Your chance to ask us your Bible question at 888-589-8840
>> Alex McFarland: It's fireaway Friday on Exploring the word. This is your chance to ask us your Bible question at 888-589-8840. That's 888-589-8840. You can also email your [email protected] or visit facebook.com exploringtheword exploring the word.
>> Bert Harper: It's fire Away Friday on American family radio. Psalm, 100. Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from your law. Well, what we want to do on Fireway Friday is let you know Jesus Christ is Lord and we want to glorify him and we hope that you know him. This is Bert Harper along with Dr. Alex McFarland and it is Fireway Friday where we take calls the whole program. So let me give you that number. The lines are ready to be called. The lines are open. The that number. Triple 858-98840. Triple 858-9 8840. All the lines are open. So who will be the first one to get on? The race is on. Well, Alex, it's good to have you. We missed you the last two days. But Jeff Shambley again did a great job of being here, but you were missed, brother.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, thank you very much. I appreciate Jeff Chambly sitting in and I was, involved in several things on the road, but right now I'm so excited. I'm in Arkansas and we always have a lot of great people come out whenever we do something in Arkansas. And Bert, if I may, I want to say big thanks to some dear friends that are letting me do the show from their home. but tomorrow Bethel Baptist in Jacksonville, Arkansas, pastor, Joe Manning. we're going to be there tomorrow morning. I'll be speaking, at beginning at 9:30 teaching, @ Bethel Baptist. We'll do biblical worldview, apologetics, Q and A and a lot of stuff going on tomorrow. And then I'll be preaching, Sunday morning as well. If you happen to be in the area. This is very near Little Rock, Arkansas, Jacksonville, Bethel Baptist all day tomorrow, Sunday. I surely would love to meet you in person. Come on out to Bethel Baptist.
>> Bert Harper: Well, you know you're in the only state is that's mentioned in the Bible.
>> Alex McFarland: Don't you, Arkansas is in the Bible.
>> Bert Harper: Yeah. Noah looked out of the Arkansas. Okay, okay, good one. I know this is not trivia Friday. It's far away Friday. But that was just too good. And so, yeah, Noah looked out of the Arkansas. The people that are all around me are not laughing. They're saying, oh, is that the best you can do? Well, I'm sorry, that is. But, Alex, I hope we'll pray everything goes good. I'll be, speaking tomorrow. Nathan and I, my son, we'll be up in Walnut, Mississippi at a conference there, and we'll be doing kind of like an exploring missions for 30 minutes, discussing about a church becoming missional and how to do that. So we're looking forward to that. And I'll be preaching Sunday at Ozark Baptist Church, where I'm interim pastor. And if you're in that area, 11 o'. Clock. And we'll get started teaching and preaching, worshiping the Lord Jesus. So, yes, we are. And by the way, lines are open. We've got a call, but with more lines are open. Triple 858-98-8840. And so get that Bible question. We'd love to hear it today, wouldn't we, Alex?
>> Alex McFarland: We would.
Do Jewish people today have any relation to Bible people of Bible times
and this is Fire Away Friday. Bert, can I address a question that was posed to me just a couple of days ago? you know, we have a book coming out October 7th on 100 Bible Questions and answers on prophecy and the end times. And we're very excited about that. And you know, the great thing about this book, we give God the glory a year ago, plus probably more than a year ago, when you and I started working on the questions about the end times, we didn't know how the world situation would look. But, you know, all eyes are on the Middle East. And somebody asked me this question, Bert, do the Jewish people today have any relation to the Jewish people of Bible times? And I would say absolutely, yes. You know what's interesting is all Jewish people in the world, and I want to be clear, Listen, the Bible says that you must be born again, Jew, gentile. Romans 1:16 says, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentiles. But I want to say this, that yes, the Jewish people of today are all descended from four different Jewish females. Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. geneticists study what is called mitochondrial DNA. In other words, on the mother's side, and all the Jewish people in the world are descended from the Jewish people of the Bible. And on the mother's side, it would be either Sarah or Rebecca or Rachel or Leah. And Bert, the reason I bring this up is you and I have seen in our times the tragic, escalation of anti Semitism or animosity, hatred against the Jewish people. And so, not everybody believed in Bible times. Not all the Jewish people believe today. Although just Recently I interviewed Dr. Michael Rydelnik and he said, he's a born again Jewish man at Cornerstone University and he says there are more born again Jewish people today than at any other time previously since the first two centuries. Here's my point folks. if anybody says, well, the people in Israel nowadays have no connection to the Bible, false, there's no ethnicity on the planet that has been as meticulous about the knowledge, the lineage, the preservation, the, the family history. Nobody has been as thorough as the Jewish people. And so, yes, Bert, I believe that the nation of Israel is highly significant, significant prophetically. And those Jewish people in Israel today, they genetically go right back to the Jewish people of the Holy Scriptures.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. And God has a plan for them. And praise the Lord God, many of those have been saved and many will be and we're trusting God for that. So Alex, thank you for that. Well, we've got people that have called in, but the line. Still got more lines. Time to get to your question at, 885-89-8840. But until then we will go to Kathryn in Texas.
Catherine: When somebody believes Jesus, uh, died for their sins
Catherine, thank you for calling.
>> Caroline: Thank you. And also thanks to Alex for that, that answer that he. I had that question several months ago because a cousin of mine said that all the Jews today are not ethnically Jewish. They, that they are descendants from some group that accepted Judaism under duress many centuries ago. But anyway, I appreciate that answer he gave. and it is not related at all to my question.
>> Bert Harper: Hey, that's anticipation of somebody's question. Go ahead, Catherine.
>> Caroline: Yeah, well my, my question is when somebody believes Jesus, died for their sins, they know they, they believe they're sinners. Jesus died for their sins. And that they've asked him to be, you know, to, they've trusted in him, I would put it that way, trusted in him. But they also believe that possibly, when they got saved or when they went through confirmation, that that's when they got, I mean when they got baptized or confirmation, that's when they got the Holy Spirit, that's when they got saved or something along those lines. but they believe the truth, but they have this other stuff, whether that be works, or something like that. Are they set, Are they saved or.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, we get you, Catherine. Let me give a biblical example a little bit, Alex, in the Bible and this might help, especially in the Book of Acts, you'll see that taking place. But Apollos, you know, he was preaching and it was pretty powerful, the way of John the Baptist. And it was, a message of repentance. And at least it was trust in God, turn from your way and trust God. But Jesus Christ may not have been completely understood by him. And it says Aquila and Priscilla, you know, took him aside and showed him, I love the Word a more excellent way. You know, there can be confusion and there can be people that have, I would say, part knowledge, but not total knowledge, but yet they've trusted Christ. I would even say this as a 12 year old boy myself, I knew Jesus died on the cross. I knew that I was a sinner and he rose from the grave. But, but there was several things I didn't know about baptism, I didn't know about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, but I still got saved at 12 years old. What about that?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, well, I believe that the Holy Spirit comes at the moment of salvation, because. And you know what, what's interesting, let me give you a verse here. First John 5:1, very interesting. It says, whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Now the Christ, the anointed one. That's Greek, it means the anointed one, but basically the Son of God who died on the cross and paid for our sins. Bert, I've talked to probably, I would say hundreds, maybe thousands of people, and I'll say, if you died, would you go to heaven? And they'll say yes. And I'll say why? They said, because Jesus died for me and paid for my sins and I asked him to save me. I want to be clear. And Bert, you feel free to agree, disagree, correct me here. Getting in heaven is not a theology exam. but we do. We admit that we're a sinner and we believe Jesus died for us. And we ask him, say, dear Jesus, save me. You know, I've heard it phrased a lot of ways. Now, as we grow in the Lord, we come to learn a lot of things. Well, we learn, Ephesians 1:13. Listen to this. Ephesians 1:13 says, in him you also were sealed by the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of salvation, when you believed. And it goes on. Ephesians, 1:14. The Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance or the down payment, but we get the Holy spirit, as Ephesians 1:13 says, when we believed. Now this is the interesting thing. And Bert, you feel free to correct me if I'm Speaking out of school here, there's a lot of blessings that come at the moment of salvation, but we may not even understand or be aware of it for maybe down the road a ways, you know, the Holy Spirit is indwelling you. The moment you believe the Holy Spirit has sealed you. And Bert, I didn't understand this. At 21, when I asked Jesus to save my soul. I didn't understand about the six days of creation. I didn't understand about the spirit of God in Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 4. But I was saved the minute I put my faith in Jesus. Now, for 30 plus years, I've been learning and learning and learning. Glory to God. But, I believe it's that childlike faith. When we ask Christ to come into our life, that's what flips the switch and salvation happens.
>> Bert Harper: Alex, I would never correct you because you're exactly right, with all my heart. Let me give you an example of this again and we'll go to our break and then we'll come back to the, the questions. But, I used Acts because Acts is transitional, a lot of it. But Acts 16 in the Philippian jailer, all it says that he knew was he had heard Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns. Now, I don't know how deep. There was no sermon, there wasn't a theological class. And then he said, sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they simply said, believe or trust on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Alex. yes, that salvation. The Holy Spirit comes in. And as I said, as a 12 year old boy, I did not know that. But when I found out the indwelling Holy Spirit was in my life, I knew something was different. I didn't know it was his presence, but when I found that, I said, oh, yes, now, I have some understanding. So Katharine, we hope that helps you. And we're going to be back and talk to Philip and Donna and Matthew. So don't go away. As we continue on Fire away.
Burt Harper asks you to join Preborn in protecting life
Friday, this Sanctity of Life month, we honor the over 66 million babies whose lives have been tragically ended through abortion since Roe. Sadly, with the abortion pill accounting for over 60% of all abortions, babies lives are at, even greater risk now. But in the midst of this darkness, there's a light that shines. And that's preborn. Preborn's network of clinics have rescued over 300,000 babies from abortion and have prayed with over 80,000 women to come to Christ.
>> Caroline: When I heard her heartbeat, I decided to Keep her.
>> Alex McFarland: And now my daughter's about to be three.
>> Caroline: I don't know where my life would be without her.
>> Bert Harper: An ultrasound doubles a baby's chance at life. This is Burt Harper asking you to join PreBorn in protecting life. One ultrasound session costs $28, and $140 will sponsor five ultrasounds. Any gift will help. $100. 200. 1,000. To donate, securely dial pound 250 and say the keyword baby. That's pound 250, baby. Or, go to preborn.com. that's preborn.com afr that's preborn.com afr.
>> Alex McFarland: Every second of, our lives, we are, precious in his sight. We are, children to a, father gave his own to give us life. The father gave all to give us life. He gave his son. Glory to God.
Some Christians and pastors are voting for abortion, says Philip
Welcome back to Exploring the word. Alex McFarland, Burt Harper, Brent Austin on the board. And we're honored that you all are calling in that number. If you've got a Bible question, it is 888-5898-840885-89840. We'd love for you to call in with a Bible question on this. Fire away. Friday, Bert, where to?
>> Bert Harper: Let's go to Tennessee and talk to Philip. Philip, thank you for calling. Well, pastors, thanks for, taking my call.
>> Alex McFarland: I look forward to, this time.
>> Bert Harper: On Friday, every day.
>> Alex McFarland: And I've just got a quick question and then I will hang up,
>> Bert Harper: And listen to your response. Psalm 139:14 says, I will give thanks to you because I am awesomely and wonderfully made.
>> Alex McFarland: Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well.
>> Bert Harper: And the reason I've recited this scripture.
>> Alex McFarland: It'S becoming more, aware in my.
>> Bert Harper: Life that some Christians and pastors are voting for abortion. Some teach, preach. And I, hope you can understand my heart. The last thing I want to do.
>> Alex McFarland: Is cause division in the body of Christ. So give me a scripture.
>> Bert Harper: I cannot find one. Give me a scripture that I can.
>> Alex McFarland: Look for myself, for my knowledge.
>> Bert Harper: For my growth that would support, a Christian pastor, teacher, voting for.
>> Alex McFarland: Abortion that seems to be anointed.
>> Bert Harper: And thank you guys for taking my call.
>> Alex McFarland: And I will hang, up and.
>> Bert Harper: Listen to your response. Okay, let me just share with you. Never seen one that would promote that. Listen to Jeremiah 1:5. Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you and ordained you, a prophet to the nations. Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. listen, there's no doubt in my mind, abortion, no way, voting for it. That Alex, because of, I know, illness and some real issues concerning the mother's life, that becomes an issue. But I am familiar with, I would say, several women who, were told, you need to abort your baby. Your health is. Your life is even in danger. Cancer is going to grow during this, nine months. I'm telling you. I know. I know several that said, no, I will not. And, I know, you know, what a blessing it was to see them just so convicted that, yes, that life is that valuable that God has given us. Would you respond to Philip?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, thank you for that question. And, yes, I want to reiterate that I just don't think a Christian, Now, a Christian might be ignorant of things I'm about to say, but once you have heard truth and you know it, there. There's just no way a Christian in good conscience can legitimately cast a vote for, that which would underwrite or support abortion. And I'll tell you why. And this is worth doing some, you know, devoting some time to, we are made in the image of God, imago dei, made in God's image. That's why murder is so heinously wrong. Because, the murder of a human is really an attack on the one whose image we bear. Bert, let me just say this for a moment. Let's ponder what a human being is. It doesn't say as much as I love animals, but God did not make animals or plants in his image. He didn't even make angels. It doesn't say he made Gabriel and Michael in my image. But only human beings are made. Imago dei, the image and likeness of God. And, Bert, in both New Testament and Old Testament, it speaks of body, soul and spirit. In the New Testament, like 1st Thessalonians 5, 23 and 24, the breath of God is pneuma. You know, we get like a pneumatic, tool. It's driven by air. Well, the air of God, the breath of God, the pneuma. But in the Old Testament, the Hebrew word is. There's two words, ruach and nephesh. 754 times in the Old Testament, and this is more than just life. There's a word, neshama, that is life. But plants and animals have neshama, but they don't have nephesh or ruach, the breath of God. So, Bert, here's why no Christian, well, Jew or Christian could possibly, on biblical grounds, support abortion because this, the breath of God, the image of God, and the Son of God gave his life for our salvation. That's Romans 5, 8. Bert, if you. I'll say this if you understand that God owns us. First Corinthians 6, 19, 20. We are not owners. God owns us by virtue of having created us and died for us.
>> Caroline: Murder.
>> Alex McFarland: and that would include abortion. That's the taking of something that belongs to God, which is our life and our image and our person. It is not ours to take away.
>> Bert Harper: Great answer. And Philip, you're standing on solid ground. When you vote for life, talk for life, stand for life, and may your tribe increase. Thank you, brother, for listening. Let's go to Texas. Donna, thank you for calling today.
>> Caroline: Thank you.
Jonathan Edwards: I'm wondering what scriptures people use to believe hell is eternal
I. I'll just ask my question, then I'll just listen to your answer. But, I was just wondering if you could explain what scriptures people use who. Who, believe that hell is. Is simply just a place where the souls of those who go there are annihilated. Or they just see those people just cease to exist. and I recently heard, someone talk about this, and they said that, that they didn't know of any scholars who believed that hell was eternal. And I just thought that was kind of a strange statement.
>> Caroline: M. You know, I know a lot. Several people that I listen to with doctorates in theology who. I've never heard them make the claim that hell was not eternal. And I. I know they believe that. That it's, It's continual punishment and. Or eternal punishment.
>> Alex McFarland: And.
>> Caroline: And I know of several scriptures that say that. So I'm just wondering if you could explain what scriptures the people are using who hold the belief that hell is simply annihilation.
>> Bert Harper: Donna, thank you for your call. I'm not sure they use scripture. I think they. They have, And I'm just going to say this, Alex, you may want to use a better word. They have perverted, I would say, view of the love of God. And it's like they want to do away with his holiness. They want to do away with who. Who God is. There's two great God has many attributes. But when you look at the scripture, two come out so strongly that I don't believe you can separate them. And that's God's love and God's holiness. And because of Jesus Christ, that's the only way they could come together. It says they kissed one another. Honestly. And so this annihilation. Alex, I, Believe it's a view that's trying to make, ah, you know, something of God that he's not. Go ahead, brother.
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, hell is eternal. now there was a belief that came along in the 20th century called universalism and annihilationism. Now, universalism says, well, if there is a heaven, everybody goes there. That is not biblical. And then annihilationism. And sadly, I hate to burst anybody's bubble, but one of the teachers that popularized annihilationism was William Barclay. And maybe if your church library has, there's pink and blue and green and brown spines, William Barclays Bible commentary. And in general, the, Barclay commentaries are pretty good. But, you know, about 70 years ago, William Barclay, he's. And his whole rationale. I'm going to give you two Bible verses here, so hang with me, folks. But Barclay, he. I read his biography and he said, and I quote, he said, I am a convinced universalist. He said, if there is a heaven, everybody goes, but if there is a hell, it will not be forever. Now, he had no scripture to back that up. and I want to give you two scriptures that do back up the eternality of hell. Revelation 14:11, speaking of those in the lake of fire, it says the smoke of their torment ascended forever and ever. Hold that thought. Revelation 14:11. But then Revelation 20, verse 10. Now get this. It's the end of the millennium, a thousand years. And before the millennium, the beast and the false prophet were thrown in the lake of fire.
>> Caroline: Fire.
>> Alex McFarland: All right, and Revelation 20:10, it's been a thousand years. It says the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and the false prophet are. Present tense verb. So if that a thousand years has gone by and they, they've not been annihilated. But here's the thing, and it says of the lake of fire, the devil, the beast, the false prophet, the lost people. It says they will be tormented day and night forever. Now, I'll say this, I'll go back to Bert. Listen, folks, in Revelation 14:11, where it says the smoke of their torment ascends, forever and ever. Revelation 20:10, where it says the lake of fire goes on forever. In the Greek, it's into the eons. You've heard eons of time. Time. It's actually spelled Ionis, but E Ice. Tus Ionis, into the eons. And Bert, I, looked that Greek phrase up. It means forever in perpetuity. Now, I'll quote Jonathan Edwards, the great Princeton University president and the preacher of the first great awakening, he said of this eternal punishment for those that reject Jesus. Jonathan Edwards said, tis dreadful, Tis awful. But tis true. Bert, I do not believe that the Bible supports annihilationism.
>> Bert Harper: I don't either. And when you look at Luke 16, and I just read that again, Alex, it says, this place of torment. And when you look at that, and I understand it in the Greek, that it's the place. And you go back, there's a great gulf fixed. In other words, the gulf is fixed. But guess what? That would entail that place being fixed, you know, in a permanent place. And he, again, what you did is so much stronger. But when you look at that, you see that, Donna nihilation. No. And no scriptures, that's. That they can come from. It's again in their own mind of trying to, you know, make something that they don't want. And that's not the way you script do scripture.
Alex: I'm under the impression that heaven was eternal
Let's go to Mississippi and talk to Matthew. Matthew, thank you for calling.
>> Caroline: Thank you for having me.
>> Bert Harper: Go right ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: All right, Jesus said that, you.
>> Bert Harper: Know, heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will remain forever. And later on in Revelations, I believe it says, it talks about a new.
>> Alex McFarland: Heaven and a new earth.
>> Bert Harper: All right, my question is.
>> Alex McFarland: All right.
>> Bert Harper: I'm under the impression that heaven was eternal, like heaven is the same today as it was beginning of creation. How can you make something new that is eternal? Okay, God is eternal now, his dwelling place, the third heaven, where Paul was caught up. he talks about a new heaven. I'm, not sure. Alex, is there a scripture anywhere about heaven being eternal? he gives us eternal life, but there's going to be a new heaven. I can't think of one where that would contradict that, can you?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, you know what's interesting is the created world, the, the universe, the planets, the stars, Earth. All right, the, the elements. A lot of scholars, and I think one of the great scholars, Henry Morris, who is passed away, and I know Terry Mortensen of Answers in Genesis, would concur with what I'm about to say. It's going to get purged and cleansed. 2nd Peter 3:10. It says that the existing world will be purged, set on fire, and the elements dissolve. Now, let's say the, the amount of matter in the universe is x to the 10th power. All of the elements that created world, I don't think there's going to be additional creation added to that. The new heavens and the new Earth means that this created world is going to get cleansed. This is Revelation 21, a new heaven and a new earth. See, we've not seen the new Jerusalem yet. Remember, Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you. And in Revelation 21:2, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God as a bride, prepared beautifully. Now, we've seen this earth because that's where we live, but it's going to get burned and purged. And Bert, there's no song. how firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord. Here's a great line, because I think it not only speaks to us, but creation says, the fire will not hurt thee. I only design thy dross to remove thy goal to refine. Jesus says, behold, I make all things new. But it's still going to be the same elements that are here now. It's just going to get purged and remade and restored. The new Jerusalem will come down. And that's the place he's gone to prepare for us. And he's been working on it now for 20 centuries.
>> Bert Harper: So you're saying the fire is a purification, just like gold. You know, Peter talked about, you know, we're tried as gold to get the impurities out.
>> Alex McFarland: So is that burned up, with this, Peter 3:10.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, so burned up with the fervent heat is the impurities out that God would have this new, like, new. So, okay, Matthew, we hope that takes care of that.
AFA Stream is video streaming that goes beyond just entertainment
We're going to come back with our final segment right after this break, so don't go away from Fire Away Friday. Hey, if you've never heard of AFA Stream, let me tell you about it. It's video streaming that goes beyond just entertainment. Yeah, there are shorts and feature films for all ages, but they're all backed by scriptural themes.
>> Alex McFarland: You'll also find resources to help you grow closer to God, along with documentaries.
>> Bert Harper: Like Culture Culture, the Story of Don.
>> Alex McFarland: Wildmon and the Founding of afa. There's a lot of free content, but.
>> Bert Harper: If you become a great commission partner.
>> Alex McFarland: You'Ll unlock much more.
>> Bert Harper: Check it out today at stream.aca.net.
>> Caroline: I.
>> Alex McFarland: Know the only reason I can stand here unashamed, it's not because I'm worthy.
>> Bert Harper: It's all because of mercy.
Fishbowl for your pastor is October 28th, 29th and 30th
Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Bert and Alex. If you're interested in the fishbowl for your pastor, go to repairingthefoundations.net Brent Austin. And over there, Jan introduces that with the sweetest voice in the world. And then it ends with this old, rough voice and Brent says if anybody was ready to come after hearing Jan, they'd be ready to jump on. But then when they hear me, they say, I don't know if I need to come now. That's Brent, Austin, Alex. But anyway, you're going to be there. It's October 28th, 29th and 30th, and we've got room. I went over there, and we still have rooms available. So, sign up and come to Fishbowl. Alex will be there. I will be there. Angie and Jan will be there. We've got a special guest that's going to give a testimony about being courageous in tough times. So you want to come? So.
Do you believe that God created water
So, Alex, let's get to the phone lines, get as many questions as we can here. Malachi in Arkansas. Go ahead, Malachi.
>> Caroline: so I wanted to ask you guys, do you believe that God created water?
>> Bert Harper: Okay. By the way, I just got to tell you, Malachi m. Our old Mine and Jan's oldest grandson's name is Malachi. His name is Jude Malachi. So I love that name. Alex. To get all the answers in, I'm just going to kind of shut up and add a little. Go ahead and answer, Malachi. Did God create water?
>> Alex McFarland: yeah. God created everything. the hydrogen, the oxygen, the molecules that create water, you know? Yes. now, let me just say this. When it talks about he created light, land, plants, animals, it doesn't necessarily specifically say that he created water, but it says that he separated the water from the land. So, de facto, if he created everything and water is a thing, then yes, he had to have created water.
>> Bert Harper: And it was amazing. At the flood, there's water that came from beneath and water that came from above. It was no wonder it was a flood in 40 days. Read that, Malachi, and it will. You'll see the water that God had, and, it came out during the flood. Thank you, man. Keep on listening. Keep on studying. Let's go to Illinois and talk to William. William, thank you for calling today.
William: Paul says we do not do away with the law, but establish it
>> Caroline: Yes.
>> Alex McFarland: Romans were talks about that.
>> Bert Harper: Paul said, we do not do away with the law, but we established the law. What does he mean by establishing the law? Go ahead, Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, you know, like Jesus said, I came not to abolish, but to fulfill. And actually, by believing in Jesus, who is the fulfillment of God's righteousness and the Mosaic law, we're affirming, we're fulfilling. We're, you know, we're not abolishing. We're not antinomies. We're. We're not tearing down the law, but actually fulfilling it. Bible believing in the one who is the fulfillment of the law, which is Jesus.
>> Bert Harper: I go back to the scripture that I opened with today. Psalm 119, verse 18. Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from your law. Now, the whole law is great. We're not. But there some of those laws that you see and understand that bring forth all the New Testament. Now, there was reasons for eating this and not eating that, doing this. But once you see some of those, and again you see them brought over in the New Testament, open my eyes that I might see wondrous things from your law. There really is. And when you fulfill and see that purpose for the law, and you see God's written those laws in our heart, it makes all the difference in the world. William, thank you for that. Good question. Let's go to Kansas and talk to Lisa. Lisa, thank you for calling.
Alex: How does that tie into Revelation about Satan being judged
>> Caroline: Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you for taking my call. I would like for you to shed a little more insight on how Leviticus 16:8, where it, references the lots that were cast for the two goats. One for a burnt offering, one is a sin offering, while one of the goats is, let free like a scapegoat. How it ties in with Psalm 22:18, where, upon my vesture, they cast lots. And then John 1924, where he was, where it's fulfilled, that prophecy is fulfilled. But we know Christ came and died for us and rose again, but he's coming again. So in Revelation. How does that tie into Revelation? Specifically in, chapter 20, with, Satan being judged and then, the judgment of the dead.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Alex, do you follow Lisa going from those scriptures, but start out in Leviticus where there's the two goats. Let's start there.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, and let me just say this. You know, they would cast lots. Proverbs 16:33 says, the lot is cast in the lap, but every decision is from the Lord. they cast lots to replace Judas, and they chose Matthias. It might sound kind of strange and maybe a little bit, ah, worldly to draw straws or something like that. But before the Bible was finished, there were times when the Jewish, the priests and the leaders, and then even the apostles cast a lot to try to find the sovereign will of God. Now, with the scapegoat, remember, they would lay hands. The priests would lay hands and pray and let the scapegoat go out into the wilderness. This was really symbolic. the, the guilt of the people was imputed to this goat, and he would go out there and disappear in the woods. Jesus was crucified outside the city walls, and Jesus became our scapegoat because our guilt was imparted and put on Jesus. let me say this. The laying on of hands, whether it be the imputed unrighteousness of the people put on the goat or the anointing of God, we lay hands and pray on people. It signifies, Bert, that this is a forensic or legal universe. Just as the physical world operates by certain laws, there are immutable spiritual laws. And all of this, of course, we know Jesus did die for us. He's the final lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Bert, all of this was pictorial to show that whether it's the Mosaic system, the sacrifices, the scapegoat, Jesus was the summation, the fulfillment, the consummation of it all. And all of this law sounds intricate and minute, and it was. How do I fulfill it all? Believe in Jesus.
>> Bert Harper: You really do. And you go back to the two. God does this, and Jesus did it with the wheats and the tares. You know, there's just that separation, Alex, that there's the sin that is forgiven, the sin that you take upon yourself. But when Jesus took upon our sin and he became sin, who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God, what a, payment was made for us, for each one of us. And those of you who are listening right now, if you've never trusted Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord, I just want to tell you you're missing out on life. It's called an abundant life. It's a life that you have a friend that stays closer than a brother. You have God who will come in the indwelling Holy Spirit and will lead you. And what. What a. What a price Jesus paid. But what a gift we received. So thank you for that. I hope that helps. Lisa, let's go to Texas and talk to Gary. Gary, thank you for calling.
Bert says God offers salvation, but he doesn't force it
>> Alex McFarland: Yes. All right, so I believe a thousand percent everything you guys talk about. But this is the question. If God knows everything, beginning and everything.
>> Caroline: Then he already knows what's going to happen.
>> Alex McFarland: So why go through this charade?
>> Bert Harper: Okay, we've heard that before, Alex. I almost set this up, and you may completely disagree. I said he's going to let you answer. m. This will not take long. Did Jesus purposefully limit himself when he came to earth?
>> Alex McFarland: Oh, yes. Yes. He did not cease to be deity. Jesus fully. God always and Forever. But he voluntarily subordinated himself to the will of the Father and held back some of his power and strength. see, here's the unique thing about the incarnation. Jesus is fully God, fully man, but not fallen man. And so, yes, God knows everything. I mean, he really does. but here's. Let me just say this too, bert. In John 4:23, Jesus, said, the Father seeketh such to worship him. God made us to have a relationship with him. And the only way to truly have relationship there has to be the element of choice. God offers salvation, but he doesn't force it. God knew Billy Graham would accept him. God knew Adolf Hitler would reject him. but it. Adolf Hitler didn't have to reject salvation. Billy Graham didn't have to receive it. And so, Bert, I think, and many a scholar has pondered on this, but for there to legitimately be a relationship, there has to be the element of choice.
>> Bert Harper: So it's not a charade. And I'm not making fun of your word, Gary. It's not a charade. Let me ask one more question. Judas Iscariot was the only reason that Jesus would pick him as one of the 12 is so he could fulfill scripture? Or did Jesus want Judas to hear truth and have the opportunity to respond to truth?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. Judas did not have to betray the Son of God for 30 pieces of silver. Judas was not a pawn. because Jesus said, woe to the one who betrays the Son of Man. And notice he didn't say, woe to the one that was set up to betray. Judas chose. and Judas could have been a believer, but he wasn't, was he?
>> Bert Harper: He really was. I can't get over that Scripture. When Jesus said, some of you, you know, will say, look what we've done in that day. And Jesus is going to say, I never knew you. Judas was there listening to that. What an opportunity for him to get right. So, honestly, I would say, Gary, it's not. It's not that. It's God having this opportunity for us to know him and to choose and love him. There's a book called Love is a Choice. And, it's about marriage. And you don't fall into love. You are. You come to a person and you choose to love them. This is true with Christ. He first loved us so we could love him. That's true. What? But he loves everyone and has that opportunity. Thank you, Gary.
>> Alex McFarland: I know we got more calls, but I gotta say this. In Luke 12, Jesus said to the disciples and all believers, Luke 12:32, Jesus said it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Now here's the thing. It isn't a charade that life, I think we would be shocked if we really embraced how significant life is. God created, gave us life, gives us the opportunity to be born again and not only be in heaven, but till we get there. Down here on this earth, every single day we can do things that have eternal implications and our labor in the Lord is not in vain. Bert. Life is a gift and life is an immeasurably significant trust from God.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Thank you, Gary.
Someone very close to me converted to Reform Judaism 40 years ago
Let's go to Texas. Lori, go right ahead with your question.
>> Caroline: Hi, thank you so much for taking my call. I could listen to you guys all day and I have have a ton of things I'd love to ask, but I'm going to try to keep it short. someone very close to me converted to Reform Judaism, a little over 40 years ago. Raised in a Christian home, ah, father was a pastor, went to a, ah, very well known Baptist college, the biggest one in Texas, and came away from there really confused and rejecting Christianity. she has ah, so, so she and her husband have been in reform Judaism for 40 years and I have ah, prayed, you know, for, for that amount of time on and off, different things for them. My question is what, what is your counsel about praying for someone who was brought up to know the gospel, but who rejected it, whether out of rebellion against, parenting, you know, the way she was parented, or just the liberal ideology that she received at this college? I don't know, want to know how to pray best? what would you pray for somebody you love? you know, what would be your prayer? And my second part of my question is, since the temple was torn down, you know, what, 70 years after Jesus died, I think, there's been no place for the Jews to sacrifice for sin. And one of the things I asked her was who, who pays for your sins? I just want to know what your thoughts are, if you know what Reform Judaism thinks about. She couldn't answer that question.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Laurie, Laurie, we've got enough and time's running out. Alex, can you respond to Lori and Laurie again, trying to, trying to get the answer in. Go right ahead, Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, Reform Judaism is to Jewish people what liberal Protestantism is to the church. Just like liberal theological liberalism basically denies all of the Bible and says, you know, we're going to usher in utopia here on earth. Well, Reform Judaism, there's a precept called, t I k k u n tikan olam, or repairing the world. In other words, the central tenet is social justice and peace and equality, and humanity is God's partner to usher in just heaven on earth. And interestingly, during COVID I was on a show with a reformed Jewish rabbi. He didn't believe there even was an afterlife, and he certainly didn't even believe there was a thing of sin and guilt. So reformed Judaism is just like liberal Protestantism, the perfectibility of man and will bring in utopia on earth. So how do we pray? I like the question. She said, if y'. All, how do you deal with sin? Well, first of all, they don't even believe there is sin. We need to pray that they would come under conviction and find redemption in the Messiah. That's Jesus.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Lori, Pray for a relationship that would demonstrate God's love and remind them of where they came from. There's a song, I have returned to the God of my childhood. It's a good song. I pray that they would, and I would pray that for them. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word, and we appreciate you listening so much. But tell someone about Jesus, would you do that? And be sure and be in church on Sunday.
>> Caroline: The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of.
>> Bert Harper: The American Family association or American Family Radio.
