American Family Radio takes your Bible questions next hour
>> Bert Harper: The Bible. It's the word of God.
>> Alex McFarland: Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active.
>> Bert Harper: And contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the.
>> Alex McFarland: Next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions.
Alex McFarland: Isaiah 53 was written 750 years before Jesus was born
>> Bert Harper: Welcome to Exploring the Word.
>> Alex McFarland: Welcome to another week of Exploring the word. Alex McFarland and Bert Harper here, and you are listening to the American Family Radio Network. We are in the book of Isaiah and we invite you to turn there, the Old Testament book of Isaiah. And you know Bert, as we get into places like Isaiah 53, we see, I mean the gospel is vividly portrayed even though this was written 750 years before the birth of Jesus. And you know, earlier in our study of Isaiah, we saw about Cyrus, who by name was prophesied and predicted to two centuries plus before he was born. Is, it fair to say that the Bible writes history in advance? Because the author of the Bible is ultimately the God of history. And that's how these prophecies are so 100% accurate.
>> Bert Harper: Amen, Alex. And again, you can say the Grand Canyon depth and you can say Mount Everest height. When you get to this servant song, chapter 2 52, starting with verse 13, going through the end of chapter 53, you're at the height of scripture and the depth of God's love. And let me, just lay this out. This is a lot like the Psalms. The way Isaiah wrote this. He had to have a poet or he was a singer, author. He just was that in him it's, there's this song, it's called the fourth servant song, has five stanzas with three verses each. In other words, chapter 52, verses 13 through 15, that's one stanza. And then you come to chapter 53, 1 and 3 second. And then it goes on all the way through three verses. In each one of the stanzas, there's five of them and they really do fit together like that. if you have a Bible like mine, matter of fact, when you come to chapter 53, there's a space between verse 3 and verse 4, a space between 6 and 7, then that last space between 9 and 10. And so here it goes. And we got to chapter, 52 and we mentioned verse 14 and really verse 14. As far as what happens chronologically, it is really talking about something that happens and it's on the cross. Let me read that. And I know you wanted to get to this and we didn't have time for you to do what you can do with a passage of Scripture with the words and the meaning. So let me do this. I'll read verse 14 first, and then we'll go back to verse 13, because that's when he's highly exalted, and God exalted him according to Philippians chapter two, after he had come to earth and obeyed the Lord, highly exalted him. So let me Read verse, verse 14. Just as many were astonished at you, so his visage. And again, that word could be appearance. His appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. Now, Alex, it sounds like he was beaten. Sounds like he had a lot of physical, the Messiah, the servant, which is Jesus, had a lot of physical things that would happen to him as punishment. Do you get that out of verse 14?
>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. You know, what's amazing is, you know, the people were astonished at the image of him marred more than any man. That was the beating, the abuse that Christ took on our behalf as he was paying our sin debt.
Bert Spurgeon: Isaiah 53 is like Mount Everest of God's revelation
But I want to read verse 13. This is Isaiah, ah, 52. And, you know, Isaiah 53, as you said, is like this Mount Everest of God's revelation. The last three verses of 52 are just like the doorstep leading into this incredible space about the Lamb of God. But verse 13, behold, my servant shall deal prudently. He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Okay, the word servant there, in the Hebrew means my bondman. Now, think about Jesus, the sinless Son of God, God incarnate. But In John chapter 4, I think it was verse 34, Jesus said, My meat or my nourishment is to do the will of him that sent me. Here's the amazing thing. The second member of the Trinity, God the Son, was the bondman of the Father. He was on a mission. That mission was to pay our sin debt. And, Bert, before I go to the phrase deal prudently, but, I mean, you think about this, that, God was willing to subject himself to the incarnation, the will of the Father, even obedient unto the death of the cross, that because he loves us and wanted us to be redeemed and saved, that God would, Jesus would be the bondman sent by the Father to die in our stead. Isn't that amazing?
>> Bert Harper: It is amazing. And when you read verse 13, I can't help but believe the Apostle Paul had read that recently when he would pen the letter to the Philippians. And, chapter two that I've already referred to and write These words that, again, I found so amazing, being found in appearance as a man, Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. And then, listen to this. Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name. And, Alex, when I read verse 13, he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Okay, and here it is. after Jesus came, was obedient to the Father, even death to the cross, God gave him a name that's higher than any other name. And so, don't you love the way the Old Testament and the NewSong Testament. You've already said that he wrote history in advance. How these passages connect, when they were written over, you know, here it would be written over 800 years before. Okay, so Paul would write the letter to the Philippians later. And so here it is connecting these two so real, you can't help but notice the likeness of what they were saying about Jesus. Can you?
>> Alex McFarland: And it's just amazing. It's amazing. And, in, the King James says, behold, my servant shall deal prudently. How does your translation read that?
>> Bert Harper: It says, prosper. It has the idea of prospering. Deal prosperly or correctly, as I was reading it, but mine does say prudently. Go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, deal prudently. And so I looked that up, among the ways it could be rendered. It really means teach wisely. Now, in Philippians 2, 1, 13, 5, 7, let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus, verse seven of Philippians two. He made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in likeness of men. And he humbled himself even to the death on the cross. Now, what's interesting is I used to Read this. Isaiah 52, 13, My servant shall deal prudently. And I thought, okay, prudence is, you know, to be wise and smart. And maybe it meant that, you know, Jesus carried himself intelligently and all those, you know, that were out to get him, he knew how to navigate that. And I suppose that that is part of it. But really, by example, he taught wisely. What do I mean by that? He trusted his welfare to. To the will of the Father. And the Bible says he is our example, you know, and just as Christ obeyed the Father, we are to obey Christ. Bert. I think, among other things, and there's so much we could say, but Jesus, he wisely showed us what it was like to trust the Father. And how did it turn out for him. Well, he was exalted, extolled and lifted up very high. And we can be confident that, you know, that Spurgeon said the way of the disciple, the via dolorosa, the way of the cross. Spurgeon said, fear not to tread its thorny path, because the narrow way, the obedient way, the following, the leading of God in his word for the disciple. That's the only way, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It is the only way. Again, 13, 14 and 15, is talking about this. And when you come to verse 14, I could not help but notice, but as many were astonished at you. they were astonished in many ways of who he was, what he did, how he operated. Jesus just, he was a servant and they wanted a conquering king. And it astonished them. And then at his death or his trial, and then his, the beating that he took and all the things that they did, it was an astonishment to see that he would be silent and not say a word. We'll get to that later. And his form more than the sons of men. Alex, that was an interesting phrase when you get that. But it was talking about how he became a man. And again in isaiah, Psalm 22, when you see the, that Messianic psalm talking about really all the things that Jesus would go through. So here it is, starting with verse 14 in the first line. It was an astonishment that he would. What was that song? Let me start all over it. What was that song that said it's a strange way to save the world?
>> Bert Harper: But it's the only way that the world could be saved through justice and grace. Only way is Jesus Christ, isn't it?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, it is. You know, I heard a, ah, sermon many years ago by Billy Graham. And by the way, in philosophical circles they use this term called the best of all possible worlds. Billy Graham said this is the only of all possible worlds. Because what did Christ have to do?
Alex Martin: Jesus showed grace and mercy without sweeping anything under the rug
Fulfill the Scriptures, obey the Father, fulfill the righteousness of God. the law must be satisfied. And yet grace was to be manifested and without sweeping anything under the rug. And you know, God doesn't have to answer to anybody. And yet he acted in accord with his word, in accord with his nature, and yet showed us the offer of grace and mercy. And you know, all that's going on. By the way, I've got to say this, this is just amazing. Okay, I'm going to read verse 15 from the king James. It says social he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at him. For that which had not been told them shall they see. And they which they had not heard, they shall consider. Let's talk about this first clause in Isaiah 52:15. This servant of God, this, bond slave of the Father, that will be marred and beaten, his blood will be shed. Isaiah 53 will elaborate on this. He will sprinkle many nations. Now we think, okay, the blood of Jesus sprinkled on the mercy seat. And that is absolutely true. some modern translations say he will startle. Ah, many nations. And that is really not the best translation at all, even though people will be astonished. But here's the thing. The word is really expiation. Now, there's two things. The propitiation means it's like the payment of our sins, the wrath of God. But then expiation means that the punishment of specific crimes is done away with. So just as restitution is made to the Father, payment is made for our personal guilt. But even Bert, you've heard they'll say so and so paid their debt to society. That's really expiation, that the crime is satisfied. And Jesus really did both. He reconciled us to the Father. He redeems our soul and heals our life, but the law itself is paid for. We are, as the gospel song says, saved to the uttermost.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Many nations. Okay, Alex, Missional. What was the purpose of Israel? To share what God had done with the nations. Who did Jesus come? The many nations. Who are we to reach today? All the people of the world. Listen. When Jesus work is done on the cross, it deserves to be shared with all the nations. We'll be back right after this break. The AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations. You can't use it to change the oil in your vehicle or get rid of carpet stains.
>> Alex McFarland: It won't walk the dog, won't pick.
>> Bert Harper: Up the dry cleaning or take the kids to practice. But while you're doing those things, you can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone, smart device, or Roku. Just go to your app store or visit afr.net listen to AFR wherever you go with the AFR app. But he saves the poor from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the strong. So the helpless has hope and injustice has shut its mouth. American Family Radio.
>> Alex McFarland: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who rises and is to come.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
Bert and Alex discuss Biblical prophecy on Exploring the Word
Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Bert and Alex here and the scripture verse that you just heard read and I just want to Say, this is Marty Sparks, and he is the cameraman that does the live streaming for us. And that was Marty. And we appreciate him. We appreciate our crew. I just want to get this out. We appreciate Brent, Marty, and Richard, what they do to help us to have program that hopefully is ministering to people. We thank God for them. And I'll say that publicly in front of them as well. But, Alex, verse 15. And I love what you said. I was doing that, too. I did the research on, the sprinkle, and then it said startle. But it was more than that. You did a great job of going through that. And I couldn't get over the many nations. But also notice what it says in line. Each one of these lines are so important. I'll just warn everybody we're going to take two or three days. In Isaiah, 50. It's, a song. It's just too good to rush over. But kings shall shut their mouths at him. Now, it has a lot of meanings. It could go both ways. In other words, these kings that are recognized, their kingdoms are going to pass away. I couldn't help but think of the song. There's something about that name. Kings and kingdoms will all pass away. But there's something about that name. And Alex, again, kings shall, shut their mouths at him. They didn't want to listen to him. But guess what? Who is eternal? Not the kings or their kingdoms, but Jesus, say to Pilate, my kingdom's not of this world, it's earth. Would you say his kingdom is otherworldly?
>> Alex McFarland: Yes. but just like, Well, there's so many analogies we could give. But, you know, in John 18, when Christ was before Pilate, and Pilate, I mean, he's standing there a foot away from truth incarnate, and he asks, what is truth? And are you a king then? And Jesus says to Pilate In John, 18, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, only my servants would fight that. I would not be arrested and delivered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from here. And yet, you read Matthew 11:12. The kingdom is coming in. And Bert, if you're a Christian and part of the church, I hope everybody's a part of a church, but every believer is part of the church. Yeah. The kingdom is at least to a percentage. Partly here already, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It really is. And again, we have the earnest of our. Our regeneration, of our redemption. He's invested in us, but the story is not complete yet. He's still working on us here upon earth. And then there's going to be transition that's going to take in our mortal bodies. This mortal shall put on what, immortality. And. And so, Alex, again, what you're. What we're saying is what God began here upon this earth in his kingdom, it's eternal. And he is. He's bringing it about in his time, as you said earlier. He. He writes the history ahead of time. He's telling us that this for what had not been told them, they shall see. They're going to see it one day. and I think, go back to Philippians. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. And so, Alex, his kingdom, who he is, his eternality, his deity. Amen. this is the servant that we're talking about. And isn't this why the Jews just couldn't put their mind around the. These passages of Scripture in Isaiah and in more recent years? Well, I'm not talking about 20 years or so, but they're saying, oh, it's not talking about a person, it's talking about a nation. Well, listen, yes, God had a purpose for Israel, but this is clearly a man, the God man, Jesus Christ, isn't it?
>> Alex McFarland: Exactly. And let me just say this, that, sometimes part of the Christian life is waiting on God, isn't it? And, you know, I think about this, that, you know, I've read, and we've all probably read, that, you know, the Jews were looking for maybe a political military deliverer to overthrow Rome. Rome was an occupying presence there in the Holy Land. And he didn't come that first time as a conquering king, but as a suffering servant. But he will most certainly, you know, come back as a, as a victorious conquering king. In fact, the book of Jude says that he'll come with 10,000 times 10,000. And, Bert, you know, that's an encouragement to everybody who's ever had to wait on God. And you, you say, well, I've prayed for this or that for years and years and years. I've got a prodigal child. I've prayed for years, and they haven't turned back to the Lord. Well, you, know, prophecy and promises from God, they are. Sure they are. Yay and amen. But sometimes prayers don't get answered in weeks or months or even decades, but sometimes centuries. And I think about the case of the rebuilding of the nation of Israel, 1900 years, right? Nearly two millennia. And one thing that I've got to say about being a part of the church, Bert. As you know, it was just one of my great, thrills to be friends with and really mentored by Chuck Colson. And Chuck Colson would often used this phrase.
Bert says churches and families are little platoons representing Christ
He would say, churches and families are little platoons. You know, we're soldiers of the cross. A little platoon. And really, I later learned that that was a phrase by a guy named Edmund Burke. Very famous. There's some incredible quotes of Edmund Burke, but he was a colonial statesman, and he, lived in the 1700s, and he was trying to emphasize the importance of. Of Christians, families, and churches that were, quote, the little platoons that were representing Christ and his truth to the culture. And, I've got a message on this that, we don't have time for now, but I just want to say to every believer, as the children would sing, I'm in the Lord's army. Yes, sir, Bert, We're. We're in a battle.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: And we're a part of a platoon, aren't we? We are soldiers of the cross.
>> Bert Harper: we're not on a luxury ship. We're on a battleship. So you need to occupy your position that God has called you to do, and that's in service to him. So, Alex, this is the first stanza, of the servant song that we have here. And it's really all about Jesus, I would say. What he did on the cross and the resurrection. Highly exalted him seeking God's favor and then the eternality. He's going to outlast all the kings and kingdoms of the world.
Isaiah 53 is frequently quoted or alluded to concerning who Jesus is
But it brings us to chapter 53. Let me give you an overview of chapter 53 real quickly. Just two or three things. One is Isaiah 53 is quoted or alluded to more frequently than any other Old Testament chapter in the old testament. Isaiah 53, it's at least and 41 times that, Isaiah, 53 is either quoted or alluded to concerning who Jesus is. And so what a chapter this is. This is, I mean, it's a pinnacle. It really is. Let me read 1, 2, and 3, and I'll throw it to you, and you can give the introduction. Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and is a root out of dry ground. And he has no form or comeliness. And when we see him, there's no beauty that we should. He is despised and rejected by men. A man of sorrows acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Alex, again, it crushes us, but it just. We glorify God when we read this. And did you say 750 years before this? What? What A passage of scripture telling us where Jesus would come from Israel. When it was not beautiful, when it was not. It was more like a dry ground that God would bring up. And not a strong timber like, from Lebanon, the cedars of Lebanon. No, but a plant, a tender plant out of dry ground. Jesus born in Nazareth to a poor couple. What a statement, man.
>> Alex McFarland: You know, this is just so beautiful. And every line of Isaiah 53. I would just encourage everybody to please just reflectively read this. It's amazing. Who has believed our report or message? To whom is the arm of the Lord or the means of salvation revealed? Who? The God's strong arm, The. The arm that reaches and rescues. Who understands it? Well, maybe you understand it wonderful. If you're somebody and the arm of the Lord has been made known unto you. Praise God for that. Because there are people that are exceedingly religious that don't really understand the gospel. Now, he, this servant, this Savior, will grow up before as a tender plant, as a root out of dry ground. And, you know, he's the root of Jesse. He has no form nor comeliness that we should desire him. He wasn't like superman or with, you know, he wasn't walking through Jerusalem with, you know, beams of lightning emanating from his head. He was God in human form. and it. It's saying that people didn't believe in him M. Because he was, you know, ostentatious or stately or. Or look different necessarily. but people believed because they responded to his message and what he did. And of course, verse three. Despised and rejected of men. A man of sorrows bird. There was no hymn. It said man of Sorrows. What a name. Did you ever hear that?
>> Bert Harper: I did. I remember that song.
>> Alex McFarland: Man of Sorrows. What a name for the Son of God who came, Came, ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah. What a savior. That was a great song.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: that was one of the. We. We always talk about, like Fanny Crosby or Bill Gaither. There was a man named Philip Bliss.
>> Bert Harper: Yeah.
>> Alex McFarland: And, this is one of the fantastic hymns written by Philip Bliss, man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief. And here's the response. We hid, as it were, our faces from him. And he was despised and we esteemed him not. You know, we like to think, oh, if I'd been back there, I Wouldn't have been like Peter. I wouldn't have denied him three times. I wouldn't have been one of those that said, crucify him. But chances are we would have because he came. And, listen, if you've not responded to Jesus yet, do so today. If you spent years holding Christ at arm's length, and then you did come to him, get on your knees and thank God for his patience. initially, many people esteem him not. But praise the Lord, the Holy Spirit breaks through, and we recognize the Son of God, who is our one and only hope of salvation.
>> Bert Harper: The only one.
Bert says Jesus grew in favor with God and man
And Alex, that tender plant, I could not help but remember in the NewSong Testament that it says he grew in favor with God and man. He grew up before. you remember when they were talking to Jesus about what. What are you really teaching? And he told them there in Jerusalem, saying, adrian, I haven't done anything in secret. I've been out with you. I've been in front of you. He was. He was open to them. And look at me. He was. Had. He didn't have a hidden agenda. He didn't have hiddenness in anything. He made it known, and he grew up with them. And this. I mean, this. The Messiah being born in a stable in Jerusalem, in Bethlehem, you know, who. A carpenter was. The man that God would choose to bring him up into a Virgin Mary and go back to the Christmas story. Let me see. When it came time for the angels to announce his birth. Let me see. He didn't go to the kings and everything else. He went to who? The shepherds. This is the tender plant out of a dry ground. again, as you said, the root of jesse. But it's also talking about Israel. At that time, they were under bondage to the Roman government. And, you know, they had kind of lost hope concerning, where is the Messiah? It had been 400 years since they had had a prophet to prophesy. And now John the Baptist, yes, he came preaching repentance. And then Jes. Christ comes on the scene. When I. When I read those words, and what was it? He came in the fullness of time.
>> Alex McFarland: Galatians 4. 4.
>> Bert Harper: That's not just talking about the Roman government and the language. I think it's talking about this description. A tender plant and a dry ground as well.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, you remember last week, you were talking about Simeon, you know, who the. The aged Simeon at the temple. And he said, I have seen the Lord's salvation. You know, Isaiah 53. 1. Who has believed our report? Well, Simeon did he knew it. Verse two is almost like the ministry of the Messiah. He came forth not in beauty or, you know, some noticeable thing, but he came. And then. Verse 3. Despised and rejected. The rejection of Jesus. Verse 4, the atonement. Surely he has borne our griefs, carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. Verse 5. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Okay, the chastisement of our peace. In other words, what it took to get us saved, he bore. That, what it. What it needed for us to be forgiven, redeemed, rescued, born again. It was put on him. He was wounded for our transgressions. So in 4 and 5 of Isaiah 53, really, this is the ministry of the atonement, the payment, the propitiate. Propitiation, that means the turning away of wrath. He experienced that in his own body because of his love for us, didn't he, Bert?
>> Bert Harper: He really did. Now, real quick, we got just a minute left before we go to the third segment, which we take phone calls. And that number. 888 589. 8840. The lines are open. You got a Bible question, we would love it. But I can't help but notice this. Alex got just enough time to talk about it. Look at verse five. He was bruised for our iniquities. Now look if you would, at chapter, 53, verse 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. Now, again, that doesn't mean God is up there applauding, but it meant that God knew this is the only way that he could save us. And Jesus was willing to be bruised. The word could be translated crushed as well. It's got that meaning. But he was willing to do so, and the father was willing to send him in order for that to be accomplished. That's how much God loves you who are listening today. We'll be back right after the break.
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>> Alex McFarland: To the end, all my life is in your hands. This whole world may hold me down, but it can never drown you out. I'm not merely flesh. I was made for something more.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. I was waiting for that. Waiting Made for something more. Have you discovered what you were made for? It's serving the Lord Jesus Christ. You got to know him and then you follow him and you serve him wherever he sends me, that's where we'll go.
Alex: Bert, how surprised were students when they asked you about fear
This is Bert and Alex, and this is the last segment. That number. If you have a question, a Bible question. 888. 589. 8840. The lines are open. But, Alex, you and I were talking, you were able to speak at, FCA Fellowship of Christian Athletes. And you were. Were you surprised at one of their questions? They were asking you. Did it catch you off guard? Or how. What was it? And how did you respond?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, I was with some FCA students, which is a fantastic ministry fellowship of Christian Athletes. And they, were telling me, and this is exciting, that on Friday mornings at, a number of the public high schools here in central North Carolina, they have like 95 students coming out at 7:00am for Bible study. But Bert, I asked him, I said, look, if there's anything, because I'm going to be speaking at some FCA chapters, how can I help you? What, is on your heart? And these students, Saturday morning, they would tell me, they said, well, you know what? How do you deal with fear? And I said, okay, explain. One of these girls looked at me and she said, you know, she said, if I could speak for so many of my peers, there's just. And she was searching for the word. She said, anxiety. And Bert, I really sense that I hear that more and more in our summer camps. High school, college, young adults. And let me say this, that I want your opinion on this. One of the great realities of being A born again believer and really trusting God, his word, taking God as word. I think being a follower of Jesus, we can be set free from fear. Wouldn't you agree, Bert? Isn't that just one of the great blessings of being Jesus, child, is that we are not in bondage to fear anymore, are we?
>> Bert Harper: we are not. Listen, he came to set us free. And one of those things he sets us free of is this fear and the fear. Listen, faith and fear do not, you know, share together in the same mind and heart. Alex. Fear, fear, drives faith away. And so what you do, what's the proof? What's in the past when God was trying to help Israel and others to understand that they could trust him, he brought up many times how he brought them out of Egypt, how he sustained them with the water and the manna in the wilderness, how he sustained them and brought them into their land. So what I would suggest on fear is look at back what God has done. He has not changed. He's going to see us through. So that, listen, great answer, Alex.
Bert says Proverbs says God hates these things because they destroy people
I got a question here. Are you alright with this one?
>> Alex McFarland: sure, yes.
>> Bert Harper: And this comes from Chris and it came on [email protected] could you please explain Proverbs 6, 16, 18 when it says God hates these things? Okay, 6 he hates and 7 are abomination to him. Why are those, Are those the only one he hates? Or is that just a grouping of them that a lot of other questions fit into?
>> Alex McFarland: Great, this is not the only thing, but a proud look, verse 17 of Proverbs. A lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaks lies, and he who sows discord among the brethren. Isn't that something? So in Proverbs? Proverbs is sometimes called wisdom literature and it really is a, great education. But Bert, all of these things, if you look, these are things that are dishonest. You know, the ten Commandments is that thou shalt not lie, pride, a lying tongue, a murderous heart and hand. Not just murderous intent, but murderous actions, the shedding of innocent blood, wicked imaginations in our heart, feet, that is swift to run to mischief. Bert, the Lord hates these things because they destroy people. Not only lives and relationships, but potentially the soul of people. So you know, God hates such things because he cares enough. He's trying to save us and very often rescue us from ourselves.
>> Bert Harper: And when you see these, they all have one or Two things in common. One, the root is pride. A proud look, that's easy to see. Lying tongue. No, I can't. I got my own version. I'll say. Each one of these has to do with. With that. The other thing, many of them have to do with speaking what you speak.
>> Alex McFarland: So in discord.
>> Bert Harper: So in discord. That's the whole idea. And so I hope, Chris, that helps you to understand. Hope you're listening, and that comes across to you. These are not the only ones. Hey, we still have lines open, and that number, triple 858-98840. But we've got Paul from Texas. Paul, thank you for calling. Go right ahead. Hello? Yes, you're on. Paul, thank you for calling today.
>> Caroline: Yes, you know, I. First thing I got to mention is that I get to you guys by styling up Marvin Sanders on my telephone. That's where I get the phone number.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen.
>> Bert Harper: Paul, let me interrupt. That means you've been listening for over 15 years. Okay.
>> Caroline: My point for today, though, is that lately I've been hearing a bunch of stuff about judgment. It's just. Just on my mind. Okay? I. I heard a singer the other day singing. Why does everybody judge me when the good book says judge not? Well, okay, so I've also heard a couple of things lately that were encouraging to me that I don't have to judge anybody. It's not my place to judge anybody. But I can point out what the judge says, and you can stand before the judge yourself. It's not my place to make you stand before the judge. But when you look at what the scripture says, it says, this is good, this is bad. that when I say that something is wrong, it's not me trying to judge them to hell or anything. It's just that I'm pointing out what the judge says. And I just thought I'd like to hear your comments about that kind of thing.
>> Bert Harper: Thank you, Paul. Let me make a quick comment. Alex. Okay. We, as humans, we can look at a person's actions, observe them. We can also hear them and their words, but we cannot look past that to the heart. God, the motivation. God knows the motivation. So God is the perfect judge. And all we can do is try to agree with the judge when we know what he says about actions and words. Alex?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah? I mean, imagine if there was, you know, and we've lived in the time of many, many famous court cases. And so let's say the news came down that some judicial verdict was rendered, and you were telling people, hey, did you Hear they, they completed that court case out there. And you know, wherever somebody says, well you had no right to render that verdict, you said, look, I didn't render the verdict, the judge did. I'm just telling you what happened. That's kind of how it is. you know, one of the favored verses of everybody nowadays is kind of Matthew 7:1, where, you know, in the Sermon on the Mount it says, judge not, that you be not judged, for with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. Okay, balance that though with like in First John 4:1 it says, Test the spirits, for not every spirit is of God. A couple years ago you and I did a message, you and I worked on it together and we, we might ought to rerecord it, but you and I came up, listen, to this folks, 13 times that the Bible tells Christians to judge. Isn't that something? Now what the Matthew 7:1 Judge not. And that's like the favorite verse of the woke libertines. What that means is in and of ourselves, I can't say. Well, by Alex McFarlane's standards, such and such is wrong. No, but by God's holy word, absolutely. I mean, while we fallen humans may not be in a position to pass judgment on each other, the word of God most certainly is. And in fact we are to proclaim salvation to the lost. And so folks, don't be coward into silence by the world saying, oh, you can't judge. Fair enough. But God's word certainly can and we're obligated to proclaim it.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. We make judgments, okay, about things, about issues.
We do that every day. We make judgments based on what we know
We do that every day. Will that chair hold me up if I try to sit in it? Okay. Alex, that's a judgment. I'm making a judgment call based on that. We can make that on what we know. God's the only one that has it entirely. So what we get from the one who knows it entirely from his word and when he says certain things to look at, we're to look at and to make a judgment about concerning. That doesn't mean that we are eternal. It doesn't mean we know everything, but according to what we need and know, that's what we can do. And we're honestly, we're called on to do that every day of our lives. Well, let's go to Alabama and it's Tanya.
If you were saved at a young age, have you lost that salvation
Tanya, thank you for calling today.
>> Caroline: Yes sir. I was curious about, being, being saved. If you were saved at a young age and you had a pause in your church, going religious life and, and you're now back actively in church. Have you lost that salvation? Are you still saved? And you know, during that time, you may have done some things that you weren't proud of.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Tanya.
>> Caroline: Just trying to figure out.
>> Bert Harper: Well, thank you for calling. Let me ask you, can you go back to a time where you did trust Jesus yourself as your Savior and Lord?
>> Caroline: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, I can as well. At 12 years old, God set me apart. He's changed my life. Does that mean I've lived a perfect life? No, it does not, Alex. But it does mean that relationship that I have, and let me do it this, and I'll set you up and show it to you. There's difference in relationship and fellowship, Alex. Our relationship, if we've truly been born again, we are a child of God. But our fellowship may be broken during that time through disobedience, attitudes and actions. Can it be?
>> Alex McFarland: Tanya, my heart is touched by your being so conscientious about your walk with Christ. when a person trusts Christ as you did, at a young age, positionally we are in Christ, sonship is decided the moment we put our faith in Jesus. The Bible calls it being born again, saved, redeemed. now the rest of our life involves fellowship and walking with the Lord. And even born again Christians can drift away. But, it doesn't mean that we weren't saved. You know, Bert and I want to give two verses, folks. First John 1:9. We often use it in evangelism, and it says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But really, in a way, First John was written to believers because John always says beloved, and that's believers. So first John 1:9 is really about fellowship, relationship, sonship, and one thing, and I'll throw it back to you, Bert. in Psalm 51:12, King David, a, man after God's own heart. But let's just say even, even King David had a long season where he got very far from the will of God. But it says, restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. He didn't say, restore unto me salvation. He had salvation, even though King David egregiously fell away for a while. But restore the joy. And so, Tanya, and to everybody listening, when you trust Christ, you're saved. And the rest of life is a, daily walk to stay close to Jesus. But even if we drift away or backslide, Bert, as I understand the Bible, I think we're still saved. But we need to Come back to restore that, that joy, that fellowship. Even though, I'll say this and I promise I'll. Hush now.
>> Bert Harper: You're doing good. Go right ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: There are those that aren't saved that outwardly might sort of look like they are. And there are those that truly are saved. But outwardly, humanly, it doesn't really much look like it. It's a matter of the heart. And was there that moment when we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ?
>> Bert Harper: Alex, let me give you an example here, okay? When Jesus was in the upper room and he said, one of you is going to betray me, did everybody point their fingers at Judas and said, we knew it, it was him.
>> Alex McFarland: No, they didn't.
>> Bert Harper: They did not. So he, he had lived this life.
>> Alex McFarland: is it I, Lord, is it I?
>> Bert Harper: Yes. And so that's the judgment we can't make. Let's combine these two together. I may not can tell about Alex McFarlane or you tell about Bert Harper. Why? Because you look at the actions, you look at some things and say, oh man, yeah, they're alright. They did that with Judas. He seemed to be concerned about the poor, but he really wasn't. He is concerned about his own pockets. God is the truth. So our job more than looking at anybody else and trying to say, oh, they couldn't be saved or they're saved. Yes, I understand that. But I want to tell you, we look at ourselves to make sure there's been a time in our life when Jesus Christ forgave us of our sin, came into our life as Lord and Savior. Alex, I did it as a 12 year old boy and I hadn't gotten over it yet.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. And we always say this folks, Jesus is as close by as a prayer. If you need to come to Christ, or maybe you need to come back to Christ, you can do that today by calling out to him. He will hear you. He will receive you. Praise God.
>> Bert Harper: Tomorrow we're going to continue in Isaiah, 53. Tell someone about this is just scripture. That is the peak of prophecy. You don't want to miss it. So tell someone about exploring the word. But more importantly, tell them about Jesus.
>> Alex McFarland: The views and opinions expressed in this.
>> Bert Harper: Broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of.
>> Alex McFarland: The American Family association or American Family Radio.
