American Family Radio takes your Bible questions live on American Family Radio

>> Bert Harper: The Bible.

>> Alex McFarland: It's the word of God.

>> Bert Harper: Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions.

Alex McFarland and Bert Harper discuss second Timothy 2:15

Welcome to Exploring the Word.

>> Alex McFarland: I remember when I was a, new believer, just in my early 20s, and I got a pack of Indian index cards of scriptures to memorize. Bible, verses to memorize, one of which is just one of my favorites to this day, which is second Timothy 2, 15. Study to show thyself approved unto God. A workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Rightly dividing the word of truth. Well, we'll go over that verse and others today. And this is Exploring the word. Alex McFarland along with Bert Harper. And you are listening to, to the American Family Radio Network. And we are so glad that you are, as we are continuing in the New Testament book of second, Timothy. Bert, I bet, early in the journey, you probably came across that verse too, didn't you?

>> Bert Harper: I did. And, when I, you know, heard the word study, I thought, oh man, I study it. But then I found out this, this word study has a, has a meaning. It means be diligent. In other words, in your study, be diligent. It had the idea, work. And that brings up what you see in chapter two of Timothy. In the first, verses of verses, 1 through 14, it's be strong. That's. And it follows up. And then starting in verse 15, it says, and this is the new King James. And it does it. Well, being. Be diligent. Now, after it says be diligent. Alex, I want to. I just noticed this as I was preparing today. Notice how many times truth is mentioned now just. Well, I'll do this and we'll come back. But again, in verse 15, be diligent. What rightly dividing the word of truth. And then verse 18, it talks about these false teachers who have strayed concerning the truth. And then finishing up in verse 25, he says that these people, if they're corrected right, so that they may know the truth. Paul is, as usual, truth is a big. I mean, he, it is important. But he's stressing this on Timothy when he talks about being diligent. Timothy, you got to study to know the truth. You better know the truth. You, you, stay with the truth. Don't stray from the truth and help others to know the truth. So, Alex, I, I think he puts a premium on Truth, don't you?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, amen. Amen. And, there's a lot in this verse. I know we've got a lot of ground to cover, but it says, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. And the word there in the English translated, ashamed is the very same word where in Romans 1:16, the apostle Paul says, I am not ashamed of the gospel. Now, whether we're facing a lost world proclaiming the truth, or whether we are facing our Lord giving an account for what we did with the truth, we should not be ashamed. Ashamed of the content of the gospel, or ashamed of the stewardship with which we handled the gospel. You know, Bert, the most important message the world could ever hear is the gospel. How to be saved in Jesus Christ. And I think we need to handle it with commitment, with diligence, even with enthusiasm, but, not cowering back, nor being sloppy with it. rightly dividing the word of truth. Not ashamed of the gospel.

>> Bert Harper: Rightly dividing. Does that mean it can be wrongly divided, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely.

>> Bert Harper: And he's going to jump on that, isn't he? Because he's going to refer to two people here that had done so. And you, want to stay. And it was concerning the resurrection. But notice what he says right after rightly dividing the word of truth. Shun profane and vain babblers, for they will increase to more ungodliness. Listen, reject those things that would be contrary. Notice when he says this right after rightly dividing the word of truth. when you be diligent to study, to know to the truth, then guess what? You can recognize profane and vain babblings. If you don't know the truth, guess what may happen. Alex, you think people might be grabbed into these false teachings?

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, they could. Absolutely. And that's why, you know, it says study to show yourself a proof. In, other words, be diligent not only for those in the ministry, a pastor or somebody like that, but just Christians, so that you wouldn't be vulnerable to falsehood and false teachers. Verse 16, shun. In other words, avoid profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness. Hey, Bert, I've got to throw this in. You know, vain babblings. Do you Remember in Romans 14, it says, I think it's Romans 14:1 actually, receive those in the faith, but not to doubtful disputations.

>> Bert Harper: Right.

>> Alex McFarland: In other words, people arguing about stuff that just doesn't matter that. You know, I've had a lot of people come to me and they want to talk about some obscure thing that you can't really know the answer to. And sometimes speculating about some long past what if? What if? I mean, that might be interesting a little bit.

Alex: Bert says avoid false religions because their message will spread like cancer

But let's maximize on what we do know. And what we do know is that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead. The tomb is empty. salvation is for whosoever will come to Jesus. Bert, I think there's so much that we absolutely do know that we ought not babble about the things that nobody can know.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Alex, avoid those things. He says shun them. Avoid them. Why? Because their message will spread like cancer. And that's in the new King James. And it gives two examples. It says Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this song sort. Now, when I don't know this sort. that's kind of demeaning. You know, what sort is it? You catch what he was saying? And so the whole idea is these are false teachers and they're trying to do what? Spread these vain babblings, these lies. And again, what is it like cancer. Now what does cancer ultimately do? It destroys, it kills. And it says, and it says these have strayed concerning the truth. Now he's going to get to specifics here in a minute about the resurrection, but any truth that's in the word of God. And, so we got to know. This is all built on verse 15 to know and rightly divide the word of truth. When you do that, you can recognize it and then hopefully you can correct others in doing so. I would say quite a bit. this is what, you know, we got in with Charlie Kirk. What he was doing is you would listen to his conversations, open mics. When people would do, he would, he would ask questions, counteract them, speak to them, and that's exactly what he's doing. Because he had rightly divided the word, the word of truth, and these people had strayed from that. And so we, we need to be mindful of the Bible so we'll have that biblical worldview so that we can look at these babblings and these vain disputation, dispensations and different things, know what they say, and then you know the truth. And when what will happen? The truth has set you free.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, Let me read 17. The, the, King, James says their word will eat as doth a canker, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus. Okay, in the English, eat as doth a canker. First of all, the word Canker in the Greek is the word gangrene. And I think we know, like, gangrene, like decaying, rotted flesh. Very, you know, grotesque to think about. Will eat. It's the word grow, like a spot of pasture. Now, you've seen a meadow or a pasture, but in other words, imagine a big old field of gangrene. Isn't that something? That's a unpleasant image, but, Bert, I'm just going to say it. I think about in the late 1800s, in the aftermath of the Second Great Awakening, there were, some false religions that cropped up. I think about the Jehovah's Witness and the Mormons, and they deny some of the core basics. The Jehovah's Witnesses, deny the trustworthiness of the Bible. They both deny the death deity of Christ. And there are a lot of people that have been caught up in this. And when I think of, you know, see, truth should give life and set you free. John 8:32, Jesus said, the truth will set you free, right? But when second Timothy 2. 17 talks about a pasture of gangrene eat as doth a canker, I think about the millions of people that have been misled by. By, you know, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Denying the deity of Jesus the salvation message that goes back 2,000 years. That's like a big field full of darkness and falsehood, isn't it, Bert?

>> Bert Harper: It really is. And what he does here in verse 18, he brings, as I would call it, brings it home, Straying concerning the truth. Straying, wandering, going their own direction. There's a way that seems right to a man, but at the end thereof are the ways of death. And, and you'll hear, well, the way I see this, the way I think according to what I have, you know, that's the whole idea, regardless of what you. It doesn't line up with truth. And that's what you have to do.

>> Alex McFarland: And look at verse 18, the result.

>> Bert Harper: Of this straying, it says, saying that the resurrection is already past, and they overthrow the faith of some. Now, here it is, the resurrection. I'll say a word about it and throw it back to you. This. When you read the Book of Acts, and. And after you get into Paul's missionary journey, time and time again, when he would go to the synagogue and preach, and they would listen to him and listen to him. But when he got to the resurrection, there was, oh, no, wait, we can't hear any more of this. You know, back then they had a cancel Culture too. Alex. they were getting Paul, shut up. We can't hear any of this. Does the resurrection. The resurrection is really ah, pinnacle, isn't it?

A trope is a saying to slander somebody, which is false

>> Alex McFarland: Well, it really is. And Bert, have you heard this is kind of a word that's come about in the age of social media trope T R O P E. And a trope is like a saying to slander somebody, you know, well, conservatives are fascists, which is false. And, and we could talk about that, but we won't. But ah, a trope is to slam somebody and really a character assassination. And you know, those of us that have been Christian conservative, we believe in morals, we believe in the sanctity of human life. An example of a trope. And I'll tell you why I'm going down this. Like those of us that believe in the constitutional legal protection of the unborn, they'll say, oh well, you, you pro lifers want to deny women health care. False. That's a trope. Well in verse 18, regarding false teachings, false teachers and those who that receive it, who concerning the truth have aired saying that the resurrection has passed and overthrow the faith of some. The word overthrow in the original language is to apply a trope. It's literally what it means in other words. And it can also mean to seize and subvert. So when there are people that are vulnerable and like I think about these kids who go away to college, in fact I had a person call me today, Bert and their son went away to college a Christian, but came home a, skeptic. And those professors that deny the Bible and deny Christianity and slam America, they, they apply a trope like the word overthrow in 2 Timothy 2:18. In other words, they subvert and seize and overturn the faith of maybe a baby Christian. And that's why getting Back to verse 15, we want you all to rightly divide the word of truth, that if you do hear false teaching or if you found yourself in a nest full of God hating atheists, you could still defend your faith. That's what we want.

>> Bert Harper: That's exactly, that's what exploring the word, that's one of the things we do because we know there's a lot of students in the backseat of mama's and grandmama's car bringing them home. And they want, they need to hear the truth. But regardless of this, I'll introduce verse 19. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands. This is true. The word of God stands. So guess what? We need to stand firm on this good foundation that God has laid out for us concerning Jesus Christ, who he is, what he's done, and what he's going to do. We'll be back with more right after this break.

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Bert Harper and Alex McFarland are studying second Timothy

>> Caroline: One thing I ask.

>> Bert Harper: From the Lord, this only do I.

>> Caroline: Seek that I may dwell in the.

>> Bert Harper: House of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4American Family Radio.

>> Caroline: Soon and very.

>> Alex McFarland: Soon we are going to see the king.

>> Caroline: Soon and very soon we are going.

>> Bert Harper: To see the king.

>> Caroline: Soon and very soon we are going to see the king.

>> Bert Harper: And we hope you're ready to see the king, the Lord, Jesus Christ. This is Bert Harper and Alex McFarland. You're listening to Exploring the Word here on the American Family Radio Network. We're studying the book of second Timothy. That's what exploring the word does. Alex and I, we go through a book every once in a while. We'll go through some subjects. Most time we're going through a book and study that book and share with you the truth of God's word. Because we want to stand on a solid foundation. And after you rightly divide the word of truth that he talked about in verse 15, Paul to Timothy and says, do your diligence to do this, study to do this, make sure you do this rightly dividing the word of truth, then you can stand on a solid foundation that God has laid. Having this seal, the Lord knows those who are his. And let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. What a way to go. This sounds like some quotes that Paul would use again and again. Alex, I'm not sure that he, he said, oh, I'm, you know, the Holy Spirit, I want to let come up with this. I believe Paul had heard the Lord speak that. And he delivers it to Timothy, and he says, regardless of what others do concerning false teaching, you stand on this solid foundation. Alex, we need a solid foundation, don't we?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, and Christ is that foundation. Praise God. verse 19 says, nevertheless, the foundation of God stands sure. Having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. I think we know what that means. We turn m from sin. But in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if a man purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet or suitable for the Master's use, prepared for unto every good work. Bert, let me say this in the big family of God. There have been some Billy Grahams, there have been some Charlie Kirk's, you know, and then there's, guys like you and me and everybody. Listen, it's not, how high you feel like you climb some ladder in the world's eyes, but that you're faithful for what you have been assigned. And, Bert, this is not just spiritualizing, but, hey, in a house, there's the, the silverware and the china, and there is, you know, the rake to rake the yard and all that. It's all part of the, the homeowner's, you know, life. And the householder is God, the Messiah, the king. And we are. If you're a believer, you're part of his kingdom. And the beautiful thing is, and I'm going to throw it back to you, you say, well, gee, I don't. I don't want to be just the, you know, the clay pot. I wish I was a piece of fine china. Well, if you depart from iniquity and you're faithful with what you've been assigned, you are a vessel unto honor.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Bert, I want to tell you I did the funeral of Mark Sink, a couple years ago now, and he had just come to Macedonia Baptist when I got saved, and he really mentored me. And I learned so much from Mark Sink. He never, I think in 40 years I think he pastored three churches and probably none of them were ever more than about 125 people. And, and, you know, he discipled me and he led a lot of people to Christ. Nobody he. His name never made a headline. But I want to tell you, he was faithful. He was faithful. And he's every bit as up there with David Jeremiah or Charles Stanley, because the David Jeremiah's of the world have their assignment. Mark Sink had his assignment. You and I have got our assignment. And you want to be a vessel of honor. it's not the way the world measures, is it, Bert?

>> Bert Harper: It is not. Amen, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: I just, I revere and admire faithfulness.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Guess what? no matter what your calling is, you know, evangelist Billy Graham worldwide, you know, David Jeremiah, with a radio, television ministry that is worldwide. Whatever, whatever it is, do it with all your might. You might do it. But I just want to tell you, no matter what you have, you're to use it for the glory of God. You remember the five talents? You know, what was it? Two talents? Yeah, and one talent. The five. Doubled it. The one with two. Doubled it. The one with one. He said, I don't have much, so I'm just going to bear it because, you know, listen, no, whatever God's given you, whatever responsibility God's given you, do it with all your might. Whatever your hand find, do you do it as unto the Lord, not as man pleasers, but pleasing the Lord. And so this is it. And again, notice, I think there's a deeper meaning here as well. See, what you think about it, he's just gotten through talking about rightly dividing the word of truth. He's just talked about these two guys that were the sort that said the resurrection had already passed. He's dealing with false teaching. Here it is. Listen. Because guess what he's going to do in verses 24, 25 and 26. He's going to get back to teaching those who have strayed from truth. So I just want to share with you, if you want to be a, vessel of honor, you stay rightly dividing the word of truth. You don't disparage yourself, say what I believe or say. You know, you stay with the truth, you go with God, and he is prepared for every good work. And then in verse 22, it's like he, I don't know.

Paul gives instruction about moral truth, theological truth and dispositional truth

I don't know if he interrupts a thought, but here he says, and I think this might be, still staying with an honored vessel. If you want to Stay an honored vessel. It's not only your teaching, but, Alex, it's your living. What do you think? Am I m rightly dividing that?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, look at 22, 23, then 24, 25. In a way, Paul is giving instruction about moral truth, theological truth, and really dispositional truth. Okay. Verse 22. Flee youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, them that call on, the Lord of a pure heart. Okay. We've certainly heard of leaders and ministers that failed morally. And so there's the caution against moral failure.

>> Bert Harper: And then 23, Alex, before you leave, 22. I know it says following the King James. Another word is pursue. It's not just, okay, I'm going to follow that. You do, you seek, you pursue righteousness. If you're going to flee youthful lust, you better pursue it, not just go through life, incidentally. And, well, you know, I'll face it when I face it. No, you pursue righteousness. Okay, go ahead. I just wanted to share. Throw that in.

>> Alex McFarland: I'm glad you put that in there. Verse 23. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender or, you know, encourage strifes. So there's theological, truth that we're to pursue and avoid that which is just unnecessary and. And really meaningless. And then 24 and 25. The servant of the Lord must not strive or be controversial or fractious, but be gentle unto all, apt to teach patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. I, want to come back to that. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. Okay. Our disposition. And see, here's the thing. You can have perfect theology, but your demeanor is an obstacle to the gospel. So we're to be moral, we're to be biblical, and frankly, we're to be personable, you know, And I think that was one of the reasons I did a bunch of interviews over the weekend, and people were saying, you know, why do you think that people oppose Charlie Kirk? And I said, well, part of the reason that those that did not like him, he was very factual, but he was very personable, and he was a pretty potent combination. And we're supposed to be personable. Now, look, if you would, at verse 25, that we instruct those who oppose themselves. I mean, the one that resists the gospel, the one that rejects Jesus and truth, the one that they're hurting are themselves. And yeah, we rescue people if God allows. I mean, we try to rescue people from falsehood and danger. Sometimes in doing Evangelism you're rescuing people from themselves.

>> Bert Harper: You are. And notice this in humility. And that's what you were talking about, Charlie Kirk. We wanted to be that we. We desire, not prideful. you know, do this now.

Alex: Verse 24 says you're apt to teach, not able to teach

No, I wanted to say something about verse 24, apt to teach. And then it says correcting in verse 25, this is the reason. And he's speaking to Timothy, and he's. You remember what it said when he started this, in verse two, Chapter two. Verse two, the things that you have heard from me, among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Witness. When you read chapter two, what you're looking at is a whole chapter on teaching. And that's why I, I said this whole idea. Apt to teach, able to teach. Now, there's those that are able to do it, you know, like, you, David, Jeremiah. I mean, look at. At the audience he has, not only in his congregation there in San Diego, but I would say on the radio, look how big that is.

>> Caroline: Right?

>> Bert Harper: But regardless of how big that your world of influence is, you're out to teach, it can be one on one, it could be one on three. It could be the father in the home, the mother in the home, that you're teaching them these things and in humility, correcting them in opposition, who stand against you. You don't agree with them. I've had this happen a lot of times, praying for people concerned about children and grandchildren. And I said, you do not give in to their delusional thinking. You let you. You speak the truth, but you do it in love. Let them know. And so in humility, correcting those who are in opposition. This opposition, Alex, are the ones who stand against you. Go back. And again, you gotta tie all this in into verse 19. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands. This opposition is against God and against the very fundamentals and the foundational truths of God's word. So you stand in humility for truth, not falsehood. Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, I love verse 26, which is a great connection to verse 25. Okay. Verse 25 said that we are correcting and instructing that people, who oppose themselves might be reached verse 26, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will. And the word that recover there really means awake, you know, to get. Get their eyes opened, you know, recover themselves. Because without Christ, they were opposing themselves. Bert, be all right if we sort of, segue into chapter well.

AFA Action takes attacks on the family seriously

>> Bert Harper: Let me, Let me say a word about verse 26. You and I, we just taken captive. Now here it is. That they may come to their senses is how the new King James come to their senses. It couldn't help me think about the prodigal son when he came to himself. When he came to his senses, he looked at himself and he remembered home. This is what we're praying for. Those that are out there, it may be their identity, whatever it might be that, that they would come to their senses. Some of it is creational senses, male and female. You don't have. I mean it's creation that does that to know their identity, know that, that they would come and again escape the snare. The devil having been taken captive by him to do his will. Alex, captivity, this is the whole idea. This has been the agenda. And I know I'm taking up a good bit of time here before we go to chapter three, but, but here it is the agenda that's been thrown at us. I would say again, since especially the 1960s, when they took the Ten Commandments out, the prayers out, and the whole idea of God out of the, out of the educational system that this is being it. They want to take captive. Remember the modern day. The guy that started the modern education, John Dewey, socialist, really come, you know, completely wrong. And he said they're there like a clean slate. And it sure he even gave. You need to overcome what the parents may have taught them. And so Alex, this is what we do. We come to our senses and we do not be taken captive. And you're talking about that young man that you got the call from a mom or a grandmom saying they went to college as a Christian, came back as a skeptic. Guess what happened. They were taken captive. What by again these things. It's not true. Which is talked about profane and vain babblings talked about them. And then in verse 22, ignorant and foolish disputes. This is what they've been taken captive by. And so what Charlie Kirk was doing, he was going to the very pit of, of this teaching and making headway. Someone said the reason they disliked him most is not what he said, but who was listening. It was. Yeah, it was exactly, it was an audience that they felt like they could take captive. And he was coming in and setting it forth. The truth of what Bible says. And I would say going back to what it says here. Come to their senses. I'm going to go ahead and common sense. Yeah, yeah, I mean they thrown that out the window. So I believe we can do it. We come against it and for Christ.

>> Alex McFarland: You know, really, since the 1960s, the secular colleges of America have really cornered the market on the minds of young people with their Marxism, with their socialism, with their atheism, the deconstruction of the family and a lot of the lawlessness we see around us, is the result of decades of just anti constitutional, anti God teaching on America's secular university campuses. Well, the number, hey, we're going to take calls and questions. It's 888-589-8840. Listen to this number. 888 589-8840. Your calls, your Bible questions. We want to hear from each of you when we come back. So let us hear from you. AFA Action takes attacks on the family seriously. The enemies of the family constantly employ.

>> Bert Harper: New tactics to try to sneak past our radar.

>> Alex McFarland: They know if we stand together, their evil plans will fail. Your gift to AFA Action allows us.

>> Bert Harper: To stay vigilant against their onslaught.

>> Alex McFarland: And if you give this month you'll.

>> Bert Harper: Receive access to the Cultural Institute video.

>> Alex McFarland: When youn Faith is Illegal by Frank.

>> Bert Harper: Harbor on AFA Stream as our thanks.

>> Alex McFarland: You can make your gift [email protected].

>> Bert Harper: More than mine. I give you my plans. I give you my decision.

>> Alex McFarland: Christ is king. We believers are his children. And in that we rejoice.

Alex McFarland and Bert Harper welcome your calls and questions

Welcome back to Exploring the word. Alex McFarland here along with Bert Harper. And we're going to go to your calls and questions. We love to hear from you guys. Hey by the way, if you want to email us, it'll come to us. We'll get it wordfr.net w o r d wordfr.net and we also love to hear you on the telephone and Bert, I believe we probably have some calls, don't we?

>> Bert Harper: Oh we do. And from Ohio it's William. Thank you for calling William.

>> Caroline: Thanks for having me. Appreciate your ministries.

>> Alex McFarland: Thanks.

>> Caroline: shade how AFR has honored Kirk and his family and so keep up the great work.

>> Bert Harper: Thank you. We, we're thankful for partners that stand for truth. We are.

How aware were Gospel writers and New Testament writers that what they were writing was scripture

>> Caroline: My question is, I've wondered often but keep forgetting to ask about the self awareness of the Gospel writers and the New Testament writers basically of their How aware were they of that they were writing scripture at the time of the Gospels were biographies of, of Jesus and then the letters to the churches, you know Paul and, and others. But in the Old Testament the, the prophets, you know they, they had visions or you know, they said, thus so saith the Lord. But how self aware were the Gospel writers and New Testament writers that what they were writing was actual from God in Scripture?

>> Bert Harper: Let me, let me start off, Alex, real quickly. In the New Testament, Luke, when you look at what Luke wrote in Luke and Acts, you know, others had already at least two. Mark and Matthew probably had already been written. And he takes it into hand to set these things in order. Not necessarily that the others wrong. He was just saying in order. You can see that he. It was purposeful. Okay, John, when he ends his. I've written these things that you might believe it was, it was evangelistic, it was missional. Now again, God was using them as real people, not as taking dictation. Because you see the personality of Matthew come through with his fascination with, with numbers. I think you see Mark possibly having Peter as his guy. that's he, you know, using. And immediately, immediately sounds just like Peter. He said, man, I got to get to this. Got to get to this. John, the beloved apostle, how he present. So you see this, it is, it's a mystery a little bit. William. We just know God did it. How aware were they, Alex?

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, I think they were aware. I really do. Because you get these phrases like in Jeremiah and Jonah, it will say, the word of the Lord came unto me, or the word of the Lord came unto me a second time. And David in second Samuel 23 said, the spirit of the Lord spoke through me and his word was on my tongue. You know. Now in the New Testament, Luke, in Luke 1, verse 3, he says, having had perfect understanding from above. And it's this Greek word that's used in John 3 about being born from above. But Bert, I want to tell you, one of the most amazing things. In second Peter 3, 15 and 16, Peter acknowledges that Paul's writings are scripture, because this is really amazing. The apostle Peter, who I love, one of my absolute favorite biblical writers. But in second Peter three, Peter says that, quote, the ignorant and unstable twist Paul's words as they do other scriptures, end of quote. So Peter was placing Paul's writings in the same category as the Old Testament, which they would often call the scriptures powerful. So even in their time, they seem to comprehend that they were getting words from God, those words had literal meaning, and that, the writers were, were compiling what today we call the Bible or Scripture.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: It's pretty amazing.

>> Bert Harper: It is when you find the scriptures and everybody talks about how they were God breed. I believe that. But, God was Also in the collecting and also in the keeping of God's word. it's an amazing thing, the Bible we have in our own language. What. What a treasure, William. Hope that helps.

Alex: Steve, thanks for calling in on Exploring the Word

Let's go to Kentucky. And it's Steve. Steve. Thank you for calling. Exploring the Word.

>> Caroline: Good afternoon, gentlemen. when you are so enthusiastic about your program that my radio literally lights up. Come on.

>> Bert Harper: Hey, hey, Steve. I'm. Hey, I'm loud and I'm thankful. So, it goes with the territory. Go ahead, Steve.

>> Caroline: You're inspiring me. my wife and I are going through, the book of Leviticus and the Henry Morris Study Bible, and he was talking about the life is the blood, the life is in the blood, and the blood is what makes the atonement. So he. Henry Morris's note was on the word atonement, which in the Hebrew is called Kippur. Well, we pronounce it Kippur. It could be Q4, but, it's the same word for pitch. It's the same word that Noah used to seal the ark. So I guess the point he was making was our. Our atonement, is sealed in Christ.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. It's also a, covering. The. The blood of goats and bulls cannot wash away the blood. So it was a covering, Alex. You. You're right on, Steve. And he's right on. But it's also a covering until. Let me just say it this way, the real cleansing blood comes along. Go ahead, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, that. That word. K, I P P U R. Kippur. You know, we get Yom Kippur. Yom means day. Kippur. We. We say atonement, M. Which it is, but it. It's a covering. And Noah put pitch on the wood of the ark, A, covering to, you know, waterproof the ark. And the blood of the bulls and goats was a covering, but Jesus's blood on Calvary's cross was an eradication. All those sacrifices, all those centuries, a temporary covering. And Jesus's blood, the final sacrifice. That's why John could say John the Baptist, that is, behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, doesn't just cover it, but takes the sin away.

>> Bert Harper: Hallelujah. Amen. Amen. M. Listen, if you get a hold of this and see it and Jesus, it. It changes everything. He really does. And I thank you, Steve, for that awesome question. And Alex, thank you for.

>> Alex McFarland: And by the way, I got to say this, reading the Henry Morris Study Bible, that is really good. I got it when it first Came out and I think it was called the Defenders Study Bible. Henry Morris was a first rate scholar and I'm glad you mentioned his study Bible. It's a keeper.

>> Bert Harper: It is. Thank you Steve.

Pam calls with a question about the death penalty for convicted murderers

Let's go to Indiana. Pam, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Yes, thank you very much. I have a question about the death penalty. I know when you kill somebody it says in the Bible that your life will be taken. But if we kill them instead of giving them life in prison, then they won't have a chance to ask for forgiveness and get to go to heaven. I'm just a little confused about that Pam.

>> Bert Harper: They would have a chance with our our judicial system, let me just say this, with our judicial system, it says speedily but it's everything but that. there's someone here in Mississippi, I think they cleared it for him to be executed and I think it was, this is off the top of my head reading. I think it's 20 years ago that the crime was committed. So that the time frame, they have plenty of it. Alex, take it away.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, they really do. And CS Lewis said this, that Lewis said we all have the same amount of time in which to choose Christ. A lifetime. Now for some a lifetime is comparatively short and some maybe we think longer. Interesting. On August 21st somebody asked Charlie Kirk, they said how can you as a Christian support the death penalty? And we were sitting on the stage and Charlie Kirk said, well actually the death penalty for convicted murderers affirms the value of human life and that human life is so sacred that when it is wantonly, unjustly taken, we're not talking self defense or national defense, but just murder, such as happened last Wednesday, that the person who takes something that wasn't theirs, another person's life, they make restitution by paying with their own life. And the thing is and I realize it takes a ah, bit of really trust and maturity to accept this. When the state executes a convicted murderer, really their physical life and their soul eternally, they have made the decisions really. And if somebody it's between them and God, how they're going to respond to truth. It is not just at all at state expense to keep a murderer alive on death row for decades and decades and decades. We might say, oh well don't execute him, he might not have accepted Christ yet, honestly, because the decisions we make do have repercussions just beyond ourselves. I mean if you get in a car and drive drunk and kill somebody, you have to Pay for the repercussions of the decision you made. And we could give a hundred other examples. But really, that's not an excuse to turn a blind eye away from the crime of murder that was committed, I don't think.

>> Bert Harper: I do not. And like the. The murder of that young Ukrainian girl there in your state of North Carolina, when you have video evidence of it.

>> Alex McFarland: So sad.

>> Bert Harper: I mean, what else do you do, you know? And again, it is justified. But I would say this. I think the evidence, and I was talking to someone earlier about this today. The evidence, I believe, has to be clear and precise. I do that. I want to give that, you know, if it's just on, you know, circuit secondary information or circumstantial, be careful. But when it is solid and strong, I, believe it is something that a government is to do.

Pam from Missouri asks God to help Charlie's family through difficult times

Thank you, Pam. Hope that answers. Steve in Missouri. Steve, thank you for calling.

>> Caroline: Thank you for allowing me to say this prayer.

>> Bert Harper: Go right ahead, man.

>> Caroline: Our Lord, our God, our savior and our guide. I come to you in all humility to ask you to guide Charlie's family through the difficult times they will face in their futures. Without his help and guidance, their path will have stumbling stones in it. And please guide them through these difficult times with your hedge of projection surrounding them. M. Please help them to remember what a true blessing Charlie was in their lives. And be thankful for this great privilege and blessing. Because Charlie's soul always belonged to you, Father. But we were all blessed with our prayer, precious memories of him and how he touched each of our lives and hearts. And because I was taught that you never leave a man behind. So I believe Charlie would have not wanted to leave a soul behind. May God have mercy on the soul of the person that took Charlie's life. So one day, maybe they can both walk in the love, peace, grace and glory of our father God. I pray all of this through the precious blood sacrifice of your son and our Lord and Savior. He is Jesus the Christ.

>> Bert Harper: Thank you, Steve. Thank you, Steve. matter of fact, we've got one we may not be able to get to. Larry from Illinois is praying for the shooters salvation. So that would be something that we do and we want to do that and again we appreciate that.

Let's go to Willie in North Carolina. Thank you for calling. Willie, be sure are you there

Let's go to Willie in North Carolina. Willie, thank you for calling. Turn your radio off. Willie, be sure are you there. Willie.

>> Caroline: Thank you for calling.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, we're going to give it one more. No, we could not get to him. So Alex, the phone all of a sudden they're gone.

Charlie Kirk's death could spark a revival in Christianity, says Bert

But let's talk about this. we need to be praying. Did you get to hear Erica, Kirk's response?

>> Alex McFarland: We did.

>> Bert Harper: You probably may have commented years on today's issue, but if not, would you mind commenting on that since we got a little bit of a.

>> Alex McFarland: It was very moving. It was very moving. And, she said that, you know, the work of Turning Point and really the larger work of revival must go on and it's going to take everybody. And I, I agree. You know, Bert, Sunday at church, I shared the story of, of Telmachis. And by the way, if you want to answer a call, you just jump in and stop me. But, by 404 AD, the, the gladiatorial games in Rome, it was blood sport and they threw Christians to the lions for entertainment. And there was a Christian monk named Telemachus, and he was going to Rome, and it was January 1, 404 AD and he jumped into the Coliseum, the famed Coliseum at Rome, and he cried out to the crowd watching people get killed for entertainment. He said, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, forbear. Stop. I command these wicked games to cease. And Telmakis was promptly run through with a sword by a gladiator. But even beyond that, the people stoned him. And listen to this. there was Theodoret of Cyrus, who was a historian, and he said the people loved the effusion of blood because they had become demon possessed, the killing. And so anyway, Honorius the Caesar, because of Telemachus death, they stopped the lions. The gladiatorial games, maybe like in a similar way, the death of the Christian Charlie Kirk will cause our nation to turn back to righteousness and truth and life. May God grant that that is so.

>> Bert Harper: we are truth, you know, is happening, you know, and we're seeing God do work in this generation. I believe God is raising up for one opportunity. We've been praying for this on Exploring the word. Lord, send a revival. May you touch your people before you come back. I'm praying this is happening. Well, we'll be back tomorrow with more of Exploring the Word, second Timothy, chapter three. Read ahead and be in prayer for the Kirk family as our caller asks.

>> Alex McFarland: The views and opinions expressed in this.

>> Bert Harper: Broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

2 Timothy 2:16-26: A Solid Foundation