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.
Exploring the Word focuses on Titus, chapter 3, verse 11
Welcome to Exploring the Word.
>> Bert Harper: One of the greatest verses in all.
>> Bert Harper: The Bible is going to be studied today. It is in Titus, chapter 3, verse 11, where it says, the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
>> Bert Harper: Now we're going to take that apart a little bit and make sure we have that understanding. But welcome to Exploring the Word. And today, Alex is in Colorado. We know that. And he'll be out there a day or two.
>> Bert Harper: He's always traveling.
>> Bert Harper: He's a traveling man. But we have with us someone that's been on quite a bit lately, Jeff Shambley. Jeff has become just a regular Jeff and we appreciate you, brother.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Oh, this is a joy to be on with you guys.
>> Bert Harper: Well, it is a joy for us.
>> Bert Harper: To have you and to share, in God's word. And we're in Titus. It's part of the pastoral epistles. And what we're doing, we did first Peter first. And the reason we're doing Titus, although it's not the book in order in the New Testament, chronologically it's the next book. And then after this we'll go to second Timothy. Right. Someone has called it, Timothy's Last Will and Testament, Second Timothy. And that's part of the truth. But, appreciate you being on.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Oh, it's always a joy. I, I love being on with you. It's a challenge. You guys are always, you're light years ahead of me in it. So I find myself learning and just glad to comment when I can.
>> Bert Harper: Well, I want to just tell you, better be a lifelong learner or you'll fall behind. And it's, it's neat to find out new things. That's the neat part about the word of God. I'm, I'm telling you, you, when you've been preaching as long as I have, and you'll preach a sermon, but you'll see something that you did not see before. And and it's fresh word. It really is.
Titus chapter two exhorts believers to be obedient to their masters
>> Bert Harper: And so we want to dig in. We were in Titus chapter two, and we are.
>> Bert Harper: And we talked about the older women, the younger women, the older men, the younger men. And keep that in mind because I think we're going to, I'm going to bring it back up to, I think to talk about verse 11, but in verse 9, it goes to a different area.
>> Bert Harper: Now here's what I want to look at and think about.
>> Bert Harper: Jeff, you're talking about your household, the men, the women, but also in many of them there were servants. And in the church in that day, one of the mysteries of the church, was not it just being Jew and gentile? it was male and female, but it was those that were slaves and those that were masters in the same church. let me see, Philemon and Onesmus. Yeah, you know, and Onesimus had ran away. Now I believe he got saved after he ran away. But Paul sent him back to where Philemon was and said, you better treat.
>> Bert Harper: Him like a brother.
>> Jeff Chamblee: You know, what a radical idea for the time it is.
>> Bert Harper: And this is what it is.
>> Bert Harper: So when we look at this, I'll.
>> Bert Harper: Read verses 9 and 10, we'll talk.
>> Bert Harper: About says, exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, which means thieving or stealing, but showing all good, fidelity, honesty, that they may be adorned. The doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Now we're going to save that last.
>> Bert Harper: Phrase because I think that's so important. It's really like a transition into the next verse as you really look at it. But we're, let's look at it today. Yeah, they were slaves in that day. Most of the time it was because of financial reasons. but sometimes it could be other. You know, in America we had indentured servants, but having generational, slavery was, you know, it was practiced other places. It wasn't just here in America and it was a sin. But a lot of times it was in play. In place of taking bankruptcy, they would become servants for a while and then be set free. But regardless of that situation, they were to keep their testimony. No matter. Here's the issue and I want you to come in on it, no matter your position in society, and you're a believer, yours to serve as unto the Lord no matter what that position is.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah, what, what a world changing, teaching that was at the time. And it really, Bert, it did undermine the, the practice of slavery throughout history. That, that concept undermined all of that. But as, as we look at how we interpret this today in, you know, 20, 25, believers need to know how to work under authority. Ah, we need to know how to come under someone who is over us, submit to that authority and do so in a way that is endearing to them and to and attractive the gospel.
>> Bert Harper: Jesus did that when he said, I came not to do my will, but the will of the Father. Do you remember? The centurion came to him and he said, I'm also a man under authority. The word also. And, Jesus responded, I haven't found this so great a faith, you know. He responded in such way, he had an understanding that Jesus came under the authority, the will of the Father.
>> Jeff Chamblee: And two, Bert, he has already talked about these unruly, false teachers that were in the church. They were insubordinate. And so this, this problem of insubordination and being unruly was already something Titus was going to have to deal with. And so he's reminding these bond servants, look, don't be like that. Be under the authority. Don't pilfer. Like you said, don't take what doesn't belong to you. And by the way, I looked up some figures on that. According to the association, of certified fraud examiners, they estimate that some businesses lose 50 billion a year to employee theft. So it's a big problem today. And, Christian employees in particular are to be mindful of how we work.
>> Bert Harper: And what we do, not only what.
>> Bert Harper: The employees take, but then shoplifters. What I mean, it is, it is severe. It is severe. But we as believers, yeah, we're to.
>> Bert Harper: Not have any part. Let's look at this list. You've already done it. in a good job. Be well pleasing in all things.
>> Bert Harper: Do your job well. Whatever you hand find to do, do it with all your might. Not just enough to get by, but excellence. Are, we, you know, we'll never be perfect, but we are to strive for excellence. My wife was in the marching band in high school. And in Colle, she did as well. But when they'd go to competition, they had all these ratings. Now, I played basketball and you put.
>> Bert Harper: People out and you put, you know.
>> Bert Harper: That'S how you did it. But there you had rating, you know, they'd have superior, excellent superior. And they would have. So it wasn't necessarily that you were perfect, but you were superior. So I want to ask you, should Christians be superior employees?
>> Jeff Chamblee: That's good.
>> Bert Harper: I believe that's what he's saying here.
>> Bert Harper: That we are to do those things and do it well, to be well pleasing in all things.
>> Bert Harper: Not answering back. that had two or three things. Not grumbling. Don't, don't, you know, don't complain about your assignment. You know, when an assignment is given to you as a believer in Jesus, Christ, you do everything you can to carry it out. They probably wouldn't have asked you had they not thought you would do it. Now, it is when they ask you to do wrong, there's a time to step back.
>> Jeff Chamblee: And that happens.
>> Bert Harper: It does. And so you step back and you.
>> Bert Harper: Have a higher calling.
>> Bert Harper: You have a higher. And that is from God. And we.
Pilfering, taking that which is not yours, is common
We take that. And that's.
>> Bert Harper: That's so real. But then, as you've already said that.
>> Bert Harper: Pilfering, taking that which is not yours, and employees would have an opportunity to do that, you know, especially some that handle money. And, we. If we look at the local paper, there'll be some politicians, there'll be some clerks, different things in cities and everything like that. And when it's done like that in a government official, they get called out. And we've seen that quite a bit even here in our area. You compound that with all the areas.
>> Bert Harper: Of the state you see that you're talking about. Okay, find the honest.
>> Bert Harper: Honesty. Give an honest day's work for an.
>> Bert Harper: Honest day's wage that they.
Matthew Stafford: Churches attempt to make the gospel attractive by lowering standards of morality
Now, here it is. And I want you to comment that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Now, again, they. The question I had, and it's not necessarily guaranteed, but the they that you, know, pronoun, it may be talking about all the verses, all the way.
>> Bert Harper: Back to chapter two, verse one, where the women and the men and.
>> Bert Harper: The servants, all of us, every person.
>> Bert Harper: There's no one exempt. You have no position, whether you're a.
>> Bert Harper: Pastor, whatever you are a member. It says that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
>> Bert Harper: That is powerful.
>> Bert Harper: Adorn?
>> Bert Harper: Yeah, man. It should be something that is as if you adorn something. It is observed, right?
>> Jeff Chamblee: It's absolutely observed. The word adornment is where we get the word cosmetics and which means to set in order, and to make things right, to get ready, to prepare for. So we do make the gospel attractive. There's a wrong way to do that. Churches attempt to make the gospel attractive by lowering standards of morality and teaching and that sort of thing. But we do make the gospel attractive. We do adorn it, set it in order by our actions. And that is an awesome responsibility that we have.
>> Bert Harper: I couldn't help but think about Peter when he talked about the. The wife winning her husband, not with the adorning of hair, but that meek and quiet spirit which is inside, that which is observed and seen. you make the outside look pretty good, but the Inside could be full of dead men's bones. Let me see something about that, Jeff. Yeah, they did. Yeah, he did. Why did sepulchers and we. We don't need to be whited sepulchers looking good on the outside but on the inside, no, we need to be real. What comes out, from us, our heart and our attitudes and actions how important that is.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah, we are, we are to adorn that doctrine of God. you know, the whole concept of salvation, the whole process of salvation is transformative. And God's will is that the law is written on our hearts and so we obey him out of love. And so we are doing things and I don't think we need to. We can't overstate that. That the gospel, it implies what we do and the way we behave.
>> Bert Harper: It really does.
>> Bert Harper: Now again, take that last statement in verse 10 and we can do this before we go to break in about three minutes. It says that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. For the grace of God that brings.
>> Bert Harper: Salvation has appeared to all men that for a lot of times for is because of, you know.
>> Bert Harper: And here I believe it is. It is because.
>> Bert Harper: Because the grace of God. Now I want to ask you if.
>> Bert Harper: We adorn ourselves with good works doing.
>> Bert Harper: That things which is. Well, are we demonstrating to others the grace of God? Do you catch how that ties in? Because he's talking about positions in the home, positions in society. And then we're to adorn it so they can see the doctri. That teaching and it's the grace and how do they do it. And I believe God has appeared more than that. But I. This is what I was trying to say is God can use those who are listening to us today by being that witness that agent in their job that they are adorned with that that God has placed in their hearts and lives. Doing a job well done, being fed, being.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Having fidelity in all that we do point honestly. Yeah.
>> Bert Harper: Doing everything not nothing's exempt.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, so let's look at this. The grace of God.
>> Bert Harper: you know, he's going to get.
>> Bert Harper: Down in the next verse and talk about all the righteousness and godliness.
>> Bert Harper: And all the things that we're doing. But it all starts by grace. And it's the grace of God that is appeared to all men.
>> Bert Harper: There's a lot of.
>> Bert Harper: What does that mean? Well, if you, if you understand, I'm just going to put it very plain. If you're not in hell, you ought to believe in the grace of God. I had a friend and people listening to this, Bill Stafford, great evangelist. He said, when will you understand? Everything above hell is grace. So you're listening today. Saved or lost, it's God's grace that you are not already in torment, always ready, separated from God. It's his love demonstrated through his grace. And so grace is so important. God's riches at Christ expense.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Right?
>> Bert Harper: The unmerited favor of God. I honestly believe it's kind of just hard to define completely what grace is.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Well, it's ultimately rooted in Jesus, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It is.
>> Jeff Chamblee: He is the grace personified.
>> Bert Harper: He is the one, no one else.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah. Amen.
Jeff Shambley joins us to talk about hope in the Book of Titus
>> Bert Harper: Hey, Jeff, we're going to continue. We're going to take this all the way through chapter and we're looking forward.
>> Bert Harper: To it because we're going to talk about the blessed hope. Hallelujah. Amen.
>> Bert Harper: And the hope we have.
>> Bert Harper: You're listening to Exploring the Word. Alex is out today, but Jeff Shambley is in. And we're looking forward to continuing in the Book of Titus, chapter two.
Burt Harper asks you to join Preborn in protecting life
>> Bert Harper: This Sanctity of Life Month, we honor the over 66 million babies whose lives have been tragically ended through abortion since Roe. Sadly, with the abortion pill accounting for over 60% of all abortions, babies lives are at even greater risk now. But in the midst of this darkness, there's a light that shines, and that's preborn. Preborn's network of clinics have rescued over 300,000 babies from abortion and have prayed with over 80,000 women to come to Christ.
>> Bert Harper: When I heard her heartbeat, I decided to keep her. And now my daughter's about to be three. I don't know where my life would be without her.
>> Bert Harper: An ultrasound doubles a baby's chance at life. This is Burt Harper asking you to join PreBorn in protecting life. One ultrasound session costs $28 and $140 will sponsor five ultrasounds.
>> Bert Harper: Any gift will help.
>> Bert Harper: $100. 201,000. To donate securely dial pound 250 and.
>> Bert Harper: Say the key word baby. That's pound 250, baby.
>> Bert Harper: Or go to preborn.com that's preborn.com afr.
>> Bert Harper: That'S preborn.com afrr for he has rescued.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves. Colossians 1:13.
>> Jeff Chamblee: American Family Radio.
>> 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 mercy. It's all because of mercy.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Exploring the Word on American Family Radio.
Jeff Shambley with Bert Harper on Exploring the Word
Good afternoon. Great to have you along with us. I'm Jeff Shambley with Bert Harper on Exploring the Word. And we are in the book of Titus. Brother Bert, we are approaching the section, the cluster of verses I was hoping that you and Alex would not get to when I was on. On with you. So this is, this is a great section of verses.
>> Bert Harper: I told Alex, I said, let's take a lot of time about those men and women.
>> Bert Harper: And we did.
>> Bert Harper: And so I wanted to do that. Jeff. Well, we're in this passage, and I believe verse 11, this is my thoughts.
>> Bert Harper: It connects what we've been talking about in with what we're going to talk about now.
>> Bert Harper: It says here, for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared on me.
>> Bert Harper: We've talked about the grace, and it's the grace of God.
>> Bert Harper: It is his. And then it says that brings salvation.
>> Bert Harper: Works is no way.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Right?
>> Bert Harper: No way. purchasing, no way earning, no way. It is grace. Is there any other way?
>> Jeff Chamblee: No other way.
>> Bert Harper: No other way. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. And you said grace is personified in Jesus Christ. What a statement that is.
>> Bert Harper: But now let's look at the rest of that. It's pretty interesting to me.
>> Bert Harper: Has appeared to all men. Now, again, the reason, I think that it's going back to the servant, the women, no matter the position, no matter your location, no matter what, God's grace has appeared. Now, we know of creation, we know of conscience. Yeah, that's God's. God's grace was demonstrated in creation. Look what he said. Look what he did. Provide for man in the garden. God's grace, completely, that he gave and work was a blessing. The curse of it came after man had sinned, that he had worked by the sweat of his brow and how to deal with mosquitoes and stuff like that. But before that, it was grace, the position, the creation has appeared conscience, that God would, you know, demonstrate to us what this is evil, this is wrong. That's. That's grace. And sometimes people don't understand that everything.
>> Bert Harper: Like that is grace.
>> Bert Harper: And it has appeared to, to all men.
>> Bert Harper: Now, when I see that, all.
>> Bert Harper: Men, I don't see anyone excluded. And I'd say this, and this is where a lot of folks disagree. if grace has appeared to all men, it sounds like God's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Sure.
>> Bert Harper: Why Would the grace appear if God was not. Was going to withhold anything?
>> Jeff Chamblee: You know, the grace of God that brings salvation appeared to the Roman soldiers as they were crucifying him.
>> Bert Harper: They really did.
>> Jeff Chamblee: It appeared to the Pharisees as they were mocking him. The grace of God has appeared to every man through the gospel, specifically the grace of God that brings salvation. There's a common grace, the grace of marriage, the grace of family, the grace of being able to have food and shelter. But then there's the grace of God that brings salvation, and that is specifically through the offering of Jesus on the cross that brings healing, restoration, redemption, atonement, all of those things to man. And it's appeared. That's. That's eris. That's past tense. That has happened. It's once and for all completed. So when Christ died on the cross, that is a fact of history. It's done.
>> Bert Harper: It is.
>> Jeff Chamblee: And that atonement was made. And now we take that to the nations and we're continuing. That has appeared to all men as we are, as you know, on your show, exploring missions, more and more people every day.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. I think it is demonstrated in the Book of Acts, when the Ethiopian eunuch from Ethiopia comes to Jerusalem, something was drawing him, saying, there's just one God, and he came to the place where that one God is worshiped. He doesn't get all of his questions answered, but he is searching. Yeah, that's good.
Jeff: God's grace reaches us. Verse 11 talks about reaching us
And he takes back scroll of Isaiah. Isaiah, yep. And God knowing his heart, takes Philip away from a, ah, great crusade, you know, where hundreds are being saved to take him to run alongside the chariot of this one Ethiopian eunuch who was searching and open to know God. Wow. With all my heart, Jeff. I believe God operates that way with any individual. God will bring. If you receive light, he gives more light. I think that's in the psalm, you know, his path, his light. He gives more. He gives more. In the book of Romans, it says he gives more grace. In other words, that grace that leads us to repentance. Right. It is that kind of God we serve has appeared to all men. So those who are listening today, if you're listening, amen. Yes.
>> Bert Harper: Come to Christ. Don't put it off.
>> Bert Harper: Don't delay. It's the greatest relationship in all the world. Knowing Jesus as that old song, it's a great adventure, isn't it? I love that song. Saddle up your. I'm old, you know, growing up in the 50s and 60s when Westerns ruled everything, you know, growing up watching that and it says, saddle up your horses. I can't help but think of that. So get ready. Let God's grace be demonstrated in your life.
>> Bert Harper: Go to verse 12. Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present world.
>> Bert Harper: Now I've written this down.
>> Bert Harper: I want to see what you think.
>> Bert Harper: Verse 11 talks about reaching us. What? God's grace.
>> Bert Harper: God's grace reaches us. That's what he's referring to.
>> Bert Harper: And in verse 12, God's grace teaches us.
>> Bert Harper: Now, you can tell I'm a preacher. Reaching, reaches, reaches and teaches. I got to come up with something.
>> Bert Harper: Like that in verse 13. Always the third one. The problem. So here it is.
>> Bert Harper: But it teaches us denying there are some things. Once you know God in such a personal way, there's things you put off and things you put on. Paul talked about that a lot, about putting on the new man. But he also talked about putting off the old man, did he not?
>> Jeff Chamblee: you know, the Bible says, and Paul wrote, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation, a new creature. Old things have passed away, all things have become new.
>> Bert Harper: That's the off and on.
>> Jeff Chamblee: That's the off and on. And it's the miracle of salvation. You know, salvation is. Justification, is an instantaneous, work of God in our hearts. But then there's this process of sanctification that the work of the Spirit does in us. That's why I love the word teaching us. The grace of God is teaching. Well, who's teaching? It's the spirit of God in us.
>> Bert Harper: And it's the discipline. This is what it is. And that's what the Great Commission. To go and make what, converts? No, disciples. Anytime you have disciples, you got to have discipline. Discipline.
>> Bert Harper: You live by these disciplines. What are these? Some of these.
>> Bert Harper: Denying ungodliness. You, this is what you don't do in your own life. You, you don't.
>> Bert Harper: Oh, all things are lawful for me.
>> Bert Harper: It doesn't matter. Yeah, it does matter. It does matter. I'll not do anything. I'm a new creature. Things of new. So that means I look at things differently than I used to as well. I just, you know, Paul talked about you don't run to the same excesses that you once did. You know, things are different. And then it says worldly lust, they're out there. We, what we come to the place where we deny that, we don't give in to that. It doesn't mean we're not tempted. It doesn't mean that it's still there. But going back to the servant, the slave, not pilfering, not stealing, not being dishonest. You catch what I'm saying? If you tie that in back to what he was referring to earlier, in.
>> Bert Harper: Other words, our life is different. And then it says we should live soberly, righteously, godly in this present age. I, think it's talking about living.
Soberly that means sound judgment. So we live right with herself and right with God
>> Bert Harper: Soberly that means sound judgment.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah.
>> Bert Harper: You know, we need to, you know, we need sound judgment, knowing that righteously we're living right with others and we need to live right with God. So we live right with herself, right with others and right with God. That's pretty strong. Yeah. If I'm living right, I'm, I need to know myself, you know, discipline.
>> Bert Harper: Myself, live righteously with others and godly before God.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah. I love the phrase in this present age because it reminds me. Yes. I've come to Christ. You know, we've repented, we've turned from our sins, we've become these new creatures. But there is a work that happens in this present age in our hearts. It's not all, you know, God is preparing us for the kingdom that is to come. Paul said in Ephesians, we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which we prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. So in this present age, the spirit of God is teaching us to deny, ungodliness and worldly lust. So there's God's preparing us.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, I'm, I'm going to do what Alex talks about quite a bit on Spiritualize a little bit at my.
>> Bert Harper: And I'm going to do it. It means what you just said, but.
>> Bert Harper: It hit me at my present age. Okay, let's go.
>> Bert Harper: You catch what I'm saying?
>> Bert Harper: And I'm using this, I'm stretching it some. Okay. But it's true, no matter. Once you've been born again, you know, and it talks about it in First John. John talked about, you know, all, you know, the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. When you look at those, there, they cover every area of your life. But, certain areas of our life, at certain ages, certain things become more, I would say, real that we need to deny. You know, the lust of the flesh, young, you know, being ruled by your hormones, being ruled by your lust. then the lust of the eyes, what you see, you want. That hits a lot of people in Middle Ages. They start comparing themselves with Those folks that's been working for 20 years and, man, they've got everything going. You've been working for 20 years and you're still struggling and living week by week. So you said, man, what. You know, the lust of the eyes of what I want, then the pride of life. They can hit people in an older age. Well, nobody cares. You know, my kids don't come around like they used to, you know, now you got so many. They do come around, Jeff. Okay. But anyway, there's worry.
>> Jeff Chamblee: There's worry. There's a bunch of things that happen as we get older.
>> Bert Harper: Yeah.
>> Bert Harper: You know, you catch what I'm saying again, I'm stretching it a little bit.
>> Jeff Chamblee: In your present age, I like.
>> Bert Harper: Yeah, whatever your present age is. Listen, you stay with God. There's not a. There's not a time that you get off. You stay with God. Stay with him. And he's doing a work in Philippians 1:6, being confident of this very thing that he who began this work in you will what completed.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Complete.
>> Bert Harper: It has the idea. Yes. I'm not going to bail out on you. I'm going to stay with you. Stay with me.
I want you to comment on surrender and cooperation
There's two words that I've come up with recently that really have just. And I want you to comment on surrender and cooperation. And, that's. If I had to put. I do try to simplify things. That's just my brain.
>> Bert Harper: Okay.
>> Bert Harper: How can I make this simpler? I surrender my life to him.
>> Bert Harper: I've been bought with a price.
>> Bert Harper: Therefore, glorify God and everything, you know, so all of it's his, right? And now how do I have victory in it, cooperating with him? I don't sit back, say, okay, God, here I am.
>> Bert Harper: Do it. No.
>> Bert Harper: And you don't say, man, I got to get out there and work. No, it's that relationship. Jesus says, I'm sending my spirit, and my spirit will guide you to all truth. And it's that I'm, I'm cooperating with God through His Holy Spirit and His word to follow him.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Those two words I think about every trial that you get, every temptation that you get is an opportunity either to cooperate with God or to rebel. That's it, you know? And so everything that we face in, the course of a day is a great opportunity to cooperate with God.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, like that. We're going to go on and get the verses and not have any of them m held over.
Jeff: The blessed hope includes the second return, the resurrection
>> Bert Harper: Okay. Verse 14. Okay. It says, appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus.
>> Bert Harper: He's coming back.
>> Bert Harper: Okay. He is, looking for the blessed hope.
>> Bert Harper: He is he. The blessed hope we talked about earlier. I'll let you handle it first. Go with the blessed hope if you want.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Well, one commentator said this incorporates all that is to come, including the second return, the second coming of Christ. It includes the resurrection. It includes our glorification, the kingdom, age. So the blessed hope is. That is those things are those things that we look forward to, that it's to come. And that's, that's that process of looking, you know, obeying as we're looking.
>> Bert Harper: I believe it is because all of it is. That's, Jesus. He's involved in everything. Okay.
>> Bert Harper: They say, oh, it's the rapture.
>> Bert Harper: Well, it's the rapture, plus it's. It's him setting, coming to earth and putting his foot on that mountain. You know, that's, that's it. It's what's going to take place after that. His kingdom reign, the new heavens and the new earth. All like, okay, now my blessed hope is only this. No, it's all of it.
>> Bert Harper: I agree with that commentator, whoever that commentator was.
>> Bert Harper: I just can't get apart from all of it.
>> Bert Harper: But then it says this, blessed hope and glorious.
>> Bert Harper: The glory. Anytime you see that, you think of the Shekinah glory of God. God's going to bring it in.
>> Bert Harper: The glory, glorious appearing of great God.
>> Bert Harper: And Savior Jesus Christ. He is his, his kingdom. Everything's going to be revealed. It's kind of veiled now, you know what I mean? But it's going to be completely sort of like at the transfiguration, of Christ. You know, he had veiled himself in flesh, but for that few moments, he let the Shekinah glory shine. We're going to see the Shekinah glory of God.
>> Jeff Chamblee: You know, it was the hope of the early church. His second coming was the hope. They lived in that hope. And I think that we need to be living in that hope today, every single day, looking. Is Jesus going to come today? You know, there's a great, verse in First John that he writes, when he is revealed, we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is. And then he says, everyone who has this hope purifies himself, purifies. So there is a purifying aspect in looking forward to that blessed hope.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. I love that somebody said, I'm.
>> Bert Harper: I'm going to get ready and stay ready for his coming.
>> Bert Harper: You know, I love that it goes on. It says, who gave Himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself. There it is. For his own special people, zealous of good works. Now again, look at this. Redemption. Go back to verse 11.
>> Bert Harper: And he kind of opens it up in verse 11. Ties a boat in boat. Ah, a bow on it in verse 14. Redemption.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Redemption.
>> Bert Harper: The grace of God not only, reaches us, it teaches us, but it keeps us. It keeps us. It's the only way. If it was just us, there'd be no hope. Special people zealous of good works. Not saved by good works. But we. You've already quoted it. We're saved for good works. Where were men? It says they'll see your good works and glorify your Father who's in heaven. Let me see. Do they see what we do in the walls of the church or outside when we're in Walmart? Or when we're in at the signal light and somebody doesn't go and we.
>> Bert Harper: Blow our horn real hard?
>> Bert Harper: Yeah. They need to share good works, don't they, Jeff? They do. They do.
>> Bert Harper: Hey, we're going to come back with questions. If you have a question for Jeff or myself today, the number is 8885-8988-4088-8589-8840.
Preborn has helped save 38,000 babies this year
I want you to picture this. Her name is Kayla. She is 17, alone, terrified and pregnant, sitting in a clinic, tears blurring, thinking abortion is her only option. M Until she was offered a free ultrasound, paid for by a hero just like you. The moment Kayla heard her baby's heartbeat.
>> Bert Harper: The decision was made.
>> Bert Harper: And today, her little baby boy, Gabriel, is thriving because her preborn walked with.
>> Bert Harper: Kayla every step of the way.
>> Bert Harper: Now multiply that by 38,000. That's how many babies preborn has helped save just this year. How many mothers preborn has come alongside with practical and spiritual resources to make motherhood m possible? But here's the most important thing you will hear today. Their goal is to save 70,000 by.
>> Bert Harper: The end of the year.
>> Bert Harper: And they can't do it without us. Every $28 provides the ultrasound. The moment everything changes. Will you be the reason the next Kayla chooses life?
>> Bert Harper: The reason Gabriel fulfills his destiny to donate. Dial £250 and say the key word baby.
>> Bert Harper: That's £250, baby. Or, donate securely@preborn.com afr that's preborn.com afr.
>> Dr. Jessica Peck: I've witnessed your faithfulness. I've seen you breathe life with it.
>> Bert Harper: Amen.
>> Bert Harper: I want to ask you something, Jeff. Is Jesus worthy of all Our praise. Amen.
>> Jeff Chamblee: He is.
>> Bert Harper: He is worthy. Can you imagine in heaven? You know, just, they're all Jesus and holy, holy, holy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain. People better get ready to. I'm practicing now, so when I get to heaven, the worship will just be right on. Amen. So. Amen.
Please continue to pray for Alex and for Exploring the Word
>> Bert Harper: Hey, you're listening to Exploring the Worst.
>> Bert Harper: Jeff Shambley is with us.
>> Bert Harper: Pray for Alex. He's traveling.
>> Bert Harper: He's, he stays on the road a lot. And I know you know that. And he appreciates your prayers for him.
>> Bert Harper: And, just do that. Jan. I appreciate your prayers for us as well when we go out and, so continue praying for Exploring the Word and Alex and myself as we minister. And go and thank Jeff for being here so much.
We're collecting listener stories about what God has done in their lives
One thing I want to get before we get to Bill from Ohio, we're collecting listener stories.
>> Bert Harper: These are to be played during Sherithon, and that's the 7th, 8th and 9th.
>> Bert Harper: Of October, the 1st. Those first days of October.
>> Bert Harper: And if the Lord has done a.
>> Bert Harper: Great work in your life, a work in your life, using afr, we would love to hear about it.
>> Bert Harper: It's going to be about two minutes or less that you could do that.
>> Bert Harper: And, it would be so helpful.
>> Bert Harper: We play many of those, if not.
>> Bert Harper: All of them, deer and Charathon. It's my favorite part.
>> Bert Harper: And if you would share your list.
>> Bert Harper: Your story about what God has done.
>> Bert Harper: The number, and you need to write this down.
>> Bert Harper: 877-876-8893. It's 877-876-8898.
>> Bert Harper: And let us hear about what God has done.
>> Bert Harper: Especially, Alex and I say especially.
>> Bert Harper: If God's done it through exploring the Word. We hear about it all the time, but not everybody calls in. But it is fun to listen, to.
>> Bert Harper: Hear what God is doing and how he's operating and working in people's lives. 877-876-8893 is for talking points.
>> Bert Harper: But if today we got a different number, don't get them mixed up.
>> Bert Harper: This is 888-589-8840.
>> Bert Harper: And if you've got a Bible question.
>> Bert Harper: Jeff and I would love to hear about it.
>> Bert Harper: Well, Jeff, you ready to go to the first caller?
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah. Let's go to Bill, who's calling in from Ohio. Hi, Bill. Welcome to Exploring the Word.
>> Caroline: Thanks for having me. I appreciate your show and your ministry.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Thank you.
Bill Bright offers advice on effective evangelism for the lost
>> Caroline: Had a quick question about, evangelism. when you're sharing the law, sharing with the lost the gospel, is it Better or more? Is it more effective and more biblical to focus on God's love for them? John 3:16, or God's wrath, anger at their sin? And, John 3:36, you know, the wrath of God's abides on those who reject Christ. And then the examples of Bill Bright's four spiritual laws, you know, God loves you as opposed to. In conjunction with Ray Comfort, where the master, using the ten Commandments to. To get people alarmed at their spiritual conditions.
>> Bert Harper: Hey, Bill.
>> Bert Harper: I would say it's according to, there are those. I love Ray Comforts, I tell you, you know, to do that, years ago, when we were doing a drama at the church where I pastored here, a Christmas drama, we used Ray Comforts approach in the, you know, in the drama, the drama musical, because we had someone that needed to get right with God and they thought they were all right. You know, how many people say, well, I'm okay. Well, you say, have you ever stolen a pen? And you were talking about earlier about employees and how they take, you know, stuff. So using Ray Comforts way, it would get them to rethink. Okay, I'm not quite as good as I want to in it. Follow up, well, what can we do about it? Through the grace of God. But, others, they respond, you know, to the goodness of God is good. So I don't know. It's hard for me to tell anybody.
>> Bert Harper: Bill, how to start out.
>> Bert Harper: I'd, start out with Jesus Christ. Know is the way, the truth and the life, and then kind of see what they do. Some people say, you know, start out with a question. you know, if you were to die today and you appeared before God and he asked you why you should, you know, should, let you into my heaven, what would you say? There's many effective ways, aren't there, Jeff?
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah, I think so. And Bill, you ask a great question. And, it's one that's talked about a lot. some people are under conviction when you talk to them. Some people are very proud of the way that they are ruling their lives. they need to be told about the nature of God. He's a holy God. And naturally that leads into the problem of sin and the wrath of God. And so there's any number of ways, I would say, you know, leading, leading with you, know, leaving out the message of the holiness of God and his penalty for sin, I think is a mistake because you have to be lost. You have to know you're lost.
>> Bert Harper: Got to get.
>> Bert Harper: You got to get lost or get saved.
>> Jeff Chamblee: And so if you're only speaking about the love of God, then you're missing an important part of the gospel, and that's the reason Jesus went to the cross in the first place. So I think all of those things together make for a good, good conversation. So, Bill, thank you for calling in today.
>> Bert Harper: And I would say this, Bill, thank you for wanting to be a witness and being a witness and, let God use you. I do believe the Holy Spirit does direct us. If you start it.
>> Bert Harper: Yeah, when you start it, I believe.
>> Bert Harper: God will help you.
>> Bert Harper: He directed. So, Bill, keep it up. Hey, that number, if you have a Bible question for us, and we got lines that are open. Triple 858-98840. Triple 858-988400. If you have a Bible question.
Jeff: Steve, I wanted to ask you about the Wesleyan Holiness Doctrine
>> Jeff Chamblee: Next up, let's go to Kentucky and welcome, Steve, to Exploring the Word. Hi, Steve, and welcome.
>> Caroline: Yeah, hi, guys. I wanted to ask you a question, about the Wesleyan Holiness Doctrine. And the reason I'm asking is because I'm planning to attend. I think they call themselves Methodists. Global Methodists, yeah. They split off from the, United Methodist, and they're trying to return to a more biblically based church. Ah, but I don't understand the Wesleyan Holiness Doctrine. I believe they believe that a person can be entirely sanctified in this life. And how does that jive, with the in first, or second John, where it says, he who says he's without sin is a liar.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Steve, thank you for that. Good question. First of all, let's talk about this.
>> Bert Harper: And we've got at least two pastors that were in the United Methodist Church that were employed here.
>> Bert Harper: Matter of fact, our founder, Don Wildmon.
>> Bert Harper: Was part of that. And he, was always giving them trouble, trying to get them back to the fundamentals and so forth. But the Global Methodist, man, they're coming out, and the number is great.
>> Bert Harper: I've already preached to one this fall.
>> Bert Harper: And I've got another one scheduled later on, so they're inviting this Baptist to come to them.
>> Bert Harper: I love it, too. I.
>> Bert Harper: One of the.
>> Bert Harper: I got to tell this real quick.
>> Bert Harper: This is a neat story. I was at a Methodist church,
>> Bert Harper: A few years ago, and, so I. Southern Baptist preaching at a United Methodist.
>> Bert Harper: And that day, they had the assembly.
>> Bert Harper: Of God choir come. We had heaven, you know, heaven came down. We had a great.
>> Bert Harper: You know, I think God, when you love Jesus, you love his word. Listen, there are some things you, you know, hey, we can work Together. But let me say this. Be ye holy, for I am holy. Yeah.
>> Bert Harper: God.
>> Bert Harper: God expects holiness. Now, perfection. I think we can go back to what we were talking about earlier about, you know, superior, excellent. We're to be excellent. Will we be totally. We will never come to the place where we're without sin. he who says is a liar and the truth is not in him. I had a man one time say he, hadn't, sinned in about 10 years. And I said, well, you just messed up. He didn't like it at all.
>> Bert Harper: Jeff.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Let me just say one other thing, Steve. I don't think that's right to, you know, it wouldn't be fair to characterize the west, the Wesleyan Church, as being perfectionist. I don't think that that's what they mean, when they talk about sanctification. I know that we, er, spots for the Wesleyan Biblical Seminary a lot.
>> Bert Harper: Here in Jackson, Mississippi.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Good, solid guys that teach the authority of God's word.
>> Bert Harper: And they teach it on Sunday morning. They have a whole program on Sunday morning.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah.
>> Bert Harper: And it's great.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah. So. But they would not teach perfectionism. So I think that you'd be okay there. Let's go to Texas. Hi, Charles. Welcome to Exploring the Word.
>> Caroline: Hi. I appreciate your program.
Charles: Over emphasis on use of King James Version may turn off some people
I do have one comment almost, in the area of a criticism. I think your over emphasis on use to the key, on use of the King James Version may turn off a lot of people. You're trying to reach something like the new living translation, might be more effective.
>> Bert Harper: Okay.
>> Bert Harper: Charles. Alex uses the King James. He reads from the King James and.
>> Bert Harper: you know, he just said, I like it.
>> Bert Harper: I don't use the King James. I use new King James, which changes the vowels and the begotten, you know, goeth and everything like that. But we also use other. Sometimes I bring in the new living translation, the esv.
>> Bert Harper: I, I, I do know folks.
>> Bert Harper: And they try to read the King James and they, sometimes they do get a little lost on it. And I told them if you're starting out and you're in a, King James only church, and it doesn't make sense, buy one of those Bibles that has another translation, modern byte, and you can compare and see and it helps. But I tell Alex and I'm having some fun here and I'm not having at his expense.
>> Bert Harper: We just laughed about it.
>> Bert Harper: I said, alex, if you wouldn't use the new, if you wouldn't use the King James, you could cut your sermon at least five minutes because you wouldn't have to explain what that means today. Oh, boy. And he laughs at it.
>> Bert Harper: And he said, well, I like preaching.
>> Bert Harper: Long, but, Charles, I understand what you're saying. did you memorize King James when you were memorizing scripture, or did you.
>> Bert Harper: Use a different version?
>> Jeff Chamblee: There was a point in our family where we had to choose which translation we were all going to read. We were in NIV for a long time. I really wanted to get something that was more word to word equivalent. And so I looked at esv, I looked at all those. I thought, you know what, the new King James, I like the Texas Receptus, I like the received text. it's based the same manuscripts that the KJV is used on. It's easier to read. and it sounds like what I grew up with. And so that's why I went with the new King James version. But I think those.
>> Bert Harper: Well, here it was, I.
>> Bert Harper: When I was reading and using the King James, I'd wind up changing the.
>> Bert Harper: Runneth and the vowels.
>> Bert Harper: It just made no sense to me. And then when I discovered the new King James, I says, man, I won't have to do that. Just, reading it. It does it already.
Jeff: I think it's important to go to a direct translation
>> Bert Harper: let's talk about what we. The number. If you've got a question, I've got one here. I'm going to ask in a moment. But if you have a. Like to ask us, triple 858-98-8840. But when we talk about, you.
>> Bert Harper: Know, memorizing scripture and memorizing it, and you were talking about not the niv, the sv and you just want to get one more word for word and not thought for thought.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Right.
>> Bert Harper: Tell us why you wanted to do that, Jeff.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Well, you know, God chose the Greek language to reveal himself in the New Testament. And as close as we can get to that, and I understand there's no direct translation, it wouldn't make sense if you were to read a direct translation from Greek to English. but you can get close to it.
>> Bert Harper: You can.
>> Jeff Chamblee: And that's what I think, translations like the ESV do very well. The NASB extremely well.
>> Bert Harper: Yes.
>> Jeff Chamblee: the new King James very well. And the King James, I would say that as well. So you get more of the dynamic equivalence, which is more of the niv, the message, and some of those translations which are helpful to look at, but in terms of studying and, you know, what's this verb mean? What's the tense of this verb? Why did he use that Word. I think it's important to go to something that's more of a direct translation.
>> Bert Harper: The new American Standard version. and I'm not a, you know, I took Greek and I know all that and I'm not an authority on that. But what little I know, it really sticks to the language really, really well. So if you want a modern version, that really sticks, you know, word for word as best they can. It's a good version to study by.
Levi from Georgia calls in about belief in pre tribulation rapture
>> Bert Harper: Well, we've got other callers. Who is.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Let's, go to Levi, who's calling in from Georgia. Hi Levi, welcome to the program. Levi, are you with us? Hi, you're on the air. Go ahead.
>> Caroline: Hey, love your show. I'm a first time caller. Can you hear me?
>> Bert Harper: You can.
>> Bert Harper: We can. Thank you. Levi. what part of Georgia? I gotta ask you, where, where from in Georgia?
>> Caroline: middle Georgia. Hawkinsville.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, well, go ahead with your comment or your question, brother. Go right ahead.
>> Caroline: So I hear y' all Burton, Alex talk all the time about, belief in the pre tribulation rapture. So I have, I was curious. I believe the same.
>> Bert Harper: Okay.
>> Bert Harper: We, we're dropping Levi.
>> Bert Harper: We don't know all the reasons why. Alex and I are both pre trib. We do believe. Here it is.
>> Bert Harper: We believe that Jesus is coming back and then you have seven years. It, it makes sense to us. I know some folks that believe it's in the half and others it's going to happen and then the church is going to be taken out at the last. But listen, the whole issue is Jesus Christ is coming back. That's what you got to nail down. And it may affect where you go to church. You know what I mean? What church. But it should not hurt fellowship with a brother and sister like that. I've got friends that are all millennial. Those you know, and they're dear friends and I love them. But you know, there are certain things that are vital. Others you just say. Okay, we have a different view on that.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Yeah, study and find out for yourself what you believe. But, absolutely don't break fellowship. South, Dakota. Wow.
United Methodist Church allows women as senior pastors, which is what Satan wants
Let's go up to Jim, who's calling in from South Dakota today.
>> Caroline: Hi Jim, how's it going? just had a quick comment. I was a member of the Global Methodist Church. and the comment that I have to make real quick because I know time is short is be careful because they allow women as senior pastors in their church, which is five minutes off according to the doctrine of the Bible, which is what Satan wants.
>> Caroline: He's going to tell you something.
>> Caroline: Five minutes off. How long did it take the United Methodist to go completely off the rails when they let women in?
>> Bert Harper: Yeah, Jim, that is a legitimate question. And we say the senior pastor, I disagree with them.
>> Bert Harper: But from where they were as United Methodists and where they are as global is quite better. And so we pray for them.
>> Bert Harper: I wish they would rethink that.
>> Bert Harper: I really do. I would. If, they would ask me, I'd tell them that. Jeff. you know, senior pastors, I think the Bible's clear. It should be male. Jeff, thank you.
>> Jeff Chamblee: Thank you.
>> Bert Harper: You gonna be back with us tomorrow?
>> Jeff Chamblee: Let's do it again.
>> Bert Harper: And we'll get into chapter three. All the way into chapter three.
>> Bert Harper: And, we're looking forward to it. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Be sure if you want a listener testimony. 877-876-8893. We'd love to hear it here in.
>> Jeff Chamblee: The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
