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April 16, 2019:
FLIP MICHAELS, author, Associate Pastor & Staff Elder @ GraceLife Church of Annville, PA, who will address: “FIVE HALF-TRUTHS: Addressing the Most Common MISCONCEPTIONS of CHRISTIANITY”
Live from the historic parsonage of the 19th century gospel minister George Norcross in downtown Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It's iron sharpens iron. This is a radio platform in which pastors Christian scholars and theologians address the burning issues facing the church and the world today.
Proverbs chapter 27 verse 17 tells us. Iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another. Matthew Henry said that in this passage We are cautioned to take heed with whom we converse 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 two hours. And we hope to hear from you the listener with your own questions. And now here's your host Chris Arnzen.
Good afternoon, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Lake City, Florida and the rest of humanity living on the planet Earth who are listening via live streaming at iron sharpens iron radio .com. This is Chris Arnzen your host of iron sharpens iron radio wishing you all a happy Tuesday on this 16th day of April 2019 and I'm thrilled to have a first-time guest today.
His name is flip Michaels and he is the author and associate pastor and staff elder At Grace Life Church of Anvil, Pennsylvania. We are going to be addressing his book five half truths Addressing the most common misconceptions of Christianity and it's my honor and privilege to welcome you for the very first time ever to iron sharpens iron radio flip Michaels.
Thanks for having me and you know what it it is my honor to be on the program when I think of the Spiritual living spiritual giants that you've had on this program and then you invite me on the program.
I am I am truly humbled to be a part of it. Praise God. Well, you know, I was going to introduce you as Pastor flip the pastor of st. Geraldine's Cathedral, but I thought I thought I thought twice about it.
Well, I guess I said it anyway, didn't I? And I guess the Millennials listening might not have no clue what that joke means. It was a reference to exactly it was a reference to world-renowned comedian in the 1970s flip Wilson the only other person I know of by the name of flip.
Actually, I think I did hear of a couple of other people named flip now that I'm thinking.
Hey, I was born in 1975 no clue what you're talking about. Oh, yeah. Well you would have been around but you've been very young.
Because flip Wilson was on TV probably in somewhere around the early 70s to about 76 77 78 but but. Well before we have you give your personal testimony of salvation which is what we typically do with first-time guests on our intrepid Zion radio when they're Christians.
That is because There are a few occasions when I have a non-christian on the show who has something of great importance for the church at large. To hear. But the vast majority of my guests are Christian and but before we have you give Your personal testimony of salvation.
Tell us about Grace Life Church of Anvil, Pennsylvania, which I know is in the Hershey, Pennsylvania area.
Yeah, we're not too far from Hershey, and I'm really blessed to be a part of it. Grace Life is Just about eight years old a lead pastor, and I would say we are we minister to around 200. We we started out a little more than doubled.
We you know something I can tell you with a number of the guys that you've had on this program as we Do something each year we we just invite somebody to be a guest speaker, and we we take our church generally.
We keep in the Northeast. We were in Pennsylvania this year. We oh great. Thomas was a dear friend of mine. He was terrific. He was absolutely terrific in dealing with issues. You know concerning so well.
Thanks a lot flip. If I knew that I would have been there right because I love Tom.
Well, maybe we didn't tell you on purpose no. What you're absolutely, but we you know we just finished that up just About two weeks ago here and really neat for our church to his teaching and to get grounded in that area as well.
Well praise God, and I hope that you I'm gonna be giving more details a little later on. But I hope that you and the men at Grace Life Church of Anvil come out to my pastors luncheon. That I am having on May 23rd.
Thursday. May 23rd 11 a .m. To 2 p .m. At the Carlisle fire-and-rescue banquet hall in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Dr. Tony Costa who is the professor of apologetics in Islam at Toronto Baptist Seminary is our speaker at the luncheon.
It's free of charge and the theme of the message is going to be how the Dead Sea Scrolls vindicate the reliability of the scriptures and Most of the major Christian publishers in the United States and the United Kingdom donate free books.
They donate a hundred copies of each title that I select from each Publisher and that way every man who attends can leave with a heavy sack of books typically a couple of dozen books sometimes more and So it's a really worthwhile thing for men in ministry leadership to attend and it's free of charge.
So this was a an annual event that became a biannual event. This was started by my precious late wife Julie in the 1990s when she recognized that since I had been in the Christian radio industry Most of my adult life going back to the 80s.
I have been involved in Christian radio and secular radio before that and she recognized that I had so many friends who were pastors most of my friends are pastors and She said why don't we forgo giving each other Christmas gifts?
This year and treat your friends who are pastors to a pastor's luncheon. And I said, you know, that's a great idea. And I did that and we had a guest speaker who was my pastor at the time Mike Gadosh Who now runs solid ground Christian books in?
Port st. Lucie, Florida and but at the time he was my pastor in Amityville, Long Island, New York and we had some free books that we gave away and the Luncheons continued and They grew so large I had to start getting corporate sponsorship to help fund the luncheons and they have continued they have continued after my precious wife went home to be with the Lord and I continue them to this day in her honor and memory and We do things exactly the way that she insisted they be done.
There's no Ulterior motive or hidden agenda. There's nothing for sale at these luncheons. There is no Amway Representative trying to convince somebody to join Amway or anything like that. No slam against the Amway.
I'm just saying that there's no hidden or ulterior motive and So I hope as many men listening who are in leadership positions whether they are pastors elders. And I think that those are the same office by the way deacons leaders and parachurch ministries.
Just send me an email to Chris Arnson at gmail .com and I will register you for this free event and as far as anybody wanting to visit Grace Life Church of Anvil, Pennsylvania if you happen to be either living in that area or you're visiting that area or You perhaps have loved ones in that area.
The website is grace life PA for Pennsylvania org. Grace life PA org just out of curiosity. I don't know if I asked you this before but Grace Life Church in Lake City, Florida who also Runs a radio station 90 .1 FM in Lake City Grace Life Radio.
They run Iron Trip and Zion Radio twice a day in a pre-recorded format. They air us in morning drive 8 to 10 a .m. And they air us again at 8 to 10 p .m. Are you in any way affiliated with Grace Life in Lake City?
No, we're not and you know, it is interesting. It's a great question because I think over time here. That name Grace Life has become very popular, you know when we Started I think the only Grace Life that was really I'm sure there were a few.
I'm sure it was Grace Life London and there's one in there very famous one in Muscle Shoals famous amongst people who believe in the doctrines of Sovereign Grace. That is and and they are connected with the one in Somehow in Lake City, Florida, and there's also at least one in, Texas.
I.
The Grace Life I knew of when we when we had we loved the I the name of Grace Life and decided to go with it was Phil Johnson and I think Don Don Green at the time. Probably it was Mike Riccardi. I bet because I know it's Mike Riccardi now, but anyways, they they what is it?
They're Sunday school minutes. I know that existed. So but now since then there has been a number of Grace time to time. It's almost like its own little denomination and and you know just with any of these words today to define them because.
There are Grace Life's that are all over the map, you know, some are obvious. Yes, that's Grace Life, which is one word.
As they do spell it at Grace Life radio in Lake City, Florida as well. And yeah, Phil Johnson cracked me up when he was talking about His his Bible study at Grace Community Church in Lake City, Florida where John MacArthur is the pastor and he said that his group is somewhat like a small chapel of about 500 or so.
And Said Phil do you realize that amongst Reformed and Sovereign Grace believing Christians 500 is a mega church, right? Anyway, well now we are going to enter into your personal testimony. If you could give us a summary of Your salvation story what kind of religious atmosphere if any you were raised in and what kind of providential circumstances Did our Sovereign Lord raise up in your life that drew you to himself and saved you?
Sure. I'd love to Chris, you know, I Am a New Yorker at heart. I was born in New York. I was born in Bayshore, New York. You're kidding me.
I didn't know that I was. I was born and raised in Amityville, New York.
I when you said Amityville, I kind of knew this prior. I was like, okay. Alright, we've got a Long Island guy here. So yeah, definitely. Yeah, I I started in New York, but I as a kid I moved up and down the East Coast and just a transient childhood my dad Florida Fort Myers, Florida North Fort Myers, Florida when it was Honestly, it was probably a town growing into a city became the fastest growing city in the nation I think at one time but it's huge now.
I don't recognize it, Washington DC. So I'd moved up and down the East Coast and I really didn't have any Christian influence. Inside or or even outside of the home all those days. I you know I've looked back and I I I try to think back even as a kid if I when we talk about being I truly was blind.
Because I just I really don't have any recollection of I came to faith in Christ 23 24 years old. So I really prior to then I just for me it really started back in 1993 so I was about 23 at the time and I was working in a New York radio station.
And there was a disc jockey named Barbara quickly earned the reputation was warned by these Coworkers not to engage her in any kind of truth-seeking debates in me would do that. And I remember love because I I would have these conversations with her.
I was trying to remember I think with the production director at the time. So I was handling actually creative services director. So it's handling all the morning show bits commercials and so forth. So it's in and out of the studio.
I began the challenger with with firmly challenged just kind of just to push it even further from me and I Came it was see a galley and he's probably just skipping stones and now 2 ,000 years later. You want to tell me that he's well been in our conversations answers on my own one game.
It's not a more manuscript evidence than any of the comparison when you talk about percentages of in here. You're talking about Bible. Ninety nine point nine nine percent.
You know even even even Bart Ehrman admits to that by the way as much as he loves to attack the scripture and made has Made that his life's passion to destroy the reliability of the New Testament or the Bible in general.
He admits to that actually when he is passed in cross-examination in a debate.
Well, you know it that was that was big for me. It led me down a path to really see that the Bible. It's unlike anything out there start reading it and you have these just one example. I mentioned 400 seal of these monuments.
The one I was in 1993 is the same year. They they found from the house of though for me That was just tremendous because and then that pushed me on the science. You have all these observable discoveries being done where from blood to hydrovery that life is in the blood.
Well, if you read the book of the pickets, you would know that it's in the book way to God's authority. City the accuracy, you know, it's just book. I I did begin health and I I never really as I said before I never really disputed that you in in the gospel of John.
I I became confronted with his corn 518. He was making himself in court. You know You have John 1030 I and the father in the life and after reading these words, I really was again confronted with truth.
That Jesus never ever claimed to be merely good tea really struck of God is really they're not inclusive. I started to become aware of who got into my eyes were open to challenge me. He and Tom said, you know good finder and I thought I don't know if I want to do they said no.
Go ahead do it. I'll help in 90 minutes. In 90 minutes, they tracked her down. Praise God amazing.
Yeah.
So I I needed a promise that I was holding to it. 10 9 and 10 the dead You can believe resulting in righteousness and with the mouth. He confesses resulting full journey and Phil Johnson real and turning me really into Christian broadcasting.
And I know you and I have that in our background. That's right. And being the OPS man and running a radio time and my commute Would be almost two hours each way at one point went from 45 minutes each way to about two hours your life passes before your.
Eyes, by the way.
Some of your listeners will know and formally for years during my commute because I would Grace to you think I could get my hands on what he has done and obviously John MacArthur. And then that helped me transition into full-time ministry.
I had many lay ministry opportunities and I started obviously side and so yeah, you know you lead a Juana children know what I'm an elder and the gentleman I mentioned earlier Dave Cunningham and as that became my vocational ministry opportunity and that was really 2011 and So I left 20 years of broadcast and really good people ever wanted to do.
Praise God. Well, um, I don't know if you ever when you were working for WA VA. What was it? What were the or as we used to call it? Waver? What is the what are the years that you worked there? Oh.
Boy, it was definitely the 90s. It was. Probably mid 90s. Yeah, but mid 90s to what would that be? Would that be 98?
Because I was just wondering I was just gonna have to pull that out. I was just wondering if I ever met you because I used to go to the Sandy Cove Conference Center in Maryland When we would have our sales summit and I know that you you just said you were bored up.
So, I don't know if you would go to that kind of a thing but the wave a team at least the people involved in sales were there when I would be there and. So I just don't know if I ever met you face to face before.
I don't think so because I was I was totally in operations and I went when I the highest position I had there was operations manager and and and that was great. I really enjoyed running that but I might have been down the Sandy Cove I it's possible you and I had a handshake back then thing more than that.
But WA WA VA is still alive and kicking in DC and doing quite well. My time there was interesting because faith and you know when you get into Christian radio programming. As I know, you know, you know, you start to yeah put it mildly Yeah, I'm trying to be kind here and not name names.
But you know, you do get into programming battles because you're like, you know what that does praise God.
Well, I am thrilled to have you on today. And what led to the writing of five have truths. Something in your own testimony that you just brought up. Seems to be involved in the contents because we have as the very first chapter half truth number one.
The Bible was written by men and you just brought that up earlier as being a part of your your questioning during your your lost years your lost but Interested years when you were asking questions about the Christian faith and challenging people on that.
But tell us about how the book came about.
You know, I I would also say that written for number public. I had my own column. I had done a little writing for the written for number. Trade a writer and state anyone who preaches or teaches. Generally I think you would say you're a writer if you're creating any kind of manuscript.
Really wanted to. I wanted to. This was very personal for me my. My elders. So, you know, you end up doing a lot and I decided I'm gonna go ahead and make a lesion number one. Hey, you know. It's not going to go into the hand to God in it.
And I did not expect it did not did not expect. Any kind of interest. My very first publisher that I and my own personal list. Like if I had to pick somebody came to be and fully humbled by it. But the authors he who slipped Michaels.
Who is this guy that they want to publish this book? So I am just throw. Honestly, I think it goes without saying as we do these but that's not about. My fame in it. Amen. And just just to see there's neat stories.
Neat interaction. I've had that I've never met before. His words alive in there. It's not really anything.
I amen and we love Christian focus publications here and I interview quite a number of their authors especially those in America because it's just easier for folks in America to call in to have an interview, but I have interviewed some of their UK Authors as well and we thank them for their generosity because they typically donate Books to give away during the live interviews with their authors.
So we we hire them in the highest regard especially because of the content of what they publish. They are very biblically faithful and sovereign grace centered and so on so. But we have to go to our very first break right now.
And if you'd like to join us on the air with a question, our email address is Chris arms in at gmail .com. Chris Arnzen at gmail .com chris Arnzen a gmail .com. Please give us your first name at least your city and state of residence in your country residence if you live outside the USA.
Please only remain anonymous if your question involves a personal and private matter. So don't go away. We're gonna be right back after these messages with more of flip Michaels and five half truths. Chris Arnzen host of iron sharpens iron radio announcing a new website with an exciting offer from world magazine My trusted source for news from a Christian perspective.
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33 Bayshore Road Deer Park, New York, and I'm sure that area is very familiar to you. I'm speaking now to my guest flip Michaels who was born in Bayshore Long Island and Bayshore Road and Deer Park can't be very far from where you were raised.
No, not at all. As a matter of fact, I grew up when I was on Long Island. I grew up in the islet. So that that was my backyard. Yeah, I know that area. Well, yes.
Well, if you're ever visiting Long Island again, and you want to visit a very solid church visit the haven Li comm. The haven li .com is the website and my friend pastor Bill Shishko Who spent many years as pastor of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Franklin Square, Long Island?
He retired from his post there and has just recently just believe two weeks ago now. It's planted the haven there on Bayshore Road and Deer Park. So that's great. I hope that you visit the haven li .com and Check out that worship service there and meet the people there.
We are now joined by my guest flip Michaels to discuss his book five have truths. Addressing the most common misconceptions of Christianity. I just want to quickly read a couple of the endorsements by people.
I know my friend Nate pickowitz Who has been on this guest a number of times on iron sharpens iron radio? And by the way, he's involved in that new documentary that you've got to see called American gospel Christ alone.
Nate pickowitz is one of the speakers involved in that and Nate says Frankly, these are not things we can afford to get wrong these essential truths must be rightly divided and contended for and Flip does just that a helpful book.
And another friend of mine who's been on this get who's been a guest in this program a number of times Who's also involved in the American gospel documentary? Justin Peters. Justin Peters says if you know of someone who is interested in eternal matters But expresses doubts about Christianity, please get this book in his hands.
I Enthusiastically commend it to you. That's Justin Peters of Justin Peters ministries. So let's get more in depth about the chapter that I already mentioned to you before Half truth number one. The Bible was written by men and of course we hear this Constantly from our skeptic friends who are not believers and this is thrown up at us Very much in the same way that the devil Tries to trick God's children by telling things that are half truths as you have titled your book.
Because yes, of course The Bible was written by men but their implication and and typically in what they actually say. When would they are hurling this at us this comment is that the Bible was just Written by men, but that is the part that's wrong.
Absolutely. Hey before I hit that you you mentioned two guys. I've got to say something here Nate. Nate pickowitz is a great guy and I I just we could just I know because I've Heard you interview him as well, but just how we are how grateful we are for what he does.
And in fact, Justin Peters God willing in January of 2020, he will be my iron trip and Zion radio pastors luncheon speaker.
Terrific, and he he was at our he did our getaway last year. Your question. No, no, no mentioned two guys two guys I just of many that I love and then one more thing here. You mentioned the I need to tell you that American Gospel Brandon had invited number the guys it into a cup.
Well, it's kind of providential because I just had communication from Brandon Kimber today.
Because he wants to be on. I interpret on radio. It's kind of I would love it providential. He's a great guy.
Right. Yeah, he'll he'll be that'll be wonderful. But but back to the first chapter. Sorry about that. Um, you know that stating the Bible is written by men. As a half-truth shared in my personal versus natural revelation and 120 we know there's a God we see also not just natural Revelation, but we learn about the activity of through that in the book and then the authenticity of the book.
Even just some phrases some of the end and then the accuracy authority and one to Revelation 22 21. It's one long quote and that the divine author literally breathed it out in in one seamless book one singular message.
It's not a product of talking about earlier and it was it was written. Praise God. Let me go to one of our listener questions.
We have Grady in Asheboro, North Carolina. This is another great show brother Chris. Brother flip would you recommend your book for someone that's Unchurched or someone that's been churched but has never agreed with the truths of the Bible.
That's a great question. And the answer is yes, and yes. The intent of my book really was to two different audiences and and certainly one is an unbeliever Who has struggled with and that's why I carefully walk through them the way I do and and you need to know is your page Noted and I don't mean they're all these notes at the end of the book that maybe you want to check but we get lazy.
As we're reading through there are footnotes in there because I I want to arm you with information as you're reading through. When I mention a Bible verse I want you to see that Bible verse. Someone who may honestly be these half-truths in in some way in being able to articulate cycling another person.
This will arm them as well. So yes, I think it'd be an excellent, you know help in that area in either of well Grady.
Pick out one of those friends that you know that are either unbelievers and unchurched or they are churched But don't agree with the Bible as you have stated in your question. Pick out one of those friends and perhaps after you read it yourself, you can give them the free copy that you have just one of Five half-truths addressing the most common misconceptions of Christianity by our guest flip Michaels with our great Thanks to Christian focus publications For providing these copies for us to give away and it will be shipped out to you Free of charge by our other friends at CV BBS comm Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service right here in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
And by the way flip Patty Jennings who still works at CV BBS, even though her and her husband sold the the company They Patty is still working there at least for the time being and she told me to send you and your congregation at Grace life in Anvil Anvil, Pennsylvania her greetings because she happens to know that you folks are faithful customers of CV BBS.
Calm.
That is true and I have yet to my shame I have not been out there yet, and I need to. Well.
Hopefully you'll be out for my pastor's luncheon and you can visit the store before or after the one the luncheon.
How can you say no to free books? When you tell pastors, there's gonna be free book it, you know. All we're doing is looking at the calendar to make sure we can be there.
Much to the chagrin of the pastor's wives. Well, thank you so much Grady and make sure that we have your full mailing address in Asheboro, North Carolina and So we can have CV BBS comm. Ship this book out to you before I move on to our next listener.
One thing that always comes up. Well, I shouldn't say always comes up, but it frequently comes up with skeptics. Under this very heading of the Bible was written by men. They will sometimes laughing at you Will say that there are so many things in the Bible that even modern science has proven are false.
It proves it was just written by men and they will bring up things like the Sun rising and setting. Which you know, obviously that is that is not a scientific Description of what is actually happening.
With the Sun they will bring up the fact that. The mustard seed is described in the Bible as the smallest of all the seeds and Those who are involved in agricultural science will tell you that that is not true.
There are seeds smaller than mustard seeds that you could go on and on and on with these kinds of things. How do you respond to why if the if the Bible is inspired it says things? As a matter of fact that if you were actually to put it to a scientific test are not true.
You know, typically I would say my number one response Is in the form of a question. I will get a response and you know. No, not really. If I really push I can I can usually find out that maybe they were in a hotel and they and they skim the Bible.
Quickly, but they really did not make a commitment to do that. They're just to read through it and I usually I truly will point them to the Gospel of John and and a good study Bible. MacArthur's helpful in that but what I do try to do in those conversations you know when you're reading these passages you read them like you would read anything else you read them in their context and.
So you read them in the culture don't bring your own bias to it. You know, you don't I said you bring your own view into it. We we were trying to learn really what the context have to want to learn what's being said there.
So, you know even these arguments pertaining to the harmony of the Gospels and and that there are depicted and say well. They're contradicting each other. But when you really read them in their context you see it.
It's not the case at all. It really is just different perspectives. Which would be natural because men that the Bible is written by men. It was written by Kings. It was it was written by common men. But it was inspired by God and so it's written in their culture in their life in their place in their time.
Look at each of these books and you go all the way from Genesis and you take yourself all the way to the end to Revelation and you see how it's just one Beautiful story on on Jesus Christ in the glory of God.
Yeah, in fact, can we pick up right where you left off because we have to go to our midway break right now. You bet Chris. We have to go to our longer than normal break that grace life radio Requires us to have in the middle of our show.
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We'll be back after these messages with more flip Michaels and five have truths addressing the most common misconceptions of Christianity. Tired of box-store Christianity of doing church in a warehouse with all the trappings of a rock concert.
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Chris Sorensen host of iron sharpens iron radio here. I want to tell you about a man I have personally known for many years. His name is Dan, but a few go. Dan is a personal injury and medical malpractice lawyer.
But not the type that typically comes to mind. Dan cares about people and is a theologian himself. Recently, he wrote a book titled consider the evidence for the Bible. Ravi Zacharias wrote the foreword.
Dan also has a master's degree in theology. Dan handles serious injury and medical malpractice cases in all 50 states. He represents many Christians in serious injury matters all over the country. Dan is an exceptional trial lawyer.
He wrote the test for the National Board of Trial Advocacy and currently his firm has over 100 cases That have settled for 1 million dollars or more and in an approximately 10 different states. In Illinois, his lawyers had the fourth largest settlement in the state's history in New York.
His case involving a paralyzed police officer made the front page of the law journal. If you have a serious personal injury or medical malpractice claim in any state I recommend that you call Dan. Consultations are free.
There is no fee unless you win Dan but a few goes number is one eight hundred six six nine four eight seven eight one eight hundred six six nine Four eight seven eight. Or email me for Dan's contact information at Chris Arnzen at gmail .com.
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I'm dr. Gary Kimbrell pastor Bethlehem Baptist Church and Laurel, Mississippi. God tells us in James 1 27 that pure and undefiled religion is a visit the fatherless and widows and their affliction And the providence of God.
Three years ago I discovered a poor small church outside Lusaka Zambia in a township called Cabanana who are taking care of 24 orphans. I found them just at the time when they had lost all their funding.
What was I to do? Could I just say God bless you and walk away? The situation of the children said heavily upon me as I was praying concerning this need it came to me. I trust from the Lord to tell the orphans plight to a broader audience.
The entire need for their clothing food education and some medical services is $73 per month per child. If just 50 of us would give $35 a month we could meet the need. Bethlehem Baptist Church will pay the fee to get the funds there.
So if you give a dollar a dollar we'll get to the orphans and this season of hope and giving will you consider giving hope? To 24 orphans, please send your gift of any amount to Bethlehem Baptist Church 838 Reed Road, Laurel, Mississippi 39443 or donate through our website BBC Laurel calm again.
The address is Bethlehem Baptist Church 838 Reed Road, Laurel, Mississippi 39443 or BBC Laurel calm. Thank you.
Iron sharpens iron radio is sponsored by Harvey Cedars a year-round Bible conference and retreat center. Nestled on the Jersey Shore Harvey Cedars offers a wide range of accommodations to suit groups up to 400.
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Hi, I'm Stephan Lindblad assistant professor of systematic theology at IRBS theological seminary in Mansfield, Texas. I Accepted this call to teach at the seminary because I'm firmly convinced that the people of God in The churches of our Lord Jesus Christ need to be firmly grounded in the truth of Holy Scripture.
I'm excited to be teaching such subjects as the nature of theology and the doctrine of Scripture and even the doctrine of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Our churches and our people need to be well grounded in these truths.
Indeed future ministers of the gospel need to understand these truths in order to proclaim them to all of God's people. If you want to learn more about our program visit us online at IRBS seminary .org.
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Did you know that all believers are priests and 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 9 the Apostle Peter describes Christ's Church as Comprising a chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for God's own Possession so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
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James White of Alpha Omega Ministries here. If you've watched my dividing line webcast often enough You know I have a great love for getting Bibles and other documents vital to my ministry rebound to preserve and ensure their longevity.
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My name is Steve Lawson founder and president of one passion ministries as well as teaching fellow for Ligonier ministries. I serve as professor of preaching and oversee the doctor of ministry program at the Masters Seminary in Los Angeles.
I would like to recommend the church or one of my preaching students. Andy Woodard serves as the pastor. It's called New Covenant Church, NYC. They are a reformed Baptist Church that meets in Midtown, Manhattan.
Hi, I'm buzz Taylor frequent co-host with Chris Arnson on iron sharpens iron radio. I would like to introduce you to my good friends Todd and Patty Jennings at CV BBS. Which stands for Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service?
Todd and Patty specialized in supplying reformed in Puritan books and Bibles at discount prices that make them affordable to everyone.
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That means you can get to the good stuff faster. It also means that you don't have to worry about being assaulted by the pornographic Heretical and otherwise faith insulting material promoted by the secular book vendors.
Their website is CV BBS com. Browse the pages at ease shop at your leisure and purchase with Confidence as Todd and Patty work in service to you the church and to Christ. That's Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service at CV BBS Comm.
That's CV BBS comm. Let Todd and Patty know that you heard about them. On iron sharpens iron radio.
And we'll be giving you updated information on the new ownership of CV BBS comm as I mentioned earlier My dear friends Todd and Patty Jennings who have owned CV BBS Comm for many years. In fact, Patty Jennings dad Owned it for many years previous to Patty and Todd owning it and running it, but they have sold it For the first time it is out of their family's hands.
But it is still a family-owned business and we will be giving you more details on the new ownership. And as I said earlier Patty Jennings for the time being anyway, it's still working there. So if you visit there right here in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, you could usually say hello to Patty who's there on the premises?
But If you're ordering online, please make sure you mention that you heard about CV BBS comm from Chris Arnson on iron sharpens iron radio CV BBS comm and they Ship out all of the books and Bibles and other items that our listeners win when they submit questions to us By email for our guests.
So we are now back With our guest flip Michaels of Grace Life Church of Anvil, Pennsylvania. We're going to be returning to our Discussion on five have truths addressing the most common misconceptions of Christianity in a moment.
But I just have some events that are coming up that I want you the listeners to be able to attend. Especially if you live near where they're being held, but some of you Can even take a plane train or automobile?
To be there, especially if you have the time and the resources to do so, but the first one which is being held Very shortly. In fact, it's being held Starting I believe next next week. Yes, it's starting next week the 25th of April through the 27th, that's Thursday Friday and Saturday of next week.
It's dorked 400 an event celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Synod of Dort and They basically specifically have titled this dort 400 safeguarding the reformed tradition and that is being held at the Trinity Protestant Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan and the speakers Some of whom have been on this program include professor Ronald Kamenga professor Barrett gritters Reverend Brian Heisinger Professor Doug Kuiper Reverend Bill Lanarac Reverend Mark Shand and Reverend Angus Stewart.
As I said, this will be held next week Thursday Friday and Saturday, that's the 25th 26th and 27th of April at the Trinity Protestant Reformed Church of Hudsonville, Michigan. If you want more details on how to attend this event Go to dort 400 org and that's spelt D as in David or D as in David T 400 org dort 400 org and Please let them know that you heard about their event from Chris Arns and an iron sharpens iron radio.
Then after that as I was saying earlier in the program on Thursday, May 23rd, I am having my spring iron sharpens iron radio pastors luncheon Featuring dr. Tony Costa Professor of apologetics and Islam at Toronto Baptist Seminary.
This is a free event for all men in ministry leadership. Whether you be a pastor an elder a deacon or a leader in a parachurch organization. We would love to have you there and as it's free of charge.
Just send me an email so you can be registered absolutely free. It will be held from 11 a .m. To 2 p .m. At the Carlisle fire and rescue banquet hall here in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. And the theme of the message by dr. Tony Costa, which will also include a PowerPoint Presentation complete with graphics and maps and charts and so on.
This will be on the theme how the Dead Sea Scrolls vindicate the reliability of the Holy Scriptures. Send me an email to Chris Arnson at gmail .com Chris Arnson at gmail .com and put I want to attend the pastors luncheon in the subject line or just put pastors luncheon in the subject line and I would love to see you there then after that right after that May 23rd through the 30th that's The Thursday, I'm sorry Tuesday May 28th through Thursday the 30th of May.
I will be heading out to Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania and That's going to be the East Coast ministers conference of the banner of truth and The theme is I believe in the Holy Spirit. Speakers include Jeff Kingswood who's going to be our guest coming up soon on I interpret Zion radio.
Terry Johnson is also going to be our guest soon David Vaughn Steve Nichols Michael Morales and Chad Vegas who we just had with us on April 8th last week. If you would like to attend this event Go to banner of truth org banner of truth org click on events and then scroll down to East Coast ministers conference and all of the details that you need will be right there and Please look the folks at the banner of truth know that you heard about the East Coast ministers conference from Chris Arnson on I interpret Zion radio, please look for me if you attend This luncheon look for me during a break ask around.
Do you know where Chris Arnson is? Hopefully you'll be able to find me because I would love to see as many Of my iron sharpens iron radio listeners as possible if you attend this event then after that.
Several months after that in December the 19th and 20th of December I will be attending God willing the foundations conference in Manhattan. I love this conference. This is a conference that is run by sermon audio and you know if sermon audio is running something that it's going to be extraordinary as far as the content and the quality and biblical soundness of the speakers there.
That's going to be the Tuesday the 29th and I'm sorry. I'm looking at the wrong month on my calendar here. That will be. It's the 19th and 20th it will be Thursday the 19th of December and Friday the 20th of December and in Manhattan and The speakers include Stephen Jay Lawson founder of one passion ministries.
You've been hearing. Dr. Lawson advertise New Covenant Church NYC daily on this program. They're one of our sponsors that church in Manhattan. Stephen Jay Lawson is an extraordinary preacher and you don't want to miss him.
Paul Washer is going to be speaking there God willing what a phenomenal preacher he is. He's also in the aforementioned American Gospel documentary that we were talking about with flip Michaels earlier.
Reverend Jeff Thomas who is my guest. Next week Wednesday the 24th of May we're going to be discussing Martin Lloyd-jones next week with Jeff Thomas. What a fine man of God he is with such a long career and such a long history of faithfully proclaiming the truths of God word there in Wales now retired from the pastoral ministry and traveling the globe of preaching the gospel so faithfully.
We have Armin Tomassian who I Discovered at the foundation's conference a number of years ago. What a bright light amongst preachers. He is. He is a young man with gifts and abilities and wisdom far beyond his youth.
Reverend Armin Tomassian is truly a powerful powerful preacher who I believe is going to be a household name over the next decade Amongst reformed Christians, especially because he is so extraordinary.
And I'm looking forward to hearing for the first time Richard Caldwell jr. And Andrew Quigley who are also on the roster. If you want more details on the foundation's conference go to the foundations conference comm the foundations conference comm and You will have all the details that you need for this event on December 19th and 20th in Manhattan.
I would register as quickly as you can to attend this because the venue can only hold about 200 people and That will fill up quickly. If you don't register soon You may lose out on attending last but not least if you love iron sharpens iron radio.
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Chris Arnson at gmail .com and put I need a church home in the subject line or something similar if You're looking for a church even in an area where you're going to be vacationing. I have helped a number of people Find churches where they're vacationing as well.
So, please send me that email to chrisarnson at gmail .com and let me know of your need. That's also the email address where you can send a question to flip Michaels Regarding five have truths addressing the most common misconceptions of Christianity.
That's Chris Arnson at gmail .com. Chris Arnson at gmail .com and flip but for the break we were talking about That just because things may appear In the Bible to contain mistakes at first glance or a cursory review.
This is not true at all. In fact one thing that's interesting flip and perhaps you would concur with this but I Have a friend. In fact, he's an advertiser here Dan, but a few go you've heard his ed on Iron sharpens on radio.
He is not only an attorney a Christian attorney, but he also runs the historical Bible Society and he gives presentations on how we received the Bible in the English language and He has a collection of some of the finest and rarest and most valuable Bibles and books of antiquity that he puts on.
He puts on display in his presentations, but since he is a lawyer He brought something very interesting up during one of my interviews with him Regarding with the very thing I said like or the very thing that you brought up how Different gospel accounts by different authors.
Would if someone is just reading it for the first time they may think that the writing is contradicting Each other or that the authors are contradicting each other. But what in reality is occurring you're just having different points of view from different eyewitnesses and Dan as a lawyer said One way that you can tell that witnesses are making up a story is if they're all saying identically the same thing.
But if you want if you want to pick up from there where we were talking about the charge the Bible is just written by men and So on if you want to just follow through with that thread for just a little bit before we go on to one of your other half-truths.
Sure, you know that I think the point I was trying to make along with what you're saying is that You know, the human origin can't be that's incredible to think of in and of itself. You read different authors and I just started to touch on.
I think that you know, you have you have Kings you have prophets. You know neat and these guys represent three different continents and then the time period is what 1600 years. So. You know that that's amazing of itself, but then to realize that it's inspired not only did men pen those words But it was God who gave those words to them to write with and so we need to be really read out.
We're not just a cherry-picking verse. It is important the individual who is challenging. Hey, and you know and not to shy away from those lists create a list create a list, you know. And and there are certainly solid resources.
We're reading it and it's come and usually I'm having those conversations. Sincerely read it. Have you read it like any other book? Have you read it from from start to finish it and even just the book of the Bible?
Have you you know, you want to dispute something in the gospel John? Have you read those those chapters and you can read it in what John was writing there and again going to the different.
Ivy the different points of view from different people who are eyewitnesses. It'd be one thing for instance when we're talking about the number of angels at the tomb. It'd be one thing if one of the authors of that Eyewitness testimony said there was only one angel and.
To that would it be a statement? Certainly excluding any more angels. It'd be one thing if that was said but just to have. One author say there was one and another I say that there was more than one. That is not a contradiction.
That's just somebody seeing something from a different vantage point. Am I right on that? Oh, I I would I completely agree.
And and I would go so far as to say that, you know, you can't exhaust the Word of God. So the more you study it the more you read it the more the more you become amazed. So you just blown away it is, you know, we use this word all the time in the 80s.
But it really in some way should be reserved for God. It's awesome. You can read a passage Of Scripture and you may have some questions. But if you really take the time and work through it and even the wording of it over time.
You really you become amazed. All connects in the truthfulness of Scripture. I I I would argue that the more you read Scripture and the more you you sincerely are teachable and you're approaching it with humility.
You you are going to. Certainly, you're going to be amazed at the Word of God. You're you're not going to go the other direction. You're certainly not going to be a direction thing.
Oh, it's just not the case. And if if the authors the divinely inspired authors of the Holy Scriptures are trying to convey a specific truth. Especially to the audience to whom it was originally written.
For instance when we were talking earlier about the Mustard seed is the smallest of all the seeds. Well if the people in the first century Who are reading this? knew according to their own life and Experience that at that time the mustard seed was the smallest seed.
That the truth that that is going to make sense to them is by bringing the information that is commonly known at that time. The Bible wasn't intended to bring up things that were to be discoveries centuries later.
And to the audience that was Basically reading the the the autographs of the Bible. That would have been it would have taken too long and it would serve no purpose to bring up things like that. Because the truth that was attempted to be told had nothing really to do with agriculture or with science.
Am I making sense here?
Amen. Yeah, no, I I do agree absolutely and I I think again that kind of it's not the true definition of ice eating. But I think that's what what happens is. Individuals will bring a bias something to it that they're reading into it a message.
You're trying to mold it into something it really looking at it in the context. It was written what the author intended in the culture. It was written to determine what that message, right?
We have Mary in Cork Ireland who has a question. I am reminded of when the Satan tempted Jesus in Matthew 4 To throw himself down that God would command his angels concerning him that on their hands They will bear you up lest you strike your foot against the stone.
Wasn't this a half-truth crafted skillfully to throw Jesus off course and bypass the cross. Quoting partially from psalm 91.
Yes, first off. Wow. Long-distance question that's that's just tremendous. That kind of reach. But yeah, you know Phil Johnson actually hits that in the foreword of my book how Satan Uses. So, you know, it's it's that on Words on on scripture and and a half-truth to manipulate.
Well, thank you.
Mary and continue spreading the word about iron sharpens iron radio in Cork Ireland and beyond. Here is half-truth. Number two. All religions are the same. In fact, I Chuckled when I heard something very similar if not something exactly worded that way When a clip from the notoriously liberal program the view Was aired on Fox News that one of the hosts of the view was saying that all religions are the same that they all teach that men Should be good and men and women should be good and that they should be do good to others and so on.
So basically all religions are the same and that's kind of interesting to say when it is not Unknown that there is an organization called the Church of Satan and And we have all different cults that have made Have drawn the attention of the media.
Jonestown Guyana comes to mind where the largest Suicide of mass suicide in American history took place or actually was in Jonestown Guyana, but they were Largely American citizens that that perished at that event and so on you could go on and on with all kinds of bizarre Religious activity, but if you could comment on what exactly what you have to say in regard to this this commonly said a Quote or phrase that all religions are the same.
It is sad that it is know when you asked me to share my that you know These half-truths they were my half-truth. I was the bad guy. I was you know, I was using these and. So I I say that so that you it doesn't sound so arrogant when I say, you know These these statements a statement like that is just we want to share the truth and love.
But it it just is it's not even close to when you when you look at these various Religions hack any such Christianity and forever get past what we were talking about before John 14 6. I am the way and the truth and the life no one comes to the sir.
Not theistic if if not atheistic. Jesus revealed himself to the Son of God who led the way to the so, you know all these different various religions. Buddha Mormons. You know with a world religion with claims found in the Gospel of John and that's what I take you through the Gospel John because it's taking place bill and I John the Baptist and so I Walk you through that where you can see that God's Word cannot be lumped with lumped in with another.
There's no way that you can the only way you could do that is your Bible you have to get a new version of your. Yeah, in fact, it's ironic that liberals.
Who are usually the ones saying that? Although you might have somebody who's a political conservative who is not a Christian saying that too. Sure. But it's ironic that they would say that because. How on earth could they maintain that?
Logically when they are clearly telling you as a Christian that you're wrong. So how. When you're making exclusive claim about Christ and the gospel of being the only way For salvation the only hope of mankind the only cure for sin the only hope for eternal life.
How. Could you be told that all religions are the same because then then you would be right as well. So it doesn't even make any sense.
It never does it ever does. I mean Honestly in this I mean it's sincere as I can be in it. If you just do your homework if you just understand a little bit of what these religions represent and and more importantly here We want to study they're trying to get a dollar bill.
You know, they study the state they go to the real thing. And so you need to go to Christianity. You need to again I push it back to the you know point you to a little drama look at and see the exclusive then start looking at these Other.
Yeah, yeah, that's the whole truth, right?
You would have to redefine Christianity to include Christianity as being the same as all of the other religions, correct? I mean we have the Apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament Condemning the Judaizers and saying that they are accursed and.
And.
How why on earth would he be doing that if they were just the same as? What he was if they were saying the same thing that he was saying he would never have condemned them.
And and you know, I'll be go through. They're all interconnected, of course, and they they build on one another. So, you know. We just went through and obviously declare if we if we recognize the authority of Scripture.
Then we're going to go to Scripture, you know, we're going to go to the word. We're just not going to do that. We're going to go to then determine or it's not the case Christianity if we're going to look at it from that perspective.
Now your next half-truth is probably of all the most frequently repeated half-truth. By those that actually believe in the existence of God, but who reject Christianity? I think so. God is love. And.
Somebody is pulling their hair out right now saying how on earth could that only be a half truth? God is love is not completely true. Well, if you could explain about that.
Sure, you know it really like you're saying. It's an issue of semantics. You know words change in meaning over time by how there's in so many areas. We have to we have to be careful with our words. We have to define them all the time because they they start meaning different things, you know.
Fundamentalist today is a scary word. I mean years ago. It was a good word. You know you you believed in the fundamentals of the faith. But you don't want to get on a plane and call yourself a fundamentalist.
You know, it it's not a good thing.
It's it's not and so that is love has been sanitized over time and God could never be a judge, you know. And in saying hey, you know what God is love meaning I can live. However, I want he just wants me happy.
It doesn't matter morality is not the issue here. It's my happiness. That's what some truth is that semantics has no sway on. Scripture means a timeless meaning and and what he has said is not only that God is love.
That he is love and and and let's be clear holy meaning every attribute a holy love his grace. His meaning like there's none like it. It is as high as you can go that that is it is the example. It's the pinnacle.
It's got God is love. But it's a holy love and so they got it's being declared to make in that passage is that when you. You have an awareness of God awareness in Isaiah when Isaiah's come forward me for I am so doomed to die.
He got to see himself as the sinner. He really is and we see that God is unlike any other he is holy and his love if it's not the half is God is love. This is the whole you know, it's interesting.
The same people that might throw that in your face as a way of Trying to avoid the consequences of sin as their way of disagreeing or trying to refute the notion of God's wrath or of chastisement or of punishment, etc.
They will be very often the same kind of person that will recoil in horror when a Christian Says that somebody who is a serial killer on death row Has become forgiven by the mercy of God because they become a Christian they've repented of their sin.
People who are enemies of the Bible Are not very consistent logically because very often they are The first to protest something like that. What do you mean? You're trying to tell me after all that person has done Jeffrey Dahmer for one who not only murdered people but ate their their bodies, you know eight parts of their body and the most disgusting and nauseating and Satanic thing that you can think of you're trying to tell me he is gonna be in heaven.
What kind of a idiotic religion do you believe in? So it's it's interesting how People who reject Christ and the Bible are not very consistent in their anger. Are they?
All right, and you know a book that that goes on that kind of threat. Holler. Oh, yeah. There's a number of those issues. All right.
Well, we have to go to our final break right now. If you want to join us on the air with a question send it in quickly to Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Don't go away. We'll be right back after these messages from our sponsors.
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Welcome back.
This is Chris Arnzen and we are concluding our interview today with the next 10 minutes or so with flip Michaels Who is an author and the associate pastor and staff elder at Grace Life Church of Anvil, Pennsylvania?
We have been discussing five half truths addressing the most common misconceptions of Christianity. If you want to send in a question to it immediately at Chris Arnzen at gmail .com. Chris Arnzen at gmail .com and flip we have Harrison in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
Who has a question he said regarding the love of God Isn't it? Also the most common mistruth quoted by our brothers and sisters in Christ who reject the reformed faith. Because they make the claim over and over again that God loves every single person equally and yet at the same time many of them Believe in the existence of hell they cannot both be true.
There you go. That's very good comment question.
I think so. Yeah, I think it's an excellent observation and and I I do address that in the book. I actually break that out into two areas dealing with common grace and say certainly through common grace He has.
You're gonna need that air-conditioning. We certainly have rain. We have so many different areas of our life. We see it in in that sense that God does love All man to the left and that does get into.
I would agree. I think it's a great week. Though yes, but obviously he doesn't love all men as his children nor as his spout nor as a spouse.
Just as We are reminded by the Apostle Paul Husbands love your wives this is Christ so loved the church and gave himself up as a sacrifice for her because Obviously there was a unique love there that did not apply to every single human that has ever lived.
Yeah, and it's a love like any other you know, it's again a love in the cross and Calvary amen. And.
Well, here's one that You obviously have to quickly Explain what you mean by Jesus is truly a man because of the fact that that is A truth because if it were not true, he could not have been our sacrifice our perfect substitute on Calvary to receive the wrath of His father and our father on our behalf if he was not truly man.
So quickly explain how that is only a half truth truly a man. No one really would just know that no one's going to dispute that. But the whole truth is he also means that he's one with the father the lunatic.
And it's amazing here because you know, you look at this trilemma and you go, okay. So I really these are my three choices, you know, he's he's lying. He claimed to be the son of God not merely a good cat.
You've got to address. So he's either a liar. He's either a lunatic in in our culture today. I I really break it down there. It remains.
Amen, and the last half truth is That our good deeds do matter.
And you know, this is where we get into it. You'll hear where. You know when I get to heaven when I get to the pearly gates He's gonna weigh my good deeds and my bad deeds. But the problem here is that God doesn't grade on a curve our good deeds will never merit salvation.
But even so, you know man tries to as we've talked about where man is working for this. But only one work merits salvation and it's the atonement and so the whole truth here is our good deeds matter when preceded by faith meaning that This this one on one side and divine accomplishment on the other and the question is where are you going to place your faith?
Works are good deeds.
Yes, there are filthy rags when we show them to God as if we now deserve heaven because of them. The good works we do are only a fruit that we are saved they are not a cause or co-agent of becoming say and and I.
So agree, and I I add in the book I do go down this line to make it clear that we're not stating that good deeds generally good. We want to see compassion. We want to demonstrate. Where am I gonna land?
Am I gonna land on trying to sir? Am I gonna land on the one work?
Amen, and if you think that you're going to heaven just because you raised your hand at Bible camp when you're eight and I've never repented. You are deceived because it says James tells us that faith without works is dead.
That doesn't mean that works cooperate with our salvation. That just means that if a living faith truly exists a living faith will bear fruit and evidence that it is truly there. Yeah, and well, thank you so much.
I want to let our listeners know that if they want to visit Grace Life Church in Anvil, Pennsylvania Go to grace life PA org at grace life PA org. And if you want to purchase the book five have truths go to CV BBS calm.
CV BBS calm. I want you all to always remember for the rest of your lives that Jesus Christ is a far greater Savior than you are a sinner.