Your chance to ask us your Bible question at 888-589-8840
>> Alex McFarland: Its Fire Away Friday on Exploring the Word. This is your chance to ask us your Bible question at 888-589-8840. That's 888-589-8840. You can also email your [email protected] or visit facebook.com exploringtheword exploring the word.
>> Bert Harper: It's Fire Away Friday on American Family Radio.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, I think just about Loves Friday, this might be everybody's favorite day of the week. And on this edition of Exploring the Word, we take the telephones all our Fire Away Friday. And we would like to hear your Bible questions. And I'll give the number. You may know the number, but in case you don't, it's 888-589-8840. That's 888, 589, 88, 40. And we would love to hear your Bible questions. Now we've been in Ephesians for a while and it's not a long book and we'll probably wrap that up next week. But, it doesn't have to be related to Ephesians, although that book is a book rich with subject matter, all about salvation. But Bert, we like all the Bible questions, don't we? and people surprise us. I think we've, we've heard a lot. We've done 300 question books and yet the new questions still keep popping up.
>> Bert Harper: Now when we say we did 300 question books, we did three books with 100 questions in each.
>> Alex McFarland: Exactly.
>> Bert Harper: And yes, and those questions have come from our listeners and we appreciate you so much. And still, last week we were talking about last two weeks especially, we got some new questions and we say, man, this challenges us and we appreciate that so much before we go. And we got people that are lining up to call, but we got room for more. 888-589-8840.
Three things we need to pray for during the summertime are vacation Bible school
I wanted to, you know, Tuesday's prayer day, but it hit me that what we did not pray for last Tuesday was three things that really we need to pray for during the summertime. One is vacation Bible school. Man, it is what a week it is for, ah, students and directors, teachers to get into the word and share the word of God. A lot of children, the seeds are sown and many times reaping takes place. They're saved. Another one is summer camps. I thought of this, two of our grandsons leave next week. They're going to be on a summer camp. Janet and I, of course we'll be praying for them and then mission trips. A lot of mission trips takes place. Alex, God hit me, with that impression. And I said, man, we need to let everybody on exploring the word. Let's, let's join and ask God. God's at work. And we've seen that this past year on college campuses and other places. But this summer may be a great summer of reaping the harvest, brother.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Those are great things to pray for. And as we start this edition. And folks, I do hope you're planning to be in church on Sunday. that's the day that we go to the house of God. And I think every Christian needs to be a part of a church that. But for those good prayer suggestions, would you lead us as we open our show today?
>> Bert Harper: I'll do it, Father. I thank you. I thank you that I remember vacation Bible school as, a. As a grade school kid. And, Father, even back then we went into junior high, those of us that could. And Father, I thank you for the work that's been done in the past, but I'm praying for the work that is being done now. A lot of them will be this first week of June. And Father, I pray that you would just draw those children unto yourself for the summer camps and, youth and even children, they get out of their routine and they go to a camp where it's saturated with prayer and with love and your word. And I pray again, the harvest would be reaped. And for the mission trips, a lot of times, Father, yes, a lot of the mission trips are working. Some of them are vacation Bible school themselves. And back in the day it was called backyard Bible clubs. But they go to different places and present the gospel. And, Father, so much growth takes place in those that go. And some of them are here in the United States. Some are going to foreign fields, Father, through the, different organizations they go and they serve. And some of them serve in difficult places. And I pray you'd protect them. But more than anything, Father, we pray that your word would go forth. And when it goes forth, your spirit goes. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, your word will draw people unto yourself. And I pray you'd bring fruit for their labor. In Jesus name, Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Well said.
Question from Lisa from Mississippi about the Sabbath day: Is it Saturday
>> Bert Harper: Okay, well, let's go to the phone lines. And the first one up today is Lisa from Mississippi. Lisa, thank you for calling today. Go right ahead.
>> Caroline: Okay, so my question is about the Sabbath day. And as a matter of fact, it came up because of helping at church, getting some crafts prepared for the vbs. And one of the crafts is going to be the Ten Commandments. And so they had wrote on there, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. But someone said, I wonder if we should change that to remember Sunday to keep it holy. And I was like, there's only one Sabbath day. It's. It was Saturday. We know that starting in Genesis. But I just want to know where that comes from. And some people think it's changed. I know that Christians have church on Sunday, but is the Sabbath day the seventh day for us? today being Saturday?
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Lisa, thank you. And thank you for working in vacation Bible school. And again, what a joy it is. Alex, we get this question quite often. Let me just set it up and I'll throw it to you. Sabbath day came about on the seventh day of the week where God rested. Now, that doesn't mean he was tired, but he observed what he had done, and it was good. It really was. But then that's creation. But our redemption was purchased through Jesus Christ's death on the cross. And he rose again on the first day of the week.
>> Caroline: And.
>> Bert Harper: And it looked like this transition was made early on in the early church. Do you see it that way, Alex?
>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. You know the Hebrew word, Sabbat, and in modern times it's pronounced Shabbat. You know, when Jewish people, cease work at the end of the day on Friday, and they have a Saturday Sabbath, it's called Shabbat. But for Christians, the definitive passage is Hebrews chapter four about that in Jesus, who has completely fulfilled the law, we have entered into his Sabbath rest. and Hebrews 4, 9, 11. I would encourage people to read that. And I want to say this. Every now and then, people have asked us, did the Sabbath get, quote, changed to Sunday? No, the Sabbath has always been, you know, Saturday. but we don't have to keep the Sabbath to be in right relationship with God. Because in Jesus, all of the law he fulfilled, we haven't fulfilled it, but Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf. And Bert, you know, in Hebrews 10, where it says that the law was a shadow of the things to come. And sometimes it's the word symbol or type, but Jesus fulfilled it all. Now, so how did Sunday worship come about? Because that was resurrection day. Early on the first day of the week, they found that the tomb was empty. And Christians have always worshiped Jesus on Sunday morning, very celebratory, because that was the day that they found he had risen from the dead. So I think it's fine to take a Sabbath, and maybe that is Saturday or Maybe that's another day. Most Christians, you know, go to church on Sunday, and that's, you know, a day of rest. But it's not part of how we get saved, is it, Bert? We're saved by what he did on the cross on our behalf.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. again, Lisa, we hope that helps, and thank you for working in vacation Bible school. And I pray it'll be great. Wiz mentioned summer camps, Alex. Yours is coming up the first one of the summer, so we're praying for that one in Montana as well. Brother, I want you to know that I appreciate that.
>> Alex McFarland: I really do.
William in Illinois says you have to be saved to go to heaven
>> Bert Harper: Okay, let's go to William in Illinois. William, thank you for calling.
>> Caroline: Hello. I was talking to my wife the other day. I said, you know, good people won't go to heaven. And she kind of looked at me, and I said, you have to be saved to go to heaven. I said, being good won't get it. But you take, so many funerals we see, they'll say so and so did this and that and that. You know, he was a good old God person, you know. But, I think there's some deception. They're thinking that you go to heaven because you were good. And we know that you'd be like a leper up there going through heaven, calling out, unclean, without the blood. What do you think of that?
>> Bert Harper: Amen, William. Unclean. Listen, let me quote a scripture. There is none good. No, not one. Alex, take it away.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, that's true, you know. We're all sinners. And good, the color is right. Good people don't go to heaven. Saved people go to heaven. Years and years ago, I was, I don't know, 10, 12 years old, and I saw a church sign. One time, we were driving, and, I saw a church sign. It said, if you hope you'll make it to heaven, you probably won't. And I thought, what does that mean? Well, you know, if you're just saying, you know, I'm. I'm going to take my chances. If there is a heaven, I hope I get in. No, that's not enough. You need to know, and the word of God is very clear. Many very moral people are going to be lost. Very religious people. If you read Matthew 7, 21, 23, missing heaven, headed for hell, are going to be good people, moral people, punctual employees, exemplary citizens. All of those things are fine. It's important. it's good to be good. But to be right with God, you must be born again. And that's from the words of Christ himself in Jon, chapter three, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It really is. Remember? And I'm preaching on this Sunday at Ozark Baptist Church here in northeast Mississippi. the rich young lawyer, Ruler, he came to Jesus, sir, what must I do to be saved? And, talked about the commandments. And you know what he said, Alex, man, I've kept all of those all my life.
>> Alex McFarland: I got it covered.
>> Bert Harper: I got it covered. I'm. I'm a good guy. And Jesus said, I tell you what, there's something lacking in your life. And Jesus knew what it was. Now, what he told him to do, go and sell all that he had and giving it to the poor and all of that, that wasn't buying his way to heaven, but it was. Jesus was pointing to him that which was lacking, that was keeping him away from the faith and trust in the Lord. So, rich young ruler, if. If it was keeping everything right, if it was keeping the law, Paul wouldn't have had to gotten saved. Alex, you know. Okay, Hope that answers that. William, let's go to Mississippi and talk to Frank. Frank, thank you for calling. Go. Right,
>> Caroline: yeah. I'm talking about salvation. Also, give me a scripture, a verse that, could use to know that we are saved. Because some people use Acts 2. 38, you know, believe and be baptized for the admission of your sins. And people use Jon 3. 16. Some people use us, First Corinthians 15:1.
>> Bert Harper: Well, Frank, let me just share. Alex, you. I want to say this, and you take it away, man. Listen, we have from the time of Adam all the way today, what is the gospel that saves? Today is the same gospel, the same message? Let me put it this way. Same message that would have saved Abraham. Abraham did what believed God and was counted him unto righteousness. Now, they were looking forward to that time when Jesus would die on the cross. They look forward in faith, we look back in faith, trusting him for what he has done. Has the gospel, has the good news, has it changed, Alex, from yesterday to today?
>> Alex McFarland: no, in fact, Revelation talks about an angel. I believe it's Revelation 14, one that says an angel, in the skies of the heavens proclaimed the everlasting gospel. So the gospel hasn't changed. It's always been, there are a number of components. Christ died, but we receive that forgiveness through faith. but no, the gospel hasn't changed. And after the break, let's talk about that even further.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, we'll do it. You're listening to Exploring the Word on the American Family Radio Network. And we're thankful that you would listen and pray that God is blessing you even today. Right now.
>> Alex McFarland: The AFR app is a powerful tool,
>> Bert Harper: but it does have limitations.
>> Alex McFarland: You can't use it to change the
>> Bert Harper: 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
>> Alex McFarland: can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone, smart device, or Roku.
AFR app lets you listen to AFR wherever you go
>> Bert Harper: Just go to your app store or visit afr.net listen to AFR wherever you
>> Alex McFarland: go with the AFR app. Yes, my soul find rest in God.
>> Caroline: My hope comes from Him.
>> Alex McFarland: Truly, he is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress. I will not be shaken. Psalm, chapter 5, 6. Then you look at this prisoner and say to me, son, stop fighting a fight. It's already been won and I am redeemed.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. I could listen to that song. We gotta. Well, let's do it then. Brett got us email. was an email or text telling us email that, she appreciated him and the songs that he picked out. She said, sometimes I wish you wouldn't stop them, Sister Summers. Yeah, and we appreciate that so much. Shout out to her, by the way. She's a real big encouragement to me. Amen. Amen.
Alex: Bert says we are justified by faith, not works
Well, Alex, we were talking to Frank about the saving faith. was it different in the Old Testament than it was in the NewSong Testament?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, it really wasn't. I know, and I've heard many people, they'll say, well, in the Old Testament, they got saved by works, right? And actually, no, it wasn't, you know, Habakkuk chapter two. And this was one of the scriptures that really got a hold of, Martin Luther during the time of the Reformation, was that we are justified by faith. in other words, made right with God, justified. Now, faith in what? It's the word trust. Well, we trust. We agree with God that we are sinners. I love how one of the old catechisms phrases it, that we are worthy of his just displeasure. In other words, God's wrath about our sin is valid. but we admit that we're a sinner. And then we put our faith in Jesus. Who is he? The Son of God. What did he do? Died on the cross, rose from the dead, completely paid our debt. And if we will put our faith in Jesus and ask and say, lord, save my soul, Lord, I will follow you. Please forgive me and redeem me. but it's always been Faith now, Bert. That's why you and I, a time or two in the last 16 years, we've taught through the book Hebrews, and I love Hebrews 11. Talks about the faithful people of old that didn't have all of the promise. In other words, they. In faith, they looked toward the Messiah that would one day come. Now we look back at the Messiah that did come. Same Jesus, just two different sides of the cross.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. And, that is it. And we do live by faith.
Next question comes from Facebook, so we'll let Brent ask it
Well, the next question, I'm going to let Brent ask it, because it comes from Facebook. So we like to include. Try to include at least one of those on Friday. Brent, you got a question ready?
>> Caroline: We get a lot of good questions on Facebook.
>> Bert Harper: We have a lot of people on Facebook that follow us, and we kind of promoted that for a while. But, don't follow. If you don't follow, please follow us. Yeah, we still promote it. Not just all the time. Go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, you're kind of lacking.
>> Caroline: That's okay.
Alex asked me if baby inside pregnant believer would go up in Rapture
>> Bert Harper: Okay. This is from Drew on Facebook. He asked, a student, asked me if the baby inside a pregnant believer would go up in the Rapture. Okay. Alex, have you had that question asked?
>> Alex McFarland: We did. It's been a long time ago, but, yes, I believe that, I believe, first of all, every baby is fully human. Every. Every baby is a human being just at a different stage of development. But, let me say this. Whether it's a baby in utero or a child that has not really reached the age of accountability, Bert, I believe this is biblical, and certainly many of the great thinkers throughout Christian history would have concurred that until a child actually can comprehend their accountability to God, that they would be under his saving grace. You know, even. Even King David, regarding the child that, died that Bathsheba carried, David said, he cannot return to me, but one day I will go to him knowing that children, would. Would go to heaven because there's not. They've not reached the maturity level yet where they could comprehend sin, repentance, or their need of Jesus.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, I agree fully. And, that is secure those children. And, I would say add to this, when they was wanting to keep the children away from Jesus, the apostles were. He said, don't keep them away. Don't bother them. Don't hinder them. Let them come to me, for such is the kingdom of heaven. And, I do believe that has several reasons why you would say that, Alex. Thank you, brother. Let's go to Mississippi again and talk to Martha. Martha, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
>> Caroline: Good afternoon.
Alex: How did Israel fight the devil and his angels or demons
I have a question that I've always pondered. mainly, Old Testament, when I, believe perhaps it was Elijah and his servant, they were. Israel was going to be overpowered by the enemy. And, God made the, open the skies of clarity so that they could see mighty angels of God, warriors. And my question is, how did they combat the devil and his angels or demons? In what manner did they do so?
>> Bert Harper: Amen, Martha. That's one of the greatest things. Open his eyes that he could see, that great army that was surrounding us. I want to make this comment, Martha, Good question. you know, sometimes, Alex, our eyes, should be open to that which God is doing around us that sometimes natural eyes don't see. but let me ask you this along with it. Is God active today even? we know his Holy Spirit's in us, indwelling us, but does God intervene with, angelic beings helping us even today?
>> Alex McFarland: Ah, I think so. And I think probably there's more going on in the invisible realm than we could possibly imagine.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: You know, you know, throughout the Old Testament, you'll read about how, you know, the angel, the angel of the Lord struck the assyrians in Isaiah 37. And you know, the Bible talks about in the book of Revelation, there was war in the heavenlies. Billy Graham, I think it is just one, maybe the definitive book, Angels, God's Secret Agents, written by Billy Graham M. And he writes about the, the warring angels that are the, the ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation. And so, you know, Satan is malicious. He's trying to tempt us, discourage us, maybe even harm us. But God's angels battle on behalf of, of God's bidding. But, but the, the church and I think here in the west, we probably don't think so much about that. But, in other parts of the world, I mean, you don't have to go on the mission field for long till you realize the absolute reality of spiritual warfare and the spiritual realm.
>> Bert Harper: And again, he did it with confusion. he would do it many times with blindness. There's so many things that he would use for these, even against the spiritual battles going on. But the physical and the spiritual beings, angels sometimes would bring in confusion, blindness, and all the things, and the enemy would be defeated. And so. Appreciate that.
What can a person do with an old Bible that no one wants
Brent, you got another one? Yes, I do, actually. a gentleman on email. Let's see, Fred, he says, what can a person do with an old Bible that no one wants okay, there's a ministry. Let me just share this, man. it's in Alabama and Illinois. And I know we've talked about it on this program. Our friend Randall Murphy, who was the editor, he's retired now, of the stand. He's, the first one to give me contact with them, but yes, they can. Let me tell you about an old Bible, Alex. Just like the copy, Gideons leave a copy of God's words in a motel. Leaving God's Word at a place such as that, that's not misusing the scriptures, is it?
>> Alex McFarland: No, it isn't. And, you know, there's so many ministries and homeless, shelters, and there's just different outreaches and a lot of times, you know, foreign, missions. They want English Bibles, you know, all over the world. And so, the, the one thing I would never do is throw away a copy of God's Word. Somebody somewhere, of these 8 billion people plus somebody is hungry for a copy of the Bible. And, if we have an old Bible and we're going to maybe get a new Bible, just, find a way to pass that on.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Triple 858-9884-088858-98840. We do have lines open, but while we're waiting on others, let's go to Texas and talk to Lee. Lee, thank you for calling. Go right ahead, brother.
>> Caroline: Yes, sir. Thank you for the program.
Bert says observance of Mosaic Law does not constitute right relationship with God
there's something I don't understand because the Sabbath is Saturday. We all agree on that. And I was just told, I just heard Alex say that, well, Jesus fulfilled everything. So in the commandments it says, keep calling my Sabbath day. Well, if Jesus fulfilled everything, then we don't have that discard regards all the commandments and commandments in my book.
>> Alex McFarland: We should still live morally and live godly. But, the outward observance of the Mosaic Law does not, constitute us being in right relationship with God. now I think, you know, going to church on Sunday and taking a day of rest to take a Sabbath, it's good. The Bible even talks about, you know, letting fields rest. You know, I am, growing up on a farm. I know they talk, my dad and all the, the really seasoned farmers would talk about, letting ground, life fallow, even giving, ah, you know, a rest to fields. But it is not at all how we are in right relationship with God. We're in right relationship with God. his righteousness is appropriated to us. And this is in Romans 4, the imputed righteousness of Christ by Faith. And I would encourage people to read Romans 4 and also Romans 5. 1. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, not justified by faith plus keeping the Sabbath, not. Not plus anything, Bert. It is just faith. And that's why during the Reformation, they would talk about sola fide fide. That's the Latin for faith. Faith alone, with no admixture of works.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, when you read, I just thought of this. I'd never thought of this before. You've mentioned Hebrews, chapter 11. It says by faith, by faith. It doesn't say by works, by works. In all these Old Testament, people that is referred to. Alex. That's. It doesn't say faith and works. It says by faith, by faith. And, that is it. And you say, oh, I don't understand that. It's not works for your faith, but it's faith that works. James says, faith without works is dead, being alone. And, brother, if our lives is not changed, doesn't mean that, we don't fail, doesn't mean that we don't struggle, but it does mean our direction is toward God. Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Exactly.
>> Bert Harper: You know, we may have some ups and downs and some lefts and rights, but once we've been saved, our direction we're going, we're walking with him. So we hope that helps. Lee. Thank you, brother. Go ahead, Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: And let me just say this. the fact that Christ fulfilled the law and that his fulfillment of the law is accredited to us by faith, does that mean, oh, well, I guess I don't have to be moral or righteous anymore. Not at all. Paul addresses that in Romans 6:1 2. Paul says, God forbid shall we continue in sin that grace may abound. God forbid.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: How can we, who are now dead to sin, live? So should we live morally and follow the Ten Commandments? Absolutely. But that is not what got us right with God, is it, Bert?
>> Bert Harper: It is not. It is through Jesus Christ and Christ alone. So thank you so much. Let's go to Ohio and talk to Jon. Jon, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
John: I made acquaintance recently who's drawn into Pentecostal Deliverance ministries
>> Caroline: Yeah, my question is, I made acquaintance, a friend recently who's, drawn into these, Deliverance ministries. Specifically, kind of like the assembly line deliverance of casting out of demons and things that I consider to be sort of, very fringe, Pentecostal approaches. And I want to know if you can advise me if I try to tell this individual that you're wrong. It's a young lady, you know, they're just going to shut me down. You know, I Don't follow the spirit. Do you have any advice on how to tactfully, you know, teach? I just have fear that they're going to ship their faith because of this clickbait Christianity.
>> Bert Harper: Jon, thank you, man. Thank you for your concern for Alex. God does deliver, but it's not an assembly lie. I thought, Jon, that was a pretty picturesque, of people lining up to get delivered. go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, a couple years ago I was at a conference and this was going on and I was really uncomfortable, comfortable with it because let me just say this. yeah, there are times when Satan has gotten his tentacles into the life of a person and you want to, you know, lay hands and pray and in the name of Jesus, see people delivered from sin and darkness and even satanic oppression. I've seen that. I've been parts of prayer meetings where, I mean, there was some serious darkness that had to be dispelled in the name of Jesus. However, and I'm not saying this is true for everybody, but the idea of a deliverance ministry is, I think for a lot of people it sounds very, even maybe exciting. And people are seeking a real experience and boy, what could be bigger and more, you know, formidable than going to battle with Satan? let me just say I think people are very suggestible sometimes, because I remember I was at this conference several years ago, and this speaker, who I did not know, and he wasn't well known, he was a gentleman speaking, but he just lined up people and the more, the more things got chaotic down at the front of the stage, the more people got in line and I thought, goodness, it seems like 90% of everybody in the room suddenly needs to be delivered from Satan. And I just don't believe that. And, I don't know, Bert. I think sometimes it's more show than spirit.
>> Bert Harper: Well, let me just share with you. Book of James, chapter five. It talks about suffering, it talks about illness. I think it's also is concerning demonic activity. Let the, Let the church, let the elders gather together. That way not one person gets the credit when they. It happens. God does. We'll be back with more right at the break.
>> Alex McFarland: And even when I ran, he didn't run away he came and put that back in its place Friday on a cross poking from my shame Sunday morning rose up from that grave Take a look at those scars on his hands and feet he set our stones for eternity Worthy is the name Glory to the king oh, let all the saints in the angels sing our God Amen Amen.
Alex and Bird welcome you back to Exploring the Word
Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Alex and Bird here hope you've had a great week, and I hope you're going to have a blessed weekend and, meeting with God, hopefully being with family. it's a great. A great time to grow deep in Jesus. And that's what we want this show to accomplish in the lives of people, all of us, not just the listeners, but, Brent and Bert and myself. I think we grow in this show, don't we, burt?
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Okay. 15 years. And, you know, I was. I'd been pastoring 40 years when I came on board here. And, I just want to tell you, the listeners have taught me a lot. They've challenged my brain a lot to look at the Scriptures and what they say, and hallelujah. Thank you. And that's what Paul said to the, church at Berea. They searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul was saying was true. So we love our listeners. Okay, What Bert and Alec say, let's see what the Bible says. We're going to do our best to what the Bible says. We guarantee you that. So anyway, thank you, Alex. Let's.
Matthew 18:18 says what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven
Let's go. We got some callers in. Let's get as many as we can in the last segment, and let's go to Florida and talk to Cindy. Cindy, thank you for calling.
>> Caroline: Thank you. I love your program. and I would just. Can you explain Matthew 18:18? It's about, Truly, what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, well, let's. Let me do this, Alex, and you've got to. This verse stands good by itself, but reading the verses before that and after that really helps a lot. Cindy, let me read that. Verse 15. Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two men, more with you, by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word will be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Assuredly. Now, okay, see, that word, Alex, assuredly brings those three verses into verse. I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. with all my heart, I believe it's talking about this individual, this brother establishing A relationship, not getting right with God. And if he would get rid of it and praise God in heaven, and he'll be there loosed. it's all dependent, I think, on this question that he was saying, if your brother sins. I don't think it's disconnected from that. Do you, Alex?
>> Alex McFarland: right. I think you're absolutely right about this. And also let me just say that Christians have the privilege and the duty of declaring truth. And God's truth is eternal. God's truth doesn't change. Jude, verse three talks about the faith once delivered to the saints. And so, you know, when the apostles, the word for bind there b I n d binding and loosing. When we think of that, we think of something getting tied up. and often we use the word bind or bound. Look, I am duty bound to honor my word or something like that. The wording there is basically a legal word. I looked it up. It can mean a pledge or, or a commitment or something guaranteed or something betrothed, you know, like the marriage bond.
>> Caroline: Right.
>> Alex McFarland: But here is, I think, a key part of it where the Matthew, Well, Matthew 16:19 says, Whatever you bind upon the earth having been bound in heaven, whatever you lose upon the earth having been loosed in the heavens. So Matthew 16 and 18. Bert, here's the thing. It's according to what God's word says. Because, our word, we are to keep our word and we're to measure our words. But God's word is profound and part of the reason. Let me say why I'm saying this. We're living in a time when a lot of people feel like they can just, subjectively choose what is their truth. You have your truth, I have my truth. That's false. Do you know what is absolutely rock solid bound on heaven and earth? God's word.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: God says marriage is between a man and a woman. God says there are two and only two genders. God says that the door of heaven is Jesus Christ. And so I think when we talk about binding and loosing, the most powerful, word that we can ever invoke is God's word. Because that is solid as the Rock of Gibraltar, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It is. And what you do if you're confronting a brother, you do it because of what. And through the word of God, it ties that. You catch how it ties that in, Alex? It really does. God's word is not slack. the word of God will go forth and it will accomplish what God desires it to do. So the Word of God is the sword. It's the sword to defend, but it's also the sword that penetrates people's lives to bring conviction through the power of the Holy Spirit. So, I think it is all connected. We hope that helps. Cindy, because that is a verse that we've heard quite a bit. How do you handle that? I hope we've helped. Let's go to Texas. Samuel, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
>> Caroline: Yes, good afternoon, brothers.
Alex: Question is related to Leviticus 23. And there it outlines certain things
I just have a question, and I'm glad you kind of mentioned about God's Word and Scripture, because the question I have is related to Leviticus 23. And there it outlines certain things and it talks about the Shabbat, the Sabbath, and it talks about other observances. And nowhere in scripture does it say, these are Jewish observances. It says, these are my holy days. These are my feasts. And a good point is when, we look at scripture, we realize that God, he literally fulfilled the new covenant to the date and the letter. The time frame was with the old. So you have in Leviticus 19, where it says on the third month is when they arrived at Sinai. And that was literally about 50 days after the first Passover when they came out of Egypt. But in the same thing, when Yeshua Hamashiach is the Messiah, he was the passover lamb that takes away the sin of the world. unleavened bread and then 50 days. It says in Acts, the first chapter, that he. Or 40 days he roamed the earth, he showing himself, reform, resurrected. and in the second chapter, it says that it was Shavuot, the festival of weeks, or we call Pentecost. And it says, and that's when the Spirit poured out. So you had the covenant in stone. Then he said, you're going to write it in our hearts and our mind. He fulfilled it by outpouring his spirit to the exact same time frame in the same observances. So the question I have is, why is it that we nowadays that we feel that we don't have to observe his feast and his holy days when they are reflections of what he's going to do or what he has done? And the Spring feast or the fall, he's going to be his return. So that's just a question. I'm just wondering what your thoughts are on that. Good.
>> Bert Harper: Good thought Samuel. Yes, he fulfilled them. The early church, you find them doing certain things. and Paul would observe some. But, Alex, it wasn't like it was mandatory any longer. You know, Christ had fulfilled it something. Let me just. I want to just say this and ask you something better than a picture. those were pictures of what God has done. Christ is the real what God has done. Go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. You know, I, had the great privilege. Let me, I don't often mention products or things like that, but there's a, wonderful publishing company in Pasadena, California, called Rose R O S E. Rose Publishing. Bert, have you ever seen the charts they would do? I do sometimes in Sunday school, and I've written. It's been a few years, but I went through a time there. I was writing a lot of that stuff for Rose Publishing, and we did a number of charts on apologetics, Biblical worldview. When there's one on the feasts of Israel and how the feasts point to Jesus and show forth salvation and even the end times, like, you know, the trumpet will probably sound at Rosh Hashanah, you know, but, those things are beautiful. I'll say this, Bert. earlier a caller mentioned the phrase clickbait Christianity. And I think a lot of the caller asks, why don't we know about these things or, you know, teach on these things? I think a lot of times in the last probably 25, 30, 40 years, much of the teaching and the preaching, not all, but much preaching and teaching and Sunday school has gotten a little bit, superficial and shallow. And rather than getting deeply, deeply into the word of God as we should do, a lot of Sunday school, and I say this having been to a couple of thousand churches in the Western hemisphere, a lot of Sunday school has become kind of, I don't know, about 17 or 18 minutes of motivational speech and, the feasts and the observances so vividly portrayed Jesus. And I realize it takes a lot of study and depth to really get into that, but we, need to teach the whole counsel of God and that it just takes time and attention span, doesn't it?
>> Bert Harper: Teaching Christ from them is different than us having to observe them, you know, Alex, but like you said, so much is there. When you see Christ, the bread, you see Christ the one who is the one that is to be observed. So thank you. We hope that helps. Samuel and, a lot of what you said. We need to get deep in the word of God.
Bert: Explain ritual, explain religion, and explain relationship
Let's go to Mississippi. And it's Jacqueline. Jacqueline, go right ahead.
>> Caroline: Well, praise ye the Lord. I was telling the gentleman I called so much, but I just want you all to know I appreciate it, but I have two questions and what you Just said is a segue into what I'm asking. What is the difference? This is in, with my Bible class. Explain ritual, explain religion, and explain relationship. Have we gotten away from the word, the truth? Are we as people of God, Are we doing ritual, praising the Lord? Are we doing relationship, or are we doing religion? And I. And the other one was vulnerability. Was Jesus vulnerable?
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Jacqueline, thank you. Let me tell you, ritual and religion without the relationship with God through Jesus Christ is a, sounding gong, cranking a loud cymbal. It's nothing, is it, Alex, Without Christ as the centerpiece, Greco?
>> Alex McFarland: Religion, rituals, relationship. Okay. Religion is made of two Latin words. It means the rejoining of a torn ligament. Re means again. And ligare is like a ligament. So, religion is an attempt to reconnect a couple of things that have been severed. And there are many, many religious systems. And, you know, people often refer to the Christian religion, but, we know it's a relationship with Jesus. Ritual are actions that can be repeated, and they're imbued with meaning to try to accomplish something. So, the living out of a religion might involve the performance of rituals, but Christianity is different in that there is a living relationship. Now, Bert, I'm going to say something that might sound, you know, odd, but I believe that our walk with Jesus should have, a component that is ritualistic. What does that mean? Well, it's our ritual. We go to church on Sunday. we have prayer before every single meal. Angie, I don't think we have a stick of chewing gum without saying the blessing, you know, but that's not how we got saved. It's that living relationship. And folks, we often say it, your relationship with Jesus can begin right now, today, he says, close by as a prayer.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Listen to James, chapter 1, verse 27. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. And if I understand this, right out of that relationship with Christ comes this practice, ritual and practice of what has God has done. Hope that helps. Jacqueline, thank you.
Kirby in Illinois says Revelation 22 talks about entering holy New Jerusalem
Go to the last caller of the day, and it's Kirby in Illinois. Kirby, thank you for waiting. Go right ahead, brother.
>> Caroline: yes, I've struggled, I appreciate your show, really, thank God for your insight into the scriptures. I'm, a long time listener, first time caller, and I really appreciate it. Revelations, 14:15. I've struggled with that. I wanted to get your thoughts on it it talks about nothing, being able to enter into the, the holy NewSong Jerusalem. and I always thought, well it's in Revelation 22 so that's after the millennium. And how is anything bad? New heavens, new earth. But the more I've studied it, it appears to me like that's talking about at the start of the millennium when we rule and reign with Christ is the new Jerusalem, on the earth at that time. And we're allowed to enter, but enter and go in and out and will. But.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Kirby, we're gonna. Alex, Kirby, I know I'm m cutting you off a little bit. We got just a minute and ten seconds left. Alex, did you get enough that you could respond to Kirby?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, yeah, the Bible says that, you know, there'll be nothing in, in God's holy city, nothing that defiles. and so during the millennial reign, I mean that's going to be. I'll put it this way. Just as the Book of Acts from the resurrection to the birth of the church was kind of a transitional time, the millennium will be too. But when the NewSong Jerusalem, the city that lies foursquare, comes down from heaven as a bride adorned for ah, the husband, there's not going to be anything that defiles. There'll be a little rebellion at the end of the millennium, but not in eternity proper ever again will there be.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Caroline: Yes.
>> Bert Harper: What Christ has done, what he starts, he completes. And it will be in that NewSong Jerusalem. Well, we want everybody worship the Lord Jesus Christ if you can possibly go. And I know some are stuck at home and in care facilities and can't, can't go to church, but do your best to congregate if you can't worship the Lord and join us Monday as we continue in the book of Ephesians. Ephesians. Read ahead chapter four and we'll be with you this coming Monday.
>> Alex McFarland: The views and opinions expressed in this
>> Caroline: broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of
>> Bert Harper: the American Family association or American Family Radio.
