KHCB – 01-19-2023 – Full Program Transcript

Announcer: [00:00:29] And we welcome you to our Weekly Questions and Answers program. Our program where you can call us with your questions about the Bible or the Christian way of life. And our guest will answer those questions for you here live and on the air. Tonight’s guest, Dr. Andy Woods, senior pastor of Sugar Land Bible Church and accompanied by Dr. Jim McGowan, associate pastor of Sugar Land Bible Church. If you’re calling from inside the Houston listening area, you can dial 832-922-4444.  If you’re calling from around the KHCB Network and don’t have a cell phone, you can dial toll free landline at 877-999-5422. Or if you would rather email us your questions, you can send those to Questions@KHCB.org, Questions@KHCB.org, and it’ll appear right here on our computer screen and the control room, and we’ll forward those on to our guests. We ask that you not mention any denominations or personal names because our aim here tonight is to answer questions relating to the Bible. And now here to get us started is Dr. Jim McGowan.

Pastor Jim: [00:02:05] All right. Welcome once again, listening friends, and a belated Happy New Year to you and your families. This is Dr. Woods and my first time back in the booth in 2023. And we, along with Brother Buck, our producer and call screener, have some wonderful news. And what news is that you may be asking? Well, the good news is that God wants to do something marvelous just for you this evening. And as always, we will be mining precious nuggets from God’s Holy word, the Bible, the only inspired, authoritative revelation of everlasting truth, because the Bible has all the answers we need for everything that pertains to life and godliness. So expect to hear from God. And He wants to speak to you this evening through His Word. And when He does, don’t forget to thank Him for that. Now, remember, we do have three important housekeeping rules, so let me share those. Please keep your on-air time to one question only. And number two, please be sure to remember to turn the volume down before we bring you on the air. And that’s really important so that we don’t get feedback. And number three, once you’ve shared your question with us, please go ahead and hang up. So the next caller will have a free line to call in. So with that said, let’s see here. Do we have a caller? I’ll tell you what, let’s do this. Let’s go to an email question first, Pastor. This comes from an individual who asks the question, which day is the Sabbath? Is it true we must worship and rest on Saturday?

Pastor Andy: [00:03:45] Well, when you go back to the Old Testament law given to the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai. And keep in mind that according to Psalm 147, I think it is, versus 19 and 20, that law was only given to national Israel. They were on a system where they were to work six days and rest on the seventh day, which would be the last day of the week, Saturday. And you’ll find that in Exodus 20 verses 8 to 11, Exodus 31 verses 15 through 17. And it’s patterned, of course, after God’s work in creation where he works six days rested on the seventh. Well, what’s interesting is Jesus, according to John 20, verse 1, by the time you get to the end of the age of the law rose on a Sunday, which is not the last day of the week, but it’s the first day of the week. And so ever since that point in time, Christians, the Christian church has been meeting and worshiping on the first day of the week as their time of worship. And you’ll find that in Acts 20 and verse 7. Where it talks about they were meeting there on the first day of the week, and then you’ll find Paul giving instructions to the Corinthians in Ist Corinthians 16, verse 2, related to an offering and how they’re to take up a collection on the first day of the week. And so we believe that that change was made and that’s what we ought to be following today, since we are not part of Israel and the Old Testament law, but rather the New Testament Church. And so we meet and we worship and we have our so called Sabbath, if we can call it that, on the first day of the week, because that’s the day that Jesus rose.

Pastor Jim: [00:05:40] Amen. All right, Brother Buck, I think you’re going to share a question with us.

Announcer: [00:05:44] We had a caller just call and ask if you could explain the difference between God, the father, God, the Son and God, the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Jim: [00:05:51] All right. Give us an easy one this evening.

Pastor Andy: [00:05:56] Well, God, the Father has different roles than God the Son who has different roles than God the Holy Spirit. I mean, we believe that all three are within the Godhead. We believe in one God. But God has chosen to express himself, you know, through three separate personages. So the Spirit and the Son and the Father are all unique in their Father-ness, Spirit-ness, Son-ness, but they all share in the same essence of deity. So that’s the mystery of the Trinity. And there’s not one single verse that explains it all. You’ve got to compare Scripture with Scripture and put the whole thing together. And what you discover is they have different roles. For example, the Son Jesus submits to the authority of the Father. Another unique function just of the Son is He is the Redeemer. And then, of course, the Spirit has a unique ministry. When you get into what Jesus says about the Holy Spirit in the upper room discourse, the Holy Spirit attracts attention to the Son Jesus Christ. Kind of interesting. He doesn’t like to put the spotlight on himself. So that’s just one simple way of seeing the difference between the two. Excuse me, the three. Although they all share in the same essence of deity, they’re separate personages and they have different roles. The Father executes is the leader in the sense that he has the perfect will. The Son submits to that will and he is the Redeemer. And then the Holy Spirit draws attention to what the Son has done in his works. And there’s other things we can go into, but it would take too much time. But hopefully that little cursory overview helps a little bit.

Pastor Jim: [00:08:01] Hey, man. All right. Well, let me give the phone numbers out again. We don’t seem to have anyone calling just yet, so I’m thinking maybe we just need to redo this. So if you’re in the local Houston area, the number to call is 832-922-4444.  Again, that’s 832-922-4444. If you’re outside the local Houston area, you can call toll free at 877-999-5422, again 877-999-5422.   And while we wait for the phones to light up, I have another email question here. All right. So here’s the question. This individual says I’m retired and someone told me that I need to pay tithe on Social Security or retirement income. And someone else said no, because when you work and tithe on your gross income, Social Security and retirement was deducted at that time. So which one is true Pastor?

Pastor Andy: [00:09:04] Yeah. Should you should you do you have to tithe on your retirement income when you’ve already been tithing on your, you know, the money that created that retirement income throughout your whole life I guess is really the question. Well, I would say neither is specifically prescribed in the Bible because we hear at least myself and Pastor Jim, we don’t teach the doctrine of tithing. You know, tithing is part of the Old Testament law. And as I said in the with the prior call, the Old Testament law was only given to the nation of Israel. Psalm 147 verses 19 and 20. So that’s where mandatory tithes or 10% comes from. That’s why Malachi, as a prophet, functioning under the Mosaic law in Malachi 3 verses 8 through 11, said bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, referring to the Temple. And really under the Mosaic law, you couldn’t just tithe 10%, you had to give 23 and 1/3 percent. Because there were two annual tithes and then there was a third tithe. I think that was taken every three years. And so it was like a taxation system because people were living under the nation of Israel, which is a government just like people live under, you know, the United States government today. So the problem is when you start to go into tithing and say that that’s mandatory, you’re going back under the law. And the law is such that you cannot just go under part of it. It’s a take it or leave it proposition.

Pastor Jim: [00:10:45] It’s all or nothing.

Pastor Andy: [00:10:46] If you go under part of it, you’re under all of it. James 2 verse 10 says, If we stumble in part of the law, you know, we’re guilty of the whole thing. So the church today is not under law, but under Grace. Romans 6, verse 14. And so we don’t tell people that they need to be giving 10% of their retirement income or Social Security income or regular income to the Lord. What we believe the Bible teaches is that people should give as God has purposed in their hearts. And so in the New Testament, for the church, in the Epistles, we’re not given a number that we’re supposed to be giving. What we’re given in 2nd Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9 is a bunch of adverbs, which of course modify verbs, and in English they typically end in “ly”. So give cheerfully give, hilariously give sacrificially, give joyfully give, you know, consistently, give sacrificially, give secretly. You know, Jesus said “Don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing”. And so you know what percentage of your income should you be giving to the Lord and should you be tithing on your retirement income when you’ve already, you know, been paying tithes that created that retirement income to begin with? I would just take that to the Lord and ask the Lord what you’re supposed to do with all of that and do as He has you purposed in your heart to do? And don’t be bound by a number. Your number and what you should be giving might be different for you than it is for me. I know what God has put on my heart and what I’m supposed to do, and that’s the kind of walk that we have with the Lord in the church age.

Pastor Jim: [00:12:39] A lot of liberty there.

Pastor Andy: [00:12:40] Yeah. So we’re under the principles of liberty and grace giving, if that helps.

Pastor Jim: [00:12:45] All right. Well, Pastor, you know, I gave out the phone numbers just a moment ago and God did his thing. And now I think every line is lit up. So let’s go to the phones, shall we? Good evening and welcome to the program this evening. What is your Bible question for Dr. Woods this evening?

Caller: [00:12:59] Yes. I want to know, did Father God know in advance that Satan and a third of the Angels were going to rebel? And then secondly, did Father God create evil?

Pastor Jim: [00:13:18] All right. I think that’s two excellent questions. Thank you for calling the program. We truly appreciate that. Pastor, how would we respond to that?

Pastor Andy: [00:13:26] Well, did God the Father know that the angels and one third of the angels in Satan would fall? Of course he did, because he is omniscient. He knows everything. And he actually created them knowing that they would fall because God is actually when you studied out in Scripture, is actually using Satan for God’s own purposes. You know, for example, Paul, you know, had a thorn in the flesh, messenger of Satan. 2nd Corinthians Chapter 12, verses 7 through 10, which was necessary because it kept him humble, because he was caught up to the third heaven and would be somewhat arrogant knowing the things that he heard and that would have gone to his head, so to speak, and he wouldn’t have been usable. And so God used Satan to harass Paul in some way, and that kept him humble and dependent and usable by God. So and you can find this pattern all the way through the Bible that, you know, God, yeah, Satan is a free moral agent and wreaks a lot of havoc. But he’s it’s not outside the custody and control of God. God is actually using his own arch enemy for God’s purposes. So God knew that Satan would fall when he created him and he knew that he would actually be using Satan for God’s purposes. And when God is finished using Satan, he uses him one final time to reveal the hearts of the rebels and the Millennial Kingdom.  And after that, that’s in Revelation 20, verses 7 through 9, he’s thrown into the lake of fire forever – Revelation 20, verse 10. So God keeps them around long enough just to use Satan for God’s purposes. Then the second question, which is related, is, okay, if that’s true, did God create evil? I don’t think you can blame evil on God, Right? And the reason I say that is God’s character is such that he’s perfectly moral and he’s perfectly upright. You know, he’s the Bible talks about how he’s clothed and unapproachable, light, etc.. You blame evil on the decision making capacity of God’s creatures and Satan. And the one third of the angels that fell used their free will against God. And that’s where evil actually comes from. And of course, they Satan, via the serpent, tempted Adam and Eve to use their free will to rebel against God. And that’s the explanation for evil in our world. So, yes, a lot of people want to blame God for everything. You know, they even call tornadoes and things like that, acts of God. Maybe we ought to call them acts of Satan, because the problems in our world, you can’t blame them all on God. We had a choice in the matter. And a lot of the consequences that we’re reaping today come from our own wicked choices.

Pastor Jim: [00:16:35] Amen. Amen. All right, back to the phones we go. Thank you for taking the time to call the program this evening. What is your Bible question for Dr. Woods?

Caller: [00:16:45] Yes sir, in the Gospels of the disciples one of them said “We left all and followed”. Then he was saying None have left, all, etc.. He said, “And you all will be with me in the regeneration sitting on a throne and judging Israel”.  The regeneration when the earth is basically restored for that thousand year reign. You know, the animals are getting along and Satan is bound for a thousand years. How is that regeneration? Can you talk about that a little bit? And then the final battle after the regeneration when that’s destroyed and then, you know, the white throne judgment. But the question is the regeneration. What is that period looks like?

Pastor Jim: [00:17:18] Okay. Thank you again so much for calling the program. We truly appreciate it, Pastor.

Pastor Andy: [00:17:23] Well, the word “regeneration”, which is the Greek word, paliggenesia, only occurs two times in the New Testament.  Paliggenesia is a compound word, meaning two words making up a single word, pálin again and génesis, you recognize the word genesis there from that word meaning beginning. So paliggenesia translated, regeneration literally means “beginning again”. And so that’s a great way to describe the Millennial Kingdom. Jesus comes back and he establishes his kingdom upon the earth and he restores, in essence, what was lost in Eden. In Eden God the Father was ruling over the first Adam and his wife, and they were governing creation for God. Well, we’re going to begin again in the millennial kingdom. God the Father this time will rule over the last Adam, along with his wife, the church, the Bride of Christ. And we’re going to be governing creation for God. And then the word paliggenesia “Regeneration” is only used one other time. It’s in Titus 3, verse 5, and it’s talking about the new birth or being born again. When a person trusts Christ for salvation and they become a new creature in Christ Jesus. So they’re beginning again. And so that’s my best understanding of the word regeneration.

Pastor Jim: [00:18:51] Amen. All right. Well, we hope that was helpful to you. Thank you again for calling the program. And back to the phones we go. Thanks for waiting. What’s your Bible question for Dr. Woods?

Caller: [00:19:01] Why did God only make 12 disciples?

Pastor Jim: [00:19:05] All right, Why did why did God – Jesus call only 12 disciples? That’s a great question. Appreciate that. Thanks for calling the program. We’ll see if we can give you a good answer.

Pastor Andy: [00:19:16] Well, I would say there were only 12. And it’s kind of interesting when you study Acts 1, Judas having committed suicide, you know, they were very careful to replace Judas with a substitute to fill that office. And they chose with when certain criteria were met, they chose Matthias. But why 12?  Well, one answer is in Matthew 19, verse 28, it’s actually related to the verse we spoke about earlier concerning regeneration. Matthew Chapter 19, I think I said verse 38, I mean verse 28, it says, “And Jesus said to them, Truly, I say to you that you have followed me in the regeneration. When the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you shall sit upon 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel”. In other words, Jesus picked 12 disciples. Because going back to the Old Testament, there were 12 tribes. And he knew that in the millennial reign, each disciple was going to govern one of those 12 tribes. And then when you flip over to the Book of Revelation, chapter 21 versus 12 through 14, you learn about the Eternal City, the New Jerusalem, and under each gate, and there’s 3 gates on each side. So, 12 gates total because the city is laid out like a cube. What you discover is each of the foundations under each gate is named after one of the apostles.  Revelation chapter 21, and verse 14 says, “And the wall of the city had 12 foundation stones, and on them were the 12 names of the apostles”. So since there’s only 12 gates and 12 foundation stones. And since those foundation stones represent the 12 Apostles Jesus, I think knowing what the reality about the coming New Jerusalem only selected 12. So I hope that helps.

Pastor Jim: [00:21:37] All right. Great question. Great answer. And again, back to the phones we go. Thank you for waiting. What’s your Bible question for Dr. Woods this evening?  Well, while we’re waiting, let’s go to an email question, Pastor. This says that this person indicates I know angels can take on the form of men, but could they really reproduce with human women? How could they have the creative powers when only God creates life?

Pastor Andy: [00:22:04] All right. This question is related to the controversy in Genesis 6 versus 1 through 4, where it talks about the sons of God co-habitating, you know, with the daughters of men. And from that, those unholy unions came forth, the Nephilim.  And I do hold to the angelic interpretation of that. I think the sons of God are the Bene Elohim, which only refers to angels in the Old Testament. And interestingly, all three references show up in the Book of Job, which was the only book that was written before Moses sat down to pen the Pentateuch. When you look at the time of the writing of each book, and so people say, well, you know, if that’s true, if angels were co-habitating with human women, I mean, how could they procreate and reproduce the Nephilim? And the answer is, well, they can take on human form. In fact, the book of Hebrews chapter 13, I think it’s verse 2, says, Some of you have entertained angels unaware, and human beings have procreative abilities. Genesis 128 says “Be fruitful and multiply”. So apparently angels can take on human form and humans have the ability to procreate. And so when angels take on human form, they have that ability to procreate as well. And that becomes the explanation for the cohabitation and Genesis 6 and the Nephilim as a result, in Genesis 18, verse 2, Abraham had two visitors, actually three visitors, but two of them are angels, as I’ll show you in a second.

Pastor Andy: [00:23:55] And in Genesis 18:8, they had a meal together. They ate. So I don’t want to be too graphic, but if you have the ability to eat, you obviously have the ability to eliminate waste. And if you’re a man, you have the right gland, you know, necessary to eliminate waste. And that’s the same gland that’s used for sexual procreation. And so those are two men, Genesis 18, verse 2 and verse 8, having a meal. Genesis 18:22 says They went to Sodom. Two of them. Two of the three. And then you go to Genesis 19, verse 1, and it says when the Angels showed up in Sodom, right? And so for the first time, you realized that Abraham was having a meal not just with two men, but two angelic beings. And so I think when you look at the gland necessary to reproduce, which is the same gland necessary to eliminate waste, because they’re having a meal together, it’s not that far fetched that angels can take on human form and they can procreate with human women. And that’s what was going on in Genesis 6. I realize this is controversial, this this view that I’m giving, but I’m trying to explain how it’s tenable. In light of the caller’s question, I thought only God could reproduce.

Pastor Jim: [00:25:24] Yeah. Yeah. And I think it’s interesting, too, that in every instance in which you encounter angels, they’re always in the masculine. And when the when the Sodomites came to Lot’s house, they didn’t say, hey, send out the two angels. They said, Send out the men.

Pastor Andy: [00:25:40] Yeah, right. And then they said that we might get to know them which was sexual.

Pastor Andy: [00:25:47]  They were sexually attracted to angels that took on human flesh.

Pastor Jim: [00:25:53] All right. Well, thank you for waiting. Let’s go to our next caller. What is your Bible question for Dr. Woods this evening?

Caller: [00:26:00] Yes. Thank you very much for your services. My question is, what was Israel’s, King David’s greatest sin that caused judgment against Israel? And can a leader of a nation sin and bring judgment against their nation?

Pastor Jim: [00:26:19] All right. That’s a very good question. I sure appreciate you calling the program. Let’s see if we can provide you a good Bible question answering.

Pastor Andy: [00:26:27] Well, I believe in federal headship, and so do I believe that Israel suffered greatly from a lot of the bad decisions that Israel’s leaders made, including David.   I mean, you look at the whole reason why the nation of Israel went into the Babylonian captivity. It had to do with, you know, being in the land for so long with wayward kings. Yeah. And so God scattered the northern tribes in 722 B.C. and then he allowed the Babylonian captivity to take place with the remaining southern tribes in 586 B.C. Can that happen today? Well, the Book of Proverbs, we might have to look up the exact reference, but it says when the righteous rule, the people rejoice. And when the wicked rule, the people groan. I know that’s in the Book of Proverbs somewhere, but there you see nations experiencing a lot of consequences, you know, because of the bad decisions and the bad choices of their leaders. So, you know, I would say Israel did suffer because of Israel’s bad decisions of its leaders. And I think nations today suffer because of the bad decisions of their leaders as well. And it has to do with federal headship.

Pastor Jim: [00:27:50] All right. Thank you so much for calling the program. Back to the phones we go. Thank you for waiting. What is your Bible question for Dr. Woods?

Caller: [00:27:57] All right. Good evening, partner. Hi.

Pastor Jim: [00:28:01] Oh, can’t hear you. Well, try. You’re cutting in and out on us. Go ahead.

Caller: [00:28:08] I’m sorry. Do you hear me now? Yes, yes, yes. My question is regarding Revelation chapter 3 verses 15 through 16, where you talked about spewing out the lukewarm. My question is, can a Christian become lukewarm and lose salvation? Because a lot of people use it to support, you know, that one thing they always say is false. So can you please enlighten me more about lukewarm?

Pastor Jim: [00:28:40] I think maybe we can. Thank you for calling the program. Pastor. Revelation Chapter 3:13 through 15, I believe, is what he said, talking about those that were lukewarm. Lukewarm. And he’s trying. He’s saying individuals are associating that with losing salvation.

Pastor Andy: [00:28:56] Yeah. Real quick, back to the prior question. The verse in Proverbs I was looking for was Proverbs 29 and verse 2. But anyway, when you go over to the Book of Revelation and you look at what Jesus says there in Revelation chapter 3, I think it’s let’s see, he said 13 through 15.

Pastor Jim: [00:29:28] Is that what he said? I thought that’s what he said. Okay.

Pastor Andy: [00:29:31] Those whom I love, I rebuke. Da da da da da. But I know the verse he’s looking, looking at. It’s, it’s there it is. Verse 16 “So because you are lukewarm and neither hot and or cold, I will spit you out of my mouth”. Now, a lot of people think, well, he’s obviously talking to unsaved people, but when you drop down to verse 19, it’s very clear that he says, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline”, important word discipline is something that’s only for a believer whom the Lord loves, the Lord chastens.  Hebrews Chapter 12, verses 5 through 13. It talks there about how you know who you know, if you’re let’s, let’s say the neighbor’s kids kind of a paraphrase. If the neighbor’s kids act up, you know, I don’t go over and discipline them because they’re not mine.

Pastor Jim: [00:30:30] That’s right. You better not.

Pastor Andy: [00:30:31] But I better not. But I discipline my own children. So, you know, it’s obvious to me he’s talking about Christians there. And when he says, I’m going to spit you out of my mouth, he’s not talking about a loss of salvation. That would be impossible. John 10 versus 27 through 29 would go against that where we’re in his hand and nothing can take us out. What he’s saying is, you make me want to throw up. You make me sick. You make you make me want to vomit. In other words, when I look at your spiritual condition, I want to throw up because, yes, a Christian can move into a state of carnality. You see that very clearly described in 1st Corinthians 3, verses 1 through 3, and that’s Christ assessment of the church at Laodicea. It’s not dealing with they never had salvation. Or maybe verse 19 prohibits that because he says, Those whom I love, I chasten discipline and it’s not talking about losing your salvation. John 10:27 through 29 prohibits that. It’s dealing with the nauseousness that Jesus feels when he watches his own children move into a state of carnality, albeit 1st Corinthians three, 1 through 3.

Pastor Jim: [00:31:43] Amen. All right. Well, folks, stay tuned. We’re going to be taking a short station break. And after that, we’ll be having our prayer for the nation. And we’ll be right back.

Announcer: [00:32:00] Messages of hope and uplifting music 24 hours a day at 105.7 FM. This is KHCB FM Houston. Keeping Him Close By.

Pastor Jim: [00:32:54] All right, Welcome back to KHCB Question and Answer program. It’s the top of the hour, so we’d like to take a moment to pause and pray for the nation, and we’d encourage you that if you’re in a safe location and able to do so, to just join along with us. So let’s go to the Lord in prayer. Gracious and loving father, you’ve instructed us in first Timothy 2:2 to pray for all who are in authority so that we might lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. And so we come to offer up our petitions for our leaders. We come first asking that you might lead them to humble themselves before you, for you exalt the humble and bring down the prideful. We come also asking that you might guide them to an acknowledgment of the truth that you, O Lord, are sovereign over your creation, and that they might acknowledge and submit to the reality that there is a greater and higher power to which they will most surely give an account. We ask furthermore, that this knowledge would inform their every decision. We ask also for you to humble those who resist your love and grace, and bring them to the end of themselves and draw them to Jesus Christ. We pray that our leaders might make godly decisions and cooperate with your Divine plan and will not only for themselves, but for all the people they serve. Please help them as they enforce and formulate new laws, make legal decisions and rulings, and move on these men and women and remind and motivate and convict them of their obligation to uphold the laws, regulations and principles which they vowed before You to defend. For those who are true believers in our government, we ask you as a father to fortify and encourage them to seek the wisdom that comes from above, the wisdom that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering and without hypocrisy, as we’re told in James chapter 3, verse 17.  Abba Father, we also pray that you would have mercy on all of our first responders, law enforcement officers, fire and rescue personnel, doctors and nurses, the men and women faithfully serving in our military and all those who put their own lives in jeopardy to save and rescue others.

Pastor Jim: [00:35:43] Please guard them from hurt, harm and danger and bring them home safe to their families. Thank you, Father, for helping your children to be salt and light to those all around us who are lost, dying and without hope so that these lost ones might hear the gospel and place their faith and confidence in Jesus, your one and only beloved Son and the savior of their souls. And finally, Father, thank you for another new year in which we can serve you. And thank you also for loving us so very much that you do not leave us as we are. But you work within us to conform us moment by moment into the image of your beloved son. Father, help us to continue to develop Christ’s likeness in our attitudes and actions, and also remind your people that this Earth is not our home. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, Maranatha and amen. Well, thank you so much for taking a moment to pause with us as we pray for the nation. And let’s take time now to go back to the phones and get our next question. Thank you for calling the program this evening. What is your Bible question for Dr. Woods?

Caller: [00:37:10] Dr. Woods, Dr. McGowan, great to speak to you. I’m calling about 1^st John 5:14 or 15. And I guess with that verse in mind in terms of, you know, my wife getting a spiritual awakening. Like, can someone like apathy or rejection to the gospel outweigh God’s will that you know, his desire is that no one should perish but have everlasting life. And like so. And if I already have, like, this request before him and others have prayed for my way. So, like, why, why do we need to pray continually? Like, like, is one prayer enough for. I don’t know. I just wanted to maybe speak overall the 1^st John 5:14 or 15 and that I do believe the best that I know how. So I don’t know, you know. Anyway, that’s it.

Pastor Jim: [00:38:20] Well, brother, thank you so much for calling the program. I appreciate the heart in which you did ask that question. And I know there are probably a number of other people out there and similar circumstances. So let’s see what God’s word says. I believe he has an answer for you.

Caller: [00:38:33] Okay. Thank you.

Pastor Andy: [00:38:36] Just for clarity, he’s praying for the salvation of his wife.

Pastor Jim: [00:38:39] That’s what I believe he said. Yes.

Pastor Andy: [00:38:40] Okay. And he wants to know, should he pray once, twice.

Pastor Jim: [00:38:44] He’s wondering if if persons will, you know, if it can overrule God’s will. And he’s wanting to know if he should continually to pray. I presume the idea is that if his wife is continuing to be stubborn and not repentant, so.

Pastor Andy: [00:39:02] Well, I would say, yes, it is God’s desire that all should believe and none should perish. But the truth of the matter is, people have their own free will.     I mean, God has done everything he can do to procure salvation for people. The whole world is savable.  But whether they become saved or not, they have to exercise their own faith in Jesus. And, you know, that’s why. Yeah, it is God’s will for people, all people to be saved. But we do not preach universalism, which is the idea that in the end everyone will be saved. In fact, the scripture says things like “broad is the road that leads to destruction. Many there are that go that way. Narrow is the road that leads to life and fewer they will find it.”  So, you know, when I’m praying for a lost person, I pray continuously for them.  I don’t just pray once or twice because I know that as long as they’re alive, you know, this side of the grave, they have an opportunity. And what I pray for them is, John, 16, 7 through 11, where the Lord promises that the Spirit would come and he would convict or persuade the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.  Sin singular, because they do not believe and the spirit is not going to believe for people, but the Spirit will agitate people and convict people of their need to believe.  And that’s a worldwide ministry that the Holy Spirit is now presently doing. And so if I’m praying for an unsaved person, you know, I pray those scriptures over them continuously. And I know that as long as they’re alive, they have an opportunity to believe as they come under the conviction of the spirit.

Pastor Jim: [00:40:55] Yeah, yeah. And Paul talks about believers and unbelievers being yoked together. And of course, the first thing he tells us is that’s not the ideal plan of God. But he does tell us that if the unbeliever, you know, determines to remain in the marriage, then let them remain. And you know why? Because God wants them to be saved. And who’s going to have a greater impact on the salvation perhaps, of their spouse than the husband or the wife, the believing husband or wife? So, you know, again, brother, thank you for calling the program. Don’t give up. Don’t give up. God is in control. And he hears and answers prayer and but let him do it on his timetable. Don’t  put it on your timetable. So God bless your brother. All right, back to the phones we go. What is your Bible question for Dr. Woods this evening?

Caller: [00:41:43] I just want to thank you so much for the opportunity to talk to you all. I my name is Dale. I’m from the Houston area, but I’m out here in Wallace, Texas, kind of at a treatment center. I have been bound of drugs and alcohol addiction. 14. I’m now 41. Now, when you walk into the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous talking, the name of Jesus Christ is a little touchy to some people. And I understand that because I believe AA is God working behind the scenes. I’ve lost my father to the alcoholic death. My brother just overdosed. I have walked on the dark side. I’ve been a thief, a liar, you name it. Will God forgive me?  How do I touch into the Lord? Because He is my shepherd. When I pray at night, I say, Lord, I just want to help people like me shine through me, Father, so that they may see you, that you’re alive, and that there’s no one like you. What do I need to do to circle the wagons of my life and live a quality of life in Jesus name? Thank you so much. This radio stays on y’all’s channel, and I love it. Thank you.

Pastor Jim: [00:42:42] Well, God bless you, Dale. We’ll be praying for you, Pastor.

Pastor Andy: [00:42:47] Well, I think one of the things to do as a Christian that wants to be used of God to reach other people is they have to become aware of their resources in Christ. There’s no better place that I know of to study than many places in the Bible, but this is really the place that really lays it out. Romans 6, 7 and 8.  Romans 6 says we have been baptized into Christ death, burial, resurrection and ascension. In other words, when he died, I died. When he was buried, I was buried.  When he rose, I rose.  When he ascended to the right hand of the father. That’s where I am right now, at the father’s right hand, not, you know, practically, but legally. That’s where I am. And so whenever you’re making a decision whether to go back to the sin nature, you just reckon that truth as so.  The word “reckon” in Romans 6 is logizomai. It’s like an accounting term. You look in the books and see it’s true and then you make a decision accordingly.

Pastor Andy: [00:43:57] And if you won’t do that, then you’re going to end up being a Roman 7 man where Paul, as a new Christian, is describing his struggle with the sin nature before he learned his resources in Christ. And if all of that weren’t enough, then you have Romans 8 which says walk according to the Spirit that what’s called there the Law of the Spirit, the book of Galatians picks up on this walk. According to the Spirit, Galatians 5 around verse 16, and you will not fulfill the less of the flesh. So anybody that wants to be used of God to reach other people, I would give a real hard study to Romans 6, 7 and 8, and then don’t just study it. Ask the Lord to apply it to your life and start making decisions on that basis. What would you say to this gentleman?

Pastor Jim: [00:44:46] Well, I think a couple of things. Number one, I’d look for a grace oriented church. First of all, that teaches these what we call identification truths, birth truths and growth truths, which is really what you’re referring to. And also, I would encourage you, if you have the opportunity, you might want to look into a book called The Green Letters by Miles Stanford, because he addresses these issues and I think that would be very helpful to you.  A lot of the problem is just that people are not being taught who they were in Adam, which is the which is the problem part of life and what Christ delivered them from and understanding then who they are in Christ and what that has delivered us to. So people don’t really understand that.  There’s not a lot of people that are faithfully teaching that information. We’re very fortunate at our church that we have a senior pastor who teaches these things all the time. But I would encourage you to just maybe look into some resources like that, find a really good grace church also.  Again, thank you for calling the program. We truly appreciate it. Back to the phones we go. Thank you for calling the program. What is your Bible question this evening for Dr. Woods?

Caller: [00:45:56] Oh, hello. Hi. Yeah, I would just like to know if there’s a verse that directly tells us how to have our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. All right. If being born again is connected to that.

Pastor Jim: [00:46:16] All right. That’s a good question. Okay. So. So how do you get your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? And is that associated with salvation? That’s a great question. Thank you for calling the program. All right, Pastor.

Pastor Andy: [00:46:30] Well, when you go to the Book of Revelation, chapter 3 and verse 5, it talks about people’s names in the Lamb’s Book of Life. And it says he who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments and I will not erase his name from the Book of Life. And then the verse goes on and says some other things.  And people focus on that word “overcome” and they don’t define it properly. But see, John wrote the Book of Revelation. He wrote Revelation 3 verse 5, and he also wrote 1st John chapter 5, verses 4 and 5, where he defines who the overcomer is. He says, therefore, whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world. Our faith.  Who is the one who overcomes the world? But he who? What does it say? Believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  So how do you become an overcomer ? You trust in Christ for salvation, and that makes you an overcomer because you’re connected with him. Who is the overcomer for us?

Pastor Andy: [00:47:43] In fact, he in Revelation 5, verse 5. You know, is called the Overcomer. It says over there. “And one of the elders said to me, Stop weeping. Behold the lion from the tribe of Judah. The root of David has overcome”. So when you trust in Christ, you become an overcomer. Because Jesus is the overcomer. And then revelation 3 verse 5 says, once you’re an overcomer because you’ve trusted in Christ, your name cannot be erased from the book of life. So how did he get your name in the Book of Life permanently inscribed?  Trust and believe in Christ for Salvation.

Pastor Jim: [00:48:24] Yeah. And it’s very interesting to me that if we can just sort of put the last question, the last question and this one together, because if you’re in Christ, you’re an overcomer, not because of your abilities, but because you are in Christ. Amen. So great question. Thank you so much for calling the program. Really appreciate that. I think that probably helped a lot of folks. And back to the phones we go. Thank you for calling the program. What is your Bible question for Dr. Woods this evening?

Caller: [00:48:52] Thank you. I’m going to ask, do Jesus know that he was going to get nailed to the cross? And if he did, why did he not do anything about it?

Pastor Jim: [00:49:02] All right, man, you have some good questions. I appreciate you calling the program. So thanks. So go ahead and hang up and listen for the answer for us. So, Pastor, did Jesus know that he was going to go to the cross? And why in the world, if he knew it, would he do it?

Pastor Andy: [00:49:17] Well, I think he did know he was going to go to the cross because he predicted, you know, many times when he was with his disciples that he was going to go to the cross. One of the verses that sticks out of my mind is Matthew 16:21. And following it says, “From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised up on the third day”. So he knew that was his assignment. That’s why he came into the world to die on the cross. And so the question is, why did he do it? I believe it’s Hebrews 12 that talks about because of the joy set before him, he endured the cross. Let’s see if we can find that verse. Or is that Hebrews 12? I want to say verse 2, “Fixing our Eyes on Jesus, the author and Perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”. In other words, it was his purpose. His joy was to do the will of the father. That’s actually what he said in John 4. He said, You know what really nourishes me and feeds me is doing my father’s will. And I think it was also joyful for him to contemplate what the Book of Hebrews calls his sons. He would become the firstborn of many brethren, many sons. He knew all of the people that would be redeemed and be in heaven with him because of what he endured on the cross was another reason why he did it anyway, despite its unpleasantness. And yes, he knew what was going to happen to him.

Pastor Jim: [00:51:18] Yeah. Amen. All right. Thank you for calling the program, Pastor. We got a quick follow up on that previous caller. He’s wanting to know here. He says he’s praying for his wife’s salvation and he wants information about the fact that he’s already made a request and he’s trying to apply that to 1st John 5:14 and 15, which says this is the confidence we have before him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he, God hears us. And if we know that he hears us and whatever we ask, we know that we have the request. We have asked from him. So he’s associating that with, well, should I continue to pray or should once I’ve made the request, should I not pray anymore?

 

Pastor Andy: [00:51:59] Well, I think you should continue to pray because your wife has a free will and she may be resisting the Spirit, quenching the Spirit. And, you know, just pray that God keeps convicting her, particularly when it’s something like this. I don’t think it’s like a one-time shot. I mean, I’m reminded of what Jesus said about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, going back to Matthew Chapter 7 and verses 7 through 11. He says, ask and it will be given to you. Seek. That’s another something else.  Seek and you will find.  Knock and the door will be open. So it’s not just asking, but it’s seeking and it’s knocking. And I think the last time I worked through this in Greek, it’s present tense, if I remember right. It’s ask and keep on asking. So you can keep on seeking knock and keep on knocking. And so that’s, you know, it reminds me of Luke 18 the judge that didn’t honor anybody really but himself, but that widow kept showing up and ignoring. And so finally he acquiesced her, capitulated to her request just because she was asking him all the time and she was wearing him out.

Pastor Andy: [00:53:20] And the point of the parable is, you know, if an unrighteous man will, you know, honor persistence, how much more will God in heaven, whose nature is undefiled?  How much more will he honor those who cry out to him day and night? How much will he honor the requests of the elect, I think is what it says there in Luke 18. But then it ends and it says, but when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?  Are there going to be people actually continuing to make requests of Him in faith? And so, you know, I think Matthew 7, 7 through 11 is helpful with persistence of prayer that the story there of the woman and the judge, Luke 18, is very good. And Jesus kind of prefaces that whole parable by saying, you know, men ought not to faint, I think is what it says in the King James version. They ought not to faint, but they ought to pray. Yeah. And so there’s something to be said for persistence in prayer.

Pastor Jim: [00:54:25] Amen, brother. All right. Thank you so much for that follow up question. All right, back to the phones we go. Thank you for calling the program. What is your Bible question for Dr. Woods? All right. Thank you for calling the program. What’s your Bible question? Hello?

Caller: [00:54:43] Yes. Yes. Are you there?

Pastor Jim: [00:54:45] Okay. Got you now.

Caller: [00:54:47] Okay. My question, my I was reading Romans 10, 9, 9 and 10, and I thought that would explain the question about the guy that was talking about he was in AA.  And the lady that called about how to be Christian if they would get in the Book of Life and also the Sinner’s Prayer.  Wouldn’t those suffice for their question?

Pastor Jim: [00:55:15] All right. Well, let’s go look at Romans 10, 9 and 10 and see what it says and make sure that we’re quoting it correctly here and have the right context. Romans 10, 9 and 10. That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus, Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with a heart, a person believes resulting in righteousness and with the mouth, he confesses, resulting in salvation. And I think pastor context here is critically important, is it not?

Pastor Andy: [00:55:46] Yeah, and this is disappointing to people when I say this, but I really don’t like using Romans 10, 9 and 10 in an evangelistic context because Romans 9, 10 and 11 deals with the nation of Israel.  Romans 9, Israel in the past elected nationally.  Romans 10, Israel in the present rejected or temporarily set aside.  Romans 11, Israel in the future accepted.  And Romans 10, 9 and 10 is really talking about the confession that national Israel will make at the end of the tribulation period when they call Jesus back to the Earth, you know, to rescue them from the beast. When you go to the last verse in Matthew chapter 23, verse 39, Jesus speaking to the Jews, says, “For I say to you, from now on, you will not see me until you say”…. That’s the confession of Romans 10, 9 and 10…. “Until you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. In other words, naturally they have to. After believing in the Messiah, they have to cite that Psalm. It’s Psalm 118, verse 26, and then Jesus will come back and rescue them from the beast at the end of the Tribulation period. I think that’s what Romans 10, 9 and 10 is actually talking about. So, when I give the gospel, I don’t, you know, throw into it Romans 10, 9 and 10. I know that’s disappointing to people because all of their gospel tracks for some reason or another, have ROMANS 10, 9 and 10 in it. I mean, what you tell people is to be saved, to trust, which is another word for believe, in the work of the Messiah. There’s a single condition that has to be met. And John 12, verse 42, which almost nobody quotes, it says, Nevertheless, many of the rulers believed in his name, but because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. So they believed.

Pastor Jim: [00:58:01] They were believers.

Pastor Andy: [00:58:02] But they wouldn’t confess because they were afraid of being kicked out of the synagogue. Now, are we’re going to say all these people are in hell? No, because the whole point of the Book of John is to understand who Jesus is. John 20, verse 31, and believe on him for salvation because of his signs. So there are many people that believe, like in a Muslim country, they trust Christ, but they don’t say anything about it. Maybe they heard the Gospel through the Internet or their cell phone or a missionary, but they know if they say anything about it, they could be killed and their family could be tortured and killed. I mean, are we going to say that if someone believed but never publicly confess that they’re not a Christian? I mean, I’m not prepared to say that.  I think this issue of confession relates more to rewards that believers will either receive or not receive it the Bema Seat judgment. But it has nothing to do with justification.  So when you’re evangelizing the lost, my best advice for you is not to use Romans 10, 9 and 10 because it’s generally it’s out of context. But to direct people to believe or trust in Jesus alone for salvation.

Pastor Jim: [00:59:16] Amen. Well, Pastor, I think we have time to get one quick email question in before we have to go off the air. This has my Mom and Aunt say God’s name in vain. I ask them not to say it and they keep saying it every day. They get upset with me, so I stop saying anything. So now I’m sinning every time I hear them say it, right?

Pastor Andy: [00:59:37] Well, not necessarily, because the book of Ezekiel chapter 18, and I believe it’s verse 20 says, “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity. The righteous of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.” In other words, people are accountable for their own sins and they’re not accountable for the sins of somebody else. Thank God. Yeah.

Pastor Jim: [01:00:15] All right. Well, thank you, folks, for tuning in this evening. We truly appreciate your phone calls and we pray for you and hope that you’ll be with us again next time for a KHCB’s Question and Answer program. Good evening and God bless.

Announcer: [01:00:46] You’ve been listening to the Questions and Answers program here on the Keeping Him Close by Radio Network with Dr. Andy Woods and Dr. Jim McGowan of Sugar Land Bible Church. We invite you to tune in again next week at 9:30 p.m. for another edition of Questions and Answers. This is the Keeping Him Close By Radio Network. And we thank you so much for listening.