answers to the questions that you need to know. From Alex McFarland Ministries, this is Truth for a New Generation Radio. And now the man who preached in 50 states in 50 days, speaker, writer and advocate for Christian apologetics, Dr. Alex McFarland. Where it says, a sower went out to sow. And whenever I go to the Cove, the Billy Graham Training Center in western North Carolina, one of my favorite things to see there is a painting.

And I believe some Russian Christians gave it to Billy Graham one time. But they painted a picture of the sower. A man in a vast field.

You can't even see the end of it. Just a vast field. And the man is sowing seed. And the bag is bulging with seed. It seems to be like an unlimited number of seed. But equally an unlimited number of needs.

As this area to reap a crop is just nearly unlimited. And the man who is the sower in this painting, beautiful painting, is Billy Graham. He was the sower of the gospel that went out to sow. And he gave his life to sharing the gospel with the whole wide world, as I'm sure everybody listening knows.

Do you know each one of us is called in a similar way to be a sower of the life-giving seed of the gospel? Hi, Alex McFarland here, and we're going to talk about today three sure things in a world full of maybes. And I'll explain that title in a moment, but I want to welcome you to today's edition of the program. As I record this, I'm just brimming over with joy. I've been on the road speaking throughout Mississippi.

And a week ago I was in South Carolina and then preached in a church and went to Mississippi, was at a very wonderful church there, was at a correctional facility with some inmates sharing the gospel, was in several public schools and a community college sharing with young people. And one thing I know, the world changes, interest rates change, and the economy goes up and down, and culture changes, and clothing styles change, and the design of cars is changed so that they hope you'll buy a new one every four years. And so much changes. But you know what doesn't change? I'm going to give you two things that really don't change. One, the need of the human heart, the hunger of the human heart to know God and to have peace inside. Another thing that doesn't change is the love of Christ and the reality of the gospel that whosoever will may come to Jesus and be saved and be forgiven.

And so know that whatever your heart is hungry for, you're going to find the solution, the fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so in a world that seems ever transient and ever changing, I want to talk about several sure things in a world full of maybes. And some of the things I'm going to talk about today may not be all that pleasant. In fact, you may feel a little bit uncomfortable. But the subjects are very, very important. And you know, it's been said you're not really ready to face life until you face the fact that life will one day be taken away from you.

And so let's talk about that. You know, in the Bible the book of Hebrews says it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment. And how sad it would be if the story ended there.

But of course the Bible goes on and explains, so Christ was offered up to bring the ungodly to the Father and to save the lost. And so the first sure thing in an otherwise transient world, the first sure thing in a world full of maybes is this, that physical death is a certainty that all will face. Hebrews 9.27, it is appointed for man once to die. You know, they say every day. Every day 30 children are killed by gunfire. Every day several dozen teens commit suicide. Heart disease is still the number one killer, and there are drunk drivers, and there's increasing violence, and there are shootings in public places, and break-ins, and the ever-present threat of terrorism.

But let's be sober and honest with ourselves. Physical death is a certainty that all will face. The death of the body, that is. And according to the Word of God, you have an appointment with death. And God knows when that is.

Now it may be 2.05 p.m. a week from today. Who knows? Only God knows. But we try to avoid thinking about the inevitable reality of death, but death is a reality that cannot be escaped. Now our culture is being increasingly obsessed with youth and youthfulness, and you can't hardly turn on the TV without seeing infomercials about anti-aging creams and things that will hopefully turn back the clock, but the clock will not be denied. Andy Rooney, the great commentator, once said to the young, death seems just like some distant rumor. But death is a reality, and gimmicks and creams rubbed into our wrinkled bodies will not eliminate the appointment that has been made in your name.

Jogging suits won't turn back the clock, and a fine master won't keep you young enough to avoid physical death. Bee pollen, garlic, fish oil, all of these things, you could swim in a pond of St. John's wort, but you'll not escape the reality of death. You know, the story is told of a preacher that was talking to his congregation about the importance of faith, and the preacher said, someday you all will die. Every person in this church will die one day. And a man out in the audience sort of giggled under his breath, and the preacher said, how can you laugh?

And the man said, well, I'm not a member of this church. But the point is, death is a common denominator, and physical death is that certainty that all will face. And there's nothing morbid about thinking about this. Getting ready to die, being prepared, is actually the wisest thing you'll ever do. And helping others be prepared. The wisest thing we can ever do is to turn our lives to Christ and be saved. And the most loving thing that a born-again believer could ever do is help a neighbor, a friend, somebody who doesn't know Christ find Christ. This is a very important thing to think about, physical death, that all will face. To those who don't know Christ, it's a terrifying thing. But to those who do know the Lord, it's been said, death is a matter of comfort for the godly, for they shall die well and die only once. Now I'm going to explain more about that when we come back. Stay tuned.

Alex McFarland here, Truth for a New Generation Radio. We'll continue with Hebrews 9, 27 and 28 after this. For several years Marco Polo had spoken to the Khan of Christ, and now he wanted his people to hear. The request was received, but only two missionaries said they would go, and one died before reaching the Mongol territory.

This effectively closed the door for missionary work in the region for hundreds of years. Theologians consider the sending of only two missionaries one of the greatest missed evangelistic opportunities of all time. Question, when God calls out, whom will go, whom will I send?

Will you be quick to say, here am I, send me? Be bold, be faithful, be a watchman. IAmAWatchman.com At Liberty University, you'll earn more than a degree. You'll earn the satisfaction of seeing what you can accomplish and what God can accomplish through you. Choose from more than 600 degree options from an associate to a PhD and study 100% online more affordably than you think. Discover God's truth through every degree at Liberty University, where we train champions for Christ. Go to liberty.edu backslash explore to learn more.

That's liberty.edu backslash explore to learn more. As a group, millennials have more than a trillion dollars in purchasing power, so you know businesses are watching us. By 2025, we'll comprise 75% of the workforce, so employers are watching us. Despite these positives, millennials are losing our faith, so we know Satan is watching us. Engage Magazine is for millennials by millennials, and it speaks to faith, purpose, and a closer walk with Jesus. Because above all, God is watching us.

Visit engagemagazine.net. If you're a Christian parent, you of course want to instill a biblical view of life in the hearts of your children. If you're a pastor, you want to offer ministry that draws young families to your church. This is Alex McFarland encouraging you to check out my new book and video curriculum, The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity. Why do bad things happen? I interviewed hundreds of children, ages 5 to 12, and we address actual questions from actual children, the spiritual issues that are on the minds of your kids.

Did Jesus ever sin? The book and video lessons are great for groups of any size and was produced with the goal of equipping kids to stand strong for Christ in any situation. The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask, the book, study guide, and video series. You'll find it at afastore.net.

That's afastore.net. In the midst of a culture obsessed with relativism, Alex McFarland is a voice you can trust to speak the timeless truths of Christianity in a timely way. You're listening to Truth for a New Generation Radio. Three sure things in a world full of maybes. Hi, welcome back.

Alex McFarland here. We're going to continue with Hebrews 9, 27, and 28. But first I want to remind you, coming up very, very soon, the next life-changing Truth for a New Generation Conference. I'm so excited.

Very soon we're going to be in Richmond, Virginia, October 11 and 12, 2019. Now listen to this lineup, folks. This is tremendous. Every time we do a TNG conference, I think, oh, we've put together the most exciting conference we could ever do, and then the next one seems to be even more power-packed.

Amazing speakers. Okay, Todd Starnes from Fox News. He's just got a brand new book out that was just released days ago about the spiritual condition of our nation, about spiritual jihad in America. Todd Starnes in person. Then Kamal Saleem, former Muslim Kamal Saleem, about the real actual jihad that many in the Arabic world would love to foist upon the West.

You don't want to miss the amazing miracle testimony of Kamal Saleem. And then there's Tina Marie Griffin, our amazing friend, Hollywood actress. You've seen her on television. You've heard her voice. She is known as the countercultural mom. And I want to say I was just on the phone with Tina Marie Griffin. She's been traveling throughout Michigan this week, sharing the gospel in a number of places, including public schools.

And let me tell you, because of her stand for morality in the family, she's attacked in the media and online in social media. Tina Marie Griffin is one of the speakers I wish everybody in America could hear. And then, of course, Chuck Chrismire, our dear friend, attorney Chuck Chrismire, who's an amazing Christian worldview speaker in the Richmond area. William J. Federer, one of my heroes.

America's God and Country quotation book. Bill Federer is brilliant. And I would urge you to come to Richmond, to TNG, just to hear Bill Federer alone. And you may not know his name, maybe you do, but I guarantee, guarantee you've heard his research, his content. He is one of the greatest living experts on our history. And Bill Federer is going to be talking about the things that you need to know about that really, whether or not we stand up for our Constitution and our rights, our free speech rights, religious liberty, the future of the country depends on what we do with the rights that we have, I believe, entrusted to us by God.

And so I'm so excited Bill Federer is going to be there. Miki Addison from the American Family Radio Network. We're so thankful for Will and Miki Addison. You've probably heard them on the radio airing the Addisons. We just had our youth apologetics camp.

And hands down, the number one speaker, the most popular of all was Miki Addison, and she is amazing. Then from Liberty University. Liberty University helps us put on the Truth for a New Generation Tour.

Dr. Chris Nyanneken, this dear brother, originally from India, is a brilliant scholar, one of the most entertaining speakers you'll ever hear. He's going to equip you to defend your faith. Folks, pray, promote, plan to attend. October 11 and 12 will be in Richmond, Virginia. Here's what I want you to do. Go to the website truthforanewgeneration.com.

Truth, F-O-R, truthforanewgeneration.com. And don't miss Richmond, Virginia. Now pretty soon we're coming to Cincinnati, Ohio in November.

We'll tell you about that. But please, be with us. Register today. Register.

This is the perfect thing for young people, for college students, for parents, for church leaders, for everybody. We're going to give you answers to the tough questions. How do you defend that God exists?

How do you defend that the Bible is true? In a world of transgenderism, the redefinition of morality, it almost seems like nothing is on solid footing anymore. We're going to give you the answers to the tough questions. We're going to talk about how scripture applies to today's issues. And we're going to leave you equipped to thrive for Christ in this season of our nation's history.

We want to see you in Richmond, October 11 and 12, coming up soon. And you can find out more at truthforanewgeneration.com. Before the break, we're talking about three sure things in a world full of maybes. We said that physical death is a certainty that all will face. Also, number two is that spiritual judgment is a reality that all should prepare for. The judgment of the soul. Hebrews 9.27 says, it is appointed unto man once to die. Men and women, boys and girls, everybody is going to leave this world.

And there's a conjunction, but. But after this, what? What after death? After this, the judgment of the soul.

Death does not end at all. There is no second chance. There's no coming back for another attempt at life. And the Bible says, after this, the judgment. And there is no second chance.

Listen to me, folks. In the word of God, there is no second chance to receive Christ after death. The death of the body and the judgment of the soul are realities that every person will face. Not may face, but will face. And many people, you know, finding this subject unsettling and uncomfortable, they put this out of their mind until it is too late, and surely you're wiser than that.

The subject might be uncomfortable. You know, we recoil from the idea of physical death and our own mortality, because I think intuitively, innately, deep in our heart, we know that's not the way things are to be. One of the reasons, folks, that I am a young earth creationist, Y-O-U-N-G, a young earth creationist, is because that there was no death before the fall. Old earth creationism, and I know there are many people that love Jesus and they're Christians and they're old earthers, and I was open to that idea for a lot of years.

The more I studied both science and scripture, and frankly, logic and philosophy and being reasonable and consistent, and not looking at the changing assumptions of science that are just always in a state of flux. Note, the word of God is clear. There was no death before the fall of Genesis 3. I think we recoil from the idea of death, because deep in our heart we know it wasn't supposed to take place. Death is not part of God's natural creation. Now, man exercised free will, we chose to sin, and the Bible says, Adam sinned and death came upon all men. And the creation itself groans, struggling under this curse and this fall, but one day God will renew it all. But let me be very clear, death was a consequence of the fall. There was no death before the fall. And the ultimate result of sin, according to Romans 6.23, the wages of sin is death, separation from God. A defiant rejection of Jesus Christ to leave this world without Christ in a state of unbelief is not only the physical death, but spiritual death and separation from God. Death is a reality. Judgment is a certainty. How sad it would be if the story ended there.

But when we come back, we're going to give you the third sure thing in a world full of maybes after this. The TNG Unashamed Conference is coming to Richmond, Virginia, October 11th and 12th. Experience core truths that make for an unshakable faith with Tina Marie Griffin, Todd Starnes, Kamal Shalim, Miki Addison, Chuck Chrismeyer and William Federer.

Romans 1 16 says, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes. Come to the Truth for a New Generation Conference and get equipped, empowered and inspired to confidently share the gospel of Jesus Christ. TNG is committed to impacting our nation for Christ and the future and equipping you to be a difference maker. Register now by calling 877-YES-GOD-1.

That's 877-YES-GOD and the number one. Or visit the TNG website at truthforanewgeneration.com. The TNG Unashamed Conference, Richmond, Virginia, October 11th and 12th. Dive deeper into your faith. 1 Peter 3 15 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have. We're instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarland for the Life Answers Teams, students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The Life Answers Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams we train speak in churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times from a biblical perspective. Like, is there a God?

Is the Bible true? What about gender and moral issues? Call me at 864-977-2008 and we will arrange for the Life Answers Team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come. Call me at 864-977-2008 and always be ready. Welcome back to the program.

Alex McFarland here. We're talking about three sure things in a world full of maybes. You know, I think about Ecclesiastes 12 14, which really speaks to God's judgment, God's knowledge, God's righteousness, and why we should reverence God. You know, the Bible has much to say about fearing God. And I've had skeptics say to me, well, is it even healthy to be afraid of God, to fear God?

Absolutely. Fear, at least in the sense of reverencing God and humbling oneself before God. We don't have to be morbidly fearful of God like he is a villain.

He's not. He's the savior, if we will turn to him, but he is the judge, if we reject him. And so we should have a fear of the omnipotent, all-powerful, omniscient, all-knowing creator who made this universe, because Ecclesiastes 12 14 says every work will be brought into judgment, and every secret or hidden thing will be made manifest. And so physical death is a certainty that all will face. Spiritual judgment is a reality for which all should prepare. But finally, complete salvation is a promise that all may experience.

That is a sure thing in a world full of maybes. Complete salvation is a promise offered to you by God that anyone, everyone, someone today can experience. It says, it is appointed unto man once to die, after this the judgment. But, after this the judgment, what a joyful thing it is that verse 28 is in Hebrews 9. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.

Now think about this. It is appointed for man once to die, so Christ was appointed to die once for all people. All people die because of sin. Many people die in sin. Jesus died for sin.

The great thinker Augustine said Jesus loved each one of us as if there were only one of us. But, salvation is not universal. Just because Christ died on the cross doesn't mean that you're automatically going to heaven regardless. Jesus' death on the cross made salvation for all possible. Your turning to Christ for you makes salvation actual.

Judgment for sin can be completely avoided because Christ went through it already. So think about Jesus on Calvary between those two thieves. And one thief said, Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom. One thief railed and rejected Christ. Think about this. Jesus was crucified between two robbers and one got saved. So no person should despair, but notice that only one of the robbers trusted him, so no person should presume.

And regardless of how bad you think you've been or how good you think you are, that's irrelevant. Everybody needs Christ and Christ is calling many of you listening today right now. And people ask us, we get this kind of email. And by the way if you want to correspond with us I would love to hear from you. My personal email, it will come to me as Alex at Alex McFarland dot com.

Alex at Alex McFarland dot com. But people ask, how could Jesus be the only way to heaven? Well Jesus claimed to be the only way to heaven and he rose from the dead. He coupled that exclusivistic claim with an amazing level of confirming proof.

But do you know what? In more than 400 New Testament verses alone, 400 verses in the New Testament say that Jesus is the only way to be saved. For God to say something once should be enough to satisfy the person who is honestly seeking. But in 400 different locations the New Testament says things like John 8.24, if you do not believe that Jesus really is the Son of God, John 8.24 Christ says if you do not believe that I am He you will die in your sins. So eternal life is not gained through creeds or good works or ethics or church membership or rites or ceremonies or just trying to be a moral person. Galatians 2.16 in the New Testament says that man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ.

And God's desire for you is that you would turn your life over to Christ, to know Him, be changed by Him, to enjoy Him, to be blessed by Him. And Jesus is calling you right now. I love it in the New Testament when the voice of the Father would speak and this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, Matthew 17. But in Luke 9.35 the voice of the Father said this is my beloved Son, hear Him. And today God still says hear Him.

Now for those that are believers, and many people listening to this program no doubt are believers, God wants us to be witnesses. You know I talked about the Billy Graham painting of the sower. I've got a book by Ruth Bell Graham of collected poems and I cherish this. It was given to me by Gigi Graham, Billy and Ruth's daughter.

And there's a poem in here. Many of you know that Ruth Graham grew up in China. She herself, she thought she would be a missionary, and really she was. But by virtue of being Billy Graham's wife and supporting Billy Graham and raising the kids and enabling him to travel the world, she probably impacted more lives for Christ than she could ever have imagined. But she was a little girl and she had read in a book, a book of the history of China, because of the vast population, said China is veritably a country of graves. And she was moved by that line because of all the people that had died. And as a little girl, Ruth Graham wrote this poem. Think about this, the compassion for lost people, the compassion that you and I could have and should have.

Ruth Graham wrote, look o'er the fields about you, riveted, hilled with graves. No one can count the number of those who perished as slaves. Slaves to the sin they were born in, knowing not God or His light. Died without God's great salvation, died in the darkness of night. Look o'er the people about you, faces so furred with care, lined and hardened by sorrow, sin has placed on them there. Think of the evil they live in, hopes none enjoys so few. Love them, pray for them, win them, lest they should perish too.

Isn't that an amazing, deep sentiment? And I think again about Hebrews 9.28, it says Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. And unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time. Christ was sacrificed for you and Christ is coming back soon.

He is coming back. And the Bible tells us to wait expectantly. And if you don't know Christ, turn to Him today. If you do know Christ, help make Him known. And again, please pray for truth for a new generation. Please support in your prayers and your attendance. Our nation needs Christ so urgently. The one who said that He was the resurrection and the life, John 11.25. He who believes in me promised Jesus would never die.

So these are the sure things in a world full of maybes. And we hope that you're building your life and helping others build their lives, not on a thing or an idea, but on a person, the sure, living Savior, the one named Jesus Christ. Call us at 877-YES-GOD-1.

That's 877-YES-GOD and the number 1. Or give online at alexmcfarland.com. While you're there, listen to Program Archives, read Alex's blog, invite Alex to speak at your event, or contact Alex with a question or comment. alexmcfarland.com. Thanks for listening today and join us again next time as we bring you more truth for a new generation on TNG Radio.