MSL: April 17, 2024

Email Problems and the Day’s Topics

The following program is recorded content created by The Truth Network. It's Matt Slick Live! Matt is the founder and president of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry, found online at karm .org.

When you have questions about Bible doctrines, turn to Matt Slick Live for answers, taking your calls, and responding to your questions at 877 -207 -2276. Here's Matt Slick.

Hey everybody, welcome to the show. It's me, Matt Slick. You're listening to Matt Slick Live. Today's date is, let's see, April 17th, 2024. So we're having a major, major problem with our email, and maybe some of you out there are having a similar problem.

Maybe you know about this, but we're getting this stuff, our domain, from Gmail. We have matt .karm .org, we have charlie .karm .org, we have different people from the ministry with just direct names that we go, and they're not working.

And we're getting this weird error message. So the reason I'm telling you is because if you email us right now, I don't know if it's going to go through. Maybe someone can, you can try it, just for testing, you know, info at karm .org.

So I have to figure out what this message is. It's just a weird thing that's going on, and I don't know how to fix it. But you know, that's just what it is to run in ministry and have problems and stuff like.

That.

Just give you guys a heads up that we're having email problems. So if things are bouncing, if they are, that would account for it. Not that we want that to happen, but that's what's happening.

All right.

Hey, if you want to give me a call, all I have to do is dial 877 -207 -2276. And yeah, see, it works. Scott is, you know, we don't, I don't know what's going on. See, Scott, hey, thanks for testing and it worked, but we have others that are not working.

Maybe it's something on their end and it's not working. We can't, I don't know if we can send anything. Let me try a response back. See, we just found this out, like seriously, just minutes ago and trying to figure it out and responding back.

This is to Scott, who's actually waiting on the line, I think. So maybe you can tell me if you get that when we get on the air with you here in a sec. So that's it and we're trying to work it out. Anyway, let's get on the phone with Scott from Spokane, Washington.

Hey, Scott, welcome, man. You're on the air.

God as Savior of All and the Old Testament View of Hell

Hey, how's it going, Matt?

Okay, it's going okay. Did you get the response email back I just sent?

No, I keep refreshing it. I'm not getting anything.

Okay. Yeah, I just returned one to Joanne too, so if they're listening, they'll know. So, okay, well, I guess it's not going out sent. I tried it and that's what it is.

Okay, buddy.

So what do you got?

So yeah, my question is, I just got two and the first one is 1 Timothy chapter 4, verse 10. I was just simply asking, how is God a savior to unbelievers?

That's exactly the question, you know, in 1 Timothy 4 .10, for it is that we labor and strive because we have fixed our hope in the living God, who is a savior of all men, especially believers. What that is really, what I believe it means is that he's a savior of not just the Jews, but of everybody, all people.

And when it says all men, that's interesting because it's actually the male form of anthropos and it's a plural, of course, but so it means all men. Well, okay, so what's going on? It's not exactly literal in that he saves all men because it means all people.

So if he's a savior of everybody, then I ask questions, I say, is he the savior of those who are damned? And in one sense, yes. And one says, no, I mean, he didn't save them, but generically, he's a savior of all who would believe in him.

And we get into discussions about that. So that's, that's good. You know, it's one of the things I ask. Okay.

And then the other one I have is just, excuse me, how much of a concept of hell did people have, did Jews have in the Old Testament times?

That's a good question. Hell is not spoken of as much in the Old Testament. And so I think I wrote an article on that. Let's see, Charlie, probably find it before I would. And it talks about Gehenna, I think it is, or Hades, the Old Testament.

Been a long time since I've written on it. But nevertheless, they did have a concept of it, but it wasn't as detailed or as elaborated upon as it is in the New Testament.

So well, it makes me think of that verse where, where it says that hell, the lake of fire was for the devil and his angels. And it makes me wonder, even in that regard, they had some idea of demonology and stuff back then, I'm sure.

But did they maybe have an understanding of the, you know, not the grave, but Hades or hell being in particular for the demonic? But I guess we aren't really told. So I don't know.

Right.

We aren't. There's a lot of mentions of it in the New Testament. I've got an article on there on the New Testament. What are the verses that mention hell in the New Testament? And I'm looking to see if there's any that I've written for the Old Testament, or an article I've written that dealt with it for the Old Testament context.

I don't think so.

So, okay.

Yeah. Yeah, I don't think so. Anyway, I'm just looking through the notes, because what I did was I just did a search for it and finding different articles I've written. So it says in Psalm 1610, for you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your Holy One see corruption.

And in Psalm 30, verse 3, O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol. And Isaiah 3810, I said in the middle of my days, I must depart. I am consigned to the gates of Sheol for the rest of my years.

So then there's number 1633, which so they belong to them, went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them. Job 2419, drought and heat snatch away the snow water. So does Sheol, those who have sinned.

And then let's try this one last one. It's Psalm 917. The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God. So there's another one.

Look at this.

And Second Kings 23, 13 and 14. And this is the amount of corruption. And I can read more of it. So there's mentions of it in the Old Testament, obviously. Just read them. So there you go. Okay.

Regeneration Before Pentecost and the Disciples

All right. I got one more I just found in my notes. That's pretty good on, I think, if you want it.

Sure, sure. What is it?

Okay. So this this one, I'm glad I found it because it's pretty good. But so the disciples, you know, prior to when they were with Jesus, let's say, you know, the Holy Spirit hadn't been given to dwell in people yet in the day of Pentecost hadn't happened yet.

Yet they came to Christ. And so my question is, were they regenerate even though the Holy Spirit hadn't been given? I feel like they would kind of have to be right.

Well, there's discussion about what regeneration is. And it's the same thing as asking was like David regenerate or Abraham and Abraham was justified by faith. We want to say, yes, there was a there must have been some form of something related to regeneration that occurred to them in order for them to believe.

So if we take the New Testament revelation of regeneration and it's concomitant with faith and they had faith in the Old Testament, then we can imply that they were regenerate there.

Okay.

Okay, cool.

Oh, yeah.

That's all I got. Thank you very much.

All right, big man. Thanks a lot, buddy.

All right.

God bless.

All right.

So last night, you know, I'm on the Internet a lot. And we have nobody waiting. If you want to give me a call, 877 -207 -2276. I'd say email me. Maybe you could email me. Try email me at info at carm .org.

And, you know, if you have a radio comment or radio question and put in the subject line, put in radio comment or radio question. And we'll see if we get them because we're having email problems for just let people know we're having email problems.

So, okay. So last night I met somebody in real life that I've met, encountered over the Internet. And so we were really surprised that he and I live in the same city. So, you know, on Discord, it's a chat system and been doing this for years.

And we get talking and he goes, no way, dude, I live in the same city. So we met up for just a little cookie and something at a place in Nampa, you know, cookie, something to drink, that kind of thing.

And so no big deal. It was fine.

All right. He's a great guy.

Now, what's interesting is that before I got there, before I got there, what happened was I pull up in my car across the street. I stopped the car and I look out my parking. I look out my window and it said Nazarene Church right in front of me on the window, like an office building kind of a thing.

Nazarene Church. I'm looking at it because to the left of it was a gay pride flag that was suspended inside the church. I'm like, what? What are they doing? Are they supporting gay stuff, you know? And so I got out of the car and lo and behold, people exit that building right in front of me.

I mean, the timing was just it was like in a movie, you know.

And I said, there's this guy and this girl, husband and wife, I guess. And I said, hi, did you come out of that building at the church there?

And I said, yeah.

I said, you're Nazarenes. Yeah, yeah. So the gay pride flag there, I'm curious, what's up with that? And I said, do you guys support that? He said, yes, we do. And he got angry and he says, because we love them.

Do you love them? And I'm like, dude, I just I just ask, do you really support this?

Right.

And he got mad at me because he knew, you know, I'm saying because I said to him, homosexuality is a sin. And I'm just wondering why you guys would have that flag up in your thing promoting homosexuality.

And he this is no lie. He he gets close to me. He's not threatening or anything, but he says homosexuality.

Do you know what the Greek word is for homosexual? And I said, yes, arsenequitas. And it's in first Corinthians six. He didn't expect that, you know, he actually asked me. He goes, do you know? It's a challenge.

Do you know what the Greek word is? I go, yeah, arsenequitas. And it's right there. And, you know, he kind of stopped, like you said, you know what he knows.

And he said, well, well, the word the word homosexual didn't occur until this, you know, the 1900s.

I said, yeah, I know that.

But the word, you know, the concept is, you know, and then he interrupted me.

Right.

And he says, you're just not loving. And I said, yeah, I am.

Do you love them? I said, yeah. Do you love me? I said, yeah.

You know, I said, but it's a sin and they can't be Christians and continue in that city.

And he didn't like that.

His wife, whoever it was,. OK, time for us to leave.

We got to leave.

And he says, you're he called me something like a bigot or hypocrite or something unloving.

And all this stuff. And I'm like, man, you know. And so I'm walking.

OK, so the conversation's over because he's walking away with the missus, I guess. And I'm walking across the street and it occurred to me and I just look back at him. And now there's about 40 feet between us.

And he's looking at me as he's walking away.

And I point my finger at him. And I said, you are in apostasy. Your church is an apostate church. You need to repent. You need to trust the Lord Jesus and believe what he says in the word. And he's staring at me.

And I kept my hand pointing at him as I walk it away. So then I kept going. I go, OK, fine, I'm done. So there you go.

All right.

Causing problems. Mad slick, you know. But I told my wife this, right? I told her last night what happened. Guess what? You know, and he said, you know what the Greek word is? Yes, I do. I said, equitas.

And she laughed. She goes, how many how many times? How many people he's going to ask the question to? Yes, here it is. There's where the verse is. And it really caught him off guard. She got a big crack up thrill out of that.

So I thought it was kind of funny. So there you go. And by the way, homosexuality is a sin and it needs to be repented of.

It doesn't mean we don't love them.

But it does mean that it's something that is sinful and needs to be avoided in from all people.

All right.

Hey, there you go.

We've got the break coming up. Give me a call. 877 -207 -2276.

Be right back. It's Matt Slick live taking your calls at 877 -207 -2276. Here's Matt Slick.

1 Peter 3:19, Death, and the Intermediate State

All right. Welcome back. We're playing with the email thing and now it's acting differently. So if you email us and doesn't quite work, you don't hear something back quickly. That's why. Let's see. Let's get to Vivian from North Carolina.

Vivian, welcome.

You're on the air.

I thank you so much for taking my call. So I have a quick question about 1 Peter 3, 19. Can you give a brief description of what that means? Which it talks about where Jesus preach to the spirits in how?

Yes. So there's they're just theories. We don't know what the actual event is. And people are they put them together different ideas. So it does say in this is related to this. It says in Ephesians 4, it says to verse 7 to each one of us.

Grace is given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, it says when he ascended on high, he led captive a host of captives and he gave gifts to men. Now this expression he ascended. What does it mean?

Except that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth. He who descended is himself ascended above all things. OK, so all right. So there's some information and it's related to the crucifixion.

So we go to 1 Peter 3, 19, because the verse before for Christ also died for sins once for all the just for the unjust so that he might bring us to God having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit in which he also went and made proclamation.

Now the spirits down prison. So the word proclamation is from the Greek word carousel, and it means to proclaim generally to proclaim. It's not the preaching necessarily. So what one of the theories is that when he went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison who were once disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah.

All right.

So there's a lot going on here. So in the days of Noah, it deals with a Nephilim. This is Genesis chapter six. Now I am of the opinion that the Nephilim of the offspring of the fallen angels and women.

And this is what the Jews always taught. That's what the church taught until the fifth five hundreds. And then it got attacked and they changed their view and adapted. But anyway, so that's what it was in Genesis six, nine.

It says Noah was perfect in all his ancestry, his generations. So it looks like what was happening. Probably not certainly, but probably those spirits, those false, whatever they are that were imprisoned at the flood and stuff when they were destroyed, that they're held in bonds and that Christ went and basically made proclamation saying, this is who I am and this is what I've done.

And this is why you're in trouble. And so a related verse to this topic is just Jude six and angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode. He has kept an eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah in the city's strange flesh.

So it's talking about the sexual perversions that went on then and going on now in our country today in the world. So it looks like that's what he did. He went and made proclamation. So here's the general theory.

He died. He went down into Hades, said to everybody, this is who I am. This is what's going on. It's why you guys are in trouble. And then one of the theory goes that he took the people who had died in faith but could not yet enter into heaven because the blood of Christ had not yet been offered for the cleansing that needed to be done.

So they were in a holding place, which is representative of what Jesus says in Luke 16, nine through 14, excuse me, Luke 16, 19 to 31. Excuse me. When it talks about Lazarus and the rich man and went to Hades and paradise, paradise was Abraham's bosom where they went with the good people went.

So the theory is Jesus proclaimed to the bad. This is why you're in trouble and took the good and ascended into heaven with them. That's the general theory is when I lean towards myself. Okay.

Okay.

Well, that is a very good explanation. The first that I have heard so far. There are some people I believe that also think that it's to those, you know, who are dead in the sun, physically dead. And so those people are spirits and they still have a chance to, you know, get into heaven, so to speak.

No, no.

It says in Hebrews 9, 27, it's a point of undemanded die once and then judgment. There is no afterlife second chance. No predatory limbo. No, that's it. Yeah.

Yeah, I agree. So you know what? Now that you're talking about death and all that, we are talking about this and that. I am just thinking, what are your thoughts about when somebody dies today and they are a Christian, do they actually go to heaven and be Jesus?

Because doesn't the Bible say that the dead in Christ shall rise when at the time of the rapture. So how does that make sense when somebody dies and they meet Jesus, but then the dead in Christ rise again?

Oh, okay. Those are different.

You know what I mean?

Yes, I do. So the second Corinthians five, eight says it's to be to die. It's better to die and depart and be at home with the Lord. So when someone, a Christian dies, it's an annihilation ism and soul sleep errors.

There are errors say that you don't exist anymore or you're just unconscious. And there's problems with that. But when a Christian dies, he goes to be with the Lord. His spirit is with the Lord at the rapture spoken of.

First Thessalonians four, 16 through chapter five, verse two, what it's saying there is that the ones who rise first is in the context of the resurrection. So that's what that's what that's going on. So we go be with the Lord and we're with him, but we return with him at the time of the rapture, whenever that occurs.

And then we're resurrected. And the ones who are resurrected first are those who had died first. And then those who are alive and remain should be caught up together to meet them. And that's what's going on.

OK, so OK, so when the Bible says you are asleep in several places, it says asleep. What does that mean?

It's just a poetic way of when someone dies, it looks like they're asleep. And so when we know that that's not true because there's a very good reason it's not true. Two good reasons. One is out of Second Corinthians 12, verses two through four, which was where Paul says, I know a man whether in the body or out of the body.

I do not know. But such a man was cut up in the third heaven and he saw and heard things. So that means that is possible he had died. And that's one of the theories when he was stoned and thrown out of the city.

That's something that he died at that point, had what's called an NDE, near death experience. And he went and saw things. If soul sleep is true, then he couldn't have done that. So that refutes that right there.

But another more important issue is the person of Christ. Hold on one sec. So Jesus has two natures. He has two natures, the divine nature and a human nature. And each nature has attributes. The attributes are ascribed to that single person.

This is called the communicatio idiomatum. That's what that's called. Now, if a human being goes to sleep and is unconscious at death, then that would mean then that the human nature of Christ went into a state of unconsciousness without activity.

And that would jeopardize the communication of the properties and related to the hypostatic union. So it's a serious error.

We're out of time.

So I can't go into detail.

OK?

OK, I appreciate that. Thank you so much.

All right.

You're welcome.

God bless.

Hey, folks, we'll be right back after these messages. Please stay tuned.

The Timing of the Rapture and the Meaning of “Taken”

It's Matt Slick live, taking your calls at 877 -207 -2276. Here's Matt Slick.

Everybody, welcome back to the show. Let's get to George from North Carolina. George, welcome.

You're on the air.

Hey, Matt. Good evening. How are you doing?

Oh, hanging in there, hanging in there.

So I've always been brought up, you know, under most of the teaching that I've been under is it's been a rapture before the tribulation. And I'm just wondering, my first question is, do you think that Jesus could come back at any time now or that other things have to take place before he could come back?

Other things have to take place first.

OK, OK. So that sort of answers the question. Because I'm wondering, when the mark of the beast comes out, if we're still here, Christians won't take it. But, I mean, so Christians will be killed during that period of time, you believe, for not taking the mark of the beast.

OK.

Yes, I believe we are going through the tribulation. I don't believe in pre-tribulation rapture.

I don't believe it's true.

That will be a warning to people, though. It'll sort of give them a time frame of when he's going to come back. When that starts happening, though, wouldn't it?

Yes. And in fact, if you go to Matthew 24, they ask Jesus because he says the stones of the temple will be destroyed.

I've seen those.

I've been to Israel and saw the fallen stones. It's really awesome to see that actual thing. But he says they ask him, they ask him, when will these things be that he's talking about? Everything's going to happen.

And what will be the sign of your coming? So two things he's asking, when will the stones be taken down? And what will be the sign of your return? Well, I'm not going to read everything, but he goes on and he talks about the delivery to tribulation.

Many will fall away. He says the man, I mean, the false prophets will arise. Lawlessness will increase. Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, he goes on and on. And then he says immediately after the tribulation of those days.

This is verse twenty nine. The sun will be darkened, et cetera. The sign of the son of man will appear in the sky. And he says, along with that, he says that's when the great trumpet occurs and they will gather together as people.

Now, the great trumpet at a first Thessalonians four is when the rapture occurs. And so what Jesus is saying that it occurs after the tribulation and to make things worse. Yeah, make things worse. When you go to Matthew 13, the parable of the wheat and the tears.

This really is interesting. But the parable, the wheat and the tears is where Jesus says, allow both to go together until the time of the harvest. And I'll say to the reapers first, gather the tears. And he says that the tear, the gathering is the end of the age.

That's what he says.

I'm familiar with it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm going to have to do an article and stuff on this.

Yeah, it is a more comfortable feeling to think that there would be a pre-tribulation rapture. But I'm definitely open minded after all the things that I've been hearing and studying. I'm definitely open minded to letting the Lord open my mind.

You know, as long as everybody agrees on Jesus crucified for our sins. I mean, that's the main thing. But it is kind of it is kind of interesting to wonder about the end times. That's for sure.

Yeah.

Well, you know, I see it's like this. I'll just make this comment. A lot of people believe in the pre-trib rapture. And they'll say, you know, two men in the field, one is taken, one is left. And they'll say, that's the rapture.

And it absolutely, without a doubt, is not. Because when you read the context of Matthew 24 and Luke 17, the ones who are taken are the wicked. That's the context. When I've shown people this, I mean, shown it to them, 100 percent of the people have said, Matt, you're right.

That's what it says. I mean, seriously.

Yeah, yeah.

That's one of the main points that made me start doubting. Good.

Well, here's the point I want to make about that. Why is it the pre-trib rapture adherents and teachers will use those verses, two men in the field, one is taken, one is left, about it being pre-trib rapture when it is not?

And all you have to do is read the context. And they just don't get it. It really concerns me that they're not just seeing that that is those verses are about pre-trib rapture.

So, right. Well, I appreciate it, Matt. Now, I know you've got some I know you got some literature out on that. And I plan on looking it over. And like I said, I'm definitely open-minded to it. It's just hard to change.

Have you been brought up under a certain teaching the whole time?

It is.

Yeah, it is.

It took me years. Just so you know, it took me years to gradually change. And you just don't go, here it is or you're done. No, you know, it takes a while to work it out.

No problem.

I hope the pre-trib rapture people are right.

You too, brother.

God bless.

All right. Take care.

Bye.

God’s Sovereignty, Death, and Psalm 2

All right.

All right. Let's get to Peel from Virginia. Peel, I guess I got your name right. Welcome. You're on the air.

Are you saying Pearl?

Pearl.

Oh, it's not spelled right on the screen here. Hey, Pearl, how are you doing?

I'm doing fine. I want to ask you something, sir. Because what I love about you is that show me that in God's word.

That's right. In God's word.

So anyway, but this is not in God's word. It's something else. I heard a minister just the end of his talk the other day, sermon, whatever, that he believed that God killed us from himself so that he could save us for himself.

Yeah, it doesn't make any sense. Killed us from himself. I don't understand that phrase.

In other words, this said to me, and I know you'll tell me, well, you're wrong. You're right. I believe that God Almighty in the scriptures is the only God that there ever was, is or ever shall be.

That's good.

And that he can do absolutely anything he wants to do.

That's correct.

Is that correct or not?

That's very correct. He can do whatever he wants. He will never want to sin or lie, for example. We can't do those things, but whatever he wants, that's very good.

Whatever he wants, when he wants it, to whatever extent, forever and ever and ever.

That's right. Good reform theology there.

Good for you.

And that he is God Almighty, uncreated, sovereign. He is all.

That's right.

So what does this mean? Yes. What does it mean that he killed himself for us or us killed? What? I don't understand. What's that?

Well, I'll try to explain how it came to me. He killed us.

What do you mean killed us?

He killed us because he killed. He killed us because we were sinners so that he could save us for himself.

Well, OK, I would not say that he killed us. I would say that in Adam, we all die.

OK, would you not say, though? Could you not say? Is that absolutely wrong to say that in Adam we all died?

Well, the Bible says in Adam all die. First Corinthians 15, 22. So I would stick with what it says to say he killed us. It raises too many questions and too many issues. And then you have to explain what you mean by this.

And you discuss it. Then you get to go through and defend that. And it's just those kind of statements can provide opportunities for problems.

OK.

Well, do you understand where I'm coming from? Why I told you that I believe he is God almighty and he can do anything, any time, any way that he wants to do because he is God alone forever.