Call-In Classic Christianity Radio – Bob George P470 (9-05-19)
Synopsis
Several callers asked if there are prophets today. Prior to the finished work of Jesus Christ, God’s word had to be explained to men. But no man then had the Spirit to explain things to them. All men are born spiritually dead. So God raised up prophets in the Old Testament to instruct men. These prophets had direct revelation from God and spoke the very words of God. That is how the Old Testament came into existence, as these words were written down. God, knowing the god of this world and the hearts of men, wanted to ensure that people knew what His words are, and not lies proclaimed from deceived and wicked men. Therefore, when God formed a nation of the Jewish people under an Old Covenant system, established for that time period, the instruction was given that if anyone claimed to be a prophet and what he said did not come to pass, then that person was to be stoned to death.
Today, there are no need of prophets because all that man needs to know of such spiritual importance for life and godliness, and concerning Christ Jesus and the message he proclaimed, has been written down through the prophets and apostles. That is why we read in Revelation, the last book to be written, to not add or subtract from what has been written. There is no new revelation today that needs to be told to men.
Revelation 22:18-19
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
The prophet Jude wrote about the common salvation that has been written down for us, having been delivered to them through the prophets.
Jude 3
3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
God’s dealing with the Jews through the leadership of Moses, who met with God on Mount Sinai, is how what we read in the Old Testament came about. As God spoke to him on Mt. Sinai, he would come down from the mountain and speak to the people what God had told him.
Deuteronomy 4:2
2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.
Now, God speaks to us through His Son he has given.
Hebrews 1:1-3
1In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 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.
Scripture also testifies that the word of God we read in our hands today did not from the mind of men. They were not clever inventions of men. Men spoke the word of God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. These words have been written down. So now we can test and approve what any man says according to the scriptures we now hold in our hands.
2 Peter 1:21
For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Even the apostle Paul testified of how important it is to base your understanding of truth from the word of God. Even as an apostle, through whom the word of God came to be written down through him, he commended the Bereans for diligently studying the scriptures available to them during their day, to test and see what he said was so.
Acts 17:11
11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Now the apostles were men, chosen of God for a special task, through whom miracles were performed to give credibility of the message, that they were appointed by God to deliver the word of God. They were men who had an encounter with the living Christ Jesus. Paul had an unusual encounter, but nevertheless, met the Lord, and testified that no man taught him except Jesus Christ. The other apostles ate and drank and walked with Jesus and heard all that Jesus had spoken to them over a period of three years. These men had received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and God brought to their remembrance all that He had spoken to them. The Spirit revealed truth to men.
2 Corinthians 12:12 (TLB)
12 When I was there I certainly gave you every proof that I was truly an apostle, sent to you by God himself, for I patiently did many wonders and signs and mighty works among you.
Galatians 1:12 (TLB)
12 For my message comes from no less a person than Jesus Christ himself, who told me what to say. No one else has taught me.
Ephesians 3:4-6
4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
John 14:25-26
25 “All this I [Jesus] have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Now that the Spirit has come to dwell in men, we have no need of anyone teach us. We have the Spirit of God living in us, who guides us into all truth. His word is truth. We have a plumbline, the word of God, to test all that men says, whether it is true or not, and we have the mind of Christ to discern the meaning of God’s Word. The Spirit reveals truth to men, those who are born again, with the Spirit of God living in them.
1 Corinthian 2:9-10
9 However, as it is written:“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived” –
the things God has prepared for those who love him –10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
1 John 2:27
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him.
John 16:15
15 “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
So then, there is no need for prophets and apostles today. There is no man today who has a physical encounter with Jesus, or had contact with someone who did. They do not have miracles or signs and wonders performed through them to give credibility to a message they speak. There is no message for new revelation from God. Any signs and wonders today are a hoax and a deception. The message that Jesus spoke has now been revealed and disclosed, and explained by the apostles he had appointed and chosen. Any message a man speaks, proclaiming himself to be a prophet today, that contradicts a message we can read that was written down by the prophets and apostles God has appointed, is a lie and that person is a false prophet, a charlatan and a fraud.
The Spirit of God has come to dwell in men who have believed the message. The Spirit instructs each individual believer, who have a common salvation, that is established and founded on God through the prophets and apostles, and the corner stone that holds all together, Jesus Christ. Men who proclaim to be a prophet or apostle today cannot teach anything other than what has already been written. The canon of scripture has been closed. There is no new revelation.
Any man who claims to be a prophet today has a big ego, wanting to be someone special, a special person of God over someone else, and exalts himself and is puffed up with pride. Such men are charletains and should not be listened to, and are to be strongly rebuked, so the way of God is not maligned.
Another caller asked for clarification on 1 Corinthians 15:29, where it is written that people are baptized for the dead, and in 1 Peter 4:6, where it seems to say that the gospel was preached to the dead.
Understanding: Baptism & the Lord’s Supper
This passage in Corinthians is Paul writing to those who did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. Without the resurrection, then why are you baptizing people who are dead? He is not doing that to encourage that. He is doing that as a tongue in cheek to show them the hypocrisy of what they are doing. That is like someone saying, “I do not believe in life after death but I am going to pray for the dead”, which makes no sense. Why pray for the dead if you do not believe in life after death? What would you be praying for?
The second passage in 1 Peter 4:6, was confusing in how Paul expressed what he was saying, in the translations we read today. To unpack the meaning, we rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us, but also read the entire passage before the verse, paying attention to verb tenses. Bob said that he had a hard time trying to understand or explain its meaning, and would ask the Lord and get back with her.
The passage says, “the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead”. The word “was” is past tense. The gospel was preached to all people. It was preached to those people he is talking about before they died so that they may be judged according to men according to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. To be judged by men is going to be situational. Bob said it is a complicated structure or wording here and he will go back to the Lord and ask for greater clarity of understanding and get back with her.
I personally think that what God is saying here is that, in this world, you will be judged based on observed behavior and in accordance with whatever laws of the land. In other passages of scripture, we are told to put to death the misdeeds of the body. God did not put His Spirit in us to live a life of enslavement to sin but to live a new life, in accordance with the will of God, in regard to the Spirit. The flesh and the Spirit are in conflict, but do not live in accordance with those desires of the flesh. Put those desires to death now that you have died with Christ and He lives in you. God already paid the price of death for all sin, so you, who are in Christ, can live in accordance with the life of the Spirit, in whom God has given everything you need for life and godliness.
In regards to being judged of men, it is for your good, that you may have godly sorrow over sin, so your flesh is destroyed, or your strong will broken, so you can experience all the best that God has given you. Paul is exhorting those who are so accustomed to living in the flesh they once lived, and who are being enticed to return, to encourage them to live in freedom that comes from the Spirit of God that is in them. Why let yourself be judged by men? Why live for evil human desires when you can live for the will of God? Wherever you are, if you are judged by men according to human standards, then let that knock sense into you, to live a new way. Turn to do the will of God, so you will not be judged by men. God has already judged sin, once and for all, when he shed his blood on the cross, and paid the price of death for sin. What sense then does it make to live a life of sin that God already judged? If you are judged according to human standards in regards to the body, then if that leads you to realize your state or condition of death, your need of a Savior, then that is good. For indeed, that is the purpose of the law, that we may recognize your utter sinfulness and seek a Savior. It is better to be judged of men than fail to come to Christ for life. There is no one who is without sin, who has never violated some law or his own conscience. The Spirit gives life. The flesh counts for nothing.
A very common question asked still today is, “What does it mean to not judge someone?” We read passages that Paul said you are to judge those inside the church and not those outside, and that he does not even judge himself. What does all that mean?
We cannot judge motives of men’s hearts. We can judge based on what scripture says, on what people say that is not in accordance with truth or actions of behavior that God calls sin. If we are put in a position of authority, such as a pastor or police officer, then such a person has to make judgments in accordance with the position he holds, to maintain purity in a church or bring order in society. That is why Paul addressed a so-called brother in Christ who was committing incest, which brings shame to the name of Christ, and if not addressed would be like yeast that would spread to all the rest.
Now, I do not have the right to look down on someone, for that is judging motives or looking down in a condescending way. Nor do I have the right to make a judgment as who is saved or not, for that is something only God really knows for sure. But I can confront a person who says something contrary to what scripture clearly reveals as the message of the gospel or to address that he is taking an alternate route by what I have heard him say. I can address a person’s actions as sin based on what I clearly saw him do, and question him as to his actions. Yet, we are to be careful not to make judgments without knowledge. It is foolishness to judge a matter without hearing all the evidence. That is why we have courts of law to settle a matter, bringing in testimony and witnesses.
Transcript
Rob from Denver, CO
In regards to the Church of Latter Day Saints, how do we know a prophet of God would be a valid prophet or speaker for God? In regards to this, he would be Joseph Smith.
First of all, he was a total scandal. A prophet of God would not have multiple wives and all those things in his particular life. He lied out of his teeth telling people he looked through binoculars and saw Egyptian hieroglyphics and wrote the book of Mormon, which is full of plagiarism. Masonry is in there. It is not Christian in any way at all. It is a cult. It has doctrines totally contrary to the word of God. You cannot have two gods and you cannot have one god in conflict with another, from one testament to another.
As much as they try to legitimize their teaching, they cannot legitimize it. They use the book of Mormon. In the Old Testament times, if a prophet ever told something that was not true, that he proclaimed as true from God, he was stoned to death. Too bad we do not do that today.
In the bible, does it not say that in the latter days, people will say he is there or over there, do not pay any attention to them. That is just one little thing. People started out with multiple wives. Then they say that is not their doctrine any more. So why would a prophet say it is okay in one century and not in another? That is adultery and is in any century.
They do not have the same Jesus. They called themselves latter day saints because they came in the latter days and do not recognize any other denominations. According to them, all other denominations out there are terrible. The Latter Day Saints did not come into existence until 1000 years after Christ.
When a person says he is a prophet of God, that is wrong, for there aren’t any prophets. What do you need a prophet for when scriptures has been fulfilled and you do not add to scripture or subtract from it? Is there no longer any need for a prophet anymore? No prophet. What is a prophet going to tell us? All a prophet can do is tell us what is in the scriptures since you cannot add to it or subtract from it. You have a lot of people in different segments, saying “I am a prophet”. Who named you one? I could claim to be a prophet, get glassy-eyed looking, and put hands on people saying, “God told me this or that”. That is acting. No credibility to it at all. A person’s puffed up mind has sent him into insanity.
Rob asked, “Do you think there could be a prophet of today?”
No, what would he do?
Rob said, “I thought prophecy was over when Jesus said, “it is finished” but yet John got revelation after Jesus’ death”.
No, that was not the end of prophets. The end of prophecy was when the canon was closed. What if someone comes up and tells you something different than what is in the word of God, would you be skeptical of that? Yes. That is why you do not need prophets. A prophet will not tell you anything different than what is in the scripture. That is why Mohammad found a place when he came along, for he was proclaiming something he wasn’t. That is the importance of having a closed canon. When the bible is closed, there is no need for prophets. The evangelist is to proclaim the word of God so people will believe.
Rose from Glenshaw, PA
In 1 Corinthians 15:29, it is written that people are baptized for the dead, and in 1 Peter 4:6, it says the gospel was preached to the dead. What do we mean by dead?
1 Corinthians 15:29
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?
This passage in Corinthians is Paul writing to those who did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. Without the resurrection, then why are you baptizing people who are dead? He is not doing that to encourage that. He is doing that as a tongue in cheek to show them the hypocrisy of what they are doing. That is like someone saying, “I do not believe in life after death but I am going to pray for the dead”, which makes no sense. Why pray for the dead if you do not believe in life after death? What would you be praying for?
1 Peter 4:6
6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
In regards to the passage in 1 Peter, he is saying the reason the gospel is preached to even those who are now dead is so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body. He is preaching to people prior to the time this was written. So let us look at the previous verses, and unpack what he is saying.
1 Peter 4:1-6
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do – living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
In other words, there are those who want to judge them, all these people who want them to get back into debauchery. They will judge them for that, calling them hypocrites, as people do today. There are people, who formerly lived such a lifestyle of debauchery, but now are not, but have turned back into it a time or two. You have spent enough time doing that, but you should do so no longer. People are heaping abuse on you, and calling you hypocrites, and will make it a point to mention that you are a church goer. But if you are in Christ, there is now no condemnation for you. So put all such former behavior aside and live for the will of God. Do not give them a reason to heap abuse on you. And because you do not join in with them, they will still falsely accuse you or bring up your past or former life, and even calling you a hypocrite, even though you are not, trying to heap abuse on you. So where is the real hypocrisy? Who are the ones still living in debauchery, heaping abuse and judgment on those who have been set free, who are not joining in with them?
People say, “I have come to Christ and my life has not changed.” They are now dead. They will be judged on the basis of whether they have come to Christ. Do they have the life of Christ in them or not?
Rose asked, “Does that mean physically dead or spiritually dead? If you are physically dead, how can you be preached to?”
The passage says, “the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead”. The word “was” is past tense. The gospel was preached to all people. It was preached to those people he is talking about before they died so that they may be judged according to men according to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit. To be judged by men is going to be situational. Bob said it is a complicated structure or wording here and he will go back to the Lord and ask for greater clarity of understanding and get back with her.
Mark from Van Couver, British Columbia
Are there modern day prophets? My pastor claims to be one.
We have had many people who claimed to be prophets. We have had Joseph Smith of the Mormons, Mohammad for the Muslims, and Jim Jones, who led many to poison themselves to death. Why have a modern day prophet when you have the word of God? Your pastor is a charlatan. There is no more revelation to be given to men. What need is there to be a prophet for? What you have here is a man being a self-proclaimed apostle. There are no more apostles. Mark, you have a charlatan, someone claiming himself to be a prophet. They have no basis for that at all. There is no need of a prophet now that we have the word of God in our hands.
Mark commented, “Prophets are supposed to be 100% correct.”
Yes, in the Old Testament, they were stoned to death if what they said from God did not come true. It is an ego trip with people proclaiming themselves to be a prophet or an apostle. They want to be special, to be His favorite. He is trying to elevate himself into a position of admiration, as if he has a direct line to God that no one else has.
Mark asked, “How are we supposed to judge people?”
We just judged him, didn’t we. Why? The judgment is against the word of God. It is up against the teaching of the word of God. If I ever point out something contrary to the word of God, I am not judging them? Mark, when talking about judging people, you are not dealing with motives of people. You are judging the actions of people. Here is a man making a declaration of being a prophet, which is not biblical. You are not judging his motive. You are saying this is not true. You would say to him, “God did not name you one. You proclaimed yourself one”. I judge the interpretation of the word of God all the time. I ask, “Is this proper interpretation or not?” I am judging what he is believing and teaching. I am not judging the motives of this man. I am not judging them but I am judging what he is preaching and teaching.
Don from Eugene, OR
In our church service, I was uncomfortable. He was talking about serving one another. He said, “If you are not signed up to put bibles and pencils in every fourth chair, then you are in sin”. I am uncomfortable with that.
Don commented. “I read the bible, if the Lord has work for me to do, He will tell me to do it, and He will give me the power to do it. Otherwise,
that is just me doing it in the flesh and I will burn out on it anyway”.
Absolutely. That is why you see many burned out pastors. This pastor will also burn out if he really believes what he is trying to teach. He is trying to conjure people up to do something he wants them to do and they do not want to do it and they are not going to do it. So he will be frustrated and will burn up trying to be God in people’s lives.
Keep growing in grace.
Don said, “When I listen to you, I do not get this condemnation I get from all these other pastors. There is so much condemnation, it makes you want to give up. Jesus came to set us free. I do not feel free with all these teachings”.
It is amazing how people hang onto law that kills instead of walking by the Spirit that gives life. But if you do not know anything about the life of God that lives in you, then all you have to teach is the law. If you do not have the Spirit of God living in you to guide you, how can you help someone walk in the newness of life that you have never known or understood or had? You cannot teach something you know nothing about.
John from Pittsburg, PA
Can you clarify this for me? When Paul, in Corinthians, says we are to know them that labor among us. We are to judge those in the church and not those in the world.
1 Corinthians 5:12
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
1 Corinthians 3:12-14
12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.
1 Corinthians 4:5
5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
The scripture itself clarifies what we are talking about. Paul also said I do not even judge myself.
1 Corinthians 4:3
3 I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
If Paul were to say, “John is not going to the same place as me because I am better than him”. That certainly would be judging. I have no right to make those kinds of judgments. I do not even have a right to make a judgment as to who is saved or not. I can certainly make a judgment as to what scriptures says, and if a person is taking an alternate route, then that is not salvation, but I do not have a right to say to a person he is not saved. Only God and him know that for sure. If your pastor, like in Corinthians, and have people committing incest and are destroying the faith of some people, then he has responsibility to take action and say something. “You are flaunting sin in front of people, and you will have to leave the congregation until you get your life straight”. So there are different things we have to do that we are put in positions to do, but as far as sitting around judging, then that is different.
John then asked, “So it is being negative about your judgment or judging without knowledge?
Do not judge a matter before hearing the entire matter. Many times we judge matters before hearing all sides of a matter, which God calls foolishness.
