You're listening to Clearview Today with Dr. Abadan Shah, the daily show that engages mind and heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm Ryan Hill. I'm John Galantis. Welcome, listeners.
Welcome, viewers, to the Clearview Today Studio. We got a great conversation for you guys coming up today. But before we do anything else, we want to welcome our host, Dr. Abadan Shah. Dr.
Shah is a PhD in New Testament Textual Criticism, professor at Carolina University author, full-time pastor, and the host of today's show. Dr. Shah, welcome to the studio. It's good to be here. Thank you.
You know, we forget a lot of times that you're a professor. A lot of times people will say, man, you know, how do you have the time to teach? How your class has been going? You know, we never actually talk about that aspect of your work. They're going very well.
I have great help with David here and It's uh awesome. To interact with the students, to help them grow in their understanding. You know, I'm a teacher at heart, so I spend a lot of time. Just explaining the concept, but at the same time, applying it to their lives. A lot of my teaching happens online since the pandemic.
Uh, but still it's uh it's going very well. Do you think you'd be we'd be able to do all the things we're doing if you had to teach in class, like in a in a university? I would I would do it. It just was uh it's just tough. Yeah.
Because uh my home base is the church. This is where I do most of my work. and then I go into the community and then I go into the academic community.
So it would have been difficult. Do you like teaching them online? I do. I mean, it's fine. Also, I'm also supervising a PhD student.
So that also takes up time. And. But, anyways, it's going well. That's awesome. Teaching in a lot of different avenues and impacting lives, both in the academic world.
And from a pastoral standpoint. Thank you. And I couldn't do it without. Our wonderful staff here. I'm not just Giving you this compliment, right back at you kind of thing, this is really because how hard you guys work.
In doing the radio show, doing the worship, all the activities, whether it's the student ministry or children's ministry or community outreach or missions. You guys do so much. Uh so much. I mean above and beyond that. enables me to do what I'm doing.
And we're going to keep growing. That's right. Not to play compliment ping pong, but at the same time, you know, the way I see it is I look at you and. I think people, when they say that, they're kind of right. It is impossible for one person to do all the things that you do, but it's not just that you found the right people, like you invested into us.
You know, you invested into your staff for like 10, 13 years. Yeah. So I think it really helps that you knew how to build a staff that can take on these projects and not just like take the load off and put it onto me. But like a lot of the things that we do, like the radio show or the worship retreat, the Illuminate retreats that you do, all these projects, they're fun and they're rewarding work that we want to take on.
So now that you're free to go do your go teach and to write and all this stuff. Everybody is bound, is abounding. You know what I'm saying? Absolutely. We're together not only building God's kingdom, but also raising our families.
We're not going to become millionaires. That's not what we're trying to do here. But we have our needs met and we are improving our stations in life and doing better for ourselves. And that's all by God's grace and God's people. That's right.
100%. Guys, before we get started, I just want to remind you that Dr. Shaw is on Pray Radio at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday. If you're not catching that content, make sure that you do that.
It's a great way to start your day. You can start that content from Pray Radio. Dr. Shaw is also on Pray TV on Fridays. And you can have a piece of content from Dr.
Shaw every single day on pray.com. That's exactly right. Saturdays is the lighthouse, a devotional with Dr. Shaw, and then Sundays you get to hear Dr. Shah's messages.
If you're not already, make sure that you subscribe to him as a featured leader. It's going to put you in that follower category and make sure that you're informed every time he releases some content on pray.com. We are also in the final stages of 30 Days of Seeing Christ in Judges. How's the formatting coming? The formatting is going very, very well.
It is nearing the end.
So we will submit that very, very soon, and we'll get those copies in hand. Not long from now. I'm excited about this next installment and sort of this new branch of the 30 Days Devotionals of seeing Christ in Old Testament books. Was that something that came to you like before we started writing it? Did you want to?
Because we wanted to do 30 days in the book of Judges, but seeing Christ in Judges, that was from the very beginning. That was not the sticking point, but what I'm saying, that was the linchpin of why we're going into Judges. Oh, absolutely. Because I believe that the Bible from. Genesis to Revelation is about Jesus Christ.
Uh there are hermeneutical camps that will s that may not agree with me on that, but I think That's fine. It's one story, and the story is of God's redemption of his people. There are people who will make it into a story of God's glory or different dispensations, you know, dispensational theology, all that. I'm not into that. I believe it's one story, and that is the story of Jesus.
A God's Son becoming man to take God's wrath upon himself and to set us free from sin. That is the story of the Bible, Genesis Revelation. Amen. And so before Jesus came, right? I mean, he did come as a in his preincarnate form many times in the Old Testament, but but he was born two thousand years ago as a fulfillment of all the promises, all the prophecies.
But prior to his coming, Where was he? Of course, I just said, you know, he came as a pre-incarnate son of God. But Where? Where do you see him? And That is very important to me.
Is very important because on the road to Emma is Jesus. Took the time to teach his disciples who were very depressed and discouraged. and doubtful about what's coming. He took the time to go to the scriptures and show them every place that he showed up. And their response was, didn't our hearts burn within us when he showed us who he was?
And so that. always has uh been very appealing to me.
So, how can we do that properly? Because we're not going to be like going through every little. detail in the Old Testament and finding it's somehow the Christ Implication there, like the nails in the tabernacle. Oh, there are the nails of Christ, you know, in his hands and his feet. No, I don't think, I think they were just nails.
So Over the years, I've done a lot of study to make sure that we stay within proper hermeneutical guidelines, but still see Christ. In the old testament, the 30 days devotional series is meant to help you think. You write right, you want to start your day thinking about God, and you have to learn how to think correctly. And there's a line when we were doing our edits a couple of weeks back, or maybe a week or so ago, we were doing our like final edits. There was a line that stuck with me that didn't stick with me the first time around, but you wrote that.
Seeing Christ in the Old Testament is not a cool Bible study trick. It's the correct way to read scripture. That's right. And I was like, man, I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say, myself included, be like, look, here's Christ in the Old Testament. Isn't that neat?
Isn't that great how God works? But it's just a trick. It's a party. It's a Bible study trick to kind of wow people and be like, oh, look at that. We don't think of it as, no, that's the correct way to read it.
That's the basic proper framework. That's right. So, anyway, I love it. The series was based off that conviction, that excitement. To begin this, so we may not have seen Christ through Matthew or seeing Christ through Mark.
We may name it differently because you can see him there. Right, right, right. You can see him in Philippians, you can see him clearly in Revelation. But in the Old Testament, you have to be taught to see, yes. To see, you have to be guided.
to see Christ. That's exactly right. Absolutely. Our verse of the day today has come to us from Ephesians chapter 1, verses 4 and 5. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.
Dr. Shah, irrefutable proof right there. This is actually a verse that someone sent to us. I think passive aggressively, but irrefutable proof right there that Jesus, that God does choose who's going to be saved. He predestined us to adoption as sons.
That means we're sons. The people who he didn't choose are not sons of God. Ergo. He chooses who's going to be saved. Am I right or am I right, Doctor?
You're wrong. You're wrong, or you're wrong. This is one of those moments where that shepherd's crook comes from offstage, out of the wings, and she's going to yank you off stage. You wink. You had your shoes stayed.
I'll tell you what, because, look, I was able to see who's as a fan. Favor as a kindness to the person who sent us that, I'm not going to say your name on air, but I should, but I'm not going to. But That was wrong. Don't do that no more.
So there are two major passages that are often invoked. to support Election unto salvation. and even the replacement of Israel by church or Jewish people by Gentiles. And the first one is Romans chapter 8, verses 29 and 30. And the second one is Ephesians chapter 1, verse 3 through 14.
Those are the two big passages that are often brought up. Like I can explain Romans 9 through 11 and The person listening. May even act. Convinced. And they will be okay I get it.
I get it. I get it. Okay. All right. But How about Romans 8?
How about Rom uh Ephesians 1? And so I want us to look at those two passages very quickly in today's show because I think it's worth walking through this one.
So the first one is Romans chapter 8 and verse 29. It says For whom he foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called Whom he called, these he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorify This is known as the golden chain of salvation. And of course I disagree with that. Right.
I think it is the golden chain of assurance. Mm. Not salvation. This is not the progression. This is not the ordo salutis.
Like, this is how. the chain of events take place, to get you from being lost to saved. Because in the context, that's not what Paul is doing. In the context, if you read Romans chapter 7 into chapter 8, Paul is explaining to the believers. How we go through suffering.
Whether you're Jewish background or Gentile background, we all go through suffering. And in those moments of suffering, we begin to doubt whether we're going to make it. I don't know. I have gone through suffering in my life. Not that I doubt it, like I.
Whether or not I'm going to be a Christian or not. No, it wasn't quite like that. But I doubted if I was gonna Survive. Right, right. Or even if I come through this, where will my faith be?
Will I still keep preaching because I got to make a living? Too much has been invested in this education and years of hard work. But will I be A A Christian Agnostic.
So I think I see what you're saying. Paul is spending so much time talking about how to endure through suffering, how God is with you through suffering, and how you can have assurance. It makes no sense for him to now say, all right, now let me tell you the anatomy of how salvation works. Right, right. 100%.
You said it better than I could have. Because that's what people do, completely divorce it out of its context, and then they say, So now let's talk about the order of salvation here, folks. No, let's talk about the context. But if I read that verse by itself, I mean, it is extremely. Tempting to think that's what Paul's saying.
Yeah, the golden chain of salvation. But that's when we have to go back to context. What is Paul saying in the larger letter that he's writing? It's not just, you know, this one verse that he just kind of dropped to the Roman church. He's writing a whole letter and the whole letter for a reason.
That's right. So if you go back here to Romans chapter 8, I want to run there right quick.
So he's talking about in Romans chapter 8, verse 18, for I consider. Again, this is Romans chapter 8, verse 18. Romans chapter 8, verse 18. For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. I can go for the bag if people want to, uh, you know, and uh.
begin even earlier than that. In verse 1, Romans chapter 8, verse 1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Means The entire tenor of this Chapter, and even, you know, we know the chapters came late and the verses came later, but the whole. Tone is about assurance. That you'll be okay, you'll make it.
You're not going to be abandoned. Right. That the suffering is not the end of your life. And so he says in verse 19, for the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. Means when you go into suffering, just know that creation is also suffering.
And it's waiting for us to be glorified because, in our glorification, is their redemption. I mean How much more can Paul explain? That's a beautiful picture. You know?
So Which means this. Uh it it's like it's like For me to say to you, Hey, Ryan, you're going to have. That um Um I'm trying to think what what what is it that that I can give you oh that that plate of food That plate of food. Yeah, you like food. Ryan, you're going to have this plate of food.
But. Here's what I want you to understand. Uh Room full of people are waiting also for the plate of food. Mm. so just know that you will not be forgotten.
Because all of y'all are waiting for the plate of food. Does that make sense? Means it's not just that if I were to just make a promise, just like, hey, you're gonna have, I'm gonna bring you this, I mean, forget it. I may change my mind on it. I may walk away going, I hope he doesn't hold me to it, but I'm not planning on keeping my word.
He can go hungry and die. But if I have a whole room of people, let's say that 100 people standing in the same room. Right. And everybody knows there's a plate of food coming. The chances of them getting left out are much less.
It's not going to happen. You're going to get it. Right. Because. If I were to say, Because I made promises and they paid me for it.
And for me to back out, those 101 people are going to beat me up. Stakes are much higher. The stakes are much higher.
So your assurance is also higher. Hey, yeah, you've got to have your food. Look, these hundred people. They have been promised that They don't eat until you eat. They have been told they're not eating until you eat.
So, and all that food back there is for all of them, but they don't eat until you eat. That's what creation is waiting for, our redemption. I hope people understand how amazing is the word of God. Yeah, I think so. I think so.
And so then we come down to the passage we just read, which is verse 28. And we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose, for whom he foreknew, he also predestined.
So we often quote Romans 8, 28. But then we forget the context. Right, because all things working together for good. That seems to me. To be very obviously, things are going to be okay.
You're going to have assurance and suffering.
So, I don't know why, even Paul says, for whom he afforded me, he's continuing that thought. Yes. Like, I would never say, we know all things work together for good to those who love God. That means I'm saved. I'm going to heaven.
Yeah. No, it means no, things are going to be okay. Yeah, that's assurance and suffering. And that working together for good may not be in this life, but it's in the life to come. Mm-hmm.
That glory is still coming. And so, and then he says, all the rest. And also, what are you predestined to? To salvation?
Well, yeah, generically speaking, but what is more particular here? He also. whom he forenew, he also predestined to be What does it say? Image of his son. Yeah.
Means God has already predestined you to become like Jesus. And that may not be in this life, but it'll be in the life to come.
So, if someone were to listen to you say that, and they were to say, okay, so. God does choose who's going to be saved, but that's not the whole picture. Is that Is that What they could take away from that? No, I don't think so. I think they will have to keep the context in mind that this is not about who gets picked to be saved.
This is about. How God is going to make sure that you'll be okay. Gotcha. And you will become like Christ. He will not abandon you.
That's what Romans 8. Is all about so he's talking to the people who are saved, yes, gotcha, yes, absolutely now. Go ahead.
Well, I was just going to say, it makes much more sense when you think about the character of God, because if you're thinking about God choosing who's going to go to heaven and who's not going to go to heaven, then God seems like, you know, just some sort of arbitrary, like, you're in, you're out, you're in, you're out, you're in, you're out. But when we hear about it like this and we hear about it in the context of suffering, it's much more in line with a God who sees us, a God who loves us, and a God who is faithful to us than when life is difficult. That's correct. It also takes all the impetus off of the believer, right? Because, like, why would I bother evangelizing?
Why would I bother carrying the word to obeying Jesus? That's a conclusion taken to its extent. Like, if God chooses, what's the point in sharing the gospel?
Well, there are people in the Reformed camp who will say, well, that's never stopped the great reformers or Calvinistic believers from sharing the gospel. They will also tell you that there are a lot of great missionaries who went out. who were actually Calvinists.
So There are ways people answer those questions. Gotcha, gotcha.
So I don't get into that. Yeah. But. Just sticking to the scripture here, I know that this is not. That passage is not for that purpose.
Right, right. So, the second passage that is often brought up is Ephesians chapter 1. verses three through fourteen. And I wanted to read that, and maybe if one of you can start reading, and we'll stop and talk about. Uh this passage as well.
Sure. Here, I got it right here. Ephesians 1:3 says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.
So, what does he choose us for? Salvation? No. He chose us to be holy and without blame before him in love. You say, well, isn't that salvation?
I hear you. But the context is calling us To B More specific. And what is he telling the Ephesians? Uh what is Ephesus? Ephesus was this place?
Where, you know, remember the goddess Diana was worshipped and given to. Paganism to idolatry. This is the place where they brought all their books and they burned them. I mean, this was a place of some gross immorality, idolatry of the worst kind. I've been to Ephesus and just walking around there, it was like amazing to think.
This was a place that was so prone to idol worship. And And also Prostitution, I mean you name it, all kinds of things were here. Yeah. To them Paul is saying He has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. He chose you Before the foundation of the world.
To be holy and without blame before him in love. Means don't worry about your culture and what it's doing and what is acceptable and what is uh Um Um Part of just everyday life. You'll be different.
So let me ask you this. This whole Being predestined to salvation, is it a symptom of we're just focusing on the wrong thing? Is that what it's saying? Like, like Paul is talking to a specific people with a specific cultural problem, and we're drawing the wrong conclusion from what yeah, I definitely, just so we can support our theology. Gotcha.
You know, and uh, David mentioned, does choose us. Chose us in him versus chose us to be in him helped prove the point. Yeah, I mean, you could say that. You could say that and that could work. Gotcha.
But I want to keep reading. Read uh verse four. I'm sorry, verse 5. Verse 5 says, Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will.
So, again, adoption is part of salvation. I totally get it. But here it is being specified and spelled out to help you understand that you are.
Sons of God. For one, you need to be holy and blameless, but also please don't live in such a way that you. You you you um drag the name of your heavenly father through the mud. You are sons by Jesus Christ. Remember, just like parents tell their children: remember, you represent us.
Don't go out there and do stupid things. Don't go out there. And um do things that will make us look bad. In my teenage years, there were times that I could have done this, that, and the other, and I would I'd be like, Oh, mom and dad worked too hard. For me to do this, because I can get away with it.
People will know. What are they gonna do? But it's going to come back. Dad's the pastor of this church. And they're going to say, look at this, these Christians.
Or if they're church people, they will say, yeah, you know, pastor's family, this, then, the other.
So many times I walked away Not because I had some deep convictions of walking holy before God, but it was more because. I didn't want to make them look bad. They don't deserve that. That's what Paul is saying to the Ephesians. Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah. Uh keep reading first. Six. To the praise. Of the glory to the praise of the glory of His grace by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us all in wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he pursued in himself. Purposed in himself. I'm sorry, which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times he might gather together in one all things in Christ. both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him. In him we also In him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory.
Now that's very important. That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory, means we should live our lives such a way that we bring praises to His glory. This is about Living worthy of being saved. This is not the anatomy of how we get saved. Paul is using language to communicate, if I'm hearing you correctly, Paul is.
using language To communicate a truth to the Ephesians, and we're drawing out the wrong conclusion. Based on, okay, so since Paul said it, it must mean this. But Paul's talking about something else entirely. Right, right. Maybe we could draw secondary, tertiary conclusions, but I think we need to be very careful because that was not his goal.
His goal was not: let me teach you how you get saved. Mm-hmm. His goal is to say, live worthy of being saved. He says in verse 12, there, he says that we who first trusted in Christ, I mean, that has to come first before any of this living out happens, should be. to the praise of His glory means live in such a way that God God is praised by your life.
The fact that you came into our lives, the fact that you are. Meeting and seeing people, and people are seeing you, and you're interacting, they should be praising God because of your exemplary life. Of faith and love and obedience and holiness. And doesn't it make sense? Correct me if I'm going wrong here, but doesn't it make sense that in Romans, like chapter 10, where he is laying out how you get saved, right?
The believe with your heart that Jesus is and confess him, he's that purpose is about, hey, here's how you get saved. And that has nothing to do with predestination at all.
So why would we go to these Ancillary passages that aren't about salvation and draw salvation out of it rather than what Paul says is salvation. Yeah, we're going to come to that in maybe in the next show we can talk about Romans chapter 10. But let's finish here in Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 13 and 14. Verse 13 starts: In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also, having believed, you were seeded with the Holy Spirit of promise, who sealed the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory.
So a lot of words there, and it'll take us time to. Exposit all of this, but the bottom line is this: just know. who you are in Christ. Just know who you represent. Just know the Holy Spirit is in you.
You don't have to go back into the sinful ways. You have. You have the seal of God's Holy Spirit upon you. And so know that you have been guaranteed that redemption means you will finish the race well. Live in such a way.
Live in such a way that you will bring praise to God. That's where it ends to the praise of his glory. Live in such a way, finish the race in such a way that you will glorify God. Don't become And Ephesians. That's right.
Great point. Amen. Good encouragement for us. Guys, make sure you join us next time. Same time, same station.
We're going to be diving into another great topic here on the Clearview Today Show. Thanks again to our sponsors for making today's episode possible. Big thank you to the Blue, Ultra Pure Water, and Mighty Muscadine. And if you'd like to sponsor the show, make sure you write in and let us know at contact at clearviewtodayshow.com. Or you can text us or call us at 252-582-5028.
Make sure you subscribe to Dr. Shaw's channel on Pray.com so you get all of that content, including the Pray radio at 7 a.m. every day, Monday through Friday, as well as the other things that are exclusive to Pray. And you can get the Cleavery Today Show anywhere you get your podcasting content from: iTunes, Spotify, Apple Podcasts. Pray.com.
I've already said that. Anywhere you get your podcasting content, and you can always support us financially at Abadanshah.com forward slash give. John, what do you want to close with today? Just the things that we talked about up top. We got a new book coming out.
We got a new EP coming out very soon. We're going to be releasing those dates in the next couple of days. but we do want to thank you guys so much for your support, especially your financial support overafraid.com. As Ryan said maybe in the earlier part of the show, we are looking for new sponsors. We've got a lot of people emailing us about sponsorship.
So if you want to advertise your business on the Clearview Today Show, you can always email us at contact at clearviewtodayshow.com. We love hearing all of you guys and your potential partnership in this ministry that we're doing here at Clearview. We're very, very grateful for all your support. Keep your eyes peeled for those new releases coming your way. The EP Cafe Sessions Volume 1 is going to be available very soon anywhere you can buy digital music.
You will also find 30 Days of Seeing Christ in Judges available very soon for your devotional use.
So it'll be available on Amazon anywhere you can get a paperback post. That's right. We love you guys. We'll see you next time on Clearing Today.
