MS Top 6 #60

This is the Truth Network. Monday through Friday, Matt takes calls from all around the world on his radio show. We've compiled this week's best, Matt Slick's Top 6.

Number 6. When Cain took Abel, what was his punishment? He was exiled and a mark was put upon him. Some people mistakenly say that it was black skin.

That's not true. But it was a mark so that people would not kill him. And he was exiled because the judgment of capital punishment, of killing people for murder, was not yet instituted and verified there. And so he was to be punished and sent out and not really have a home and have to kind of forge around and stuff like that.

Number 5. Because they're making money. They're not going to sow seed money to your ministry or my ministry, for example, because that gives money away. They want to get money.

That's what the name it and claim it, blab it and grab it people are about. And a lot of them think that what they're doing is actually right. They think that they are teaching the truth.

God always wants you to be healthy and wealthy and prosperous and all that kind of stuff. You know, it's not the truth. And a lot of people are being deceived by it.

A lot of people. They're not going to sow to you, sow seed faith money to you or to this ministry. Objectively, they should be supporting this ministry because we reach out with the truth of the gospel into all areas of life with orthodoxy and truth that's worth supporting. But people don't want to really support as much that kind of thing because you don't get rewards for it except in heaven.

But you don't get rewards here. They want money and wealth and health and prosperity now. So what the faith teachers are doing is teaching narcissism. They're teaching kindergarten theology.

Number 4. What would my kind of quick 30 second pitch be to somebody who I would offer to get into apologetics? 1 Peter 3.15. And what it says is this, But sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart, always being ready to make a defense. That word defense in the Greek is apologia.

Always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. That's why. Because the Bible tells us to.

Number 3. The background of December 25th is the winter solstice in Europe. And it was the day after, I think, when the winter days started getting shorter. And so they would have celebrations and the pagans would get involved with this. It was well entrenched. So the Roman Catholic Church, I don't know what got them when, early on tried to get them to not celebrate pagan holidays.

And so they couldn't get them to stop. So what they did was they said, Let's adopt that day just as a day to celebrate Christ's birth. The Catholic Church had never said that. No, that is the actual day he was born. They don't believe that. And so they just adopted that so that the pagans would start worshipping on that day, worshipping Christ. It was designed to sanctify that day and stop the paganism involved in it.

Number 2. Well, apologetics is a branch of Christian theology that deals with the defense and the establishment of the Christian faith. A Bible study goes through verses like it might go through the Book of Ruth and just exegete what it's saying. Now, apologetics would be, Why is Ruth in Scripture?

What's the inspiration of Ruth, etc.? Apologetics would deal with how do you know God exists? What's the evidence for righteousness, for good, for bad? How do you know the Bible's trustworthy? But Bible studies, you just started the Bible.

People already believe these things. And so generally, apologetics is for the unbeliever, but also for the believer, for the defense of and the establishment of the Christian faith. All apologetics involves Bible study, and all Bible study involves some apologetics.

Number 1. So a lot of Christians don't realize that God takes our walk with him seriously. This is why when I talk to people about becoming Christians, I say, Look, you need to trust in Christ, which is true. You need to turn from your sins, which is true. You need to believe and receive the gift of salvation that Christ has given, and that's true.

And I warn them, but if you do this, you have to understand something. Because God's real and he'll live in you, he's going to change you. He's going to work on you. He's not going to leave you as you are. God will take you as you are, but he won't leave you as you are. And he'll work through you.

And you have to be willing to be shaped. When I first became a Christian, nobody told me what I was going to have to go through. And I'm telling you, the stuff I've been through, and maybe you too and others out there listening, it's just incredible. Some of the stuff you've gone through, as far as sanctification and development, I'm sure you can relate.

But those of us in that situation who would then turn our backs on God and walk in sin when we know better, God may very well take you out. I always trust a guy named Matt Slick on the radio. We hope you've enjoyed this episode of Matt Slick's Top Six. For more on Matt and his live syndicated call-in radio show, go to truthnetwork.com. Got a question? Matt Slick has your answer. This is the Truth Network.