Transcript

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

>> 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.

Alex McFarland: God's Word describes the gospel in many terms

Welcome to Exploring the Word.

>> Alex McFarland: You know, God's Word describes the gospel in many terms. The good news of Christ's salvation, the death of burial and resurrection of Jesus for our forgiveness. But in verse 26 of Colossians chapter 1, it says that this good news, the incarnation of Christ, the gospel salvation is the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints, to whom God would make known what is the riches of, of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Well, we'll talk about those beautiful words and much more on this edition of Exploring the Word. My name is Alex McFarland and with me is Jeff Chamblee. And we're in Colossians one if you want to turn there and follow along. Jeff.

Jeff: Dozens of pastors and their wives from across the country attending retreat

I'm down here with Bert. Bert and Jan Harper, Alex and Angie McFarland and Dan. Dozens of pastors and their wives from across the country. And we're having a great couple of days meeting with God, praying, getting into the Word and I believe getting a fresh vision and fresh wind for ministry in the days ahead. And appreciate you sitting in for Burt while we're down here doing the fishbowl retreat.

>> Jeff Chamblee: My pleasure. Great to be with you. And I know that the pastors and their wives are being encouraged. You know, it's good to come aside for a season and to hear the word of God and to be ministered too, because a lot of times in a pulpit ministry you feel like you're constantly being squeezed out and you're giving, you're giving, but what a great event. And I did see some pictures online, so it looks fantastic.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, it really is. And you know, I, I commend Bert for having this vision, the American Family association for putting this on. And you know, I had the privilege of speaking last night on Biblical Worldview. And then we had some times today where the wives and the ladies got together and all of us men got together in a. And shared and prayed. This morning, Bert gave a message about finishing well and I just want to say Bert Harper is a great preacher.

>> Bert Harper: He is.

>> Alex McFarland: Now we, we hear him on exploring the Word, teaching the Bible, but you know, giving a full out sermon is maybe a little bit different. And, I just want to be on record. I was so blessed. I wish you all could have heard it. But he gave the most rousing challenge about finishing well. And I, I was sitting there and I thought, man, I'm really blessed, most of the time to be sitting beside Bert on the radio microphone. I'm grateful for you, Jeff, when, you sit in when one of us is out. But folks keep, keep praying. And, and I'll say this too. Not only are we trying to encourage existing pastors and their wives, but we're praying for God to raise up more pastors. they estimate that 30% of American churches don't have a senior pastor. And we need to, as the Bible says, pray. Therefore, the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth laborers. And we need some young men to get the call, hear and answer the call of God to the pastorate. And, you know, Paul talks about in Colossians about how he labored on behalf of the church at Colossae. And, we're going to pick it up there. If you've got a copy of God's Word, turn to the New Testament book of Colossians, chapter one. And, I love this book. We've done it on the show at least once and maybe twice before in the past 15 years and on the road, I've taught through Colossians verse by verse. But, Jeff, when we, pick up there, Paul says he's, made a minister of the gospel. And then this gospel is referred to as the mystery hid from ages and generations.

Jeff: Some people seem blind to comprehend that Jesus died on the cross

So I want to ask you a question, Jeff. it seems like the scales are before some people's eyes. It seems simple enough. The Son of God died on the cross, rose from the dead. We put our faith in Jesus. We're forgiven. But some, seem almost blind to comprehending that, don't they?

>> Jeff Chamblee: They do. And I think, you know, especially when you look at this particular period of time that Paul's preaching in the Jews had long expected the gentil to come in. In other words, the Gentiles would one day worship their Messiah, that the Messiah would be elevated globally. But what the mystery was was that the Messiah would actually indwell the members of his church. He would dwell inside the Jews, inside the Gentiles. And there were hints of this, in the Old Covenant, in the Tanakh or the Old Testament, particularly in Ezekiel, when he talks about giving you a new heart and that law being written on. But this mystery is now being revealed in the proclamation of the life and the death and the resurrection of Jesus. So that now, it's as he says here, the riches of the glory of this mystery in the gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. So, what a great revelation. No longer a mystery.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, yeah. And you know, the Bible said it is not possible that the blood of bull and goats take away sins. I mean, it's not ritual and it's not religion, but it's this, this reality. And like you said, the new heart, this is the new covenant. And you know, we've taught a couple of times through Hebrews and especially Hebrews chapter 10, 10, verse 4, it's not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins, but this new covenant that God gives us a living heart, not dead rituals, not a heart of stone, but, it's a mystery. Jeff, this morning. And we'll get back to Colossians chapter one. But in the time this morning, a born again Jewish man gave his testimony, of how he was, very immersed in Judaism being Jewish. But, he was prayed for and people gently but repeatedly shared the gospel and that he went to some church services. And then one day it was quite moving, he told how, the. His eyes were opened and he put his trust in Jesus and he was born again. And folks, let us say this Jesus, this Messiah, Isaiah says that the redeemer of Israel, that's Jesus, is the light to the Gentiles. Isn't that a beautiful thing?

>> Jeff Chamblee: It is.

>> Alex McFarland: Jew and gentile share the same Jesus, the same Savior, and we put our faith in him.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Oh, how exciting. It is. It's exciting when anyone comes to faith in Christ, but in particular when you know that, someone of a descendant of Abraham, the one who was in the covenant, the chosen people of God, has that blindness taken away from them, as Paul prayed would happen in Romans, that they come and recognize their Messiah. So that must have been a great testimony.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, it was quite moving. And Paul says in Colossians 1:27, that this mystery is to the Gentiles. And what is that? Christ in you. The hope of glory, whom we preach. Verse 28 There, by the way. what do we preach? We preach Jesus. What do we preach? The gospel. Jesus is whom we preach. And it says, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. people say sometimes, oh, I thought God was a God of love. I thought God was a God of grace. Well, that's true, but he is also a holy God of justice. And so in proclaiming, come to Jesus who gave his life for you. Yeah, it's, it's all about God's love. But it's also a warning, because if we don't come to Jesus, if we reject the truth that we've been shown, there is judgment. So, Jeff, there's almost a job description for the ministers in the ministry in verse 28. There's telling and teaching, grooming, presenting, but there's warning as well.

>> Jeff Chamblee: That's exactly what I was thinking. And that phrase, warning, really means to put in mind, to warn against the dangers. And that is, like you said, the job description of every, pastor as he preaches in the pulpit. Paul's already given that back in verse 23. He says, if indeed you continue in the faith. So we're constantly reminded to guard ourselves against heresies, against deceptive philosophies that is going on in Colossae right now and that we see in our world today all over the place. But it's the job of the man in the pulpit to issue that warning. I think in a contemporary sense too, Alex, because you think of all of the false philosophy that we see on the Internet. I mean, if these, if these itinerant teachers in Paul's day were a problem, can you imagine the kinds of distortions of the gospel that are at the fingertips of every believer today? So we need to warn you.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, and you know, I've read many a website that you might start reading, and in the first paragraph, it sounds pretty good, but you get down into the minutia and they deny some of the core doctrines. Some of the core doctrines. One, of course, is the deity of Christ, that he is God incarnate. And then the very nature of God, the Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. And there are plenty of distortions about that. And then what is salvation? And then even moral issues and marriage and just so many things. That's why we are kind of not, only reminding you, I would say, even harping on it, to read the Bible and know the Bible. and verse 28 concludes, present every man perfect or mature in Christ Jesus. Now, chapter two goes on, and he says, I would that you knew what great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea. for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, Paul is saying, hey, look, I'm praying for you all. And it really agonizes me that I've not been there in person. I want you all to Know the Lord, to grow in the Lord and to be biblically sound. And if there's anything that seems to really come through. Verse 1 of chapter 2, Paul wishes he could be on site, on the field, to be ministering and teaching in person.

>> Jeff Chamblee: And this shows us, Alex, I think the concern that we should have for brothers and sisters in Christ that we have never seen. I mean, Paul has never met these people, but he's rejoicing, he says, in several places, for their good order, for their steadfastness in the faith. and so I think it's incumbent upon us to consider the Christians, the brothers and sisters around the world that we have never met and to pray for them. I know that we do that on this program. there are ministries like Voice of the Martyrs and others that help to remind us about Christians all over the world, to not forget them, but to pray for their advancement in the faith, for their deeper understanding, and of course, for their protection. So it's a great call to, remember people that we've never met before.

>> Alex McFarland: Indeed, you know, and we're going to come on, verse two here, that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God.

Jeff Shambley: There are so many Christians around the world that need prayer

There's that word again, this hidden reality. It's a true truth, real reality, but to many it's, it's hidden. And of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. You know, there, there are so many, so many Christians around the world that we really do need to pray for. And you know, Jeff, I was very surprised to realize that they estimate there are something like 45,000 born again Christians in North Korea. And you know, to get absolutely accurate numbers is kind of hard because, you know, there are so many of these closed countries and predominantly, you know, Islamic countries that we just don't know about. But let's not be so comfortable in, the usa, posh, affluent evangelical America that we don't remember the Christians. I mean, China and Hong Kong and Romania and Russia, and of course throughout the Middle East, North Africa, South Korea, North Korea, Niger, you know, there are believers just everywhere there are.

>> Jeff Chamblee: And I think, you know, and Paul gives us what we are to pray for and some things that we can pray for that they would be encouraged, their hearts knit together. That's part of what it means to have that full assurance of understanding, that he gives us. And I had the privilege of speaking with a lady on the, stand radio. Coming up this weekend, who grew up in a communist country, and she'll be sharing her testimony. You're listening to Exploring the Word on American Family Radio with Jeff Chamblee and Alex McFarlane. We'll continue with more from Colossians chapter two in just a few moments. Don't go away.

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>> Dr. Jessica Peck: I know the only reason I can stand here unashamed it's not because I'm worthy. It's all because of mercy. There's no way that I could earn it. Praise God, my debt is paid. It's not because I'm worthy. It's all because of mercy.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Wow, what a truth. All because of mercy. You're listening to Exploring the Word on American Family radio with Alex McFarland and Jeff Chamblee. We are moving through the book of Colossians, just, packed with great treasures and truths about the Lord Jesus and how to live in fellowship with him. Alex, you are at the fishbowl retreat, right now. What's on the horizon with you in the next week, or the month or so? What's going on with you?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, thank you for asking, and I do solicit everybody's prayers. We got a pretty busy few weeks coming up. next, Wednesday, I will be in Rochelle, Georgia, at Wilcox Christian Academy, doing a day of, like, biblical worldview training. But also I'm told that, I'll be doing assemblies in a couple of high Schools, like secular high schools. And I often get into high schools and I talk about, I might talk about the Constitution or give a lesson on the founding of America. And I get to quote many Bible verses merely by quoting our founding fathers. And so then I'll be in a church that night and it's on my schedule@, alexmcfarland.com. but, Jeff, I asked for everybody's prayers. Also. November 7 through 9, I'll be at Fort Caswell, now in North Carolina, on the coast, the North Carolina Baptist Convention has a 200 acre retreat center. They've had it for almost 100 years. And it's an old civil, war era fort called Fort Caswell. But I'll be doing a youth weekend. They tell me there'll be 900 teenagers there. I'm very excited about that for the evangelistic possibilities. And then, we've just got a lot, a lot. I give God the glory, preaching the gospel, teaching, apologetics. And so I value everybody's prayers and my itinerary and lots of articles I've written. it's all@alexmcfarland.com outstanding.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Well, folks, I do encourage you to pray for Alex. You know, he's traveling constantly and, you know, what a day that we live in today. I think that there are more and more young people asking, very weighty and eternal questions. And so it's. The times are ripe for you to be out there. So I'm glad that you're doing that.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, thank you, Jeff. Thanks for asking.

Jeff: Word order in Colossians speaks to right belief

We are in Colossians, chapter two. And, you know, before the break, Paul was talking about the mystery of the knowledge of God. In the Father, the Son, the Spirit are hid, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Verse four, he says, and this I say, lest any man should beguile you or deceive you, or mislead you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order. In other words, structured and doctrinal and sound, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Jeff, in verse five there, the word order, I think, speaks to right belief. And the steadfastness of their faith is right living. Because beliefs begat behaviors. And since every action is preceded by a thought, it's important to have the right beliefs, the biblically informed beliefs, isn't it?

>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah. We preach and teach the gospel and it goes through the mind before it gets to the heart. It is a logical faith it's a faith that makes sense. It is rooted in history, and, it is intellectual in the sense that it goes through the intellect first and then it goes into the heart.

Jeff Root: Christian should not look outside Bible to find wisdom or knowledge

I, think one of the things that, stand out to me in the verses that you've just read, number one, is in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. You know, a lot of people look outside of the Bible as if there's more profound truth to be had, with some guru or for some great writer or speaker or podcaster or influencer when Paul is telling us. And it is true that every bit of the wisdom and understanding, the treasures that he says are in the Bible. And so for the Christian, I think there's a caution to not look outside of the truth of the church and outside of the truth of the Bible to find wisdom, because it's all there in Jesus Christ.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Well said. Well said. You know, it's been said that wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective, and then knowledge here is, truth. And I could spend a lot of time on this propositional truth. The Bible is full of truth statements. And really, in the world, you are confronted all your life long with truth claims. the Bible says you must be born again. The world says falsely. But, it's not so much what you believe, just as long as you're sincere. Well, that statement is false. It is important what you believe, because the Bible is clear. There's no other salvation except through Jesus. And so there's a lot. Paul is agonizing that the church believe what is true, God's revealed truth. And so let me, read. You, know verse six says, as you have therefore received Christ Jesus, so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him in Jesus, established in the faith as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Two words, therefore and therein. Therefore means in other words, in light of this, and then therein. Okay, what are we gonna do with it, Jeff? It's been said that some of the most important questions that we could ponder for ourselves is, you know, why am I here? And then, what should I do? You know, why am I here? Did we just evolve? Are we just part of a purposeless, happenstance universe? You. You live, you die. That's it. No, no. We were made. We were entrusted with the gift of life, to come to know the giver of life, the Savior of our soul, and then not only to be saved and bound for heaven, as wonderful as that is, my goodness just to be born again, that would be blessing enough. But God lets us share in the work he's doing. We get rewarded in heaven one day for helping the gospel go forth. Souls get saved. And Jeff, would you, I've got the old King James here, but verse six, as you have therefore received, so walk in Jesus therefore. And therein, since he gave his life for us, we should give our life for him. How does your translation read there?

>> Jeff Chamblee: It's an as so statement. So it's, as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. Rooted in and built up in the faith and established in the faith.

>> Alex McFarland: Paul is making a very logical, progression of thought here. I mean, one thing I love about the Apostle Paul, very reasonable, A, then B, therefore C. That's kind of an earmark of Paul's writing style, isn't it?

>> Jeff Chamblee: It is. And I think, and I've always thought this, you know, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, well, how did you receive him? Well, you received him by faith, and you received him by faith, by believing, and by loving him. And then he says, so walk in him. So how are we to walk? We're to walk by faith. We're to walk by loving him. The same way that we received Christ, we walk in him. do you remember, you know, listener, the zeal that you had for the Lord Jesus when you first came to him, when you first realized your sins were forgiven and that. That feeling of the burden of sin being lifted off of your shoulders. Remember that and walk in that, it keeps you from looking, outside the truths of Christ for, for wisdom and knowledge. And it, it grows you in the faith.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen. You know, verse seven, I like the way this is worded. Rooted and built up in him. See, those are opposites. Roots go down, building up goes up. Jeff, I read an illustration that down at Cape Canaveral, when they were going to send rockets to the moon, they dug some of the deepest footings of any structure in America, maybe the deepest ever concrete. That went down into the ground 300ft. Now that is really deep. If you've ever seen the cement footings under a building, you know, they're, you know, several feet deep, 300ft deep of concrete. Why? And they said, well, you know, when the thrust of that rocket pushes off, I mean, it just could almost move a, mountain. And they said, the higher you want to go, the deeper your foundation must be. And that really speaks to me. Rooted and built up, you want to stand Strong for Jesus. You need to be deep in your relationship with Christ. you want to go the distance, finish well, make a, ah, fruitful mark for the gospel down here. Be welcomed to those words, well done up there. You need to be rooted and some of that, foundational, grounding. How do you get rooted? Well, make sure that you're saved and then you're walking with the Lord and then you're in his word. And look, Jeff, I know salvation is not by works. Sanctification, though a little bit is. Forgiveness is a free gift you receive, but Christian growth, you're going to have to invest yourself in it. am I right, Jeff?

>> Jeff Chamblee: Well, the word Paul uses there is agonizing. He's striving for the gospel. Definite, ah, physical, working out of whether it is in prayer for other Christians or whether it is, in Paul's case, bearing the marks of the ministry, actually getting beaten for it. I mean, there's persecution, there's the inner struggle of doubt. When you're trying to walk by faith, there's any number of things. So, yeah, sanctification is a working out of our salvation.

Everything that we need to desire is found in the Lord Jesus

you mentioned the tree. I love that illustration here. I wrote down here. You know, grow roots deep in the doctrines of Jesus. Make it your aim to learn about all of the treasures of wisdom that are in our Savior. draw from that daily as you live out. I mean, everything that we need to desire is found in the Lord Jesus. And it's not just head knowledge. It actually works its way out in our lives.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen.

Verse eight of the Bible calls Christians to be on guard against worldly ideas

Well, verse eight is a very, very famous verse. Paul has laid down this about being established and rooted and just grounded in the faith. Now, verse eight begins with a, frankly, an interesting Greek word. Beware. In other words, watch out, take care, beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Okay, in other words, this opening word, it's, ah, here's a great blepete. That's what the word is actually, bleptae. But in other words, it's, yeah, it's be alert, be on your guard, have your eyes open. But in a way, it's perceive. Okay, perceive what? Well, perceive and understand that in this world there are plenty of lures. The devil has the world of flesh and the devil. There are a lot of ways to fall off track. GK Chesterton, he was a great Christian leader many years ago, very influential in the life of C.S. lewis. But Chesterton had a, you remember one of those protractors, Jeff, that you had maybe in geometry class?

>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah.

>> Alex McFarland: And Chesterton was looking at that thing and you know, 180 degrees, but a 90 degree angle. He said, look, there's multiple ways to be slanted, crooked or fall. There's one degree to be straight up and down the 90 degree angle. He said, in the Christian life there are 10,000 ways to go to hell. There's one way to go to heaven through Jesus. So we need to be beware lest any man spoil you. What does it mean? Ruin you.

>> Bert Harper: Hinder.

>> Alex McFarland: you, Now when it comes to backsliding and falling away, very often, we are willing participants in that. But there are, and they may not even know it. But I'm going to say this. Satan has his operatives out there with false teaching that, can be just basically a little bit off to full out apostate. And so verse eight is a call to be on our guard against worldly ideas, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. Verse 9. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form. Boy, that is a theological juggernaut, isn't it? Colossians 2, 9. Comment on it, would you, Jeff?

>> Jeff Chamblee: well, he mentions also back in chapter one, verse 19, about Christ being the fullness. He says, for it pleased the Father that in him all the fullness should dwell. So in Jesus Christ, are all of the attributes of the Godhead. The Father and the Spirit, the Father and the Spirit and the Son are all one. They share one essence, even though they are separate persons in the Deity. And what he's doing here, he's calling to the attention of these Colossians that what these heretics have taught you about Jesus being maybe one of the angels or a good teacher, but you really need more knowledge if you want to access the fullness of God. He's saying to them, no, Jesus is the fullness of God. Everything that you're looking for, everything that you need is in him because he is God in human flesh. And so it's a paradox. It's, impossible to fully understand, but it is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. You cannot be saved and Jesus not be divine. He had to be divine. And so that's a core doctrine of our faith.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Well said. The fullness, the totality, the completeness of God. If you are right with Jesus, you are right with God. Now, verse 10 says you are complete in him. And Jesus, which is the Head of all principality and power. Let me just flip this over. if you are complete in Christ. Well, conversely, you are incomplete if you don't have Christ, you know. Yeah, I mean, it just makes sense. in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands and putting off the body of sins. Let me turn the page here. Come on, Alex. Putting off the body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who raised him from the dead. Okay, I know we're coming up on a break. By the way, folks, the number, if you have a Bible question, it's triple 858-98840. That's 888-589-8840. we're going to have to spend some time on this tomorrow, but if you're in Jesus, you're circumcised and baptized in Christ. We'll elaborate more, but when we come back after this brief break, let us hear from you. Call in now. Get in the queue. 885-89-8840 on exploring the Word.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Every day, AFA offers biblical insight on issues that others aren't willing to touch in the hopes that you'll become a world changer. That's why we're offering an in depth worldview training course called Activate. Thirteen different professors teaching 18 sessions, all available online, including a printed workbook to help you apply what you've learned and one year access to AFA streaming content to give you even more resources. Find out more about Activate and sign up today@activate afa.net.

This is the part of the show where we go to your phone calls

>> Dr. Jessica Peck: You'Re worthy of all.

>> Bert Harper: The.

>> Alex McFarland: God is worthy of all our praise, and we do praise his name. Well, this is the part of the show where we go to your phone calls and Bible questions. We'd love to hear from you. The number is 888-589-8840. And while we queue up the, phone call board, let me remind you that the new book, 100 Bible Questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times, is out. And it's just being well received. I'm here at the Fishbowl retreat and, I give God the glory. Quite a number of folks have come up to Burt and myself and they say they really like the book. It's available at the American Family Association. If you go to the AFA website, the resources, not only we think it'll be a blessing to you. It'll help you in your Bible study. But your purchase of these books like this helps fund the ministry and put God's truth and the saving gospel in the hands and hearts of countless people. And, Jeff, you've got the stand where may people, all the articles, the content that you collate and oversee. Where can people find that, Jeff?

>> Jeff Chamblee: thestand.net is an easy website to remember, thestand.net, and you can go there and read a lot of the articles on the back issues. By the way, we encourage you to Get a free 6 month trial subscription to the Standard. just go to afa.net thestand Sign up. It'll come to your house, every month. It's a great magazine. And of course I have the privilege of producing the podcast version of that, on the weekends, Saturdays, at 4 and Sundays at 8, the stand radio. So thank you, Alex. Let's go to. Yep.

>> Alex McFarland: Let me say this. Forgive me. We had a lot, a lot of prayer requests yesterday and we didn't get to all of them because it was just so many. And if somebody had a, you know, a prayer request that was heavily on your heart yesterday and you didn't get through, call us again today if you want to. Triple 8589-8840.

Chris: I was wondering if you could pray for my friend Brad

>> Jeff Chamblee: All right, let's go to Texas. Hi, Chris, you're on Exploring the Word. Go right ahead.

>> Caroline: Thank you very much. yes, sir, I was wondering if you could pray for my friend. His name is Brad. he doesn't. He's not a believer. And I was also wondering if you could give me a recommendation for a creation science book with a trusted author. because I think that might, that might help.

>> Alex McFarland: M. Well, great. Thank you. Let me. How old is he? Like, what, what reading level would he be at?

>> Caroline: 40S.

>> Alex McFarland: Okay. great. Yeah, let me think about this. does he have a science background?

>> Caroline: Yes. Well, every time I've asked him about it, he just says, he just points towards science. He says, I believe in science. And no, just nothing after you die. That's it, that's over. It's just back to dust.

>> Alex McFarland: I'm going to recommend a couple of books. one, for one thing, my, book, the 10 most common objections to Christianity. It's, published by Baker Books. No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Bethany House, which is part of baker. the 10. It's got a big red X on the COVID like a Roman numeral X. The 10 most common objections to Christianity and how to answer them. I've Got two chapters on science and creation and how the evidence all around us doesn't point to, you know, Darwin. It points to God, the creator. The other thing, there's a book that, came out a couple of years ago that is a really good book and it's a little bit up there, but it's a great book. It's called Undeniable How Biology and Science Confirms Our Intuition that Life is Designed. It's written by a guy named Douglas Axe. Axe. And, on the front, it's got like the tail of some kind of reptile and all the segmentation and the colors. Undeniable. Now, what is undeniable? That design had a designer that, you know, the whole creation. It takes faith to the point of absolute stupidity to think that this came about just accidentally. My goodness. You know, the building that I'm in right now, Jeff, I don't know who did it, but an architect designed it, a contractor built it because the floors are level, the walls are vertical. I mean, we look all around us, from the solar system to the molecular level. The world is an amazing, well designed, super, super computer of function and intricacy. And so, to your question, yes, we'll, recommend that and we'll pray. In fact, let me pray right now. Jeff. Father, we pray for this man, that he would open his heart and his eyes to you. That yes, God exists and we're accountable to him. And Lord, I pray for your Holy Spirit to remove the blindness of all who just assume, well, I'm not going to think about this. And I'll just tell myself that when we die, that's all there is. But no, the Bible says that after we leave this physical world, we're face to face with Almighty God. So, Spirit of the Lord, make people desire to be saved. Make them feel the conviction of their sin and the realization that they need to turn to Christ. This man and all the others around the world that need you send a great revival and bring millions to a knowledge of Jesus. We ask in his name. Amen.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Amen. Chris, thank you for calling in. Thank you for your heart, for your friend Bradley. Let's go next to, Arkansas and welcome, Gail, to the program.

Gail calls in with a question about Revelation 22:15

Hi, Gail. Welcome to Exploring the Word.

>> Alex McFarland: Hello.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Yes, you're on the air. Go right ahead.

>> Caroline: My question is in Revelation 22:15, and when it speaks about the new Jerusalem coming down and it's on a new Earth, and. But then it speaks about those outside the gates. Who are they?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, I believe they are the ones outside the gates are the ones that didn't get into the kingdom. And why did they not get into the kingdom? Because they rejected the overtures of the king. And so, just like any, house has a door, and a country has borders. Well, the city of God has gates. And it says those that are without. Speaking of those that didn't go to heaven, but hell, without. Are the dogs, the gentiles. sorcerers. gentiles, meaning those that didn't receive Jesus and get saved. And it says, whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. People that embrace that which was false rather than that which is true. Revelation 22:15. Outside the city are those that weren't in the family through faith in Jesus.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah. Those who are outside of Christ. Yeah.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah.

>> Jeff Chamblee: All right, Gail, thank you for your question today. Thanks for calling in.

Jeff: Receiving the Holy Spirit makes a difference in having it

Let's stay, in Arkansas, and let's go to Madison. Hello, Madison. Welcome to Exploring the Word.

>> Caroline: Hi.

>> Caroline: How are you doing?

>> Jeff Chamblee: Well, great to have you with us.

>> Caroline: my question is about, like, the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit makes a difference in having it. Being baptized in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. And I ask because experience before, however, I find myself kind of coming out of the heavily charismatic, movement a little bit. So maybe if you can comment on that however you see fit.

>> Bert Harper: Okay.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Thank you, Madison.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, thank you very much. Do you know, unfortunately, one of the areas of kind of great misunderstanding is about the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. you know, I believe, and I realize there are equally good godly people that have differing opinions on this, but I think one of the key passages is First Corinthians 12, 12, 13, that says we are all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free, given one spirit to drink. And, so let me say this first. Corinthians 12 says that we're baptized now. Ephesians 4:5 says, there's one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Now, now I'll say this one. Holy Spirit. And when you put your faith in Christ, you have got the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:30 says, the Spirit of God indwells you, and the Spirit of God seals you. Jeff, one more scripture before I throw it to you. Paul says this that, in Romans 6:3. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? And it goes on. It talks about, our old self is dead, the old man has died, and we are baptized into his death, raised to walk in newness of life by his Spirit. So I think that the Spirit of God, draws us, regenerates us, indwells us, seals us, every believer at the moment of salvation. Now, one last thing, and Jeff, you feel free to disagree. I completely believe the Holy Spirit of God can do anything today that you read about in the Book of Acts. I have seen Christians that speak in tongues, Christians that don't. I've seen Christians that are very stoic and, you know, reserved in the way they live. I've seen Christians that are man, just out there, loud, proud, on fire. I believe in miracles of healing. I believe that the spirit of God, fasting can drive out sin and even demons. So, Jeff, I'm, I think one thing in the American church, we have got to rediscover the power of the supernatural and avail ourselves to the powerful work of the Holy Spirit that has been present with the church in every generation.

>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah, I think that's an excellent outline of what it means for a Christian to have the Holy Spirit. And Madison, the only thing I would add to that is that you don't need to wonder, are you incomplete if you don't speak in tongues? Because one of the verses that we've just read today, is that you are complete in him, that every believer who is genuinely born again has everything that they need. And Peter puts it well, he says his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him. So you're not incomplete if you're not having some experience. And I think that's the thing, that you need to be watching out for. So, Madison, thank you so much for calling in.

Alexis: Can people be truly saved without understanding of the Trinity

Let's go to Alexis, who's calling in from Texas today. Hi, Alexis, you're on the air. Go right ahead. Hi.

>> Caroline: my question is, I know, like, when the gospel is or when the gospel is taught, a lot of times I feel like, when people are witnessing, they leave out, I, guess not the divinity of Christ, but, the Trinity is. I guess my question is, when I was presented the Gospel, it, was Romans 10, 9. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God rose him from the dead, you shall be saved. but it wasn't until later, that I discovered John 1:1, you know, the Trinity. M. And so my question is, is, can people be, truly saved if they don't have an understanding? And I know we'll always have a limited understanding of The Trinity. But can they be saved, without understanding, having that understanding of the Trinity, when, the gospel a lot of times is not presented in that way? I guess,

>> Alex McFarland: I think so. Let me say thank you for calling and I want to be careful how I say this. And Jeff, anything that needs correcting or if you disagree, feel free to do so. I think a person can absolutely be saved with only having a limited knowledge of the theology behind the gospel because there is deep truth, revelation, truth in salvation. first of all, we understand that we're sinners and that our sin separates us from God. But we, we believe that Jesus loves us. And when he died on the cross, Jesus died for our sins. And we're, we're, you call it faith, trust, belief, but we're saying, lord, please forgive me. I believe you rose from the dead. you died for me. Please save me. when I was a youth pastor, Jeff, we had a Jewish man, he was a medical doctor, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant guy who got born again, put his faith in Jesus the Messiah. And I mean this, this guy was on fire. And we had a Christmas play. He had been saved a few, six or eight months. And in this Christmas play, there was a scene where Jesus was in heaven, up on a throne, and he came down this staircase down to planet earth. And in this Christmas play we were trying to depict the incarnation. And my Jewish friend, who had been an exemplary believer for almost a year, he was so excited, cheerfully, he said, I just realized Jesus is God. Jesus is God incarnate. He left heaven, came to earth. That scene in the play where he was on the throne up high, but he came down that staircase, down to earth to go to the cross. That means Jesus is really God. And I said, yeah, that's what that means. Well, he had been saved for a long time. And I want to be clear, and then I'll throw it to you. Salvation is not a theology examination now, and I think that we are going to give an account for the response we gave to the truth we knew. I've seen little five, six year old children joyfully say, I believe in Jesus. And they did. And they didn't understand these 85 cent theological words. I think you absolutely, on a very basic level, can trust in Jesus and the deeper, deeper, deeper grasp of these very profound theological realities. It comes as we go along down the road, Jeff. But what do you say?

>> Jeff Chamblee: I think you're exactly right. You know, there's a point where, in Alexis, you walk with the Lord for, years and Then you look back and you think, well, I didn't know nearly what I know today. Was I saved? you know, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance and faith, are all that are needed to be saved and to be born again. And so. But it's right to teach these doctrines. We must teach the Trinity. That has to be something that we learn in church and we hear. But, again, you can certainly be saved apart from that particular knowledge. So thank you, Alexis.

>> Alex McFarland: Jeff, I knew a Kentucky coal miner, and he became a great, great, great preacher. But when he got saved at about 18, his prayer was that he said, God, have mercy on me, or I'm gone. And he was saved. Now he grew and grew and grew, as we all hope to do. Jeff, thanks for helping. And, listeners, thanks for being a part of today's edition of Exploring the Word.

>> Jeff Chamblee: All right, we'll continue with more Exploring the Word tomorrow here on American Family Radio. Have a great afternoon. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.