Jeff Chamblee The Bible. It's the word of God. 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. Welcome to Exploring the Word.

 

John Boler The Bible says in First Corinthians, chapter 15, O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin. The strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, thanks be to God who gives us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is Exploring the Word. Thank you so much for listening today. I am M. Jon Bowler filling in for Alex McFarland. As he is in Israel, we want to continue to lift him up in prayer. Joined by Bert Harper. Brother Bert, always a joy to see you again. Let's start out with something today.

Veterans Day Gratitude And A Family Memory From Vietnam

 

Today is Veterans Day.

 

Bert Harper It is Veter Veterans Day. So we want to say a big thank you.

 

John Boler Yes,

 

Bert Harper really. As I look back on my family, my brother, I remember he, during the Vietnam era and he was in the Air Force and he was in Thailand where they would, you know, they would fly out of there and so one, one weekend, my dad always listened to the news back then it was 30 minutes at 5:30 and dad would come out of the field to watch the news. And when you were my, where my brother Dwayne was stationed and it had been bombed and concern for the next few days because you didn't have instant thought there, found out he was on R and R, he wasn't there. But I remember that to this day. And those men and families, okay, we talk about the veterans, but it's their families. It

 

John Boler is, it is. We have so much to be thankful for. And if you see a veteran today or any day, just tell them how much you appreciate them and thank them for their service.

Hosea Study Resumes With A Brief Return To Earlier Verses

 

We are back in the book of Hosea and have been in Hosea for the last couple of weeks and we're going to do our best, to finish today. If we don't, we can always pick up tomorrow. But we're in Hosea, chapter 13. We found our way about through the middle part of 13. We're going to start in verse 14 in just a second. Brother Bert, I want to go back to verse number.

 

Bert Harper You're acting like Alex McFarlane. You want to go

 

John Boler back,

 

Bert Harper go ahead.

 

John Boler I need to go back.

 

Bert Harper That's a compliment by the way. Well,

 

John Boler I appreciate that. There is a nugget there and Preachers love nuggets. We just love to see how the possible connection is.

Hosea And Daniel Use Animal Imagery For Different Kingdoms

 

So back up in verse seven when he uses these. We talked about similes and metaphors that Hosea uses so often. The animals that are used, the lion, the leopard, the bear and the wild beast there in verse seven and eight. And as I was reading that and thinking that yesterday, the lion, the leopard, the bear and the wild beast are the same animals that we find in Daniel chapter seven. Now, different, whole different context of what's taken place. But in Daniel chapter seven, Daniel is writing and he uses these animals as these kingdoms that are coming. The lion being the, Babylonians that are coming to destroy the southern kingdom. 586. Hosea main context is northern kingdom, although we did see chapter 12, verses 2 through 6, a connection with the southern kingdom. But the lion, after that, in Hosea we have the leopard and the bear, but Daniel swaps those. The bear being a representative of, Darius, who is coming, who conquers the Babylonians. And then you come down to the leopard being the kingdom of Alexander the Great and then the wild beast, a picture of Rome all the way up to the days of Jesus Christ. I don't know if they're connected two different contexts. It's just interesting.

Spiritual Decline Leaves Nations Vulnerable To Conquest And Judgment

 

Bert Harper It is when you find them. I would say this about it. When, you use these animals, they have characteristics, and the characteristics are similar regardless of how they were used and crouching and the prowling, you know, and you look to see how they operated and how they, carried out their, I would say their military force. Those animals were appropriate for them. And here I think it is saying, you know, you're going to be destroyed. These things are going to be a part of

 

John Boler that. We talked about how the Lord is going to use an ungodly nation, the Assyrians, to come and to judge the northern kingdom. We talked about yesterday the death of a nation and how they die spiritually. Nations that die spiritually. God allows ungodly nations. This is a message. This is a great point. Nations that die spiritually can very easily be conquered. God can allow ungodly nations. We think about ungodly nations in our world today. Oh, the Lord will never let this country, A, this country, B, this country. They are so ungodly. This is exactly so whether it's the southern kingdom in Daniel, whether it's the northern kingdom here in Hosea, nations that die spiritually can be conquered through, ungodly nations.

Churches Must Stay Faithful To Scripture And The Great Commission

 

Bert Harper And that's been a problem for his prophets. To understand, for us to understand. Let me ask you this Southern, kingdom, the Northern kingdom, both of them, the Northern kingdom never got it. Their missional purpose. Never got it. The Southern kingdom, they would get there some. The temple and all of that. Let me say about America and any other nation when we, when we miss our missional purpose, that's that spiritual. Yeah, what you were talking about, that spiritual failure. We're setting, we're setting ourselves up for that. So I tell folks the greatest thing, one of the greatest things a church can do. You stay with the word, you preach the word, and you share and get involved in the Great Commission. That's

 

John Boler right.

 

Bert Harper Because I really believe one of the reasons God has blessed America the way, he has is cause churches. We've been the greatest mission sending nation the world has ever known.

 

John Boler That's right.

 

Bert Harper And if the churches lose that, we're vulnerable as we can be. We're weak.

 

John Boler Yeah, we're talking about nations here, but certainly the connection there with the church that loses its focus, that strays, from the word.

 

Bert Harper And the church is the salt. So, you know, the church sought of and the strength is there. So stay strong. Churches do the work of God.

 

John Boler Amen. so that was, I say a small nugget, maybe a larger nugget, but that's okay. Yeah.

 

Bert Harper We should put more time. Go to 14.

Hosea’s Words On Death Raise Questions Of Judgment And Hope

 

of all the things in 14, this is awesome.

 

John Boler Read 14 for us.

 

Bert Harper Okay, here it is. I will them from the power of the grave. I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be your plagues. O grave, I will be your destruction. Pity is hidden from my eyes. Now in my Bible, I've got an asterisk there about I will be your plagues, and I'll be your destruction. I look down because some of those look like questions. They

 

John Boler are

 

Bert Harper statements. Did you get that?

 

John Boler I did. and I believe you're reading from NewSong King James just like I am. Ah, this is a declarative statement. when you, when you. This is the same way if you've got a new international version. Same. But if you go to, NewSong American Standard, if you go to, esv, which are very, very popular, Bibles, they're questions. And so is it a question or is it a statement? If it's a question, will I, ransom them from the power of the grave? Will I redeem them from the death? If it's a statement, I will. I will. The Context of Hosea 13 is judgment. It's judgment.

 

Bert Harper No Matter which way.

 

John Boler no matter which way.

Paul’s Resurrection Proclamation Echoes Hosea In First Corinthians

 

But I see you're turning because we do know exactly how the Apostle Paul, and this is the scripture that we introduced our program with today in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. We know exactly. This is not a question. and I wouldn't even say this is a declaration. This is more of an interjection, a powerful. Go ahead and read that. Well, let me

 

Bert Harper make one statement. I'll read it. Some of my questions that I ask people are statements.

 

John Boler And ah,

 

Bert Harper I'm trying to get them to think. And some of my statement questions are statement, you know, either way. Do you mean, you know. So either way you twist that, or use that. Here it is. let me read verse 54. I could read all the way 51, but I want to read 54. When this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written. Death is swallowed up in victory. Here it is. O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. It's hard to read that without feeling the, the energy of it,

 

John Boler Jon.

Christ Fulfills Hosea’s Hope And Confirms Scripture’s Coherence

 

Absolutely. So the Greek translation of the Old Testament is the Septuagint. And when you read Hosea, in the Greek language, the Bible, when the Hosea says, I will be your plagues, translating that into, Greek is, where is your punishment? I will be your destruction. Translate that into the Greek. Where is your sting? That's exactly where Paul gets. So Hosea 13, you cannot help but see the connection of judgment, especially because of the last part of verse 14. He says, Pity is hidden from my eyes. Compassion is hidden from my eyes. But then you go back to what Paul says, the ultimate victory. Where, O death, where is your sting? Oh, hated, where is it? At the sting of death is sin. But thanks be to God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. So Hosea is looking to the cross, we look back. But that central figure of hope, even through judgment, is a soon coming Messiah. And his name is Jesus.

 

Bert Harper And that all depends on what you've done with Jesus Christ. Have you received him as your Savior and Lord? Have you trusted him? And, it's a transaction. I am his. I forgot where I was listening. But I am his and he is mine. That,

 

John Boler yeah,

 

Bert Harper that just blows my mind as well. I am his. I've been bought with a price, therefore I glorify God in my body. But at the same time, what he's done, he has purchased stuff. So we have been bought with a price. But he says, man, my Holy Spirit's going to come and indwell you. The indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, Jon. That means God in us, the hope of glory.

 

John Boler That's right. And I could just, You know, when NewSong Testament writers pull from the Old Testament, Paul's writing the Corinth and they're reading this Old Testament people, NewSong Testament believers, they know the Old Testament. So when Paul's writing this letter and they're reading this letter, hey, I know where that's from. And they go right back to Hosea. They know the story of Hosea, they know the context. And it's as if, hey, you remember your great, great, great grandfather's generation, however many generations, that was 700 years. And to say that there was judgment. Assyria came and judged, but it was not the end of the story. Jesus came and didn't just temporarily overcome sin once and for all.

 

Bert Harper You know that scripture is. He came to fulfill all scripture law. He fills it full.

 

John Boler Yeah.

 

Bert Harper I mean, when you read this and then you read First Corinthians, it's filled with full. Yeah. And you get that Old Testament and you see that NewSong Testament, when you weave those together, it just is powerful. I want to give you this. We got about a minute left before we go, so I think I can finish up on this one. Years ago, is even when I was at Blue Mountain Christian University now, and I was driving back, I had a night class and I was just thinking, is this really true? And the last severe doubt I've ever had. And, I'd gone to a Bible camp and, they was Talking about over 300, 60 something, scriptures in the Old Testament. And Jesus Christ fulfilled them all, you know, and I got to thinking, what's the chances of that? You know, I was even an Andrew Griffith show fan back then. And Barney has a car. He doesn't have a car. Barney can sing and he can't sing. How inconsistent they are. But 66 books,

 

John Boler amen.

 

Bert Harper From Genesis to Revelation and that consistency.

 

John Boler Amen. We'll be right back in the book of Hosea in just a few minutes.

Listener Support Appeal Leads Into Hosea’s Call To Return

 

Bert Harper Hello, I'm Bert Harper. Did you know that this content is listener supported? Without people like you, this podcast would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will sustain American Family Radio and specifically this podcast. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.net give that's afr.net give

 

Bert Harper praise him for friends and family, for the very air we breathe, for having everything we need. Won't somebody come praise the Lord with me? Well,

 

Bert Harper that's what we want to do here on Exploring the Word. We do praise the Lord. We really do, for what God has done, what he is doing and what he's going to do. That means past, present, and future. It's good.

 

John Boler Absolutely. Yes,

 

Bert Harper sir. And the great thing, God is at work today. You don't have to wait. God's working in our world. He's working in your life. And, let me tell you, he's drawing the loss to himself. And he is calling us that know Christ. And some of you might need to return to Christ. I say that as the introduction to chapter 14, verses one through three. I'm just going to read all three of those. Jon. O Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him, take away all iniquity. Receive all graciously. Us graciously. For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips. Assyria shall not save us. We will not ride on horses. Nor will we say any more to the work of our hands. You are our gods, for in you, the Fatherless finds mercy. Key word return.

 

John Boler Yeah.

Returning To God Requires Confession And Rejecting False Security

 

Bert Harper The book of Revelation. The churches returned.

 

John Boler Return to me.

 

Bert Harper Return to me.

 

John Boler Return to me.

 

Bert Harper We have a. There's an old song, Prone to wander. Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the one I love. we're bad to do that, Jon.

 

John Boler We are. Churches

 

Bert Harper are bad to do it. Ministries are bad to do it, you know?

 

John Boler Yeah. And we need 14. One, three. And this is very familiar because back in chapter six, verses one through three, it's very similar. The way that he starts a. Come, let us return. But it was to the Lord. For he is torn. He will heal us. He is stricken, but he will bind us up. But they, you know, they, same words, but the tone is entirely different. He closes this chapter, this book. Wonderful book. Return to the Lord your God. Judgment is coming. But you can return to the Lord your God. There is hope. You've stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you. In other words, you know, there's certain things about sin, brother Bert. It's very easy to point out other people's sin. It's very easy to point out your general sin. The hardest part is to put words into your own sin and to make it specific. Lord, I have sinned against you in this area and take words with you and return. Lord, say to him, take away all iniquity. It describes the nature of S, which is ugly. Receive us graciously, for we offer the sacrifices of our lips. Assyria. they shall not save us.

 

Bert Harper wow, that's strong. Because what has been one of the themes. Is not trusting in those nations. Assyria and Egypt. Those two are the ones that's pinpointed again and again. no, it's not a Siri that's going to deliver us.

 

John Boler That's right. Kingdomnomics's wealth, prosperity. It's not any of that. He says, you need to return.

God Promises Healing And Freely Given Love To Repentant People

 

He comes down to verse number four. And I guess this is where, as a Baptist, I guess this is where we get that word backsliding from. It comes from the Bible, but the Bible says, I will heal their backsliding. I Love what Proverbs 14:14 says. The backslider in will be filled with his own ways. But a good man will be satisfied from above. A backslider filled with his own ways. So I look at that and say, the opposite of a backslider is filled not with his own ways, but with what? Filled with the Spirit. Filled with the Lord.

 

Bert Harper When we see this, notice God's initiative. I will.

 

John Boler Yeah,

 

Bert Harper I will. Now, what's this based upon? Going back to the verse three, returning. You've got to return or repent. You know, turn from. Turn from your wicked ways, but return. And verse two says, return to the Lord. Yeah, that's what you want. Can two walk together? Unless they be agreed. Returning to the Lord has the idea of walking with him in his direction. That's

 

John Boler right.

 

Bert Harper And so here it is. I will hear their backsliding. I will love them freely. let's talk about. God loves you. Okay. But he loves you too much to let you stay the way you are. He loves you so much that he wants you to come unto him as a mother hen would take her little ones, you know, and you remember over there, but you would not. So here it is again. I will do this. Will you do it? It has. Man has to. Man has to decide, doesn't he?

 

John Boler Yeah, he does. God's love is greater than man's sin. And he said, I will love you freely. My anger is turned away from him. I will be like the dew to Israel. We talked about that a while ago, how the dew fades. But he says here in five and six. Boy, this is not a picture. there's Two pictures.

Hosea’s Images Portray Renewal While Sin Brings Weakness And Ruin

 

Let's look at the context. And then, I want to give you what the opposite would look. But he says here he shall grow like the lily. lilies are beautiful. It's a beautiful, plant, he says, and lengthen his roots like Lebanon, the strength of a powerful tree in the Middle East. Lebanon. His branches will spread out. His beauty shall be like the olive tree, the splendor of olive oil, which is very, very valuable during. During that time. And it's fragrance, like Lebanon, what you portray is something that is. That is, spirit filled. It's beautiful. That's the picture of what the Lord wants to do in our lives. And as the Christian life 5 and 6, this is what he desires for us.

 

Bert Harper You see the poet in him as well. M. You know what I mean? This is word P. Let me see. Did Jesus use those? I believe he did. So here it is like Lebanon. Branches shall spread. Now, the good thing about branches, it brings life, underneath for rest. And it brings life in its branches for other trees. So it's life, every one of these living, not dead, but living as they've returned to him. And so also note, you could not help but think about fragrance. How wonderful it is. Mary, when Jesus had his anointing and the fragrance filled the room, it's a wonderful thing to worship him. And even in a worship service, Jon, you've been there when God just shows up and, a few songs similar to that. It's hard to sing the goodness of God. When we're singing that at our church. I'm looking around and man, people are. You know, you feel that, you sense that. And that's this passage. You sense that.

 

John Boler You do. And my mind went to the opposite of it. This is what I wrote. I told you. I wrote down some things in my body. So this is what sin does. So I look at 5 and 6. Because 5 and 6 is what the Lord wants to do for someone who returns to him. But if you continue to backslide, sin doesn't make you like a lily. Sin makes you ugly. I'm not talking about physically, but sin is. There's no beauty in it. Sin makes you weak. There's no root. There's nothing to stand on.

 

Bert Harper You'll wilt in tough times.

 

John Boler Yeah. When the storms come.

 

Bert Harper Preach it, brother.

 

John Boler Sin, when it talks about the olive tree, the value. Sin makes you poor. And then the fragrance, like Lebanon, Sin stinks.

 

Bert Harper Preach it, man.

 

John Boler It stinks. There's nothing good about it.

 

Bert Harper Have you built a sermon on this? I

 

John Boler Just wrote it in my Bible. It's yours if you want it. What did they. We hadn't quoted Agent Rogers this week. He said, if bullet fits in your gun, go for it.

 

Bert Harper Amen.

 

John Boler But that's it. That's the sin. Makes you ugly, weak, poor, and stink. But man, the beauty of it.

Returning Brings Revival Growth Fellowship And Christlike Influence

 

And he goes into verse seven, and he says, those who dwell under his shadow shall return. they shall be revived like grain, grow like a vine. And the scent, that word scent is also the word remembrance. Shall be like the wine of Lebanon. boy, what a beautiful, beautiful. There's a lot of imagery. Those who dwell under his shadow shall return. Those who dwell under the shadow of his wing. you can think about the psalmist there in Psalm 91. and the fragrance there. You mentioned that passage, where we are. That fragrance. The, fragrance of Christ. It's not a, smell from our nose, but it's a picture that we're portraying when we go to the grocery store, when we are in church, everywhere we go, we are that fragrance of Christ. He says, it grows like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

 

Bert Harper Notice the words. You can't miss them. Return and revive. you're not going to be revived unless you return. And you do not return unless you leave behind. So there's action here. I couldn't help think of the prodigal son. What happened to him when he came to himself, when he came to his senses. He saw where he was, what he had, and what it had brought him to. And then he said, I, I will return to my father.

 

John Boler Yeah. And

 

Bert Harper I'll say to my father, you know, all those things that he would say to them. And so here you see the beauty of this. And you were talking about the Old Testament, NewSong Testament, you see this divine connection of how it is. And so we may have individuals out there. There was at one time, they were. They were serving the Lord Well. And, we don't know what happens. A lot of time. I, know from my experience, I've seen some Christians, godly people who got hurt, maybe in a church or something, and they stepped out and stepped aside for a while. If you're one of those, and you're listening with all my heart, I'd say you're missing out.

 

John Boler You are.

 

Bert Harper You return. We need that fellowship. yeah, I heard people say, well, there's hypocrites up there. Yeah, they are. Did you know that's kind of, I would say something that is good, because who do hypocrites. Do they want to play? Act like there's something when they're nothing. Okay, what does that say? They know it's good.

 

John Boler Yeah,

 

Bert Harper they're not. But they're gonna. Yeah. they're gonna try to act like it, because why? It's not bad. It's good. So go. You don't. You don't need. You're not one, but you need to be the real deal. That's

 

John Boler right.

 

Bert Harper And so here it is. Return, revive. These words are awesome. Grow. That's the three points. It is. Return, revive. And what? And grow.

 

John Boler And

 

Bert Harper grow. If you don't grow, what's going to happen?

 

John Boler Yeah. You mentioned the person that may be sitting out of church today. Don't let people steal your opportunity to praise the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. And you're the one that's hurting, not them. and, man, come on back to church and get a part of that.

Hosea Concludes With Two Paths And A Call To Walk Rightly

 

Let's do these last two verses.

 

Bert Harper Can't wait to get to verse nine. Verse nine. I got it underlined and highlighted. Go ahead, read it.

 

John Boler Ephraim, shall say, what have I to do any more with idols? I have heard, observed him. I am like a green cypress tree. Your fruit is found in me. Who is wise. Let him understand these things. Who is prudent, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right. The righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. what a way to end a book.

 

Bert Harper It is. And it's an exaltation. A. Ah, praise. you know, when you come to the end of a song, it just magnifies and everything. Here it is. Now notice. What have I to do with any more idols? Listen, those things that's in your life that is pulling you away have nothing to do with them. Put. Put them behind you. Put them aside. you've got to put it away. You can't entertain that. Can you serve two masters? No. You're going to either serve the one and hate the other. Serve the Lord.

 

John Boler It looks like as he closes this, there's two options. You can return, and this is what it is, or you can continue on in your ways and judgment. Come. It's very similar to Psalm chapter one, where he talks about, those who, ah, are running from the Lord, whether it's through sitting or standing or waiting in sin, or those that his delight is in the law of the Lord. He shall meditate on it day and night. There's two ways in verse nine. Who is wise? Let him understand these Things who is prudent. Let him know. Let him know for the ways of the Lord. They're right. Sounds like a psalm.

 

Bert Harper they're right no matter what you do with them. It's like God said it. I believe it. That settles it. Well, the whole idea is it settles it if God has said it, whether you believe it or not. like we talked about Henry Blackaby joining him. You know where he is. Find out where God's working and join him. What does God say about salvation? What does God say about the word of God? What does God say about marriage? What does God say about identity?

 

John Boler That's right.

 

Bert Harper And

 

John Boler you're either going to. You're either going to walk or you're going to stumble,

 

Bert Harper one or the other. And that's

 

John Boler exactly what he says there in verse number nine. So God's word is not changing. You're either going to walk in his ways or you're going to stumble in his ways. Now, let's just look at it from a practical standpoint. Do you want to walk outside step by step, or do you want to stumble all the way home? Which is easier? Walking with the Lord.

 

Bert Harper When you walk with this, two things are necessary because it's darkness outside. So we need the light. Who's. Who's the light? That's

 

John Boler right. The

 

Bert Harper Lord. The other thing, you need to be in the right direction. Return. So you're going in the correct direction. So here it is. You're. You're looking under the Lord. He's the light. He's the light. He's of our salvation. He is the way. Direction. And you cannot come any other way but by Him. So you want to be right. For the ways of the Lord are right.

 

John Boler Yeah.

 

Bert Harper Jon, when we find that out that his ways are right concerning anything he talks about living, dying, marriage, it is right. And we come to be a part of Him.

 

John Boler Yeah.

 

Bert Harper We're either going to agree with him or we're going to walk away and transgress and stumble.

 

John Boler That's right.

 

Bert Harper That number. 8885-8988-4088-8589-88420. if you have a Bible question, we'd love for you to call us. We would love for you to share in this because I want to tell you there's nobody like our God. We'll be right back after this.

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Caller Asks How First Corinthians Says Saints Judge Angels

 

Bert Harper From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea Creations revealing your majesty from the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring Every creature unique in the song that it seems all exclaiming

 

John Boler welcome back to exploring the word. I am Jon Bowler joined by brother Bert Harper today. And the phone number, if you have questions that you would like to call Bible questions. that phone number is 1-88- excuse me. 8885-8988-4088-4888-58-9840. Let's go to our first question and this is from Carol in Arkansas. Hello Carol, go ahead with your question.

 

Carol Yes, it has to do with First Corinthians 6, 3. I'm currently audio listening to Finally Home by Dave Orland and yesterday he made the comment that we would judge angels and I had never heard that before and don't understand. I looked it up and I don't understand it. Would you give me a little explanation please?

 

John Boler Yes, that's from First Corinthians 6, verse 3. Brother Burch, you want to read that and comment on that?

 

Bert Harper This is this Is one of those verses that's got to be put in its context. So I need to read verse one and following. Okay, go ahead. Dare any of you having a matter against another, go to the law before the unrighteous and not before the saints. Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? That's saints. Okay, Will. And notice it is in the future tense. That's important. And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matter? Now let's put this in context where we read verse three. These Corinthians. It'd be tough to pastor that church.

 

John Boler A lot going on,

 

Bert Harper a lot going on. But they were taking each other to court. And Paul is saying this ought not to be brethren. And he said, it doesn't not assume that brothers and sisters in Christ may have disputes. That's a possibility. And he said, but is there not anybody there in that church that could sit and listen and give a fair and just right decision? You're right. Okay. And it says saints in the future going to be judging the world. So then it comes to verse three. Carol, do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life. Judging angels. Now there's two different groups of angels. Those that have fallen and followed Satan and then those that are stayed with the Lord. I personally believe it's those angels that have followed. We're going to now what judgment? And we've talked about this in Hosea. What judgment should we give on anything going back to Hosea? His ways are what right? So when we agree with God and in that we will judge them. So this judgment has idea, agreeing with

 

John Boler it is

 

Bert Harper we will agree with God. Judgment he gave of letting these stay him m. And worship him and serve him. And then those that were discarded because they followed Lucifer. The judgment is

 

John Boler coming. the key to that, Brother Bert, and you hit it right on the head is the context, the context of the passage. When you just pull verse three out. Do you not know we shall judge angels? That's right in the middle of a verse, about lawsuits, in the church. But thank you so much, Carol.

Caller Questions Westcott And Hort And New Testament Reliability

 

Thank you for calling. Let's go to let's go to Steve in Kentucky. Thank you so much Steve for calling. Go ahead with your question.

 

Caroline Yeah, good afternoon guys. I really appreciate, your, your program and my wife and I are investigating, I guess you might say, the veracity of the NewSong Testament translation that was came out in 1881. That was translated by Westcott and Hort. And that was followed by the Revised Standard Version. And it was also. It's also gotten into our, latest translations as well as. I understand. So, my question is, can we fully trust the NewSong Testament translation by Westcott and Hort?

 

Bert Harper Okay.

 

John Boler I'm not familiar with that translation. I

 

Bert Harper am not either. I've heard of it. I have not read it. It. I've heard evaluations. There are questions about it. I know that. there are those that you cannot trust. Okay. they're definite. there are those that have twists and turns on that. Just like we did this today. Steve, there in Hosea, what was presented? Is it a statement or a question? sometimes in the Hebrew and in the Greek, you don't have that identifying mark, like a question mark, an exclamation point that, you know, you don't have that. So you have. The translators have to look that in the context in which it was given. And Westcott, I'll tell you what, I'm going to write that down and see Westcott and who. That's it. I will try to look at that. And tomorrow, since we're through with, we will do a Bible study tomorrow. We're going to do it on a subject, but we may have more time to ask, answer. So we may look at that and give it an evaluation.

 

John Boler Let's do that.

 

Bert Harper Good. I got it here. Steve, I wish I could tell you exactly. This is when we miss Alex, that photographic memory that Alex McFarland has, he. His recall is amazing. So thank you. Thank you, Steve.

 

John Boler Thank you, Steve. Thank you so much for calling.

Hosts Defend The Sanctity Of Life And Share Personal Grief

 

Let's go to, Let's go to Arkansas. And Kelly, go ahead with your question.

 

Caroline I have a question. I was talking to a lady that was trying to defend abortion another day and with using some scripture out of the Old Testament. And I. I wondered if he would touch on that and talk about how God, is not for abortion and never has been. And I'll just listen.

 

John Boler Yeah. There. There is no defense for abortion. that is, there. There's. God creates life. there are numerous passages in the Old Testament, whether it's Job 33, verse 4, whether it's Psalm 139 that talks about how the Lord knew us in our mother's womb. We're

 

Bert Harper knit

 

John Boler together. We're knit together. And

 

Bert Harper when you see DNA, when you see the picture of DNA and how it looks like a ladder that's been built, you say, man, that looks like we're knit. Together.

 

John Boler And

 

Bert Harper we are, aren't

 

John Boler we? That's right. You know, Kelly, thank you for calling. I don't know that Bible verse. I would say if they use that as a defense for abortion, it's probably taken out of context, but, God is the author of life. He makes no mistakes. And Christians are pro life. We value life from the womb all the way to the tomb. And, that's my stance. And I believe that's so. I believe that's a biblical

 

Bert Harper standardize this. If you're not right on the issue of life, you're probably going to have a distorted view of just about everything else.

 

John Boler That's right. That's right.

 

Bert Harper I don't know how to say that. And I found it. That's a consistent statement with people. and so it does not mean. Let me share this with you while we're here. In place of just talking about it. In voting, we have crisis pregnancy centers, and we value them. We partner with a ministry called PreBorn. Dan Steiner just does an awesome job. And they have those, where they can see the baby in the Womb. And over 80% of the time when a mother sees that, you know, the baby in the womb, they decide, we're going to keep that baby. there used to be an advertisement on it, and this girl who went in abortion minded, and they saw the, sonogram, and it was twins. And she said, not just one, but God bless me with two. And what a statement

 

John Boler it is. It is. Kelly, thank you for calling. If I could just say maybe somebody that's listening today, as a father of two special needs children, one is in heaven and one we're raising, let me tell you, we talk to a lot of people after they have gone through an abortion. And the grief, the sorrow, the regret is, you cannot put a. You cannot measure that. so I pray that those who are listening today that, God's the author of life and choose life. And I do believe, if you get that right, there's a whole lot of other things, parts to that, that falls into place. There

 

Bert Harper really is. And you and your wife Elisabeth, who. Janet and I dearly love this couple. We just make it plain. your testimony this year at the fishbowl retreat about how God laid it on your heart. No, we're not going to end this pregnancy. Yeah, that baby may die early. Whatever it happens, was it worth it, Jon?

 

John Boler It was. We saw God's grace in ways we've never seen before. and that's been 20 years ago and we continue to see it and he is faithful. He is right. He loves us unconditionally. And there is a reunion coming one day.

 

Bert Harper Amen.

 

John Boler Can't wait.

 

Bert Harper amen.

 

John Boler Cannot wait. Thank you, Kelly. Thank you for calling.

Hosts Explain The Kingdom Gospel And Its Mission To Israel First

 

Let's go to Frank in Mississippi. Welcome Frank. Go ahead with your question.

 

Caroline Yeah, I just want to see if y' all feel about this, the Gospel of the kingdom which Jesus preached when he was on earth. And that's not the gospel of grace that we live by today.

 

Bert Harper What,

 

Caroline okay.

 

Bert Harper Is that your question or, or what you're saying, Frank? I'd

 

Caroline like to understand how you all feel about that.

 

Bert Harper Okay.

 

Caroline Okay. Yeah. Matthew 10. You know, when Jesus anointed the 12 apostles, he goes, then tell them to go out and preach the gospel of the kingdom is at hand. But don't go to the Gentiles. See, Jesus wasn't going to the Gentiles yet. And it really was until Paul got saved that it's opened up to the Gentiles also on even plain with Israel, which I think about.

 

Bert Harper Okay,

 

John Boler well as I look at Matthew chapter 10, the Lord starts with his disciples and he starts with the Jerusalem. He starts with a, local area, as God's chosen people, the nation of Israel. you're right. Not until Paul came as a rejection of Israel that the gospel goes to the Gentiles and that's the majority of the book of Romans. I, would not, I would not say it's a different gospel, because the gospel is the gospel. It

 

Bert Harper is,

 

John Boler Is it a different audience? Yes, but different context I would say as well. but from Jesus day here in M. Matthew to like Paul's day pre cross post cross. but the gospel is the same.

 

Bert Harper Let me share this. The Bible says he came to his own and his own received him not. So the first thing he did when he sent those 12 out was to his own, fulfilling, I'd say Scripture.

 

John Boler Yeah.

 

Bert Harper did that limit it? Was it a different message? No, it was not. But it was that purposeful. Now what happens, they were going to them because it's kind of like a ready made audience for them. He, he's building them up. They're still young, they're still trying to figure all this out. They, they hadn't got it down pat yet. So they go to the. And they're not having to deal with Gentiles who say there's many gods. They're not having to go to Gentiles who was not Expecting a Messiah, he sent them to people who believed, you know, one God and expecting a messiah. And, I remember this example about, it was an airplane flight, and there was two people there. and one, they started witness to it, and the other one, the person got saved. And he said, you know, that guy up there, how about, we got time, Would you go up there and tell him what happened? And it wasn't anybody but somebody that he already knew and knew they were a salvation and knew they would celebrate it. So I think this is more preparation than limit.

 

John Boler That's right.

 

Bert Harper Also in the book of Acts, we find it came to Samaria and then it came to the Gentiles. And Peter went up there. And in Acts 15, he says, what happened to the Jews happened at Pentecost, happened to them as well. So it wasn't limiting, it was preparation. That's

 

John Boler right.

 

Bert Harper That's my view.

 

John Boler I think that's true. I think it's not that he was neglecting the Gentiles, but let's start off right here. in Jerusalem. what else do we have, Brother Bert?

 

Bert Harper Okay, Brett, did you have some that we needed to hear? I thought you said something about it.

 

Caroline I had some questions, but we can go to,

 

Bert Harper I wanted to hear that praise for sure. The

 

Caroline praise. I've got actually two.

Listener Shares Comforting News And Hosts Prepare Another Caller

 

One is from Joel. he says, thank you for praying for my Uncle Dwayne last week. he is with Jesus now and not suffering with Alzheimer's anymore. Thank you so much for your prayers.

 

Bert Harper Wow. Let me just make a comment. My dad has Alzheimer's, and I'm telling you, you. We gave him up mentally before spiritually. We're still praying with him, but, right before he died, God gave him some clarity one Saturday morning, and it was refreshing and seeing. And then when he went on to be of the Lord, it was rejoicing. It really is. Amen. Okay. Was there another one, Brent, or was that it?

 

Caroline I know that was it.

 

Bert Harper Okay. Is Joe there? Do you have Joe on your.

 

John Boler I do.

 

Bert Harper Okay, let's try him. Joe, do you have a comment or a question?

Caller Discusses Eternal Security And The Program Closes With Thanks

 

Caroline Yes, thank you. I'll be quick, but, I feel like this is very important and I'll try to get out here, but yes. so as far as having a personal relationship, we're talking about salvation, especially a more modern, you know, once saved, always saved. Jesus Sundays in Jon 15:10. This is elsewhere back up in scriptures, this idea, but the. To abide or continue in my love. And it says, if you keep My commandments, you will continue in my love. The Greek there, meaning, you know, to remain stage well and continue in a relationship. So like a personal relationship, I would say, should not that be a continual thing? And so like another question involving this would be in post Bible church history, when did eternal security actually originate? And what about the many centuries of church teaching that preceded that, such as the Catholic view of saving faith?

 

Bert Harper Well, let me, real quick, let me put it this way. It started with Jesus.

 

John Boler That's right.

 

Bert Harper No man will pluck you out of my hand. I and my father are one that is secure in him. The whole idea is, it's not once saved, always saved. It is if you're saved, you're saved. And you do continue, you may wane, you may look back, we find the apostles did that. But guess what? He. He was there with them all the time.

 

John Boler That key word there in Jon 15 that he mentioned is abide. Abide in him.

 

Bert Harper Sounds like Jon 14, doesn't it?

 

John Boler That's right.

 

Bert Harper Amen.

 

John Boler That's right.

 

Bert Harper Thank you, Joe. Hope that helps, brother. Thank you, Jon. It's been a great good

 

John Boler to be

 

Bert Harper here.

 

John Boler Amen. Thank you for having me and look forward to tomorrow.

 

Bert Harper Amen. We're going to have a special study and we'll do some questions and answers again tomorrow on exploring the word on.

 

Caroline The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.