1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:14,080 Hello and welcome to the gospel truth project podcast. 2 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,160 I am your host Jason. 3 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,360 Once again, I am by myself. 4 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:26,180 I do not have my co-host Dylan with me and I was trying to get a guest or a special guest 5 00:00:26,180 --> 00:00:29,120 to help out but I ended up not being able to. 6 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:30,120 But that's okay. 7 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:31,220 I know it's been really busy. 8 00:00:31,220 --> 00:00:34,760 My schedule doesn't line up with other people's and other people has different schedules and 9 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:36,640 it's been kind of chaotic. 10 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:42,400 But you know, in the long run, I am happy to come on here, record and have a pretty 11 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:47,520 straight vision to record episodes talking about the blog posts that we do. 12 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,480 Both myself and Dylan do post on there for blogs. 13 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:55,600 So if you don't know what that is, you can actually go to the gospel truth project.com 14 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,880 and you can actually see the blog posts that we do there. 15 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:03,200 We do that a lot more often, if I'm being honest and upfront. 16 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:10,320 And I do like doing the blog posts because it's really easy to sit down, do study, check 17 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:11,600 references, go through notes. 18 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:16,800 So it's actually really helpful for me to be able to go on there and then kind of paraphrase 19 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:21,200 what the blog talks about to translate it into an episode. 20 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,000 And we do need another episode out. 21 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:24,000 And so here I am. 22 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:28,120 I'm doing another solo episode for the moment for the time being. 23 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,680 Anyways, it's going to work out. 24 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:36,080 I'm actually pretty excited to for today's topic. 25 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,880 I do miss having Dylan on here and we will have them on here again. 26 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:41,880 For those who don't know, he had a baby. 27 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:49,080 So him and his family have been very busy with a new kid and one already like a younger 28 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:50,960 child as well as now the new baby. 29 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,800 So they've been very busy, very, very busy, and I totally understand that. 30 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:56,200 And he's been working a lot of hours. 31 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,760 And when he's off, he's taking care of the baby. 32 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:00,200 You know, they take turns. 33 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,280 It's really cool to see how they're managing parenting, et cetera, et cetera. 34 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:09,480 So really, really blessed them both, both him and his wife and his family. 35 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:10,480 Bless them all. 36 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:12,000 And it would be good to have him back on here. 37 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:13,920 And I know we will soon. 38 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:17,960 Anyways, so today we're actually going to be talking about what the Bible says about 39 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,360 the chosen. 40 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:25,080 Before I get started on this topic, no, I'm not talking about the TV show, The Chosen. 41 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:30,320 I'm talking about the concept in the Bible where this has been a really kind of back 42 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,280 and forth argument is that you're chosen by God. 43 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,920 So if you don't follow Christ, then you're not chosen. 44 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:38,600 There's only select chosen people that follow Christ. 45 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,600 And what does that what is real? 46 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:47,240 What are we talking about here when we talk about the chosen in a biblical context? 47 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,840 The concept here is that God chose specific people to follow him. 48 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:51,840 Right. 49 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:57,680 The ideology brings up a lot of questions and has some backing when brought out of context. 50 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,640 But today we're going to deep dive together and see what the Bible says. 51 00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:04,320 And does it actually line up with scriptures? 52 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,720 The idea that specifically chose people to follow him. 53 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:08,720 Period. 54 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:09,720 Kind of thing. 55 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:11,360 So it's either you're chosen or you're not. 56 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,360 Anyways, we're going to get into that topic. 57 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:15,080 So I hope you're ready. 58 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,360 I will be quoting scriptures and referring to scriptures. 59 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:25,840 So feel free to follow along with the Bible or go back, write them down, go back and read 60 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:26,840 those. 61 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,120 Use the study Bible that kind of talks a little bit more about those verses because I really 62 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,720 don't want you to just take my word for it. 63 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,160 I never want you to take my word for it. 64 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:41,800 It's always good to go in and read these things firsthand and read study Bibles that talk 65 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:48,960 about the actual context of these words because English is such a rough language and really 66 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:54,720 watered down language compared to Greek or Hebrew or Aramaic and other languages out 67 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:55,720 there. 68 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,840 They're more like more ancient languages. 69 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:00,880 They have a lot more depth to them. 70 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:09,840 Like in Hebrew you have a word that each letter is a each stroke of the word itself has meaning 71 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:13,080 to it to explain what that's talking about. 72 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,400 It's really, really cool. 73 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:16,920 And that's something that we lose in English. 74 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,880 It's not like I could say, oh yeah, you're loved. 75 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:21,400 And then L stands for something else. 76 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:22,400 Dance or something. 77 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:26,000 V means this because they're the letters, the letters. 78 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:27,000 And that's it. 79 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,520 You can say you love mac and cheese and you love your significant other and you use the 80 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:34,360 same word for it, but it has completely different meaning because the context. 81 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:43,500 So English is really difficult to correlate specific messages from the Bible or from Hebrew 82 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:48,880 and Greek in general, especially those two coming over to an English translation. 83 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,440 That's why you need to recommended study Bible. 84 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:55,480 A lot of there's that's why there's a lot of different branches of Christianity, et 85 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:56,480 cetera. 86 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:01,880 As a lot of that comes down to, well, I think this and it's like, no, no, no, you need to 87 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,200 study anybody in leadership. 88 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:10,480 Study, read, and actually study the Greek and Hebrew and understand what that language 89 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:15,680 entailed and why context is important for this because it can have a whole different 90 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:19,840 meaning if you just take it at face value for the word itself. 91 00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:24,760 So back into the topic. 92 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,680 Like I said, this is all coming back down to studying. 93 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:34,180 So an important thing to know about the Bible because it's really easy to kind of not think 94 00:05:34,180 --> 00:05:39,160 this way, but the Bible was not separated by like chapter or verse. 95 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:43,600 This came later to help people study, refer to passages and sections of scripture, et 96 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:44,600 cetera. 97 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,920 This is why it's important to know again, the context of verses to fully understand 98 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:50,720 what is being said and why. 99 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:56,520 So this blog post that I am reading from that I'm getting this information from it's kind 100 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:57,520 of lengthy. 101 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,760 It's kind of, it's very thorough, but it's because I want to make sure that we cover 102 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:08,240 all the bases to what the Bible says about chosen by God, what that means, what that 103 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,320 looks like. 104 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,960 And people who say you have to be chosen to be a real Christian, et cetera, we're going 105 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:15,960 to get into it. 106 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:20,400 Let's, let's just, let's discuss what the Bible says about this topic and then come 107 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,740 to a conclusion based upon the Bible and also its context. 108 00:06:24,740 --> 00:06:30,840 So I'm going to start off with the common section, which is Ephesians one through four, 109 00:06:30,840 --> 00:06:37,400 which says, blessed is the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who had blessed us 110 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:43,240 with every spiritual blessing in the heaven in Christ, where he chose us in him before 111 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:48,200 the foundations of the world to be holy and blameless and love before him. 112 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:53,280 So this is commonly used to show that Chris, that Christ chose people and not, and only 113 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:57,480 the people he chose understand him period. 114 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:02,480 And the context here is actually Ephesians one, three through 14. 115 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:06,960 These two verses state, like they start the context of the beginning of this context of 116 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:13,320 this chapter, basically, or the context that this is referring to. 117 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:18,600 So Ephesians one, three through 14, praise is God for the blessings he has provided. 118 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:24,840 Paul ties together the idea of predestination, God's glory, the salvation of his people, 119 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:30,840 the rights we have as children of God in particular, believers are blessed because God chose before 120 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,640 creation to save us humankind. 121 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:37,520 That salvation came at a great cost, the death of Jesus Christ. 122 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,980 And as children of God, we can be confident that God will give us what he promised, namely 123 00:07:41,980 --> 00:07:45,480 an eternity with him in heaven. 124 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:50,960 I think overall, this is, this is going to be a lot about the predestination stuff. 125 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:52,200 That's kind of what I'm getting at. 126 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:56,020 So if you heard that terminology, this is, this is where we're going to get into is the 127 00:07:56,020 --> 00:07:58,060 idea of predestination. 128 00:07:58,060 --> 00:08:02,380 So and it's important to know that these words have tremendous implications regarding the 129 00:08:02,380 --> 00:08:04,580 wisdom and plan of God. 130 00:08:04,580 --> 00:08:10,000 His wisdom and power are so great that he knew the present even from the beginning. 131 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:14,440 Likewise, he knew the end before it start before the start. 132 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,040 God exists outside of time and created time. 133 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:22,360 He is the only being able to know all things because he created all things. 134 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:26,480 This attest to the divinity of God and his all knowing might. 135 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,120 He knows how everything will work out before it even began. 136 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:32,800 And yet we do have the free will. 137 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,000 This is actually something our minds can't really wrap around. 138 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:40,120 I know this is going to be a little bit off topic to a degree, but we're not going to 139 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:44,560 get lost, but to help wrap our minds around this concept. 140 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:46,640 This helps me kind of wrap around. 141 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:50,400 We'll never fully wrap our minds around it because it's beyond anything we can imagine 142 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:52,720 because our brains can only handle so much. 143 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:59,120 But to help me kind of understand this and my personal, this is a personal opinion. 144 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:05,320 I always had a visual of a tree and tree grows many branches, you know, which are representing 145 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,020 different choices in life. 146 00:09:07,020 --> 00:09:09,360 And those branches have clear direction. 147 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:14,320 A branch cannot suddenly grow two feet to the right off of the tree out of the air. 148 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:15,800 It's all connected, right? 149 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:20,520 Like a random branch just pops up in the middle of nothing and it's not connected to the tree. 150 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:26,120 This is the way like I visualize our life in the many different interactions and decisions. 151 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,920 Everything we do, everything that interacts with us affects our tree. 152 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:35,280 I see this as a way potentially that God sees us, but at a more infinite level. 153 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:40,020 Imagine seeing a tree and knowing what it is thinking about and what branch to create 154 00:09:40,020 --> 00:09:42,200 next and what that one will go. 155 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,520 Some people can visualize this differently, but this is a great way to help me bring some 156 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:51,000 sort of idea how he knows all and we still have free will at the same time. 157 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:57,480 It's like seeing the whole 360 path that you could go at any given second at any given 158 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,560 time and how it will go and you can kind of see where it was coming from. 159 00:10:01,560 --> 00:10:05,320 Basically they kind of get an idea which way it's going to go. 160 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,880 That's just how I wrap my mind around the idea. 161 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,560 Obviously that is not a, I wouldn't say it's a biblical idea because the Bible talks about 162 00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:12,760 like we don't know. 163 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:17,040 Like he is all knowing except that at face value. 164 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:21,720 And for me that's how I can see it because we still had that free will to do things because 165 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:30,880 he is limiting the power that he has so that we can go and do what we're free to do. 166 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:33,640 So kind of continue back on the topic. 167 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:39,740 Matthew 22 14 is a very known and used verse for the concept that certain people are chosen 168 00:10:39,740 --> 00:10:41,520 like predestination. 169 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:45,080 Matthew 22 14 says for many are invited but fewer chosen. 170 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:48,040 Okay, that's pretty pretty straightforward. 171 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,920 But this is the last verse in the context. 172 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:56,000 In this situation it's Matthew 22 1 through 14 is the full context of what's going on. 173 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,560 This actually contains Jesus's parable of the wedding feast. 174 00:10:59,560 --> 00:11:04,800 Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a king who threw a banquet for a son. 175 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:10,640 The king's chosen guests refused to come to the point of violence against his messengers. 176 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:16,440 So the king fills the wedding hall with common people he finds out and about. 177 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,760 Some bad, some good. 178 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,320 One guest is thrown out in the darkness though for trying to attend the feast without wearing 179 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:23,400 a wedding garment. 180 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:28,440 Jesus summarizes the message with the famous phrase many are called but few are chosen. 181 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:32,840 The parable touches on Israel's rejection of the Messiah and salvation by grace. 182 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,920 This touches on the very similar theme to those of the parable of the great banquet 183 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:42,900 in Luke 14 verse 12 through 24 but with critical differences. 184 00:11:42,900 --> 00:11:47,880 So this passage especially including this verse contributes to a sense of tension between 185 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:49,440 two ideas. 186 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:53,780 Scripture seems to counterweight two concepts which are not contradictory but which overlap 187 00:11:53,780 --> 00:11:55,200 in complex ways. 188 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,600 On one side it's God's choice of those who will enter the kingdom of heaven. 189 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:04,580 On the other is the mandate for people to accept the invitation and receive the gift 190 00:12:04,580 --> 00:12:07,480 of God's grace by faith in Christ. 191 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:13,560 Even in Jesus' parable some willingly refuse the invitation, some accept and fully engage. 192 00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:16,720 One seems to accept the invitation but not entirely. 193 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:21,320 Jesus concludes by saying that many are called to come and participate but few are chosen 194 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:22,700 to stay. 195 00:12:22,700 --> 00:12:28,640 So let's complicate things a bit and look at this a little bit deeper. 196 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:34,240 In a later passage, right, Jesus will refer several times to a chosen group called the 197 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:35,240 elect. 198 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:40,920 You can see this in Matthew 24 verses 22 verse 24 verse 31. 199 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:46,120 It is clear from the gospel that everyone included in the elect, all those who are chosen, 200 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:49,560 receive the gift of God's eternal grace after trusting in Jesus. 201 00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:52,380 Ephesians 2, 8 through 9. 202 00:12:52,380 --> 00:12:53,840 You can read that. 203 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:58,520 God calls to everyone to come to him through faith in Christ, right? 204 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:01,200 In Acts 4, 12. 205 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:02,620 Just to give an example. 206 00:13:02,620 --> 00:13:08,080 This demonstrates the limits of human understanding, which in Isaiah 55, 8 through 9 talks about 207 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,560 like I'm saying it's beyond what we can understand. 208 00:13:11,560 --> 00:13:17,840 Mysteriously and in some interrelated way, only those elected by God will believe and 209 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:21,320 yet those elected will believe by their own choice. 210 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:27,540 So only those who truly believe, John 3, 16 through 18, those who sincerely and deeply 211 00:13:27,540 --> 00:13:30,300 obey the call are the chosen ones. 212 00:13:30,300 --> 00:13:32,420 So let's uncomplicate it. 213 00:13:32,420 --> 00:13:33,700 The best I can. 214 00:13:33,700 --> 00:13:39,240 God calls all to receive the gift of salvation after trusting in Jesus and elects those to 215 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:44,900 believe by their choice and true absolute following of Christ as chosen. 216 00:13:44,900 --> 00:13:49,080 This is just another point to show that we do not have the full capability to fully grasp 217 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,860 the divinity and absolute plan of God. 218 00:13:51,860 --> 00:13:53,800 If we did, we wouldn't need him. 219 00:13:53,800 --> 00:14:00,120 And we then are we then not all called to follow God through the teachings and understandings 220 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:01,120 of Christ? 221 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:06,760 Yes, so we're all called to follow Christ. 222 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:08,200 And we don't accept them. 223 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:14,920 We're not chosen because we by our own merit chose not to choose, which makes us not chosen. 224 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,840 So let's let's let's go into a little bit further. 225 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:24,500 I do want to bring in second, second Thessalonians to 14, which if you want to know the context 226 00:14:24,500 --> 00:14:30,200 is 13 through 17, but in 14 he says he called you to this through our gospel so that you 227 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,760 might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 228 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:40,280 So the context presents a stark contrast to the preceding passage. 229 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:44,040 Previously Paul wrote about the evil man of lawlessness, his wicked deeds and the dreadful 230 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:46,400 consequences that await him and his followers. 231 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:52,520 Now Paul here addresses the Thessalonian believers with a positive uplifting message about their 232 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:59,160 salvation and encourages them to take a defensive posture against false teaching and to adhere 233 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:01,480 to what he had taught them. 234 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:07,200 He concluded with an uplifting benediction and which he called upon the Lord Jesus Christ 235 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:12,680 and God the Father to encourage the Thessalonians and establish them in every good word and 236 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:13,920 deed. 237 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:20,440 Now in this verse, Paul reminds his readers that God used the good news of salvation to 238 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:22,700 call them for a purpose. 239 00:15:22,700 --> 00:15:26,320 He called them to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 240 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:31,080 When Jesus was on earth, he took Peter, James, and John up to a high mountain and was transfigured 241 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:32,080 before them. 242 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:34,800 You can read that in Luke 9, 28-36. 243 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:39,360 His inner glory shone through his body and later John and Peter reflected on what had 244 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:40,620 taken place. 245 00:15:40,620 --> 00:15:45,720 And John, he wrote, we have seen his glory, glory as the Son from the Father, full of 246 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:46,980 grace and truth. 247 00:15:46,980 --> 00:15:49,560 You can see that in John 1, 14. 248 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:54,320 Peter then wrote, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty, for we were with him on the holy 249 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:55,320 mountain. 250 00:15:55,320 --> 00:16:00,600 2 Peter 1, 16-18 is the context that I'm referring to. 251 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:06,860 In his letter to the Colossians, Paul said Christ and believers is the hope of glory. 252 00:16:06,860 --> 00:16:10,020 You can see that in Colossians 1, 27. 253 00:16:10,020 --> 00:16:14,600 And now we hope to share in Christ's glory, but when he appears, we will appear with him 254 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:15,600 in glory. 255 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:17,760 You can see that in Colossians 3, 4. 256 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:22,800 So let's talk about two very important verses on this topic. 257 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:26,840 So first is going to be John 6, 37. 258 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:33,840 So John 6, 37 says, every one the Father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to 259 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:35,920 me I will never cast out. 260 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:36,920 Right? 261 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,920 Various theories exist on what exactly this means. 262 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,000 Some interpret this as a hardline determination by God. 263 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:47,740 Others see this as a reference to God's sovereign choice in the issue of salvation. 264 00:16:47,740 --> 00:16:52,680 This might imply that God works to bring people to saving faith, but not necessarily that 265 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,080 he withholds it from those who are not saved. 266 00:16:56,080 --> 00:17:01,200 Secondly, let's look at John 6, 44, which says, no one can come to me unless the Father 267 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:05,840 who sent me draws him and I will raise him up on the last day. 268 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:10,840 So like verse 37, this text also touches on the question of predestination. 269 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:16,680 The idea that God is the one who ultimately decides which persons are saved and which 270 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:17,680 are not. 271 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,180 Here the language seems fairly specific. 272 00:17:20,180 --> 00:17:22,920 Only those drawn by God can come to Christ. 273 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:27,520 In verse 37, though, it was stated that those who were given to Christ by the Father would 274 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:28,600 be saved. 275 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:33,480 Of course, in the wide debate over predestination, there are alternative theories of how, who, 276 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:35,680 and when exactly God draws people. 277 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:36,680 Right? 278 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:44,840 So let's go ahead a bit to John 12, 32, which says, as for me, if I am lifted up from the 279 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,600 earth, I'll draw all people to myself. 280 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:54,820 The context here, if you want to go check it out, John 12, 27 to 43, huge context. 281 00:17:54,820 --> 00:18:00,960 So that represents the end of Jesus' public ministry in the Gospel of John. 282 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:04,680 After being approached by non-Jewish people who believed in God, Jesus seemed agitated 283 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,320 as he anticipates his impending death. 284 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:11,480 A voice from heaven affirms his mission, but to most people it simply sounds like noise 285 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:13,580 or thunder. 286 00:18:13,580 --> 00:18:19,480 What Jesus means as a reference to crucifixion is misinterpreted by many as a prediction 287 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:22,520 that he'll be exalted to be lifted up. 288 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:27,000 The people struggle to understand his message and Jesus will leave them after warning that 289 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:28,440 their time is short. 290 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:34,000 This confirms Old Testament prophecies, reiterates how far some people will go in order to defy 291 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,400 evidence of God in this instance. 292 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:38,360 So why this verse? 293 00:18:38,360 --> 00:18:42,400 The expression lifted up is a metaphor for crucifixion. 294 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:47,760 The great Jesus we'll be experiencing very soon, which we see in John 12, 23 to 24. 295 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:53,480 This is something Christ alluded to when speaking to Nicodemus back in John 3, 14. 296 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:58,400 And there Jesus referenced an incident from Numbers 21, 4 through 9. 297 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:02,720 The people of Israel were suffering from a self-inflicted plague and could only be saved 298 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,280 by looking to a bronze serpent held up on a pole. 299 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:09,880 That moment foreshadowed the concept of salvation by grace through faith, with the eventual 300 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:14,480 Messiah as the one lifted up for others to look to to be saved. 301 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,320 So the parallels are there. 302 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:22,200 This act of being lifted up will draw all men to Christ. 303 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:28,400 So the context of this drawing is a conversation Jesus is having with a crowd in Jerusalem 304 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:30,880 in John 12, 20 to 22. 305 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:35,640 The people had mixed reactions to an overt voice from heaven, which you can see in John 306 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,280 12, 28 to 29. 307 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:44,920 Jesus pointed out that such evidence were meant for their own good in John 12, 30. 308 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:51,280 So as signs to point to them to the truth, John 20, 30 to 31, the message of the gospel 309 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:57,400 focused on Christ's death and resurrection is one that calls to all people, which you 310 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,280 can see in John 6, 35 and verse 40. 311 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:05,960 Unfortunately, not all will respond in John 6, 44. 312 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:15,080 So the aftermath of Jesus' death proves the literal truth of the words, all men. 313 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:19,920 And if you ever look up the Greek word for men in this instance, it's mankind, right? 314 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:21,900 So men and women, both. 315 00:20:21,900 --> 00:20:27,020 He will be executed under a place card, sarcastically proclaiming him as king in multiple language. 316 00:20:27,020 --> 00:20:28,920 You can see that in John 19, 20. 317 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,200 His death will shake the world of a pagan soldier. 318 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,600 You see that Mark 15, 39. 319 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:39,360 Witnessed by both followers and enemies, Mark 15, 29 to 32, John 19 to 25. 320 00:20:39,360 --> 00:20:44,760 And then he will die in between thieves, which you see in Matthew 27, 38. 321 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:50,520 Only one of whom will believe, which is Luke 22, 39 to 43. 322 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:55,060 His body will be attended by both loyal disciples and secret followers. 323 00:20:55,060 --> 00:20:57,640 Those are both low and high class. 324 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:01,360 See that Matthew 27, 57 to 61. 325 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:05,920 And woman will be the first to learn of his resurrection. 326 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,480 In Mark 16, 1 to 6, Gentiles will be converted. 327 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,520 You see that in Acts 10, 44 to 45. 328 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:14,900 And hardened enemies will become missionaries. 329 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:17,800 You see that in Acts 22, 6 to 8. 330 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:19,440 And social barriers will be broken. 331 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:21,720 You see that in Galatians 3, 28. 332 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:27,160 In eternity, those redeemed by Christ will include members of every nation from all tribes 333 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,060 and peoples and languages. 334 00:21:29,060 --> 00:21:31,480 You see that in Revelation 7, 9. 335 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,740 So why all that? 336 00:21:34,740 --> 00:21:41,200 So this is to kind of continue with this concept of understanding these things showing Christ's 337 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,180 divinity and your say through him. 338 00:21:44,180 --> 00:21:53,160 So we can kind of go into Hebrews 4, 16, which the context is actually only for 14 to 16. 339 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:57,400 Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness so that we may receive mercy 340 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,000 and find grace to help us in time of need. 341 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:04,920 You can see the context here, like I said, 14 to 16 is among the most often quoted passages 342 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:07,000 in the Bible actually. 343 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:12,360 And is also one of the clearest expressions of Christianity's unique nature. 344 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:18,240 Jesus, the son of God, has experienced all of our struggles, temptations, and sufferings. 345 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,760 And yet, he did so without succumbing to sin. 346 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:25,520 For this reason, we can look to him as our perfect example. 347 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:28,400 We can rely on him as our perfect substitute. 348 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:35,440 We can come to him as our only high priest, and we can trust in him as our source of help 349 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:36,560 and healing. 350 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:42,480 Knowing that Christ fully, personally understands what it means to be human gives us confidence 351 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:46,160 when we bring him our failures and needs. 352 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:52,220 So here's our choice in this aspect of following God, because we need to, it's part of it. 353 00:22:52,220 --> 00:22:57,380 This topic causes a lot of debates within Christian faith, and we can see that this 354 00:22:57,380 --> 00:23:05,280 is more complicated than we are to understand in the idea and the grand scheme of predestination, 355 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:09,360 and the idea that you're chosen, you're not chosen, what's that look like, et cetera. 356 00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:19,480 So we are to understand the very basics of this, which are God is divine and knows everything. 357 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,400 Faith in Jesus leads to eternity with him. 358 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:28,440 Yes, God was said to draw people and to receive this gift of salvation, right? 359 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:32,720 And Jesus claimed that after his death, all humankind would be drawn to him through his 360 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:36,080 death and resurrection, but not everyone will answer the call. 361 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:37,080 Yes? 362 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:38,080 Okay. 363 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:46,520 So our choice is to answer that call and draw near to him as he has called us. 364 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:49,040 Make sense? 365 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:54,780 So this is kind of what I'm getting at, right? 366 00:23:54,780 --> 00:24:00,200 Under the covenant of Christ, and I don't want to get at my personal opinion. 367 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:04,800 I took time to read into this, look into this, what these verses say, what's going on, what's 368 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:10,920 the message here, but under the covenant of Christ who died for us and draws us all near 369 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:16,440 to him to accept the gift of his death and resurrection, which covered the penalty of 370 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,440 sin, which was death for us. 371 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:24,880 We can see every, even today that the people are drawn to churches, to the Bible and to 372 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:25,880 faith. 373 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:30,300 The issue we deal with is that people distort the truth. 374 00:24:30,300 --> 00:24:34,400 They misunderstand the truth and they choose their own truth. 375 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:38,880 This is a great way to reflect back to Matthew 22, one through 14. 376 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:41,440 This is the parable that Jesus uses. 377 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:45,000 Even a guest accepts the invitation was still thrown out due to not wearing the wedding 378 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:46,920 garment, right? 379 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:54,920 We also see that this in later verses about how Jesus can know us, can know us in Matthew 380 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:57,760 25, 11 to 12, right? 381 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:05,280 We are called to have faith in Christ, repent, turn from sin, follow Christ, know him and 382 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,080 do what he tells us is right. 383 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:17,540 I wanted to reiterate this right a lot and so that I can try to help bring these concepts 384 00:25:17,540 --> 00:25:23,360 a little bit more visual with the biblical scripture, with understanding, with kind of 385 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:28,520 a more, let's talk about this a little bit deeper. 386 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:36,820 So that more, so we can kind of draw more to him and get closer to him. 387 00:25:36,820 --> 00:25:40,240 We should be working together as brothers and sisters in Christ for the glory of his 388 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:41,720 glory. 389 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:47,080 And I think the whole point of this specific post that I made and I'm making a podcast 390 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:53,200 for was that we can grow together by giving verses, giving ideas. 391 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:54,600 Here's this, here's that. 392 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:58,500 Let's discuss, let's talk and let's go forward, right? 393 00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:06,760 And I was talking to a friend about this because the denomination there from is very much 394 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:09,880 so you're predestined. 395 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:15,400 If you believe in Christ and you were chosen and that was kind of the concept of it, but 396 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:20,160 how they proclaimed it and how they talked about it was that if you tell somebody about 397 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:26,240 Jesus and they're instantly shooting you down and they don't accept and they're not chosen. 398 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:32,440 And their idea was that if you talk to Jesus about, talk to anybody about Jesus, that if 399 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:38,160 they rejected it there on the spot or they chose it would determine if God chose them 400 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:40,000 or didn't choose them. 401 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:48,360 And again, I am not trying to speak for God's plan, his vision and how this whole thing 402 00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:55,000 works, but we can see that post Christ death and resurrection, all are called. 403 00:26:55,000 --> 00:27:00,680 So imagine, imagine this is a way that I put it to him just so they try to help visualize 404 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:01,680 this. 405 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:06,640 So God died, came down as man, Jesus, Jesus died. 406 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,320 I said God died, but Jesus died, which Jesus is God. 407 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:14,320 He's just another person's of God and God is one God. 408 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:15,720 There's not three gods, it's one God. 409 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:19,000 We'll get into that in another podcast, which we kind of already did go back and listen 410 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:29,620 to it, but Jesus died in place of our debt, which sin, the death of sin is death. 411 00:27:29,620 --> 00:27:34,520 And if you don't know or don't know the fullness of that, we have a podcast episode about that 412 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:41,720 too about salvation because we all fall short of the law of God, which makes us all sinners. 413 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:43,360 Sinners is just someone who breaks the law. 414 00:27:43,360 --> 00:27:48,280 Just like in the U S we say, someone has done something illegal, the same concept in the 415 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:51,460 same way that God says that we are sinners. 416 00:27:51,460 --> 00:27:55,800 So if you steal something and that's a break against the law, you broke the law, right? 417 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:59,960 So if you steal something and that's against God's law, you broke, you're a sinner. 418 00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:03,800 That's the definition or the defining term that's there. 419 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,820 So we all fall short. 420 00:28:06,820 --> 00:28:08,200 We all do it. 421 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:12,320 Everyone has either lied, has stolen, has cheated, has done something along the lines 422 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:17,000 that we can't live up to the perfection that God instills and wants for us. 423 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:24,880 And so that's why Jesus came, felt everything that we ever had in terms of sin or sorry, 424 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:31,960 in terms of temptation as grief, et cetera, all that stuff and took it, died, and then 425 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:37,880 came back to life three days later to show that he is the divinity that he was claiming 426 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:39,640 to be. 427 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:41,000 And so they kind of get back to this. 428 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:46,040 The concept I was sharing with them is that post Jesus, he, when he died and rose again, 429 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:54,360 the concept is that everybody in the world, he's like, I have a ticket to be with me. 430 00:28:54,360 --> 00:29:00,360 And he goes to every person anytime that someone's introduced to it. 431 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:03,480 I got a ticket. 432 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:05,120 Will you accept to be with me? 433 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:06,880 Will you come with me? 434 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:08,880 And they say no, they move on. 435 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,880 They weren't chosen. 436 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:12,040 Okay. 437 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,780 But if you say yes, he hands you the ticket. 438 00:29:14,780 --> 00:29:17,600 You get the be with me, experience my presence. 439 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:19,040 Here's my Holy Spirit. 440 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:20,040 Let's be together. 441 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:21,560 Let's work this out together. 442 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:23,120 You're chosen. 443 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:28,800 So it's not necessarily that that person who said no will never come back to God or never 444 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:30,200 actually give God a chance. 445 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:35,400 Cause I've seen it where, you know, they might argue against Christ, but the thing is, is 446 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:42,640 that once they keep hearing that and keep thinking about it, you want them to see that 447 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:47,640 that God is there and Jesus is there and alive and the Holy Spirit is there to help you because 448 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:48,640 life sucks. 449 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:53,680 And the world is hard out there and it doesn't get easier for the most part and Christ makes 450 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:55,880 it to where you're at peace. 451 00:29:55,880 --> 00:30:02,000 And during those times that you feel joy through him, not through the things going on. 452 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:11,760 And so with this, you see an easy way to understand that we're all drawn because he died for us. 453 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:12,760 Right? 454 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:14,620 He paid that price. 455 00:30:14,620 --> 00:30:18,600 Imagine if you're at a grocery store and you're just trying to get groceries and the person 456 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:22,480 in front of you says, Oh, I'll pay for their stuff. 457 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:24,000 And you sit there like, are you sure? 458 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:26,240 Yeah, no, I am glad to do it. 459 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:28,240 And they're like, I'm paying for it. 460 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,640 And you're sitting there like, thank you. 461 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:34,400 Would you just look at them and say, no, don't, don't, no, I don't want this at all. 462 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:35,400 Bye. 463 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:36,400 Like, don't, nope. 464 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:37,400 Not going to let you do that. 465 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,000 I'm walk away like that. 466 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:44,120 That's kind of, I would say kind of the concept, but let's get a little bit more hardcore concept 467 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:45,120 here. 468 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:49,720 Court case, you are guilty before you even go in and you know you're guilty. 469 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:52,080 And the lawyer looks at you and say, wow, that's hard evidence. 470 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:54,200 Like you're guilty on this one, aren't you? 471 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:58,820 And it's just hardcore evidence where it's like, wow, we probably will not get anywhere 472 00:30:58,820 --> 00:30:59,820 with this case. 473 00:30:59,820 --> 00:31:07,400 We might be able to get you less time, but the penalty for the sin is all the time. 474 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:12,280 So yeah, it's not going to be good when you end up in front of the judge. 475 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:13,640 Right? 476 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:18,200 And let's say someone comes up and says, Hey, I'll take your sentence. 477 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:25,600 And you say, yes, you're considered chosen because he chose you had that mutual. 478 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:26,800 Yes. 479 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:28,740 And then, okay, I'm doing this. 480 00:31:28,740 --> 00:31:30,280 This is for you. 481 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:32,960 And I am covering your debt. 482 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:34,220 Right. 483 00:31:34,220 --> 00:31:38,760 And I'll take the punishment because I already did, but it was yours to choose if you, if 484 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:39,760 you want to be too. 485 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:41,320 And so follow me. 486 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:43,840 At that point, I'd be following that person so hardcore. 487 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:52,520 I'm like, you saved me from all time away from goodness, like a locked away, forgotten 488 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:54,440 basically. 489 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:59,480 And I would follow them and really be there with them at all times and learn about them, 490 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:01,460 why they do this, what's going on, et cetera. 491 00:32:01,460 --> 00:32:05,800 That's the kind of concept with Jesus is that he's like, Hey, you're guilty. 492 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:12,080 I couldn't, I wanted to give you a way out of guilty. 493 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:17,880 And this is the way out is through me, but it has to be through me because no one can 494 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:26,240 rightfully live life without sin from start to finish and not be guilty. 495 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:30,880 If you think you can, then you're guilty. 496 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:32,560 And that's where Christ comes in. 497 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:38,760 And so I driving these points was kind of hard in general, because again, it's a concept 498 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:41,800 that's beyond our understanding. 499 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:46,400 And I know I have friends that do say like, you know, predestination is a thing. 500 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:51,480 I'd have ones that say that it's not a thing because we have free will and predestination 501 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:56,080 friends of mine are like, yeah, we have free will, but you're predestined to be of God 502 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:58,340 or not. 503 00:32:58,340 --> 00:33:08,880 And I would, my, my argument to that based upon what we just went over today is that 504 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:19,320 Jesus died, rose again, and everybody for all time is now drawn towards him. 505 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:24,920 And those who accept, you don't just say, Oh yeah, I believe Jesus is real and he died 506 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,200 and rose again for me. 507 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:32,440 That's the whole idea of going to the wedding and you're not in the garments because the 508 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:36,760 garments were the idea of dressing yourself, clothing yourself, representing yourself, 509 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:37,760 right? 510 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:43,940 To change yourself, what you're wearing, what you look like, how you present yourself. 511 00:33:43,940 --> 00:33:51,720 So the idea is that when you accept Christ to be that bride, to be a part with him, that 512 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:56,120 there is an understanding that you're to follow him. 513 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:59,640 And that the beauty of all this is that we were gifted the Holy Spirit when we accept 514 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:00,640 Christ. 515 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:05,960 And this is what I love about this is that you experience the Holy Spirit and it, sometimes 516 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:10,360 people don't understand what that looks like, but you can tell that the Holy Spirit is with 517 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:15,360 you because in Galatians five, it talks about if the Holy Spirit is with you, these are 518 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:18,540 the fruits of your labor, the fruits of your life, right? 519 00:34:18,540 --> 00:34:23,120 And the things that you experience within your life, no matter what's going on in your 520 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:24,120 life. 521 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:30,160 Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self control. 522 00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:34,800 All those things you experience because the Holy Spirit is there to help you. 523 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:38,280 And the best part about this, because a friend of mine, another friend of mine, I'm not giving 524 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,000 out names, so I'll say friend a lot. 525 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:45,800 I apologize, but yes, a conversation I had with them was they'll know who they are because 526 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,360 it's a conversation I have with them, whatever. 527 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:51,760 I'm not using names because of this or times or references, et cetera. 528 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:56,840 But a friend of mine came up to me and was asking me, you know, like I keep on sinning. 529 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:57,840 I keep going back. 530 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:58,840 I keep failing. 531 00:34:58,840 --> 00:34:59,840 I keep falling short. 532 00:34:59,840 --> 00:35:02,240 Like I keep going back to God asking forgiveness. 533 00:35:02,240 --> 00:35:03,920 A lot of times it's the same sin. 534 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:05,720 Just a lot of times it's the same crap. 535 00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:07,840 I don't know. 536 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:10,400 Like am I actually saved? 537 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:13,080 Like am I really saved because I keep dealing with this? 538 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:14,080 I'm like, yes. 539 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:15,720 What do you mean? 540 00:35:15,720 --> 00:35:17,920 Wait, why do you say yes like that? 541 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,880 And I said, well, okay, think of it this way. 542 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:27,640 If you are saved, you have the Holy Spirit with you and it's to guide you, teach you 543 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:29,440 and show you truth. 544 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:30,440 Right? 545 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:32,120 What's right? 546 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:39,080 And the fact that you fall short and you're angry about it and that you're devastated 547 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:44,480 and that you understand that it's wrong right there shows that the Holy Spirit's with you. 548 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,520 And the only way the Holy Spirit's with you is if you're saved. 549 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:50,720 And that's the way we could see who is saved and who's not saved is if they have the Holy 550 00:35:50,720 --> 00:35:51,720 Spirit. 551 00:35:51,720 --> 00:35:57,240 That's the whole point of the Holy Spirit on top of like being the presence of God today 552 00:35:57,240 --> 00:36:00,900 and to help you and to assist you. 553 00:36:00,900 --> 00:36:06,460 But you can see that that is part of the Holy Spirit is that it is given to you once you 554 00:36:06,460 --> 00:36:13,480 accept Christ into your life and it's to help you assist you and make you stronger in Him. 555 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:18,080 So if you don't have the Holy Spirit, it's really easy to just keep on sinning because 556 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:21,800 that discernment's like, eh, you know, I'll get drunk every night. 557 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:22,800 I'm fine. 558 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:23,800 It doesn't bug me. 559 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:29,360 You know, I go, you know, I go overboard on moderation on all these other things and it 560 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:30,360 doesn't matter. 561 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:31,880 I go and have sex on a daily basis. 562 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:32,880 Doesn't matter. 563 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:34,560 You do things and you're like, it's okay. 564 00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:35,560 God loves me. 565 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:37,000 He'll forgive me. 566 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,040 And that's like the person that gets thrown out of the wedding. 567 00:36:39,040 --> 00:36:41,160 It's like, look, you weren't clothed. 568 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:45,800 You did not understand the Holy Spirit is there as a gift and you didn't accept the 569 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:46,800 gift. 570 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:50,080 You accept that Jesus is the one who died and rose again for you. 571 00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:51,920 And you might understand that and say, oh, okay. 572 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:53,600 So he forgives me always. 573 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:57,440 And then just go on living your life as if nothing's wrong, that you don't need to do 574 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:04,840 anything, change anything, reborn, like regain who God is as your center. 575 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:08,680 And that's why it's the whole idea of like being reborn again, because the Holy Spirit 576 00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:13,080 comes and you're like, oh my gosh, like it's surrendering, surrendering your whole life 577 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:14,440 to Him. 578 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:17,080 And then the Holy Spirit helps. 579 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:21,840 And it's like, you know, I remember I was driving. 580 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:26,840 I'm not going to say the territory, just in case people are listening and kind of know 581 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:30,920 me a little bit better, but I was driving a little bit north of where I live. 582 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:34,360 And I remember I was at a stoplight and I saw a homeless person and he was asking for 583 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:39,200 food, you know, and I looked over and I remember seeing that. 584 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:40,800 And I was like, he's not asking for money. 585 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:41,800 He's asking for food. 586 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:44,880 I was like, oh my gosh, I need to help him. 587 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:48,140 And I looked and I know I should have stopped and helped them. 588 00:37:48,140 --> 00:37:50,920 This is something that bugs the crap out of me because I didn't. 589 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:54,400 I kept on going because I was like, I'm left home late. 590 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:55,400 I'm running late. 591 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:56,860 I need to get to work. 592 00:37:56,860 --> 00:37:59,980 Like I can't be late today that we have this really important meeting. 593 00:37:59,980 --> 00:38:00,980 It's really busy at work. 594 00:38:00,980 --> 00:38:01,980 And I was just so flustered. 595 00:38:01,980 --> 00:38:04,720 I was like, I need to help this person though. 596 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:05,840 They're asking for food. 597 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:06,920 They're asking for water. 598 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:11,400 They're asking for supplies, basic human needs, you know, and it would be so awesome to bless 599 00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:12,400 this guy. 600 00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:17,400 And I couldn't do it because of my own insecurities about like, God didn't come first that day. 601 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:20,560 And I know that and that bugs the crap out of me. 602 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:27,320 It really hurts me internally because I was like, I oh, like it breaks my heart kind of 603 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:28,320 thing. 604 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:29,320 Right. 605 00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:30,320 Because I wanted to help. 606 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:31,320 I wanted to be there. 607 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:32,320 I wanted to do the right thing. 608 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:33,320 And in that moment, I didn't. 609 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:34,620 But here's the thing. 610 00:38:34,620 --> 00:38:37,760 If the Holy Spirit wasn't with me, I would have just been like, ah, another homeless 611 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:39,440 person and keep going. 612 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:42,680 Not even to care in the world, except to go to work, get my stuff done, do what I need 613 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:43,680 to do. 614 00:38:43,680 --> 00:38:44,840 And it would not have bugged me. 615 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:48,760 But because I know the Holy Spirit's with me and because I know he was calling me to 616 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:52,880 help that dude, whatever he was going on with, whatever was going on in his life, he needed 617 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:53,880 that. 618 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:58,440 And I said, no, I pulled a Jonah and did the wrong thing. 619 00:38:58,440 --> 00:38:59,440 And then what? 620 00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:00,640 That's that's something I live with. 621 00:39:00,640 --> 00:39:06,280 And that's something that I understand and see that I know now, if I see that situation 622 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:11,600 again and that comes across my table or something like that comes around to take care of him, 623 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:16,880 to do the right thing, to follow God first, put God as the center, put God as the priority, 624 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:22,360 put God as the middle of my universe so that I can live the life accordingly to what he 625 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:24,860 wants me to live life like. 626 00:39:24,860 --> 00:39:31,620 And I can't do that if I don't understand the basic fundamentals of what God loves and 627 00:39:31,620 --> 00:39:34,960 God loves and God likes and God wants me to live like. 628 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:38,480 I don't study, but I'll read if I don't get into it. 629 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:43,600 So I guess I'll wrap this up because I know it's a shorter episode. 630 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:44,600 That's OK. 631 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,200 It's it's just myself. 632 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,280 So I don't have anybody to talk off of and going to go back and forth. 633 00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:50,920 And I tend to go off on tangents. 634 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:56,080 And I understand that I get that we're coming back around. 635 00:39:56,080 --> 00:40:05,120 So the concept of predestination, I won't say that to people because people who don't 636 00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:11,640 read the Bible and don't understand God's position will look at that and say, you know, 637 00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:17,960 will look at that and be like, hey, you know, you're destined to be part of God. 638 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:23,440 OK, well, then I'm not because I don't follow God and then immediately shut down towards 639 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:26,920 anything biblical or God or Jesus, especially for future. 640 00:40:26,920 --> 00:40:30,560 They're just going to be like, I wasn't chosen. 641 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:37,920 And I think that's the wrong way of doing it, because it's also I've seen it bring pride 642 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:45,320 in incorrect situations where, you know, I remember I used to go to a lot of different 643 00:40:45,320 --> 00:40:47,600 churches not because I was like, I need a new church. 644 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:49,880 I was wanting to bring the churches together. 645 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:53,360 Hey, you want to be a part of like a regional worship night. 646 00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:54,560 Your body of Christ. 647 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:55,560 Let's do this together. 648 00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:56,560 Worship together. 649 00:40:56,560 --> 00:40:58,200 You know, you have your band up there. 650 00:40:58,200 --> 00:41:01,520 We can take turns with bands weekly, whatever, blah, blah, blah. 651 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:06,400 And without any doctrinal teachings that you may or may not agree with, it's just worshiping 652 00:41:06,400 --> 00:41:11,880 together as a community, as a body in Christ, as one unit towards the father. 653 00:41:11,880 --> 00:41:12,880 Right. 654 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:13,880 And that's what I did. 655 00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:14,880 I did that a lot. 656 00:41:14,880 --> 00:41:17,120 I went to a lot of different churches and I talked to a lot of different pastors, a 657 00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:19,680 lot of different preachers like, hey, look, this is what we're doing. 658 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:23,240 This is what I want you to be a part of, whether it's here at this church at that church. 659 00:41:23,240 --> 00:41:27,280 We can host different different churches can host this night or this night, this night, 660 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:28,280 etc. 661 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:29,280 I just do worship together. 662 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:34,040 I might try doing that again, but outside of that, that is what I used to do. 663 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:38,920 So I went to a Baptist church and I remember talking to the youth pastor and then some 664 00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:40,800 of the cause I was young. 665 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:44,840 Some of the college kids and stuff like that were there and you know, they were very arrogant, 666 00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:49,880 like prideful, very, very prideful, arrogant where a lot of it was. 667 00:41:49,880 --> 00:41:57,200 Well, a lot of it was the whole I'm chosen, like that kind of arrogance, like I am special, 668 00:41:57,200 --> 00:42:05,440 like I am special and that church, I went there on a Sunday after that week kind of 669 00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:09,440 talking with the pastor and showed up on Sunday to kind of see what they're teaching and they 670 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:11,360 were talking about predestination that Sunday. 671 00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:15,000 I don't know how often they do at that church, but it just so happened to be the Sunday that 672 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:18,920 they were talking about it and saying that everyone here is chosen. 673 00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:23,680 We're all chosen by God to be drawn to Jesus and this is what it looks like and this is 674 00:42:23,680 --> 00:42:28,600 what we had to do and that means that we need to go find others like us and I was like, 675 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:29,760 what is this? 676 00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:30,760 Like why? 677 00:42:30,760 --> 00:42:38,240 Well, like it hurts the message because if the family there, someone new to that church, 678 00:42:38,240 --> 00:42:42,400 not Christian, just kind of learned, they're like, wow, okay, people were chosen. 679 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:44,760 Well, I guess I'm chosen now. 680 00:42:44,760 --> 00:42:46,920 So let me go see if my family's chosen. 681 00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:48,720 Hey guys, you want to go into church with me? 682 00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:50,000 No, we don't want to go to church. 683 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:51,000 We'll never go to church. 684 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:52,000 Okay. 685 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:53,000 Well, they're not chosen. 686 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:54,000 Move on. 687 00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:55,000 Like, and that's it. 688 00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:56,000 Huh? 689 00:42:56,000 --> 00:42:58,440 So what's the point of the great commission that people are chosen and not chosen? 690 00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:02,400 They're going to be part of God or not a God unless you think God cannot succeed. 691 00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:09,000 There's a place to where, like I said before, you can see it where it's like, yeah, Jesus 692 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:13,360 died and rose again and paid for everyone's debt, which means that there is a gift there 693 00:43:13,360 --> 00:43:16,560 for people to accept through Christ, right? 694 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:22,800 The gift of salvation through grace, grace through faith. 695 00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:29,760 And that itself is drawing anybody. 696 00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:34,040 It draw, it includes everybody in the whole world can be drawn to it. 697 00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:35,040 Right? 698 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:39,240 And so that the great commission is for all of us to go out and talk about it. 699 00:43:39,240 --> 00:43:40,520 Jesus loves you. 700 00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:42,720 Jesus died so you wouldn't have to. 701 00:43:42,720 --> 00:43:45,120 You're guilty just as guilty as I am. 702 00:43:45,120 --> 00:43:49,600 I'm humbled by God to understand that I am not special. 703 00:43:49,600 --> 00:43:50,920 I am bottom barrel. 704 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:51,920 I have failed. 705 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:52,920 I have fallen short. 706 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:55,480 I am nothing without him. 707 00:43:55,480 --> 00:43:56,880 Nothing. 708 00:43:56,880 --> 00:44:02,360 So my whole thing is to be something with him through him. 709 00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:09,480 Christ, through me, reaches out to people and I experience a life worth living with 710 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:10,480 him. 711 00:44:10,480 --> 00:44:11,480 Right? 712 00:44:11,480 --> 00:44:17,680 And I experience this love, this joy, this peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithless, 713 00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:21,640 gentleness, self control, all these things I experienced in my life, no matter what's 714 00:44:21,640 --> 00:44:23,880 going on in my life around me. 715 00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:29,040 Like there's been times where we've been dollar to dollar, week to week and been very, very 716 00:44:29,040 --> 00:44:34,000 poor and like with my family and stuff and trying to get through it day by day. 717 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:38,920 And it's just like, oh man, I have so much peace about the situation because God loves 718 00:44:38,920 --> 00:44:39,920 me. 719 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:44,480 You know, if I end up on the street under some underpass, God loves me. 720 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:52,040 Like it will be hard and suck and really, really be a bad day, bad who knows how long. 721 00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:54,680 But this world doesn't matter. 722 00:44:54,680 --> 00:44:59,520 It matters what we do with our relationship with Christ. 723 00:44:59,520 --> 00:45:04,280 And it's not group people that get to go to heaven based upon the group. 724 00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:09,280 It's the individuality between each individual person and their acceptance of Christ and 725 00:45:09,280 --> 00:45:10,800 their following of Christ. 726 00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:15,120 They accept Him, they follow Him, they're gifted the Holy Spirit and they can live a 727 00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:19,360 life that God finds pleasing because He died for us. 728 00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:26,680 And salvation relies on our faith in Him that He died and rose again and that He covered 729 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:27,800 the sins for us. 730 00:45:27,800 --> 00:45:33,960 And then that faith brings the good works in our life that we get to share with others 731 00:45:33,960 --> 00:45:37,480 and get to show others and get to live life correctly. 732 00:45:37,480 --> 00:45:41,760 And it brings good works and brings good fruit because it's life changing to be saved by 733 00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:45,840 Christ and everybody has an option to accept Him. 734 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:48,160 Not everybody will choose Him. 735 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:50,280 Those who accept Him are chosen. 736 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:55,240 Those who don't are inherently not. 737 00:45:55,240 --> 00:46:02,440 So predestination, the idea and concept of it literally comes down to being handed a 738 00:46:02,440 --> 00:46:03,440 gift. 739 00:46:03,440 --> 00:46:07,480 And if you accept it, you're chosen because you were given the gift. 740 00:46:07,480 --> 00:46:08,960 He's been chosen. 741 00:46:08,960 --> 00:46:13,080 If you deny it, it moves on. 742 00:46:13,080 --> 00:46:15,960 It's not, it's just there. 743 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:20,500 Obviously, people throughout their life, they might be able to come back around because 744 00:46:20,500 --> 00:46:21,960 someone talks to them about God. 745 00:46:21,960 --> 00:46:22,960 That's great. 746 00:46:22,960 --> 00:46:27,760 And then once they accept the gift of Christ, they're chosen. 747 00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:29,040 Like you're chosen. 748 00:46:29,040 --> 00:46:31,480 Here's the Holy Spirit. 749 00:46:31,480 --> 00:46:33,580 But it's not predestination. 750 00:46:33,580 --> 00:46:44,220 It's a free will to fall into that calling that God has through the death and resurrection 751 00:46:44,220 --> 00:46:45,840 of Christ. 752 00:46:45,840 --> 00:46:53,280 And so it's our choice to say yes and become chosen because we've affirmed that He has 753 00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:59,260 died for us or we choose not to and live our whole life until we die saying no, then we 754 00:46:59,260 --> 00:47:07,260 are not chosen because we did not choose to affirm that salvation through Christ. 755 00:47:07,260 --> 00:47:11,580 And that's why Jesus says he's the only way, the truth and the life that no one could ever 756 00:47:11,580 --> 00:47:13,840 get to him except through the Father. 757 00:47:13,840 --> 00:47:20,000 That's why we see that you will never know. 758 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:25,380 We'll never experience the Holy Spirit or God's presence or the heaven unless we choose Christ. 759 00:47:25,380 --> 00:47:26,820 We need to choose Christ. 760 00:47:26,820 --> 00:47:30,800 We need to accept that he died and rose again. 761 00:47:30,800 --> 00:47:34,440 And now I will say this because I know I'm running out of time. 762 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:35,700 That's OK. 763 00:47:35,700 --> 00:47:40,400 That choose to believe in him is not about saying if he was a real person or not a real 764 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:41,400 person. 765 00:47:41,400 --> 00:47:42,400 Historically, he is. 766 00:47:42,400 --> 00:47:44,160 We'll go into that in another episode. 767 00:47:44,160 --> 00:47:50,280 But this is a saying thing saying that he you're accepting that he died for all of your 768 00:47:50,280 --> 00:47:59,160 sins and that you are giving your life in return for what he done for everything he's 769 00:47:59,160 --> 00:48:00,160 done for you. 770 00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:04,080 You're giving your life over to him and he blesses you with the Holy Spirit and you're 771 00:48:04,080 --> 00:48:05,760 gifted the Holy Spirit. 772 00:48:05,760 --> 00:48:10,040 And now your life is to follow him and live the best life you can through him in the sense 773 00:48:10,040 --> 00:48:11,960 that he wants you to live in. 774 00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:15,160 So not saying like you're going to make millions of dollars. 775 00:48:15,160 --> 00:48:16,840 We're not prosperity preaching here. 776 00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:20,400 We are strictly saying that you're gifted the Holy Spirit to help you no matter what 777 00:48:20,400 --> 00:48:22,920 situations are going on around you in life. 778 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:26,760 Sucky or better, you praise God, thank God and pursue God. 779 00:48:26,760 --> 00:48:27,760 Right. 780 00:48:27,760 --> 00:48:29,360 And you follow Christ. 781 00:48:29,360 --> 00:48:34,240 And that's kind of where I want to leave the episode off of. 782 00:48:34,240 --> 00:48:35,920 It's been an interesting one. 783 00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:42,040 I know I usually make them shorter episodes of It's Just Me and I kind of did ramble a 784 00:48:42,040 --> 00:48:44,800 little bit that tends to happen with me. 785 00:48:44,800 --> 00:48:45,800 I know. 786 00:48:45,800 --> 00:48:46,800 I know. 787 00:48:46,800 --> 00:48:47,800 It's been a lot. 788 00:48:47,800 --> 00:48:52,480 But yeah, we're going to go ahead and call it good here. 789 00:48:52,480 --> 00:48:57,960 So I will say thank you everyone for joining this podcast episode. 790 00:48:57,960 --> 00:49:03,840 I know by myself, it's a little bit different than if we have, you know, awesome Pastor 791 00:49:03,840 --> 00:49:10,040 Dylan here and I'm always happy to have him here and I would love to have him here more. 792 00:49:10,040 --> 00:49:16,780 But at the moment, it's a little bit harder just because he, you know, brand new baby. 793 00:49:16,780 --> 00:49:19,600 So I thank you everyone for joining, sticking in. 794 00:49:19,600 --> 00:49:22,720 If you made it this far, awesome. 795 00:49:22,720 --> 00:49:29,280 This is not, I want to reiterate with both myself and Dylan both agree that this is not 796 00:49:29,280 --> 00:49:33,200 our ministry, that we want to continue God's ministry. 797 00:49:33,200 --> 00:49:34,640 I know a lot of people do that. 798 00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:35,640 So that's awesome. 799 00:49:35,640 --> 00:49:39,600 This isn't about my ministry, their ministry, etc. 800 00:49:39,600 --> 00:49:44,320 We are trying to continue the gospel of Christ, which is his ministry. 801 00:49:44,320 --> 00:49:52,800 So we're here just to help and hopefully help bring better understanding of God and Jesus 802 00:49:52,800 --> 00:49:58,880 and the concept of Christianity in general and answer the hard hitting questions and 803 00:49:58,880 --> 00:50:03,160 the topics that a lot of people kind of go back and forth about a lot. 804 00:50:03,160 --> 00:50:06,400 There are probably some people who listened all the way through and do not agree with 805 00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:08,440 me and that's okay. 806 00:50:08,440 --> 00:50:14,880 It's a concept beyond our understanding for the most part, any of the stuff outside of 807 00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:20,000 what we can see is going to be harder to conceptualize. 808 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:24,120 But we can see in the Bible, Jesus referring to all are drawn. 809 00:50:24,120 --> 00:50:27,580 We can see that he talking about the wedding that some people said yes, and they still 810 00:50:27,580 --> 00:50:30,520 said yes to go, but then weren't wearing the robes. 811 00:50:30,520 --> 00:50:37,060 And we know from other verses and other Bible passages that putting on something in a sense 812 00:50:37,060 --> 00:50:41,200 that it's parable is like putting on the armor of God. 813 00:50:41,200 --> 00:50:46,000 We see that in the Bible talking about belt of truth, etc. 814 00:50:46,000 --> 00:50:49,780 And then we see clothing yourself and righteousness. 815 00:50:49,780 --> 00:50:51,560 We see that terminology a lot. 816 00:50:51,560 --> 00:50:55,920 So it's that living that life once accepting Christ and understand that he lived and died 817 00:50:55,920 --> 00:50:58,960 for you, you follow him. 818 00:50:58,960 --> 00:51:01,600 So yeah, I'm going to end it there. 819 00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:04,080 Thanks you so much for joining. 820 00:51:04,080 --> 00:51:07,760 I do pray God bless you and anybody listening. 821 00:51:07,760 --> 00:51:14,120 I do pray that the Holy Spirit was here that with you guys that if you haven't accepted 822 00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:20,000 Christ and if you really want to, I say reach out to us on our Twitter, like just add us 823 00:51:20,000 --> 00:51:22,920 or comment or send a message. 824 00:51:22,920 --> 00:51:24,360 The messages are open. 825 00:51:24,360 --> 00:51:26,800 We'd love to walk you through that and answer questions. 826 00:51:26,800 --> 00:51:30,000 If you have them, check out gospel truth project.com. 827 00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:34,060 You know, that's a great thing to go through and kind of read the blogs and kind of a foundational 828 00:51:34,060 --> 00:51:40,160 strong point of biblical values and kind of biblical belief and help hopefully answering 829 00:51:40,160 --> 00:51:44,860 some hard, hard topics and talk about hard topics that are really uncomfortable for people 830 00:51:44,860 --> 00:51:48,920 to talk about but need to be talked about because otherwise we don't know where to go 831 00:51:48,920 --> 00:51:50,280 with those topics. 832 00:51:50,280 --> 00:51:57,840 So yeah, thanks so much for joining and God bless and we will see you on the next episode 833 00:51:57,840 --> 00:52:00,440 and hopefully with Dylan, I'll keep you all updated. 834 00:52:00,440 --> 00:52:01,440 All right. 835 00:52:01,440 --> 00:52:25,000 Give 널 thanks! 836 00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:28,640 Bye!