The Narrow Path 7/31

Welcome to the radio broadcast. My name is Steve Greg and relies once again as usual for an hour each week. The afternoon we take your calls. If you have questions about the Bible of the Christian faith you like to bring up conversation and you can also call if you do screw holes for the balance, the number to call is 844-484-5737 that's 844-484-5737 and one more chance. I have do analysis of that is that tomorrow night into macula were having gathering that doesn't happen very often, even night, even in other normal times, we don't meet but I think once every two months, but the course of things been logged on and so forth. It's been less frequent. In any case Saturday night. Tomorrow we have a Q&A time into macula. People can gather at 630 for fellowship, and 7 o'clock begins the Q&A so we welcome you to join us if you're interested information about the time and place can be found@thenarrowcast.com. Our website and that's under announcements. There all right where to go to the phones and talk today.

First of all to Scott from Phoenix, Arizona Scott, welcome to the neuropathic for calling you so that should not and don't get angry and I'm wondering if you could tell me what web of anger directed that is when it God is angry that company different and the kind of youth explained how all that works and molecules on the radio okay God's wrath. You mentioned that God's anger. If God has anger than anger itself cannot be a sin. There must be some form of anger. That is a sin because Paul tells us to put away all wrath and anger and so forth from us, and even says be angry but do not sin. Now the statement be angry but do not sin, which is on Ephesians 4 sounds like there's a kind of anger you can be angry but you can be without sinning but it also suggests that there's a danger of sinning through anger, so there's obviously one kind or one phase or one species of anger that so sin and another that is not be angry but do not sin makes it very clear the of course, in Ephesians 4 is do not let the sun go down on your wrath, which indicates that you have wrath, but you don't keep you hold onto it and that's why several verse later pulses put away wrath.

Put away anger.

So the idea is that you have anger. Everybody has anger. Sometimes, but he needs to be put away needs to be controlled needs not be allowed to linger. However, anger is not always a sin in itself. It simply is a I would say the temptation to sin and you don't want to play with temptation. So you want to be careless about anger either.

Not only is God angry at times, as the Bible frequently says that he has wrath and anger.

Though this is not at all. His his primary orientation is not generally angry necessarily toward people it's true Bob's disease angry sinners every day but he is also very loving toward sinners in his and eight.

Frankly, it says in James Mercy overcomes judgment so his anger is even overwhelmed sense by his more dominant trait which is love. The Bible says God is love.

He has anger.

But the Bible never says he is saying he is love and therefore anger must be tempered by, or even an expression of love.

Now I'm I get angry out of love. Sometimes if I see my children if I tell my children don't stick that knife in the wall socket in a scene about to do so. I get angry. Not angry in the sense it. How dare you insult me by ignoring my instructions. I get angry that they have done something that will kill them if if they don't listen better for don't become more you know, obedient the end, it's only because I love them if I cared nothing about them, but let them suffer the consequences of whatever they want to do, but it's because you love your children, that it makes you angry when they disobey in ways that are going to hurt them and God gets angry the same way. He's angry at sin and in my opinion, even if and when a person of sinning is angry at them.

He's he still loves them and and wants to forgive them and wants to know reconciled to himself. So that's that's primarily love now humans can have that kind of anger to and and it's not sinful if it isn't, which I think self-centered. Most of our anger certainly sinful anger is anger that is self-centered. I'm angry because somebody offended me somebody hurt me somebody scared me or something.

I get angry because of me.

It's about me at all. Sin is about me and anger that is about me is sin. On the other hand Jesus on and on one occasion the Bible actually says he was angry. Another occasion, he doesn't mention anger, but he digs he seemed exhibit anger. The second course is famously when he cleansed the temple. He seemed very angry when he took a weapon drove people out was shouting at them and rebuking them. He seemed to be angry. Now he was angry about himself as he was in anger at anger doing to him they were doing him. He was angry at the way that they were defiling his father's house.

As he put and he was angry on behalf of of God. Similarly, in Mark three when Jesus was in this on the Sabbath teaching a synagogue.

There is a man with a withered hand and he knew that the Pharisees were there to catch him doing something that he's not allowed on the Sabbath, like well like healing a man with a withered hand. And so Jesus tried to reason with them and they wouldn't speak with him and it says in chapter 3 in verse five of Mark Mark 35 it says so when he had looked around on them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man stretch out your hand now, again, Jesus looked on them with anger. Now if if Jesus looked on with anger that anger cannot be a sin and we are supposed imitate Christ were supposed to be like Christ were supposed imitate God says in Ephesians 51 imitate God, as dear children imitate their father and so there are things that Jesus and God are angry about that. They were not selfish things.

Jesus was angry at those who crucified him. He said father forgive them.

They don't know what they're doing. He was angry at people who were trying to misrepresent God and try to change the worship of God into a strict legalism that punished people when God didn't want them punished and so he was angry of the abuse of the truth not of you out of the abuse of himself. So I would say that's where anger where the dividing line is between righteous anger and what's not righteous anger mightily. Anger I believe is an emotion. Very much like fear and I don't mean that they're the same kind of emotion running. They both have something in common you sometimes fear. But the Bible says do not fear. Don't be afraid, but we sometimes fear. Fear is a natural response to danger and we know it's not sinful in itself, because animals also fear, danger, by the way, they also get angry if you know you can get in a bowl.

Angry at you or a dog you get angry at you and you know but animals are not sinners. Animals have no moral stigma attached to their fear order and anger. These are built-in instincts and if God is built them into the animals they are not in themselves sinful, but they certainly can't be because the best thing in the best case, anger, or fear motivates you to do something that should be done. Fear hopefully will motivate you to get away from danger.

That's what it's for anger.

Perhaps make you respond to something that is as it should not be and not be complacent about being complacent about things that are evil is not a virtue and anger is that which motivates you to stand up and say hey I we can't do this, we have to change this. This is not okay. And so I mean there are is a righteous use of both fear and anger and again they can't be sends in themselves, because animals have them.

Animals don't sent so I would suggest that what is a intended as a motivator can also motivate you to do the wrong thing. Fear, for example, which is intended to cause you to escape from danger may in fact make you coward when you should face danger when you should go into a place of danger in order to accomplish some that's really your duty to do a soldier, for example, Laura or a father whose is to defend his family if he is a coward if he gives if he lets his fear rule him that he will not do what it is he's called to do, but in anger can be the same thing you can be angry at things that are wrong in the abstract but Jesus and God are, or you can be angry because something was done wrong to you. Now if something is done wrong to you, it's still a wrong thing, something that other people should get angry about you very careful about getting angry about it because if you get angry at something done wrong to you will then likely to not love your neighbor or your enemy. Anger is certainly something that that creates bitterness and creates resentment. If it's allowed to stay if you don't put away your wrath and you let the sun go down the wrath it may turn into resentment and may turn into a no hatred for a person that you're angry with, and it often does so the emotions that God has put in us all, including the animals which have a good purpose to motivate us to do the right thing can always in certain situations, motivate us to go the wrong way to and can and can become sin.

We need to make sure that never happens. And so the man on YouTube who told you that a Christian should never be angry. I don't think he's thought it through very thoroughly and I think that's true of a lot of Christians. Of course, myself included. On some subjects, but I thought this with her quite a bit and so that's how I would understand it all right.

Let's talk to Damien from Boise, Idaho. Damien, welcome to the narrow path. Thanks for calling Deborah, thanks Gary yet have to question the so much for equating the week of Daniel. When that Conklin and one with that build another bit the negation of the that's not I want to get your take on it and then also the revelation you got Donnelly that he father the dead man. I question how can even talk like a dead man at the amount of the McCue question and I'll take Mafia okay thank you very much for thinking of us or to buy the way I did on your second question I don't know if I can answer it. I don't know why he didn't fall down as one dead when he saw Jesus glorified on the mount. Although I think that the I think John was in a very different state of mind when using a vision and he saw Jesus a much more terrifying form on in Revelation 1. Daniel, of course, had the same experience when he saw God or perhaps Jesus he fell down as one that also. God can appear in such a way that's pretty awesome and were people lose all the strength in their and their bodies may collapse. This is happened a number of times in Scripture but I don't know why didn't happen on the Mount of Transfiguration. It may well be that although Jesus was glorified there. He wasn't seen in such a terrifying way were told that his his clothing glowed in his face was bright as the sun, but he was there standing target of Moses and Elijah, and in your heart.

I don't know the I don't know what the disciples felt the attention was on them. You know, maybe a future tense was just on them. That would've been more intimidating it like like wind.

When John had Jesus appeared on Patmos.

Jesus is talking to him on the olive arson on the Mount of Transfiguration, it may well be that it was less intimidating to the apostles because even though they saw the glory of Jesus.

He wasn't talking to them. He was nodding paid attention to them is talking. Moses and Elijah. And so it may have been less intimidating. That's only a guess. I don't know I don't really know the answer. As far as the end of the 70th week of Daniel.

There are of course different views on this and I can only give the one that I have become persuaded of.

There are several others and as you said. The dispensational view which is very popular is that the 70th week has been postponed that the 69 weeks and for those of you for whom this is all gobbledygook. Greek the 70 weeks of Daniel refer to 70 periods of seven years. Okay a week in this discussion been seven years, not seven days, so 70 weeks is 490 years rather than 490 days of a normal week. That being so, it is the period of time to Daniel nine versus 24 through 27. Telus is the period from the going forth of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, which would happen in Daniel's day to the time of the Messiah, so this is this is an important time. I dispensational leave at 669 of these weeks have already passed and Amber finished on Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.

That was the end of the 69th week.

That is the end of 483 years, leaving seven years or one week to fulfill the prophecy but instead of saying that the 70th week immediately following the 69th week. They say it was postponed and that is postponed until the rapture of the church at the end of the age and then it will start again and that'll be a tribulation period that they identified seven years long by the way there's no reason in the Bible to identify any putative election is seven years long as there's no mention of the seven your true relation about unless you are equating it with the 70th week of Daniel. That's where you get the idea of a seven-year tribulation. There's no dimension. Such okay so so they would say there's been a gap from Palm Sunday 2000 years ago till sometime in our future between the end of the 69th week in the beginning of the 70th week which they say hasn't started yet. This is a pretty good to recite counterintuitive reading of the of the text and attention because dispensations tell us that they are the ones who take the Bible literally.

They certainly don't. In this case there's no mention at all in the Bible and Daniel anywhere else of a gap between the 69th and 70th week the infected that the literal meaning of the passage would be there to be a straight period of 490 years from one point to the next. There are no gaps mentioned anywhere in the passage and so to to really get into it is whatever it may be else. It is not taken literally. Now I do take it more literally. I believe that, just as the first seven weeks which were 49 years were followed by 62 weeks which were there is no gap between them.

So the 70th week followed six nights without a gap. There's no no suggestion of a gap in the passage, I believe, therefore, that Jesus began his ministry, his baptism at the end of the 69th week now. The calculation of the spirit of time is is complicated and there's several different starting points in any ports people use on document bothered with those controversies. My view is that the 69th week ended at the baptism of Jesus and then began at the same time the 70th week of course, now in the midst of the 70th week which was three and half years after Jesus was baptized. It says he will cause the sacrifices and offerings to cease now.

His death did do that the Jews still offered sacrifices but their worthless sacrifices. Jesus brought an end to the system of sacrifices for God and Christians are concerned any cause and end of the sacrificial system's legitimacy and he did that in the midst of the week. That is when he died 3 1/2 years after his baptism, and so I understand this is the middle of the seventh week to a been at his crucifixion. Now when is the end of it and that's your your actual question towards the end of the same Greek well if Jesus was died in the middle of the centers week then the remainder the next three and half years would have to be made up immediately after Jesus death.

I think now there's some people who take my general view but they would postpone the three and half years. The second half of the 70th week to the Jewish war from 62 to 627C 66 to 70 A.D. which is three and half years they would say that was the remainder of the 70 week but then they have to have a gap also between the crucifixion and in the year 66 which could be, but it's not not not stated anywhere in the passage so I would think that since the 70 weeks as a whole are said to deal with the. That God is dealing with Daniel's people Israel and other works of the Jews were God's special focus and attention that would be up until probably an apostle was sent to the Gentiles because the first apostle, presumably to choose for several years after the crucifixion. Many people think that Paul's conversion who was the first apostle sent to the Gentiles could mark the end of the 70th week. Some of thought.

The stoning of Stephen and the dispersal of the church in Jerusalem to reach the Gentiles as result that could well it didn't then I don't really know but I do might my understanding of the whole passage would suggest that there is a short period of time.

It could've been literally three and half years. No one could prove it was, it wasn't, but it could easily have been after the crucifixion when God was still only reaching out to Jews because the 70 weeks had to do with God dealing with the Jews. But when he then sent an apostle of the Gentiles that would officially end the time of the Jewish hegemony in the kingdom of God that the Gentiles be broadened as well, so be my thought and it's as a citizen, a number of possibilities. Mine may not be the correct one, but I think it is okay. Let's talk to Michael from North Texas. Welcome to the neuropathic circling high yesterday you were In a bad Christian's responsibility to give, and you pointed out that no special attention should be paid to the local household pay and then you qualify database and that that we should be giving to ministries that are bearing fruit. Yes and I this is something I don't like about language in Christian circles, with no bearing fruit means different things to different people in any kind of vacant so I'm assuming that you did not mean the standard interpretation of data, monks diagnosed churches that are red banquet man said no get a bigger building that more people week at my money or staff. Even things like where learning more sterile. ABB misinterpreted so many could confirm that for me and then just delete and concrete examples of what you do you mean by different fruit sure I got for the first of all, I can't imagine anything the Bible and suggested the fruit of the kingdom of God is big buildings or or salaried staff. There were there were no salaried staff in the New Testament and there were no big buildings so course, the New Testament talks about during fruit.

When Jesus said, you know, by this my father is glorified, that you bring forth much fruit you know and thus you are my disciples, he soon wasn't talking up big buildings are our paid staff. This those are concepts absent from the mind of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament but fruit is can be of tooth two sorts that can be in terms of quantity of or quality. Hopefully both but yeah I would say a lot of people coming to Christ if there truly come to Christ. That's that's fruit bearing. That's, that's, you know, producing increase for the kingdom of God, but on the other hand are getting a lot of people saved barely or or or imaginary saved bike and to respond to an altar call that didn't even include any call to repentance or Lordship of Jesus while running that would be very fruitful. You can have a million new people you know who don't follow Jesus as Lord, and you would have gained any fruit at all. I'm asserting that I may note the nomination and that would be the primary metric saying that they are bearing fruit.

You know I would have missed many people not to call this week or nature. They know got her assuming that those people looking for are truly down disciples of Jesus. I assume, and maybe some of them are. I would say that the way the gospel is preached in modern evangelicalism does not guarantee that the people who come forward are going to be argumentative to understand what it means to be a disciple or deadly Christian Valley song.

I'm not looking for numbers on the roster or numbers of people who are for idea.

It's listening to the sermon that they responded to and see what they think they're responding to and dedicate their lives afterwards but you know fruit of course for what what fruit means is disciples and and the godly character. The fruit of the spirit that it that God develops into disciples.

God is looking for you. The fruit God's looking for in Isaiah chapter 5 from his vineyard, which we have every reason to consult because Jesus is the same imagery and in Matthew 21 of the vineyard that God planted seeking fruit and the images are connected but in Isaiah 5 are some of the fruit God was looking for from his people is justice and righteousness. He said, and he was he was hoping for Israel to be a nation that would produce justice and righteousness in the earth. He's looking for us to do so to because in Jesus parable on the about the vineyard falling much of the same details of our sales parable in Matthew 21 Jesus said to the Jews, the kingdom of God is taken from you and given to a nation that will bring forth the fruit of it that nations the church and the fruit is still the same fruit got stolen from him fruit for righteousness and justice. Now the world is going to exhibit more of that.

If there's more righteous and just people in it and so obviously disciples are to be people who produce in their behavior and in their culture if possible. To the degree that they can a greater influence for justice and in righteousness, but this has to be personal to righteousness and injustice as your own governing policies. But if you do, then of course the world will be somewhat changed.

Maybe, maybe considerably by a community of people who practice what Jesus taught and so to see such a community expand and have influence and to see lives changed into the likeness of Christ, and an increasing number of them doing so would be the kind of food I'd be looking for but in concrete example to back that I can. Well, sure. I mean if you mean its use. For example, in the Jesus movement. There were thousands of people getting saved, and really following Jesus to be delivered from their old habits and many of them are now in full-time ministry serving God and in medicine. Yes, I know I don't like me that not happen right it may not happen as much today as it did then the same kind of thing would be the fruit I be looking you know whether what we see a lot of it or not, I would be a cause for discouragement or encouragement, but still looking for those ministries that do produce that kind of fruit is what I would recommend our stewarding our funds to support I need to take a break. I appreciate your call.

Rather, you're listening to the narrow path, we have another half-hour coming up the narrow path is listener supported. You can write to us at the narrow path, PO Box 1732 macula CA 92593 or on the website.

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Call back in a few minutes and I believe you could find a line open 844-484-5737 all right our next caller today is Pete from Mesa, Arizona.

Welcome to the narrow path. Thanks for calling that teacher question about cremation.

I believe I'm gonna leave instructions to be cremated. It bothers me a little bit all the patriarchs in the early Christians such great limits to have their bodies buried and I can find no references to cremation at all in Scriptures or any commentaries your thoughts well it is true in biblical times, people did seem to very much want to be buried and if they were not very, it was considered to be sort of an indignity to them.

After remember the Middle Eastern cultures have always been shame-based honor basin shame-based and it was considered to be honorable to remember somebody by giving them an honorable burial and so if you didn't give people an honorable, profuse leather body out for the birds to eat it or the dog seated.

That was a tremendous insult and and that was a very motivating thing and a shame-based culture.

II don't want to be dishonored. After that I want to be remembered honorably.

So is very important to have your body disposed of in an honorable fashion. If possible it is and that's multicultural.

I say it's cultural only because God never gave any commands about it becoming someone say how do you know it's cultural well all I can say is we know it is cultural in the sense that that is consistent with the culture of the time and we don't know that it's anything more than cultural because the Bible doesn't give any commands or instructions about it. So the Bible does not tell us anything about cremation except you know usually when people were dishonored and it is sometimes cremated because again it was culturally a way of showing dishonored to them now I don't know that in modern cultures. Being cremated is considered to be less honorable than being buried and in many cases people cremated. They still have an honorable memorial service or something where they get the same nice things said about them, and so forth by people as if they were buried whole. I think the main reason Christians have worried about cremation on some of them have because of the teaching of the New Testament that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and at one point in first grade to six Paul says whoever destroys the temple, God will destroy, but in that particular passage, Paul is talking not about the temple of your physical body, but these type of church is the temple of the Holy Spirit who chose to destroy the church, God will destroy them. But the person the Christians individual bodies also contribute temple of the Holy Spirit, but not if they die, I mean the only reason my body would be called temple Holy Spirit is because Holy Spirit lives in me. But if I leave is like a stay around and just have it right inside my body. He's he's he's with me and I will be absent from the body and I believe he will be absent for my body to. So the body is left behind is not a temple of anything.

It was when I am and when the Holy Spirit lifted when I leave it not so much. Probably not all. So I don't really see this temple.

The Holy Spirit argument having much relevance to the subject of cremation. Another concern some Christians have is that we know that it on the last day Jesus is going to raise the dead bodies in order to relive and renewed bodies that are apparently glorified versions of our present bodies and so some people have thought. I know the early Christians felt this way that they want to have their bodies intact to be raised well course, the early Christians were quite sure, but that Jesus might come back soon. He didn't and so their bodies are not intact now anyway. I mean, they may been buried intact. But their dust and ashes now doesn't take very long for dead body to become dust and ashes unless it's involved, and most people were not involved in even if it's involved in certain deteriorate terribly. So you know the Bible says that it's the judgment upon humanity that when they die they will go back to the dust from which they are made. God said that in the third chapter of Genesis. Now, whether you go back to the dust in us through a slow process of several weeks or months through natural forces with worms and and bacteria and other things you causing your body to to decompose or whether it's done more quickly if in an oven in a I don't really I don't really know that it makes much difference with reference to the referent of the resurrection and the end time.

If God can't raise dust in the bodies than most Christians have lived and died are in terrible trouble. Thank you, thank you for your call. Okay, let's talk to Richard from San Diego.

Welcome to the narrow path. Richard you've been teaching for 22 years and you know 53rd a lot of questions lately okay. The light died just a second okay I don't think you can hear me speak into the radio show for 23 years I've been a vocational Bible teacher is my calling and my main career for 50 years since 1970. So, anyway, nothing that matters, but I didn't want you to think it was certain the lighter side, probably maybe a little little offbeat but in all of your questions.

Have you ever received a gotten a question that you had to answer that would that may utilize role in you. You shook your head and you can include my question and that well. I have had some questions.

It sounded pretty well.

I hate to say it lame and automatic but I presume that they were sincere questions and if a person asked a sincere question, it means they don't know the answer and it may surprise me that they would know the answer to certain things that are very simple things but if they don't know they don't know it is not. I don't suppose it's their fault, so I suppose the one that comes to mind immediately is that I actually have a call or call me wants to say out what's the difference between the and thou obvious the persons really came James version and didn't understand King James English very well but that's that definitely was a weird question.

I thought, but you know the person could've been a brand-new Anno a brand-new Christian didn't know for much of anything so you do get those kind of questions.

I don't think the question you asked is the weirdest and check your questions quite similar to a question asked very often and people often say what is the most frequently asked question that you get in the I know the answer that and it is that question that's the question asked most often is what is most often question asked and I could not otherwise say which is the most often because I don't I don't count them out but that one is very commonplace and you're similar. I appreciate it, let's talk to Deborah from Seattle.

Welcome to the narrow path high defiling the question and I don't go anymore EKI. Information that they found the will might Derek had and they went to séances and advocated going to say that I have friends that got me well there. The Bible I'm out how people work a failed program added the Bible… My question now is how long ago did you quit going to AA I quit going after I became a Christian.

Two years ago I had to clean and febrile and I became a question that I had tomorrow night. I got what you demonstrate what you demonstrated is that you don't need AA to stay clean and sober. It may be that AA helped you before you were before you had Holy Spirit to help you, but and I know that many people have been helped by twelve-step programs is an especially especially you know people who aren't saved but also people who are Christians.

Sometimes they go to Christian versions of a younger celebrate recovery and in some of these other Christian versions of twelve-step programs and in many Christians I know have gone to them and seem to be dependent on them and by that I mean, they're not sure that they could stay sober if they didn't go to those programs. Now the Bible doesn't ever recommend a program for sobriety. It recommends a life of discipleship and walking in the spirit of Christ to see when you become a Christian your born-again you become a new creation. You have the spirit of God given to you which you do not have before and it says in Galatians 516 therefore city walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Now, drunkenness is one of the lust of the flesh listed in first Corinthians and six and in Galatians 5 so being drunkard is a work of the flesh, but if you walk in the spirit you will not fulfill the lust of flesh now sums is what how how you work that program it in a program. It's a person it's Jesus is walking with Jesus in the power of his spirit and how you do that first shifter really become a Christian. I'm afraid not a lot of people who have a Christian label, but still have no victory over the sins of their life might I don't want you too much fear in people who shouldn't have it at some of people clearly have not had a true conversion and I'm not saying that if you have a true conversion.

Suddenly every sinful habit you've had will never shoot raise its head again. They do sinful temptations are there temptations will be with us until we die.

And Jesus said that would be true.

And he himself expressed temptations, but temptations not sent temptation become sin. When we obey the temptation now when I'm tempted I have to rely not on myself but on the on Christ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He does so through spirit to walk in the spirit and I will fulfill the lust of flesh, so this is something that it may sound all you know theoretical and Christian needs and so forth to someone who doesn't understand these things. But the thing is, the person doesn't understand these things is the one who's having trouble staying clean and sober because a person who a person who has no addiction. Sometimes addiction is a physical thing.

Let's face it.

Other times it's more psychological.

A person with a physical addiction to alcohol. For example, I think if they quit drinking the probably go through withdrawal program get DTs and things like that.

I think that's that will show that the body is physically addicted and it's reacting to the absence of something that it has come to fully depend upon that I take of as an addiction but there's also some 50% of the addicts to things that don't have any physical cause is just psychological or spiritual stated that they simply they simply become emotionally addicted or independent on something now, the greater your love for Jesus is the greater your connection with Jesus is the more close your walk with Jesus is the less you're going to be thinking that you need these other things to give you peace.

To give you confidence to make you happy because those are things that got provides. When we walk in the spirit. Those are actually fruit of the spirit and so walking in the spirit is the is the purpose is not a program it's really getting to know somebody. Some like getting married. I use that analogy a lot. Maybe if you get tired of me doing it. But the Bible uses the analogy, I think it's good because most of us understand something about that. Unfortunately, less than previous generations understood about it but we still have a concept I'm to get married to somebody that means I'm going to be connected to them. My life is not just to be a selfish, narcissistic pursuit. My own pleasure.

It's going to be seeking to cooperate and live with and please another person and their my life every day and night. I mean, I may be away from them for some hours are days on occasions but but they are permanently part of my life my whole life is defined by being married to them and it's a different thing than being single and the same thing is true but genuine conversion when you genuinely come to Christ you have entered into a covenant that marriage is a covenant also entered into a covenant where you in Christ are going to be together and you can define your life by that relationship.

From now on you. Not a single person anymore doing your own thing. You are now his and he has promised to take care of you. He's promised Savior's promise to deliver you from your enemies, including the demonic enemies in your flesh that that unit addiction so I believe that the quality of a person's conversion and their walk with God is is frankly the whole key. And it's not a program with 12 or 10 or hundred steps.

It's a one-step program into the kingdom of God when you've totally repent of your past you surrender fully to Jesus Christ you enter into a faith covenant with him of salvation and you now his and he's yours and you understand that and you live like that now that doesn't mean when you do that you never to sin. Like when one has been like make promises at the wedding altar. They promise wonderful things for each other. Love and cherish and you know always seek your happiness and please you, but they don't really do that all the time but that is their assignment.

That's what they recognizes what they're supposed to do, but because of human weakness.

Sometimes we we fall. But if we fall we we get back up. We don't end the marriage.

We just get up. We say were sorry and try to do better and it's very similar with a walk with Christ. We we promise absolute absolute obedience and fidelity to Christ but were we can. We sometimes fall, but if we do fall we don't stay down. We just say okay, that was okay going to have to know get help with Jesus I need your help more because I'm not going to be conducted be divorcing you. You know now.

I'm so pleased that you been clean and sober for 12 years and and you you manage some of that before you are Christian because I can say AA can help some people who don't have Christ, and it may even help some people have Christ, but it's not the help that the Bible recommends for people who have Christ people have Christ are supposed to find their help in God.

Only in God. And a lot of times people don't have quite the confidence in God. The Christmas present.

And so they think will I need God. Plus God plus the 12 step program you know if you can't walk with God and stay sober without the 12 step program. Then, I guess, to the 12 step program, but realize it's not the norm. The norm is for you to be delivered from your sins, not managing them the gospel that Jesus preached is not a gospel of sin management at the term I got from Dallas Willard, the gospel of sin management. I think a lot of people teach a gospel sin management Juergen it always be a sinner never be much different, but you can you learn to manage and if you really got serious problems and maybe the 12 step program that's not what the Bible teaches Bible doesn't teach sin management to teach his deliverance his name to recall Jesus because he will save his people from their sins and being saved from your sins is exactly what you're experiencing and what your friend is having a hard time understanding. Anyway, Deborah.

I hope that's I hope that's helpful to you and your friend thank you for joining us to talk next to Greg, Eugene, Oregon Greg, welcome to the neuropathic for calling Steve. I got a couple of questions on about John 844 and something I read in Isaiah 70, and it it dries and I think any hedonic sin, management, and from a teacher's perspective and you could help me understand it here when Don a bunch of others have preached a lot on that we were born in this global born into stent were born liars and burgers. Whatever. And I got the after reading Isaiah 11 and a certain age recognize the difference between good and evil and chose good which would suggest that he wasn't born into that. It was something that he understood when he reached a certain age now the devil is the father of lies and deception, according to Jesus in John 844 so what I'm wondering is, are we just seems like were being programmed in this plague issue is kind of jumbled it up even heavier that were raised his children aren't waived to you with fantasies used with fairytales with cartoons and I mean some of the best movies I watch like guardians of the galaxy lie and then tomorrow is aren't the guardians of the galaxy. I got big, so sorry to both the Bible that was now bad. It's like we are.

What is the strategy or something is what is your question, you are we being trained by the world to be liars. And then I mean were trained to be parents to teach our children to lie and then we get angry with them because they do and stealing and just like practically went to the death. Let me jump and run on time otherwise.

Yes, I think many parents do lighter children now running for example, I mean most parents do not regard it to be line but if they allow their children to believe that there is a Santa Claus.

That's not true. And it's always concern me. I'm not saying the parent to do it think of themselves as line.

They just think of it as you insert a pleasant fantasy for the children. But the problem is they actually want the children believe, at least for a while. You know when when when you watch cartoons or things like that.

The assumption is the kids are seeing things that are true but they can know they're not true in them. I can't pretend there true for the moment just for the entertainment value, but that didn't really think their true they don't think that's the real world. So I'm into to entertain yourself with the story.

That's not necessarily true story is not necessarily to be deceived if you know it's not a true story.

For example, the son of Gideon rebuked Israel by saying they were like it extra big group of trees that went to find a king for themselves and they asked Dale the good fig tree to rule over them and asked the vines rule and finally there's the bramble bush and and they were turned down by rights of the bramble bush but feels trees don't talk and trees don't get kings and or one Kings saw me this not a true story, but it's in the Bible B in Judges chapter 9, but it's not presented there is a true story is presented as a parable or you know it's a fable to make a point and there there is such a thing even even the parables of Jesus probably were not actual true stories about real individuals. They were true, true to life, they could apply to any number of cases of farmers sowing seeds but he probably didn't have one in mind when he says certain man went on succeeds. He's making up a story to illustrate a point and so for people to read fiction or to be exposed to fantasies is not always the section on that's it's always a good thing for them. But if you're if you're hoping that they'll believe it, then that's that seems to me to rely is my concern. Of course, as I mentioned, if parents teach their children. There's a Santa Claus at one point in life.

Of course they expect their children to realize that's not true sometime, but not right away and then when the kids get old enough to learn is no Santa Claus and you also taught them. There's a God and like Santa clause. You never really see him, but he knows when your Wegener's in your sleep you can reward your good behavior punish bad behavior. He can be everywhere at once. You know this, godlike character once they realize that when this Santa Claus you told me about some stuff like regard. You told me about but Santa Claus isn't real, so maybe you're kidding me about this to you know you certainly and's made me think Santa Claus is real maybe you try to make me think God is real to think of a character. Something I don't II don't know very many kids who put it together that way but I think some do and some could I really think parents are to be careful not to let her kids because the devil is the father of lies. But on the other hand, everything that's fiction is not a lot of lies is something is intended to deceive the falsehood that is expected to be taken as truth, and I I don't think that fantasy movies and cartoons are expecting their viewers to take them as true stories, so it's not the same thing as a deception, but it still might be a distraction. What is not a deception might well be a distraction. It might create which of my heroes that that they admire more than they are. Jesus you know if if a man and woman are married and she has a hero other than her husband. That may not be a sin. But if if that hero is actually somebody in her life. The husband might feel like she's not giving him all the attention that he like have a husband because they're some of the more heroic to her and I kid may have the same thing to Jesus. I think would wish that we would have the heroes of the than him. He's our hero, and I think that sometimes superheroes in movies and TV and so forth, puts are much more exciting in stimulating and say to the flesh into excitement than our then maybe Jesus.

After all, Jesus never had fights with with bad guys. You know and broken buildings and things like that.

That's really exciting stuff for kids. But I wouldn't say that by letting kids see those things you are naturally sinning but I would say that a person who has a television in the home. The same home with the child had better be sure that that TV is not having an influence on their spirit that is different than what you'd want if you want them to glorify God and love God. So those are things that you very some things are worth considering. For, especially for a parent with children. I I want to take another call, but I don't think we have more than about a minute, that's… Give it a try. Will see Pete from Massachusetts. I might have to interrupt you a great deal. Okay question about giving you 22. No, you need to determine priority don't want it would be like to gamble to get to like something, but getting the rendering that he can beat anybody that can be the character of an individual and someone got into Matthew 25 where you work, brother and talk to you got right in the sheep and goat man he talking my money will each of these my brethren, granting them okay okay that's another way of punctuating. I guess I appreciate your call.

The beginning we can talk more about an erratic time now. Thank you for calling all this into the narrow path radio broadcast. Remember, if you're anywhere near to macula.

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