Classic Christianity – Call-In Bob George p396 (11-30-18)
Welcome to Classic Christianity radio, where for over 30 years Bob George has answered common questions by various callers with clear instruction and application from understanding the meaning of God’s word. The first caller, Eli, asked Bob advise on what translation are good translations and for any recommendations. The second caller, Steve, simply brought up a strange teaching he heard and wanted to bring it to Bob’s attention for further clarity although he clearly knew how false it was. The third caller, John, asked a question in regards to a specific passage of scripture and if those people referenced were saved. David asked a question in regards to what was lacking in Apollos in the book of Acts that he needed Priscilla and Aquila to explain truth more accurately. Eddie asked what it means to be led by the Holy Spirit in reference to teaching he heard from Pentecostal churches. The last caller asked Bob in regards to why there are lots of differences in teaching out there, such as what he has heard from Hank Haanagraf and Bob George.
As far as translations, Bob referred to New King James, New International Version (NIV), and New American Standard (NAS) as his favorites. According to Bob, NAS is as accurate as any translation there is. The NIV is easy to read but there are areas Bob does not agree on. There are various articles that have been written that expose shortcomings of NIV, such as missing verses. I have personally learned from the NIV for over 30 years and God was able to reveal the meaning of scripture to me. Granted, the understanding was hindered by certain missing verses, but there is enough cross-referencing of scriptures that one can still come to discern the proper meaning. The New Living Translation (NLT) Bob also commented as being good, and it is a paraphrase. Nevertheless, even pastors who read out of the King James, they paraphrase when trying to teach or explain its meaning. So if pastors paraphrase, then why should one avoid the NLT? The Amplified Bible is also good, and Bob mentioned that it was useful for his wife, Amy, who is from a foreign background, so the amplification of the meaning of words was especially useful to her. There is also an interlinear online Bible that has English words with superimposed original Greek word so one can do further study. A study on 1 John 2:9 is very helpful to look into the original Greek to more fully understanding verb tenses so one comes to God’s intended meaning. If a passage does not sound right to you based on other scripture passages you have read, then that is a signal to you to be willing to look more closely, such as with an interlinear bible or concordance.
Steve addressed the false teaching he heard that Jesus was the first member of the church. Bob replied by saying that Jesus is not a member o the church. The church is made of all born again believers. Jesus was never born again. Jesus is the head of the church, directing the the body. The scriptures goes into great length explaining the role of the body and the head. The church is not a building, not an institution, but an organism.
Colossians 2:19
They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
The church does not exist to give glory to the body. The church exists to give glory to the head.
Bob then further explained from scripture what Baptism was for. Baptism is a part of Judaism as observed in practice of ceremonial washing. John the Baptist baptized so that the Messiah would be revealed to Israel.
John 1:31-33
31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
John made a distinction between the baptism with water and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, two distinct things. The baptism of water is for repentance as a pledge to a clear conscience toward God but does not save anyone. Baptism is for identification, even in John’s day before the Holy Spirit was even given, to identify with the coming Messiah, to look for him to take away sin and give new life. In our day, when one baptizes with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Jesus completed the work he came to do. The one baptizing is identifying that the person has already been baptized by the Holy Spirit by virtue of his professed faith in the gospel. So the practice of water baptism today in many Protestant, but not all churches, is an outward means of identifying with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
John asked if the people referenced in the passage of scripture, Matthew 7:22-23 are saved.
Matthew 7:22-23
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Bob immediately said those people were never saved. These people are like the charlatans today, those who teach being slain in the spirit, drawing crowds for fame and money, the “name and claim”, “blab it and grab” people that deceive the masses. The reason one has eternal life is because of the finality of the cross, the complete and eternal payment for sin. Nowhere in scripture will you find support for being slain in the Spirit. The Spirit gives life not making one slain and out of control of their own faculties. Such people are not casting out anything, just a big show and deception, so as to gain wealth for themselves, playing games with people. These people are not healing anybody but creating something that does not exist. They never knew God and God never knew them for they did not come to have life in Christ but only to deceive and to be deceived.
David asked about what Apollos needed more instruction on from Priscilla and Aquila in the book of Acts.
Acts 18:25-27
25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.
From the scriptures, Apollos spoke with fervor and taught about Jesus accurately. But he only knew the Baptism of John. Being that there were about 50 days after Jesus resurrection before Pentecost, many people had only heard a bout John’s teaching. They needed to know about the resurrection, what Jesus accomplished by his death and what is available to all men by his resurrection. Could it be that Apollos was not yet born again but spoke in the energy of the flesh? Did he have the Holy Spirit living in him so that the vine can produce fruit of the Spirit? It is very likely he had not heard the fullness of the gospel, and scripture indicates that is so. It is not unlike many today who teach only about the cross and Jesus death yet the full gospel must include the resurrection. The cross is a preparatory work not unlike John the Baptist being a preparatory work so Jesus would be revealed to Israel as the promised Messiah to take away the sin of the world. But Jesus did more than take sin away, he came to give life to man.
Ephesians 2:5
that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
1 Corinthians 15:12-19
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Christ came to live in believers. Without the resurrection, man remains dead in sin and devoid of life, God’s life.
Eddie asked what it means to be led by the Spirit in reference to what he had heard from Pentecostal teaching. Bob responded by answering only what it means to be led by the spirit, and by application one can figure out what someone teaches is in accordance with truth or not.
It is critical to understand that the moment one is born again, the Holy Spirit places you in the body of Christ. Christ in you and you in Christ. This is a one time occurrence, at the moment one believes the truth of the gospel.
Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Romans 6:3
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:11
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1:27
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
There is no second receiving of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit you do not belong to God, are detached from the head.
John 8:47
Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
So, if one does not have the Holy Spirit, how then can they discern the things of God? And, without the Holy Spirit, how can you be guided into all truth? If the Holy Spirit is not directing you, who is? If the Spirit was given to you by Jesus after he rose from the dead, when was it given? At the moment one believed the message!
So what does it mean to be filled? Being filled with the Spirit is yielding to the control of the spirit and not the flesh or misdeeds of the body. Ephesians 3 and Ephesians 5 provide much detail on this. In essence it simply means to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. If you have the Holy Spirit, then you have the love of God poured into your heart. Why then would scripture instruct a believer not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God? Man can still choose to live in the flesh but it would not be profitable and it would be contrary to the Holy Spirit who is living in him. Grieving the heart of God is like a grieving father who wants the best for his son. And, you are a child of God. Why does scripture instruct the believer to be transformed by the renewing of the mind? Because if he is believing in error he will be living in error too, in ways contrary to the new life God has freely given. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be controlled by the love of God. And whose power is at work in those who believe? For what goal and purpose is the Holy Spirit given? To know a person, His love, and to comprehend that love!
Ephesians 5:15-19
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 3:14-20
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Curtis asked why there is a lot of difference in teaching among different preachers out there. Bob George teaches one thing and Hank Haanagraf another. The key is are people teaching what the scriptures mean or what the scripture says? Anybody can read and spout off what something says. The divisions that occur are always in the area of application, in the realm of understanding spiritual truth. Bob testified that he is not in agreement on Hank Haanagraf in what he teaches. Hank does not believe in the finality of the cross and does not believe in the Holy Spirit living in a person. Those are areas by necessity where there must be division. People all agree what scripture says. All kinds of people agree that Jesus died on a cross and rose again. But not all have the spiritual understanding of why he died and why he rose again? For what reason did he die? Did he take away the sins of the world eternally for all men? By his resurrection what does he offer to all men? It is not a matter of what Hank is doing or what Bob is doing, but what God has already done and what He is doing. It is God at work in a person born again, who directs him into what he would have him do or not do. It is not about telling a person that he needs to be doing this or that. Who is the head of the church? Jesus. Then he is the one who directs the body. And the person without Christ is not being directed by the Spirit of God, and more often than not, directs people according to what he desires and not in accordance with what the Spirit desires. Where divisions take place is in what scriptures mean or in what you are or are not doing. You do not experiences spiritual growth by trying to accomplish what Christ said is finished. If one does not preach the finality of the cross, then what is he teaching? Certainly not freedom in Christ. As a child of God, I am a responder not an initiator. It is not important what I am doing but what He has already done and what He is doing. For I am crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Christ in me is the hope of glory. He is the vine and I am the branch. Apart from Christ, I can do nothing. He is the vine, the source of the fruit, that makes it way out to the branches. Scriptures also explains each believer as being a unique part of the body, and Jesus being the head, directing the body.
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