December 8, 2016 Show with Gerald M. Bilkes on “Christ’s Parables: Glory Veiled & Unveiled” AND “Christ’s Miracles: Mercy Revealed”

Live from the historic parsonage of 19th century gospel minister George Norcross in downtown

Carlisle, Pennsylvania, it's Iron Sharpens Iron, a radio

platform on which pastors, Christian scholars and theologians address the burning issues

facing the church and the world today.

Proverbs 27 verse 17 tells us iron sharpens iron so one

man sharpens another.

Matthew Henry said that in this passage, quote, we are cautioned to take heed whom we

converse with and directed to have in view in conversation to make one another

wiser and better.

It is our hope that this goal will be accomplished over the next hour and we hope to hear

from you, the listener, with your.

Own questions.

Now here's our host Chris.

Good afternoon Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and the rest of humanity living on the planet

earth who are listening via live streaming.

This is Chris Arnsen, your host of Iron Sharpens Iron, wishing you all a happy Thursday on

this eighth day of December 2016, and I know I've got to update the opening

announcement because we haven't been a one -hour program in well over a year.

We very quickly after relaunching the program went to a two -hour daily so I have

to have our announcer update that one -hour announcement, but I am so

delighted to have on the program today for the very first time for the full two hours

Gerald M. Bilkus and Brother Bilkus is a professor of

New Testament and Biblical Theology at Puritan Reform Theological Seminary in Grand

Rapids, Michigan, founded by Dr. Joel Beakey, who's been a guest on this program a

number of times, a dear friend that I've known going back to the 1990s, and today

Dr. Bilkus is going to be addressing Christ's parables, Glory Veiled and

Unveiled, for the first hour.

The second hour we're going to be talking about Christ's Miracles, Mercy Revealed, and those happen to be

the titles of two books that we are addressing today on Iron Sharpens Iron.

If anybody would like to join us on the air, our email address is chrisarnsen at gmail .com,

chrisarnsen at gmail .com, c -h -r -i -s -a -r -n -z -e -n at gmail .com.

But it's my honor and privilege to welcome you for the very first time to Iron.

Sharpens Iron, Jerry Bilkus.

Thank you so much, Chris.

It's a great honor and a great pleasure.

I just want to thank you for your ministry.

Yes, well, I am delighted to have you on.

I've heard.

Wonderful things about you, and I am just anticipating a great program today.

And before we even go into the subject at hand, tell us something about Puritan Reform Theological.

Seminary.

Yes, Chris, we've been very privileged.

I came on board at Puritan.

Wow.

Yeah, very thankful for that opportunity.

Shabiki and the board here contacted me.

I still wasn't even,

I was working on my doctorate.

I really felt God

opened this and with the others who've come

with us,

do pray.

Great.

Well, now I want to hear something about your own personal background,.

Your childhood, what kind of religious atmosphere, if any, you were raised in, and what were the

providential occurrences that the Lord brought about in your life that drew you.

To himself?

Yes, Chris, a great, great question.

Well, I was born in a ministry, and

he was here in Grand Rapids at the time, and his first congregation was,

in fact, we lived in the Netherlands for a while, so I was raised in a pastor's

home, Reformed.

I had a very,

some, I'm very thankful.

I soon just,

as I look

back, not a true faith.

What happened was, when I was about 21, I had gone through college.

I was told that I had some gifts for hire.

I did that.

My professor, Ernst Seminary, and I knew that

going, I thought I was,

yeah, yeah, conversation, can't you?

Yeah, so in my naivete, I thought I was saying

that, in fact, to my dad,

and after a few months, half a year,

and

obviously

the stream, and I

was not a Christian,

that was, look,

after a while,

I really wonder.

I had a view of my own heart,

sense that imagination,

bringing me

under

solid preaching, the

sovereignty of God, the depravity of man, and the glory of Jesus, even

years.

In the end,

somewhat

may, and

very

difficult, and

more

than that, I think it taught me a value

we need to do in our time.

There are many who are cozy,.

That's a bit longer than I wanted to.

Oh, that's perfect, and by the way, you say you were from a Free Reformed Church

background.

Are you familiar with the congregation.

In Pompton Plains, New Jersey?

Oh, absolutely.

That's where the Lord, I believe, had mercy on my soul.

They were in

Clifton, New

Jersey at the

end of the

years that ensued.

Yeah, when Pastor Lawrence Roth was there, he and the congregation there participated in a

program that I developed that lasted, I don't know, I think it probably lasted

nearly seven years, called The Voice of Sovereign Grace, and what it was is every night,

Monday through Friday, a different Reformed pastor had the

floor, if you will, had the airwaves where his sermon was aired, and

the program had the same title and theme, and the only difference was that every night the

specific pastor whose sermon was airing was announced with the details of that specific congregation,

and that congregation, along with other Reformed churches in different denominations,

had a part of that program, The Voice of Sovereign Grace, and I have had a little bit of interaction

with Pastor Jay Lewis.

I haven't gotten to know him well, but he seems like a very nice man,.

Nice brother in Christ.

Yeah, that's wonderful to hear, Chris.

That congregation has a very fond place in my

life.

Yeah, it's wonderful to hear that.

Well, I didn't even know that before.

I asked you that question, so that was not a staged interaction.

I just want our listeners to know.

The ways of God are interesting, aren't they?

They're past finding out.

That's right.

Well, we are going to be discussing two books that you've written, as I mentioned earlier,

before.

The first we are going to be focusing on during the first hour is Glory Veiled

and Unveiled, A Heart -Searching Look at Christ's Parables.

If you could explain what was the motivation for you to write this book to

begin with.

Yes, Chris.

Well, it's interesting.

I teach New

Testament.

I

like

digging

into

the parables.

These

parables light

on Jesus.

And if

you

could explain why the parables are known as a mystery.

That's the

key.

Obviously, in

a very remarkable way,

when Jesus taught

his parables,

he didn't do it nice, easy.

It was

certainly not

why Jesus taught parables.

He tells us himself in Mark 4, Matthew 13, that the

parables, and what

he means by

that, mysteriously,

Matthew 13 illustrates.

It's planted.

There's nothing on

the

earth.

Just to

get at it,

yeah, they're nice

stories.

We do have a listener all the way in Slovenia,.

Joe, who says, please ask Brother Gerald to explain about the ten virgins of

Matthew 25, verses 1 -13.

My question is specifically about verse 7 and following.

Since the bridegroom, Jesus, has come, and the five foolish virgins weren't

ready, as they should have been, to go into the banquet immediately, why are they instructed to

go and buy oil from the

dealers?

Why aren't they simply told that they aren't prepared at his arrival, as they should

have been, and now it is too late?

Thanks for your insights.

Grace and peace in Christ, our hope.

Excellent

chapter,

actually.

You can't

necessarily

end, apply them spiritually,

for example, the

parables.

But in the

case of this, the point of

that is to tell this gripping story that we all can feel

ourselves.

And yeah, in terms

of the story,

when the end

comes to the

canon, and

that's how I

would read that parable.

Well, thank you,

Joe, in

Slovenia, and thank you.

For providing an American address for us, because we are sending,

as our gift to you for your question, a free copy of the book that we are addressing right now.

That is Glory Veiled and Unveiled by Gerald M. Bilkus.

And we are shipping that out to your daughter in the United States, as you have provided

her address.

And that saves Cumberland Valley Bible Book Services a lot of money on postage, because

they ship out all of our winners, their free Bibles and books and DVDs and CDs and other things

that you, the listener, win when you submit questions.

So we thank Reformation Heritage Books for providing that book for you, and we also thank

Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service, CVBBS .com, for shipping that out to you.

We have C .J. from Lindenhurst, Long Island, New York,

who says, Are all the parables fictitious stories

that have truth embedded in their storyline?

I wonder, for instance, is the rich man in Lazarus an actual

account, or is it merely a story to teach a valuable lesson?

One of the things that confuses me about the rich man in Lazarus story is that

the rich man appears to be in hell, whereas, according to

my understanding, and I have been taught this by reliable Reformed scholars,

even from Banner of Truth, that no one is in the lake of fire right now.

That is something that the damned await until the time of

judgment, the last day, if you could explain.

To cut

the

point that

I'm making

in the

unit, some people have

said that maybe

just simply

be,

but anyhow, it is, I guess I would come

down.

Well, thank you,

C .J. and

Lindenhurst,.

Long Island.

Please give us your full mailing address so we can ship a free copy of that book out to you, compliments of Reformation Heritage

Books and compliments of Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service.

So would you agree, and I've heard the same thing, and this is

also my conviction, that there is indeed no one in the lake of fire, although

I believe that people are in a place of torment where they await the lake of

fire.

They're obviously somewhere right now, those who are damned, that is,

before the final judgment, but it seems to be chronologically

inconsistent and illogical that if the day of judgment is on the last day where

the damned are cast into the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels, it would seem

to indicate that there is no one in the lake of fire right now, which is the puzzling statements

about the rich man is that he is in the.

Flame and wants, you know, a drop of water for his tongue

and so on.

Yeah, we do believe that there is,

and so there's not some kind of neutral

place.

The damned

are not yet united with their body,

the unjustified death.

This is talking about

the intermediate

state, and

again,

the

principle...

Yes, and one of the things that occurred to me with that parable

is how powerful it is, or that story, I should say, whether it's a parable or not.

Obviously, there's a dispute.

To me, it's a clear proof or one of the

proofs of unconditional election, and the reason why I say that

is that if men truly have a free will with the

capacity to please God before they are regenerate, and the way they would please God is by

offering up a faith that saves them from out of their own

dead, sinful soul.

The Arminian obviously believes it is not so dead, it is sick, but is still able to please God by

offering up a faith that saves them, that God is

pleased enough to receive to save the sinner.

The reason why this story seems to contradict that idea

strongly is that, of course, if the

Arminians were right, someone rising from the dead to warn them

about hell, that would change the minds of multitudes,

even when you think about the resurrection of Christ himself.

But am I right there?

Do you think that that story lends itself to proving the doctrines of grace, at least

in part?

I commend ourselves to God, neither can we find ourselves the

other.

Amen.

When you put your ear to the multitudes out

there, and suppose

it to count,

people are not

going to believe

it indeed.

Great.

And we have Seth in Randleman, North Carolina.

Hold on, Seth, we're going to get to your question after we return from the break.

If anybody else would like to join us, our email address is chrisarnson at gmail .com.

That's chrisarnson at gmail .com.

Please give us your first name, city and state and country of residence.

If you live outside of the good old USA, don't go away, we're going

to come right back, God willing, after these messages with Dr. Gerald M. Bilkus and

more on Glory Veiled and Unveiled.

I'm Chris Arnson, host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, and here's one of my favorite guests, Todd Friel, to

tell you about a conference he and I are going to.

Hello, this is Todd Friel, host of Wretched Radio and Wretched TV, and

occasional guest on Chris's show, Iron, Criticizing

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I think that's what it's called.

Hoping that you can join Chris and me at the G3 Conference in Atlanta, my new

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It is going to be a bang up conference called the G3 Conference,

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If you've just joined us, our guest today for the full two hours is Dr. Gerald Bilkus.

We are discussing right now his book Glory Veiled and Unveiled about Christ's parables.

The second hour we'll be talking about Mercy Revealed, a book about Christ's miracles.

If you'd like to join us on the air, our email address is chrisarnson at gmail .com and we do have

Seth in Randleman, North Carolina who wants to know the most difficult practice, I'm sorry,

the most difficult parable that theologians have interpreting.

Dr. Bilkus?

Hello Dr. Bilkus.

I think that Dr. Bilkus somehow got disconnected.

Chris, I'm right here.

Oh, how did...

Did you fall asleep Dr. Bilkus?

No, this is my fault.

I hit the mute button during.

Our break there and it never turned it back on.

Well, do you want to hear something funny?

I did the same thing just a few minutes ago if you noticed there was a long pause of silence after we were talking about

the rich man and Lazarus.

Yeah, yeah.

Sorry about that.

I was going on.

Lecturing and then I realized that no one was hearing me.

Well, if you could address.

Our brother Seth's question from Randleman, North Carolina.

Listen, I think the most difficult.

Parable probably

and seem to

be even

preserving

and

bottom

of that

parable,

if

you

want to

hear that at this time Chris.

Oh sure, sure.

One of them is that light so often and that one

is fairly easily.

They often know or in

light

of their principle.

Another lesson that I

argue

in my book

even if we don't and

wise that

we have

been unjust

towards

should

we not

do

what's

really

in

the

previous parable.

He looked at his

life.

He didn't have

anything to eat and he wasn't even allowed to eat

the food.

Should not we.

I'm not the only one.

Well, thank you Seth

and you

have also.

Won a free copy of the book Glory Veiled and Unveiled Compliments of Reformation Heritage

Books and compliments of our friends at cvbbs .com Cumberland Valley Bible

Book Service.

So expect that in the mail God willing within a week or so.

We have another listener from North Carolina and it's really interesting.

I think by far most of my listeners are south of the Mason Dixon line.

I seem to have a lot of listeners in North Carolina, South Carolina,

Texas, Georgia, all over the place down south Mississippi.

I do have them up north too and other parts of the world but it just seems uncanny that I have a lot of listeners

down south even though I am in the heart of Yankee territory in Pennsylvania here.

We have Pastor Sterling Vanderwerker from Greensboro, North Carolina

who says, thanks for another great show brother Chris.

My question is it's certainly easy to take a purpose to the text that makes

its interpretation objectively wrong.

Could the author tell us what the most dangerous ways that the parables are

used?

Very good question Pastor Sterling, thank you.

Yeah it's an excellent question or the

other

the parable and

you read there

about feeding the

hungry

and the

judgment that is and

that parable is not

teaching

that at all.

Indeed there are works that flow from faith

and they

will guard against that

who will receive

greater.

Well

thank you very

much Pastor Sterling.

And you have also won a copy of the book we are discussing right now,

Glory Veiled and Unveiled, a heart -searching look at Christ's parables.

So expect that in the mail, compliments of Reformation Heritage Books and also compliments

of cvbbs .com, Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service.

We thank you so much for participating in the show and we ask of you to please continue spreading the word about

Iron Sharpens Iron Radio, not only among the folks in your congregation but all over the North

Carolina area and everywhere else the Lord leads you.

Thank you very much for that and our email address is chrisarnson at gmail

.com, that's chrisarnson at gmail .com

and we have Arnie in Perry County Pennsylvania who

wants to know were the parables ever given as a way

of in some sense masking the truth to the reprobate such as

many of the pharisees and others while at the same time revealing and opening up

truth to the elect.

That is an awesome.

Question.

And that is indeed

here's how it

doesn't mean that they can

even understand for example the main point of the parable.

However what happens for those who are not believers as they listen to the parable.

They never a proper way in the way

that God has designed that Christ is aiming for as he's

teaching this parable

they excuse.

Take for example

now believers are going

to listen

up and they are the

good life.

Maybe mirror some of these other.

The devil comes a reality

of my heart and life now

that's joy.

But when tribulation comes I again

that's not a sin

here that that unbelief is in my life the

Lord as it were on his knees.

Is it I Lord.

Is it I.

Is this is this me.

Whereas a reprobate reads over this parable and doesn't for a moment uh

imagine or if he even in

the end

it hardens him I'll give you proof

of and he's aiming that parable

these leaders these religious leaders.

And in the end when they hear this parable at an intellectual level they can get

to repent

born in their

life.

Thank you Arnie and Perry County.

Please give us your uh mailing address.

Because you've also won a free copy of the book Glory Veiled and Unveiled

by our guest Gerald Bilkus compliments of Reformation Heritage Books and compliments

of cvbbs .com Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service.

We have a an anonymous listener using an alias.

Uh lamb lamb.

I always chuckle when she writes in and I'm assuming lamb lamb is a woman I'm not 100 sure about

that.

Um lamb lamb and valley stream long island new york is professor Bilkus book

Glory Veiled and Unveiled aimed to help readers in understanding

each parable individually or see the connectivity among the parables.

Did professor Bilkus include the background and or biblical customs

related to the subject of the parable used in order to help readers understand

more.

Yeah that's a great.

Question.

Um I I did do

that.

A worldview we might not get.

Church people

have read and uh

there is a the.

When it

comes

to

the what

I do is

every parable is

treated according the one is the setting the scenario that's where I

look at in this

parable.

That's easy to

discern.

And then the last category is search.

That's more application.

I have a few questions at the end to help us learn take the learning even further.

So that's how I do this.

Chris.

Well thank you.

Lamb lamb.

You've won our last copy of the book Glory Veiled and Unveiled a heart -searching look at Christ's

parables so please give us your full mailing address in Valley Stream Long Island New York and

we'll have Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service ship that out to you.

And thanks again to Reformation Heritage Books for supplying those free books and their

website.

By the way if anybody would like to purchase copies of Dr. Bilkus's

books or other authors that they offer heritagebooks .org is the

website heritagebooks .org and you can also go to Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service's

website.

They carry many titles by heritage books Reformation Heritage Books and they are

more than happy to order anything that you don't already see on their website cvbbs .com

cv for Cumberland Valley bbs for biblebookservice .com.

A thoroughly reformed and Christ honoring a book and Bible ministry.

And I thank Todd and Patty Jennings for their support and their faithful encouragement over the

years for Iron Sharpens Iron Radio.

And I would like you Dr. Bilkus to close this first hour by giving us a

summary of what you most want etched in the hearts and minds of our listeners on the subject of the parables before

we move on to the second.

Topic.

Yeah I would

encourage

along

with the

rest of

scripture

David and

though

that's

that we need all of

us again seemingly just just just just

time does it

and we need that stripped and a savior in

these parables and throughout the scriptures and I want that kind of a close reading of

the Bible and every faithful true Christian it's it settles us

it keeps us humble and at God's will.

Praise God for that.

And it is remarkable if you read that passage from the Old Testament about when Nathan

is confronting David that when God is speaking through

Nathan how he God is saying that he is going to rise up

evil within David's house and all these horrible chastisements that

David will receive as a result of what he has done the wicked things that he has done both

involving adultery and murder.

God is saying I will do this I will do this.

And it's in it's in contradiction to the Arminians who say that God

never is in control over calamity and evil occurrences on

this on this earth.

They try to distance and separate God from those things but.

God is saying that he is going to do these things

is to bow under the Arminianism

that is still as

Christ and and even true believers even

Calvinists which he is no matter what we do can

buy him.

Amen.

And uh by the way if anybody wants to look up uh those passages that you will

be if you haven't read them already or have not really considered the weight of them they're in

2nd Samuel 12 and quite a

shattering text I think that dismisses the idea that God is

not in control over everything.

Absolutely.

And we are going to our next break right now if you would like to join us on the air

with a question for our next topic which is mercy revealed a cross -centered look at

Christ's miracles our email address is chrisarnson at gmail .com.

Chrisarnson at gmail .com.

Please give us your first name.

Your city and state and your country of residence if you live outside of the USA.

Only remain anonymous please.

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But other than that if you could please give us your first name at least your city and state and your country of

residence.

If you live outside the USA we're going to be right back after these messages with Dr. Gerald Bilkus

so please do not go away

Chris Arnzen here.

And I can't wait to head down to Atlanta Georgia.

And here's my friend Dr. James.

White to tell you why.

Hi.

I'm James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries.

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If I were still trying to please man I would not be a servant of Christ.

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Hi.

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Inviting you to tune in to a visit to the pastor's study.

Every saturday from 12 noon to 1 p .m. on wlie radio www

.wlie540am .com we bring biblically faithful

pastoral ministry to you and we invite you to visit the pastor's study by calling in with your questions.

Our time will be lively useful sometimes controversial but never dull.

Join us this saturday at 12 noon for a visit to the pastor's study.

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hosted by pastor bill shishko of the orthodox presbyterian church.

If you've just tuned us in our guest today for the full two hours with an hour to go

is dr gerald bilkus.

We are now going to be discussing as our second topic today his book mercy revealed a

cross -centered look at christ's miracles.

If you'd like to join us on the air with a question our email address is chris arnzen at

gmail .com.

Chris arnzen at gmail .com.

C -h -r -i -s -a -r -n -z -e -n at gmail .com.

And please give us your first name city and state and country of residence if you live outside of the

good old usa.

Before i return to dr bilkus i just have a couple of more announcements about some events

that iron sharpens iron is going to be running

very soon.

Please mark your calendars.

If you are a man in ministry leadership whether you're a pastor or in leadership in a

parachurch organization or perhaps you are a deacon or some other sort leader

in your church and you're a man you are welcome to attend a free luncheon the

iron sharpens iron pastor's luncheon.

The next one is going to be held at the beautiful carlisle vault in

carlisle pennsylvania.

This is an old bank from the early 20th century that has been

transformed into a gorgeous catering hall hence the name the vault.

And they have been so gracious and generous to us to provide us

this catering hall at a much less expensive cost

than the general public would be paying to rent this facility.

And we are going to be blessed with a guest speaker named dr tony costa.

He is professor of apologetics at toronto baptist seminary.

And uh then the very next day uh 7 p .m on friday

the 13th uh january 13th that is uh dr tony costa is going to be

debating a roman catholic theologian uh dr robert singenis on the

theme mary sinless queen of heaven or sinner saved by grace.

That's going to be held at the historic carlisle theater another beautifully restored building from the

early 20th century it's an old -fashioned theater but to but restored to brand new

quality although retaining the historic architecture of the of the building.

It's absolutely breathtaking.

It's one of those old -fashioned theaters with the very high ceilings that some of you may have just seen in movies.

Uh but uh the debate will be held 7 p .m to 11 p .m uh and

that is friday the 13th in january the tickets to that event are five dollars unlike the pastor's

luncheon which is absolutely free of charge.

And uh.

So if you would like to attend either of those or both of those events please email me at chris

arnzen at gmail .com.

Chris arnzen at gmail .com.

C -h -r -i -s -a -r -n -z -e -n at gmail .com uh dr

uh bilkis uh mercy revealed a cross -centered look at christ's miracles.

What was the motivation behind you writing this book.

Yes chris thanks.

One sec.

Yes i wrote this.

As a follow -up volume after my parables volume which

is entitled um in

in the

flesh or many miracles during i

call them they show more than just their

signs of the kingdom as i

argue here and and more than that.

When we trace them through we find that we

have

bb in

cumberland

county.

Pennsylvania.

Who wants to know if you believe in modern day miracles.

Bb says i am not pentecostal or charismatic and i do not believe in modern day miracle

workers.

I do not believe in the gift of performing miracles as the apostles had but i

do believe god continues and will always continue.

To do the miraculous.

What is your guest's opinion of

this.

Perform miracles.

And in many many countries not.

And

in

the bible the

actions are

no less

behind the normal

process

what we call miracles.

Now the terminology that the

side of normally expected.

So for example the fact that israel could cross the red sea

water uh now that's no less of

a divine act as as keeping um the continents in

their call normal.

All of those are the acts of god.

But miracles are those things that are spectacular regard.

Uh indeed the lord continues to do things that from

our perspective today are are stunning.

Uh draw attention.

But they don't have the function that they had in the bible.

I think we need to make a difference.

They do

dry hardness

to the kingdom to witness to his glory to his power to what christ had come to do.

We can't say that exact same thing about the things that we see happening around us though.

We should always sit up and take note.

And we should do so even for the everyday pros.

Agree with with the

questioner.

Uh by the

way uh i

don't

know if bb.

Is a she either we.

I have assumed that too but bb warfield was a woman.

And bb warfield was a few points you

know.

Well

guess what.

Bb.

Uh if you give us your mailing.

Address.

You are getting a free copy of mercy revealed.

A cross -centered look at christ miracles compliments of reformation heritage books

and compliments of cumberland valley bible book service.

Cv bbs .com.

We uh have harrison in mechanicsburg pennsylvania.

Who wants to know is the devil capable of actually performing a miracle

or are his miracles merely a charade or a counterfeit.

That's interesting.

A very good question harrison.

In fact it's interesting that in revelation 13

starting at verse 13 when it's referring to the beast

it says.

He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the

presence of men.

He deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him

to perform in the presence of the beast telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the

beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.

And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast

would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be

killed.

And he causes all the small and the great and the rich and the poor and the free men and the slaves to be given a mark on

their right hand or on their forehead.

And he provides that no one will be able to buy or sell except for one who has the mark either the name of the beast

or the number of his name.

But but it's talking about bringing down fire from the sky.

Do you think that this is actually physically happening or is the beast making

it an appearance that fire is coming from the sky.

But it's not in reality.

Something that is occurring that is a great that's going to pass.

That's exactly where my the deal

with

satan and we

a lot

of times satan

is

when it comes to

mirror are

indeed

charades.

Um and but a lot of

it's just

well feats where i go

right now.

There's always a limit to them like you see with those signs

to mimic what what.

Certain he

has a

certain capability to do that.

So the question is not

discerning mind to be miraculous or

even can verifiably be called miraculous.

We need to test everything by the script that

even an angel of light if they would come an angel of light

appear to whatever it was.

Yes and

thank you

harrison

and mechanicsburg.

Pennsylvania.

And please give us your full mailing address because you have also won a free copy of mercy revealed by our guests today

compliments of reformation heritage books and compliments of cumberland valley bible book service

in that same line of thinking.

One thing that baffles me that i have brought up a number of times on this program

to different guests and i do not receive harmonious answers.

Not sometimes i do.

But it is when saul uh had the medium uh

conjure up samuel.

And this is in first samuel 28 i believe.

And um and the uh the medium actually successfully from what we can

read does conjure up this spirit or soul of samuel who

had been deceased.

And this is nowhere mentioned in the scripture as a fraudulent or

or a charlatan scam.

In fact.

The medium herself

was terrorized by

this.

I do believe

that that

indeed the media

are immediately in the present

and yet

that's that's not samuel that's

where i come and

of course i'm assuming you believe that not even that could occur without the sovereign power

of

god.

Right.

Right.

Satan has to request and even then the lord puts limits on that and that's true in everything in

every way he

cannot take a step he cannot go.

Amen.

Well i'd like you to go through some of the.

Miracles that you uh you list in your book you obviously have far too many for us

to cover during the course of the next uh 45 minutes or so.

But uh one of the miracles in fact the first uh that you uh list

and and uh exegete is the the great catch of fish.

If you could explain.

Yes

that one takes place.

What happens.

He tells him

to cast

the

net.

And at thy word i

will let.

And indeed um it thinks there

they need to bring in extra help.

Recognizes that he

the fact that

peter's life.

And yet the lord raises him up.

He says fear not.

And this is a christ's ability.

And he does this in order to uh that he's not simply

uh another man and that he's raising up people like simon

peter and other disciples.

And that miracle is just radiant full

of of the grace of god.

And yet in the end

it wins him over.

And i quote at the end of the chapter kevin says something

very interesting.

He says his own people in the grave that he may

afterwards raise them to life.

He sees a miracle going on beneath peter.

He sees peter

just down before christ.

But christ himself raises him by his word.

It makes him to realize.

Don't trust yourself.

Don't trust your own.

Instincts in instincts.

Amen.

We have joe again from slovenia.

Who has a question about this topic.

He says.

Thank you so much for this timely topic.

Andy stanley is sadly continuing his shameful slide into post -modern

deconstructionism because we are into the christmas season.

His topic is denying the virgin birth of christ.

Wow i didn't know anything about that.

Here are two quotes from a recent talk he gave at his church.

If somebody can predict their own death and then their own resurrection i'm

not at all concerned about how they got into the world.

Uh christianity doesn't hinge on the truth or even the stories around the

birth of jesus.

And uh he says.

I'm personally of the persuasion that the virgin birth of christ is a crucial part of

christianity.

This by the way is our listener saying this joe in slovenia.

Isn't it a fact uh crucial to the gospel.

If jesus has not been miraculously born of a virgin.

And how could he have been free of original sin lived a perfect human life

and died the perfect atoning death on the cross for my sin.

If the incarnation did not happen how could jesus be fully god and fully man.

If the virgin birth did not happen then how could prophecy have been fulfilled.

And how could jesus escape being tainted by original sin.

Isn't the whole nativity a crucial part of christianity.

Amen.

Real.

Really great question.

Although i'm not sure.

Even though i am not a fan of andy stanley at all i'm not sure that that.

That.

Those quotes explicitly prove that he denies the virgin birth.

He just apparently doesn't think it's very important.

But anyway if you could comment yeah our questioner is right on here.

I've.

I've seen many who

and their motivation with people's

own views of the

world

makes very.

We need

to hold to this.

Unlike anything in all the

firms without of a

woman and indeed that woman was a virgin.

All the prophecies come together that

our

questioner says if we do not have uh a savior that is born of a virgin not only his

prophet indeed is

is the fallen son of adam

secure in god.

He has ordered this.

Yes it's in a way that's pat and his

thoughts are high.

And that he has done it.

It'll take an eternity.

Yeah i can remember um uh

a jewish friend of.

Mine orthodox jewish friend who said he was trying to

uh throw a monkey wrench into the virgin birth and he said you know that the uh

hebrew word that is used in that prophecy for the birth the virgin birth

of jesus all it means is a young girl.

And i said oh really bob well that may be true but how on earth could that be a

sign when young girls were giving birth by the thousands.

And he said you know something you're right is he had.

He hadn't realized the nonsensical uh response that he had uh

for what it was because that could not be a sign when the average age i

think of of women being mothers.

Back then they were in their early teens.

Yes for sure.

That was a great response by.

The way and indeed was born yeah

and um so they were using

the word

yes in

fact uh

they would

uh.

All have been jewish prior to to the birth of christ other than uh those who were

uh you know one to the faith the the jewish faith uh prior to christ uh.

So before christ's birth they would all been uh of the uh religion of the hebrews

of the jews uh.

But uh anyway we have to go to our final break right now.

And thank you very much joe and slovenia for the excellent question and even your your comments as well.

Uh we're going to our final break right now.

If you'd like to join us on the air i would send your email in as quickly as possible because we've only got

about 25 minutes left or so because we have commercial break time here.

So uh send us an email at chris arnson at gmail .com.

Chris arnson at gmail .com.

Don't go away we will be right back after these messages from.

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I'm pastor bill shishko inviting you to tune in to a visit to the pastor's study every saturday

from 12 noon to 1 p .m on wlie radio www

.wlie540am .com.

We bring biblically faithful pastoral ministry to you and we invite you to visit the pastor's study by calling in with your

questions.

Our time will be lively useful sometimes controversial but never dull.

Join us this saturday at 12 noon for a visit to the pastor's study.

Because everyone needs a pastor that's 12 noon.

Eastern time to 1 p .m eastern time on

wlie540am on your radio dial

if you live in the new york tri -state area but you can hear it anywhere on the planet earth via live

streaming at wlie540am .com

wlie540am .com.

And we hope that you continue listening to a visit to the pastor's study hosted by

pastor bill shishko of the orthodox presbyterian church a dear friend of mine for

approximately 30 years.

If you'd like to join us on the air now with a question you can email us at chrisarnson at gmail

.com.

Chrisarnson at gmail .com.

Our guests for the 90 minutes and the next half hour today has been and will

continue to be gerald m bilkus professor of new testament and biblical theology at

puritan reform theological seminary in grand rapids michigan.

And by the way before i forget or run out of time i just want to give a i just want to

announce the website for the puritan reform theological seminary.

It's prts .edu pr for puritan reformed ts

for theological seminary dot edu.

Prts .edu is the website for the seminary where our guest

dr gerald m bilkus is a professor of new testament and biblical theology

we're talking about his book mercy revealed during this last half hour.

And if like to join us again our email address is chrisarnson at gmail .com.

And uh what are some of the uh most compelling examples of

the miraculous uh jesus's miracles in the new testament that you would like to cite

today within the next 20 minutes or so.

Yeah chris uh it's hard to some.

People time i i love the bartimaeus

miracle.

It's dear to many people.

This this blind beggar outside the outside the city of

he dies on the

cross.

Jesus stands still.

What do you want you

follow.

And the people don't

even want

jesus to

stay ministry

there.

We don't

read of

any other that

he meets.

This uh one

is a

wonder.

The people

today all this was for him

that had the pality to light.

In the gospel praise god we do have a

christian in cumberland valley pennsylvania who says some

of my arminian friends have told me that

our faith is hinged on whether or not our prayers are answered.

These arminian friends would typically be charismatic or pentecostal and they will cite some of

jesus's miracles that describe the miracles occurring after jesus

told the person to do something if you could explain

whether or not.

This disproves the fact that our faith the strength of our faith

is not required for a miracle to occur in our lives.

Yeah that's a that's a great

question now.

And it can be that god's least.

And he talks about arm.

You can find this article online.

It's wonderful.

A lot of times when god saves us he does so

in a way

god leads his true people.

This becomes more in me.

Dwelleth.

No that's an interesting

article to read.

By the way that

whole question

and the bible says that

that's

not flattering to the human the human heart and to the human mind.

We the holy spirit regenerates us.

It's humbling.

That's like a knife in our soul.

We don't like that man by nature.

Now why do i go into

this in terms

of the people say do you believe in miracles.

We talked and i do believe that we can see the spectacular still today.

We shouldn't court this we shouldn't.

Uh this.

This is not what we are called to do in our world but we do.

The central

mirror is life being

and that

miracle.

However.

Indeed we are said to believe but regeneration is not through faith.

We believe upon regeneration that the newborn

soul that we all

must have.

If we are going to be asking.

Well there was like this man who

had to dip in.

Yeah the gospels it calls us

to all these things.

When we when we by grace we

are mobilized.

We are energized by his spirit but without his

grace.

Even even that.

Well thank you very much.

Christian in cumberland county pennsylvania.

And you two have won a copy of the book mercy revealed a cross

-centered look at christ's miracles by our guest dr jerry bilkus.

And if you could give us your full mailing address we'll have that shipped out to you by cumberland valley bible book

service.

Keep your eye open for an envelope that says cvbbs .com on it.

And that's a gift as compliments of our friends at reformation heritage books.

So thank you very much for contributing to the program.

We have murray and kinross scotland who says i was greatly

helped by the explanation you gave of the purpose of parables.

Do you see a governing purpose for miracles too.

Apologies if i missed this.

Luke 5 the great draft of fishes.

Surely.

Another miracle was that experienced fishermen went all night

without catching a single fish.

Would this be the sovereignty of god in fashioning events to fulfill his purpose.

That's murray and kinross.

Scotland.

Excellent.

I deal with the purpose i

i narrow it down to four from here once it one is to initial the

eyes of the blind be open.

So it's announcing

the.

If you look at these miracles especially the healing miracle

a woman in need and the

need

speaks

great she spent all

her.

It's one taught by faith

and she can as well

the joy in god.

So it's a picture of what god does in redemption

whereby he took away his namely sin

and he secured and life forever more.

These things are pictures and various miracles as well.

And ultimately all the miracles combined together is showing forth the glory of the son of god in our

nature.

Jesus just say

which which is all to his.

His glory.

Well thank you very much.

Murray and kinross scotland keep spreading the word about iron sharpens iron in the uk for us.

Uh let's see.

We have uh.

Bob in white plains new york.

Bob in white plains new york says that i have friends who take a

strict prohibitionist interpretation of the

consumption of alcohol or should i say against it.

They do not believe that the miracle at the wedding feast of cana involved

water turning into fermented wine but merely grape juice.

The reason being is that for the massive quantities of wine that

were brought about from this miracle people would have been getting drunk left and right.

Uh what is your guests take on this

right now

and there's why

i know many people uh

who will

stay um

a stance i

certainly

commend.

There's a miracle of the

the um

that you could go from

this scenario to and to produce

wine but the very fact that we are

does not mean that in any way

or any miracle it has

a redemptive uh.

Thank you very much

bob.

And you are also getting a free copy of mercy revealed a cross -centered look at christ's

miracles.

Please give us your full mailing address in white plains new york and we'll have cumberland valley bible book service cb

bbs .com ship that out to you.

And we thank once again our friends at reformation heritage books for providing these free books.

Yes i happen to uh have been by god's grace delivered from alcohol

addiction myself drunkenness.

And uh that is a damning sin.

And it does disturb me at times when some of our reformed brethren who typically

believe in the liberty to drink alcohol sometimes cross the

borderline of uh responsible moderate consumption

of alcohol to boasting about it and rubbing it in the faces of their brethren who have a

different point of view.

And and uh i happen to agree that a christian does have a liberty to moderately and

responsibly drink alcohol.

I do not believe i have that liberty anymore.

But um and uh i was gonna i was leading some there with that and

i completely flew out of my head here.

But uh the uh oh this is what i was gonna say uh i have heard and perhaps you can

uh disagree.

But i have heard that uh the strict prohibition

or abstinence view or teetotaling view amongst christians did not even rise

up within christianity until the 19th century.

And that christians of all denominations and branches believed in the responsible and

moderate uh consumption of of wine and alcohol uh barring

drunkenness which will unanimously believe is a damning sin to habitually be a

drunkard.

But uh do you know of that.

Uh if historically i can't speak about the history.

Of it it rings

kind of

true but if

someone could

present evidence.

Indeed.

Ward well i

really

want.

You to uh summarize uh what you most want etched in the hearts and minds of our listeners about the miracles of

jesus over the next five minutes or so before we close the program today.

Let me thank.

You so much

for the

opportunity

to to hear his word.

These are the

key things that we need to grow in.

God is is firm.

And the word

testifies of what god is able to

do in the midst

of.

Um he

was hiding about

and

there

may be

speaking to anyone here like that that he would work

with his almighty power.

He can he can crown.

He can

renew our youth like the eagles as he says.

These are all quotations from psalm 103.

We need to fall on our faces before we need to heed his word.

And that we would see

the lord jesus christ and all his willingness to save and all this the

glory of his person and of his work.

He's come as a full savior of sinners.

He can save to the save from it.

Um by the power of his holy spirit.

We just spoke about how it is uh continued in.

And if there are

people

into any drunkenness

defeat.

So we need to

be in

the scriptures.

We need to take hold of the promises.

We need the work of the spirit to apply this to our savior

the miracles they feed.

That hope did to each of these uh sinners lost in

sin.

And as well.

And it would be my to

not build on

a sandy foundation and

not as he can

save.

Amen.

And.

I'd like to uh mention a text that also further

uh has uh bolsters my belief in god's grace in saving

sinners uh through unconditional election.

Uh in john 5 when we have the man healed at the pool of bethesda

i remember hearing an old landmark baptist a calvinist landmark baptist from texas

preaching a sermon and he said in his very thick texan accent

uh he said uh let's see uh now a certain

man that was there who had an infirmity 38 years and he said a certain man he

said there were men men all over the place that were sick.

But there was a certain man there that jesus wanted to heal and did heal.

And i think that i'd never heard that application of that miracle in that way before.

But that is interesting that there were many there were a multitude of sick people as the text said

and jesus is not healing everybody there but he sees a certain

man.

Amen.

Well i know that the

puritan reform theological seminary website is prts .edu.

Do you have any other contact information.

No that's great.

If anyone wants to be in touch with us

are you.

And don't forget about heritagebooks .org heritagebooks .org and cvbbs

.com.

I want everybody to always remember for the rest of your lives that jesus christ is a far greater savior than

you are a sinner.

We look forward to hearing from you and your questions for our guests tomorrow on iron sharpens iron radio.

God bless.