Call-ins Radio Broadcast Thursday 08/08/2019

Call-In Classic Christianity Radio – Bob George P462 (8-08-19)

People call into the original People to People radio program with both the common questions and for answers to real life issues they are facing in the world today. Depression is very common to man and by knowing God and His word, you can overcome depression. Common questions often asked are about love, Satan, and clarification on various passages in the bible. Jim called to ask, “Is love more important than faith?”. Mike asked if a man can give their soul to Satan in order to become a good guitar player. Laurie asked about this strange character in the bible named Melchizedek. Laurie asked, “Where do you place Melchizedek?”.

Randy was calling out of great depression for he is overwhelmed with his present circumstance; a job loss, separation from his wife and his wife dying from cancer. She is struggling with pride, not wanting her husband to feel sorry for her, which is one reason for the separation. Bob encourages him to do what he can to restore the relationship to his wife. Randy is an honorable man, and wants to do so. Bob gives him practical advice in regards to communicating with his wife and also reminds him what the root cause of depression is.

Bob encouraged Randy to do what he could to have a heart to heart talk with his wife, to tell her to put aside her playing games, that he loves her, and since he is his wife, he has an obligation to meet her needs, which he is already doing and more than willing to do. Bob encouraged Randy to appeal to his wife to live back together under one home in whatever remaining years she has left, and this is not a matter of having pity on her, but before God he has an obligation to meet her needs, to cherish and love her, in sickness and in health.

Bob then addressed the matter of depression Randy is struggling with, quite understandable given his situation. The reason someone is depressed is because they are thinking negative thoughts. As difficult and as natural as it is to be depressed, the only way that works to overcome depression is to replace what you are thinking about with truth. Instead of dwelling on present circumstances, projecting the unknown future of seemingly unending hopelessness, he encouraged him to ponder over several scriptures. He encouraged him to think about those things that are always true – God’s love and provision. In your weakest moment, Jesus Christ is there and has always been and will continue to be there for you.

In response to Jim’s question, Bob responded by saying that love is more important than faith. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. God is the initiator and we are the responder. That is what faith really is, responding to God initiating His love to us through Jesus Christ. Bob explained that in this world we live under the law of causality. The effect is never greater than the cause. Salvation is not greater than the savior. We love because He first loved us. God is love and we cannot produce the agape love of God, but when we are convinced of God’s love for us, we allow Him to love in us and through us. We are dependent on Him to do something we could never do.

Faith is how we respond to that love and enter in our salvation relationship. Love is on his part. Faith is on our part. Love is greater than faith. Our faith can fade, can be feeble, and can be misplaced. Nothing can separate us from God. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. We are never going to express ourselves through love unless we have faith in the initiator, the love of God.

In response to Mike’s question, as far as someone selling their soul to Satan, that has and does happen in the world today. Such a thought would never enter the mind of a born again believer. Satan already has the soul of a lost person. They may have all the riches of this world and everything this world has to offer but are Satanic in nature. Although it would be very unlikely such a person would come to Christ for salvation due to their strong commitment to Satan, no one is beyond God’s grace. No matter how good or bad you are, every person can come to Christ for life if they choose to turn and accept God’s offer.

Mike also mentioned his desire to love but expressed his feeling of inadequacy to love like God desires him to love. Bob shared again what he shared with a previous caller. God is the initiator and we are the responder. We love because He first loved us. We become convinced, like the apostle Paul, of how nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Based on our response in faith, to the degree we receive and comprehend God’s love for us, is to the degree we will allow God to live His life in us and through us.

In response to Laurie’s question, the main reason Melchizedek is even in the bible is to establish the supremacy of Christ Jesus. Jesus is greater than Abraham, Moses, and Joshua. Melchizedek was mentioned in Hebrews to show the Jews that someone is greater than Abraham. In essence, God is the initiator, and even Abraham responded in faith. God’s unfolding plan was to replace an Old Covenant of law with a New Covenant of grace, which can only be in force after Jesus blood was shed. No one is greater than God, and Jesus is God in the flesh, and is supreme over all. God initiated His love to man through Jesus Christ, culminating in his death, burial and resurrection for us. Hebrews just provides more details on the supremacy of Christ Jesus in regards to Abraham, whom the Jews hold up in such high regard, and had to be told in order to put Abraham in proper perspective.

Melchizedek is priest of God most high (Hebrews 7:1), and no one knew anything of his lineage, and his name means king of righteousness and king of peace (Hebrews 7:2). It sets the stage that Christ Jesus is greater than Abraham and greater than Melchizedek. There is none greater than the one announced by God by an oath to put an end to all arguments (Hebrews 6:16). That is what God did by Jesus. He vilified by an oath from God as the reason to show someone greater than Abraham, which is Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1-4). We read further along that the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people (Hebrews 7:1-5).

Who is to collect the tenth from people? The descendants of Levi collect the tenth. The reason we think of Melchizedek is because denominations bring the tithe into today’s church structure, which should never be. Levi and Moses are brothers, fellow Jews, as descendants of Abraham (Hebrews 7:5-9). Levi came from the loins of Abraham (Hebrews 7:10). The only reason to mention Melchizedek, whether in the old or the new, is to indicate the superiority of Christ, that he is greater than Abraham.

Are you still under the Levitical priesthood? No. Are you a descendant of Levi? No. Is Jesus our priest? Yes. If Jesus Christ is your priest then there is a change in the law. Furthermore the regulation was set aside as weak and useless and the law made nothing perfect (Hebrews 7:18-19). Because of Jesus, by an oath from God, we have a guarantee of a better covenant (Hebrews 7:22). The oath would be that Jesus Christ is God and in charge of all things and is the new priest, who lives forever (Hebrews 7:23-26). He does not come from an ancestor. Others became a priest by the bloodlines of the Levites but Jesus did not become a priest on the basis of being a descendant of the Levites. He became a priest by an oath from God and was in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:17) and he descended from Judah (Hebrews 7:14). He was out of sync with what was customary for an ancestry in order to become a priest. To be a priest, you had to be a descendant of Levi. Jesus came from the lineage of Judah and there is nothing in that line where Moses said anything about priests (Hebrews 7:14).

Transcript

Randy from Denver, CO

Randy, is really struggling with depression and in how to reach out to his wife so as to be with her and help her. As Randy shares information, Bob continues to ask more questions to discern his situation. Oh, such heart-wrenching information to hear indeed. Randy is very open and such an honorable man. He continues to share details about his separation from his wife, her cancer and short time to live, and a great financial weight on his shoulders, potentially losing his home where his wife lives without him. The greatest need is to be restored to his wife. As Bob shared, there are always ways out, consolidation of debt and other practical ways out, in the material things of life. The more difficult and challenging issue is restoring the relationship with his wife. He encouraged Randy to do what he could to have a heart to heart talk with his wife, to tell her to put aside her playing games, that he loves her, and since he is his wife, he has an obligation to meet her needs, which he is already doing and more than willing to do. The real unanswered question is if she is willing. Bob encouraged Randy to appeal to his wife to live back together under one home in whatever remaining years she has left, and this is not a matter of having pity on her, but before God he has an obligation to meet her needs, to cherish and love her, in sickness and in health. Bob also addressed Randy’s struggle with depression. The reason someone is depressed is because they are thinking negative thoughts. As difficult and as natural as it is to be depressed, the only way that works to overcome depression is to replace what you are thinking about with truth. Instead of dwelling on present circumstances, projecting the unknown future of seemingly unending hopelessness, he encouraged him to ponder over the following scriptures. He encouraged him to think about those things that are always true – God’s love and provision. In your weakest moment, Jesus Christ is there and has always been and will continue to be there for you.

Romans 8:30-32
³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:38-39
³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Philippians 4:4-9
⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:19
¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Jim from Little Falls, NY

Jim asked a question in regards to 1 Corinthians 13. There are three things, faith, hope and love, but the greatest is love. Scripture also states that you can have faith to move mountains. Is love more important than faith?

1 Corinthians 1:13
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 John 4:7
⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 Corinthians 13:2
² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

Love from the bible comes from God. Faith comes from us. Love is greater than faith. This falls in the subject of initiator and responder. We are not made to be independent people. We were made to be dependent on our Father. He is the initiator of cause and effect, the dynamic of his own action in creation. The love of God came from heaven, from God Himself. Faith is how we respond to that love and enter in our salvation relationship. Love is on his part. Faith is on our part. Love is greater than faith. Our faith can fade, can be feeble, and can be misplaced. Nothing can separate us from God. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. We are never going to express ourselves through love unless we have faith in the initiator, the love of God.

Galatians 5:6
⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

1 John 3:16
¹⁶ This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Hebrews 11:1
¹ Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Mike from Portico, CA

Can a person sell their soul and return and become a good guitar player?

A born again person would not even think of selling their soul. Satan already has the soul of a lost person. A person can say to God, “I am giving everything I have to you”. A lost person could do that with Satan. Satan offered Jesus the world and its kingdom.

Matthew 4:8-10
⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’“

Evidently Satan had it to give or he would not have been offering. Bob says he could probably name someone who had sold his soul to Satan. They have riches and had everything in this life this world has to offer but are totally Satanic in nature. Madeleine Murray O’Hare comes to mind. A guy who is continually issuing lawsuits and a member of the atheist party is denying Jesus and is not accepting Christ. Could such a person at their last moment of their life come to Christ? It is not likely for someone who has such a strong conviction, who is anti-Christ, but nevertheless possible.

How about prior to salvation?

A person could give their inner being to Satan and find the ill of their way and still be converted. A person can never go too far to not come to salvation. You cannot be too good or to bad to obtain salvation.

How adults act on television is what Mike thought about when he was a young child. He thought how he would never want to be like that. Mike says it is difficult for him to make himself love like God loves. Am I the one to instigate? I would rather love than have all the riches of this world.

1 John 4:10
¹⁰ This is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

It is not that we loved God but He loves us first. We have to understand that truth. God is the initiator of all things. We live in this world under the law of causality. The effect is never greater than the cause. The heat of the sun is not greater than the sun. My salvation is not greater than my savior. We live by that law of causality. The same is true with God. If the effect of something is greater than the cause of something, then you become greater than the cause. That is, if the effect is greater than the cause, you are greater than God. If I can cause God to respond to me, then I am greater than God.

Like Satan’s attitude when he turned against God?

Absolutely. God is the initiator of all things and we are responders. That is called faith. That is how we enter into that relationship to God’s initiation with us. There are people who will respond to Him by faith; that He is the initiator and I am the responder. That perfect love of God has been initiated to you through Christ Jesus. You respond to that. The more you respond to that, the deeper it becomes. You become, sooner or later, like the apostle Paul, to be convinced of something. God wants us to be completely convinced of His love, that nothing can separate you from His love.

Romans 8:38-39
³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is nothing that can separate me from God’s love. I did not earn or deserve it. If I understand how much God loves me, how can I not respond in any other way than in love back to Him. God loves me. I love Him. God loves the world. So go let me love through you to them. Allow the agape love of God flow in and through us because we cannot conjure it up on our own.

Laurie from British Columbia

In Hebrews, where do you place Melchizedek?

You just put him where he belongs. Hebrews records Melchizedek in relationship to the story of Abraham. The whole book is to show the superiority of Christ over all the things the Hebrews were putting Christ over Abraham, Moses, Joshua. The Old Covenant has been replaced by someone greater and that is Christ Jesus. The purpose of the book is to show the superiority of Jesus Christ. To the Jew, there is no one greater than Abraham.

Hebrews 6:16-20
¹⁶ People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. ¹⁷ Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 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.

Melchizedek was mentioned to show the Jews that someone is greater than Abraham.

Hebrews 7:1-28
¹ This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, ² and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” ³ Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
⁴ Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! ⁵ Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people – that is, from their fellow Israelites – even though they also are descended from Abraham. ⁶ This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ⁷ And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. ⁹ One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, ¹⁰ because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
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? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. ¹³ He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. ¹⁵ And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶ one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is declared:
“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”[Psalm 110:4]
¹⁸ The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless ¹⁹ (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
²⁰ And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, ²¹ but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”[Psalm 110:4]
²² Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.
²³ Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; ²⁴ but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore he is able to save completely [forever] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
²⁶ Such a high priest truly meets our need – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. ²⁷ Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

All this was written in Hebrews to show that someone is greater than Abraham. Melchizedek is priest of God most high (Hebrews 7:1), and no one knew anything of his lineage, and his name means king of righteousness and king of peace (Hebrews 7:2). It sets the stage that Christ Jesus is greater than Abraham and greater than Melchizedek. There is none greater than the one announced by God by an oath to put an end to all arguments (Hebrews 6:16). That is what God did by Jesus. He vilified by an oath from God as the reason to show someone greater than Abraham, which is Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1-4). We read further along that the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people (Hebrews 7:1-5).

Who is to collect the tenth from people? The descendants of Levi collect then tenth. The reason we think of Melchizedek is because denominations bring the tithe into today’s church structure, which should never be. Levi and Moses are brothers, fellow Jews, as descendants of Abraham (Hebrews 7:5-9). Levi came from the loins of Abraham (Hebrews 7:10). The only reason to mention Melchizedek, whether in the old or the new, is to indicate the superiority of Christ, that he is greater than Abraham.

Hebrews 7:11-12
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? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.