Bible Questions and Answers, Part 55

When you ask, what is a Christian. It is one for whom to live is Christ. Christ is our life, we have nothing but price and we have everything in place. John's going to field questions from his home church about the Bible and the Christian life maybe questions you've wrestled with as you study God's word. But before we get to the Q&A. John, you have a few thoughts for those listeners who share our passion for the unvarnished word of God because collectively they did something extraordinary to help keep the teaching of God's word available on radio stations like this for the coming year and what what we mean by that is when we came back a few days ago to Grace to you and saw the mountain of mail and began to pour over and read the letters and open the envelopes I can say this, the outpouring of support for this ministry was beyond generous.

It was thrilling. We know it was sacrificial and obviously year-end giving is a significant portion of our annual budget and it enables us to do what we do through radio books, CDs, the Internet and television and all those ministries are a reflection of people's generosity to us. It's really simple.

We teach the Bible and we have about 60 to 70 employees who enable us to produce the radio the television. The books and all the other resources here. It's really a small core of people who are a team that are committed to the love of the truth and to love one another and together we are able to spread the word of God amazingly across the face of the entire earth in multiple languages and multiple formats and the reason were able to do that is because of the amazing commitment of support that we get from folks like you what it says to us as you love God's word.

You believe in its power to transform lives you trust us to use your gifts with integrity in your depending on us for continued spiritual instruction. So we receive that message and we are so profoundly grateful thanks for caring about the spiritual needs of your community as well in helping us launch into this new year in a firm footing. So it's our joy to put your investments to work in 2022 and on behalf of all the people who will be reached in that year. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Yes friend. This verse by verse. Teaching is both explaining the gospel to nonbelievers and helping Christians around the globe grow spiritually. It's your faithful support that allows us to have that personal life changing ministry. So thank you for the very personal role you have in connecting people with biblical truth and now let's get to today's Q&A session. The first question is from a man named Nathaniel, and you'll hear his question. Then you'll hear John respond. My father was saved as an adult later let his parents the Lord grew up in a Christian home group church by God's grace, he blessed me with a godly wife that comes from us second and third generation Christian home, we seen her children make profession of faith and bear fruit.

Other unique challenges and opportunities in and raising, administering, shepherding, multigenerational Christians, and if so what would they be. That's a very good question and I think there are challenges in raising multigenerational Christians fact there has been a lot of discussion about the fact that first-generation Christians are the passionate, committed devout energetic sacrificial enthusiastic Christians because they know what they been saved from because they have something to compare it to, and there is a zeal and a joy and a sense of wonder over the grace of God that rescued that first-generation and that second generation of Christians raised in the church never really knowing much other than the church brought up in the nurture and admonition of the end of the Lord coming to faith in Christ at some point loses something of the wonder and the awesomeness of conversion because they they lack the experience of a dramatic transformation it takes. I think children raised in that environment. Young people raise in that environment.

Some years to engage in adult life to find out the wonder of what they been rescued from his they usually have to find it out from somebody else and they don't really see that when they're in the church there in a Christian family Christian church in our society today. However, it becomes pretty apparent very early because of the exposure to the things that are outside the church that wants Christian families could insulate their children from a no longer are they able to do that. There is some indication among some people that the third generation of believers seems to drift toward a certain kind of apathy and indifference of familiarity breeds a certain contempt. This would be particularly true and I think I have to say this and not in a self-serving way, but because it's true.

This is particularly true in an environment where there is no real stimulation of their hearts and minds in the things of Christ and the word of God. What is really hard is second-generation and even harder third generation Christians raised in a sort of insipid, superficial, shallow church experience that lacks penetrating conviction that lacks clarification of the word of God, where the word of God is not continually taught in the expositor and brought to bear on their lives in all of its unending richness and beauty and magnificence.

It's easy to become familiar with the same old same old same old. Many people were raised in churches where they heard an evangelistic sermon over the very little variation week after week after week after week. Second-generation young people raised in that kind environment find it very boring and it lacks the penetrating stimulation that they need to really grow.

Third generation Christians even find it harder to do that but I think all that aside, first-generation, second, third, fourth, or whatever it is, in my case, fifth-generation Christians, if they are exposed regularly systematically to the church as the church should be into the word of God is the word of God should be when the word of God comes to bear on their lives.

It erases it cancels out all of those issues because it has the power to penetrate.

I don't think even third generation Christians should find the word of God boring I I think.

And when they're led into the deep things of God. And when they're drawn to think deeply and widely in and to consider the greatness and the glory of God from every facet of the word of God. It only enriches and riches enriches them, it's still a challenge. I think if you ask the guys in the youth ministry, they would tell you the kids that are saved in non-Christian environments not Christian families come to Christ in high school or come to Christ at the University and the college ministry. They have a freshness in the zeal and an eagerness that is unique to that and sometimes the kids that are raised in Christian families don't have that same passion because they take these things for granted again, the answer to that is the power of the word of God to take them to a knowledge of God. An understanding of God that is new and fresh.

Week after week, month after month in their lives.

That's why it's so important in the church that we cover the whole Scriptures so that God gets full exposure in all his glory to all generations of believers.

Okay my question is blessed; what happens to less than be in heaven. Do you have the Holy Spirit within us for with the have a need for the Holy Spirit in heaven.Yes, how about the old tests in the face surety that had a yes regression in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament saints did have the Holy Spirit they did. No one could be saved without the Holy Spirit. Salvation is the same in every age in every era. No sinner can raise himself from death. No sinner can raise himself from ignorance. No sinner can buy his own power escape Satan's clutches. That's a divine work of God done by the Holy Spirit get an illustration of it in the creation where the spirit moves over the waters and creation begins to take shape in Genesis. It says my spirit will not always strive with man so that you have the spirit striving with the sinner bringing the sinner to conviction. Same thing and John. John 16 the Spirit convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment so the work of salvation is always been the work of the spirit always been the work of the spirit that's the affidavit acknowledges this don't take spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of thy salvation that the apostles understood this way, they said this, Jesus said this to them.

Your talk about the Holy Spirit and Jesus said he is with you, he shall be in you, there wouldn't be any salvation in the Old Testament, apart from the Holy Spirit case of the Holy Spirit was with them. Holy Spirit ministered to them, but in some new and full sense he is in us, so it's not a question of the reality itself. It's the question of the degree of that reality.

Holy Spirit is always been with the people of God always.

And when you think about heaven there will be no need for the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit. There will be no need for the Spirit's work of conviction there will be no need for the spiritual work of instruction.

There will be no need for the spiritual work of illumination.

As far as we know, in the sense that we know it now, there will be no need for the spirit to show us Christ. Remember Jesus said when the spirit comes he will show you all things concerning me because we will see Christ and yet, that the spirit of God will function in some way in the glory of heaven to direct us into that form of service which God intends for us to do, but it never refers to believers in heaven, having the Holy Spirit in them. No Scripture that in that regard. So when we go to heaven we will be perfect. We will be like Christ, that doesn't preclude the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit you remember ministered through Christ. So there is some sense in which the spirit of God will be part of. Even I think our eternal service, but in a way different than we experience now because we will have entered into spiritual perfection and Christ likeness in heaven. They question my name is John and I have a question for you. We were in Bible study this morning discussing the second Corinthians 13 and specifically verse five says to examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith, and I guess my question is more pastoral. How do we navigate between the gravity of that verse one that we should always be mindful of and also first John 320 where it says, for whenever our heart condemns us.

God is greater than our heart. That's a very well put question and I think the answer to it is you navigated this way, you asked the question and you rejoice when the answer is affirmative right either.

There are times in your life when you ask the question and then having asked the question when you run the test and you find that all the test validates the reality of your faith then you rejoice and then you are beyond the condemnation, that that the text is not holding us captive to some endless condemnation that can never be overcome is simply saying ask the question and the question can be answered. What you do to examine yourself, whether you're in the faith. You look at evidences of salvation.

It's the direction of your life, not the perfection of it.

Simple things and basic things like do I love Christ by desire to honor Christ through I do I resent the sin that is in me, do I want to be with the people of God do I love the truth of Scripture do I love the word of God taught and understood.

Does it bring me joy.

Do I love to praise the Lord, do I love to sing the hymns that exalt and honor him. These are the evidences of the transformed heart most of the questions you ask. It's not about perfection, it's about direction it's about what you desire what you want, what brings you joy do I live with hope for the life to come. Do I trust in the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ would believe those things are true and having answered those questions then you have risen above the condemning heart. So it's important to ask the question. That's why the Lord's table says let a man examine himself that needs to be done.

Repeated Leiby every time the church doesn't because are always going to be people need to have the question answer, but you don't spend your whole life trying to answer the question. There were times early in my Christian experience where I would examine myself to see whether I was in the Fae.

Every time I would press the test home. I would find failure and sin in my life but I would pass the test because I would have to ask myself where these holy longings come from where does this hunger for the word of God come from what is this desire to honor God come from what is this desire to serve Christ.

What is this hope of heaven come from, where is the strong desire to avoid hell come from. This is not normal to me.

What is this desire to be with the people of God. The fellowship with them come from. I would hundred times rather be with the people of God than with a group of unbelievers and some activity that they're engaged in. Where does it come from my heart belongs to the things of God. My heart belongs to the kingdom so you process those questions and and you look for evidences of God's work in your life, and one great evidence in your life, and this is where you rehearse this is how does your faith do in severe trials. That's why Peter says the testing of your faith is so important because it produces endurance. Hey, I've been there at the edge of the disaster.

I've been there on the brink and my faith did not fail it help and so God has given me a faith that can prevail in the most difficult situations, and when I examine myself, I can look back and say I remember this event when human faith would not be able to hold up, but my confidence in my faith was strong and so it's a faith given by God. So you examine by looking at your longings and looking at the history of God's work in your life.

And once you taken the exam and the answer is in the affirmative, then you don't allow your heart to condemn you, then condemning heart is simply a temptation okay hi Pastor hi my name is Andrew hi Andrew Psalm 36, six says that God cares for people and animals alike are Proverbs 12 says that godly people care for their animals and Scripture also says that the line will deeply don't allow my question faster is that for those of us that are animal lovers and pet owners do we have any typical hope to reassure us that will see your pets in heaven no, but the there are people who are gardeners and then are going to see their plants there either.

So I am still has to comply. Plants don't touch. No, I understand. Then there are people who are rock collectors and then I can see there are rocks there, Eve herself. There are just a lot of things in this world that God has given us for enjoyment in this world. God does preserve man and beast. Psalm 36 asked us a God preserves man and beast.

God has filled this world with all kinds of wonderful and and rich in addictions and blessings and and animals to bring joy into our lives. I know by precious wife Patricia is a lover of birds and that's kind of a wonderful pet to have. I think because they never come inside and all you do is put seed out there and they just arrive and fly all over the place and want to get rid of them just don't put any seed out of there, go somewhere else.

We we love the creation of God. We enjoy the creation of got a beautiful garden in our yard is always filled many birds because she so careful about putting up all these different little receptacles full of seeds so that we can enjoy them, and feeders for hummingbirds and and things like that.

And God has filled his world with these wonderful, beautiful creatures that really we don't ever shoot them and we don't ever eat them so they're not there for that purpose. There there just to display God. That's all just to show his love of beauty and color and a kind of music and wonder these are things that God has given us for this life. They are not everlasting or eternal when they die they do not go to heaven. So there is no indication that there will be animals in heaven. Somebody will say immediately well. Doesn't Jesus come out of heaven.

In Revelation, riding a white horse. Well, there may be one white horse in heaven. But whatever it is, is not a horse like any horse you've ever seen or I have ever seen. So there are no there is no indication of that about heaven heaven is only a place for people in terms of how Scripture describes it, but that's true of so many things in this life. There are many many many things that we enjoy in this life that that the Scripture doesn't say have a counterpart in heaven. Okay, the question under the best of my name is Roberto I Roberto I wanted to ask you this question for long time because you have a habit of looking at things more deeply than other pastors as the body of Christ. Are there any insights that you have a from the fact that woman was the, the only living being, that was not made from the dust that was made from managers the obvious bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, but is there something maybe you can share with us that that is a little bit deeper than that. Well the series I did in Genesis. I covered a lot of those kinds of things I would simply say this woman is the direct creation of God, and she was made with dust in a secondary sense since Adam was made from dust. She being made from Adam was made from the same stuff that he was made from and and so we don't make too big an issue out of that. But what is clear and it it it it must be understood is that woman was created for man because man without her was incomplete obviously can't procreate but procreation wasn't even the first issue the first issue was was companionship so woman is the one who completes man. I don't think that we want to draw any conclusion that because she alone was not created from the dust.

She is something higher than man nobler than men because bonus is more exalted than dust.

But I do think what we don't want to understand is that man is incomplete without woman.

There is a temptation to make a case for a woman's inferiority because she was the one who was deceived and brought the race down. Adam was not, I don't think you want to go there either because Adam was completely agreeable to the iniquity which Eve was engaged in. So I think it's simply the design of God. Rather, creating a man and woman out of doesn't bring them together to make the point that rather than being viewed as absolutely and always equal man is created as the head clearly and woman is then later created from man to be his helper. This is the divine order as God is the head of Christ, and Christ is that of the man amends the head of the woman.

So I think it's trying to show us that it's critically important in marriage that there be a man who is in charge and a woman who is there to help. And then of course out of that comes procreation in our society today. Of course that has been literally obliterated by the feminist movement. Now the latest assault on family lesbian marriage or homosexual marriage. By the way you you you seen that happen now in the state of California to change a lot now because in countries where they have allowed homosexual marriage.

Only about 10% of homosexuals ever get married and want to get married. That is the point. But what they do want is the legitimacy for their behavior and this gives them that. But when when a state or an entity says that marriage is a coupling of two people on any terms, it has completely denied the biblical kind of marriage because biblical marriage is not a coupling of any two people for sexual reasons, it is by God's design a coming together of two people to produce families. That's what it's for.

The exception is baroness, but the pattern that God ordained was a man and a woman to support that man and the bearing of children to produce families to pass righteousness from one generation to the next, so soon as you eliminate children and we've already seen that the wave of people want to get married do not have children then you come to the place where homosexuals and lesbians can come together and be called marriage.

You know that marriage has been redefined. Now is a coupling of any two people of any sex for sexual purposes and nothing else and it has lost its identity, its biblical identity of true identity as a means by which people can their children in well ordered societies and I will tell you what will happen when you define marriage as any other thing than for the purpose of bearing children to be raised by a father and a mother as so that society can be protected and preserved by well ordered families you will see a massive increase in delinquency, crime and all kinds of mental disorder and it's going to get worse and worse and worse because children who are exposed to those kinds of environments are going to be so warped in the future as to have no bearings, morally or socially.

And that's what's coming and it's going to come like a flood.

So I think the point of Genesis is that God made the man is the head and the woman is the helper in the purpose was to raise families to bear children and fill the earth and pass righteousness in order. Down through society that families disintegrated society literally flies apart seems okay this is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us.

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