Hello friends. It's time for the second hour of Open Line with Doctor Michael Ray Moody Radio's Bible Study Across America. We're talking about your questions about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. My name is Michael Ray. I'm professor of Jewish Studies and Bible, as well as the academic dean at Moody Bible Institute. And we're live today sitting around the radio kitchen table taking your questions. Now is
the time to give me a call. It's a great time to call always at the beginning of the hour. The phone number here is (877) 548-3675. If you didn't get that down, I'll say it again. (877) 548-3675. If you can't call, you can always go to our website, online radio.org, and you'll see a link there that says Ask Michael a question. You can post your question there and Trish will put it in the mailbag. That's a great way to get
your question in. If you don't have time to wait on line, or if you don't have the ability to make a call, you can just just do that. Well, I hope you have your Bibles open and the second cup of coffee, because we're ready to talk about the scriptures. And I did want to remind you, since I wasn't here with you live last week, that I really want to encourage you to read through the scriptures this upcoming 2025. And I there's a favorite reading program of mine. It's
from Discipleship Journal. And the reason I really like this reading program. I'll give you my reasons for it. It's not actually, I'm doing a different one this year, but just because I'm trying it out. But through the years, I have found this one to be the most helpful. Here's what I like about it. First of all, it's only 25 days a month, 25 days a month. Which means that if you have, you can skip Sundays if
you want. Or Saturdays or whatever day you go to services. Uh, the other thing that you could do is if you just fall behind and don't get a day in, uh, it's not the end of the world. You don't. You know, what I find is that people, if they don't read every day and they miss two days, the next thing you know, they're so backed up, they drop the program. This gives you 25 days out of usually 30 or 31 days in a month. So that's really helpful. Secondly,
it's only about 20 minutes a day. And I think that's, you know, we we waste 20 minutes every day doing all sorts of things. This is a good investment of 20 minutes every day. The other aspect of this discipleship Journal reading program that I really like is it has two Old Testament passages and two New Testament passages. And so every day you're reading both old and new. Uh, and so you're not just starting in Genesis, because I find what happens is people who try to read through
the Bible in a In a year they will. Very often they'll say that they will start in Genesis. Okay. They get about halfway through Exodus and they are starting to read the commandments about putting together the tabernacle. And next thing you know, they're like, oh boy, I'm losing this. And then they get to when they finally get to Leviticus, they just throw up their hands and they're gone. But this way you're reading across the Bible for the whole time.
And so I really want to encourage you. I think it's one of the best things we can do for our understanding of Scripture and the transformation of our lives. So really, any any way you want to read through the Bible in a year, that's great. But I find that this Discipleship Journal reading program very, very helpful. And so we've posted it on our Facebook page. You can
download it and use it. I think it's a great thing, even if you're a little behind now it's you know, we're ten days in, but remember, this has only got 25 days, so you can pick it up, read a couple of days every day for the next couple of couple of weeks, and you'll be right on time. It's a great program. We're going to go back to the phones now and talk to Tina in Covington, Indiana, listening on Wfor. Welcome to Open Line, Tina. How can I help you today?
Hi. Good morning. Thank you for taking my call. Sure. I have a couple verses in Second Kings that I'm struggling with. Um, the first one is Second Kings 117. The next one is second Kings 816. And I'm just trying to understand the timeline of when these kings came into place, because it seems a little contradictory.
What's your your problem with what's contradictory?
In Second Kings 117 it says, and please, I'm probably going to butcher these names. But, um, Jehoram became king of Israel the second year of Jehoram, king of Judah. Then in second Kings 816 it says Jehoram reigns in Judah, the fifth year of Joram, King of Israel. So I'm not sure which one came first. I'm just trying to do a timeline so I have a better understanding of the Kings.
Mhm. Okay. So you do know that they're both they're two different kings. Yes. Yeah. And they both have the same name. Yes. Right. And uh, so Jehoram in Judah reigned from 848 to 841. Okay. For eight years. And, uh, then, uh, the other Jehoram. Uh, I'm looking for him on my chart here. Uh, reign from 852 to 841, in the Northern Kingdom.
Okay. And that's Israel, right? Yeah. Okay.
So there you have it. Those are the. By the way, I keep this chart on the kings of Israel that I photocopied, I think, from the the Ryrie Study Bible. I just I just photocopied it and I stuck it in my Bible. So I don't get so confused because I can't remember all these dates. I'm pretty good at dates, but all these kings dates, I just can't. I can't figure it out. So it's got Judah and his. I was wondering.
Where you got those dates because I didn't know where to find them.
Yeah, yeah. Again, you know, a book I mentioned in the first hour that's a really helpful book is called A History of Israel by Leon Wood. And it has it has all these kinds of things in it. Another thing there is a book by Thiele. Uh, t h I e l e that was his last name. I don't remember his first name. called the mysterious numbers of the Hebrew kings or the Israelite kings or something like that.
And it it's sort of a harmony and explanation of, you know, where there were, uh, you know, sometimes a king would make his son king and there'd be a dual monarchy at the same time. There was overlap this way in their kingships. And so he harmonizes all the the numbers of the Hebrew kings in the, in the Hebrew Bible. Uh, Thiel. The mysterious numbers of the Hebrew kings. I think it is so.
Okay. Thank you.
Okay, sure. Uh, well, thanks for your call, Tina. We're going to talk to Mary Lynn in Seville, Ohio, listening on the app. Welcome to Open Line. Mary Lynn. How can I help you today?
Good morning. Thank you for taking my call. And I am reading through the Bible, and I have a couple of questions from the beginning. Um, why is not Why isn't, um, Eve credited with the first sin since she's the one that ate the fruit?
Ah, well, there's a couple reasons, but I think, simply put, Adam was considered the head of the household, and they ate the fruit together. And so, uh, Adam was there with her. It says it right in the text. He was there. He was there right with her. What Adam was able to do is say, hey, cut this out. Don't talk to this snake. Uh, and, uh, I'm he was the spiritual head of this situation, and he acquiesced instead of stopping it. And so he was responsible.
Okay. Okay. And then the fact that she misquoted what God had said, that you can't even touch the tree of life. Why wouldn't that be the first sin?
Uh, I think it's because the command that God gave was. Don't eat of this tree. And that was the first. The first sin was breaking the direct command of God. Okay, okay. All right.
Good. Okay.
So is that so.
Important that I just had wondered about it?
Yeah. You know, and it talks about you know, I want to be really clear in Romans five, there was a there was once a theologian who said his name was Hodge said that you could tell if someone's a real theologian is if when you look at their Bible or their Greek New Testament, it just opens immediately to Romans five, which I think is funny, like if you
held it and now mine doesn't do that. So we can tell I am not a real theologian or scholar, but nevertheless it is an important passage because it talks about that everyone sinned in Adam and it says because of that death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression. But then it talks about the gift is not like the trespass. For by if by one man's trespass the many died. How much more have the grace and gift
overflowed to the many? By the grace of the one man, Jesus the Messiah. That's Romans 515. Uh, and what it's saying is that that through one trespass, there is no condemnation as as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone. So also through one righteous act, there's life giving justification, if we will trust that Jesus died for our sins and rose again. If we trust in the perfect one, then what will happen is that, uh, we can experience
God's grace, his forgiveness. So I know it's often that we want to think about Adam and Eve and their their failure. We want to think about, uh, you know, how we all became sinners because of that. But let's not forget the opportunity for all to put their trust in Jesus. And if we'll put our trust in Jesus, the second Adam who died for us and rose again, that's the that's the great opportunity for forgiveness and restoration to God. I think that's that's pretty cool to remember.
That's what Paul was emphasizing in Romans five. Hey, thanks for your call, Marilyn, and thank you. We're going to come back in a moment with more of your questions right here on Open Line. The phone number is (877) 548-3675. You can call us with your question about the Bible, God or the spiritual life. Uh, glad to talk about it. We're having a great time on our Bible study across America. My name is Michael Ray. Dominic and I will be
right back. Sometimes Bible reading can feel like looking at a bunch of puzzle pieces, not quite sure how they fit together. That's where Paul Benna's survey of the New Testament comes in. This comprehensive guide helps you understand how each book fits into God's perfect plan. Connecting the dots from the Gospels to Revelation. It's yours. When you give a gift of any size to open line, call (888) 644-7122 or visit open line radio.org. We're back. This is open
line with Michael Ray. I'm so glad to be studying the scriptures with you this morning and I really appreciate it. You know, I'm I'm amazed When I go out and I meet with people who are at different moody events. For example, I went last month to Candlelight Carols, which was a big event, and I just stood in the Commons one evening and there were so many people there, and they kept coming up to me and saying, I'm a kitchen table partner and I appreciate it so much.
The reason is it says that they appreciate and value what we're trying to do here, to bring a greater understanding of the scriptures, and walking with the Lord to people through studying the scriptures together, understanding God better, understanding His word better, and most importantly, having our lives transformed. One of the things about Open Line is I really believe. I don't think I'll get the quote exactly right, but
one of the things that D.L. Moody said is the Bible wasn't given to inform us, but to transform us. And that's what I really believe about our time together. I together. I don't want just to improve our knowledge, but to actually transform all of our application of of that knowledge and our obedience to the scriptures and people who become kitchen table partners are saying, yeah, I agree with that goal, and I'm going to give monthly so that I can make sure that this keeps happening right
here on Moody Radio. And if you're one of those people that feels that way, maybe you'd like to become a kitchen table partner and give monthly. One of the things that I do is every other week I'll send out a Bible study moment. It'll come in your email. You click on it. It's a Bible study designed exclusively for our kitchen table partners. If you'd like to become a kitchen table partner, we'd appreciate it so much. Just call (800) 864-4712 two. That's 86447122. Or potentially you can go
to our website. If that's the way you'd prefer to do it. You can go to Open Line radio.org and click on the link there about Kitchen Table Partners and we'll appreciate it so much. And we're going to talk about uh, Delia. And we're going to talk to Delia in Palm Beach, Florida listening on RMB. Welcome to Open Line. Delia. How can I help you? Is it Dalia or Dalia?
Dalia. Dalia. Dalia. You know, they wrote.
They wrote it out phonetically for me as Dalia. And I'm like.
Huh, okay, I.
Think it's Dalia, but. Okay.
So God bless. Yeah. God bless you for taking my call. I have a question, and I was corrected how to phrase it. I told so often that, um, angels and humans had relations, and they're where they are on the giants. The Netherlands came in, so I wanted to find out. What is your understanding? I know you are knowledgeable and you will tell me just what I need to know.
Well, I'll do my best to give you. Now, there are a lot of people who believe what you're saying, but I don't. I don't agree with that. In Genesis six, where it says mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God. Some people say that those are fallen angels. The sons of God saw that the daughters of man were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves.
And so that's what they're talking about now. I, the sons of God, uh, can, uh, refer to angels they do in job 38. I think it is. Uh, it's there's no question that it's a possibility that Sons of God can mean that. However, it also can refer to something else. And the reason I think it's not angels is that in Matthew 2230, when the Lord Jesus talked about us in our resurrected state, he said that we will be like the angels and not marry or be
given in marriage. And so how is it that the sons of God, if there are angels here, take wives for themselves? That doesn't make any sense. So because angels don't take wives. And so I would say that it's probably something else. And what you have here is, uh, Genesis chapter four, you've got the line of Cain from verse 17 to about 24. Uh, Genesis 417 through 24 is the line of Cain, the ungodly line. And then you've got the godly line of Seth from Genesis 425
all the way to the end of chapter five. What's significant? That's the context. And so I think the sons of God refers to the ungodly. I'm sorry. The, uh, the daughters of mankind were the ungodly line of Cain. The sons of God is the godly line of Seth. And so the sons of Seth, the godly ones, take daughters of mankind. The daughters of of Cain. And the two lines, uh, merge. And as a result, uh, and they chose anyone that
they wanted, is what it said. Instead of being careful to marry godly women, they were choosing, choosing the ungodly line. And then they're the the product of their marriage were the Nephilim. Uh, some people think Nephilim means giants. But really, what Nephilim means are fallen ones. That's what the Hebrew word means. And so what happened is the descendants of the. The merged lines are people who are corrupted, fallen, and, uh,
these fallen people became powerful on the Earth. Uh, had a powerful full negative influence, which leads to the flood. And that's why the flood has to come as a judgment. Because God says he regretted making mankind because they had become so corrupt. So I think that's what we have happening in Genesis four five and six. I hope that helps you, Dalia, and thanks for your call. We're going to talk to Kathy in Brookfield, Illinois, listening on our
flagship station, Wmbi. Welcome to Open Line. How can I help? And by the way, I have to ask you, uh, we're just going to limit ourselves to one question. So I see that it says you have two questions. Let's stick to one question. Okay. Choose well. Choose the one you want. Okay.
Well, I have a I have a new international version of the Bible. And it starts out at one, um, Luke 126. In the sixth month, God sent, uh, Gabriel Old an angel, Gabriel to Nazareth in the town of Galilee. Galilee. What is the sixth month in the Jewish calendar?
It's not talking about the calendar. It says after. Look at verse 24. It says after. These days. His wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. The Lord has done this for me. He has looked down, looked with favor in these days. Take away my disgrace among the people. In the sixth month, the angel was sent by God to a town in Galilee. So what it's saying in the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy.
Okay, okay, okay. That was okay. Yes.
Context. Context. Context. Okay. Okay.
I didn't I didn't go back because in another version, which was more a devotional version, it starts out at 126 saying in Elizabeth's Of pregnancy. And so it was confusing.
Yeah, yeah. Well, the one the second one was reading it in context and trying to clarify it for you. That's good. So. Okay.
Okay. I just wasn't sure. And I know I can only ask one question, but.
Yeah, but you call back another time with the second question. We're happy to do that. So. Yeah. Okay. Thanks so much for your call, Kathy. Really appreciate it. Okay. Bye bye. We're going to talk to Colleen in Caledonia, Illinois. Listen on Wmbi. Welcome to Open Line. Colleen. How can I help you?
Thanks, doctor. I wanted to say I appreciate your wise, your wise, whatever, and your peaceful voice.
So my question is, um.
You're welcome.
So Proverbs ten um, three says, the Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger. And when I look at the world and see how many people are hungry, I'm wondering, how is that? How does that.
Work? Well, I actually mentioned that in passing, in my opening word in the first hour. Oh, I was sleeping. Oh, okay. Well, you know, I'll set your alarm next week. Okay, good. No, I'm just joking. You. Okay. The, uh. What? Well, the opening word today was about, uh, Matthew 633. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things, all these material, uh, gifts of clothing and food will be
added to you. And, of course, I said there are some cases where the righteous are not, uh, will go hungry or be subject to exposure or not have enough clothes. That happens. And I would say that the rule in Matthew 633 and also here in, uh, Proverbs ten three is the Lord will not let the righteous go hungry. As a general rule, that's what the Book of Proverbs are, general rules. But there are exceptions. And the exception is this that there are times where God, for his glory
and our good, he allows us to do without. Sometimes it brings greater glory to God to see someone faithful who is struggling and suffering in a situation without food. And what God does in those circumstances is he provides the spiritual enablement for them so that they can endure suffering with joy and with with, uh, with dependence on him through that. Uh, I think that that's the exception rather than the rule. The rule is that God provides
our material needs. But when it does happen, uh, in places in the world where there are believers who are suffering hunger, it's, uh, God is making a special, uh, enablement for them to them to endure it well. Okay.
Okay. And not believers is just. If they're not believers and they're they're hungry. Um, how do I respond to that as a Christian? But that might be a second question.
No, no, that's that's a good follow up on that one. Uh, there's something that theologians called common grace. It's where it says that the Lord makes the sun to shine on both the just and the unjust, and he makes the rain to fall on both the just and the unjust. You know, and so there are people who are not believers who, you know, the whole farming system works. And, uh, God provides for everyone. That's called common grace. God is
gracious to everyone and allows that to happen. However, the promise of provision in this verse in Proverbs ten three is that the Lord will not let the righteous go hungry. So it's specifically talking not about common grace there. It's talking about provision for the righteous. Okay.
Thank you doctor.
Oh, sure. Thanks so much for your call. I really appreciate it. Uh, and, uh, you know, I was going to talk to, uh, Jeanette, but we're going to have to wait on that. Jeanette. I hope you'll be able to hang on through. What's upcoming is our, uh, febc mailbag in the next segment. Uh, but, uh, we just don't have time to go to the phones in this time right now. But if you do want to put your question into the mailbag, what you can do is you can go to Openline radio.org and there's a link there.
This is the best way to get your questions in. I notice that people sometimes will ask, how do I get my question into the mailbag so that Tricia will will read it on the air? Well, the, uh, the way to do that is to click on Ask Michael a question. And when you click on Ask Michael a question, uh, then, uh, the, uh, it goes right on there. There's a form you fill out and you get to put it there. And, uh, so, uh,
that's the way I really encourage you. So, Jeanette, please stick around for the not just this next segment, but the one after. And I'll be sure to take your question. Uh, and, uh, you're listening to Open Line with Michael Melnick. Uh, Tricia McMillan is going to be in with the Febc mailbag, uh, coming up. So stay with us. You might hear the question you sent in. Stay with us. This is open Line with Michael Melnick. And we're back. This program is
called Open Line. My name is Michael Ray Melnick, and I am so grateful that the Far Eastern Broadcasting Company partners with Open Line to bring you the weekly Febc mailbag. Febc is a terrific organization that brings the good news to people via media, and I'm very impressed that they have so much personal engagement with people who respond to their media and they meet real, live people and learn about the gospel that way. It's it's a terrific group.
Check out the Febc podcast. It's called Until all I've heard. All you have to do is go to the Febc Febc website and you can find the podcast there, and many other really helpful things to find out about this really terrific organization. Really grateful for them. And joining me right now for the Febc mailbag, running into the studio, grabbing her sheet of paper. I'm I'm calling it like a sportscaster jumping up into her chair. Thank you. Is Tricia McMillan the star of the show? Yes. There we go.
No, not the star of the show. I am not the star of the show.
Without you, there's no open line. Nine. Grateful that you're here. Well, I guess you were talking to people online there. Is that.
What? Well, I was working on. Yes. It's been a little crazier than normal today, so I was working on getting the website up and the links up and all the things. So anyway.
I'm glad you're here with us. So we're going to go to the mailbag and see what people are asking.
Yes. Well, we actually have had a couple people who were not able to stay on. And so I'm asking their questions. Our first question is from Penelope in Indiana, listens to WNBA and she was looking at Isaiah 19, verse 25. Um, major prophets.
I got it right here. I'll read.
It. Okay.
It says, uh, I'm going to go to verse 24. On that day, Israel will form a triple alliance with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing within the land of Egypt. The Lord of hosts will bless them, saying, Egypt, my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance are blessed. So that's the verse.
Okay. She wants to know, has that prophecy been fulfilled?
Ah, well, Syria basically is up by part of Iraq. Uh, there are Assyrian Christians up there in Iraq. Uh, there are also, uh, Kurds in that area. That's a Kurdish area. So that's basically where Assyria is, uh, in today. And there is no peace agreement between Israel and Syria. There is a peace agreement with Egypt, but it's a cold peace. It's not really. And, uh, Egypt has not turned to the Lord. So I believe this is in context, context of a, uh, a prophecy of the messianic kingdom, the
period when Jesus is reigning in Jerusalem. It says in verse 20. He will send them a Savior and a leader, and he will rescue them. Who is that? That's the Messiah. The Lord will make himself known to Egypt, and Egypt will know the Lord on that day, and they will even offer sacrifices and offerings. I believe in the millennial temple. They will return to the Lord, and he will hear their prayers and heal them. And on that day he will. There will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. So
we're talking about two ancient enemies of Israel. You have Egypt, the original oppressor, and Assyria up north of Israel. And they will worship together. They will worship the Lord. So that's talking about in the messianic kingdom. There will be this. The Israel will be in the center between the north and the south, between Syria and Egypt. And the three there will be a tripartite alliance of people who worship the Lord.
Okay.
Wow.
Yeah, that'd be cool.
Yeah. That's it.
All right.
That's messianic kingdom days.
Okay. Yeah. Um. Next question. Actually, with that, it's more Millennial Kingdom. But, um, Michael in Illinois listens to WNBA. I wanted to know what the purpose of the millennium that's mentioned in revelation 20 is. And when I was looking at this, um, it talks about, well, the specific verse he's asking about says, blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of the Messiah, and they will reign
with him 1000 years. And so it talks about the, um, Satan will be thrown, cast.
Into, cast.
Into the abyss, the abyss for a thousand years. And then those who have been, uh, it sounded like it was those who have been martyred will reign, and others will will have that authority to judge as well, for a thousand years. And those are the ones who were in the first resurrection. In that resurrection. And then, uh, and then this verse. Yeah.
Um, yeah, I got it. So. Okay. So who will participate in the Millennial Kingdom? Yeah. First there will be resurrected believers from this era because I believe the resurrection of and translation of church saints, people who like us in this era, will either be resurrected before the rapture, I mean before the tribulation, at the rapture. Okay? Or will be translated. You know, if we're alive at the rapture, we'll be translated into the glorified body that we have.
We won't die. We'll just be translated in the twinkling of an eye. And so but we'll return with the Lord and enter the kingdom. Remember, it says he descends with the holy ones after the marriage supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19. So that will be some of the resurrected people. Then the Old Testament saints will be resurrected when the Lord returns to establish his kingdom. That's in Daniel 12 two and three. Uh, it talks about the Old Testament saints, all those saints who went to
be with him when they died. David, Abraham, all those guys, they get to be resurrected and enter the kingdom.
So? So is that the same? So there's the the new heavens and new earth, which are that's different.
That's that's the eternal state.
This this is the millennial kingdom. Yeah.
The 1000 years.
The 1000 years. Okay.
So you've got the the church resurrected before the tribulation. You've got the Old Testament saints being resurrected after the tribulation, and also those who died in the tribulation, the martyrs during the tribulation, those who are preaching the gospel and martyred. They will be resurrected and enter the kingdom, the messianic kingdom, the millennium that.
Would include all martyrs, right? Like anyone before this, I mean like no, no, no, no.
Only the martyrs of the tribulation, because the the martyrs before the rapture, they're resurrected, they're church martyrs. They'll be resurrected. If there was an Old Testament martyr, he'll be resurrected at the start of the kingdom. And and then, uh, also at this time, the martyrs of the tribulation will be resurrected. Okay. Okay. So all martyrs will have been resurrected by then.
But but they're you're.
Just distinguishing.
Between the categories. Okay. But they will all be there reigning for this millennial kingdom with Christ.
Yes. And then, uh, but the purpose of the millennium is to fulfill its. I would say there's two main purposes. One, to fulfill the promises that God made to Israel, to inherit the land, to have a righteous kingdom, to be a kingdom of priests, to bring knowledge of God to everyone. Uh, all those promises that Israel has never fully experienced will be fulfilled in the kingdom and that thousand year reign.
A second one is that. Think about it. There will also be people who are believers at the return of the Lord who have not been resurrected. They will also enter the kingdom.
Okay, but in resurrected bodies.
Yeah. And mortal bodies. And they will marry and have children. And those children in that thousand year reign. Those children, grandchildren, those they will have to come to know the Lord. They will have to trust in Jesus. And you would think that they all would, because he's reigning right there in Jerusalem. But they don't. And, uh, in the end, they rebel, even though Satan has been bound. They still don't believe. Even though Satan's been bound, they don't become believers.
And so at the end, when he is unbound, there's one last rebellion against God that's It's called the War of Gog and Magog in Revelation 20. So I think what this is showing is that I think what it's saying is, listen, a lot of people think that the reason some don't believe is because the devil makes them do it, you know? But there's here's going to be a time where the devil isn't doing it. Do you know what's keeping them from believing their own flesh and
their own rebelliousness and unwillingness? And so what this shows is, first of all, that God's going to be faithful to all his promises. That's the first reason. But the second is to show that people are going to be just like they always were. And we shouldn't be blaming the enemy. We shouldn't be blaming the devil like Geraldine did in the old Flip Wilson comedy The Devil Made Me Do It, but rather recognize that that we are all fallen. Even people born in the millennium will be all right.
Thank you for that question, Michael. Yeah. Okay.
Let's go with the last question.
I'll do Ronald in Lake Wales, Florida, listens to what is meant by the unpardonable or unforgivable sin. Is it specific things? Can we do it if we are saved, or does it negate our salvation if we do it if we can't?
First of all, clearly in Scripture, you cannot lose. We can't lose our salvation. Romans eight nothing will separate us from the love of God once we've come to know him. Another is the Lord. Jesus said, he's always come to do the father's will. So he's the Messiah. He'll always do the father's will. And this is the will of my father, that of all that he has given me, I lose not one of them. He he can't get rid of us. He won't. We can't get away from him.
So that's clear in Scripture. So what is the unpardonable sin? Uh, it's it's the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? If you read Matthew 16, where that's found the context. Matthew 12, where that's found Matthew 12, it's saying that there. Here it is, the incarnate Messiah is present among them doing great miracles. And the leadership there of Israel determined that he was doing them by the power of Beelzebub, of Satan, not by
the power of the Holy Spirit. And so I don't think that's a feasible or applicable sin that we can commit today, because the incarnate Messiah isn't here doing miracles among us. And so though. But that was a full and final rejection of Jesus, and they were never going to change from that. I think people can come to a place of full and final rejection before they ever come to know the Lord. They can, but I don't
know where that is. So I'm going to just keep proclaiming the gospel and see those people who seem to have rejected him. I've seen people come to know the Lord that I thought were beyond. Yeah. Beyond. Beyond. You know, beyond hope. So anyway.
Okay. Thank you.
Good. Well, we're going to take a break here. Yes. And when we do, we'll come back afterwards and take some more questions. Try and get as many in as I can. I promise, Jeanette, I would take her questions, so she's up first. And thank you. Tricia, for putting the mailbag together and talking to all these people. Really appreciate all that you do. That's Tricia McMillan. My name is Michael Radonich, and Open Line will be right back with more of your questions. Welcome back to Open Line
with Michael Zelnick. Did you ever feel Christians can't do anything about the growing anti-Semitism in the world? Well, that's why Chosen People Ministry is one of our partners, is offering a free book called Uncommon Allies American Jews and Christians Uniting Against Hitler. It was written by Alan Shore, a messianic Jew, and this book shows the importance and power of Christians standing against anti-Semitism in the past, so will be motivated to do the same in the present
and the future. Just go to Openline radio.org. Scroll down and you'll see a link that says A free gift from Chosen People Ministries. Click on that. You'll be taken to a page where you can sign up for your very own free copy of Uncommon Allies. And we're going to talk with Jeannette right now listening in Monticello, Indiana on Wmbi online. Welcome to Open Line, Jeannette. How can I help you? Thank you.
Um, I'm wondering how the Old Testament people, uh, are in heaven. If Jesus is the only way.
If Jesus is the only way. Okay. So you say if they can't believe in Jesus in the Old Testament because he wasn't he didn't come. He didn't die for our sins. He wasn't raised yet. How can they be saved? Here's how people have always been saved. Are you ready, Jeanette? Write this down. I'm ready. Okay. People are always saved by grace through faith in the revealed will of God. Okay. By grace. Through faith in the revealed will of God. Now, what I mean by that is that today we must
have conscious faith in Jesus. Why? Because in Hebrews chapter one, here's a verse to remember at the beginning of the book of Hebrews it says, uh, God, long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. Also in John chapter eight, when the Lord Jesus, uh, becomes revealed as he's, uh, engaging with people and talking, uh, he says in John 824.
I'm turning to it to read. Uh, for if you do not believe that I am he and it literally is, if you do not believe that I am sort of an indication of deity. If you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins. So there needs, I believe, since the incarnation, to have a conscious faith in Jesus. He is the revealed will of God. However, prior to that, here's what God revealed, for example, to Israel. He revealed that they had to have faith that when
they offered the sacrifices, their sins were covered. They had to have faith that one day God would bring a messiah, because you could see that right away from Genesis 315, that God was promising, uh, the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent. They didn't know his name would be Jesus. They didn't know when he would come, but they knew that there was a coming Messiah. And so That was the revealed will of
God for them. But since then, since the first century, now they now people must have a conscious faith in Jesus because he has been revealed. Does that make sense to you now?
It does. Okay. Yes it does.
Thank you. Yeah. So it's, uh, here's the words that, uh, Eva and I in our classes have taught students all the time about Old Testament salvation. People are saved by grace. Always through faith. Always, but always in the revealed will of God. Okay, good.
Very good. Thank you so.
Much. Yeah. Thanks so much. We're going to, uh, speak with Mark in Stow, Ohio, listening on CRF. Welcome to Open Line. Mark. How can I help you today?
Hi, doctor. Nick. Um, I was sitting in a class. Um, the teaching was on the wrath of God, and one of the emphasis was that God hates sinners and has always been my understanding that he loves sinners. So the four scriptures that we used were Psalm five five the arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong. Psalm 11 five. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked who love violence, his soul hates. Um, Jeremiah, I lost.
My. It doesn't matter. There are verses like that. Okay.
Okay. So, anyway, um, it's always been my understanding that, uh, you know, God demonstrates his love for us in this. That while we were still sinners, while we were still enemies, Christ died for us. And, you know, God so loved the world. So, um, the whole idea of God, of loving the sinner but hate the sin is in this teaching, uh, does not exist. So any light you can shed on that would be appreciated.
I think it's really clear that God so loved the world. Now, there are some people who want to limit that love to the world of the elect.
Yes.
Okay. But I think the word cosmos there clearly refers to the world of humanity. And then also, uh, Romans five eight that you just God demonstrates his love towards us who are elect, that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us. So again. But and they actually I think that's because he uses the word us believers. Uh, that's probably a more accurate rendering, but not what John was saying in John 316. Okay. So, uh, God's love has to do with his compassion, his concern for all people.
That's why he gave his one and only son for the whole world, right? Uh, yeah. And in first John chapter two, verses one and two, uh, it says that, uh, turning pages here first John two one and two that he is our propitiation, not ours alone, but the propitiation or satisfaction for sin for the whole world. So the God's love for everyone is that they have to consciously obey. They have to obey the command to believe. They must believe. And that's how it activates the satisfaction for their sins,
the atonement for their sins. Without that, they're not saved. So it's not a salvation, a love that leads to salvation necessarily. They have to respond in faith. You agree with that, don't you, Mark?
Oh, yes. Of course. Yeah.
Okay. But now the question is, a lot of times in the Hebrew Bible, the word hate, and even sometimes in the Gospels, the word hate has to be translated as reject. Like Jacob have I loved chosen, but Esau have I hated, rejected. And what this is teaching clearly that those who don't believe, even though God loves the world, if they reject him, then God will reject them. And that's what the word hate means in those verses that you found. Okay.
I appreciate that. Yeah.
Well, thanks for calling, Mark. Appreciate that. I hope you're not rejecting him. If you're listening. Put your trust in Jesus. Uh, and and follow him. Uh, and God's love will be shed abroad in our hearts. That's the program for the week. We'll be back next week with more questions that you can listen to and and or give them your own. Keep in touch with us by going to our website, openline. radio.org. You'll find all the stuff you're looking for right there.
Keep reading the Bible. We'll talk about it next week. Open line with Doctor Michael Redlick is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. Happy New Year, everyone.