Call-In Classic Christianity Radio – Bob George P685 (11-04-21)
Christ is our wisdom and help in time of need. He is the Truth to all our problems. Let us walk in a manner worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus.
Bob George, on the air with the original People to People ministries, answers questions by callers from across the country on real life issues as well as the common questions. Andrew from Lubbock, Texas asked about the meaning of the head covering for a woman in the passage of scripture in 1 Corinthians 11.
1 Corinthians 11:10
10 It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.
Bob answered what he knew from a translation or footnote in a translation that provided information that makes some of that passage more easily understood in its context of the day the letter was written. In that culture, the Gentile were very heathen, and had idols made of stone and sexual goddesses with temple prostitutes. The prostitutes in those days wore short hair or had their heads shaved. From Bob”s understanding, a woman who came out of that sinful life style and is now a believer may still have her head shaved and if she does not want to be identified with the “shorn” woman, that is, the prostitutes, she should have a head covering until the time her hair grows out. As far as other things in that passage, such as “because of the angels”, he did not have an answer.
Another caller, Armando from Bakersfield, CA, asked for help in a struggling marriage. His wife was improperly seeing another man, presumably to get a need met her husband could not provide. She was clearly in violation of the marriage covenant. Bob provided Armando with practical advice on dealing with the man who was pursuing his wife but also provided him help in how to help his wife. Bob explained the sinful condition of all men by sharing the struggle Paul wrote about in Romans 7.
Romans 7:4-6
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
In our sinful state we are enslaved to the law of sin and death and the things we do not want to do we do and the things we do not want to do that we keep on doing. Paul closes by saying thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The law of sin and death always stirs up sin in our sinful state.
Romans 7:14-25
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Bob illustrates that concept by explaining examples from life. Tell a child to stop doing something and they do it anyhow or put up a sign that says “no fishing” and how that causes people to disobey the sign and do the exact opposite and ignore the sign and go fishing anyhow. The law stirs up sinful desires in man to do the exact opposite of the law that was meant for our good. Bob then explains the message of salvation from sin and death unto the law of the Spirit of life. Bob explains salvation as a moment in time where someone is born again by placing their faith in what Jesus alone did for you by his death, burial, and resurrection. Armando indicated he understood what Bob was explaining and that maybe he was born again. He seemed to still lack clarity of understanding, for his wife is Catholic and he wanted his wife to confess sin. To confess to him of her wrongdoing should be done but to confess sin to a priest or to God is not really the solution to her problem of spiritual death and her need of new spiritual life. To be born again, one places their faith in Jesus Christ alone for his death, to have already taken your sin away and to trust in his resurrection to receive his resurrected life in you. When someone is born again, they receive the very life of Christ, the Holy Spirit. You do not receive life by taking a wafer but by trust alone in what Jesus accomplished by his death, burial and resurrection. This new birth comes by faith alone in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Bob offered Armando and his wife to call any time if they have questions and would be glad to explain these things to them. Armando asked for prayer, and you can hear his heart aching for his marriage to be spared. Bob closed in prayer, asking God for the gift of Christ to be received by faith and the Holy Spirit to accomplish new life for them.
An excellent booklet to ponder scriptures over and get an understanding of the gospel, a message of good news, to be made alive in Christ Jesus, check out Be Born Free.
