Hello, friends. It's time for the second hour of Open Line with me. Michael. Right. It's Moody Radio's Bible study across America. We're talking about your questions about the Bible, God and the spiritual life. We're sitting around the radio kitchen table and I'm taking your questions. So just give me a call. (877) 548-3675. That's (877) 548-3675. If you can't call, just go to our website online radio. Click on the Ask Michael a question link and you'll be able to
post your question there. And Trish will put it in the mailbag. I hope you have your Bibles open. I hope you have a second cup of coffee going. Uh, because we're ready to talk about the about the scriptures again. The phone number (877) 548-3675. If you think, how can I get my call in? Now is the time to call at the beginning of the hour. There's about three lines or four lines open. So just now's the time to call (877) 548-3675. We're going to talk to Lorraine in Monroe, Wisconsin,
listening on Moody Radio there 106.9. Welcome to Open Line, Lorraine. How can I help you?
Hi, Michael. I have a question. Um, some churches teach entire sanctification. Sanctification. And I'd like to find out if that's biblical. And then what is the clear definition of sanctification?
Sanctification. I'll start with the last part. To sanctify is to be made holy. The process of making us holy. Okay. Now, the thing is, uh, the book of Hebrews uses the word sanctify a little differently in the book of Hebrews. It's very common, and it's just that author uses it more of our positional sanctification, referring to that, when God looks at us, once we've trusted in Jesus, we've been sanctified.
He sees us entirely holy. Uh, it's similar to the way the Apostle Paul in Romans uses the word justified, declared righteous. Okay, but generally speaking, when we see the word sanctification or sanctify, it's referring to the process, not the product, not not the positional, uh, sanctification that we have in Jesus, but rather the process of sanctification, uh, of being drawn closer and more and more holy, uh, to be made holy by the power of the Holy Spirit. Does that make sense?
Yes.
Okay. Uh, now, uh, Romans eight, by the way, uh, is a good passage to if, uh, if you want to study sanctification, that process, uh, and then, uh, now the the issue of entire sanctification, sometimes I feel like it's unrealistic. It's it's more from the Wesleyan tradition, something that John Wesley taught, uh, called it was also called perfect love. And the idea of entire sanctification is that once we reach, uh, once we know the Lord, we
reach a certain level of maturity that we won't sin. And, uh, I don't think so. A couple of reasons. I would assume that they would think the apostle Paul was a mature believer. But the apostle Paul says in Philippians, uh, not that I've arrived, but I press on. Right? Uh, and uh, verse 12 of chapter three 312, not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it
because I have been taken hold of by the Messiah, Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken Ahold of it. Meaning I'm not there yet. Uh, so he apparently is not entirely sanctified yet. And, uh, another verse I think that's really important about this is, uh. Now, I've never been I've never really have sat under the teaching of someone who holds this. I've only read about it about it in books, so, uh. But here we go. Ready? First John chapter one. It says, uh, and this is
obviously written to believers. It says that in chapter five of First John, he says, I write these things to you who believe. So he's not talking to lost people. He's talking to people who know the Lord, who put their trust in Jesus. Uh, and that's that's important to see that in first John five, that he says, I write these things to you who believe in the Son of God. Okay. Now, in first John one, he says in verse eight, if we say we have no sin,
that has to be a nature to sin. We're deceiving ourselves. And the truth is not in us. Verse ten says, if we say we don't have any sin, we make him a liar, and His word is not in us. Uh, and then he says, I'm writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the father. So he's not saying just because we sin, it's okay. I'm not trying to encourage you to sin. I'm just saying when we do, we have an advocate with the father. But it seems
clear to me from this. And he gives guidelines. If we confess our sins, he is faithless, faithful to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So the the point of this is that John seems to be thinking that we all sin, and as long as we say we don't, we're making God a liar. Now, I think there's a condition to perfect love. I don't think they're unrealistic. I think they say that perfect love, or entire sanctification, means we don't intentionally sin, but we can
inadvertently sin. Here's the problem. Even I've been a believer a long time. I really want to follow the Lord. But even I, uh, just get mad at mad at myself constantly for intentionally sinning. You know, it's not just something that happens inadvertently, you know? Uh, I don't know anyone that doesn't sin intentionally. Now, that's not good. But I have an advocate with the father, and. And that's what I would say in first John two two. He is the satisfaction for our sins, and he is the
advocate that we all have with the father. Uh, I don't want to intentionally sin, but I do sometimes. Don't you think you do, too?
Sure.
Yeah. So I, uh, with even with that caveat of saying it's not referring to and is only referring to intentional sin and not unintentional. That's that would be, I think, uh, the problem. Okay.
Okay. So it sounds like it's not possible.
I don't think it's possible. You know, there are a lot of by the way, there are a lot of people from the Wesleyan tradition Who I've heard teach, and they may officially say they believe it, but when I hear him teach the Bible, you know, from time to time they they recognize that we sin. So. Yeah.
Okay.
Okay. All right. Uh, okay. Thank you. Uh, by the way, my sister's name. Lorraine. Uh, you don't hear that name very much.
You don't. You don't. You really don't. I was hoping it was coming back. A lot of the older names are coming back, but so far, uh, this one has.
Not that one, but. And, you know, back to the future. There was a character named Lorraine, and I always thought that was cool because my sister is named Lorraine from about the same time we're, you know, we're baby boomers. So there we go. Anyway, great. Great talking with you, Lorraine. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, J.R. in Tennessee, listening on Wmwx. Welcome to Open Line. How can I help you?
Yes, sir. Uh, so my uncle went to Israel a couple summers Ago, and the tour guide told all the people there that when Peter denied Jesus. He wasn't doing so out of fear, but he was doing so because he thought he was protecting Jesus, because he was saying the tradition was that they had to have 2 or 3 witnesses, eyewitnesses, to bring charges. So Peter was trying not to be a witness, and he was thought he was protecting Jesus. Do you think there's any validity to that take?
I love Israeli tour guides, but they always think that they've got a little background thing that's going to help. No, I don't think there's any validity to that. First of all, why would he deny the Lord if he was used as a witness? It would be. It would not be to corroborate what happened. Right? He would he would say, uh, you're misunderstanding what Jesus meant when he said, uh, tear down this temple and I'll raise it up in three in three days? He was talking about himself. Yes. You know,
he he would not be a good witness. So he didn't have to deny the Lord to avoid being a witness. He wouldn't be a good witness of the accusation. He'd be a good witness for the Lord Jesus, don't you think? No. He was afraid. Otherwise, if he was accomplishing his purpose, would he go out and weep bitterly afterwards?
No, no. No, sir.
Yeah. So, you know, I actually you're going to find this hard to believe. I find it hard to believe sometimes, but periodically I work on training. I do seminars for Israeli tour guides, and one of the things I try to tell them over and over is don't try and use a background inappropriately. Like using the two. You need 2 or 3 witnesses, and all of a sudden you have an insight that's not apparent from the text. That's not the right way. You know, just I always tell
people the plain sense makes sense. Seek no other sense lest it result in nonsense. And that's what that is. That's nonsense. Okay.
Thank you. I was very skeptical. I was very skeptical of that take. So thank you for confirming that.
Yeah, there's some great Bible teachers among the tour guides, but that's one of the reasons why, when I bring a group to Israel, uh, this is going to I just do. I've been doing this now for a long time. I think the very first group I brought to Israel was in 1997. So that's a long time. I'd been to Israel many times before that, but studying there, I did a pastoral internship there, you know, things like that. Uh,
lived there for a summer, a couple summers, actually. Uh, but the point of it is that when I started leading tours, I wouldn't let the guides teach the Bible. I figured people came not to hear them teach the Bible. They came to came to hear me teach the Bible. So that's what I, uh. And that helps me not, uh, have this kind of stuff taught. So. Okay.
All right. Thank you very much.
Yeah. Thanks, JR. Appreciate it. Uh, thanks for the call. And we're going to take a break here. Uh, when we come back we'll take more of your calls at (877) 548-3675. If you have a question about the Bible or God or the spiritual life, we'll be happy to talk about it right here on Open Line with me. Michael Melnick, stay right there. More coming up straight ahead. Welcome back to Open Line. So glad to be with you today. So glad that you're listening. My name is Michael Ray Melnick,
and I'm so glad that you're listening today. Uh, I want to talk about our current resource. You know, I remember one of my favorite things I ever did with my son is when he finished high school, we had a van that had two beds in it, and we traveled across country from Chicago all the way to San Diego and then up the California coast, up to Oregon, and then back to the to Chicago. It was one
of the best things ever. And every morning for weeks, he and I would get out our Rand McNally Atlas and we would see, okay, this is where we're going. We didn't take any interstates. We only took back roads that whole way. Uh, just so that we could see things. We went to national parks. We, uh, we saw the Yankees play several times. It was so much fun. Uh, but here's the here's the deal. You need a map. Now, I don't think people anymore. They use maps. They don't
use maps. Uh, they they use GPS. But when we read the Bible, it'd be really great if we had a road map. And that's why our current resource is a survey of the New Testament by Paul Benware, master teacher. It's a comprehensive guide that takes us on the journey, giving us a road map from Matthew to Revelation. It shows how each book connects, how they all tell one great story of God's redemptive plan. It is a terrific book, and it's yours. If you want to give a gift
of any size to open line. I do want to say if you've never considered giving, uh, this is the book to give, uh, to give your gift so that you can receive a copy of this. It's a really wonderful book. Uh, it's it's easy to use. And the way to do that, if you'd like to give a gift, uh, for the first time, or if you've given before, do it again, because this is a this is a great
book to get. Uh, all you have to do is give a gift of any size to open line by going to open Line radio.org, or you can call 8886447122886447122. And remember ask for survey of the New Testament by Paul Benmore when you give your gift. And we're going to talk to Julius in Gary, Indiana, listening on the Moody Radio app. Welcome to Open Line. Julius. How can I help you?
Hi, doctor. Thanks for taking my call. Yes. Um, my question is, I was telling my trainer at the gym that he needed Jesus to pay his sin debts, and he was wearing a shirt that said the Most high is yahuwah y a y a h u a h. And he was saying that he didn't need Jesus. Uh, Jesus wasn't a virgin birth. David was Jesus father and things like that. And I was trying to tell him that that's not true. So how do you convince people that what they're doing is that that's not right? And
he was explaining to him different translations and things. And it's just it's just hard trying to evangelize to people outside the church, you know?
Yeah. Well, they're the ones that need it though, right? So. Yeah. Yeah, it sounds to me he's gotten like, like into involved with some sort of cult, to be honest. Uh, I've never heard the expression yahuwah. I've heard Yeshua. Uh, it's a distortion. They say that Jesus real name is. Yeah, like like Yahweh. Right. From the Old Testament stuff.
Yeah. That's what I figured. Mhm.
Yeah. And Yeshua, uh, the Hebrew word for Jesus is Yeshua y e s h u a. That's perfectly fine. There's also Yeshua. Uh, there's Jesus. Uh. Jesus. There's all these Greek and there's Spanish and God knows every language and it's fine. Yeshua is not the right name. It's not the right Hebrew name. And Yahuwah that may be a distortion of Yahweh. I don't know, uh, but here's
the thing. All you, all you can do is keep showing what the Hebrew Bible predicted of the Messiah and, you know, the messianic prophecies and point them to Jesus or Yeshua. That's what I would do if I were you in that situation.
Okay. All right.
And one more thing. Um, just just some advice on how do you stay encouraged when people outside tell you that you're brainwashed and you don't know what you're talking about? How do you how do you keep going with that? Because it is frustrating at times. Like I say outside the church, most people don't don't believe in Jesus. They need Jesus and any of that stuff. They just they
don't want to hear it. So how do you just stay encouraged to just keep going and just trying to tell people what's what you believe?
Well.
Uh, a funny story. Once I was at was at a festival and there was a guy there that was advocating for Jewish people not to believe in Jesus. He had a booth, and so I went and talked with him and he said, you're just brainwashed. That's what he said about me. I said, are you kidding? I'm not brainwashed. I'm the brainwasher. So. I said, I'm teaching people to
believe this. I'm the one that's pursuing this. Uh, and so I suppose the way I stay encouraged is like, for example, the fact that so many Jewish people don't believe. That's so sad to me, but it says in Isaiah 53 that he would be rejected of men. And so when I see that that doesn't just apply to Jewish people, but he's rejected of men. It's prediction. If Jesus were accepted by everyone then then he wouldn't be the Messiah, right? Because he was despised and rejected of men. Also in
Matthew chapter seven, this is what the Lord Jesus himself said. Uh, he said entering. Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide, and the road is broad. That leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life. And few find it. Again, when when people reject this good news, it just confirms what the
Lord Jesus said. So I try to just stick with that with what the scriptures say and and and celebrate like crazy when someone responds, when the Holy Spirit opens someone's heart and and they respond to respond to the gospel and just keep at it because you should expect rejection. It's not something that we should be surprised about. Okay, Julius.
All right.
Very good. Thank you so much for taking my call today.
Yeah, sure. Thanks for the call. Appreciate it. We're going to talk to Trina in Cleveland, Ohio, listening on WCR. Welcome to the open Line, Trina. How can I help you?
Thank you. Good morning. I have to say, I'm still working on my first cup of coffee. I hope that's okay. I haven't made it to the second cup yet.
Oh, that's okay, that's great. Yeah. To get to, you need you need small cups. Right. So there.
We go. Right, right. So my question is about the the marriage ceremony for Christians. Um, should it be performed, uh, in a church? Should it be performed at least by a pastor, um, a Christian marriage? What is proper. There are so many people out there who can perform marriage ceremonies. You know the marriage vows. But it just doesn't seem right to me. Unless it's, you know, am I wrong in that thinking? Unless it's by a pastor?
Well, it's. I don't think it's a right or wrong issue. It's sort of a preference, uh, that you would have. Uh, I don't think there's any mandatory verse in the Bible. There's no ceremony in the Bible, from what I can tell. Uh, the the wedding is, is what I would think that it's not even in the Bible. It's just that, uh, we we're supposed to obey the government. There needs to be vows, um, and affirmation of those vows. And who asks those vows? Really? The Bible doesn't say who should
or could or would do it. It depends on the government, you know. It was interesting when I moved to New York, when I lived in Texas and I did a wedding ceremony, it was like, no big deal, you know? I taught a Bible study. The state of Texas said, okay, you're you're allowed to do a wedding ceremony. Then I moved to New York, and I had to get all sorts of certification done before they would let me do a ceremony. Okay. So it just depends, uh, who it is, you know?
Some places they require ordination, some places they don't. Uh, but here's the key. I believe that a wedding needs to be there. Really do need to be vows, you know?
Right.
A person needs to vow. Uh. And then not only do there need to be vows. But, uh, it should be before people with witnesses. Uh, that's essential, uh, to hold us accountable to our vows. So. Gotcha.
Okay.
Those are the those are the things that I think are essential for a proper wedding. Okay.
Okay. Okay. That's very helpful. Thank you very much.
Sure. Okay. Talk later. Uh gerlin. In Florida, listening on RMB. Welcome to Open Line. How can I help you?
Hi. How are you doing? Thank you for taking my call. Sure. And my question is in regard to first Corinthians seven at verse 39 where I've read, I've read it and I have an understanding. Just want to hear you elaborate on that first. So I may perhaps confirm my belief or help me understand that my belief is incorrect. That's not what the Scripture is saying. Or is it what the Scripture is saying?
Okay, what are you what? I'm not just going to elaborate on the verse. What's your question about the verse?
My question is, is a woman bound to her husband till death.
Upon marriage.
Here's what the verse says. A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants. Only in the Lord. She can't marry anyone she wants. She has to marry a believer. Uh, but, uh, what this is saying is. Yes. Uh, that's why we say it at a wedding ceremony. This fits with what just was said. Uh, as long as we both shall live. Right.
That's it.
Right. Now, are there exceptions to this general statement? Of course. Uh, the Lord Jesus said that, uh, divorce. And I believe as a result of that, uh, remarriage, uh, is permissible in the case of immorality. So it's not required, but divorce and remarriage is permitted because of immorality. So, you know, you know, if you're having if your spouse committed immorality. First Corinthians 739 is not saying go kill your spouse.
Right.
Okay. Uh, and then, uh, abandonment here in first Corinthians seven by a nonbeliever in particular. Uh, that that would be a case for it. And then when it talks about abandonment, I think it's interesting in first Corinthians 715, a brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. Now when he says in such cases, what does he mean? It seems to me he's talking about when someone, uh, breaks their vows. A brother or sister is not bound
in such cases. So in any other case where vows are broken, I think a person and in particular I'm going to talk to talk about this one area where I think he's talking about in such cases is like a physical abuse. That's a breaking of the vow. And in such cases, a person is not bound to stay with that spouse. Uh, so those are some of the areas. Okay. That's that's how I understand it. Uh, thanks for your call. I, I appreciate it. We're going to come back with the
mailbag in just a moment. So stay with us. This is open Line with Michael Melnick. Welcome back to Open Line. You know, so often people will talk about their tour guide. Someone called with a question about a tour guide in Israel. And I love the Israeli tour guides And unfortunately, a lot of people aren't seeing Israel these days because of the war with Hamas. And they would like to. I
have a dear friend that really wanted to go see Israel. Uh, well Chosen People Ministries is offering a book called Israel the Land and the people. It's a coffee table book. It has some of the best pics of Israel that you'll see anywhere. It has pictures of snow top Mount Hermon, uh, the fortress of Masada, ancient Jerusalem, modern Tel Aviv, much, much more. It has prayer prompts. It has biblical verses.
If you'd like a free copy of Israel, the Land of the people, just go to the open line website, open line radio.org. That's our website. Open line radio.org. Scroll down till you see the link that says A free gift from Chosen People Ministries. And click on that and you'll be taken to a page where you can sign up for your own copy of Israel, The land and
the people. Joining us right now for the Far Eastern Broadcasting company mailbag is to Hera, and we're grateful that Febc partners with Open Line to bring you the weekly mailbag. It's a terrific organization that brings the good news to people via media and personal engagement. Check out the Febc podcast called Until All Have Heard by going to Febc. Org that's febc.org. Hey, Tara. Hi. We've got more mailbag questions. Huh?
We do.
Good. And I'm set. I got my Bible and I'm ready.
Thank you. Awesome. We have Mary from Florida. Why did God want Saul anointed king when he was from the tribe of Benjamin and not from the tribe of Judah?
Well, the tribe of Judah only becomes prominent after the Davidic covenant when David, after Saul is made king. Now there's a prophecy in Genesis 49 that Judah will will take leadership over the tribes, but that that was prophetic. It wasn't mandated. It was saying something that ultimately did happen. Uh, but, uh, if if Saul had stayed faithful and his line had become the dominant line, God would have found some other way to have the line of the of Judah become prominent. Uh,
but I don't know about that. But really, what it was is that the people were trying to push God. I think this is something that theologians have called God's permissive will. And he also showed them how poorly that ended up when because they said what God says to them, you want to be like the nations. You've not read. What he tells Samuel is they haven't rejected you, Samuel. They've rejected me because God was the king. And until God chose to be the right time to to name
the king after God's own heart. David. That's when the Lion of Judah would become prominent. So it was a way of God saying, okay, this is what you want. Let me show you how bad it turns out.
And wow, thank you. Thank you for that. And Samuel did tell them before they got Saul how bad it was going to be.
Yeah. And still.
They did. They still did it. Wow. Thank you. The next question is from Jim in Illinois. He's listening through Wmbi. How did the New Testament writers remember what Jesus said? Was it because of the oral tradition? Was it through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? Was it something else?
The Bible tells us, uh, in the Upper room discourse, the Lord Jesus says to the disciples, uh, verse 20, chapter 14 of John. John 14, verse 26. But the counselor some. That's one way to translate. Translate it. Or the advocate or the. But it's the word for the Holy Spirit. But the counselor, the Holy Spirit, the one called alongside to help, is literally what the word means. Paraclete. Uh, but the counselor, the Holy Spirit, the father will send him in my name. He will teach you all things
and remind you of everything I have told you. And so it's the Holy Spirit that guides them. Now, certainly it he may have helped them recall oral traditions. And those were, uh, spoken before they were written down, but it was through the oral traditions. Began with the apostles, uh, and they were the ones that were promised that he would remind them of all things that that they had been had heard from him. So, John 1426, it's the It's the Holy Spirit.
Thank you. Thank you for that. Yeah. We have a question from Michael also listening in Florida Keys. He says he loves your ministry, Michael. And he says, as I understand scripture, one of the main reasons Jesus became human is so that he could experience everything we experience in human form. How do you think he's able to relate to us humanly about issues like the loss of a wife or child, or growing old, or losing loved ones if he didn't personally experience those things.
This is what, uh, Hebrews chapter four. Verses 14 through 16 says, um, therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to the confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to
help us at the proper time. If he has been tested in every way did he? Was he tested in learning how to be patient with a teenager?
I would say he was tested in patience. So he had what it what it would take to handle that scenario.
I think you're getting it. And then as as he understood what it means to be sacrificial and put his wife first, he's not never been married, but he would have been tested in the area of being sacrificial. Uh, when it says that he was tested in every way, it doesn't mean he experienced every single temptation or test that we face. What it means is he was in every category because, you know as many ways as we can think of, there are potential tests so we can
categorize them. He was, uh, he was tested in being sacrificial. He was tested in being patient. He was. You just name it. Uh, and so every category of test. Uh, he experienced, but not every single potential individual act. That makes sense.
It does. Wonderful answer. Thank you.
Yeah. So which is why he's such a great high priest. Just remember that he's. Every time you're struggling with what you're doing with your kids. Uh, you know, as a kid, I struggled with thinking about my parents. Right. As a parent, I thought about how to be the best parent. And I struggled because, you know, one of the things that you're trying to do is tame fallen children, right?
It's true.
You got to tame them. You know. We've all read Lord of the flies in school. You know, the the the they can I think that I think that was the name of the book. They they get wild. Uh, well, the truth of it is we're trying to tame them, teach them manners and so forth. And so, uh, and when we struggle with that, learning how to behave properly and guide properly and all that, we have a high priest because we we're going to blow it. He's a high priest who sympathizes with us and provides grace to
help when we need it. So anyway, that's that's what I would say. I, uh, I appreciate that, uh, question because I always think, does Jesus really understand? I believe he does. Yes. Uh, we're both parents, right? So we know.
That is true. Thank you. And we need Jesus. Thank you.
Yep. Exactly. When we come back, we're going to take more of your questions right here on Open Line. That was Tyra Haynes. I'm Michael Melnick. Uh, we'll be right back with more of your questions on Open Line. Stay with us. And we're back. This is open line. I'm Michael ray Dominic. I am having a great time in the Word with you folks this weekend. Thanks so much for listening today. Uh, one of the things I so appreciate about being at Moody Bible Institute is we have
special events from time to time. Uh, this past week, it was the missions conference, and we had over 50 agencies there representing that great speakers. One of the things I see our students really responding to this, listen, the best foundation in life, I believe if you have a student that's going to go to college or a grand a grandchild that's going to go to college soon, tell them about Moody Bible Institute. Check out Moody Bible Institute. It's the best foundation for life and God will use
it to challenge students lives. When I was at the missions conference this past week, I met a couple of people who were there and they said, we're kitchen table partners. I'm so grateful that they were there. They were missionaries, missionaries representing agencies who actually listen to Open Line and are kitchen table partners. They're people who committed to give monthly so that we could be on the air weekly.
And I got to say, when when a missionary tells you they're a kitchen table partner, it's just so encouraging because, you know, they have limited funds and yet they're giving something because of their confidence in this program. And if you're listening and you'd like to, uh, to become part of that team, to be a kitchen table partner, I would so appreciate it. One of the things we do is we send out a Bible study moment every other week for our kitchen table partners. It's a Bible study
designed exclusively for our kitchen table partners. Click on it, get to hear it. It's about 5 or 10 minutes. And it's it's a joy to produce. And I'm so grateful people actually do listen to it. And the way to become a kitchen table partner is to just call 88864471228886447122 or another. Uh, another possibility is to go to our website openline radio.org. And you can find that now, uh, people are starting to think about their vacations for next year.
The the years coming up, I did want to tell people that there's a possibility of doing a Bible conference on a Caribbean cruise next December. It'd be kind of fun way to do it. It's on a tall ship. I'll be teaching the The Book of Daniel. Eve will be there, and we'll have some great time of worship. If you're interested in that, go to our web page, Open Line radio.org. Scroll down and then click on where
it says something about Michael's personal web page. Uh, that's that's what I would, uh, suggest you do if you're interested in that. And we're going to go right to the phones right now. Uh, Mark. Mike in Northwest Angle, Minnesota, listening on kbps. Welcome to Open Line. How can I help you?
Good morning, doctor. I've got your. You gifted this to me. I've got your moody Bible commentary and your important questions. But, uh, in conversations, people say, don't read me paragraph after paragraph after paragraph. And so they just say, I firmly believe angels came down from heaven and had sex with women on earth. And I said, no, that's not true. Angels aren't sexual beings, and but they don't want to listen
to paragraph after paragraph from these two excellent commentaries. How can I refute them in 3 or 4 sentences?
Uh, read them a verse. That's what I would say. Matthew 2230 is what I would show them and just say, well, the Lord Jesus didn't, uh, didn't teach that angels could have relations or take wives. It says in Matthew 2230. Uh, for in the resurrection this is people, men, women they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Now, concerning the Concerning the resurrection in heaven.
But then they said, this is on earth. They came down to earth, but maybe I will not imitate them.
That's not what angels in heaven means. It means the messengers from heaven is what it's talking about. The angelic beings. It's not saying from heaven.
All right, I'm going to use that.
Yeah, that's what it means. Okay, sure. Thanks for your call. Thanks. Appreciate it. Uh, we're going to talk with Mark in Cleveland, Ohio. Listen. Listening on CRF. Welcome to Open Line. How can I help you today?
Hi, doctor. Thank you for taking my call. And thank you for that. Back to the future reference. I thought that was pretty cool.
Lorraine? Yeah.
Yeah, I actually live, um, I did my chemotherapy, um, here in Cleveland at a hospital that was actually shot in one of his movies. Light of day. Um, that's when I got saved in 92.
Wow.
Yeah. Okay, I want to preface my preface. My question. Um, with this. This is not a giving issue on my part. It's I just want to ask about tithing. I set aside what I can and give from my heart. But why do churches today even say, you know, bring your tithes and offerings? And is that biblical?
Well, in the Old Testament, clearly there were tithes and offerings, right? Right. Uh, the I talked to a pretty well known pastor. He heard me say that today we don't do tithing. I've said this, you know, based we give what? Uh, according to second Corinthians eight and nine, we give. Second Corinthians nine says each person should give based on what he has determined on his heart. I think 10% is a great place to start. Uh, I really encourage that. I
recommend it, but it's not something I require. There are some people who need to give more. Some people who need to give less depending on their income. And, uh, mainly we have to give sacrificially. There was a pastor that I spoke about this with, and he was convinced that Genesis 14. Uh, where Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek, established tithes before the law of Moses, and therefore, because it was pre law, that's why we should give tithes as a minimum for everyone.
Uh, actually, just my.
Dad in my commentary. Yes.
But I, I don't believe that just because Abraham exemplified that, that that's a mandate. That's not necessarily a mandate. So.
Okay.
Okay.
Yeah.
I've always been a little nails on the chalkboard at times, you know. Yeah.
You know.
People who are struggling.
When I hear people say, it's time for our tithes and offerings, do you know how I feel? This is how I feel. I feel like, well, they just mean offering. And I just translate it in my head to be offering.
Okay, gotcha.
I love my church. They're biblical. Yeah. Yeah.
So.
Okay. Thanks, Mark. Appreciate your call. Uh, we're going to talk to Taj in Chattanooga, Tennessee, listening on Wmwx on the Moody Radio app also. Uh, are you listening on the app to Wmwx? I think is what you're saying. Taj, how can I help you today?
Hi. Good morning. Michael. Um, so in the beginning, it seems that God did not give us animals for food, only plants. So if we were vegetarians, why did Abel tend sheep?
Uh, he needed clothing.
Okay.
That's why.
Okay. Simple enough for me. So I guess the second part to this is. Is it possible? Pre-flood at times. At times during, uh, during the period before the flood that other people, uh, started eating meat before it was mandated that we could.
Well.
Uh, I'm not sure that people did not eat meat before the the flood, uh, or even were not permitted to eat meat. What we have, uh, for example, with the same passage in Genesis nine. Right. Uh, it says there the fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority. Every living creature will be food for you. As I
gave the green plants, I give you everything. So they may have been eating animals, uh, you know, meat before there? I don't know, because just in the same passage, we've got the. The sign of the rainbow becomes the sign of the covenant that God won't destroy the earth again by flood. Now, does that mean that when water was shining on, on the sky with the sun, that there wasn't a rainbow? Of course there was. Uh. It didn't.
This is not the creation of rainbows. What it is, is a, uh, association of the rainbow now as a sign of something. So it didn't. It's not that it didn't exist before. It's now a sign. Uh, it's not that people didn't eat animals necessarily prior to this, but now, in terms of an affirmation, God says, okay, I've had these ships on board. I'm now going to also affirm these animals on the ship on board, but now I'm
going to affirm them, uh, being for food as well. So, uh, you know, it may or may not have been that people were vegetarians prior to the flood, I don't know. Okay.
Uh. Thank you.
Yeah. Appreciate the call. We're going to come. We're not going to take any more calls today because that's the program for the day. I can't believe it. That was the fastest two hours of my life. I'm so grateful for all of you that listened and for participated. Thanks for calling. Thanks for listening. Thanks for being part of the program. Uh, I also want to thank our team here in Chicago that made this possible. Omar and Tahira and Lisa, thanks for all that you have done in
making the program. Keep in touch with Open Line by going to our website, Online radio.org. It's got all the links that you're looking for, how to be a kitchen table partner, how to get the chosen people gift, how to find out about my personal website. Keep reading the Bible. We'll talk about it next week. Open line with Doctor Michael Dolnick is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute. Have a great weekend. See you next week.