Open Air Theology "Q&A" show

The child of reformation. Me a Bible in a bookshelf of dead man cigars bourbons and beer cans bowties tattoos and. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to open-earth theology. My name is Jeff and I'm one of the co-hosts of this wonderful fantastic show and I'm also one of the pastors Elders of Covenant Reformed Baptist Church here in Tallahoma, Tennessee.

If you like the intro song the single just dropped today I Commented on it in YouTube and also on my Facebook page, please go and check it out. Show your brothers some love. Pass it over to Jack like Brayden this way.

Yeah, I.

Am pastor Brayden Patterson the pastor of Valley Baptist Church in Hagerman, Idaho also being called Starting in December the pastor of Grace Bible Church in Moorpark, California. So if you live in the Ventura County area Please come join the church prior to me getting there.

Come join it when I'm there. It'd be a real blessing to be able to get to know you really looking forward to that opportunity and just to continue to preach Christ crucified from beyond from behind the pulpit and to love the people.

I also have a YouTube channel called reformed ex-mormon. I'm also looking for new friends. These ones are our jack legs sometimes.

Grace Bible Church, I actually attend Grace Bible Church, but actually in Texas in Bernie, Texas. Oh same name different church. So I had to put an evangelism team out of Grace Bible Church of Bernie where I'm a member.

Man, it's it's doing awesome. You guys we had we had such a good turnout. We had two people come from evangelism. Today, it was excellent. So I'm I'm like, you know on cloud nine. You guys know when you see fruit and stuff like that.

So it was a it was a good day today. Yeah.

Man man, yes service went well for us today. I Kind of finished a little section on washing feet. For some reason I can't get anyone in our reformer church to bring out the with the bucket of water and Get in between the toes, right?

But now we just pointed out that you know, I we looked at what a servant is that's. That's Christ what a servant isn't Judas.

And.

What was the other one? How should a leader lead or something like that? But it was a really good message and it was one that I was actually Kind of worried about like entering into the pulpit. I was I just I didn't know how it was going to turn out and While I was preaching I felt pretty good about it.

And then I had a lot of people afterwards approached me just was saying it was a really good message. So I haven't got to hear you heard it hear it yet. But if you want to supposedly hear a good message by me go check out the one I preached today Good Lord's Day though.

We had a week man. I'll tell you what the we had four families Missing today and our whole church was packed. We barely have if they would have came because we have a fellowship mill after every Service.

If those four families would have came and everyone would have stayed and eaten. We wouldn't have had enough room for people to eat. Wow. So we really need this church building. Oh, yeah, and so more announcements on that.

I Am meeting with the so that the church That owns the building receive the deed to the building and I am meeting with them this coming Tuesday at 1030 Central Central Central Standard Time. So if y 'all could if y 'all would excuse me, if y 'all would please be praying that the Lord would be so gracious for us to get this building and We really need it.

We're busting out the seams.

Praise God, that's awesome. We'll be playing praying for sure. How was your day Braden? That was good. I got a preach.

Galatians chapter 3 verse 15 To 23. And so just got to talk a lot about covenants and How the seed is the singular Christ not the plural People of Israel. So that was that was a blessing to be able to go through that.

So Very good. Good Lord. Good Lord's Day. Great time. We'll fellowship and with the Saints. That's good. How about you Tom?

Good earlier today Michael Michael preached and then in our evening worship service Frank preached on memorizing the Word of God how important it is to We meditate on it to read it to study it, but not only to read it and study it but also Memorize it so we have it in our hearts and our minds.

So we can meditate on it. So, you know as we as we take in Christ we can memorize the scripture. It helps us helps us to keep our mind on Christ. So it was it was really good and then seeing the two guys.

It was actually one guy that we met at evangelism a couple weeks ago a young man you know senior in high school. You know built dude. I mean good all the girls are gonna love this guy this kid I mean just built football player and all that stuff and and he came to listen to us evangelize showed up a church brought a friend and Heard the word preached like they've never heard heard before actually verse-by-verse actually.

Looking at at the scriptures and then explaining the text. Or they were just floored and so they said they're gonna come back. So we're just praising God for that. So it was excellent. Really good.

Very good. Very good. I'm glad everyone had a Had a good Lord's Day. There's nothing like the Lord's Day in my opinion where we get to To gather with the Saints and and allow this to be a an overflow of our our continued worship throughout the week.

Yeah, so so today's a topic is we're just going to have a Q &A so we we were going to talk about one thing and we just decided not to we really want this show to be energetic and fun and. So, I mean, I mean you got guys out there, you know, if you're looking for someone to bash everybody that Around like this is not the show for you.

Like if you come in the comment sections running your mouth. But we're not you know, like the the heresy hunters and stuff like that or something like that so. You know, so we just wanted this show to be fun and so because like like you came down to yesterday and was like Well, what are we gonna talk about was and so it was a little let's just allow people to ask questions.

So I have a I have a request. Okay, because. Because I'm married to her. She has a question and I can tell her that tell you guys that we so every every question.

We're gonna have the ones that we answer. We're gonna pull them up on the screen. Okay?

It's Debbie Shepherd there you guys. Yes, go ahead. Now. I'm gonna tell you my wife and I argue about this verse. So I'm not gonna tell you which one I'm gonna leave I want. Prove her wrong guys prove her wrong.

That's all I'm asking. So in Luke Zechariah was unable to speak until the baby was born. Creatures today say that Zechariah was also deaf. Even though the Bible doesn't say anything about him being deaf.

What do y 'all think?

One.

Luke one and I. I've never heard that he was deaf.

Yeah, it doesn't say that he was deaf, but let's read the text.

Sounds like you want to argue for a man deaf. Hey.

Hey.

All right, go ahead and insert your words into the Bible, let's go.

Shoehorn your interpretation.

The best way to open up is the Bible doesn't say but this is where I'm gonna go. Started Braden. You're a good reader started verse 18. Oh, yeah. I am a great reader. Not really I think I have like a.

Wrong you read. Well, it's just your voice. Yeah, your voice. Your voice sucks.

How will I know this for I am I'm an okay read it. You're Braden reading.

Oh, where we at. You started reading it and then you stopped. What?

Oh verse 18. Verse 18.

18 and Zachary chapter 2 or chapter 1 1. Oh.

Crap.

Okay, and Zachariah said to the angel, how shall I know this for I am old an old man and my wife is Advanced in years and the angel answered him. I am Gabriel I stand in the presence of God and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place because you did not Believe my words Which will be fulfilled in their time. And the people were waiting for Zachariah and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.

And when he came out he was unable to speak to them and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. Keep going. Okay, and when his time of service was ended He went to his home.

After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months She kept herself hidden saying Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on to on me to take away my reproach among people.

Keep going. Debbie, where is it?

Fire Tom. Go ahead. Michelle. Or Melissa. Melissa's the one that keeps on telling me I need to get fired.

There was a part there was a part in there when it says, okay, golly she gave me the wrong word. Verse 63 Hold on let's go down.

Okay.

63 okay. Okay, so let's start at 60, okay, but his mother answered and said no but she'll she shall be called John. He shall she be called John. And they said to her There is no one among the relatives who is called by this name and they were making signs to his father.

They were making sign to his father who was mute, right? We just read that he was mute. They were making signs to his father. He was mute he couldn't talk.

Yeah. During that time of pregnancy, huh? During the time of pregnancy, right?

He couldn't he couldn't talk but and so it was it so keep reading. Let's read it. 61 and they said to her there was no one among okay. So 62 and they were making signs to his father as to what he wanted to be called.

And he asked for a tablet and wrote. Any any wrote as follows. His name shall be called John. And they marveled. Okay, so he he couldn't talk. But why are they making signs to him? Why didn't they just say hey?

But 64 and immediately his mouth was open and his and his tongue.

Yeah, here's why. Are they making signs to him if he could hear. He started saying signs first. Right, so he. He couldn't talk. He couldn't talk, okay. But he could hear if he can hear. Why are they doing this?

Whoa?

You were making no go back. You just said he couldn't hear. You were just making signs to us. It doesn't mean.

All it is is he couldn't speak.

You're talking with your hands.

I'm speaking also.

He was deaf as well. He was deaf as well. Hey, what's the name of that that that that that death people use?

What's a call Braille?

Yeah, people don't need braille us blind people Jack.

We're over. Okay, so let's. Goodness, okay, anybody hear what I'm saying.

My area.

That that they were making signs to him if he was mute that I can see him making signs or hear me out. And we're writing on a tablet and all that or even them writing on a tablet back. But if he could hear why are they doing his name?

You don't know what they're doing.

They just gonna be like don't step up speak. They're making signs right. They're not sitting here doing sign language.

Why would?

All right, come on listen listen this right here, okay, let's go to something else.

You.

Got a weird interpretation was he. I do.

Yes.

Yeah, I mean it's just hand gestures. You were just talking to my. When I preach I'm a hand jester and fools. How many people are deaf in your church.

How many people are deaf in your church church.

No one but today I was like.

Zonal versus vertical. Why are you making those hand signals. Somebody has to be deaf in your?

Ask him if he could hear instead of me. We agree with Debbie, okay.

On the show you're off.

No.

Eyes on your side.

Wait Jake just said check the lexicons in to.

On the original Greek for that word same same man. I don't have any. I don't have anything out here with me.

It's as some mention it as a somatic cannot talk range including both mute and deaf so he's saying that the I like causing him to be mute.

Yeah, but the issue is.

Even if even if being made mute could mean both not talk or hear the only part that is Restored that's talked about is a totally different Greek word. Which was his tongue and he caused him to speak it was no longer.

Able to talk. I would learn how to. I would learn how to communicate with people around me. So. Was one of these the sign languages.

What's the next question.

All right. Well, so at the very beginning a guy was asking a question. He asked a lot of questions and we're gonna answer one question and see if anyone else comes up with anything else. And then if no, they don't we'll come back to it.

All right, so Clint he has three At the very beginning. Is the one that you want to tackle? Yes, like four in the beginning. Oh, yes more. Wow. They calm down brother.

According to 1689 federalism is the faith that caused Caleb and Joshua to believe in God's promise to take the land the same faith that we have.

Well faith just means trust so they were trusting That God was going to bring them to that land.

And I'd have to I so to be honest with you I would have to have I would have to have some time to study that exact passage to answer that With a surety. We do know that Hebrews 11 the chapter of faith mentions that several.

Abraham and looking for a land that wasn't theirs.

But not even just that. It says that they quench the power of fire escape the sword were made strong through weakness became mighty Foreign armies to flight. So there's there's mentions of this stuff.

And so I.

Think he's getting that is that the Saving faith and I would say saving faith has to concern the seed for so so if this was in 1689 federalism the faith that makes a person righteous has to do with that promise seed, which is Christ.

It's it. Yes. It's speaking of the land. I'm sure that that you know in the sense that they were trusting God for the land. However, were they trusting God for the seed now, I do believe that they were children of spiritual descendants of Abraham.

Not just physical descendants of Abraham, but I I wouldn't I wouldn't base it off of that.

Promise, so I would say on this and if I'm correct me if I'm wrong, but we will rest of the people. Yeah, obviously.

Let me put that up there real quick so people can see it.

So if the Texas and John, I mean did not that that they came back and they went out to spy out the land. Didn't the other people that were with them or the other people were saying? Hey, wait a minute.

They look too big. They look too much. They were doubting everything but Caleb. Yes.

Believed God.

Yes, my if my memory serves me correctly. Yes, which I think goes back to showing and demonstrating a certain level of saving faith. So I I would err on that saying that they had faith in the seed which caused them to be able to act in bold manners.

Just like we trust God when we go out and do evangelism. Which stems from our faith in Christ, right?

So so. Saying what they were seeing with their human eyes. They were right leaving God to do that. So I would say we're resting at least on God on that as well. Yep.

It's so funny, I so at work sometimes we'll go on calls and it's really funny to see somebody that's new. Try to do a patient assessment on somebody that's deaf because they'll just get louder and loud.

She'll like by the end of they'll be shouting what's your medical history? And the person's like I don't have my earring. It's.

Yeah, there's some pretty funny stories I got with that.

For.

Some reason it's not letting me go further in my comments. If you ask the question ask it again because it's not let me see it.

What?

Do you want me to tell us another Clint one that we can answer? This one's a let me see the Clint.

Why are you on?

Right. Absolutely. I don't know. Oh, here's a good one. Here's a good one. Okay, this is what it says. Why are so many Reform Baptists critical of Christian nationalism when the 1689 confession explicitly supports general equity theonomy.

Because it's speaking of the church the church. Okay, so so we're not saying That the government shouldn't use God's law, right. So in 69 in the Reformed Baptist we hope to the three uses of the law first use then a.

Mirror.

Second use is the curb. Third use is the flashlight the curb. The government should use God's law as a way to curb evil. However, we should not implant Moses, right? That law the Mosaic Covenant was only given to the Israelites.

There's never been a. By that I mean the physical descendants of Abraham. That law According to Galatians chapter 3 and 4 was only until Christ now until someone can exegetically deal with that issue.

It was only until Christ. There really isn't an argument to be made. All of us Gentiles have never been under a Mosaic law. We are under the David. I mean that the Abrahamic Covenant and Abraham Moses and David are all administrations of that covenant of works as they all are a covenant of works.

And God now.

Would also still apply moral law. Would still.

Get. The moral law applies to us. However.

So.

You just threw me off. I'm sorry. Jack leg. Sorry. I don't remember where I was going. My bad, I was going somewhere I I can't remember. I'm about to be 45. So my age is catching up with me. Anyways, when do y 'all want to take up the mantle?

I don't. I don't forgot.

Yeah.

So the 1689 chapter 19 of law of paragraph 4 says to Israeli also gave various judicial laws Which ceased at the same time their nation ended. These laws no longer obligate anyone as part of that institution only their general principles of justice continue to have moral values and so.

What's going on in this chapter is there's the discussion of the moral law that's Transcendent it exists and flows from the nature of God. Then there's the ceremonial and the judicial laws. The ceremonial laws are those laws that help cover the the sin of the people of Israel while the And also had foreshadowing and typology of Christ that it would open up a hole.

We've done shows on this topic before. Judicial law is those governing the people laws? Such as Family kinsmen. Redeemer, right those those kind of laws. There's several laws that are mentioned. You can't eat pork.

You can't have mixed linen. You can't have all these examples of things and a lot of those laws. I would argue the majority of those laws They had a specific purpose that was to protect them as a nation to bring about the promised seed.

And so the confession says that they ended with that nation because that nation produced guess what? The seed what the intended purpose of those laws were which was Christ. That's what Galatians chapter 3 verse 19 says.

The law was added because of transgressions previously committed. Until the seed until the seed that law the law of Moses ceased. So the general equity that we would see in there is that we could look at something like a parapet Wall that was commanded to the people that had flat roofs in those day and say It's probably wise to keep my windows locked and shut so that my neighbor doesn't fall out of my window.

However.

The purpose of these things are different because even in the Old Testament it was so that you wouldn't have bloodshed in the land. So that they could remain in the land if somebody falls out of my window and dies.

Do I get kicked out of the land? No, so so so you have to understand that general equity. I would argue that a theonomist is typically going far too. Too too distant for what the what general equity implies and also Jesus when he uses general equity.

It goes against what they're looking at. So the Bible's Old Testament. I for an eye tooth for tooth. Jesus is general equity for the church. It's turned the other cheek. The Bible says to purge the evil from among you.

General equity for the church. It's that we purge the evil from among the church. Again, we think that the government should use the law. However, we should not be trying to establish a mosaic covenant.

Yes, period and that's it because a lot of people think that theonomy they're wanting to go. But not just back to God's moral law, but they're wanting to go back to the mosaic law. They're wanting to go back to and that's that's that's that's a mishandle.

I would say it's a false gospel and you're in your borderline heretics. It's to take it to that limit. Yeah, and I'm gonna be honest with you. I would not. Will not have any fellowship with people that hold to that strong of a view of it.

I mean like none. Absolutely zero.

Now as far as the whole Christian nationalist part of that question. It just really depends on how you define what a Christian nationalization is.

If.

And everybody has a different definition of it. If we just simply mean a Christian nation is a nation that has a law that is influenced by the moral law with using general equity principles from other laws then.

Okay, that's fine. I can get on board with that. But if we're saying a Christian nation is a nation that puts people to death for Walking around carrying a heavy load on a Saturday the Sabbath.

Yeah, no.

Yeah, just look at the Sabbath. The Sabbath has ended in the sense that. That the Sabbath rest was in Christ our Sabbath rest is in Christ now the the general equity of it that we should have. So so we're looking at to tear should someone work seven days a week.

No, you need a day you need a day of rest. And also the the Sabbath in the Old Testament was never instituted as a day of worship. Ever you will not find it in there that came about during the Maccabean period.

Yeah, so. Like my question is is what are we doing? Are we really taking the Bible serious? Galatians tells us it was only into Christ. Corinthians tells us that that covenant was a ministry of death.

And if you look at Romans chapter 6 and 7 like when Paul's saying the things I want to do I cannot do. There's a good chance that he's speaking about that time of being under that. Oh.

Covenant law, right? We just heard that Jeffrey Johnson had a good sermon on that. Yeah.

So real quick. She's on post this twice and she's been. You know, I think we should at least give a thought to it. He's asking about.

Steve Ross, can I can I go ahead and say it for all of us? Here's my thoughts. I think that. That we probably should hold off on this and in the reason why is because there's not not everything has been brought out.

Let's let's hold off before we put our foot in our mouths and say too much. Yeah, and I.

And also with that, I think we should be praying for him and why is family his wife his family, but also I'm not gonna throw the baby out with the bathwater. Like if I do that, I have to not read anything of David not read anything of Peter.

The stories of Samson like what he did was often if it's true what he did is awful. However. It's seeing him. He doesn't need to be in the pulpit so on and so forth. However, we don't need to throw the baby out the bathwater.

He has a lot of good stuff out there and I.

So and he's and he's probably done more for the kingdom than Everybody put together. Watching this show. Yeah, so.

If I could I think the real problem is is that men should not be idolized. So think about like yes If you have 50 men in a room and then you have a guy like Steve Lawson walk into the room and next thing You know all these men who are chill.

They're calm. They're collective. They see Steve Lawson and They start fanboying over getting into a line to shake his hands. What are the women in that room thinking? The man want to be him. So therefore the women want to be with him.

Like like it's a slippery slope and all it's going to take for for any guy some pretty woman to wink the eye and Motion them over. Men are weak in the same way that we use creeds and confessions to read our Bibles when we travel.

We need to have other men of God with us to be our craze and confessions and our holiness. But I'll get off my high horse.

Do you mind if we have the question by Jesse Killinger on here, okay.

Which one is it? It's just shortly up from the bottom. Is it. Can you discuss chapter 3? Yep.

Okay, Jesse Killinger is a good friend of mine. Sweet good brother in Christ right there. I work with him. So he says can you discuss chapter 3 paragraph 1 and talk about God's relationship with sin. Is God the author of sin.

Why does he allow it if he is indeed sovereign? Does he just allow it for his glory, etc?

That's a great question. Yeah. Yes. So to begin with I would say that this is actually a topic that I don't think people should tread on. But I will give you my response, but I want to hear what these gentlemen say just case they say something crazy.

I'm at the fire.

Yeah, so it says in there. So I'll read the paragraph. It says from all eternity God decreed everything that occurred without reference to anything outside of himself. He did this by the perfectly wise and hosely counsel of his own free will or his own will freely and unchangeable.

Yet God did this in such a way that he is neither the author of sin nor has any fellowship with With any in their sin. This decree does not violate the will of the creature or take away the free working of contingencies of second causes on the contrary.

These are established by God's decree and these. In this God's decree the gods are in this decree God's wisdom is displayed in directing all things and his power and faithfulness are demonstrated in accomplishing his decree.

And so What the second cause in here I'll just I'll preface this in chapter 5 it talks about that the first cause is Is God is God acting God predestinating God causing something to come about? Secondary causes are all those things that happen within that first cause.

And according to the first cause the confession when it says that he's not the author of sin is defining it author of sin as a Meaning that he cannot be held culpable of sin. Culpability is the attributing wrongdoing to somebody.

Now I can attribute to Tom wrongdoing because him and I are both human men, right we both have a Equal level of authority to be able to offer Culpability towards each other with right. However, how many ants have we stepped on today?

How how many bugs have we smashed while driving our car. There is a level of culpability that cannot be extended to something that is greater than the object or the person or the insect right because the insect is not on the same level of Authority as you and I are and the distance between mankind to that of an insect it God is infinitely greater than mankind than mankind is to an insect.

And so the idea of what's going on in there is that we cannot attribute to God's sin. Because he is far greater than those things. He's not the one that does the sin. We're the ones that are doing the sin.

It's still according to his Predestination absolutely because he is the first cause but that's what Roman 9 is dealing with it says. You old man Cannot answer to God. Why have thou made me like this or why have you made me as this?

It's a love it's an issue of culpability since there's nothing like God. There's nothing greater than God. There's nothing that's on the same equal playing field as God. There's no way that we can attribute to God some some wrongdoing that you and I have done.

So good stuff. I would I would go to James 1 13. And it says let no one say when he is tempted that I'm being tempted by God for God Cannot be tempted by evil. And he himself does not tempt anyone and here's the thing.

But each one is tempted when he the person is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust is conceived he gives birth to sin. It gives birth to sin and when sin is fully matured it brings forth death.

But are y 'all really touching on the question? That's that's my that's my question. Yeah, so because like he's.

Your answer is going to be yeah. And and and and I would agree with the confession that so it depends on the way you handle the word author. Jeff is going to present it as if if we are looking as an author of a story.

And and God is telling a story in his God's story. This is God's story.

God preordains all things like we cannot say that God preordains all things and he's not the author of the story.

But at the same time I Think I think that the words the words that we're using Are are not capable of actually communicating this. Absolutely.

I'm trying to say this is a dangerous way to tread because if we say that he's not the author Then there's something greater than him. That is the author. Right, that's what I that's what I was trying to say, but that's where you get to that Satan is God's devil.

Right, like like if I if I establish rules in my house like God has a law. So so God so so so sin according to 1st John chapter 3 verse 4 Sin evil is breaking God's law. God doesn't necessarily have to create sin.

All he has to do is create the moral law and when we break the moral law those who break it are evil.

So here's where it breaks down. Where. Where does evil the question. And this is another hard one, where does evil come from. What is evil. So when you look at God is holy God is righteous. God is Magnificent and he is good.

Everything about him is good and holy and righteous opposite of evil. So you have God which is good and holy, but the absence of God is His darkness. The absence of God is evil. That's that's where evil is.

So take God out of it and what's left evil? Does that make sense?

Way to put it. So this this is what I'm trying to get out with it. Is God the author of all things? Yes, as long as we're defining author is not something that we can attribute sin to. Paragraph one is talking about that God is not the author in a sense that we can attribute sin to him that we can hold him.

I'm not saying that. That's what you're saying. I know I know I know I'm addressing the question. I'm addressing the question of author of sin. Yeah, that's the reason that that's said in the confession.

Do we think that God is the author of all things. Yeah, but here's the thing if God's the creator of good. All right, what's absent of good? Yeah, so so so if he creates a law which he did the moral law and to break that.

That's what sin is. Sin is lawlessness.