Bob answers common questions by several callers. There is no sin accept that which is common to man and all of us are growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. So as the church, born again with an indwelling holy Spirit, we are to encourage and help one another as the Holy Spirit has taught and helped us. That is the motive of love behind all that Bob has labored for the benefit of the saints.
Jessie asked advice on whether it was okay to ask God for forgiveness. He never knew his earthly father and so was trying to discern how to relate to his heavenly Father. Bob George graciously shared that asking God for forgiveness is not exercising faith because Jesus already forgave us all our sins when he died 2000 years ago in our place. We now interact with God on the basis of grace, not on the basis of sin and death. You can talk to him about your sin so as to get counsel in how to live in the new life of faith He has given you. Bob elaborated on the issue of forgiveness and new life in Christ Jesus. Bob summarized by saying, “Come to the finality of the cross so you can deal with your life. You can deal with the Holy Spirit who lives in you and is guiding you into all truth. So you are no longer dealing with sin but with life he wants to form and develop in you.”
Zack asked a question in regard to Melchizedek and how that relates to Jesus. Bob explains from Hebrews that Melchizedek is primarily mentioned to explain the superiority of Jesus Christ and also Melchizedek is not God but was a type or foreshadowing of Jesus Christ who was to come.
Kenny asked about the white throne judgment as to why those who are lost will have to stand before him if they are judged already. Bob basically responded by saying that there is a court date that he personally believes Jesus will ask them why they are on trial, allowing them to speak in their defense, and then Jesus Christ will pronounce the judgment in accordance with truth. But the believers will not even be there at the white throne judgment at all.
John had referenced a book called Megashift by Lutz in regards to an emphasis on home churches and what Bob’s thoughts were. Bob addressed what church really is, and is not so important where you meet, but that truth is taught. Churches, or these gathering places called churches, in general, go astray, when they insist their church is the only true church, which is cult-ish, or to insist on a certain methodology or system, adding law to grace. The Holy Spirit is your teacher and the church are those who have the indwelling Holy Spirit. Churches today, many of them, are more like entertainment centers and social clubs not a place where people learn from the word of God and grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The last caller, Stan, was so thankful for several books Bob had written that personally helped him overcome depression. He could not thank Bo enough and reiterated several time how grateful and blessed he is to grasp truth that changed his life. He made reference to “Victory over Depression” and “Classic Christianity” that made a significant impact on his life. As a way of reminder and encouragement to listeners, Bob shared some thoughts from those books. In regards to depression, or any other error in our thinking, Bob made this statement: “Truth sets you free. Error is what binds you”. Bob summarized by saying, “Thoughts that are His produces a life that is not a life a lost person can produce.”
Jessie from Atlanta, GA
Jessie said he does not believe in losing salvation. Jessie then shared that he never had a father in the home, so he looks at Jesus as his Father since he never knew his earthly father. Jessie asked Bob if it is okay to ask God, “Would you please forgive me for what I did?” That is what he thinks of what it would be like in relation to an earthly father but he wanted clarification if that is the right way to approach God.
Bob is firm with truth, but thanked him and greeted him cordially, knowing the sincerity of his question and his background. You are not walking by faith. What did he accomplish for you on the cross? Asking forgiveness from God is a denial of his work on the cross. It is one think to say you are sorry for sins but another to ask for forgiveness. If you are going to walk by faith, then faith is in response to what is initiated by God. Did God cover sin or take away sin?
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
That was a one time act with a continual effect, back to Adam and forward to the future. So why ask Him to do for you what he already he did? You may not mean it that way, but it is a denial of what Christ accomplished for you. You are not pleasing to God by asking him to do what he has already accomplished for you.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God
That is an insult to his provision. You are going to spend a life time thanking him. Okay to say you are sorry. Why do you do sin? It is because you have sin living in you.
Romans 7:15-17
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Nothing wrong with saying you are sorry and you blew it. But to ask for forgiveness is not walking in faith. He will not do that again. He is not coming back to bear sin for he has already done that.
Hebrews 9:26
Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Most of the time our sins are toward one another. So we tend to forget I sinned against you, yet so often we are taught to just get our life straight with God. So we hear in the church world today, and are falsely taught to confess your sins to God, to keep a short account of sins with God so as to keep your slate clean of sin. Yet Jesus says to confess your sins to one another.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
The majority of our sins are to one another more often than not. Individually go to the person you have qualms with and discuss it. It is okay to ask God questions about your sin but He will say it is not okay to ask Him for forgiveness. Enter that Sabbath rest where you are resting from your works just as He did from his.
Hebrews 4:10
for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.
You cry out it is finished just as he did.
John 19:30
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Come to the finality of the cross so you can deal with your life. You can deal with the Holy Spirit who lives in you and is guiding you into all truth. So you are no longer dealing with sin but with life he wants to form and develop in you.
Zack from Riverside, CA
When you speak of Melchizedek, what is the meaning that Jesus is the of same order as Melchizedek?
Hebrews 6:19-20
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:11
If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?
Melchizedek was not in the order of the Levites, but like Melchizedek was in the order of Aaron. He was a type of Christ Jesus. He was a high priest and called a prince of peace. He was a type of a coming Jesus. Bob thinks he would not have been mentioned except in Hebrews to show the superiority of Christ. The main reason Melchizedek was mentioned was to make the comparison that there is no one greater than Jesus Christ. Melchizedek had no beginning and no end as far as the writer knew. As far as Christ Jesus, being God, he for sure has no beginning and no end, being the exact representation of God. But Melchizedek is not God and has a beginning and an end.
Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Kenny from Frisco, TX
Kenny introduced his question by saying, “He has friend in the Mormon faith and was talking about doctrinal differences. Revelation refers to a white throne judgment, where all men are judged by works. Those being dead will be there to be judged.” So who will be there to be judged? And if judged already, why going to appear then?
Revelation 20:11-12
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
Bob answered first by saying that the saved will not be at the white throne judgment. The people being at the white throne judgment are the dead, which are the lost. To bring them to a final judgment just like bringing people into court to bring in their final destiny. Bob believes the lost have a reason to plead their case. And Jesus will say fine, let us look at your case, and then will evaluate in truth, pronouncing their judgment.
Kenny also had another question from a conversation with his Mormon friend. Book of Mormon brings up a point about Israel. How can they be right about certain things? Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was a student of the Old Testament and New Testament. As a religious boy he studied, he but rebelled against religion. He came up with a new religion as all religion is bad from his assessment. So he looked at his binoculars and came up with the book of Mormon. So he did read scriptures but came up with his own answers rather than by faith in Christ, and certainly not by revelation of the Holy Spirit. Recall what Jesus said to the religious Pharisees, who studied the scriptures but failed to come to Christ.
John 5:38-
38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
The Mormons rejected the scriptures and came up with their own.
John from Levitin, Oregon
John introduced his question. New to him but probably around for many years, the book titled Megashift by Lutz. Home churches seems to be the latest rage, supposedly what he is doing in terms of bride of Christ. He seems to be inferring that the traditional church is unscriptural. What are your thoughts, Bob?
When you are engaged in something that you then try to perpetuate everybody doing same thing at same time in same way, then you have a denomination called a non-church church. Nothing wrong with home bibles studies or church, which was the early church, until Constantine came long and nearly forced all people to come to church and then build edifice to house them. But that is not the issue. Methodist comes from methodology, and their methodology was home churches or home bible studies. So nothing new going on by Mr Lutz. That was the formation of the Methodist church. After awhile, tail start wagging dog. Before long Methodology takes precedent over what is being taught. That is inevitably what happens. Not so matter where you are meeting but what you are teaching. Early church not so much meeting in homes but they met daily for fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. The early church met daily. Home churches certainly not doing that today. Church never meant to be about just meeting socially in a bowling alley or coffee shop. Where you meet or how you meet is not important. You can meet under a tree. The real issue is what you are teaching. In Mega churches today, you have entertainment centers. If looked at how much really are born again, you would have so few. You can be around lovely adults and have nice activities for children. Make no difference what he speaks about or someone else. Where we meet is irrelevant. So founder of Mormonism decided all churches are terrible and then said Mormonism is only true church. That is what Mormons teach today and is a cult. And this too can become a cult if its promoted such as that. You have to fight against these things. We encourage people to meet but we are just not going to make a system out of it. I pay no attention to people saying that this is God’s only way or that if you do not join with us, you go to hell. No problem if you go to home church just as long as do not promote it all across the world. Churches are a mess because they are not teaching truth. Everybody looks alike. The real problem with church today is not what it looks like or the organizational structure. The problem with the church is truth is not being taught and even teaching heretical things. Have you written a book on what is wrong with the church? No, and we won’t write something like that. People can figure out what is wrong with church. When people come to Christ, are taught by the Spirit and come to know what truth is then you will know what truth is and when truth is not being taught.
Victory Over Depression
Stan from Denver, CO
Thanked Bob. Listened to series on depression 15 times. Every time he listened to it he picks up new information every time listens to it. Depression is thing of his past now. Sent book to his sister. Depression runs in his family. Not sure if biological or training problem. He took medication for depression and almost set him over the edge. Rethinking by the Holy Spirit done in His life. So many changes. God has me where He wants me, I live for today, tomorrow is in God’s hands. Help us for today. Stop living in the past. He had so many things corrected in his thinking. Truth sets you free. Error is what binds you. When depressed there is error. When there is error it must be dispelled. If get depressed then I let my thinking get away from truth from scripture and started believing a lie of Satan. Come to point where you immediately identify where such thoughts come from and give it back to who gave it to you, which is Satan, and replace it with truth, and truth will set you free. Renew your mind on truth through Jesus Christ and His word, and that truth sets you free.
He also thanked Bob for Classic Christianity, explaining what real salvation and Christianity is. How can I share with someone if all I have is rules and regulations. When started letting Christ live through me and take control then behaviors are by-products of what Christ has already done. It is a supernatural life. Motivation and source comes from God. It is a supernatural life, not necessarily miraculous. Thoughts that are His produces a life that is not a life a lost person can produce. Stan requested prayers for his sister and mom. Mom was in Mormon church and struggled all her life. Sister too struggles with depression.
