New Audio File from Guest Teacher Dr. Jobe Martin

Join the Clifton Bible Church as Guest Teacher Dr.Jobe Martin teaches:

• Living Out the Biblical Worldview

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, in Ephesians 5:19 we are told by Paul to speak to one another in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Are we supposed to do this literally, and if so how? ANSWER: This is not a moral command. It has to do with the heart of the fellowship time of the believers in the church. "Hymns and spiritual songs" is what we all do in churches right now, hopefully! We have to avoid a legalistic approach to such words by Paul and the other apostles. This is to be the spiritual result of the Holy Spirit making such sharing real as Paul says in verse 18. He adds "making melody with your heart to the Lord; and giving of thanks ..." (v. 20).    In my Ephesians commentary just out I made this statement on the passage: "The greatest unsaved vocalist on earth is totally incapable of making a pleasing melody to God from the inner recesses of the soul. One has to be in close fellowship with the Lord to be controlled by the Holy Spirit for this to happen. Yet the Spirit-filled (controlled) believer can scarcely be restrained from such activity, whether a good vocalist or not. The 'heart' is what speaks to the Lord."    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Dec., 09)

Bible Answers for the Month of November

Join Dr.Couch for the radio program "Bible Answers" which airs every Sunday morning out of KBDE from Waco, Texas.

• November 1
• November 8
• November 15
• November 22
• November 29

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THE WEST?

We refer to the culture that originated in Greece, spread to Rome, permeated Northern Europe, was incorporated by the Anglo-Saxon tradition, spread through British influence, and is associated today primarily with Europe-the United States, and the former commonwealth countries of Britain, and has touched even some Asian countries like Japan and South Korea.    In no way would we admire the paganism of the Greeks but we received through them, and the Romans, much culture that made the European heritage. This is why up until about seventy years ago, youngsters in public school, the upper levels, took Latin and Greek and Roman history. Now, we are repudiating this heritage and there are those, including our President, who want to destroy that heritage. We would have to say that it was used of God to create the highways on which Christianity moved. Again, this is not to admire such heritage in the wrong way, but we cannot escape the positive influence of  Western thinking. This reminder comes to us from Dr. Victor Hanson as written in Imprimis (November 2009). This is why during World War II, Winston Churchill continued to refer to the good things (but not exclusively) that came through "the English speaking people of the world" in opposing the sins of Germany during that struggle.    I am sure some will argue against what Dr. Hanson has written but if they do, they are ignorant of world history! But too, what is sad is that in the Western world, we have destroyed by massive immorality the blessings we inherited. And we are now touting the other cultures of the world that do not hold a candle to the blessings God used in Western civilization. – Dr. Mal Couch (Dec., 09)

VERSES THAT DESTROY AMILLENNIALISM

Hundreds of verses of Scripture do just that, but there are three passages that are determinative on the issue. They are Luke 22:28-30; Acts 1:10-11; Hebrews 9:28. (1) In Luke 22:28-30 Christ told the disciples that they would be eating and drinking with Him at His table "in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." How could the kingdom be the church? This does not make sense. Is this about the twelve tribes of Israel or does it somehow represent the church age? And, who are the disciples here if not the disciples who walked with Christ daily? If this passage is taken literally, how in the world could it represent the church? Using the desert island approach to interpretation in which no one is influencing your view of the passage, how would you take it except with common sense? And common sense will make it mean just what it says! It would be taken in a literal and normal way. It means just what it says. Amillennialism is out the window!    (2) In Acts 1:10-11 the angels told the disciples that when the Lord departed and ascended to heaven, "This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." In other words, in a literal, visible, normal way. He went up from them "as they gazed intently into the sky while He was departing" and He would come back to earth in the exact same manner back. This departing and coming cannot be spiritualized, allegorized, amillennial-ized! It must be taken as an actual going and returning, just as the premillennial orthodox Jews and evangelical premillennial/dispensationalists have said. One cannot fudge interpretation in such a passage.    Why do the amillennialists want to make this complicated? Because they want to get rid of the Jewish people and destroy the idea of a literal kingdom reign of Christ. There is no other answer that makes sense.    (3) In Hebrews 9:28 we have a phrase that is extremely close to saying "a second coming." The writer of Hebrews says "Christ also, having been offered once [at His first coming] to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time [the second coming] for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him." "Shall appear" is the key. He lived on earth visibly and so He will come in like manner, visibly! The Jews reading Hebrews knew exactly what was being said here. They were to be LOOKING for Him to come in the same way He arrived the first time! "Shall appear" is a Future Passive Indicative of the common word "to see," horao. Thus, "He shall be seen."    In no way could these verses be talking about the church in some allegorical way. Christ's second coming will have all of the markers of a coming, an appearance, a visible arriving! – Dr. Mal Couch (Dec., 09)

LETTER FROM A READER

Dr. Couch, my relative got a copy of your new book "This Great Nation." He called me to say that he is reading it and says that the content and the presentation is the best he's ever read on the subject of America and American history. He went on to say that he has a masters degree in Church History and has taught the same subject as well. But he added that all of his teachers, or even books he's ever read on American history, never impacted him the way you bring it out and teach on it so clearly. I don't think I can ever put in words just how much I thank God for you and how Christ is working in you and through you--you have helped me so much! Thank you for helping so many of us grow in the Grace and Knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My prayers are always for you. -- TB, Texas [RIGHT NOW for a limited time, the hardback book is free inside the USA, BUT please include $5 for shipping. Order it now!: Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX 76634]

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, I believe in eternal security but I have problems with Matthew 5:22 where Jesus said "... and whosoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." How do you answer? – from England ANSWER:  I really appreciate your questions, but you must interpret the Bible by context not by the ping pong method, where you bounce all over the place and automatically apply verses to the church. This is the Sermon on the Mount where Christ is speaking specifically to the Jews and the problems they had in the way they mistreated others.    Remember, we must interpret the Bible by context and by the Greek text, not by the English. "Hell" is a bad translation that is why Bible teachers need to take Greek in order to understand all that is happening in Scripture. I have had more Greek than any Bible teacher you'll talk with. I translate almost everyday. In this passage "hell" is Geenna or Gehenna, referring to the burning garbage dump outside of the city of Jerusalem that became a symbol of judgment. Yes, often it was symbolic of hell's fires but it can, in context, often just be referring to a judgment.    Christ is addressing how the Jews mistreated each other with their mouth—with their criticisms. Note the progression in verse 22. If one is angry with his brother he should be brought before the synagogue court and be judged. If one goes further and calls his brother Raca (or numb skull, stupid) he is to be brought before the supreme court or the Sanhedrin and be judged. But if one says to his brother that he is a fool, he receives the harshest judgment and was to be cast into Gehenna, the burning garbage dump! Now can you imagine the fear this brought to the hearts of the Jews? In their relationships with others they were terribly critical, hurt others with the mouth, and continued to destroy the relationships by harsh words! The Jews paid no attention to this mistreatment. Christ brought it to their attention. The point is not about a doctrinal or theological judgment but about the issue of mistreatment of others.    This was meant to awaken the Jews in the harshness of their human relationships.    Thanks for asking, and, I hope this helps.    Dr. Mal Couch (Dec., 09)