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.

Oh, there we go. Everybody, welcome to the show. It's me, Matt Slick, or listen to Matt Slick Live. Today's date. is uh let's see um August 21st, 2026.

Oh boy, past couple of days have been pretty busy, pretty hectic. And I had a debate last night. And we can talk about that if any of you watched it, listened to it, be interesting, interested to know what your What your opinion of it is.

So that would be something I'd like to just discuss because it was an interesting debate, and I'll go through it a little bit. We've got a caller coming in. But also, just want to let you know that we stand here by your support. Please consider supporting us. We are going to have to Move some of the sites.

That we have into other venues. Here's some interesting technological issues that are going on.

Now, for the average Joe, they won't know this, but it's going to affect people. Uh sixty percent of all traffic on the Internet is now by bots. A bot is just like think of a robot in a digital form. And what it does is it goes to your site or a website. and it looks for various information.

It gets too complicated. But what happens is, let's just say that you have 100 doors to your website and 100 bots come in. A real user who wants to go look at the site has to wait. The site slows down a great deal. or can't get in.

Well, if the traffic on the web increases from sixty percent to seventy percent to eighty percent, this means that standard websites won't be having true traffic anymore. It'll just be bots reading their information advertisers will uh start having less product being sold. Um The website purpose will be undermined, etc. This is just what statistics have going on.

Now the Karm site is um is already Fixed. for that. We have a really good programming guy, and he's worked I can give you all kinds of details, but just bore you with him. He's fixed it so that we are on a new system, a new platform, new everything, and the bots don't affect us like that. They are there, but we are able to deal with it.

And we're in place for that for years to come. But present sites like on WordPress and even our own schools. And our Spanish website and our Portuguese website are all all under the old system, which means that as the bots increase, basically those things become ineffective because bots are reading them, not people. And so the solution is we're going to have to rebuild the schools. And the other two websites in Portuguese and Spanish.

Letting you know, because we're going to be trying to raise some funds for this later on, because it needs to be done in order to keep that gospel going forth. That's one thing. Here's another thing that's interesting. is so we have a missionary in Nigeria. And I'm going to say this slowly.

Uh we call him Moses. That's not his real name, but that's what that's the name we use. Uh the Muslims have got a fatwa against him. They want to they want him killed. And He's been He's had to flee a few places.

All right.

However, what he's been doing is going through uh different villages teaching Christian theology. And he had an interesting story. He had a really interesting story to tell us this morning in our Friday morning meeting we have with people from all over the world. They call in and for the meeting and we just talk.

So, um He was saying he was at a village uh And teaching and he mentioned just mentioned predestination and election, because the Bible teaches it. Uh they reacted with violence. uh a pastor came up and struck him. hit him in the jaw. and cut his uh his tongue.

Because his mouth is open, his teeth, and at any rate, uh and They started to attack him, and he had to. Other guys stepped in and stopped it. and he had to leave quickly. And uh because he taught That God chooses and God predestines. Right of Ephesians 1:4.

and five right there right there is what it is And he had to flee because of Who? reacted very negatively To biblical theology.

Now, I'm going to say something here. There's a lot of people out there who think predestination election is not true. It is. And if you don't believe it's true, then um you need to repent. I need to accept what the Bible says because read Ephesians chapter 4.

Excuse me, Ephesians chapter 1, verses 4 and 5. That's just, there's many verses like this, but Ephesians 4. Oh, man.

Okay, Ephesians chapter 1, verses 4 and 5.

So the first chapter of Ephesians, verses 4 and 5. You read those two verses, there's many like this. And I mentioned uh to him we were talking How I've had similar experiences in Christian churches here in America. We're mentioning Biblical teachings of God electing and choosing for salvation. 2 Thessalonians 2:13, He has chosen you from the beginning for salvation.

Ephesians 1:4, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we be holy and blameless in love. He predestined us to adoption as sons. The election is the choosing. And I've I've referenced these kinds of things to people, and they become angry. Christians who become angry.

What the heck is wrong with people? What is wrong with Christians? In Protestants, now the Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholics, of course, they deny these things because they're false religions. But what's wrong with the Protestants who deny Christ? the sovereignty and position and majesty of God.

And elevate their own ideology that it is man who makes the final choice.

Well, Jesus says in John 6:65, you cannot come to me unless it has been granted to you from the Father.

Now, I know a lot of you listening might disagree.

Well, I don't care. I do not care. In fact, I will tell you what verses to go to the Bible and scratch them out if you don't like them. Because you can go to Ephesians 1, 4, and 5, scratch them out. You can go to um 2 Thessalonians 2:13, scratch it out.

You can go to John 665 and scratch it out. You can scratch these out and get rid of them because they don't agree with your theology, your preferences, your ideology. I'm going to tell you: if that's the case with you, you need to repent flat out. And I believe that there, and I do believe this, that there's a growing apostasy within Protestantism. And I already believe the Eastern Orthodox Roman Catholic churches are apostate.

Now, 2 Thessalonians 2, Jesus, I mean, not Jesus, but Paul, says that there's going to become an apostasy. That the apostasy must occur before the Antichrist arrives. In my opinion, I believe part of the apostasy is the elevation of man's free will over the sovereignty and work of God. That to me is apostasy, it's false doctrine. And the fact that our missionary in Nigeria was assaulted, physically assaulted for this.

is is insane. And I've, on more than one occasion, I've been uh negatively ver and verbally um addressed on this issue from those who claim to be Christians. And I just think it's atrocious. I think it's a serious sin. On the part of the people who deny God's election and God's predestination because the Bible clearly teaches it.

Now, if you disagree with me, that's fine. You can disagree, and if you want to call up, and I can show you the verses, and I can ask you questions. Because we gotta understand something. There's two issues here at at stake. One is God's sovereignty and the other one is your sovereignty.

Which is the ultimate? It's God. He's the one. Chooses us for salvation, whether you like it or not, whether I like it or not. is it's just a fact.

And it's Ephesians 1:4 and 5, and 2 Thessalonians 2:13. That's what the Bible teaches.

Now I'm going to speak to the men right now, not the ladies, the men. I believe that Christian uh manhood is under attack. And I think that Christian men need to stand up. But love. consistency and truth And say, This is the word word of God says, I don't care what anybody else says.

That's what we need to do. Do it to your wives, do it to your parents, do it to your children, do it to your workmates, do it to whoever, whatever. This is what the Bible says. I'm going to challenge the men to read. Ephesians chapter one.

Just challenge him to read Ephesians chapter 1. And there's a lot in there, Ephesians chapter 1 and John 6. There's so much in those two chapters, I could preach on them for six months. There's a lot of doctrine, and there's a lot of truth, and there are words of Christ. The words of Paul, Ephesians 1, it teaches this stuff.

Men, I believe men, are the ones who need to stand up and say, no, we're not putting up with this heresy that's coming into the Christian church. That's what I believe. And I think a lot of pastors need to repent and need to start teaching biblical theology and start teaching that God chooses and it's not up to men. Because if it was up to man to us, if it's just up to our choice, then why do Jesus say, You cannot come to me unless it has been granted to you from the Father? John 6:65.

I've used that verse so many times against people who say, no, it's up to your choice, your wisdom, your ability. And I say, why does Jesus speak to the contrary? And they don't know what to do with it. Except to twist the word of God and say, Well, God, He grants you the opportunity to it's just the heresies of changing God's Word to make it fit their theology, their own feelings is just sickening and needs to stop. And I've experienced the This is several times.

I remember once when I was teaching at a church, I had to literally pack up and hurry out of the church because I didn't feel safe. From the Protestants. Who? Denied and openly rejected God's election and predestination of people for salvation. even though the scriptures directly teach it.

and they would come back with God wants everyone to be saved and whoever believes. and they couldn't think their way out of a wet theological bag. Because they don't understand theology, they don't understand logic, and they don't really trust in the Word of God in a lot of areas.

Now, that's not saying they're not Christian. But it's time for people to man up and step up and start saying, What does the Bible say? Read Ephesians 1 and John 6. There is so much in those two chapters. Ephesians 1, John 6.

I'd challenge people to read. I challenge people to to um Submit their feelings, their understandings to the Word of God and believe what it says. And if you have questions on how to integrate other things in Scripture with those two chapters, let me know. I'll help you out. Down.

Can you believe it? A pastor that would attack a man. I remember seeing a video of a Calendar Chapel pastor getting up in front of a bunch of women, women pastor, which is unbiblical. and speaking and said, Women, Pastor is unbiblical, and women came up and struck him. These are supposed to be believers.

And they behave like unbelievers. because they had their idols in their hearts. man's sovereignty. man's work. I will tell you what God's word says about who could be a pastor or not.

This is the apostasy, and the pastors are the ones who have the responsibility to teach the biblical truth. I wish I could have a seminar where people come together and I just taught biblical theology to them and said, Look, you need to believe what this says, because it's what it says.

Well, this is Calvinism.

Well, if that's what it is, then that's what it is. At the very least, you need to believe in God's election and predestination. It's not up to you and your wisdom. You've got to believe what it says. I'm a biblical Christian.

and I use Scripture all the time, and I point people to Scripture all the time. to the best of my ability. the best of my ability. I'm not loyal to denomination. I don't have to keep my pulpit by making sure I say certain things or can't say certain other things.

You know, not talking about just abject heresy. We're talking. These are things taught in Scripture, and there are denominations where if you speak these things, you're out. Like God predestines people. That's what it says, Romans 8, 29 and 30.

Oh, no, he can't do that. God chooses people for salvation, 2 Thessalonians 2:13. No, he doesn't do that. You know I wish people would stop raising their own internal ideologies and bowing before them. In order to make themselves feel good, at the expense of the sovereignty, holiness, and greatness of God.

We'll be right back after these messages, please. Stay tuned. It's Matt Slick Live, taking your calls at 877-207-2276. Here's Matt Slick. Alright, everyone, welcome back to the show.

If... You want to give me a call? All you got to do is dial 877-207-2276. Let's get on with Alan from Virginia. Alan, welcome here on the air.

Hey, Matt, how you doing? Doing alright, it's uh I'm going off doing fine. It's doing good. What do you got, buddy?

Okay, so I'm trying to um articulate how Saving Faith works exactly better? Um So I can just be like a better witness for God and such.

So I'll start with what I believe someone needs to specifically believe in order to be saved. That Jesus is God. He was sent by God the Father to be an atoning slash susatory sacrifice for sinners. That he was sacrificed as an atonement for sinners, and that he resurrected. Is that correct?

uh exactly what it is. Yeah, that's that's suff it's you're getting there. There's more that you need to need to tell them about the characteristics of saving faith, but yeah.

Okay, so wh wh what are the other characteristics that they have to affirm? Yeah.

Okay, so let's talk a little bit. I'll get more technical than I need to, but just for teaching time. Oh, sorry, I'll have to interrupt real quick. I don't know if it's my phone, but I try to access things Your live stream on Rumble, and I only get like black pictures.

So I don't know if you have to restart it or something.

Okay, well that's good. I don't know if well I can't check it right now. I'm looking at it and I see it.

So uh it seems to be working. Might want to just try a you know, just refresh and see. And and if it continues, uh And let us know because it might be a glitch or a problem with a certain tech aspect.

Okay? Great.

Okay, all right.

Okay, so God grants that we have faith, Philippians 1:29. That faith is in Jesus, John 6:29. That's the work of God.

Now the characteristics basically of what it means to have saving faith.

So I'm going to get a little more technical here. There's three aspects we need to look at: notitia. a census fiducia or a cens uh notitia Accenture and uh fiducia. Notitia it just means knowledge and understanding. A cognitive understanding of what the gospel is.

You can define it, you could write it out. A sentia is an intellectual agreement. In your mind, not only know it. but you agree with it intellectually, that these things are true, especially the issue of the gospel. Fiducia is exercising personal trust and reliance.

on what Christ alone has done for us.

So These are aspects of what we call just faith. Nauticia is knowledge understanding of something. It's purely just intellectual. You could write it down, pass a test. Essentia is now I know it, but intellectually I agree with it.

Fiducia is not only do I know it and I intellectually agree with it, but I trust in it. And so these are the three aspects of saving faith.

Okay, now. You don't have to say that to anybody. I'm just telling you, this is what's going on. What we really are concerned with is what's called fiducia. When you explain the Gospel, You want them to understand it, have knowledge of it, and and to intellectually affirm it as well as trust in it.

So you're saying you want to have knowledge, agreement, and trust.

So that's what you're doing, but it's notitia, sentia, fiducia.

Okay.

So knowledge agreement. You're trusting what Jesus did, okay? Because we're going to get to this, okay? I'm just giving you more than you need. Uh but I want pe people to understand a little bit of of teaching time, okay?

So we know that God grants we have that faith.

So, whatever God grants to us, faith-wise, is true and real faith.

So it's going to be It's going to be a fiducia. It's going to be real. Trust and reliance what Christ has done.

Now when you present the gospel One of the things that I think you should do. is preach the law. the Gospel, and the Cost. The law is you shall not Uh lie. You have lied, therefore the law condemns you.

The gospel is the solution for the consequence of breaking the law. You have broken the law, you've sinned, that's an offense to God. You need to take care of that. You can't. Because you're not infinite, but God is, and you are So God becomes one of us, you know, given that the thing: He's God in flesh.

He bore us into his body, etc., grows from the dead. This is the gospel.

So Hold on through my throat.

So, the law and the law, gospel, cost, this is all part of it. Yeah.

The law is the do's and don'ts of moral behavior. The gospel is the solution for when you break that law. And that the gospel is, as you were talking about, Jesus is God in flesh, sent by God to atone by the Father. You want to say he's God in flesh, then you want to say sent by the Father. You don't use the same term, but it might inadvertently cause confusion.

So he's God in flesh. Second person of the Trinity, you could say that if you want. Or and He's sent by God the Father to atone for our sins. Which is true. And he died on the cross.

And then he rose from the dead. And the resurrection is the proof. That his sacrifice on the cross of bearing our sins and dying with those sins is the proof that it was valid and true.

So all you have to do is put trust in what Jesus did. That's faith and trust in what Jesus did, right? But I tell people Because if he had sinned, if Christ had sinned, the wages of sin is death, then death would have overcome him, he would not have risen. Since he did not sin, he kept the law perfectly, Therefore he is raised from the dead. This demonstrates his life was perfect and everything he said was perfect and true and what he said is yet to go through him.

So it's he said he would be the one who'd lifted up the earth, John 12, 32. If I believe up to the earth, I'll draw all men in myself. John 3:16, God so loved the world that gave His only begotten Son. Whoever believe in Him would not perish.

So the resurrection is the proof that He never sinned. and that means including in him never sinning, was the truth statements he made. That He's the way, the truth, and life. Nobody comes to the Father but by Him. John 14:6.

So therefore the resurrection demonstrates his sinlessness, his perfection, which includes by necessity all the things he said, because if he had said something wrong, that would have been sin. Who never said anything wrong? He's the only way.

So that's how the resurrection uh demonstrates that what he said is true.

Alright, now the third thing is. I'm sorry, you got a qu question? Uh I I think I was going going with it here, like, um I Doesn't it also somewhat prove it? him being the life Uh It also shows that he is the life 'cause he um I guess he also because all three parts, I think, raised him, right? Or is it just the father?

I I didn't understand your question. Say it again.

So so so Jesus is the life. Um Bid arms. Does that also resurrection also prove he is the life Yes, because he said he was, John 14:6, the way, the truth, and the life. Nobody comes to the Father but by him. Yes, so it's included.

So the resurrection could not have occurred if he'd have sinned because the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23.

So if he had sinned, he would not have risen. He rose, which means he never sinned. by what he said or what he did. And he said he was the way, the truth, and the life. Therefore it's true.

No one can get to God but by him.

Now hold on, we need to get to the third element here of the cost, okay? Yeah.

They post you right back after these messages. Please, if you would, stay tuned. It's Matt Slick Live, taking a call at 877-207-2276. Here's Matt Slick. All right, buddy, welcome back to the show.

Bottom of the hour already. Wow. Let's get back to Alan from Virginia. You still there, brother? Yep.

Okay, so before I get into the issue of the cost, do you have any questions about what we already covered? Uh yeah, so I I know what you I know what you're saying. I wrote some notes down and stuff. I still don't So I still don't quite understand the difference between Asphensus and Pedoucha.

Okay, so ascentia is think of it this way: mental ascent. Demonic forces have mental ascent. They know God's real, they believe it. They have knowledge. They have uh notitia.

and they have a censure. They have knowledge of God and they have a commitment in their own mind that He's a reality. They don't have fiducia and they can't.

Okay, so just think of it as knowledge. Um commitment. And knowledge, acceptance, and trust. Just think of it that way, okay? Knowledge, acceptance, and trust.

I still feel like acceptance is a form of trust. It's an intellectual acceptance, okay? Uh knowledge is an it's an intellectual thing, essentia is a l an i l intellectual thing, fiducia is a heart thing. to make it more general.

Okay.

So a nutrition is like There is this data Essentia is these per these people said this thing. And Fiducia is, I believe it fully. Right. That's a good way to put it.

Okay.

Okay.

God shows them.

So you don't need to when you tell people this, you don't need to know that. I'm just saying that in theology things are broken down and we get into this aspect. What you're concerned about with someone is, hey, do they Believe in Jesus and trust in him. That's all you got to do.

Okay? That's it. That's what it comes down to. But I like to teach a little bit more than most people do about varying areas of theology and stuff. And that's it.

So, I'm going to actually write an article on this. What are the characteristics of saving faith? I'm looking at my notes I'm developing while we're talking, actually, during the break and stuff. Perfect. Yeah, I would love it if I can reference it to spooks.

Sure, sure, sure, no problem.

Now, also, we talk about this issue of what I tell people is law gospel cost. Law gospel cost. The law Don't lie. You have lied. You're under judgment, that's law.

Gospel, this is how you get out from underneath the judgment of God. Through Christ. The cost. The cost is, as Jesus says, and I'm going to read something to you. And this is starting in Luke 14:25.

Now large crowds were going along with him, and he turned and said to them, If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, she cannot be my disciple.

Now, of course, he's not teaching them to actually hate them. But he's talking about the comparison of commitment to himself. Versus them. That's what he's going on about. And he makes this interesting statement: whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Wait a minute. Pick up your own cross. The cross was a pa the place of self sacrifice, of difficulty, of death. of accusation. You pick it up.

follow up for Jesus. This is what you're going to get. Trust me, I know.

Okay.

And he says in verse 28, For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not sit uh first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he's laid the foundation, he's not able to finish. people would ridicule him. The issue he's saying is, you can't be my disciple, you better count the cost. When I preach the gospel to people, I do law gospel cost.

I'm the only one I know who does that. I'm not saying no one else is smart, no one else does, you know. I just haven't, I don't listen to a bunch of other people. You know, I used to when I was younger, but not anymore because I just do so much work. But.

I just don't hear it being taught law, gospel, cost. I hear law and gospel. And so I tell people: you need to understand you're guilty, you need to understand how to get out from that guilt with Jesus, and you better understand that. If you trust in Christ, you will And you asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life to save you from your sins. He'll take you.

and he'll save you. and he's going to change you. He's going to work in you. That's the cost. Are you willing?

Are you willing to do these things? To the cost.

Well, what is the cost? It's a sober Commitment. to Christ. In Third world countries, there are places where if you commit to Christ, They expect to be dead within three years. Because they're Christians.

This is serious. We in in America, well, if I become a Christian, does it mean I can't watch those dirty movies? Does it mean I have to tell someone at work about Jesus? Oh, I can't do that. The other thing is allegiance to Christ above everything else.

And that's what he's talking about: loving your father, hitting your mom and dad. It's in comparison to him. He is the one to whom you're to show allegiance above everything. Everything else. Your wife, your parents, your children, your friends are Are in a separate category.

There's allegiance to Christ and then allegiance to everybody else, and however that works out. My mother has My mother has mentioned that I'm the most important thing in her life, and she claims to be Christian. I'm like, do not say that. Right, that you're correct. And uh,.

Yeah, and you just need to just lovingly say, I thought that would be the shouldn't be for Jesus. You mean the second most important, and that's good, okay. I'm something else. Here's something else. Self-denial and cross-bearing.

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

So you're denying yourself to go after Jesus. And the we're following Jesus.

Well, how did Jesus go?

Well, he went around telling the truth, and look what he did to him. Mus most Christians. I will be Christian as long as it's comfortable. And I'm the one who chose God. It was up to my wisdom, etc.

I hate that stuff.

So here's another one, renouncing possessions as ultimate security. None of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his possessions. That's Luke 14:33. It doesn't mean literal poverty. but it means material things should no longer function as your foundation for security.

It should be Jesus.

Okay.

And then perseverance. You need to persevere in the faith. go to church, read the Bible, continue to believe through tough times, etcetera. All right.

And then you need to expect suffering. You need to expect it. Because in Philippians 1.29, it says, To you it has been granted not only to believe in Christ's sake, but also to suffer.

So God grants we have faith, but he also grants we have suffering. And Christians just don't want this. And then of course there's this thing called Repentance that as Christians we continually turn from varying sins that have a grip upon our souls and our hearts. and we turn from them, sometimes we fail. But we we continually practice this turning from sin.

So These are the you know the seven basics of these are my notes here another article that I write. What are some of the elements of counting the cost to be a Christian? Because few Christians really do this. And I can tell you stories where, and I'm not going to bore you with them, but I can tell you stories where counting the cost. has co has cost me a great deal.

And I mean a great deal. Not a little. a great deal for many years. And so the issue here of Of following Christ, are you willing to do this?

Now, there have been times when I've talked to people about coming to Christ and being a Christian, and I've said, here's the law. You're guilty of this, blah, blah, blah. Here's the gospel. This is what Jesus did.

Now you've got to know the cost. And I've actually had one instance where I said to a guy, So do you want to count the cost by becoming a Christian? He said, No. I don't want to become a Christian, it's going to cost me anything. Yeah, she said that.

I said, okay. I said, all right, that's wise. I wouldn't want you I told him this I wouldn't want you to try Jesus for a little while to see if your life gets better. when it doesn't, because God requires of you honesty and integrity, and it costs you. And then you say, Well, I tried Krishna and it didn't work.

I wouldn't want you to be inoculated against Him because of the failure. That of your understanding with them. I said, not trying to be insulting, I'm just saying this is what Christianity teaches. I said, but you can turn to Christ any time. You don't need me to do that.

You can do it any time. Just be willing to be changed by the Lord Jesus. that's carrying the cost. He'll ask you to do things you don't want to do sometimes. Like, be honest, even when it hurts you.

And he said, I don't want that. I said, Okay. I actually had that happen.

So that's why I think it's important to preach law, gospel, and cost.

so that we can weed out the fake converts. who have entered Christianity for the sake of comforts and security. and not trust in Christ per se of all things, okay? Make sense? Mm-hmm.

Yep.

Okay.

Uh All right. Um, so I got uh some verses I want you to help me Understand.

Okay, really fast because we got a break coming up.

Okay.

Yeah, do you or if you want me to wait? Go ahead. No, go ahead.

So You probably heard this quite a lot from probably free will Protestants. Um Romans ten chapter ten, nine through ten. Yeah, I'll answer that when you get back. Yep, no problem.

Okay.

Yeah, that's right. We get back from the break. We'll address the Roma Set 9 to 10 and some other stuff. We'll be right back, folks, after these messages. Please stay tuned and you'll be annoyed even more.

Be right back. It's Matt Slick Live, taking a call at 877-207-2276. Here's Matt Slick. All right, everyone, welcome back to the show. It's a tough day on the radio teaching today.

Alan, Alan, are you still there, brother? Yeah.

Alright, so a standard comeback.

Now get this. This is what people are doing. They'll teach like this. They'll teach various verses and they'll counter them with other verses.

So they're setting scripture against scripture. They don't even realise it.

So, if I say, for example, to you it has been granted for Christ's sake not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake, it's been granted to believe. They go, well, wait a minute, what about John or Romans 10, 9 and 10? If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, believe in your heart he raised from the dead. You know, a man believes, resulting in righteousness. We'll say, Are you setting scripture against scripture?

Because that's what they're doing. It stops them in their weight, in their tracks. I say, you need to. put them together.

So Jesus says, This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent. I'm gonna stay. Jesus says Your believing is God's work. Do you agree with Jesus? What are they gonna do?

I've had him say, Well, that's not what it means. Because they're so engrossed in their own self-superiority. I'm the one. Me. I made the choice.

It's up to me. That's what's fair. God would never do blah, blah, blah. And when they say God would never do it, I say, can I ask you a question? I say, where did you get this moral standard that you even judge God by?

Oh man. People don't like this stuff. I've had people tell me over the years, man, I've listened to you, you made me mad. But you kept quoting scripture. I kept going to the scriptures and checking out what you were saying, Matt, and you were right, that's what it says.

I go, that's right, because that's what it says.

So If you believe, it's because God granted that you believe, Philippians 1:29. To you, it has been granted for Christ's sake not only to believe in Him. but also to suffer for his sake. been granted to believe. Jesus says in John six twenty nine He says, This is the work of God that you believe on him whom he has sent.

Check this out. This is John 1:12 and 13.

Okay, I know I'm making a lot of people mad, but I don't care. It's what the Bible says. This is John 1:12 and 13.

But as many as received him.

Now, do we do the receiving? Of course we do. We receive them. To them, he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name. Do we believe in his name?

Of course, we do. He grants that we believe, and we believe.

Okay.

Who were born, now we're talking about receiving Christ and believing in Him in the context of that born is born again. Who are born not of the blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man. but of God. This is John the Apostle teaching this. John 1, 12 and 13.

And then they'll go to me, they'll say to me, Well, John 3:16, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Whoever would believe, whoever means they have the free will choice inside of their sin to be able to make a right choice, they just need to have the opportunity. after that word whosoever means according to them. And I'll say, show me that. Show me that in the scriptures.

Show me that. It doesn't. In fact, in John 3.16, it does not say whoever. It says, all the believing one. That's the literal Greek.

all the believing one. It doesn't say whoever, which is host. It's not there. God so loved the world that gave His only begotten Son, that all the ones believing, all the ones who believe, Will have everlasting life. But the question is: how is it that they come to believe?

But God grants it to them.

So, Romans 10:9 and 10 is very simple. If you confess it your mouth, that's right if you do. and believe in your heart, you'll be saved, and you will be. With the heart, you believe, as we talk about fiducia, right? Heartfelt trust, resulting in righteousness.

With the mouth, he confesses, resulting in salvation.

So, what Paul is doing is giving a generic understanding to the people who don't have a proper and deep theological depth to be able to understand the ordo salutis or the order of salvation, not in the eternal decree sense, but how it works. God grants that you, well, let's regenerate. I won't get into all this stuff, regeneration, faith, and stuff like this. Long story short, He grants us that we have faith, and that's why we believe. He grants it to us.

He works it in us. Is the mouth part your physical mouth? Yes. Yeah.

Yeah, because he's saying, confess with your mouth. He's saying, you do with these words.

Now, if we take this literally, that means people who are mute can't be saved. Mm-hmm. Can't be saved. Things like that. Or what if you have a man or a woman?

Hold on. And I see you. Remember, I used to work at a hospital, and they have tubes in their mouths and they can't say anything. That's how it was with my wife in her last few days of life. She couldn't speak.

Well, you have to confess with your mouth. She couldn't do it, so therefore can't be saved.

Well, it's not talking like that. It's just talking normatively. Look, you just got to, you know, you confess Christ. And that's how you and I would know. If someone's a believer, they're confessing Christ, they're believing in Him.

That's how you and I know. But if they believe, it's because they've been granted the act of believing They're born again, they're caused to be born again, 1 Peter 1.3. Acts 13:48 says, As many as had been appointed to eternal life. Believed. And I show this to people, and they get upset.

God would never do that. He wants all to be saved. You mean 1 Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9? Who's the all he wants saved? And if he wants every individual saved, And I say, I'm not trying to set scripture against scripture, but if he wants every individual to be saved, as you understand it, that it is God's desire that every single individual be saved, you've got two problems.

Why does Jesus speak in parables? He says in Mark 4, 10 through 12, so they will not be forgiven. I said, how do you harmonize these? I'm not saying scripture against scripture. I can harmonize them.

But how do you harmonize them if you assume he wants every individual to be saved anytime, anywhere? Mm-hmm. that that Jesus speaks in parables, so they won't be saved. How do you reconcile that? And I say, I can help you reconcile that, I can help you make this make sense.

I'm not setting scripture against scripture. I'm showing them that they don't have a proper understanding of scripture. And this is part of the problem of the gar uh just Laxadesical preaching in a lot of churches.

Now here's another thing I'll ask. Does God know what it would take? To save any person, any time, anywhere, anyhow. without violating their free will. I've asked this question of people.

Does he? If they say no, Well, then they're denying the true living God because He knows. all things. 1 John 3:20. He knows what it would take to save anybody, anytime, anywhere.

Look at Paul the Apostle in Acts 9. He knocked him off his horse, spoke to him. I am the glorious light. I'm Jesus. And Paul.

Believed. It's right there. That's what it took for Paul. What about your guy, your friend next door? What about the guy you know at work?

Mm-hmm. Did God save that person? Or is God hands tied by that person's free will. God can't, God will never violate your free will. That's a bunch of crud.

Of course he violates your free will. It's called discipline. I don't want to be disciplined by God. My free will says, don't discipline me. God says, I'm not listening to you.

Discipline.

Okay, this notion that God is a gentleman. And as Norman Geisler, a great apologist, mistakenly said, spiritual, and I'm going to use the word grape. Is what Reformed theology, which this teaches, which is just horrendously horrible to say. Because God I'm reading Scripture. This is what it says out of the Bible.

Because people are so often desirous of their own sovereignty, They want their own. not gods. God's not the supreme King who decides. Who runs all things after the counsel of his will, Ephesians 1:11. No, it's up to us, me, my free will.

I was the one who was wise enough in my sin in the midst of it to pick Jesus, and the guy next to me wasn't wise enough. They take credit for their own salvation and their own faith in this, not realizing that God grants we have faith, Philippians 1:29. Our believing in Jesus is the work of God, John 6:29. As many as had been appointed to eternal life believed, Acts 13:48. We're born again not of our own will, John 1:12 and 13.

And even though I show these verses to people, They so often resist the Word of God. because, in my opinion, they have idols in their hearts, mainly themselves. Their own free will, their own wisdom, their own ability.

So when I asked him, Does God know what it would take to save any individual anytime, anywhere, anyhow? They had to say yes. And then I asked them, then why doesn't He? If you understand him to mean that he wants every individual who ever lived to be saved. Then why doesn't He arrange it so that's the case?

Well, because of the free will. I say, without violating the free will. Does God know how to do it? And if they say, well, free will restricts his ability, where'd you get this from? The book of first Moronicles?

What was this? God is now limited by your free will. And the fact that he sends people to hell on the day of judgment, they don't want to go. Their free will is not to go. He doesn't listen to them.

He moves the heart of the king where he wishes it to go, Proverbs twenty one one. He's the sovereign king. And more Christians today need to understand that. They need to get off their own high horses, get down on their knees, and say, Lord, thank you for saving me now that I'm saved. Please save others.

I don't know how it all works from eternity. It's way beyond my pay grade. But I'll tell you this: the more we pray, the more we ask God to save others and to grant faith and grant repentance, 2 Timothy 2:25, He grants us repentance. The more that He does this, the more people get saved because we're asking, praying in Christ, and our prayers are sanctified through the blood of Christ.

So I say to people, Understand the sovereignty of God. There is a God. You are not Him. There is a sovereign King. You are not Him.

He works all things after the counsel of His will, not yours. Your free will is not the sovereign determiner of your own salvation, with your own wisdom, in your own sinfulness. But God is. If you don't like it, remove the book of Ephesians, Romans, and Galatians from the Bible. Just remove them.

Because these are the places where these things are taught.

Okay.

All right.

I got a few more verses if you want to do that real quick before the show ends. Sure. Jermaine, sorry, buddy. Call back Monday. Which remains waiting is great.

Yeah, but this is a great topic. We need to continue on this. Go ahead, another verse real fast. We've only got like two minutes left on the show, anyway. All right.

Acts sixteen thirty one. Does this mean that the jailer's family were saved due to another's belief and not themselves being granted saving faith in Jesus? No. It says, believe in the Lord Jesus and you'll be saved, you and your household. It's talking the belief of you and your household, not he does the believing, the household is saved.

That's not what the Bible teaches.

So God grants to individuals the act and ability of belief. And all Paul's. Paul's doing here is simply saying that you'll be, you'll be, you know, all who do that believing will be saved, you and your whole household.

Okay.

Gotcha. Are those of the 12 tribes of the Jews saved due to having been the chosen people previously? No. Or do they need to have been granted saving faith like the Gentiles? If they're saved, it's because God has granted it to them and worked it in them.

So the 12 tribes of Israel in the past, those who, however, and we don't know how it all works. There's a lot of stuff we could talk about ignorance here. I don't know how the sovereignty of God and our freedoms, because we are free to a degree, how it all works. I don't know. And then what happens to those who have that knowledge of God, the truth of God, which is powerful, Isaiah 55:11?

The word of God would not come back to empathy without accomplishing what he desires.

So the word of God has power, and it's the power of the gospel is the power of God to salvation. Philippians, excuse me, Romans 1:16.

So how does this all work, even before the cross?

Well, they were justified by faith, a faith that they had at the level that was granted to them and understanding along with the scriptures at that time. And so those 12 tribes who were saved, anyone who's saved is because they did trust in Christ or the ultimate of what Christ said in the Word of God. And we're out of time. That's why I had to go so fast on that to get that out. All right, brother.

I appreciate that. Thank you. All right, man.

Okay folks, today's lesson, today's uh It was a lot of stuff. And I hope you're intrigued. I hope you're challenged. I hope you're annoyed. And I hope you submit to God's word.

May the Lord bless you greatly. And by His grace, you'll back on the air on Monday. Go to church, pray, seek him. And God bless. Another program powered by the Truth Network.