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Okay, we're rolling back on the podcast. We are back again one more time again and again. Repeated. Throw it down press play. Here. We are number five. Guessing number five. Number five guys, what is up to the point taken podcast?
I'm your host Hunter Wilson hosting this podcast to my right Andrew cook. What up, everybody? I love Andrew cooks in my left pastor Joe session. What up? I can't keep it.
You want me to say I wasn't going to. Enjoy doing. Honestly, I don't enjoy it unless you say we're gonna do it. I enjoyed. You didn't say welcome back though. I couldn't go ahead do it. Welcome shoulder.
To the point taking podcast. For those of you don't get it yet because 100 says welcome back.
Andrew says to quote pastor Josiah. Some things get the credit all the time. So like when you're gonna piggyback.
No, no, we don't do that. We chicken back. Yeah, please get too much credit. Chickens are useful, too. You guys ain't beat up today. You should know chickens are useful, too. Yeah, go ahead. But I'm not gonna respond to this.
Okay, my least favorite bit. Yeah. Well, it's gonna be the most liked part of the video.
Disagree, don't even put it in the comments. Chicken back and Who deserves more credit the horse or the chicken? Okay, actually put that in the comments. Go ahead and put it in the comments and we're gonna see we're gonna settle that bet right here.
That's Gonna be the video that's gonna have the most comments. It's gonna have all the comments. It's like that sucks. We hate that. Oh, no, they're gonna be like man I like chicken back a whole lot better and welcome shoulders way better and welcome back.
Speaking of which well last time On our podcast we were discussing language. What it has to do with. What we talked about honor we talked about integrity then we talked about the phrase. Oh my god. It's a good bad.
It's a neutral. Should a Christian say it if you say it what's the consequence, you know positive negative. So we're gonna be continuing that discussion today. But first let's bring some Spiritual questions up in here.
Warming it up. How could we have done better this week? Spiritually, what what's our where did we fail this week? Well, I know that I failed in the respect of attitude and trust. It's a nice convicting message from some guy up there preaching this morning at our Church of Lytton.
His name may rhyme with the oh, why? So anyway, but I know that specifically for me. I was getting to the end of my school week before our first first home game and I was just in a bad space questioning a lot of things and Just let it just led me to prayer to really focus on what I was.
What I was doing and was I doing it for the right reason and I realized I wasn't so. Got some conviction straightened my mind up straightened my heart right and moved on so. It stunk but it did it did it did in the end get better got me where I need to be so Repentance turning away.
Yeah, I'm doing something different and not doing the same direction. That's right.
Yeah, I didn't do the greatest being a state of prayer this week, you know you Wake up within two days. Okay, how much have I communicated God the past two days, you know, it's a a lot of times I do okay at that, but I was pretty poor and Praying this week and being in a state of prayer with God and it showed in the beginning of my week, but Yeah took care of that.
God woke me up for that halfway through and I took care of that last week. But yeah, I would say Not in a good state of prayer beginning of the week, you know. Whenever I start my day With God whether that's through Singing to him whether it's a prayer or that's the reading the rest of the day I'm gonna write from my mind when I don't start my day doing that.
It takes me a while to get going. So that's somewhere. I failed this week was starting my day with God and being in a state of prayer.
This week I messed up a lot with my anger. I just I've dealt with anger issues long time something to fight on all the time and I have these Processes or processing, you know where you go through to try and okay I know that the natural level of anger that I get when things upset me is irrational.
That's like I know at the very beginning as soon as I feel anger. I know that this is an irrational amount and Like so let's calm down. That's any time I get angry and so that that's a good start.
You can recognize that the beginning that one. It's always yeah, it's a general rule for me.
Yeah, it's just like I know that I do not feel anger in correct amount that's always more than it needs to be and so I Go through processes and do all that to try and say, okay, let's do it. And if any of that fails if I'm unable to do that, then I'm just I'm just I'm just mad for the rest of day and I let you know a bad five seconds or a bad five minutes dictate The whole day and so I'll say out and I saw that post.
I saw a post this is yours, by the way. You can have this back. I saw a post online. It's like did you have a bad day or did you have a bad five minutes that dictated the rest, right? Crap, I didn't have a bad day I just had I just had a poor reaction to a tiny thing and I failed my process and so I've been like twice this week.
Where I was just like I was just like I caught myself. I'm like am I pouting I Got I look at myself. I think am I pouting right now? How old am I? Like how I was like, I've been mad all day. I've been in a mood I was like, I was at work and all my staff were just like you okay, like you good.
It was like cuz I'm supposed to be telling people what to do. I'm just like I Said I'm just kind of mad right now. I need to fix myself. And so That's something I failed man is up. I have a tendency to whenever I Get upset.
I want to hold on to it or I want to hold on to a situation. Sometimes man, I just gotta give that stuff up that mess will eat you.
Yeah, sometimes I recognize when I'm making too big of a deal with something when someone asked me what's wrong. I'm like, all right. Yeah. Yeah, that was the thing like, you know, but what made you mad that you ruined your whole day.
What I just told you. I mean, I thought that was just the bill. I mean that that was it. That was the whole thing right there. That's what made you that upset.
No, honestly, that's how I talk to myself sometimes like seriously. Is that all it takes good? Come on. Come on. Yeah, I give myself the tough coach talk. Really it's gonna put you down 10 more yards 10 more yards.
You're the worst. Yeah. Yeah, I mean that's where I failed this week let's talk about some language dude, okay. Last week we mentioned. Oh my god, and we were on the precipice. We were just on great discussion and I was doing something called Advocating For the devil.
Oh my gosh. I was dead playing devil's advocate. I was being real annoying about it. I just want to continue to do that. All right. All right. So this is a hunter V Andrew V. Pastor Josiah. Why are we fighting?
Why are we being? Yeah, it's a clickbait hunter the Andrew. Yeah, we're clickbaiting it language, okay. Let's talk about words the power of words the importance of words. What are we what should we and what should we not say and why like why is it important like grand scheme of things.
So I would like to let one of you open the four of us. Oh. We're gonna. Okay, so let's let's just start off recap on oh my god. Okay, oh my god.
I would say that's probably not the best phrase for a Christian to be using. You know speaking of the Lord's name in vain. It's kind of like when I used to get frustrated and I would say God bless. I think I mentioned this last week.
I wasn't really asking God to bless something. I'm saying that in vain and really I'm just saying that so I don't say something else. So really that would be an example. All right, you're not actually asking God to bless something, right?
And I think that is the idea behind. When Jesus is preaching on letting your SDS and know me know before that He says don't take an oath by heaven or earth or on your head or whatever. Just let your SDS and know me know in other words Don't make fake oaths.
You're not gonna be keep and have to use them. You should be so honest that if you tell someone yes, it's gonna happen. You say no.
So like when you say hey, can we you want to go to lunch? You're like probably Right. That's not a yes or no. That's a it's a more it's a skies.
No, but yeah, right probably is okay if you actually probably but if you really mean no and you just don't want to say it. You're being non-confrontational. Yeah, you shouldn't be right. You should just say no.
It's not like one Baptist saying I'll pray about it and then I never pray about it. Only say that if you were in fact actually gonna go pray about it. Otherwise, just say yes.
I mean I beat that by saying let's pray about it now. Yeah, I'm 100 that person. I'll pray about it. I'll really mean it in that moment. Oh, yeah.
We've been praying for this person am I we I am. So, oh my god. Probably not a phrase we want to make a habit. Unless of course you're using it in the exact phrase like if you're actually calling upon God.
As far as words in general David said let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in your sight. Oh god my rock and my redeemer Jesus said out of The abundance of the heart or the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
So in other words When we say something it slips out. Normally, it's not really that it slipped out. Really we have been meditating on it before and It may not be true. That doesn't mean we didn't mean something by it, even if it wasn't true.
Finally We are supposed to have total control Over our words and over our bodies. So whatever we say it needs to be intentional. And I see that you open my Bible to James 3. I'm assuming you want me to read some James 3.
I open that up to refresh me because I knew I would want to be talking about James. 3 I would say this.
You know When we talk about cussing or cursing in this and this may surprise a few people but if you're looking for a Bible verse that says thou shalt not say and then with the 2021 American modern curse words, you're not going to find any verse like that.
Correct. So it's not words in and of themselves that are wrong to say. What the Bible does say is do not let a unwholesome Filthy language come out of your mouth and it doesn't have a word as to what that is.
There is a verse in Ephesians 4 that says Put away lying to speak the truth and love instead of tearing each other down. Use your words to build each other up according to the need of each one. So in other words the words of encouragement Andrew may need for me and may not be the same the Dalton needs from me.
Okay, so there is a certain way that I would speak to One of my fighters of sojourn. That I may not use for my three-year-old Ava. Right, right or for my brother hunter but none of that should be filthy or unwholesome or Reviling tearing down.
It should all be with the intention of building up. So here's here's my advocation argument.
Um. Just go ahead and say it it's the devil's argument, okay. It might not be depends on how you feel about what I say. Okay, so we have a moral versus ethical dilemma in my opinion right now again morals are.
What is ethics is what should be correct, right and a lot of the time morals are going to be defined by Culture so what's good in America might not be good somewhere else and vice versa for example in Scotland.
Every all the guys, you know, not really but there was a time where a lot of men were killed in America. Men wearing skirts. It sends a whole different message, but I see what I'm saying. Yeah. And I think the same thing is going to go for language in Ireland Scotland England even.
There are certain curse words that they use over there like it's nothing. I mean, they wouldn't have even known that it was a curse word at all. Right over here. That word is on you don't say it, you know, you see what I'm saying?
Yeah. So I think language plays a part in that this like what is morally? Okay. So we're really asking Should the Christian language be formed around ethics around morals? So around don't let any unwholesome speak well is oh my god unwholesome speak.
Here is the colloquial term. Oh my god, or should that be more of an ethical thing where we say it might not morally be. Wrong, but ethically we don't find it appealing. Can you say what you said define the two terms of ethics and more so morals?
Morality is about what is so they say for example in America. It is morally okay to abort your child because those are the laws they say the choice of the woman and all that is morally. Okay. Ethically, it is horribly not.
Okay, because of what should be what our our ethics come from the Bible. So that's why I'm confident saying ethically abortion is wrong. So more in America is totally right. Ethics would be worldview.
That's what we're yeah, I'm gonna equate that to two other terms as well. Yeah it's about your ethics is about what the world should be in your view and we as Us we get our view on ethics from the Bible, right?
Morals are what is. Culturally culturally. Okay. So what is right morally? It doesn't always line up with what is right ethically so you can be a moral person without being an ethical person, right? So from this point forward whenever we say we were talking about the argument of morality versus ethics.
We're looking at culture versus worldview. Okay, just want to clear that up. So that way all of us all of us are on the same page when we're talking about it so I guess the big question here is Should that phrase?
Oh my god, we looked at are we obeying it morally? Are we obeying it ethically? What's our look at and if it's ethically why exactly would it be at that would be ethically wrong. I.
Would say first off your point about Different dress code and stuff like that. I think the Bible Paul would agree with that. He says don't do anything that don't dress unseemly doesn't nature itself teach you this and that so there is a sense for example, I Don't think a missionary.
You should go to certain Middle Eastern countries and present the gospel clean-shaven. If he's a man, right because he will not fit in he will not Reach as many people probably right you understand what I mean?
In other words in some Countries, you know for a man to be clean-shaven is well, he's a boy. Right. So in other words, right so I did not fall. Yeah. Yeah. In other words, there's a sense in that and what you were saying about culturally acceptable and I understand all that.
I Think the answer to the oh my god question would be right and I think hunters porn is perfect. Whether or not it's morally. Okay, if our ethical stances do not take the name of Lord in vain. Then that would supersede the morality of whatever the culture is.
But I would also say When it comes to other curse words. Yes, it is a bit arbitrary. For a Christian to say well these exact words would be curse words right by God's standard but these one that is a bit arbitrary.
So I do think it is. The Bible is silent on exactly what those words are, but it says whatever is unwholesome filthy or unseemly. That's what it says whatever put somebody down so for example. Let's just get what we know to be objective and then that gets us a framework.
So what do we know to be objective? All right. The Bible says don't tear down but only build up Ephesians 4. Okay. Well that eliminates several phrases in my mind right now. Okay. The Bible says not to use God's name in vain.
Okay. Well that eliminates several more phrases right there. The Bible says to have total control of your mind and body, okay that removes any it just slipped out or I didn't mean it. Okay, one degree so far.
Yeah. Okay. So we so once we start getting these objective standards out of the way, there's only. That eliminates the majority of scenarios that we have probably just thought of or described. Not only leaves a few left that we can have any discussion about at all.
Am I making sense in other words? Yeah, once we get those objective ones out of the way we get a subject right, right and even there my next point would be Come out from among them and be separate says the Lord touch not the unclean thing.
In other words there needs to be some difference in language and of course that goes far beyond simple cursors. There needs to be some difference in language. Someone should be able to watch the way you live and listen to the way you talk and before you have even said Romans chapter 10 says this they already know they already know they know what you believe, right?
But yeah, I think we On the other side of it do a disservice if we make some type of word list. And so these are what God says are acceptable and these are what God says. Right, right. I remember being told one time that I was cursing because I use the word cop.
Cop like police officer CEO. Yeah. Yeah, because it was a disrespectful to police officers. You're calling my cop. Yeah interesting. Well, that's a good. No, no, and it was just in ignorance because you know as far as I know that.
Check on this the etymology that is the New York cops used to wear the copper badges. So you remember bugs money the coppers? Oh, yeah I'm pretty confident. That's what it is. So anyway, it's not derogatory in any way to call themselves.
They had a whole show about it. It's really cool.
Sure. So in order to pick your argument apart, go ahead. I'm sorry. This is the role that I'm. I you are. Yeah, so in order to pick the argument apart, I wanted to ask. No. Hawaiian rolls of the best.
He said this role. I saw a role not that Lambert's no Hawaiian warmed up with butter and honey. What if there was vomit if you disagree? Well, why is wrong? That's you?
There I met you at a high speed and they hit the person behind you and you can't help it. Like Pelted with a you like. Oh, I love Hawaiian rolls. I like those things play but nothing's funnier than watching the person makes you get.
So you need them training? Oh, yeah. Oh, we need a train or shit. We're just playing.
So in order to pick your argument apart, you know in order to pick your argument apart, here's this. What do you guys? What would you say it means? To take the Lord's name in vain says do not take the Lord's name in vain.
You just sit to me last time. I'm listening to you first. No, I mean you dished me and I'll all right.
We'll say a possibility there. All right vanity all this vanity. Meaning. So if you're going around and just saying GD sure GD this GD that yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it has no meaning it. Literally, you're not giving glory to God's into the name.
It look very much. Does it lessen the name? It is nothing or God bless if you're not actually saying God bless this or What's the oh my god saying that. That it's vanity. There's no reason for you to say you could say oh my corn.
And it would mean absolutely nothing. Here's another question before we continue with that one. Do you think that God is his name or his title? Like would you say God is? His name or do you say that he is God that is his title.
Well, I would say If it if it is his name if we're if we're gonna go with the name. Then that would be the vein that would that thing like it's a name of our God. But if it's a name of our God, then I'm that I can get behind the argument a little more.
Well, but if this is like a title he is God he or he is our God. I'd say well if I were to say, oh my president would I be insulting or lessening president Joe Biden? You know, you know I'm saying just like oh my god if that's a title well, okay, so my before.
Before you do your point. If that's the case. Then you're less than me. You're not showing respect to that title like we talked about last week if you're not going to show respect the title. It's also vain to say that title.
So if you if you don't show respect, all right, let's use the president. If you say You use that terminology issues, okay, you belittled the idea of the president. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what the presidency is.
It's vain now. It's a Presidency if you look at that and you're like, oh the president doesn't you know, the president doesn't mean anything to me. I see why you say that. I would disagree though. Just saying oh my president I don't think it you know, cuz that's an argument that was used when I was younger.
When I said, oh my god, and my parents would say what if I said, oh my hunter. Okay, like I never I never understood so I was wondering if that is. So I'm wondering You know, what is our opinion on the word God?
Is it a title or is it his name?
Well, his name doesn't matter. His name is Yahweh. We say God that represents Not Allah or Ra or Thor that represents our God. So right it's the same thing in other words, in other words, his name is Yahweh.
Yes, but when we say God we are referring to Yahweh. We're not referring to anyone else. Yeah. Yeah, so and I would say that. The difference in those two examples is one is far more Holy and reverent than the other.
So it should be held in the higher standard. So the whole oh my hunter thing. Yeah, of course you the care doesn't matter the point in the other one is Are you? God is never more than repentant call away.
So when you say oh my god, you stop is that really a time that you need to be calling out to God. And of course the answer is no. So when it says you're not taking they made Lord man, of course his literal name is Yahweh.
Right, but when we say God that's who we're representing so my argument would not be That it's blasphemy or something something like that. Sorry. I got my argument would be. That's probably not something we should do as nothing of course I myself have done it many times my argument would be that.
How could that not be?
You may be calling on him. You're not actually communicating with him. So is there a version. Is there a possibility? Is there a way to separate the reference to the God named Yahweh. Versus a reference to a colloquial phrase that everybody says like what.
So in other words when I say, oh my god. Does that. Is there a way to separate like can somebody rightly claim? I am NOT referencing.
God himself. I'm just saying this phrase that makes it separate. Sure. Could you. Yeah, they honestly do like is it? Is that possible? I mean Technically, yeah. Sure. Is it possible should a Christian do it?
No, okay. Yeah, I mean, of course it's possible. It's also possible To have secondary meanings for words all the time. But you know that your listeners will be thinking the primary meaning every time you say it.
Yeah, you can you can use the same argument for any cuss word. Yeah. You can you can say that all day long but. Is that what the intent of the heart was? Right? That's the intent of the heart wasn't okay.
Sure, but who's gonna judge that right? You can't judge that. That's the first question that I asked that Andrew said. What does it mean to take the Lord's name in vain?
Did you have a different answer than him? No, I think that's right. I think it is Using it in a way of Which God does not want to use. You're not calling out to him. You're not reading his word. You're not actually speaking to him.
You're not talking about him. You are so you're not even talking about him you are literally using. Okay a guy Used to before he was saved because church used to say all the time Christ on the cross. Can you hurry up?
No, okay now that reaction right there. Why is that different? It's Christ not God. So that shouldn't be different. It's the same thing. He's not actually Having any meaningful discussion about Jesus on the cross.
We are not actually having you know meaningful discussion about my god.
So there's no I will throw another disclaimer that I am playing a role that I will share my true opinion, of course. Okay, but I'm gonna say this. I'm gonna say this I just feel like the need because I don't actually believe what I'm saying point taken.
Um, it's right there. I do think It's different to say the same God versus God who the argument my character's argument is. Is a title more than a name. I've been saying Christ is a title not a name. Right crisis Christ, but yeah, you don't nobody else ever has ever been referred to as Christ that I know.
Well, that's a message. That's this unless you read that one Twitter post by that guy. Okay. Yeah. There was a there was a post I don't know I don't know the guy's name, but he said that Jesus was a Christ Buddha was a Christ just starts naming all these random people.
It's like we're all there. Everyone is universal isn't basically Saying Christ Jesus on the cross you are being very that's two names or two names. And a name if you want to say that that's two names and referencing his crucifixion.
Which is going to be different than saying? Oh my god. To the average person because oh my god is a very popular low-key phrase. That can be used in many different ways. You can lowercase that G you can you know, anybody who doesn't believe in a God at all can be saying it versus Christ Jesus on a cross is basically saying Exactly you're right, you know exactly your reference.
So in other words, you can have a little bit of anonymity or a little bit of Versus. I am definitely talking about it and I definitely don't care that happened.
Do I know what you're saying? Yes. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, you know my characters thing. Yeah. Yeah.
I'm saying the way he looks at me when I say this. I'm like. It's my clickbait character, it's the hunter versus.
Right, I mean, let me know what your next yoga class is because that was a stretch. If you're going to do that. If you're going to do all that that's fine, but your question was should a Christian Say that knows your original question and you have not provided your character.
I'm not about anything at all convincing to say the answer. Yes. Yeah. Like you're one of your defense arguments was even non-christian say that or non. Or atheists say that that was one of your roles point right.
So one of your defense arguments was well atheists say it.
Cool great point. And see into to that to the whole. See, I can't even say I can't say that. It hurts me too much that whole you said. They may not know they they know exactly what the referencing. Okay, it doesn't matter to them.
It's vanity it's foolishness. Who cares right? It's nothing it may have not even happened. It doesn't matter or it's vanity taking the Lord's name in vain or the title or whatever Representation you want to use it doesn't mean anything.
Do you put it at the same level as oh my god. Yes It's it gets as we saw. This is not a comment.
All of us not being guilty. This is a question of whether we should or not. Yes, Jesus is God.
So you're literally saying the exact same thing, right? And yeah, I just want to say that one more time. We're not saying that we're sinless in it. We've all made we've all done this before this week.
Yeah, right. It's lived out. Yeah, right. Yeah, exactly. So this is. Yeah, this is the standard we need to live to and we don't always reach those same as well except for hunters character. Yeah, I don't care my character doesn't care your character doesn't care Hector.
Yeah Hector. Can we call you Hector? Oh, yeah, that's perfect. All right care from this point forward. Oh. You just teach Spanish for a while. Anyway, so I'm Hector. Hector Hector. Don't say the actor.
Oh, that's perfect. I've been rector Thor. Continued he said anyway, um. Taking his name in vain. Could it also mean this and this is something that I've thought about a lot is Do not take the Lord's name in vain do not as Hector you as hunter yes, okay.
Do not take up the Lord's name in vain. So in other words do not take the Lord's name in vain and the way That I've learned understand is a little version of that is do not take up the Lord's name in vain.
In other words if I do not believe in God or if my actions declare that I do not believe in God. Do not claim that I do. So in other words if I were to say I wear a cross around my neck I've got a Bible boot.
I've got a Bible verse Tattooed on me yet I am not a Christian and I know it or I do not adhere to what God says and I know it. Like I might fool myself into thinking that I'm a Christian and there are hundreds and thousands of people and As I speak right now everybody listening knows somebody by name who fits this description.
Think I'm a Christian. Yet, I'm definitely not. I don't act like it or anything like that got the Bible verse. I got the cross on me. And I'm dragging the name of God and the reputation of Christians his followers through the mud.
So would you consider that taking God's name in vain I Take his name claim him for myself and yet it's worthless. Well, yeah.
Well, if it's not knowingly that's one thing but if it's knowingly it's even worse, but yeah, of course, that would be.
I just wanted to throw that one out there. Yeah, that's cuz I just cuz I like. Well, thank you Hector. Yeah. No, I'd agree. I think that it's it if you're if you're knowingly doing it. Then that's a whole nother story.
Like that's our that's it. That's the next level of I don't care. That's evil strategy. Oh, yeah. Hey guys, so my deep school you are. Strategizing to drag Christians name to the mud with your own life.
That sounds like a Bible thing. Did you just use scripture to back up your point? Yes. Oh, you shouldn't. Okay, I'm gonna break character for a minute to say my my.
Welcome shoulder.
Back of the knee got it. I'm ready. I got this. Well Hector, here's some things that I would say to against your point. Everything is permissible, but not everything is profitable. Sometimes wisdom and discernment need to outweigh your eagerness to speak.
Or your lack of thought and what you're doing. There are reasons that I do not cuss. Let no one wholesome speak come from your mouth. Jay of the entirety of chap James chapter 3.
I think we're gonna need to read that at some point for sure.
Okay, and you know, you can take that into account, but that's gonna be my secondary reason. My number one reason is to follow this command. Let your light shine before men. Right to be a difference the and that's literally that is my.
That is what I think about every time I want to cuss and done don't um is The easiest way to separate yourself from other people's language and the way you speak and that's why I love that's why you opened up the Conversation with my main point is people know that you are different before they ever Hear you talk about anything spiritual.
Yep. You know, I've had jobs where you know, it might take a couple weeks, but they'll come up and say do you not cuss? Yeah. Yeah, do you not cuss. Don't cuss. I would say really I'll give you a hundred dollars to say yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. I want you to do it. Yeah, really? Yeah, I don't think I don't think they're legitimately worse than awkward. I think they were gonna say it. Yeah. But you know I'm saying like they they desperately want you to and they you know, they fabricated did you just cuss yeah.
Really? I thought I heard it. No. No, and I I don't have to defend myself because everybody else in the room knows. Yeah, he didn't cuss. He know we know he didn't cuss because that's something that I take very seriously and if I fail everywhere else Then that's one thing that I can still do that is very obviously letting my light shine like I'm not gonna live like that I'm different than that and it's amazing how much it's such a small like It's a small change that makes a huge impact on people.
Yeah, and that's what I do. I talk about this with my friends all the time. I'd say do you know how much funnier I would feel if I cussed. Like sometimes in my joke, it'd be so much funnier to me sometimes just to throw in something like that but it's so easy not to and To make that difference and it's not even a sacrifice.
Yeah, you know I'm saying. Yeah, I was like It's just such a small thing that makes such a large impact. There's no reason not to do it and when it comes to stuff like oh my god. It's one of those things that I legitimately I did not want to think about because it's one of those things I just didn't want it.
It's small. I didn't feel like it was a big deal. But in truth if you think about it and you put it in perspective, yeah, it's probably something you should do. It's probably not. When you come to something like oh man like because I would see this as a big deal I didn't but when I look at the facts and if I follow my own rules for myself have discernment.
Be different let your light shine, you know, I'm saying like, okay. Everything's permissible. Not everything is profitable. Is it profitable for me to say? Oh my god, is it prep? Does it help me run the race?
Does it you know I'm saying then I have to say No. It's not profitable. So like my final answer. Yeah, it's permissible. It's not profitable, you know, it's not profitable so sometimes there are things that you need to give up and there are things that you need to sacrifice.
Some of them are bigger than others because this one isn't that big. Sometimes you just have to make that decision. Yeah, I'd be remissed if I didn't quote Patrick Starr don't do it We're just using those sentence in the hand.
The whole upset about them cussing. Okay, go ahead and try and use their sensor I can't. I can't. I can't.
Yeah, those good sorry headphone users, yeah. Oh I'm gonna take half way.
Can you because our phones are being used. Yeah open your phone. Oh Yeah, cuz we have a Listener question. We have two questions we have two. So we either do two today or do one for this time one for next time, by the way.
We make the spiritual questions, but we also take the spiritual questions guys. If you want to send in a question, please email us one at listen point taken at gmail .com. Listen point taken at gmail .com.
Send us an email. We will listen to it. You can drop a comment on YouTube like subscribe hit the notification bell drop us a comment any question you have and finally Instagram point taken podcast. Oh, you're gonna have an Instagram up point taken podcast.
Send us a DM. And we will look through those and answer your questions. All right. We have two questions today and we have time for both of them. So here's what we're gonna do. First question I'm gonna direct towards the pastor.
Josiah the Bible says It's absent from the body then present with the Lord when a person dies. Does that mean he or she immediately stands before God and it's an it's to heaven or hell at that moment.
Question mark. Oh. Thank you.
All right, um, yeah, so. Right now if a Christian dies they immediately go to be with Jesus. How do we know that? To the absent from the bodies to the present with the Lord Paul says to depart and be with Christ would be far better.
Jesus looked at the thief on the cross and said what today. You will be with me in paradise, where is Jesus. He's sitting at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. When Stephen was being sent stone the next chapter 7 he looked up he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Notice he was not sitting. Oh, yes one of his own was Being killed. So yes when Believers died they meet me go to be with the father. Yes, when unbelievers die, they immediately go into outer darkness now.
What is cool? Is that? Those believers still have something look forward to in that they do not yet have their resurrected bodies. Their spirits are with them. But the great judgment day. Doesn't happen till the end of the millennium.
Now when believers get the resurrected body at their rapture and all that the dead in Christ rise I'll have something be united with their bodies. At the end of judgment at the end of judgment when God creates a new heaven and new earth.
That is where the eternal state is that is where Streets of gold pearly gates all that stuff. That's new heaven new earth. So that part's not right now, but the simple answer the question is yes believers are in heaven with God right now.
That's where they're at. They have their spirits. They had no crying pain sickness none of that. They don't have the resurrected bodies yet, but they will one day. And that will be even better. But as you see the believers in Revelation looking forward to that day when we get a glimpse into heaven.
They're looking forward to that day. And that's the same with first Thessalonians second Thessalonians. What's talking about? Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, because the the believers in first Thessalonians asked that same question What are our loved ones doing right now? And the answer was they're in eternal bliss with Jesus of God the Father. But one day their spirits are there their bodies will be resurrected into a glorified state.
So long story short. Yes, there is an immediate instant upon death. Ascension in the heaven or descension into we'll call it hell. The eternal state will be both of those parties will be united in their bodies and their bodies so Yes for a fact.
We know that our loved ones are with Jesus. Their bodies will be resurrected at the rapture. Very good.
Okay, I'd take that point anything.
Most people won't get that joke. That's okay. Yeah, I'm one of those. Maine, Maine and Connecticut those states. Oh, yeah.
So when he said it listen to a question, yeah. This is from. This is from one of our members here with Lee Stewart lovely sir, yes great guy. Forgiveness, I'm really sarcastic great guy. I love the guy forgiveness and forgetting.
When do you forgive if the person you were trying to forgive never stops doing the action you're trying to forgive him or her for? Should you forget? Should you forget forgive someone and their actions and Understand and under what circumstances which so we're talking.
So the question is is. Basically if somebody you're trying to forgive someone of a specific action that you're doing they're doing but. You've talked to them and they're just they're not changing that you're trying to forgive them, but they're just not changing.
What how we how would we? We're talking. I think it'd be profitable to first say what are we called to do? So our situation is a repeat offender with no intention of changing. Are we called to forgive a person who?
Asks for no forgiveness or are we required to forgive a person who does not plan to repent? The answer is yes. Guys we aren't called to just forgive the repentant. We are not called to have anger hold anger and resentment in our hearts.
Our sins ourselves are cast as far as the East is from the West. We forgive because we are forgiven. And I think that's the first thing the first thing which I think is woven into the question he understand.
I know I'm supposed to. How do I what is the thing? This person who continues to do it continues to do it. Don't forget that forgiveness isn't about. The stopping of the original sin. So in other words, I can it's easy I'm gonna say easy at least easier if pastor Josiah were to punch me in the face.
Like you had to be right and Then he stops punching me in the face. At some point I eat forgiving him will be easy because he's not still punching me in the face. It becomes more difficult when he's continuing to do it, but this is a question of responsibility.
I am NOT responsible for what pastor Josiah does. What he does is on him. I'm responsible for what I do. Right. So when I was young, like I said earlier in the podcast I had troubles with anger and Whenever somebody would egg me on or be up be mean or do something bad and I would explode.
My dad would punish me and I'd say Why I was like, you know, and he said I know exactly what happened, but you're not responsible for what they do. You're responsible for how you handle it and you're responsible for what you do and so I Am NOT responsible for somebody if they want to keep sending against me if they want to keep doing something badly one.
That's not my business. I'm called to forgive and that's not contingent on their repentance. You need to forgive them. If that means I don't expect them to stop. That doesn't mean I'm not going to be bothered by it.
It doesn't mean that I'm not going to be hurt when they hurt me. It just means I am going to be humble enough to not consider myself more important than what I'm called to do. So if I say man, it's really hard to do this because they keep hurting me.
They keep hurting me. How much do your feelings matter in comparison to your calling by God and It's so much easier to say from right here when I don't have a specific thing in mind personally. But when you're dealing with that is very difficult, but the brass tacks the big facts is this.
Then actually didn't mean for that to run the big fact is this. I Am responsible for being obedient to God. Regardless of what anybody else is doing, even if it is a personal attack upon me. I Am called to forgive.
Not to hold a grudge not to hold anger not to hold resentment. So Be careful when expecting something in return as in repentance or sorrow or a Change in attitude from the other person when you forgive.
Because that is not necessary for forgiveness. It makes it easier. It is not necessary.
As Christ has forgiven us some of us also forgive. Well, Jesus didn't wait for any of us to say we were sorry. Yeah. No, I do want to give a side note. That's gonna sound like a easy way out, but it really isn't.
People Misunderstand the difference from justice and forgiveness. Forgiveness does not take away justice. For example your sin. God forgave your sin. But the price still had to be paid for it. The price still had to be paid for it.
It's actually something that separates us from Islam. In that Islam Allah forgives and then whatever injustice was done. It will never justice and never done. In Christianity the God of the Bible God forgives, but the payment for sin is still required.
So Jesus was still crucified. There's still gonna be in other words God is a perfect judge perfect judge have perfectly equal scales. They will be balanced out of the end. That's why somebody will be paying for your sin.
It will either be Jesus for you. Because every single hidden thing will be revealed. Every wrongdoing will be accounted for nobody gets away with anything. If Christianity is true, which it is. Nobody gets away with anything.
It will be paid for either by Jesus or by us. So forgiveness is not a removal of justice. Forgiveness not a removal of justice. Forgiveness is an attitude of the heart. It doesn't even remove temporal earthly justice.
Someone could have done something illegal to you and there still should be Temporal justice done to them. Forgiveness is an attitude of the heart not of the outside only. And that is not a yeah hundred buck.
That is a in conjunction with. Forgiveness has to do with the heart it is. People think that the only type of forgiveness is mercy in a laying off the hook that's not. Forgiveness is of the heart. Temporal justice.
God calls for that Eternal justice. God is that there's not an absence of forgiveness though, correct? And there's no scenario where there does not need to be an attitude of forgiveness in the heart. That does not always mean a removal of justice.
However. Just like God's law was merciful even though there are.
Punishments attached to them. I don't think of all God's commands.
Ranked in the most difficult. That's forgiveness. I am. I was actually talking to Jeremiah brother Jeremiah the other day. About the most difficult single verses in the Bible to obey. Yeah. There's some of them that are like.
For you know first be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. All right, I'll get right on that. Husbands love your wives. Oh, there's a comma just as Christ loved the church. Yeah, forgive just as Christ has forgiven you see if you just left all the just as.
Yeah Philippians 2 14 do everything without grumbling or complain.
Mostly when I'm grumbling or complaining I tend to stop thinking about that verse. Yeah, yeah, but I'd say it's one of the most difficult because it is the one of the most difficult acts of humility. So if you're if you're gonna ask the question how?
Like okay, I know I'm cold too. I know to keep all that mind. How does one forgive? The only way and that I have found this is me speaking personally on how to forgive. It's an act of utter humility that far exceeds Any basic humility that would that you would.
You'd show anywhere else. In other words, it's easier for me to say, oh no, you know what I won. But it really wasn't me. It was my trainers. This was that, you know and be humble in that. It's a whole nother level.
To say my call to forgive is more important than half than me in the fallen human state.
Forgiveness trivia. This is unnatural. Oh, yeah.
It goes against everything in your being because even if you have a low opinion of yourself That's still a pride thing. You know I'm saying like even if you don't consider yourself much you do You still hold how your view of yourself higher than truth.
And so at the end of the day when you have to forgive somebody who is a repeat offender with no intention of stopping. Then you have to say You know, what's more important than me is my calling to forgive.
I Have to consider myself less important than the directive I've been given by God move and that is the hardest part and that's why I say it is an utter Act of complete humility to forgive and that's why I think it's the hardest thing because I struggle with them.
That's that's a difficult thing to do. Forgiving when they don't want it when they don't ask for it when they definitely don't deserve it, but you know who else didn't deserve it. You know I'm saying Well, it's a earlier pastor Josiah when you're talking about The Justice it's still there regardless of forgiveness.
There's two accounts and in the Old Testament you can look at Noah. Mm-hmm because the Ark was a Was an act of mercy he could have killed Jonah. He could have killed him. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's another one.
But he could have killed everybody every and just started right back over again, but he did he saw. One man took his family put him in an ark killed everybody else. Yeah there even though there was mercy involved and this is one of the things I'm trying to make sure my students Notice the two main themes of the story of the story the historical account of Noah was.
There's wrath Will be paid poured out and there's mercy that God will give. And the other one yeah, and the other one is Sodom and Gomorrah. Fuck, but let me find ten people. Okay, couldn't find people.
How about what was the next number?
I always thought it stopped at one. I think it was like 50 to 40 to 25.
He could was arguing with God. He's like, come on. Let me find one person.
What's funny? Yeah, he starts with 15 guy goes, okay.
Okay, how about 40. It was like it was the easiest business deal you've ever heard.
I just agree to go on that town of a hundred thousand people and find ten dudes who love God.
Yeah, well, I mean he started. What if I found 50 guys like. Sure, yeah. Cuz I know like this isn't really a debate. You like you're not really talking me down. So you have this God showing I. I think you could say that that was just a point of mercy going.
All right, she'll have this conversation. You can do that, but at the end of the day his wrath still was poured out the justice of. Yeah, they were doing. And then what? Who turned around. It was lots of lots wife.
He said run go straight. Don't turn around. Don't worry about it.
Oh, yeah, I don't know she was that insulted about it, okay.
You know what? I actually. But I like that because it was he had a heart for the city like pain. I kind of want don't want them to be destroyed and God's saying. Which is I can put listen to my point.
Yeah, but like I I'm being kind of like, okay. Okay, sure, okay. Because and that that's the way it's like man we couldn't find Anybody I am now you understand a little bit more from God's perspective.
Of why he's doing that because you know, hey, man, I don't want this place to be destroyed. I know, you know, what if why I thought you can you can ask me a number ask me a number. Don't ask me how many to find and we'll look.
You know, which is the complete opposite of Jonah work because Jonah's like No, you need to eat. I am so excited for when you kill everyone there and God's like no. They're repentant. Yeah, they're coming back to me.
Well, no, no, that's not what you said. You're gonna do. You said you want to kill everybody and that's what I'm excited for. I'm gonna sit here.
Can you do it and God's point? You have more mercy for a student plant that I destroyed more than you do for 120 ,000 those who don't know. Remember God destroyed the plant that we're in shade. Why'd you take away my shade man.
You know the account ends there. Yeah, we don't have it ends right there. We don't have an account of Jonah's repentance or not. We're not sure he just sits there waiting Waiting for God's wrath to be poured out.
Maybe Jonah just stopped writing anything.
Anyway, give me the opportunity but just to reiterate those points that the Has to be that there would be no reason for grace or mercy if there was no wrath, right?
Right. I mean, that's why Isaiah 53 Says it pleased him to crush Jesus severely on the one hand it was Grueling and heartbreaking for him to pour out his wrath on the other hand. It pleased him because his wrath was satisfied, right?
Well to Conclude this wonderful episode. I've had a really good time. Hector had a really good time. Spoke to him during the break. Yeah, he really loved Conversing with you guys. Yeah, we'll bring back Hector someday.
We'll bring him back Next time we have something for him to talk about. But uh, let's uh, let's recap real quick. Language. The power words guys. It's the intent of the heart and use discernment when you speak.
In other words. Does it is it letting your light shine? Are you being separate among men? Does it build up? Yeah. Is it profitable? Does it help you run the race? And I'll think of all these things not even just in how you speak, but how you think and what you do.
It just covers speech as well. Sometimes and in the last episode I brought up Proverbs chapter 4 ponder the steps of your feet. Yeah, don't you let your don't look to the left or the right but keep your eyes set before you.
And that is going to Include and just need to have a little discernment about. Yeah, I might be allowed to do this. And maybe one of these episodes will talk about free will free choice. Versus determinism and all that.
But I have the ability to do whatever I want to. But is it profitable that I do that? Sure. And do the people and in Hebrews it says. Therefore we have a great cloud of witnesses around us. And we are being watched especially if you say I am a Christian boy, oh boy, are you being watched.
So your language is a great way to Make that difference and to build up and to have profit.
Let our prayer be that of David. I Forgot about this till today. So I'm 141 verse 3. Set a guard. Oh Yahweh over my mouth. Keep watch of the door of my works.
But James chapter 3.
We could have made this whole episode reading James 3 and it would not have been a waste of.
Go home and study James. I feel bad for not using enough scripture in the podcast.
Go home and read James 3 and if you don't feel convicted Congratulations.
Yeah, you're the perfect man, yeah, yeah, you were able to tell you if you were able to tame your tongue. You are a perfect man able to tame every part of the body. Yes.
For sure, you're not. You know, you're not. You know, it's not thank you. I'm not a Thor. He's another guy. He's another guy now that he's gone.
Well, anyway, if you have any questions, please email us at listen point taken at gmail .com. Comment on the video if you liked what you saw if you liked the if you liked the episode Please like subscribe hit that notification bell and you can always DM us on Instagram as well.
But until next time. Have a good week Deuce.