October 22, 2025 • 28 mins
On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (10/22/25), Hank comments on the many people who suppose the doctrine of the incarnation is impossible.
Hank also answers the following questions:
How do I know my faith is real? How can I be sure of my salvation? B.J. - Oklahoma City, OK (3:14)
Are we required to keep rash vows we have made in our youth to the Lord, according to Deuteronomy 23:21 and Psalm 56:12? Anthony - Columbia, MO (16:09)
Can you explain the father’s role in vow-making from Numbers 30? Is this applicable today? Anthony - Columbia, MO (17:46)
In Revelation 13:18, is John telling us we can calculate the name of the beast by the number 666? Stephen - Everett, WA (19:12)
Hank also answers the following questions:
How do I know my faith is real? How can I be sure of my salvation? B.J. - Oklahoma City, OK (3:14)
Are we required to keep rash vows we have made in our youth to the Lord, according to Deuteronomy 23:21 and Psalm 56:12? Anthony - Columbia, MO (16:09)
Can you explain the father’s role in vow-making from Numbers 30? Is this applicable today? Anthony - Columbia, MO (17:46)
In Revelation 13:18, is John telling us we can calculate the name of the beast by the number 666? Stephen - Everett, WA (19:12)
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
From the Christian Research Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. You're
listening to the Bible answer Man broadcast with Hank Canagraph.
We're on the air because life and truth matter. The
mission of the Christian Research Institute is to equip believers
to answer life's essential questions soundly and persuasively, and to
(00:27):
give the reason for the hope that you have with
gentleness and respect. For more information, go online to equip
dot org. The following program was pre recorded and now
here's Bible answer Man host Hank Canagraph.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Then we'll go to our questions in just a few moments.
Want to mention the doctrine of the incarnation, and I
do that purposefully because so many people simply think that
incarnation is impossible. How in the world could God condescend
to cloak himself in human flesh. As Christians, however, we
(01:07):
hold to both natural and supernatural explanations for what we
encounter in the universe. The doctrine of the incarnation, as
summed up in the words of John in the beginning,
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and
(01:28):
dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth, corresponds to reality. We live in a
universe that demands a supernatural explanation, and in the incarnation,
Christ was fully God and fully man. That is, he
(01:52):
existed as the perfect unity in one person of a
divine in human nature, as the anthropist, the god Man,
the spotless lamb of God ad. And whilst did the incarnation,
like the Trinity, transcends human understanding, it does not transgress
(02:13):
the laws of logic. Miracles like the incarnation are not
only possible, they are necessary in order to make sense
of the universe. According to modern science, the universe not
only had a beginning but is unfathomably fine tuned to
support life. Not only so, but the origin of life,
(02:36):
information in the genetic code, irreducible complexity, in biological systems,
the phenomenon of the human mind. They all pose intractable
difficulties for merely natural explanations, and therefore reason forces us
to look beyond the natural world to a supernatural designer
(02:58):
who intervenes in the affairs of his created handiwork. In
other words, if we're willing to believe that God created
the heavens of the earth, we should have no problem
accepting the virgin birth. A lot of you hanging on.
We'll go right to our phone callers. First, up to date, DJ, Hi.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
DJ, Hey Hank, How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
I'm doing good? How are you?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I'm doing all right. I want to thank you first
of all for everything you do. I admitted my sin
and asked for forgiveness, and God is good and just
to do so, and so therefore I should be saved.
But I've kind of been stuck at this spot in
my walk, and you know, I kind of I've heard
(03:44):
you know that you could miss God or you know,
I kind of felt a little call at my uncle's
church in Kentucky and I didn't go up front then.
And I've heard people talk about having a said faith
and I sure don't want to do that. And yeah,
like I said, I'm kind of stuck here. I want
that personal relationship with Jesus, but I don't know where
(04:05):
to go from here that.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, yeah, So are you saying you don't have a
relationship with Jesus Christ?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Well, I don't know. I guess.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Well, let's walk through the steps do you realize that
you're a sinner?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Aye? Absolutely, yes sir.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Are you willing to repent of your sin?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
And repentance means a change of heart, a change of mind,
a change of the will. In other words, you are
willing to do it God's way instead of doing it
your own way.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
And therefore, are you willing to receive Jesus Christ as
your savior and Lord?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Well, if you realize that you're a sinner and repent
of your sin and receive Jesus Christ, then you have
everlasting life. I mean, that's what the Bible says. These
things are written that you may know that you have
everlasting life. But if you have everlasting life, there also
has to be growth. With birth comes growth, and therefore
(05:06):
it's important for you to partake of the means of
growth that are afforded you in the Bible. Spiritual disciplines
are important so that you can grow in the grace
and knowledge and understanding of your Lord and savior, Jesus Christ,
that you can develop intimacy with the lover of your soul.
(05:27):
So it's important that we do not neglect the means
of grace that are given to us in scripture as
a means of growth.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Okay, well, something that's bothering me is I believe it
was John A maybe thirty eight. It says you do
not hear, You do not hear because you're not from
God or of God.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
But that doesn't apply to you, Okay. That applies to
a historical milieu in which religious leaders, teachers of the
law knew that Jesus Christ walked through the doorway of
the Old Testament prophets, and that he did miracles by
the power of God. And yet with forethought and premeditation,
(06:19):
they in ongoing, continuous fashion, said that the works of
Christ were to be attributed to the works of Satan.
That was conscious, ongoing, willful rebellion. That is not what
you're doing. You said that you're willing to repent, not rebel,
(06:42):
so that passage is not describing you. And what I
would say is, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
God has given you salvation that you have to rest
on His promise, and then you have to engage in
(07:02):
spiritual disciplines which are in effect spiritual exercises, just as
physical disciplines like weightlifting and running promote strength and stamina.
Spiritual disciplines abstinence, engagement and solitude, and sacrifice and simplicity.
They promote righteousness. I'm fond of quoting Tom Landry. He
(07:25):
was the famous coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and he said,
the job of a good football coach is to make
men do what they don't want to do in order
that they can achieve what they've always wanted to be.
And that's the same thing with spiritual disciplines. Christians are
called to make themselves do something they would not naturally do,
that is, pursue the spiritual disciplines so that they can
(07:49):
be what they've always wanted to be, which is christ Like.
And the problem with contemporary Christianity is that a vast
majority of Christians have never made the transition from declaration
of faith to discipleship, and therefore they've never become slaves
to righteousness.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
You know that that makes a lot of sense. I
didn't grow up in a Christian home, and I spent
many years doing everything I could do on my own,
and or whatever I could do on my own, and
now I have so many habits, and you know that
(08:29):
it's hard to break that. And I'm trying to, but
I don't have a I guess I do have the
best example in Jesus, but I haven't ever seen the
Christian life in day to day context.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
And but this is what's so important in the conversation
we're having, and that is you make use of the
means of grace, and the Body of Christ is part
of that. When you become a believer, you're not born
again as a rugged individualist. So now BJ is a
Christian and he's got his insurance policy and on we go. No,
(09:04):
you actually are baptized into a community of faith, and
so you become a living stone in the Temple of God.
And therefore you're not a Christian in isolation. You're a
Christian within a community, and that means you have to
partake of a local church, be a member of a
visible expression of Christianity within a Christian church, and then
(09:27):
you can use your gifts and others can help you
with their gifts. You have addictions and vices and things
built up over the years. People have been placed in
the Body of Christ that are there for you you
need them, and therefore you can't go this in isolation.
You have to go this route in union. With other
(09:49):
members of the Body of Christ, precisely as Paul depicts
it in Romans chapter twelve. That's a very important passage
that you should read. But find a healthy well balancers,
hang on. We can help you do that. Yes, sir, okay,
thank you, sir, hey, bj thank you for calling. And
this is a very important call. A lot of people
listening in know it's an important call. That's not enough
(10:12):
to be born again, but you need to grow to maturity.
You need to understand the cost of discipleship. As Dietrich
Bonheffer so often put it, he was right in debunking
the easy believism of our day in his book, the
cost of non discipleship is great. In the Christian Church
(10:36):
today we are called to be disciples, not only converts
to faith in Jesus Christ. We'll be right back on
the other side of the break with more answers to
your questions. So please don't touch that dial, and in
the meantime, do remember the web at equipp dot org.
All kinds of resources that we talk about on the
Bible Answerment Broadcast, including the covering which talks about spiritual disciplines.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
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(11:23):
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(11:46):
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shortly with more from Hank Hanagraph Breaking the Code. If
the Book of Revelation has become an international obsession, the
(12:07):
result has been rampant misreading of scripture, bad theology, and
even bad politics and foreign policy. In The Apocalypse Code,
find out what the Bible really says about the end
times and why it matters today. Hank Canagraph argues that
the key to understanding the Last Book of the Bible
is the other sixty five books of the Bible, not
(12:28):
current events or recent history. The Apocalypse Code offers sane
answers to some very controversial questions, such as what does
it mean to take the Book of Revelation literally? Who
are the Antichrist and the Great Horror of Babylon? And
what is the real meaning of six hundred and sixty six?
Order The Apocalypse Code by Hank Cantigraph Today, available in softcover,
(12:50):
MP three, CD or MP three download from equip dot
org or call eight eight eight seven thousand CRII. Anyone
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not just on traditional morality, civility, and decency, but even
more fundamentally on historic notions of truth. And the enemy
(13:12):
isn't just the onslaught of fake news, facilitated by a
post truth culture and turbocharged by growing legions of ideological spinductors.
Note the real enemies of truth range from postmodernist convictions
that there is no objective truth to militant scientism that
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(13:33):
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(14:01):
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 majesty of the incarnation
Supreme Being condescending to become one of us. Perhaps nothing
is more important than grasping the significance of the coming
(14:22):
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 a witness
and to be inspired in your walk, you'll want to
feast on Hank Hantagraph's book Incarnation, The Ultimate Self Revelation
(14:43):
of God. To receive your copy of Incarnation, simply call
eight eight eight seven thousand c RII and make a
gift to support curi's Life changing outreaches or visit equip
dot org. Equip dot org has Jesus Christ returned to
(15:09):
Earth as a woman. Eastern Lightning, also called the Church
of Almighty God, claims a Chinese woman is the reincarnated Christ,
Almighty God and the fulfillment of Jesus's olivet discourse. This
cult is doctrinally deviant and socially subversive. It masquerades as
a persecuted Christian movement while exploiting Western sympathy to spread
(15:32):
its destructive dogmas. Don't miss the special issue of the
Christian Research Journal exposing the treacherous teachings and practices of
Eastern Lightning. To receive your copy, call eight eight eight
seven thousand CRII and make a gift to support the
Christian Research Institute's mind shaping, life changing outreaches. That's eight
(15:54):
eight eight seven thousand CRII. Or go online to equip
dot org. That's equip dot org. Once again, here's CRI President,
Hank Cantagraph.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Thank you very much, Randy, and let's go right back
to our phone callers. Anthony next in Columbia, Missouri, listening
on the web.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Hi Anthony, Hello, Hank, how are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I'm doing good.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
I really appreciate you taking my call. I had a
question about promises made to God many years ago when
I was younger, usually in my early teen years, I
made a variety of promises to God about the things
I would or wouldn't do, And in hindsight, I see
that these were really just actions basically based on my
attempts to be righteous by my own efforts, and we're
really unwise things to say to God. It would be
(16:40):
very difficult if I were trying to keep them. But
I noticed there's scriptures like Deuteronomy twenty three twenty one,
Psalms fifty six twelve that say, when you make a
vow of the Lord your God, do not delay to
pay it, and that sort of thing. And I just
wondered if an oath or avow is something that God
can actually release us for, So what would be the.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Scriptural basis for that.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Yeah, I mean, Jesus actually talks about that when he says,
you've heard that it was said to the people long ago.
Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you've
made to the Lord. And then Jesus says, but I
tell you do not swear at all, either by Heaven
because it's God's throne, or by the earth because it's
his footstool, or by Jerusalem because it is the city
(17:25):
of the Great King. And do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
Simply let your yes, b yes, your no no. Anything
beyond this comes from the evil one. So if you
have made a rash oath, you simply confess it to
the Lord and go on.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Okay, very good, And just as a follow up, you
know these were when I was much younger, a pastor
friend told my dad about this passage in number thirty
that talks about a father negating or breaking the oath
of a child. What's your view of that for today?
Do you think that has relevance today?
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Well, in principle, yes, but remember that numbers is written
within the context of a theocratic kingdom, and within a
theocracy there are civil and ceremonial laws that have been
abrogated because ultimately they are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Okay, so Christ having come, we're into grace now and
we can be forgiven.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Well it's not only that, but remember that civilian ceremonial
law is actually pointed forward to Jesus Christ. For example,
eating shellfish was an abomination in a theocratic system, but
once Jesus Christ comes, he fulfills the civilian ceremonial aspects
of the law, and therefore we don't go back to
(18:47):
adherence to that which has been fulfilled. In other words,
you never go back to the type and shadow when
the fulfillment has come. When the substance comes, you forget
the shadow. And that's why we don't offer bulls and
gold votes, because the blood of Jesus Christ is better
than the blood of bulls and goats. He is the
substance that fulfills the shadow.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Okay, very good, Well, I certainly appreciate your time tonight.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
You got it. Thank you for your call, Anthony. Want
to go back to the phone lines, Doctor Stephen and
Everett Washington High Stephen, Hi, Hank, thanks.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
For taking my call.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Pleasure my question.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
In Revelations, chapter thirteen, verse eighteen, Yeah, uh, where it says,
here's wisdom that him who has understanding calculate the number
of the beast offered the number of a man, and
I'm wondering sixty x' six. It says to calculate the number,
and I've heard the t Brew numbers represent letters, and
is he telling you that you can calculate with this
(19:44):
man's who this man is by these numbers.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Yeah, exactly calculate has to do with numbers. And therefore
what you have is an admonition to insight. And if
you have insight, if you have wisdom, then you can
calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number.
His number is six hundred sixty and six. And therefore,
through a practice known as gometria, you can calculate the
(20:11):
number of the beast. John identifies both an individual and
institution that represent the ultimate personification of evil. In other words,
this is the archetypal Antichrist. And he refers to this
archetypal Antichrist as a beast who deceived the inhabitants of
the earth. And he's drawing on Daniel's apocalyptic depiction of
(20:32):
evil world powers, and he is describing an emperor in
his own epic of time who arrogantly sets himself and
his empire against God. He persecutes the saints, he violates
the commandments, and through a long litany of disgusting demonstrations
of depravity, not only says that he is God, but
(20:56):
he is to be worshiped as God. And so John
is telling first century readers that if they have wisdom
and insight, they are able to identify who this beast is.
So obviously this is not about the twenty first century.
This is John telling first century Christians that they can
(21:16):
identify a beast in their midst.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Okay, I just was wondering if it was going to
be in our day, you know, because I've read in revelations.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Well, no, how could it be in our day? If
John's telling his readers that they could calculate the number
of the beast and the number of his name with
wisdom and insight, I mean, he's not fooling them. He's
telling them they can do that. Not only that, but
I think it's very important that as you read a revelation,
you read it literally. When Jesus says that the looming
apocalypse will take place and that the time is near,
(21:53):
its contrary to all decency and propriety to contend dogmatically
that his words are meant to convey an event that's
going to take place in our epic of time. Jesus
is not linguistically challenging when he says that this must
soon take place and the time is near. It's talking
(22:14):
about something that's going to happen in their epic of time,
not our epic of time. It was going to happen
in our epic of time. Jesus Christ would have been
able to communicate that clearly.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
Is Revelation chapter seventeen, verse ten and eleven talking about
the same person, because it's talking about five the fallen
one is and the other has not yet come. So
that wouldn't that mean that when John was alive, that
this other one hasn't come yet.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yes, future, Yes, he is talking about something that has
already happened. He's talking about something that is presently happening
and something that will happen later on. And this is
also communicated in Revelation chapter one, the same idea. Remember
(23:05):
where Jesus is. Therefore, write what you have seen, what
is now, and what will take place later. The mystery
of the seven stars you saw on my right hand
and of the seven golden lampstands is this. The seven
stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the
seven lamp stands are the seven churches. And remember, Revelation
(23:29):
is seven letters to seven churches in the epicenter of
a Caesar cult. And in those letters the believers are
called to be faithful and fruitful. They are going to
suffer for a short time, but they're also going to
experience an eternal vindication. For further information on this, I've
written about this in various places, and let me give
you that information quickly. I've written about this in the
(23:52):
Complete Bible answer Book Collector's Edition, which is available through
the Ministry of the Christian Research Institute. A more full
orb fashion I've written about in my book The Apocalypse Code.
Find out what the Bible really says about the end
times why it matters today. Also find out how to
read the Book of Revelation for all it's worth. Revelation
(24:13):
is not a book of riddles that originates from a
shallow post Christian mind. It's a book of symbols that
are rooted in Old Testament history, and the reason we
have difficulty understanding them is because we don't know our Bibles.
John reminds us repeatedly that his prophetic words are in
keeping with the words of the Old Testament prophets. The
(24:37):
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, and to
replace the Messiah with newspaper eschatology in our day is
not only bad theology, but it's blasphemous. John presents the
Messiah to his readers in various ways, and we should
understand what he's talking about because the way in which
he's representing Messiah and the epic of time in which
(25:00):
the beast would war against the lamb, is rooted in
the language of the Old Testament. So Revelation is not
only an unfolding, but it is also a linguistic matrix
that comes from Old Testament writings. There are four hundred
and four verses in the Book of Revelations, or Revelation
(25:20):
becomes a pretty easy book to memorize. It's fairly short.
Two hundred and seventy eight of those versus are direct
or indirect allusions to Old Testament passages. So again it
becomes memorable because you already know the Old Testament, and
therefore you're not confused at all as to what is
actually being communicated. Now, there are things in Revelation that
(25:41):
John knows you're not going to get, and then he
gives you an actual definition of what he means. Bowls
full of incense. They are the prayers of the Saints.
We might miss that unless John explains it. So John
actually explains it to this again. I've written about this
in my book The Apocalypse Code, which is available through
the Ministry of the Christian Research Institute. You can order
on the web at equipped dot org. You can talk
(26:03):
to our resource consultants at triple eight seven thousand CRI,
or you can simply send me a letter at Post
Office Box eighty five hundred, Charlote, North Carolina, zip code
two eight two seven one. We'll see you next time
right here with more answers to your questions.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
You've been listening to the Bible answer Man Broadcast with
Hank Hannagraph. Our mailing address is PO box eighty five hundred, Charlotte,
North Carolina, zip code two eight two seven one. To
listen to the broadcast on the internet, visit equip dot org,
where you'll also find a wealth of information and resources
to equip you. To talk to a resource consultant, call
(26:39):
eight eight eight seven thousand CRII that's eight eight eight
seven thousand, two seven four. The Bible answer Man Broadcast
is supported by listeners like you. We're on the air
because life and truth matter. Breaking the code. If the
(27:04):
Book of Revelation has become an international obsession, the result
has been rampant misreading of scripture, bad theology, and even
bad politics and foreign policy. In the Apocalypse Code, find
out what the Bible really says about the end times
and why it matters today. Hank Canagraph argues that the
key to understanding the Last Book of the Bible is
(27:25):
the other sixty five books of the Bible, not current
events or recent history. The Apocalypse Code offers sane answers
to some very controversial questions, such as what does it
mean to take the Book of Revelation literally, who are
the Antichrist and the Great Horror of Babylon? And what
is the real meaning of six hundred and sixty six.
(27:45):
Order The Apocalypse Code by Hank Cantigraph today, available in softcover,
MP three, CD or MP three download from equip dot
org or call eight eight eight seven thousand CRI
From the Christian Research Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. You're
listening to the Bible answer Man broadcast with Hank Canagraph.
We're on the air because life and truth matter. The
mission of the Christian Research Institute is to equip believers
to answer life's essential questions soundly and persuasively, and to
(00:27):
give the reason for the hope that you have with
gentleness and respect. For more information, go online to equip
dot org. The following program was pre recorded and now
here's Bible answer Man host Hank Canagraph.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Then we'll go to our questions in just a few moments.
Want to mention the doctrine of the incarnation, and I
do that purposefully because so many people simply think that
incarnation is impossible. How in the world could God condescend
to cloak himself in human flesh. As Christians, however, we
(01:07):
hold to both natural and supernatural explanations for what we
encounter in the universe. The doctrine of the incarnation, as
summed up in the words of John in the beginning,
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and
(01:28):
dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth, corresponds to reality. We live in a
universe that demands a supernatural explanation, and in the incarnation,
Christ was fully God and fully man. That is, he
(01:52):
existed as the perfect unity in one person of a
divine in human nature, as the anthropist, the god Man,
the spotless lamb of God ad. And whilst did the incarnation,
like the Trinity, transcends human understanding, it does not transgress
(02:13):
the laws of logic. Miracles like the incarnation are not
only possible, they are necessary in order to make sense
of the universe. According to modern science, the universe not
only had a beginning but is unfathomably fine tuned to
support life. Not only so, but the origin of life,
(02:36):
information in the genetic code, irreducible complexity, in biological systems,
the phenomenon of the human mind. They all pose intractable
difficulties for merely natural explanations, and therefore reason forces us
to look beyond the natural world to a supernatural designer
(02:58):
who intervenes in the affairs of his created handiwork. In
other words, if we're willing to believe that God created
the heavens of the earth, we should have no problem
accepting the virgin birth. A lot of you hanging on.
We'll go right to our phone callers. First, up to date, DJ, Hi.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
DJ, Hey Hank, How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (03:20):
I'm doing good? How are you?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I'm doing all right. I want to thank you first
of all for everything you do. I admitted my sin
and asked for forgiveness, and God is good and just
to do so, and so therefore I should be saved.
But I've kind of been stuck at this spot in
my walk, and you know, I kind of I've heard
(03:44):
you know that you could miss God or you know,
I kind of felt a little call at my uncle's
church in Kentucky and I didn't go up front then.
And I've heard people talk about having a said faith
and I sure don't want to do that. And yeah,
like I said, I'm kind of stuck here. I want
that personal relationship with Jesus, but I don't know where
(04:05):
to go from here that.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, yeah, So are you saying you don't have a
relationship with Jesus Christ?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Well, I don't know. I guess.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Well, let's walk through the steps do you realize that
you're a sinner?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Aye? Absolutely, yes sir.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Are you willing to repent of your sin?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
And repentance means a change of heart, a change of mind,
a change of the will. In other words, you are
willing to do it God's way instead of doing it
your own way.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
And therefore, are you willing to receive Jesus Christ as
your savior and Lord?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yes, sir.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Well, if you realize that you're a sinner and repent
of your sin and receive Jesus Christ, then you have
everlasting life. I mean, that's what the Bible says. These
things are written that you may know that you have
everlasting life. But if you have everlasting life, there also
has to be growth. With birth comes growth, and therefore
(05:06):
it's important for you to partake of the means of
growth that are afforded you in the Bible. Spiritual disciplines
are important so that you can grow in the grace
and knowledge and understanding of your Lord and savior, Jesus Christ,
that you can develop intimacy with the lover of your soul.
(05:27):
So it's important that we do not neglect the means
of grace that are given to us in scripture as
a means of growth.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Okay, well, something that's bothering me is I believe it
was John A maybe thirty eight. It says you do
not hear, You do not hear because you're not from
God or of God.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
But that doesn't apply to you, Okay. That applies to
a historical milieu in which religious leaders, teachers of the
law knew that Jesus Christ walked through the doorway of
the Old Testament prophets, and that he did miracles by
the power of God. And yet with forethought and premeditation,
(06:19):
they in ongoing, continuous fashion, said that the works of
Christ were to be attributed to the works of Satan.
That was conscious, ongoing, willful rebellion. That is not what
you're doing. You said that you're willing to repent, not rebel,
(06:42):
so that passage is not describing you. And what I
would say is, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
God has given you salvation that you have to rest
on His promise, and then you have to engage in
(07:02):
spiritual disciplines which are in effect spiritual exercises, just as
physical disciplines like weightlifting and running promote strength and stamina.
Spiritual disciplines abstinence, engagement and solitude, and sacrifice and simplicity.
They promote righteousness. I'm fond of quoting Tom Landry. He
(07:25):
was the famous coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and he said,
the job of a good football coach is to make
men do what they don't want to do in order
that they can achieve what they've always wanted to be.
And that's the same thing with spiritual disciplines. Christians are
called to make themselves do something they would not naturally do,
that is, pursue the spiritual disciplines so that they can
(07:49):
be what they've always wanted to be, which is christ Like.
And the problem with contemporary Christianity is that a vast
majority of Christians have never made the transition from declaration
of faith to discipleship, and therefore they've never become slaves
to righteousness.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
You know that that makes a lot of sense. I
didn't grow up in a Christian home, and I spent
many years doing everything I could do on my own,
and or whatever I could do on my own, and
now I have so many habits, and you know that
(08:29):
it's hard to break that. And I'm trying to, but
I don't have a I guess I do have the
best example in Jesus, but I haven't ever seen the
Christian life in day to day context.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
And but this is what's so important in the conversation
we're having, and that is you make use of the
means of grace, and the Body of Christ is part
of that. When you become a believer, you're not born
again as a rugged individualist. So now BJ is a
Christian and he's got his insurance policy and on we go. No,
(09:04):
you actually are baptized into a community of faith, and
so you become a living stone in the Temple of God.
And therefore you're not a Christian in isolation. You're a
Christian within a community, and that means you have to
partake of a local church, be a member of a
visible expression of Christianity within a Christian church, and then
(09:27):
you can use your gifts and others can help you
with their gifts. You have addictions and vices and things
built up over the years. People have been placed in
the Body of Christ that are there for you you
need them, and therefore you can't go this in isolation.
You have to go this route in union. With other
(09:49):
members of the Body of Christ, precisely as Paul depicts
it in Romans chapter twelve. That's a very important passage
that you should read. But find a healthy well balancers,
hang on. We can help you do that. Yes, sir, okay,
thank you, sir, hey, bj thank you for calling. And
this is a very important call. A lot of people
listening in know it's an important call. That's not enough
(10:12):
to be born again, but you need to grow to maturity.
You need to understand the cost of discipleship. As Dietrich
Bonheffer so often put it, he was right in debunking
the easy believism of our day in his book, the
cost of non discipleship is great. In the Christian Church
(10:36):
today we are called to be disciples, not only converts
to faith in Jesus Christ. We'll be right back on
the other side of the break with more answers to
your questions. So please don't touch that dial, and in
the meantime, do remember the web at equipp dot org.
All kinds of resources that we talk about on the
Bible Answerment Broadcast, including the covering which talks about spiritual disciplines.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Every Bible answer Man broadcast such as the one you're
listening to right now, is made possible through the financial
support of friends like you. Each month, we depend entirely
on God's provision through his people to bring you more
of the broadcast, podcasts and other resources you rely on.
If you want a sound proclamation and defense of the
(11:23):
Gospel of Jesus Christ to continue to be heard through
the outreaches of the Christian Research Institute, become a member
of crii's support team today. Call eight eight eight seven
thousand CRI and stand with CRII daily in the battle
for life and truth. That's eight eight eight seven thousand CRI,
(11:46):
or visit our website at equip dot org. We'll return
shortly with more from Hank Hanagraph Breaking the Code. If
the Book of Revelation has become an international obsession, the
(12:07):
result has been rampant misreading of scripture, bad theology, and
even bad politics and foreign policy. In The Apocalypse Code,
find out what the Bible really says about the end
times and why it matters today. Hank Canagraph argues that
the key to understanding the Last Book of the Bible
is the other sixty five books of the Bible, not
(12:28):
current events or recent history. The Apocalypse Code offers sane
answers to some very controversial questions, such as what does
it mean to take the Book of Revelation literally? Who
are the Antichrist and the Great Horror of Babylon? And
what is the real meaning of six hundred and sixty six?
Order The Apocalypse Code by Hank Cantigraph Today, available in softcover,
(12:50):
MP three, CD or MP three download from equip dot
org or call eight eight eight seven thousand CRII. Anyone
who's been paying attention knows there's a war going on,
not just on traditional morality, civility, and decency, but even
more fundamentally on historic notions of truth. And the enemy
(13:12):
isn't just the onslaught of fake news, facilitated by a
post truth culture and turbocharged by growing legions of ideological spinductors.
Note the real enemies of truth range from postmodernist convictions
that there is no objective truth to militant scientism that
claims that only science can determine truth and religion is
(13:33):
little more than primitive superstitions. But CRI support Team members
are not waving a white flag of surrender. They're holding
the fort by undergirding everyone of Christian Research Institute's mind
shaping and life changing Outreaches twenty four to seven. To
learn how you can make a difference and enjoy all
the benefits of support team membership, simply visit equip dot org.
(14:01):
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 majesty of the incarnation
Supreme Being condescending to become one of us. Perhaps nothing
is more important than grasping the significance of the coming
(14:22):
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 a witness
and to be inspired in your walk, you'll want to
feast on Hank Hantagraph's book Incarnation, The Ultimate Self Revelation
(14:43):
of God. To receive your copy of Incarnation, simply call
eight eight eight seven thousand c RII and make a
gift to support curi's Life changing outreaches or visit equip
dot org. Equip dot org has Jesus Christ returned to
(15:09):
Earth as a woman. Eastern Lightning, also called the Church
of Almighty God, claims a Chinese woman is the reincarnated Christ,
Almighty God and the fulfillment of Jesus's olivet discourse. This
cult is doctrinally deviant and socially subversive. It masquerades as
a persecuted Christian movement while exploiting Western sympathy to spread
(15:32):
its destructive dogmas. Don't miss the special issue of the
Christian Research Journal exposing the treacherous teachings and practices of
Eastern Lightning. To receive your copy, call eight eight eight
seven thousand CRII and make a gift to support the
Christian Research Institute's mind shaping, life changing outreaches. That's eight
(15:54):
eight eight seven thousand CRII. Or go online to equip
dot org. That's equip dot org. Once again, here's CRI President,
Hank Cantagraph.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Thank you very much, Randy, and let's go right back
to our phone callers. Anthony next in Columbia, Missouri, listening
on the web.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Hi Anthony, Hello, Hank, how are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I'm doing good.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
I really appreciate you taking my call. I had a
question about promises made to God many years ago when
I was younger, usually in my early teen years, I
made a variety of promises to God about the things
I would or wouldn't do, And in hindsight, I see
that these were really just actions basically based on my
attempts to be righteous by my own efforts, and we're
really unwise things to say to God. It would be
(16:40):
very difficult if I were trying to keep them. But
I noticed there's scriptures like Deuteronomy twenty three twenty one,
Psalms fifty six twelve that say, when you make a
vow of the Lord your God, do not delay to
pay it, and that sort of thing. And I just
wondered if an oath or avow is something that God
can actually release us for, So what would be the.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Scriptural basis for that.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Yeah, I mean, Jesus actually talks about that when he says,
you've heard that it was said to the people long ago.
Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you've
made to the Lord. And then Jesus says, but I
tell you do not swear at all, either by Heaven
because it's God's throne, or by the earth because it's
his footstool, or by Jerusalem because it is the city
(17:25):
of the Great King. And do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
Simply let your yes, b yes, your no no. Anything
beyond this comes from the evil one. So if you
have made a rash oath, you simply confess it to
the Lord and go on.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Okay, very good, And just as a follow up, you
know these were when I was much younger, a pastor
friend told my dad about this passage in number thirty
that talks about a father negating or breaking the oath
of a child. What's your view of that for today?
Do you think that has relevance today?
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Well, in principle, yes, but remember that numbers is written
within the context of a theocratic kingdom, and within a
theocracy there are civil and ceremonial laws that have been
abrogated because ultimately they are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Okay, so Christ having come, we're into grace now and
we can be forgiven.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Well it's not only that, but remember that civilian ceremonial
law is actually pointed forward to Jesus Christ. For example,
eating shellfish was an abomination in a theocratic system, but
once Jesus Christ comes, he fulfills the civilian ceremonial aspects
of the law, and therefore we don't go back to
(18:47):
adherence to that which has been fulfilled. In other words,
you never go back to the type and shadow when
the fulfillment has come. When the substance comes, you forget
the shadow. And that's why we don't offer bulls and
gold votes, because the blood of Jesus Christ is better
than the blood of bulls and goats. He is the
substance that fulfills the shadow.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Okay, very good, Well, I certainly appreciate your time tonight.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
You got it. Thank you for your call, Anthony. Want
to go back to the phone lines, Doctor Stephen and
Everett Washington High Stephen, Hi, Hank, thanks.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
For taking my call.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Pleasure my question.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
In Revelations, chapter thirteen, verse eighteen, Yeah, uh, where it says,
here's wisdom that him who has understanding calculate the number
of the beast offered the number of a man, and
I'm wondering sixty x' six. It says to calculate the number,
and I've heard the t Brew numbers represent letters, and
is he telling you that you can calculate with this
(19:44):
man's who this man is by these numbers.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Yeah, exactly calculate has to do with numbers. And therefore
what you have is an admonition to insight. And if
you have insight, if you have wisdom, then you can
calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number.
His number is six hundred sixty and six. And therefore,
through a practice known as gometria, you can calculate the
(20:11):
number of the beast. John identifies both an individual and
institution that represent the ultimate personification of evil. In other words,
this is the archetypal Antichrist. And he refers to this
archetypal Antichrist as a beast who deceived the inhabitants of
the earth. And he's drawing on Daniel's apocalyptic depiction of
(20:32):
evil world powers, and he is describing an emperor in
his own epic of time who arrogantly sets himself and
his empire against God. He persecutes the saints, he violates
the commandments, and through a long litany of disgusting demonstrations
of depravity, not only says that he is God, but
(20:56):
he is to be worshiped as God. And so John
is telling first century readers that if they have wisdom
and insight, they are able to identify who this beast is.
So obviously this is not about the twenty first century.
This is John telling first century Christians that they can
(21:16):
identify a beast in their midst.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Okay, I just was wondering if it was going to
be in our day, you know, because I've read in revelations.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Well, no, how could it be in our day? If
John's telling his readers that they could calculate the number
of the beast and the number of his name with
wisdom and insight, I mean, he's not fooling them. He's
telling them they can do that. Not only that, but
I think it's very important that as you read a revelation,
you read it literally. When Jesus says that the looming
apocalypse will take place and that the time is near,
(21:53):
its contrary to all decency and propriety to contend dogmatically
that his words are meant to convey an event that's
going to take place in our epic of time. Jesus
is not linguistically challenging when he says that this must
soon take place and the time is near. It's talking
(22:14):
about something that's going to happen in their epic of time,
not our epic of time. It was going to happen
in our epic of time. Jesus Christ would have been
able to communicate that clearly.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
Is Revelation chapter seventeen, verse ten and eleven talking about
the same person, because it's talking about five the fallen
one is and the other has not yet come. So
that wouldn't that mean that when John was alive, that
this other one hasn't come yet.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yes, future, Yes, he is talking about something that has
already happened. He's talking about something that is presently happening
and something that will happen later on. And this is
also communicated in Revelation chapter one, the same idea. Remember
(23:05):
where Jesus is. Therefore, write what you have seen, what
is now, and what will take place later. The mystery
of the seven stars you saw on my right hand
and of the seven golden lampstands is this. The seven
stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the
seven lamp stands are the seven churches. And remember, Revelation
(23:29):
is seven letters to seven churches in the epicenter of
a Caesar cult. And in those letters the believers are
called to be faithful and fruitful. They are going to
suffer for a short time, but they're also going to
experience an eternal vindication. For further information on this, I've
written about this in various places, and let me give
you that information quickly. I've written about this in the
(23:52):
Complete Bible answer Book Collector's Edition, which is available through
the Ministry of the Christian Research Institute. A more full
orb fashion I've written about in my book The Apocalypse Code.
Find out what the Bible really says about the end
times why it matters today. Also find out how to
read the Book of Revelation for all it's worth. Revelation
(24:13):
is not a book of riddles that originates from a
shallow post Christian mind. It's a book of symbols that
are rooted in Old Testament history, and the reason we
have difficulty understanding them is because we don't know our Bibles.
John reminds us repeatedly that his prophetic words are in
keeping with the words of the Old Testament prophets. The
(24:37):
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, and to
replace the Messiah with newspaper eschatology in our day is
not only bad theology, but it's blasphemous. John presents the
Messiah to his readers in various ways, and we should
understand what he's talking about because the way in which
he's representing Messiah and the epic of time in which
(25:00):
the beast would war against the lamb, is rooted in
the language of the Old Testament. So Revelation is not
only an unfolding, but it is also a linguistic matrix
that comes from Old Testament writings. There are four hundred
and four verses in the Book of Revelations, or Revelation
(25:20):
becomes a pretty easy book to memorize. It's fairly short.
Two hundred and seventy eight of those versus are direct
or indirect allusions to Old Testament passages. So again it
becomes memorable because you already know the Old Testament, and
therefore you're not confused at all as to what is
actually being communicated. Now, there are things in Revelation that
(25:41):
John knows you're not going to get, and then he
gives you an actual definition of what he means. Bowls
full of incense. They are the prayers of the Saints.
We might miss that unless John explains it. So John
actually explains it to this again. I've written about this
in my book The Apocalypse Code, which is available through
the Ministry of the Christian Research Institute. You can order
on the web at equipped dot org. You can talk
(26:03):
to our resource consultants at triple eight seven thousand CRI,
or you can simply send me a letter at Post
Office Box eighty five hundred, Charlote, North Carolina, zip code
two eight two seven one. We'll see you next time
right here with more answers to your questions.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
You've been listening to the Bible answer Man Broadcast with
Hank Hannagraph. Our mailing address is PO box eighty five hundred, Charlotte,
North Carolina, zip code two eight two seven one. To
listen to the broadcast on the internet, visit equip dot org,
where you'll also find a wealth of information and resources
to equip you. To talk to a resource consultant, call
(26:39):
eight eight eight seven thousand CRII that's eight eight eight
seven thousand, two seven four. The Bible answer Man Broadcast
is supported by listeners like you. We're on the air
because life and truth matter. Breaking the code. If the
(27:04):
Book of Revelation has become an international obsession, the result
has been rampant misreading of scripture, bad theology, and even
bad politics and foreign policy. In the Apocalypse Code, find
out what the Bible really says about the end times
and why it matters today. Hank Canagraph argues that the
key to understanding the Last Book of the Bible is
(27:25):
the other sixty five books of the Bible, not current
events or recent history. The Apocalypse Code offers sane answers
to some very controversial questions, such as what does it
mean to take the Book of Revelation literally, who are
the Antichrist and the Great Horror of Babylon? And what
is the real meaning of six hundred and sixty six.
(27:45):
Order The Apocalypse Code by Hank Cantigraph today, available in softcover,
MP three, CD or MP three download from equip dot
org or call eight eight eight seven thousand CRI
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