December 18, 2025 • 28 mins
On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/18/25), Hank explains that the word Epiphany means to reveal, and is one of the oldest Christmas traditions; highlighting the fact that God in Christ revealed Himself to us.
Hank also answers the following questions:
What doctrines should we divide over? How do we determine what the essential Christian doctrines are? Nick - Fort Wayne, IN (3:04)
My family has been attending a local Church of Christ that is very legalistic. Should we leave, or stay and try to bring change? Donny - St. Louis, MO (7:23)
Is the incarnation like Muhammad Ali boxing with one hand behind his back? Chuck - Springville, CA (15:10)
I was talking with a Seventh-Day Adventist. Which day should we celebrate the Sabbath, Saturday or Sunday? David - OK (17:38)
I have a friend who preaches and really loves Jesus, but he’s a Oneness Pentecostal. Is he born again? Gary - St. Louis, MO (20:04)
Can you explain 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17? Gary - St. Louis, MO (24:32)
Hank also answers the following questions:
What doctrines should we divide over? How do we determine what the essential Christian doctrines are? Nick - Fort Wayne, IN (3:04)
My family has been attending a local Church of Christ that is very legalistic. Should we leave, or stay and try to bring change? Donny - St. Louis, MO (7:23)
Is the incarnation like Muhammad Ali boxing with one hand behind his back? Chuck - Springville, CA (15:10)
I was talking with a Seventh-Day Adventist. Which day should we celebrate the Sabbath, Saturday or Sunday? David - OK (17:38)
I have a friend who preaches and really loves Jesus, but he’s a Oneness Pentecostal. Is he born again? Gary - St. Louis, MO (20:04)
Can you explain 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17? Gary - St. Louis, MO (24:32)
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome to the Bible answer Man Broadcast with Christian Research
Institute President Hank Canagraph. Our mission at CRII is not
only to equip you with sound biblical teaching and spiritual discernment,
but to help you become a winsome and fruitful witness
of Jesus Christ. Because the credibility of our faith hinges
(00:27):
on the answers we provide to life's biggest questions, there's
often not a second chance to get those answers right,
to learn more or to find resources to help you
grow in grace. Call eight eight eight seven thousand CRI.
That's eight eight eight seven thousand two seven four, or
go to our website at equip dot org. That's equip
(00:51):
dot org. The following program was pre recorded, and now
here's Hank Canagraph.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Thank how much rendy. We talk about Epiphany in our
Odyssey to the Heart of Christmas. Epiphany, of course, means
to reveal, and Epiphany is arguably the oldest and most
significant of all the Christmas traditions. It highlights the reality
that due to our sin, we cannot come to God,
(01:19):
and therefore God in Christ revealed himself to us. The
tradition of Epiphany, called in my home language the Dutch
language Straikoningadach or three Kings Day, is celebrated as recognition
of the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus Christ as king,
(01:42):
and of course it corresponds to Simeon's exaltation, for my
eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in
the sight of all people, a light for revelation to
the gentiles. Jesus did not come just as a parochial
(02:02):
Jewish messiah. He was a light to the world, so
that in him we may all find salvation. And of
course that happens when we reach out the hand of
a beggar to receive the gift of a king. Speaking
of gifts, I'm deeply grateful for those that have supported
(02:27):
and ask many more to continue doing so so that
we might reach our goal by the end of December.
So thank you to those who have given, and for
those who are prayerfully considering what they should give this month.
Remember that you can give in a safe, secure fashion
on the web at equipped dot org. When you write
me at box eighty five hundred, Charlotte, North Carolina, z
(02:51):
IF code two eight two seven to one, or when
you talk to our resource consultants at number triple eight
seven thousand and the letter CRI. And we'll go right
now to the phone lines and talk to Nick and
Fort Wayne, Indiana. By Nick.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Hey, my question, I love how you say that we
should debate certain things vigorously and non divide over them.
I'd like to hear from you what what things should
we divide over?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Well? Essential Christian doctrine and the essential of essentials is
the question that Jesus Christ asked, who do you say
that I am? If someone answers as the Jehovah's witnesses,
do you are the archangel Michael or the Mormons? Do
you are the spirit brother of Lucifer? Or New Thought
metaphysical practitioners. Do you are an avataur messenger? Then they've compromised, confused,
(03:49):
and in this case outright contradicted the essential of essentials.
And that's why we say over and over again in essentials, unity,
non essentials, liberty, and in all things cheer.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Okay, that's twpful.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
So that the.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Nature of Jesus, how about like the inspiration of scripture
that seems like something we should divide over.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Well, that's right, I mean, that's an essential because on
the basis of scripture, you have the infallible repository for
redemptive revelation, and it also becomes the authority for faith
in practice. So if you say that the Book of
Mormon is your authority, or you say that some other
religious writing, maybe the Koran, is your authority, then you
(04:35):
have an authority that has no real practical or worthwhile
basis for living life for faith in practice. But if
you say it's the word of God, then you have
God himself giving you the parameters within which you can
live your life in such a way that it is
(04:56):
not only pleasing to you, but efficacious in terms of
the extension of His kingdom.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Okay, so I appreciate that you say we should divide
over essential Christian doctrine, But what really defines what is
essential Christian doctrine? I mean, I definitely agree with you
whether the.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Main in the plain things, there are things that are
easily discernible. I mean, the Bible makes the main in
the plain things, from the deity of Jesus Christ to
the eschatological certainty that He will return again, the hope
for the believer. So essential Christian doctrine includes the deity
of Jesus Christ, the fact that we are born and
(05:39):
conceived in sin. We're either found in the first atom
or in the second atom. Jesus Christ, what you mentioned
earlier with respect to the infallible repositor of redemptive revelation,
what is your authority? In other words, the nature of
God isn't essential. Virtually every single theological heresy begins with
someone trying to compromise the nature of God. So the
(06:02):
nature of God is an essential of the historic Christian faith.
One God revealed in three persons who are eternally distinct.
The resurrection, which is the capstone in the art of Christianity.
I mean, Paul makes the case that if Christ has
not been raised, we have no hope. We're still dead
in our sins, and we're most miserable among all men.
(06:23):
The incarnation, which we celebrate at Christmas, is an essential
of the historic Christian faith because in the incarnation, Jesus
Christ took on an additional nature, one person with two natures,
one percent human one hundred percent divine. From the perspective
of his divinity, he can provide salvation to the world,
and from the perspective of his humanity he can identify
(06:47):
with us in our sin the new nature that we
have in Jesus Christ. What Paul says, we are new
creations in Christ as a result of reaching out the
hand of a beggar and receiving the gift of the King.
And as I mentioned earlier, the whole matter of eschatology,
not in terms of the secondary issues, the timing of
(07:08):
the tribulation, of the meaning of the millennium, but the
essential that Jesus will up here a second time, and
when he does, he will put all things to right again,
the maximum in essentials, unity, non essentials, liberty, and all
things chared. You back to the phone lines, we'll talk
next to Donnie and Saint Louis, Missouri. Hi, Donnie, Hey,
(07:30):
how you doing good?
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
My wife and I and our children have been in
a local Church of Christ. I guess probably about the
past nine months. I was somewhat aware if their legalistic views,
although I encountered that twenty percent of the Church of
Christ that is extremely legalistic, and we didn't start find
that out so recently. Kind of wondering whether or not
(07:55):
we should just up and move and find a better church,
more pritting our family or stay there and possibly be
a witnessing tool. The unique position with the church is
that they don't own the building. Some local people do
here that we know, and they don't want the people
really in their church. They're really legalistic, and they kind
(08:17):
of took them all by surprise too, and they're wanting
them out. And I don't know whether or not I
should stay and address the issue, or whether or not
we should to get out or out look back.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Well, I think you're asking a very difficult question that
I can't answer for you, because in some cases you
may find that it is best for you to stay
and try to make change from within with gentleness and
with respect. In other cases your call may be to leave.
I mean, this is on a macro scale something that
(08:50):
whole denominations have faced. The Presbyterian Church in America left
the Presbyterian Church over this very thing. The Presbyterian Church
was going in a direction that compromised a central Christian doctrine,
and then people within the church had to decide whether
they wanted to affect change within or whether it was
(09:11):
best to begin a new group within the Presbyterian movement,
which was thoroughly committed to a central Christian doctrine, so
you're making that same decision on an individual basis. Now,
let me say with the Church of Christ in fairness that,
as you hinted at in the prologue to your question,
it's not monolithic. Some factions are, as you point out,
(09:35):
extremely legalistic, others are thoroughly orthodox. And it sounds like
you're in a branch that may be on the legalistic
and even on the side of an extreme faction that
argues that anyone who has a baptism differently from their
(09:56):
baptism is not a Christian and therefore lost. So within this,
if you're an equipped Christian and you can operate with
gentleness and with respect, you may be able to make
a difference. But that's a calling. If we're going to
make that difference, that's a calling. And I genuinely would
recommend that if you are to take that particular calling,
(10:18):
that you are a very mature Christian who knows what
you believe, why you believe what you believe, and in
whom you have believed, and are able to communicate that
again not only with gentleness and with respect, but persuasively
on the basis of the biblical text. We'll be right
(10:38):
back in just a few moments with more answers, So
please don't touch that dial.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
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is a socially subversive pseudo Christian cult. It follows a
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EIGHTA eight seven thousand CROI and make a gift to
support the Christian Research Institute's Mind shaping, life changing outreaches.
That's eight eight eight seven thousand CROI, or visit us
online at equip dot org. That's equip dot org. Don't
(11:49):
tune out, Hank Hanagraph will be back with more right
after this. An infinite God reduced to the size of
a human embryo, the creator of time and space, invading
both in human form. Such is the mystery and the
(12:12):
majesty of the Incarnation Supreme being condescending to become one
of us. Perhaps nothing is more important than grasping the
significance of the coming God in human flesh. Without the life, death,
and resurrection of the incarnate One who walked among us,
our world would be unfathomably dark. To be equipped as
(12:34):
a witness and to be inspired in your walk, you'll
want to feast on Hank Hantagraph's book Incarnation, The Ultimate
Self Revelation of God. To receive your copy of Incarnation,
simply call eight eight eight seven thousand c Uri and
make a gift to support Curi's life changing outreaches or
visit equip dot org. Equip dot org. What the Angel
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good news of great joy that will be for all
the people today in the town of David. A savior
has been born to you. He is Christ, the Lord.
This will be a signed to you. You will find
a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
(13:23):
Luke chapter two, verses ten through twelve. While many of
you will soon enter the hustle and bustle of the
holiday season. Hank Canagraph has penned The Heart of Christmas,
a devotional for the season, to ensure that just as
you prepare your home for Christmas, you likewise prepare your heart.
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Also available is The Heart of Christmas audiobook, dramatically read
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flock is growing, and they relish nothing more than docile's sheep,
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Let's return to your host and canagraph.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
That the phone lines. We'll talk next to Chuck in Springville, California.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Hi, Chuck, Hi, Hey.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
First of all, I'd like to get in a plug
for the Bible Answerman Christian Research Institute. Just this week
I had a visit from a couple of Jehovah's witnesses
and I was able to gently steer the conversation to
who was Jesus. Oh yeah, insisted Michael the archangel.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yes.
Speaker 6 (15:36):
So we went to Matthew twenty two long about verse
forty four and forty five, and I asked, well, who
did David call Lord? And they said, well, Jesus did say,
we know, we've got people waiting in the car we
need to call. I appreciate it, well done. I appreciate
(15:57):
your ministry where you have prepared me to share my
faith thanks to the emphasis on gentleness and respect. Might
need that. But my question is Jesus Christ, of course,
as one hundred percent divine when he took on humanity,
he voluntarily limited his.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Himself.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
And I'm wondering if a reasonable analogy would be that,
when Muhammad Ali was at the height of his prowess,
if it would be like if he'd tied one hand
behind his back and gotten in the ring. He still
had the full power, but he chose to limit himself.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Yeah, I mean, I think in principle that's right. I mean,
Jesus Christ set aside the prerogative for independently using his
divine attributes. But as you're alluding to, he didn't divest
himself of a single attribute of divinity. Otherwise his atonement
would have been insufficient, because as God, his passion on
(16:57):
the cross was sufficient to atone for the sins of
the whole world. As man, he identified with us in
our humanity as the second atom who did what the
first atom could not do.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Right, Okay, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't
too far out and left field there.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Well. I mean, I think it's good to try to
use analogies to which people can relate, and I think
it's also wise to make the qualification that in your
experience most analogies break down. But maybe this is a
way to humanize it or to give someone an idea
of what you're talking about.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
You got it, and thank you for your kind words
and for your call back to the phone lines. We'll
talk next to David listening in Oklahoma. Hi, David, are
you good? Thank you.
Speaker 7 (17:47):
I had a question both today with a coal worker
who was a seven day adventis we talked about three
or four different topics but want.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
To go home.
Speaker 7 (17:59):
And there's some research on honored the Sabbath day Saturday
or Sunday, And I thought, I call that you kind
of educate directly.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Well, I mean, I think what the issue here is
is a recognition that Jesus is the substance that fulfills
the types and shadows, and that it is in Jesus
that we have our sabbath rest. And therefore, for the
early Christian Church, the most dangerous snare to avoid was
(18:31):
a failure of recognizing that it was in Christ we
have our sabbath rest. And the reason we are celebrating
on the first day of the week is simply in
honor of the central pillar and the historic Christian faith,
which is the resurrection of Jesus. Christ. But I think
it's important too to look at what Paul says in
(18:51):
Colossians chapter two. For those who have the opposite point
of view, which is that they want to worship on
Saturday as a post to Sunday, I find no problem
with that whatsoever, as long as you don't fail to
recognize that it is in Christ that you have your
Sabbath rests. In other words, so the mphosis is in
(19:12):
the right place. But Paul says, don't let anyone judge
you by what you eat or drink, or with regard
to a religious festival, a new moon celebration, a Sabbath day,
these are a shadow of the things that were to come.
The reality, however, is found in Christ. And what's great
about that passage is Paul presents a descending order, as
(19:35):
it were, from annual to monthly to weekly celebrations, and
therefore what's in view when he talks about a Sabbath
day is a weekly Sabbath. And again, the issue that
Paul is underscoring is that Jesus is the substance. Jesus
is the reality, and a failure to recognize that would
(19:58):
be missing the point entirely.
Speaker 7 (20:00):
Okay, thank you, you.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Got to thank you so much for your call back
to the phone lines. We'll talk next to Gary listening
in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
Hi Gary, Hi Ink, how are you today?
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Good?
Speaker 5 (20:12):
Thank you lest I'm sure I have a question for you.
But first of I give you a little background about
this person. He lives here in my apartment building, and
he is very faithful to the Lord.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
In his.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
In his faith and his zeal and his love and
his service. He also preaches here in the cafeteria in
the basement every week. Sometimes he has ten, sometimes he
has two, sometimes he has no one. But he preaches
his sermon all the way through for the benefit of
(20:53):
those who might be hearing him in the lobby. And
he's been doing this for five years that I've been here,
and without fail. I mean, this guy is in love
with the Lord and in doing everything he can every
(21:13):
day to be faithful and serve in his service as well. Now,
the problem that I have with him is that he's
the one that's pecostal. He doesn't believe in the Holy Trinity.
Now I don't know how to take that. Is this
man born again? Is he going to make heaven? I
(21:38):
don't know how he stands with the Lord and I Dad.
I can't figure that out. I know there are scriptures
that says, if you don't have the Father and you
don't have Jesus. If you don't have Jesus, you don't
have a Father. So how do we interpret that?
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Well, here's the thing. I don't think. It's the absence
of truth that damns. It is the despising of truth
that as And ultimately, I think what is required in
cases like this is great humility, which is to say
that when I come to the Bible, I would very
much like to remake Christ in modalistic terms, because that's
(22:18):
something that I can identify with as a human being.
But I think what we have to do rather than
trying to remake what we read is simply bow ourselves
before God's self revelation, which is to say, the Bible
is clear when it says that there is only one God.
Polytheism just isn't a part of biblical thought. The Bible
(22:42):
is also clear in saying that the Father is God,
the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God,
and then crystal clear in saying Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit are eternally distinct, such that the Father sends the son,
the son prays to the Father, the Father never begas
comes the sun. So it's not a matter of modes.
(23:04):
It's a matter of persons and personal self distinctions within
the Godhead. Now, I freely confess, as I've said on
the show many times, that this is beyond my comprehension.
It's only something that I apprehend in scripture, and I'm
willing to bow my knee as a human being, a
finite human being before that revelation of God. And therefore
(23:28):
I say, though I don't comprehend it, I apprehend it,
and thus I have this wonderful notion. For the rest
of my life, I'll be exploring the majesty of the
God who has identified himself in scripture, and even an
eternity when I as at or see him face to face,
(23:49):
or have requisite knowledge of God, even then, I will
spend an eternity seeking to comprehend the vastness of the
one who saved me by his grace. So I think
all too often we have a prideful notion that we
can comprehend the God who saves us, and in doing
(24:11):
that we diminish God. He is far greater than our comprehension,
and he never gives us something that is illogical, whereby
we have to believe a contradiction. He does, sometimes, however,
clearly manifest the mystery that we will be exploring for
all eternity.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
Amen, Can I ask you one more quick question? Yeah,
I've heard you speak about the rapture, and I just
want to ask you if you could explain to me
what about the verse in First Tasconians chapter four about
that event. Could you explain to me what that means?
(24:53):
There's not a raptor as it seems to be. What
does it mean?
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Well, certainly there's nothing in that texts that communicates a
pre tribulational rapture. The notion that Christ comes down, hovers
in mid air, reverses course and takes Christians up to
heaven with him. What that passage is? And I would
counsel you to go to the passage and read it
in context. Paul's talking to people about the resurrection, and
(25:21):
he's saying that because of the resurrection, we do not
have to grieve like the rest of men who have
no hope, because those who have died are not going
to be left in their graves. In fact, they're going
to precede us, and then we're going to meet them
as it were in the air, and therefore will be
with the Lord forever. The picture is very analogous to
(25:42):
what we have in Revelation chapter twenty one. God comes
down to be with us, and as he's coming down
we greet him. But God himself is the text says,
will live with us. We will be as people. He
will be our God. He'll wipe every tear from our eyes.
There'll be no more death or morning, or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away. We're
(26:03):
at a time for this edition of the Bible Answerment Broadcast.
Thanks for tuning in. Look forward to seeing you next
time with more the show.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
We appreciate you tuning in to the Bible answer Man Broadcast.
If you've been blessed by the broadcast and want more
information to help you grow in the grace and knowledge
of God, go to our website at equip dot org.
That's equip dot org. To contact a resource consultant, call
eight eight eight seven thousand CRII again, that's eight eight
(26:34):
eight seven thousand two seven four, or you can write
to us at Post office box eighty five hundred, Charlotte,
North Carolina, zip code two eight two seven one. The
Bible answer Man Broadcast is supported by listeners like you.
We're on the air because life and truth matter. This, then,
(27:02):
is the climax of divine revelation. God with us, the infinite,
has progressively revealed himself in accordance with our finitude. Thus,
prior to Immanuel, general and special revelation revealed his glory.
But in the Incarnation we have seen his glory. Thus
writes Tank Hanagraph in his book Incarnation, the Ultimate self
(27:24):
revelation of God. In short, God's incarnation in human flesh
is the apex of revelation, his last word. In taking
on human flesh, God gives us more than the clearest
image of who he is. He gives us himself. To
receive your copy of Incarnation as our appreciation for your
financial partnership, simply call eight eight eight seven thousand c
(27:48):
R I and make a gift to support curi's life
changing outreaches, or visit equip dot org equip dot org
Welcome to the Bible answer Man Broadcast with Christian Research
Institute President Hank Canagraph. Our mission at CRII is not
only to equip you with sound biblical teaching and spiritual discernment,
but to help you become a winsome and fruitful witness
of Jesus Christ. Because the credibility of our faith hinges
(00:27):
on the answers we provide to life's biggest questions, there's
often not a second chance to get those answers right,
to learn more or to find resources to help you
grow in grace. Call eight eight eight seven thousand CRI.
That's eight eight eight seven thousand two seven four, or
go to our website at equip dot org. That's equip
(00:51):
dot org. The following program was pre recorded, and now
here's Hank Canagraph.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Thank how much rendy. We talk about Epiphany in our
Odyssey to the Heart of Christmas. Epiphany, of course, means
to reveal, and Epiphany is arguably the oldest and most
significant of all the Christmas traditions. It highlights the reality
that due to our sin, we cannot come to God,
(01:19):
and therefore God in Christ revealed himself to us. The
tradition of Epiphany, called in my home language the Dutch
language Straikoningadach or three Kings Day, is celebrated as recognition
of the first Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus Christ as king,
(01:42):
and of course it corresponds to Simeon's exaltation, for my
eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in
the sight of all people, a light for revelation to
the gentiles. Jesus did not come just as a parochial
(02:02):
Jewish messiah. He was a light to the world, so
that in him we may all find salvation. And of
course that happens when we reach out the hand of
a beggar to receive the gift of a king. Speaking
of gifts, I'm deeply grateful for those that have supported
(02:27):
and ask many more to continue doing so so that
we might reach our goal by the end of December.
So thank you to those who have given, and for
those who are prayerfully considering what they should give this month.
Remember that you can give in a safe, secure fashion
on the web at equipped dot org. When you write
me at box eighty five hundred, Charlotte, North Carolina, z
(02:51):
IF code two eight two seven to one, or when
you talk to our resource consultants at number triple eight
seven thousand and the letter CRI. And we'll go right
now to the phone lines and talk to Nick and
Fort Wayne, Indiana. By Nick.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Hey, my question, I love how you say that we
should debate certain things vigorously and non divide over them.
I'd like to hear from you what what things should
we divide over?
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Well? Essential Christian doctrine and the essential of essentials is
the question that Jesus Christ asked, who do you say
that I am? If someone answers as the Jehovah's witnesses,
do you are the archangel Michael or the Mormons? Do
you are the spirit brother of Lucifer? Or New Thought
metaphysical practitioners. Do you are an avataur messenger? Then they've compromised, confused,
(03:49):
and in this case outright contradicted the essential of essentials.
And that's why we say over and over again in essentials, unity,
non essentials, liberty, and in all things cheer.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Okay, that's twpful.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
So that the.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Nature of Jesus, how about like the inspiration of scripture
that seems like something we should divide over.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Well, that's right, I mean, that's an essential because on
the basis of scripture, you have the infallible repository for
redemptive revelation, and it also becomes the authority for faith
in practice. So if you say that the Book of
Mormon is your authority, or you say that some other
religious writing, maybe the Koran, is your authority, then you
(04:35):
have an authority that has no real practical or worthwhile
basis for living life for faith in practice. But if
you say it's the word of God, then you have
God himself giving you the parameters within which you can
live your life in such a way that it is
(04:56):
not only pleasing to you, but efficacious in terms of
the extension of His kingdom.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Okay, so I appreciate that you say we should divide
over essential Christian doctrine, But what really defines what is
essential Christian doctrine? I mean, I definitely agree with you
whether the.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Main in the plain things, there are things that are
easily discernible. I mean, the Bible makes the main in
the plain things, from the deity of Jesus Christ to
the eschatological certainty that He will return again, the hope
for the believer. So essential Christian doctrine includes the deity
of Jesus Christ, the fact that we are born and
(05:39):
conceived in sin. We're either found in the first atom
or in the second atom. Jesus Christ, what you mentioned
earlier with respect to the infallible repositor of redemptive revelation,
what is your authority? In other words, the nature of
God isn't essential. Virtually every single theological heresy begins with
someone trying to compromise the nature of God. So the
(06:02):
nature of God is an essential of the historic Christian faith.
One God revealed in three persons who are eternally distinct.
The resurrection, which is the capstone in the art of Christianity.
I mean, Paul makes the case that if Christ has
not been raised, we have no hope. We're still dead
in our sins, and we're most miserable among all men.
(06:23):
The incarnation, which we celebrate at Christmas, is an essential
of the historic Christian faith because in the incarnation, Jesus
Christ took on an additional nature, one person with two natures,
one percent human one hundred percent divine. From the perspective
of his divinity, he can provide salvation to the world,
and from the perspective of his humanity he can identify
(06:47):
with us in our sin the new nature that we
have in Jesus Christ. What Paul says, we are new
creations in Christ as a result of reaching out the
hand of a beggar and receiving the gift of the King.
And as I mentioned earlier, the whole matter of eschatology,
not in terms of the secondary issues, the timing of
(07:08):
the tribulation, of the meaning of the millennium, but the
essential that Jesus will up here a second time, and
when he does, he will put all things to right again,
the maximum in essentials, unity, non essentials, liberty, and all
things chared. You back to the phone lines, we'll talk
next to Donnie and Saint Louis, Missouri. Hi, Donnie, Hey,
(07:30):
how you doing good?
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
My wife and I and our children have been in
a local Church of Christ. I guess probably about the
past nine months. I was somewhat aware if their legalistic views,
although I encountered that twenty percent of the Church of
Christ that is extremely legalistic, and we didn't start find
that out so recently. Kind of wondering whether or not
(07:55):
we should just up and move and find a better church,
more pritting our family or stay there and possibly be
a witnessing tool. The unique position with the church is
that they don't own the building. Some local people do
here that we know, and they don't want the people
really in their church. They're really legalistic, and they kind
(08:17):
of took them all by surprise too, and they're wanting
them out. And I don't know whether or not I
should stay and address the issue, or whether or not
we should to get out or out look back.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Well, I think you're asking a very difficult question that
I can't answer for you, because in some cases you
may find that it is best for you to stay
and try to make change from within with gentleness and
with respect. In other cases your call may be to leave.
I mean, this is on a macro scale something that
(08:50):
whole denominations have faced. The Presbyterian Church in America left
the Presbyterian Church over this very thing. The Presbyterian Church
was going in a direction that compromised a central Christian doctrine,
and then people within the church had to decide whether
they wanted to affect change within or whether it was
(09:11):
best to begin a new group within the Presbyterian movement,
which was thoroughly committed to a central Christian doctrine, so
you're making that same decision on an individual basis. Now,
let me say with the Church of Christ in fairness that,
as you hinted at in the prologue to your question,
it's not monolithic. Some factions are, as you point out,
(09:35):
extremely legalistic, others are thoroughly orthodox. And it sounds like
you're in a branch that may be on the legalistic
and even on the side of an extreme faction that
argues that anyone who has a baptism differently from their
(09:56):
baptism is not a Christian and therefore lost. So within this,
if you're an equipped Christian and you can operate with
gentleness and with respect, you may be able to make
a difference. But that's a calling. If we're going to
make that difference, that's a calling. And I genuinely would
recommend that if you are to take that particular calling,
(10:18):
that you are a very mature Christian who knows what
you believe, why you believe what you believe, and in
whom you have believed, and are able to communicate that
again not only with gentleness and with respect, but persuasively
on the basis of the biblical text. We'll be right
(10:38):
back in just a few moments with more answers, So
please don't touch that dial.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
The Church of Almighty God, also known as Eastern Lightning,
is a socially subversive pseudo Christian cult. It follows a
self proclaimed female Christ whose heretical doctrines incite violence, denying
the Trinity and Biblical authority. Eastern Lightning uses psychological intimidation,
(11:03):
disrupts families, and has even perpetrated physical assaults in graphic language.
The counterfeit Christ exhorts followers to abandon their families and
devote themselves to recruiting new converts, branding those who refuse
as worthless. You can read more about the iron Rod
of this false Almighty God in a special print issue
(11:26):
of the Christian Research Journal. To receive your copy, call
EIGHTA eight seven thousand CROI and make a gift to
support the Christian Research Institute's Mind shaping, life changing outreaches.
That's eight eight eight seven thousand CROI, or visit us
online at equip dot org. That's equip dot org. Don't
(11:49):
tune out, Hank Hanagraph will be back with more right
after this. An infinite God reduced to the size of
a human embryo, the creator of time and space, invading
both in human form. Such is the mystery and the
(12:12):
majesty of the Incarnation Supreme being condescending to become one
of us. Perhaps nothing is more important than grasping the
significance of the coming God in human flesh. Without the life, death,
and resurrection of the incarnate One who walked among us,
our world would be unfathomably dark. To be equipped as
(12:34):
a witness and to be inspired in your walk, you'll
want to feast on Hank Hantagraph's book Incarnation, The Ultimate
Self Revelation of God. To receive your copy of Incarnation,
simply call eight eight eight seven thousand c Uri and
make a gift to support Curi's life changing outreaches or
visit equip dot org. Equip dot org. What the Angel
(13:02):
said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you
good news of great joy that will be for all
the people today in the town of David. A savior
has been born to you. He is Christ, the Lord.
This will be a signed to you. You will find
a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
(13:23):
Luke chapter two, verses ten through twelve. While many of
you will soon enter the hustle and bustle of the
holiday season. Hank Canagraph has penned The Heart of Christmas,
a devotional for the season, to ensure that just as
you prepare your home for Christmas, you likewise prepare your heart.
Order The Heart of Christmas, a devotional for the season,
(13:44):
by calling eight eight eight seven thousand and two seven
four or by going online to www. Dot equip dot org.
Also available is The Heart of Christmas audiobook, dramatically read
by Hank Hanigraph. The number of wolves surrounding the Christian
flock is growing, and they relish nothing more than docile's sheep,
(14:07):
utterly incapable of defending themselves from militant secularists at home
to militant Islamists abroad. The assaults on Biblical Christianity are
growing dangerously, but Christian Research Institutes Support Team members aren't
in favor of feeding these wolves. Instead, each day they're
making possible an array of outreaches that defang these wolfpacks
(14:30):
with solid arguments and evidence that have stood the test
of time. What's more, Support Team members are equipping themselves
with CRIIS Equipping Essentials, a handpicked collection of the best apologetics.
Tools around your selection of resources are just our way
of saying thanks. To learn more about the benefits of membership,
(14:50):
simply visit equip dot org. Once again, that's equip dot org.
Let's return to your host and canagraph.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
That the phone lines. We'll talk next to Chuck in Springville, California.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Hi, Chuck, Hi, Hey.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
First of all, I'd like to get in a plug
for the Bible Answerman Christian Research Institute. Just this week
I had a visit from a couple of Jehovah's witnesses
and I was able to gently steer the conversation to
who was Jesus. Oh yeah, insisted Michael the archangel.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yes.
Speaker 6 (15:36):
So we went to Matthew twenty two long about verse
forty four and forty five, and I asked, well, who
did David call Lord? And they said, well, Jesus did say,
we know, we've got people waiting in the car we
need to call. I appreciate it, well done. I appreciate
(15:57):
your ministry where you have prepared me to share my
faith thanks to the emphasis on gentleness and respect. Might
need that. But my question is Jesus Christ, of course,
as one hundred percent divine when he took on humanity,
he voluntarily limited his.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Himself.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
And I'm wondering if a reasonable analogy would be that,
when Muhammad Ali was at the height of his prowess,
if it would be like if he'd tied one hand
behind his back and gotten in the ring. He still
had the full power, but he chose to limit himself.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Yeah, I mean, I think in principle that's right. I mean,
Jesus Christ set aside the prerogative for independently using his
divine attributes. But as you're alluding to, he didn't divest
himself of a single attribute of divinity. Otherwise his atonement
would have been insufficient, because as God, his passion on
(16:57):
the cross was sufficient to atone for the sins of
the whole world. As man, he identified with us in
our humanity as the second atom who did what the
first atom could not do.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Right, Okay, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't
too far out and left field there.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Well. I mean, I think it's good to try to
use analogies to which people can relate, and I think
it's also wise to make the qualification that in your
experience most analogies break down. But maybe this is a
way to humanize it or to give someone an idea
of what you're talking about.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
You got it, and thank you for your kind words
and for your call back to the phone lines. We'll
talk next to David listening in Oklahoma. Hi, David, are
you good? Thank you.
Speaker 7 (17:47):
I had a question both today with a coal worker
who was a seven day adventis we talked about three
or four different topics but want.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
To go home.
Speaker 7 (17:59):
And there's some research on honored the Sabbath day Saturday
or Sunday, And I thought, I call that you kind
of educate directly.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Well, I mean, I think what the issue here is
is a recognition that Jesus is the substance that fulfills
the types and shadows, and that it is in Jesus
that we have our sabbath rest. And therefore, for the
early Christian Church, the most dangerous snare to avoid was
(18:31):
a failure of recognizing that it was in Christ we
have our sabbath rest. And the reason we are celebrating
on the first day of the week is simply in
honor of the central pillar and the historic Christian faith,
which is the resurrection of Jesus. Christ. But I think
it's important too to look at what Paul says in
(18:51):
Colossians chapter two. For those who have the opposite point
of view, which is that they want to worship on
Saturday as a post to Sunday, I find no problem
with that whatsoever, as long as you don't fail to
recognize that it is in Christ that you have your
Sabbath rests. In other words, so the mphosis is in
(19:12):
the right place. But Paul says, don't let anyone judge
you by what you eat or drink, or with regard
to a religious festival, a new moon celebration, a Sabbath day,
these are a shadow of the things that were to come.
The reality, however, is found in Christ. And what's great
about that passage is Paul presents a descending order, as
(19:35):
it were, from annual to monthly to weekly celebrations, and
therefore what's in view when he talks about a Sabbath
day is a weekly Sabbath. And again, the issue that
Paul is underscoring is that Jesus is the substance. Jesus
is the reality, and a failure to recognize that would
(19:58):
be missing the point entirely.
Speaker 7 (20:00):
Okay, thank you, you.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Got to thank you so much for your call back
to the phone lines. We'll talk next to Gary listening
in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
Hi Gary, Hi Ink, how are you today?
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Good?
Speaker 5 (20:12):
Thank you lest I'm sure I have a question for you.
But first of I give you a little background about
this person. He lives here in my apartment building, and
he is very faithful to the Lord.
Speaker 6 (20:27):
In his.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
In his faith and his zeal and his love and
his service. He also preaches here in the cafeteria in
the basement every week. Sometimes he has ten, sometimes he
has two, sometimes he has no one. But he preaches
his sermon all the way through for the benefit of
(20:53):
those who might be hearing him in the lobby. And
he's been doing this for five years that I've been here,
and without fail. I mean, this guy is in love
with the Lord and in doing everything he can every
(21:13):
day to be faithful and serve in his service as well. Now,
the problem that I have with him is that he's
the one that's pecostal. He doesn't believe in the Holy Trinity.
Now I don't know how to take that. Is this
man born again? Is he going to make heaven? I
(21:38):
don't know how he stands with the Lord and I Dad.
I can't figure that out. I know there are scriptures
that says, if you don't have the Father and you
don't have Jesus. If you don't have Jesus, you don't
have a Father. So how do we interpret that?
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Well, here's the thing. I don't think. It's the absence
of truth that damns. It is the despising of truth
that as And ultimately, I think what is required in
cases like this is great humility, which is to say
that when I come to the Bible, I would very
much like to remake Christ in modalistic terms, because that's
(22:18):
something that I can identify with as a human being.
But I think what we have to do rather than
trying to remake what we read is simply bow ourselves
before God's self revelation, which is to say, the Bible
is clear when it says that there is only one God.
Polytheism just isn't a part of biblical thought. The Bible
(22:42):
is also clear in saying that the Father is God,
the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God,
and then crystal clear in saying Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit are eternally distinct, such that the Father sends the son,
the son prays to the Father, the Father never begas
comes the sun. So it's not a matter of modes.
(23:04):
It's a matter of persons and personal self distinctions within
the Godhead. Now, I freely confess, as I've said on
the show many times, that this is beyond my comprehension.
It's only something that I apprehend in scripture, and I'm
willing to bow my knee as a human being, a
finite human being before that revelation of God. And therefore
(23:28):
I say, though I don't comprehend it, I apprehend it,
and thus I have this wonderful notion. For the rest
of my life, I'll be exploring the majesty of the
God who has identified himself in scripture, and even an
eternity when I as at or see him face to face,
(23:49):
or have requisite knowledge of God, even then, I will
spend an eternity seeking to comprehend the vastness of the
one who saved me by his grace. So I think
all too often we have a prideful notion that we
can comprehend the God who saves us, and in doing
(24:11):
that we diminish God. He is far greater than our comprehension,
and he never gives us something that is illogical, whereby
we have to believe a contradiction. He does, sometimes, however,
clearly manifest the mystery that we will be exploring for
all eternity.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
Amen, Can I ask you one more quick question? Yeah,
I've heard you speak about the rapture, and I just
want to ask you if you could explain to me
what about the verse in First Tasconians chapter four about
that event. Could you explain to me what that means?
(24:53):
There's not a raptor as it seems to be. What
does it mean?
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Well, certainly there's nothing in that texts that communicates a
pre tribulational rapture. The notion that Christ comes down, hovers
in mid air, reverses course and takes Christians up to
heaven with him. What that passage is? And I would
counsel you to go to the passage and read it
in context. Paul's talking to people about the resurrection, and
(25:21):
he's saying that because of the resurrection, we do not
have to grieve like the rest of men who have
no hope, because those who have died are not going
to be left in their graves. In fact, they're going
to precede us, and then we're going to meet them
as it were in the air, and therefore will be
with the Lord forever. The picture is very analogous to
(25:42):
what we have in Revelation chapter twenty one. God comes
down to be with us, and as he's coming down
we greet him. But God himself is the text says,
will live with us. We will be as people. He
will be our God. He'll wipe every tear from our eyes.
There'll be no more death or morning, or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away. We're
(26:03):
at a time for this edition of the Bible Answerment Broadcast.
Thanks for tuning in. Look forward to seeing you next
time with more the show.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
We appreciate you tuning in to the Bible answer Man Broadcast.
If you've been blessed by the broadcast and want more
information to help you grow in the grace and knowledge
of God, go to our website at equip dot org.
That's equip dot org. To contact a resource consultant, call
eight eight eight seven thousand CRII again, that's eight eight
(26:34):
eight seven thousand two seven four, or you can write
to us at Post office box eighty five hundred, Charlotte,
North Carolina, zip code two eight two seven one. The
Bible answer Man Broadcast is supported by listeners like you.
We're on the air because life and truth matter. This, then,
(27:02):
is the climax of divine revelation. God with us, the infinite,
has progressively revealed himself in accordance with our finitude. Thus,
prior to Immanuel, general and special revelation revealed his glory.
But in the Incarnation we have seen his glory. Thus
writes Tank Hanagraph in his book Incarnation, the Ultimate self
(27:24):
revelation of God. In short, God's incarnation in human flesh
is the apex of revelation, his last word. In taking
on human flesh, God gives us more than the clearest
image of who he is. He gives us himself. To
receive your copy of Incarnation as our appreciation for your
financial partnership, simply call eight eight eight seven thousand c
(27:48):
R I and make a gift to support curi's life
changing outreaches, or visit equip dot org equip dot org
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