Call-In Classic Christianity Radio – Bob George P642 (06-11-21)
Synopsis
A very common misunderstanding is the concept of confession and repentance of sin. A lot of erroneous thinking comes from denominational influences. Many of us grew up in a Catholic or a Protestant type of church, so you probably have heard people say you need to confess your sins to a priest or to God. But very few people have really checked into the word of God to see if what is being said is true or not. Take a look at what Jesus said prior to His ascension back to heaven while he walked on this earth for some forty days. He said He came to prove the world wrong about what they think sin is, of what people think they need to repent of.
John 16:7-11
7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
Have you ever tried to regularly repent of all known sins you can think of so as to be made acceptable to God, so as to have or keep a right standing with God? So if you think repentance means to identify what sin is and then to confess it so as to stop doing it, you can start doing it again. That means you never repented because you still do it. And if you could repent and never do it again, then you would not even need Jesus. That is the faulty reasoning in this confession and repentance going on today. But if you do it just once, and not even again, according to James 2:10, you are guilty of breaking all of the law. The law is set against us because we cannot keep it. In reality, the law stirs up sin, due to our fallen human flesh. That is why God sought to replace that Old Testament system of law with a New Covenant, as we read in Hebrews, that does not depend on man to keep it. This New Covenant is a covenant of grace in Christ Jesus.
So, again, what does Jesus say sin is, the one sin that keeps us from God? The sin of unbelief in Jesus is the one sin that must be repented of. Biblical repentance unto salvation means to change your mind. You change your mind from what you thought you could do to what He alone accomplished for you. It is changing your mind about what sin, judgment and righteousness is. You realize your condition of spiritual death, being born without the Spirit of God living in you. Having realized you have no righteousness of your own, you accept the offer of Christ’s righteousness that has been freely offered to you by the resurrection of Christ Jesus, made possible by His death on a cross.
So listen as Bob George explains all of this in more detail, as various callers ask for clarification and for understanding from the confusion they have been in because of the false teaching they have been under or heard. Some people even heard people say Jesus is not God. Scripture clearly says that Jesus is God. The apostles, being eyewitnesses of Jesus here on this earth, of His death, burial and resurrection, testify that Jesus is God. The apostle John even said that anyone who denies Jesus is God is of the antichrist.
But many believers are under teaching that commingles law and grace, and so Bob went to extra lengths to correct that by sharing from Galatians, where the apostle Paul was sent to correct the believers there, being twisted by false teachers who infiltrated their number. I believe today we need people bold like the apostle Paul who will strongly rebuke such false teaching, because so many people have been led astray generation after generation. If that is not possible, then people need to leave those many denominations teaching error. They will be much better off at home or in home bible studies and be with people of like mind, wanting to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. All people need to study the scriptures diligently, relying on the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you, because ultimately that is where truth is found.
Transcript
Steve from Whittier, CA
Steve: An old friend of mine appears to be a Christian, but when I talk to him more, it seems to me he is a Jehovah Witness, but he is saying he is not. He says there seems to be two thrones in the book of Revelation. He does call Jesus Jehovah, but he says Jesus is not the almighty God. I was wondering exactly where he was coming from.
1 John 2:22 (NASB) 22 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.
Bob: Steve, where he is coming from, is He is an antichrist. When you are claiming Jesus is not God, then you are an antichrist. That is what you are dealing with. A Jehovah Witness, their doctrine is that of an antichrist. You cannot spend your life going up and down the streets trying to convince people Jesus is not God when He is God. Jesus claimed Himself to be God. His apostles claimed Him to be God. I personally claim Him to be God because that is the God who saved me, and He is Jesus.
John 8:58 (NASB)
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”
1 John 1:1-3 (NASB)
1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life – 2 and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was revealed to us – 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
Bob: Such a person is talking about the doctrine of antichrist. A person going to the book of Revelation, trying to determine doctrine is going to the wrong book. The majority of that book is end times information and that is not where you go for salvation. If you want to find out about salvation, you read the Pauline writings and the gospels that give us advance information on it, but you will not get that through going into the book of Revelation, a book on end times teaching.
Bob: I hope that helps, my brother. If I were you, I would concentrate on that person, asking him, “Are you saying to me Jesus is not God?” When he says, “Yes, I am.”, then go to the passage where He says He is.
John 1:1-3
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
Bob: In the Jehovah Witness bible, they have chosen to rewrite that to say the “word is a God”, which is a repudiation of their very doctrine when they say there is only one God. If there is only one God, how can there be an “a god“. If you have an “a god” you have another god. In the last chapter of Revelation, you read “I, Jesus”. That is the identification of Jehovah God.
Revelation 22:16
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
Bob: They are so off base and so ridiculous to spend their lives trying to prove Jesus is not God, and in so doing, repudiated the very salvation that God came to give us. Only God can forgive sins. If Jesus is not God, then He was crazy to be crying from the cross, saying “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Luke 23:34
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Bob: I hope that helps. If you have any more questions, then call back again.
T.J.
T.J.: I was talking to my mother-n-law over the Psalms. She tells me I have to get on my knees every day and ask God to forgive me and repent of my sins. Bob, you opened my eyes a lot. I know I am a sinner, and I know Jesus lives in me and He loves me and He knows I am going to mess up because I am only human. My question is how can I defend my position?
John 16:8-11 (NASB)
8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: 9 regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; 11 and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
John 16:9 (TLB)
9 The world’s sin is unbelief in me
Bob: I do not think you need to, T.J. You think a person who thinks they have to repent every day. If you really repented, you would never duplicate the deal. So you must have had a lot of offenses against you. You would run out of them sooner or later, if you think repentance means you will never do it again. Then how long is your list that you think you need to repent of? Then you will get to the point you never have to repent any more and then you will not need Jesus anymore. If anyone thinks they do not have sin, what is not in them? Scripture says a person who claims they are without sin deceives himself and the truth is not in him.
1 John 1:8
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
Bob: The issue is repentance in the bible is a total change of heart and mind, and is only in regard to repenting from your unbelief, which is what the state you are born in, unbelief, and repenting to come to a saving, believing knowledge of Christ Jesus. Anything else you can do again. You say, “I used to smoke and now I don’t.” I have news for you. You can start again. “I used to drink and now I don’t.” I have news for you. You can start again. “I used to run around with women and now I don’t.“ I have news for you. You can start again. There is one thing you cannot do is disown Jesus. If you disown Him, it means you never had Him.
Romans 8:9
9 And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
2 Timothy 2:11-13
11 Here is a trustworthy saying:If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Bob: That is true repentance. If a person keeps insisting on that type of nonsense, I would ask them to just let us be friends and agree to disagree or find yourself a new friend. Those kinds of people will put you back under the bondage of legalism, which Paul talks about in Galatians.
Galatians 5:1
1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Bob: Do not let anyone put you back under the bondage of legalism. Do not let it happen to you. Okay?
T.J.: Yes. I appreciate that. That is my mother-n-law so I have to try to keep the arguments limited.
Bob: Yes. It is probably better off to say let us not discuss it. “I do not agree with what you are saying. You have not repented of all your sins. Just how many do you have? It does not seem like you have a very long list. Just put them down and see how long it will take you to repent of all of them. Then, just think, you will get to the point you will not need Jesus at all anymore.”
T.J.: Amen, brother. I appreciate your answer.
Bob: Okay. It is good to talk to you, T.J.
T.J.: You too. Have a good day.
Bob: You as well.
Daniel from Long Beach, CA
Daniel: I heard you say we were not created in the image of God, only Adam.
Bob: Yes. Adam was created in the image of God. We are born in the image of Adam.
Daniel: Okay. Right.
Bob: That is in Genesis where we are told that.
Genesis 5:3
3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.
Daniel: The pastor told me that in James 2, it talks about being made in the likeness of God.
(I am not sure what specific passage the caller was referring to.)
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Bob: If you are born again. If any man be in Christ what is he? A new creation. Your mom and dad did not create you. You were born through mom and dad through human passion and plan. But when you are born again, you are created by God. That is why if any man be in Christ, you are a new creation. That new creation is that you are now alive spiritually, soulishly and bodily. You are created into the image of God, but you were born in the image of Adam, dead.
Daniel: Okay. So the likeness of God is after the birth?
Bob: Absolutely. A new creation. It says, not a new birth, but a new creation.
Daniel: I have another question. In 1 John 1:9, I called you a while back on that. A man told me that 1 John 1:9 is a present tense, and a continual action of asking for forgiveness. He never taught what you are saying so I do not know what to say to him.
1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
(This is a poor translation from Greek into English. The true meaning of the Greek word homologeō, translated confess, means to agree with God completely. It does not mean to ask for forgiveness as many people teach.)
Bob: He is wrong. The tense in the verse is not what he is talking about. It was an action that has been done, and has a continual effect on it. It was done once, for all, and no more. Do not just read one passage of scripture. Go read all the other passages that are dealing with forgiveness.
2 Corinthians 5:19
19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s sins against them.
Bob: What are you going to conclude with that? Is there more forgiveness? No, there is no more forgiveness. It is finished.
John 19:30
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Bob: It is a person who is not thinking things through, Daniel. I do not like arguing with people anymore. It is such a nonsensical discussion because what you are doing is calling Jesus a liar when He said “It is finished.” You are calling Jesus a liar when He said it is paid in full (Tetelestai). That is what Hebrews is saying. You are sinning against the knowledge of truth. The knowledge of truth was given a few verses prior to that.
Hebrews 10:26-27
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
(And what is the knowledge of the truth?)
Hebrews 10:17-18
17 Then he adds:“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”[Jeremiah 31:34]
18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
Bob: There is no more shedding of blood. It is finished. It is done. It is over.
Hebrews 9:22
22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Daniel: Why do we have to repent then if He has forgiven us?
Bob: What are you repenting of? You are repenting of your unbelief? Who said you have to repent of every sin? Have you repented of every sin, Daniel?
Daniel: Obviously, No.
Bob: Of course not. No one else has either. You will not repent of every sin. You will die with sin but it is not accounted to you. It is taken away from the eyes of God. You see, Daniel, we have become so preoccupied with what we do that we have forgotten about what He did. When we sin, what did God do, not will do, with that sin?
1 John 2:2
2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Daniel: He took it away.
Bob: Yes. He took it away. So if that is true, then how are you to respond? What is the only way you can respond to that?
Daniel: You accept it.
Bob: Accept it and say what? If you want to say something, what are you going to say to God when He has already done something? “Thank you”
Daniel: Exactly.
Bob: If you ask Him to do something He has already done, He would ask you, (“What are you doing? Where is your faith? It is not in me.”) If I gave you a car, and you said, “Bob, give me car.” I would say, “What is wrong with you, Daniel. I gave it to you.” That is what we are doing today. We are begging God to give us what in Christ we already possess. And you think that is pleasing to God? No, that makes Him sick to His stomach.
Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him
Bob: “I had to die to accomplish this for you. You are using it like a grain of salt.” As it says in scripture, treating this as an unholy thing, the blood of the covenant that sanctified you and making a mockery of Christ Jesus’ death on a cross.
Daniel: I understand. Thank you.
Bob: Alright
Jason from Pittsburg, PA
Jason: I am a believer and my question is a followup to that of a previous caller. I wanted to know specifically in scripture where it says that our future sins have been taken away? I know certain verses where it says past sins are forgiven.
Bob: Let me ask you a question, Jason. How many of your sins were in the future when Jesus died for them 2000 years ago?
Jason: I would hope for all of them.
Bob: Yes. I do not think you are that old.
Jason: No, I am not. But I am confused. I am looking for guidance. Reading 1 John 2:1, for example, it refers to sins in the past. There are other references to sins in the past. But there is not a specific reference to where future sins are forgiven. So I am looking for guidance for clarity on that issue.
Bob: Jason, it does not make any sense. The sins you did are in the past. The issue is has Jesus taken those sins away or has He not? Are we going to call Him a liar when He said that it is finished. When Jesus died on a cross, He died for the sins of the entire world. He died for every sin back to Adam and every sin in the future. There is no delineation between past, present and future sins as far as God is concerned.
1 John 2:2
2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Bob: God has the ability, being omnipresent, to wrap everything up in one package. When Jesus died, and if He did not die for future sins, then only ones He died for are the ones standing in front of Him and all the sins backward, but for everything else we are on our own, then the cross would have no meaning to us at all. If Jesus did not take away the sins of the whole world, then it has no meaning at all. If that is the case, we ought to quit talking about it. We are doing what Hebrews says, making a mockery of the cross, treating as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctifies us.
Hebrews 10:28-29
28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Bob: The new agreement between God and man is that our sins and lawless acts He will remember no more. Where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice. It is done. It is over.
Hebrews 10:17-18
17 Then he adds:“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”[Jeremiah 31:34]
18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
Bob: Why do people keep talking about forgiveness is beyond me. Yet people will stand and believe in the cross, and stomp down their feet with the bible from the pulpit about how God forgives us, yet in our hearts do not believe an ounce of it. Christ took away our sins. He died and suffered the only sacrifice worthy of being able to take away the sins of the entire world forever. All of our sins were in the future when Jesus died. If He only died for past sins, the cross has no meaning to us. So, if that is the case, we ought to quit talking about it. It would not be applicable. It would only be applicable to those in His presence backwards.
Jason: Okay.
Bob: Do you see what I am talking about?
Jason: I do. Another interpretation I heard, contributing to my confusion. “Christ died for sins up to the point you accepted Him. If you accept Him, you must continually confess sins and stay in rightness with God.”
Bob: Again, Jason, I know that people teach that kind of nonsense. Basically, I think those are people who are sinning against the knowledge of truth, as it says in Hebrews.
Hebrews 10:26-27
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Bob: What does it mean to be sinning against the knowledge of truth? “Sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer sacrifice for sins.”
Bob: Those people teaching that are sinning against the knowledge of truth. The bible says if you are doing so then it could be that you never accepted the totality of the cross of Christ Jesus, and if not, you are going to hell. That is what the passage says. I did not say that. That is what the author of Hebrews says. I think it is a dangerous thing and an egotistical thing of people thinking that they have something to do with their forgiveness. God took away the sins of the entire world. How can you get more plain than that? He did not forget any and He did not forget anybody. He took them away. There is no such thing that He died up to the point I accepted and then from there on I am on my own. Nonsense. I died for all of them. What sacrifice is there for you being on your own. What sacrifice is handling that? Again, back to Hebrews. You are making a mockery of the grace of God, treating as unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctifies us.
Bob: It is an insult to Jesus. It is like spitting in His face, saying “Jesus, when you said it is finished, I do not believe you. When you say you died for the sins of the world, I do not believe you. I got my denominations deal of short accounts with God that I grab a hold of, and I am so proud I got all my sins confessed, and I will not let go of it. God says, “I will not hang onto you if you never got a hold of me to begin with. You never repented.” If I have to go back to get more forgiveness, then I do not believe the cross. If I have to seek more forgiveness, then I do not believe the passage where Jesus died not only for my sins but the sins of the whole world. I never repented. I relied upon my confession booth. I relied upon keeping short accounts with God. Or back in those days, going back to the Day of Atonement, killing my bulls and goats. It means you have never repented.
Jason: Okay. Thank you, Bob. It has been very helpful.
Bob: Does that help?
Jason: Yes, it does. And I enjoy your program.
Arnold
Arnold: At the time that Peter denied Christ, was he saved? (Matthew 26:31-35, John 8:15-27)
Bob: No, Arnold. There was not anyone saved until the Day of Pentecost. That was the day that the life of God was placed back into man, restoring in us what we had lost in Adam, that being the Spirit of God living in us. So no one was saved prior to the day of Pentecost.
Luke 24:49
49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Acts 2:1-4
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Ephesians 1:13
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit
Bob: I think, Arnold, that is one of the great teachings of the scripture is that even though these men had walked with Jesus and talked with Him and had been taught by Him and discipled by Him, seen Him in action, they had no power to live the Christian life at all. Thus the denial of Peter in fear. Thus after His resurrection, of all of them living behind closed doors, shuttering like cold birds, until the day of Pentecost.
John 20:19
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
Bob: On the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of God was given to man, restoring spiritual life to us, permanently, that those same men who were behind closed doors were out pointing their fingers saying, “You killed the Son of God.”
Acts 2:36
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Bob: What was the difference in their boldness? The life of God was indwelling them. We can be professors of Christ, but until we learn and understand that Christ wants to live in us, we have no power to live the Christian life. We are just playing at it, going through the motions, but have no power because there is no life in us. So we have a dichotomy of people, people who have a life they do not live and people who try to live a life they do not have. I believe the bulk of the Christian world is trying to live a life they do not have.
Arnold: Okay.
Bob: That is where the power comes from. No, he was not saved at all.
Arnold: Okay. I am told he was. But I remember that Jesus said after you are converted, strengthen your brothers.
Luke 22:32
32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Bob: Yes.
Arnold: Okay, thank you very much.
Bob: Okay. Does that help, brother
Arnold: Yes it does.
Bob: Okay. God bless you, my friend.
Arnold: You too.
Justin from Vancouver, British Columbia
Justin: What can you say to someone living under the Old Covenant and the New Covenant? What happened to the Old Covenant as the New Covenant came into place?
Hebrews 8:7-8
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said:“The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.
Hebrews 8:13
13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
Bob: The Old Covenant, it says, is no longer in existence. It has been replaced by the new. As far as people trying to live under both, Paul addressed that beautifully in the book of Galatians.
Galatians 3:1-3
1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
Bob: Of course, the answer to that is believing what you heard. Then after beginning by faith, why are you now trying to perfect yourself by human effort?
Bob: That commingling of law and grace was strongly addressed by the apostle Paul. Yet so many people are still living under both. We will not let go of the old because we think we are supposed to be still under it. We quote passages out of the old as if it still applies to us today. We still try to live by the Old Testament principles that do not apply to us. It says the New Covenant replaced the old. And what has been replaced is aging and will soon disappear. We are supposed to look at the Old Covenant and law and let it disappear. We are to no longer live under that.
Romans 10:4
4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Romans 3:20
20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God”s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
Bob: Christ, we are told, is the end of the law so there may be righteousness for anyone who believes. We are also told that no one will be declared righteous in the sight of God through obedience to the law. If we are going to be declared righteous, it is not going to be under the law. It is going to be by coming to Christ Jesus.
Galatians 2:21
21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Romans 3:21-23
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Bob: It might take some time, Justin, to go through the scriptures. We have a book A Scriptural Journey to Discover the Grace of God. This is the best resource we have in our ministry. It has verses of scripture around all the lectures we give at our Life in Christ seminars. You can just go back to the one on Law and Grace and the one on The New Covenant and go through those scriptures. Anyone who argues with that, then they are a hopeless case. They are arguing against the testimony of the word of God.
Bob: Okay, Justin.
Justin: Okay.
Bob: Okay, brother. Does that help?
Justin: Yes, it does.
Bob: Alright, my friend. Bye. Bye now.
Ernie from Vista, CA
Ernie: When Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach him to pray. I know God does not lead people into temptation. There is that one line in that prayer that says “leadeth not into temptation”. That just stumbles me.
Matthew 6:12-13
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
Bob: Yes, it doesn’t. It is in the placement of emphasis. “Lord, lead us, not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” It is not “Lord lead us not into temptation.” We are already in temptation.
Ernie: That is true.
Bob: Lord, lead us. Not in temptation, for we are already in it. But deliver us from evil.
Ernie: Ah. Okay.
Bob: It is all on the placement for the emphasis of words. That makes all the difference in the world in interpretation of that verse.
Erie: That is what I thought. I know the Lord does not lead anybody into temptation. I was just putting emphasis on the wrong thing right there. That is great.
Bob: Let me say this to you. I do not know anyone who doesn’t do that. I went through the same thing you are talking about until the fact is it just did not make sense. I finally had to go back to the original language and see where the emphasis was. Hold on a minute. We are putting the emphasis on the wrong place. “Lord, lead us. Not into temptation.” Why? We are already in it. “Deliver us from that temptation.”
Ernie: Yes, Bob. That is great. I tried to talk about that with a Christian brother in Philadelphia. We could not quite get it right. You cleared it up for me, Bob. I appreciate that very much.
Bob: You are welcome, Ernie. God bless you, my friend.
Ernie: Thank you. Bye.
Bob: Okay. Bye.
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