Matt Slick Live

The following program is recorded content created by the Truth Network. It's Matt Slick Live. Matt is the founder and president of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry, found online at Carm.org. When you have questions about Bible doctrines, turn to Matt Slick Live for answers. Taking your calls and responding to your questions at 877-207-2276.

Here's Matt Slick. All right, and welcome to the show. It's me, Matt Slicker listen to Matt Slick Live. Today's date. is october twenty eighth, twenty twenty six.

If you want, you can give me a call. The number is eight seven seven two zero seven two two. Yeah. And if you want to email me, you can do that as well. Just send an email to info at carm.

Dot or graphics. And putting a subject line or something like a radio comment or radio question. And we can get to them. I think I did yesterday, got some some of them as well. And there you go.

So, for those of you who might be new to the show and listening, not sure what it's about. This is a Christian-based show where we enter difficult questions. And deal with theological issues, logic, evolution, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Science, Unity, Baha'i Islam. Eastern Orthodoxy, Christian theology, satiriology, Hermartiology, all kinds of stuff. We deal with all kinds of things.

I'm the author, or the founder, I should say. Of carm.org, C-A-R-M dot O-R-G, the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry. All right, see, just jump on the phone, get with Edwin from Texas, Edwin. Welcome, you're on the air. Hello, Matt.

How are you doing? Doing all right, hanging in there, man. What do you got, buddy? Cool. I got a question for you, and it has to do with Colossians 120.

And it was a debate you had with Sam Shimoon.

Okay. And I think I understood the point you were trying to establish, which is basically that. Yeah. that God would be unjust To spend it.

Somebody to hell. who was innocent. If price atone for everybody's sins. Is that correct? If no, the logic goes this way.

If Jesus canceled the sin debt for everybody who ever lived, Colossians 2:14, he canceled the certificate of debt. at the cross. If he did it for every individual who ever lived, then her sin debt's gone. Then Logically, God could not send anybody to hell if He paid for their sins.

Okay. Right.

So so you also Talked about the difference between being forgiven and justification, which is basically double imputation, right? Yeah, justification is a legal standing. Forgiveness is the act of God removing from you in real time that guilt that you have against Him. He forgives you, and then He reconciles you with Him, and He imputes righteousness to you. Philippians 12.

3.9. All by faith.

Okay. Right.

So then I was thinking, could it be possible That Christ did atone or pay for everyone's sins. And God is still righteous in sending some to hell. on the grounds that they are not righteous.

So, okay, is that a hypothetical possibility? I know you think that the Bible doesn't teach it. Neither do I. But i is there anything that contradicts that idea? Because It seems like it seems like You need to be forgiven, but also need to be given Christ's righteousness.

that he merited. Right.

In order to gain heaviness.

Okay, so sin is a legal debt. 1 John 3:4. Sin is lawlessness. Jesus said, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. In Matthew 6:12, he said, Forgive us our debts.

In Luke 11, 4, he said, forgive us our sins.

So Jesus equates sin with legal debt. In 1 Peter 2.24, he bore our sin in his body on the cross. And on Colossians 2:14, he canceled the certificate of debt, having nailed it to the cross.

So the logic goes that if a sin debt is canceled, it doesn't exist anymore, and everybody's got a sin debt to God.

Well, if it's canceled, then God can't hold you responsible for what is canceled. It's paid for, done. It's just simple logic.

So he couldn't condemn you. First, what doesn't exist anymore. You can see. Right, right. He can't condemn you, so now you're innocent because you've been forgiven.

but you're still not righteous because you need to be justified. Right.

Well, this is a.

Now we get to what's called the now and the not yet. And so Jesus 2,000 years ago bar our sins.

Well, that was his now, but our not yet.

So there's a theological tension with time and what God does.

So before the foundation of the world, he elected people for salvation. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and Ephesians 1.4. But those people hadn't even been born yet.

So it's called the Nalman Not Yet.

So Jesus canceled the sin debt for people. And then, when they believe, that's when they're granted the righteousness of Christ. in the what we would call in an an experience.

So ultimately, the sin debt has been canceled, and God will never make a mistake. And that those for whom He canceled the sin debt, He will at one time grant that they have faith, so that they are, in addition to their sin debt canceled, they are now justified and experience the condition of forgiveness at that time of faith.

Okay? Right, so the Bible seems to teach it as a package deal: if you are forgiven, you will be justified, right? Right.

Yeah, once you experience the faith that God grants to you, Philippians 1:29, He grants that we have that faith. And Philippians, I mean, Romans 5:1 says that having therefore been justified by faith.

So we're justified by faith when God grants us that faith. And a lot of people don't like this theology. But I'm quoting scriptures. And I do this all the time. I have these memorized because I've done it s countless times.

At least for me, it's countless, God knows the number, but I've done it so many times, it's just it just wrote for me. Yeah, and I think at one point even Sam said that even though it was accomplished, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's applied.

So he was trying to say that he's basically saying that you are forgiven. But You are not righteous. It seems like that's what we were saying. Then we have to define what forgiveness is. Forgiveness is the condition that someone experiences.

When God has relinquish the guilt from them.

So if someone is going to be saved at 50. at the age of thirty, he's not in a state of forgiveness. And he's not justified when he believes, that's when he's justified and experiences at that time forgiveness.

Now Sam blew it there in Colossians 1.20. when he says reconciling himself to all things means that he paid for the sins of every individual. And then when I asked him, does that all things include the the demonic realm? You know, he he didn't know what to do at that point.

So, the idea there, Colossians 1:20, reconciliation of all things, it's, you know, what's it mean? What's going on? You know, it's. Yeah. We could talk about that too, but uh Right.

And I guess my second question would be You also mentioned that the elect aren't born in peace. to me it would seem that they are born in peace. Because they are forgiven. The ransom has been paid, so God is satisfied. Therefore we're forgiven or we're at peace with God.

For yeah. uh we still need the justification. Yeah. You can't uh d uh divorce the issue of the now and the not yet. This is a not very commonly spoken of theological point.

the now and the not yet.

So for example, let me go into Romans 8, 29 and 30. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined.

So the foreknown ones are also the predestined ones.

So, those of you foreknew, he also predestined. That's past tense. And foreknew is past tense to become conformed to the image of his son, that he would be the firstborn among the brethren. And these whom he predestined, these he also called. That's past tense.

And these who be called, he also justified, that's past tense. And those who be justified, he also glorified. That's all past tense. But the thing is that it's all past tense for those whom he predestined. And we know that God predestines people from the foundation of the world.

So they're the ones considered justified and glorified. This is the perfect example of what's called the now and the not yet.

So when God elected people before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4, he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we'd be holy and blameless. In love, he predestined us to adoption as sons. That occurred before the universe ever existed. In the inter-Trinitarian communion.

So that is another great example of what's called the now and the not yet.

So the ones who were elected for salvation. Because we're chosen for salvation. 2 Thessalonians 2.13 says, You have been chosen from the beginning for salvation.

So, those who were chosen from the beginning for salvation were then not. They weren't even forgiven. Because they hadn't even existed yet. When they were elected, they hadn't even existed.

So they were not in the state of experiencing forgiveness.

So this is called the now and the not yet a yeow ye. You with me so far? Um, sort of.

Okay. So so the the elect the elected are born. Are they in peace with God or not? They are functionally, until they get, they are justified, they are functionally under the wrath of God.

Okay. That's what I don't understand because it seems like the reason we're not at peace with God is because we owe him Okay. Let's do this now the night. We need to do the now the night yet again. Mephijas 1-4 says, He chose us in him before the foundation of the world.

He chose us. you know, to be predestined, to be saved. That's what it says in Ephesians 1, 4, and 5, okay?

So that that happened before the universe existed, right? Yeah. before anybody existed, right? Right?

So were any of the people who didn't exist, were they already saved? Um Mm, I guess not. That's right. They were not saved because they don't even exist. Yet they only exist in the eternal decree of the mind of God.

But yet he chose them. You go to Acts 13:48: as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. People were appointed to eternal life. They were chosen before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4. Chosen from the beginning for salvation, 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

This is one of the reasons for the list, other listeners I quote this reference is because I literally miss quoting the verses. And giving you the addresses. Most people reject this kind of theology, even though it's what it says in the Bible. I'm just quoting it, it's what it says. But anyway, so this is the issue of the one and the many.

I mean, not the one and the many, the now the not yet, okay?

So I think you're talking about the ones who didn't exist yet. I'm talking about the ones who exist already. but don't have faith yet. Are they Are they at peace with God? No, they're not.

They're not at peace with the elect. the elect who The elect who don't even exist yet aren't at peace with God because they don't exist. Then the ones who are elect who get b who are born, let's say Bob gets saved at fifty, but he's thirty. He's not at peace with God. He won't be until he believes when God grants him that faith at the age of fifty.

Okay. That that's what I don't understand. For the reason. Right.

Because the reason we are we're not at peace is because we owe him something. Right.

It's because of our sins. But once Christ died for us, He paid the debt.

So our cat has been cancelled. And when's it cancelled? When is it camp? When cancelled When is it cancelled? Yeah.

Oh my god. It's cancelled. I'm not sure. It's canceled at the cross.

Well, it's canceled when Christ died, but I know it's not canceled once we have faith because. No, hold on, hold on, hold on. You just contradicted yourself. It's canceled when Christ died, but it's not canceled. Until you have faith.

You can't say that. If it's canceled, it's gone. This is what you have to shift your mental thinking, and a lot of theology has to go away in order to believe this. To believe biblical theology. Jesus canceled ascended at the cross.

Okay, hold on, we gotta break. Yeah, faith doesn't cancel our sins.

Well, Councillor Sin is is the the sacrifice of Christ. Oh, there you go, brother. There you go. That's right, and he canceled it for who? That's the question.

We'll be right back.

Okay, hold on. Hey, folks, we have three open lines. You want to give me a call? 8772. 072276.

Be right back. It's Matt Slick Live, taking your calls at 877-207-2276. Here's Matt Slick. All right, welcome back to the show. Let's get back on with Edwin from Texas.

Edwin, you still there, brother? Yes, sir.

Alright now. Uh I forget where we were. Yeah, so basically I'm trying to understand why Why is it that you liked? that are currently existing but don't have faith Yeah. aren't at peace with God.

Mm. Because they're not justified. and are not saved. Yeah, but but aren't the ones Okay. Aren't they innocent?

No. The sin debt is an abstraction.

Okay, so think of this. If uh If You make a deal with some one. It's it's in your mind, it's in your heart. and you break your deal You've committed an an error, you know, sin here. And this all occurs in the mind and the heart.

You can't take that. That sin and put it in a jar, put it in a glass. It's an abstraction. But it When we sin, we sin against God, and there's none effect upon God. uh in the sense that his his holiness's honor is is Accosted, let's just say.

And he cannot let us into his presence unless that's taken care of 'cause he's holy and perfect.

So in the Trinitarian communion, the Father elected and gave to the Son the elect to go fetch, to go get him. And That's what Jesus says he lays his life down for the sheep. John 10, 11. All right, so This means before the foundation of the world that people were elected for salvation. Ephesians 1:4 says this.

Alright, so if they were, they're not even existing, but they're not at peace with God. Because they don't exist. And when Jesus finally went to the cross and he bore the sins of people in the future who didn't live at that time. They were not at peace with God, because likewise they did not exist.

So when someone who is born who, for whatever reason, in the eternal decree of God, has been elected for salvation. Until that point of election, of the manifestation of granting of faith, they are functionally under the wrath of God. This is why I say functionally under that wrath. In that he has not redeemed them, in the sense of the application by faith of what he has done on the cross, has not yet applied to them. Since it's not applied, they are functionally under that judgment and the wrath of God.

If they were to die in that state, they'd go to hell. But it's not possible because God doesn't make mistakes.

So when God grants that they have faith, Philippians 1.29, Then they are justified. Philippians 3.9. They're justified by faith, not by anything they do.

Okay, Romans 4:5 and 3.28. And so They're not at peace with God until. They're at peace with God. They're not at peace with God until they have confessed their sins, till they've received Christ, or they've trusted in Christ. Then they are at peace with God, and they manifest the election that God is granted.

before the foundation of the world.

Okay. Okay, yeah, I I don't fully yet understand it. I think we're gonna come back and listen to it. But I guess my last question would be, how is it that we reconcile what appears to be an issue in Colossians one hundred and twenty when it says and that Christ made peace with all things. Is it Is it by saying that all refers to all within a category.

Well, the all things there, um he reconciled all things to himself.

Well, what does reconciliation mean? Does it mean to save? Does it mean to save and or does it mean to put in right relationship with? Because he says there, all things.

Well, the all things Uh it does like I you know in our my debate with Sam Shimone. Does that include the demonic realm? And the answer is no. It can't. Because they don't have any Redeemer.

So all things, therefore, is not just about the redemptive order.

So it makes sense to say that it's dealing with on a cosmic level of the whole issue of all things that need to be dealt with. that this is worth taking care of on the cross. It doesn't mean that the atonement value for every individual is made right there, because if you say that it was all things included, then you're stuck with the all things including the demonic realm, and then you can't have exegetical hopscotch at this point. where you just pick one thing and not another as you just go through the path.

So, this is why I would say that what it means there is that he's reconciling cosmically, broadly speaking, everything to himself.

Okay? Okay. Sounds good. Appreciate your time. Yeah, it's the only way I can make sense of it all, and as I try, because I have a lot in my head about these things, and I've had hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of conversations like this.

And it doesn't mean I'm right. But I've gone through so many verses that, you know, and I've spent hours on every verse. And And so I have a cognitive map. Oh, I see how this is all related.

So I could stand up in front of a church for a good hour without even opening the Bible and quote scripture and tell you how things interrelate. This is not a brag, I'm just saying I've done it so many times that I see how it all interrelates scripturally. At least I see how I have it arranged in my head.

Now, I'm not sure, I'm not saying that's how it is truthfully and accurately before God, but I certainly see, oh, I see how this fits. And so we could have Colossians 1:20. We've got to make sure that we understand that all things have. has to be restricted because it cannot include the re the um demonic realm.

Okay. So if it doesn't include the demonic realm, then what does all things mean? And it doesn't say all men, as is often the state, or all people. Because you know to all men, like it says in the Mm-hmm. Romans 5:18, through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men.

So also through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

So Paul has at his liberty, he has the ability to designate all men.

Now, in the theological sense, all men include women because of what's called federal headship. But the point is, he has that, and he doesn't say that there. He chose not to say men, dealing with mutual reconciliation of people. And so he says all things.

So it seems to include the created order as well. And that makes sense. Since the created order is affected by the sin of Adam, sin entered the world. Through one man, Romans 5:12. And we know that there's going to be a new heavens and a new earth, and most probably the reason is because the entrance of sin into the world, into our realm, Not just You know, on my block or my house is.

No. Or just the garden where Adam was. No. The world that he was in charge of. And the world we're supposed to, as men, as people, subdue.

It doesn't mean just earth, because we have the ability to go. Other places eventually, and put all the creation, so to speak, under the domain for the glory of God. There's nothing wrong with that.

So it would make sense to say that all things deal with the cosmos as well, not just individual people. All right? kind of makes sense now. I'll go back for sure and listen to this and Think about it some more. Appreciate it.

Sounds good, butter. Thank you. God bless. All right, now let's get to Patrick from North Carolina. Patrick, welcome.

You're on the air. Hey Matt, how you doing? I'm doing alright. How are you doing? Yeah.

I'm doing good. Um my question is uh In Genesis 22, 1, It says God tested Abraham. And he told him to go sacrifice his son Was God testing Abraham's faith? Bye. Seeing how far he would go.

No, Adam, I mean, God already knew because God had ordained all things that would come to pass. And so it's not an issue of God having to learn. It's a test for Abraham, for our benefit. Hold on, we've got to. We've got a break coming up.

We'll be right back, folks, after these messages. If you want to give me a call, we have three open lines: 877-207-2276. We'll be right back.

It's Matt Slick Live, taking your calls at 877-207-2276. Here's Matt Slick. All right, and welcome back to the show. If you want to call me, we have three open lines: 877-207-2276. Patrick, you're back on.

Yeah, in Genesis, it said he tested Abraham. Then, what was he testing Abraham for? The test, God tests people so that they can grow. He doesn't test him so that God has to learn, excuse me, learn because God knows all things. 1 John 3:20.

So When he's testing you, it's like, okay, let's test you. Let's see what you're made of. But he already knows what you're made of. Abraham didn't know. A Abraham didn't know that God was going to reveal the Ram.

He had to go through taking his son up the mountain to go sacrifice him, But it says, Scripture says God waited till Abraham had the knife to his son's throat. to to make sure Abraham was going to sacrifice his son. He was testing his faith. Are you saying God was trying to learn something?

Well, no, he was he he was testing Abraham to see if he really had faith or not. Otherwise, Abraham, why did he even have to sacrifice his son then? But you're saying God had to test Abraham to see if Abraham really had faith? Yes, exactly. That's what that scripture is telling us today that God tests our faith.

Just like with Uh, Peter, when Peter walked on water. But If God know knows everything, then he would know if he really had that true faith, right? He knew it, but Abraham didn't. That's the point, because Abraham. Didn't know what was gonna.

He had to, he thought he had to sacrifice the woman, Patrick, Patrick. God knows everything. God doesn't need to test anybody to see what's in them. He already knows. The testing is not for God's benefit, it's for ours.

Okay. Right.

And Abraham had to go to the point of pulling out his knife and putting it through his son's throat. And then God said, do not harm that boy. I don't understand what Okay. What? The point is is God was testing Abraham's faith.

He was saying, all right, let's see how much faith you got. I'm going to send you to sacrifice your son. And and God waited until he had the knife to his son's throat.

So, are you saying God was learning to see what he would do? No, I'm saying that today we have to work for our salvation. You jumped from that. You've jumped from that to salvation.

Well, I mean, faith. We have to work for our faith because faith without works is dead. You're not making faith. Hold on, Patrick, hold on. You're not making any sense.

When you say you have to work for your faith and faith outworks is dead, you're not connecting. You're not defining it. What do you mean, work for our faith? We have to work to get faith? Is that what you're saying?

So you're saying that Abraham could have got halfway up the mountain and said to his son, let's go on. I just asked you to do that today. I asked you a question for clarification. Didn't you? You just ignored the question.

Are you saying we have to work in order to have faith? That's the question. Yes, we have to uh do serious work to prove our faith. To whom? Yeah.

I mean, God's learning now that we. You're wrong about the Catholics. You've got to understand you're wrong about the Catholics. You're going to be All right, we're moving along. We know that Patrick doesn't have all his logical or theological paws in the litter box.

Phyllis from North Carolina. Philips, welcome. You're on the air. Yeah. Thank you, Matt.

I enjoyed the show. In John the fourth chapter, when Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well, She asked him, how can you ask me for a drink? when the Jews have no dealings with us. a drop down to the twelfth verse, she says, Are you greater than our father Jacob? How can she refer to Jacob?

It's her father in the lineage of that family. if they had no dealings with the Samaritans. Oh, the Samaritans were after Jacob.

Okay. So, way, way after Jacob, there are half-breeds between the Babylonian captivity and the Jews who were taken into captivity, not to the Samaritans were.

So, that's way after the time of Jacob's existence. And Jacob is the one who built that well, which I've actually drank water out of that very well, by the way. Oh my goodness. Yeah. And so uh that that's all that's going on there.

It's not a big deal, okay.

Okay. So she is in that family, or I guess the block in my head is saying she is not a Samaritan. No, she's a Samaritan. She was a Samaritan. But even the Samaritans could have their lineage down from Jacob because they were the Jews who had children with the wives with the.

So now it makes sense.

Okay. And the reason This is unusual because women would go to the well in groups, usually for protection, social stuff. You weren't supposed to be isolated. That's just a culture.

So she was isolated, which meant she was an outcast not only from certain areas of society, but also from the women who weren't. Wanting to do with her, and Jesus went to meet her, a Samaritan.

Now, the Samaritans were hated. They were hated by the Jews, hated So she is in In a sense, risking her safety by going out in public alone as a Samaritan in that area. Interesting. And so Jesus goes to meet her, and then he's talking to her. This is, you know, put your hand over your chest.

and uh you you can't believe it's true kind of a thing.

Alright. It's like what? All right. Mm-hmm. All right, very good.

Thank you. Okay. Okay. Well, good. Thank you very, very much.

You're welcome very, very much.

Alright, come bless bye. All right. So it looks like we had a problem on I'm not sure where the problem was uh on the internet We are still on the air, but something came up with the feed in Eevee Mucks. to um other stuff. And uh oh, there it's it's back.

So I don't know what happened, but that's there it is, it's back. Anyway, folks, we have wide open lines. If you want to give me a call, the number is eight seven seven two zero seven two two seven six. And um Let's see. Let's see.

Now, about faith and works. You know, Patrick bought their stuff, but Patrick. We've had lots of discussions in the past, and uh let's just say that he doesn't understand uh a lot of theology and uh Yeah. There's some issues there. But at any rate.

So, faith is granted to us by God, Philippians 1:29. To you it has been granted to believe. That's what it says. been granted to belief. not only to believe, but to suffer.

Okay, so both. God grants it. And Jesus says, This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent. John 6:29. A lot of people, they think.

That, what God does is, He waits in the sidelines and He prompts you. as a gentleman. And it's completely up to you and your wisdom to be able to decide to believe him or not. And as nice as that may feel, and, as fair as it may sound, You won't find it in Scripture.

Now the scriptures are the authority. Not us, not our feelings, not our sensibilities. And people need to change their theology. to agree with scripture. Jesus says in John 6, 65, You cannot come to me unless it's granted from the Father.

Well, then you can't come to Christ unless God grants it to you. You had to have faith granted to you. In fact, um In John 1:12 and 13, I'll have to go with this with people because they're surprised at what it actually says. It says, But as many as received him, them he gave the right to be called the children of God. Even to those who believe in his name, who were born not of the, not of blood.

nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. The context here says born, not of the will of man, but it's talking about being born again, being born, you know, begotten in the spiritual realm, because it says we're receiving Christ.

So this is not of the will Of man, that's not your own will. And the reason is because before were saved were slaves of sin. We're free. We're just free to be slave to sin. We're free to act in a manner consistent with our fallen nature.

And We are are uh sinful. And we do sinful things. And then we humble ourselves. We we actually do the receiving. We receive Christ.

And I don't know exactly how it all works, but We know that God grants that we come to Christ, John 6:65, grants that we have faith, Philippians 1:29. We can't come to Christ unless the Father draws us, John 6:44. Our believing in Jesus is the work of God, John 6:29.

So we know those are true, but we also know we receive him. John 1:12, and we believe. We do the believing. But he grants that we do the believing.

Now, how does this all work? We don't have perfect answers on this, but this is what the scriptures teach. The reason you're saved, if you're a believer, is because from eternity past, God decided to save you. Not because of your goodness. Not because of how good or even how bad you are.

Maybe you're struggling with your assurance of salvation. But you've got to understand. God chose you from the foundation of the world, even though he knows everything about you. what you would be. how you would be.

All your evil, all your mistakes, all your sin and rebellion. And he chose you. And I'm so glad that's the case. Because if you look at me now, Well, he wouldn't pick me. You know what I'm saying?

There's the music. We write back after these messages. Please stay tuned. We write back. It's Matt Slick Live, taking a call at 877-207-2276.

Here's Matt Slick. Everybody, welcome back to the show. Oh, in the last segment already. Let's get to let's see, that's Chris from North Carolina. Chris, welcome here on the air.

What's going on, Matt? What's shaking, Baker? Just doing radio. Hanging in there, man. What do you got, buddy?

Look, man, I know uh I think it's in the book of Jude. It mentions the uh book of Enoch. Yeah, versus 14 and 15. I've seen a lot of videos lately popping up on YouTube talking about the book of Enoch and this and that and the other. What are your thoughts on that?

The Book of Enoch is not scripture, it's intertestamental. It's comprised of several parts written by different authors at different times. The Jews, who were given the custodianship of the Old Testament and the scriptures, the oracles of God in Romans 3:2, never considered the Book of Enoch to be inspired. They never considered it to be true. Uh it's blowing the cannon.

And the New Testament criterion was to be written, the New Testament books written by an apostle. etcetera., and it wasn't so it wasn't there, so it's not in the canon, it's not scripture.

Okay. Yeah, I knew it wasn't in the the um Main. Scripture. But I was just wondering what your thoughts were. Yeah.

Well, it's useful for reading, and Jude quoted it. But uh it doesn't mean it's it's uh inspired any more than when Paul quoted Epimenides and Erastus, there were pagan philosophers. It doesn't mean they're inspired. It just means that they applied something. In a different sense.

So that's all, and it's worth checking out, but just don't consider it scripture and don't let it tell you what the Bible means because that would be a problem.

Okay? Absolutely. And one other one, the the Ethiopian Bible. What are your thoughts on it? I don't know enough about it to be able to tell you.

I know they have extra books. And um I don't know what the list is, but they're pseudo-picker apocryphal books and Uh I don't Okay. When a group has extra books in the Bible that are not recognized by the Jews and were not by the apostles. I doubt that the church really understands what's going on.

Okay. Got you. All righty, man.

Well, look, thank you, sir, brother.

Okay. Sounds good. All right, God bless.

Okay. All right, let's get to Jermaine from North Carolina. Jermaine, buddy. Hey, man, how are you doing, buddy? Oh, hey, Maggie, yeah, um So today I wanted to ask about pastors or whoever preaches a funeral of someone that they know their last moments were some kind of dark sin is Is is there a protocol or a method to preach at some of these things, 'cause I've seen some people still preach people into heaven, and it's like their last act was I you know, not even mention names, I've seen people you know, they they were found deceased in their lover's bed.

Some wives had discovered their husbands having an affair and they were murdered and now you have to go to the funeral and it was really embarrassing and awkward. But how would you preach a sermon or How would you handle that situation?

Well, I've had to do that. I've had to do funerals for people who I knew. uh had rejected Christ constantly. and there was no evidence of repentance. And So when when I face that, and I've got some family members.

Oh man. my late wife's father. my late wife's brother's daughter. who committed suicide by burning herself to death. He hated Jesus.

And I had to preach at those funerals. What do you do?

Well, what you do is, if you're convinced that they're not believers, then you don't just say, hey, they're in hell. What I do is I just say, This person had good qualities. Let's not the good qualities, you know, like. You know, they worked hard or whatever it was. You know, nice or funny.

And you list out those good things, and then I preach the gospel. And I just say, this is the word that all who put their faith and their trust in can be saved. And that's what I do. I don't condemn that person. You don't say, well, the person rejected Christ, so what happened?

It's not my thing. And funerals are exceedingly Emotional. for a lot of people. And so you have to be very careful how you speak at funerals. And I've spoken, I don't know, five to ten of them.

People have asked me over the years to do things. And um You know, when it's a. I remember one, the last one I did was a man who was a believer. And just say, you know, we welcome him to the presence of Jesus. And for the ones who are not believers, I don't say they're in hell, I just say.

And good quality is good, this, good, that. And if you want to be Assured of where you're going. On the Judgment Day. Need to know who Jesus is, and that's that's how I handle it. saying anything I just Be the gospel, okay?

Okay, yeah, that that sounds really like the best thing to do on the Now are those people who do preach sermons as if that person As in are they in violation? of God's order because it sounds like they're They're sending them to heaven, essentially, with some of the way. I've seen some of these funerals preached when they wouldn't have any knowledge of that, especially if they're Their last acts were such heinous crime. Yeah. Yeah, I'm with you.

They don't have the right to be able to say they are with the Lord. I can't do that. If they want to comfort people, then these pastors, if it looks as though the person who died never. Repented and was in sin, as you said, in their last moments, theoretically. And unrepentant, he doesn't have the right, and he should not say, Oh, they're going to heaven.

Because then that is a way of approving of great sin without repentance. to people. And that's a very serious mistake any pastor could make ever doing that.

Okay. All right. Well, thank you very much, and I appreciate it. As usual. In the I always remember it is Northern California.

I've never been to Carolina, but I'd like to visit. Yeah, well, you know, Carolina's nice. There's good people there. A lot of good people. But, um,.

Yeah. You know. That's nice. Yeah. Look anyway.

Okay, brother. All right, man.

Okay, go on.

Okay. All right, now let's get to John from Colorado. John. Welcome, you're on the air. Hi.

Um, simple question. Uh the importance of Well, you said this in the past, it's important to go to a church. Yes. Yeah. Well does the church need me?

Right.

Exactly. And do I need them? I mean, it's the social interaction, it's very complicated. Yes, they need you and you need them. The reason is because all Christians have spiritual giftings and qualities and abilities.

They're needed in the body of Christ because God has granted them in the body of Christ.

So the church needs you in that sense. But you need the church also because it's the place of the preaching of the word of God. It's for fellowship, worship, and adoration of God.

So it it works both ways, okay?

Well What if I'm a fake? And I'm in there and it's causing a disturbance. Then then don't cause a disturbance.

Okay. Don't do it. But you're still saying it's important that we be there in the congregations. You should attend church. You should be going to church.

Yes, you should.

Okay. Just don't go there and cause problems. All right, just don't go.

Well, social social interaction is very complicated. There's all kinds of things going on between people. Yes, I understand.

So don't cause problems.

Okay. But anyhow, you're saying You're saying otherwise, just go. You may understand why, just go. The Bible says, Don't forsake the gathering together of the people of God. You should be going to church.

and enjoying the fellowship of God. That that's all.

Okay. All right. Well, I just hate the fact that I fit in there. I don't blog there. go and just Just Just don't say a whole bunch, just don't do a whole bunch.

and and attend, you know. And that's all. I don't fit in churches either. All right, I don't fit into them.

Alright. So I just go and just sit. There you go. Okay. Well, I'm gonna go, but this is not my fault.

You are a leadership. I don't know if you know that or not.

Okay. And you're all the people in my life that are leadership with saying the same thing.

So I'll go.

Okay, good. All right. And the Bible says. I said the guy should. The Bible says Hebrews 11:25: Don't forsake the gathering of the gathering of the people of God.

So You know, you need to find a place. If you're at all possible able to do it, just go find a place of fellowship and ask God to open your heart and your mind to learn from. the preaching, okay?

Alright. Yeah. Well, I can learn from the Bible and I can learn from studying seminaries. Professors on the internet. and listening to carum.org.

In all these things. Why do I gotta be among people? Because that's what you're made for, is meeting with people. We're made in the image of God. God is a a being of fellowship.

And we are too. If you remove yourself from that fellowship, you're going to eventually hurt yourself.

Okay, in ways you won't even know.

Okay. Okay. Well, I don't understand, but apparently I'm supposed to go.

So that's what the Bible says. All right, brother.

Sounds good. Mm. All right, now let's get to the last caller I think we have here is Jeff from Virginia. Jeff, welcome here on the air. Yeah, how are you doing?

I just wanted to talk about. I was seeing on my Facebook page about. you know, black Indians, black Chinese and everything. And The art. You're you're familiar with Lewis and Clark core discoveries.

I haven't studied Lewis and Clark's discoveries yet. You don't know who they were, no. Went out well, my boss I used to work for, that's a great uncle. He looks just like him.

Okay. Once they got past the Mississippi River, Uh you know, Clark had a slave who was really dark. And the energy trying to wipe the paint off of it. 'Cause they thought he was, you know, a a witch doctor or a holy man.

So Wouldn't that just knock that out of the water? I don't understand your question. What's your question?

Well, there. The the the tribes that had not been on the east coast. Had probably never seen a black man before.

So they were trying to wipe the paint off of him. You know, they were black themselves if that was the case.

Okay, then that's probably what they did. And they just didn't understand, so yeah.

Okay. So now what do we do? That's my question. But I had one time I had two mourning girls tell me that Uh The Mormons came over here or lost drives and talked. Taught all the Indians over here.

No, the Indians. The Mormons are taught that that's the case, but it never happened. It's just the Mormon church is based on faith. They're standing all over the place, dead. No, it's a fictional fiction.

It's history's fiction. It's just a made-up God from a false guy. And people are corrupt. That's all it is. Yeah.

Well, you whole are more general with the black Isra Israelis than I would be. Uh oh. I'm not sure I understood that, but okay.

Well, we're about out of time anyway. Um. Huh? Ooh. We're out of time, brother.

All right, we've got about 20 seconds left in the show. All right, so we're going to get going. Hey, thanks for calling. Appreciate it.

Alright, hey folks, we're at the So I'll ask you one minute. To the top of the hour. And I hope the Lord blesses you tonight. And thanks for listening to the show. And we'll be on the air by God's grace.

Tomorrow at the same time.

So, if you have any comments or questions, save them for then and give me a call then. And may the Lord bless you, and we'll talk to you later. God bless. Bye. Another program powered by the Truth Network.