New Audio Files: Genesis

Join Dr. Mal Couch and the Clifton Bible Church for a study in the book of Genesis:

• Genesis 1 (part one)
• Genesis 1 (part two)
• Genesis 2 (part one)
• Genesis 2 (part two)

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, I understand the Contemplative Prayer people use Psalm 46:10 and Matthew 6:6-7 to advocate that we should go into the lotus position, tune out all thoughts, and contemplate God. Is that what these verses are all about? ANSWER:  The Contemplative Prayer advocates are not talking about meditating on God. They are advocating Hinduism by which one pushes out all thoughts, even about God, and go into a silent mental state, whereby then they are filled up with the divine! This is Hinduism and not Christianity! They believe we should divorce the mind from all thinking. God then comes and simply fills up the silence space in a mystical "no thinking" way.    This is a repudiation of all objective, conscious thinking. It is a denial of living by objective doctrine, whereby we act on the truths of God's Word. The Contemplative Prayer people admit that they are uniting their view of "Christianity" with other religions. Most of the advocates are coming out of Anglicanism. They are also going back to contemplation and musing from the "desert fathers," those in the Middle Ages who left the world in order to find God "in silence." This is cultism and it is driven by demonism! It is exploding in liberal churches, but too, it is spilling over into Evangelical churches. This is leading to a one-world religion!    In the NAS Psalm 46:10 reads: "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The "cease striving" is not speaking about tuning out contemplation, it is about waiting on the Lord in His sovereignty to do the work He has determined in His world. In other words, they misuse the passage and do not understand what it is about. Matthew 6:6 is also not talking about going brain-dead and shutting out all thinking. Christ said: "When you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you." The point is that one simply goes into a private place and speaks with Him alone. Don't "perform" with your praying in order to impress others. Since God is Spirit, He sees and hears all things. He knows our every thought!    Be alert! Satan is working overtime in destroying the truth of God's Word. Because doctrine is no longer "in", especially among those who are thirty-five and under, we can expect all kinds of occultism coming in, in order to destroy biblical Christianity. Satan is working overtime to mislead our churches!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Ask. Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, thank you for emphasizing the doctrine of the Trinity. I've noticed in the past that you explain the doctrine clearly. You need to write a book on the subject! ANSWER: Thank you for your comments. In graduate school I had an advanced course on the subject. The professor, Dr. John Witmer, did an outstanding job with all the verses in Scripture that explained the nature of our Lord!    There are several ways to confirm and explain the doctrine of the Trinity. One has to do with the fact that the persons in the Godhead do the same thing. For example, in Isaiah 51:12, God the Father says He is the One who comforts. Christ told His disciples He would send them "another" Comforter (or Helper) (John 14:16 ) who would be the Holy Spirit (v. 17). Christ is saying that He is a Comforter but would send another Comforter, the Spirit. So each person in the Godhead comforts believers! They are doing the same work!    John 3:6 speaks of being born of the Spirit, but 5:4 speaks of being born of God. Paul says that Christ performs signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:19 ) but Psalm 136:1-4 says that God the Father also performs great wonders. Thus, all three persons of the Godhead are performing such work!    Satan can fill the heart to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3) but also God the Father can be lied to (v. 4). It is possible to try (or tempt) the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:9) but also the Lord God can be tried (or tempted) (Matt. 4:7). The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, all three separate persons, are abiding within the believer (John 14:16 -23). Those who are anti-Trinitarian say, "Well, yes, God dwells within, but this idea is not supporting the doctrine of the Trinity!" But it is, because the indwelling is done distinctly be the three persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit!    In creating us, all three persons were involved specifically. The Father "has made us" (Psa. 100:3), Christ the Word created all things, including us! ( Col. 1:16) and the Spirit of God made us (Job 33:4). God stills the waves (Psa. 107:29) and so does the Son (Matt. 8:26 ). God the Father can send His Spirit (Isa. 48:16) and so the Son (John 16:7). We are to serve God the Father (Deut. 10:20 ) and also the Son (Col. 3:24).    We could go on and refer to hundreds of additional verses but the passages above make clear what the Bible is saying about the persons in the Trinity.    Early in American history, on the East coast, there was a revolt against the doctrine of the Trinity in many of the congregations. They denied the Trinity and turned to the cult of Universalism. This brought down many of the churches, and even some of the colleges, in the eastern states. Spiritually, many of the churches in that part of the country never fully recovered. That is why the East coast remained so spiritually dead even up until the present time. Transcendentalism filled the gap in many congregations. Spiritual deadness followed.    To fully understand the nature and attributes of our God is extremely important. This becomes a bulwark against a belief in other religions! One cannot say Islam, or Hinduism, are equal to Christianity, if one is fully aware of the biblical revelation of who our God is! If you have not heard recently a full doctrinal teaching on the Trinity, you must see that this happens in your Sunday schools or from the pulpit by your pastor! This issue is extremely important!    Thanks for your comments.    Dr. Mal Couch

A JUDGMENT IS COMING UPON THE EVILDOERS IN AMERICA!

Do not fret because of evildoers.
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
For they will wither quickly
like the grass.
And fade like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good.
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
(Psalm 37:1-2)

The wicked plots against the righteousness.
And gnashes at him with the teeth.
The Lord laughs at him;
for He sees his day is coming!
(Psalm 37:12-13)

With Him are wisdom and might;
To Him belong counsel and understanding.
… He makes counselors walk barefoot,
and makes fools of judges.
… He overthrows the secure ones.
He deprives the trusted ones of speech.
And takes away the discernment of the elders.
He pours contempt on nobles,
and loosens the belt of the strong.
He makes the nations great, then destroys them;
He enlarges the nations,
Then leads them away.
… They grope in darkness with no light,
and He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
(Job 12)

“Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime
that damage morale and undermine the military are
saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled, or hanged.”
(Abraham Lincoln – 1863)

CONGRESS AND HOMOSEXUALITY

A Congressional Committee met to put forth a bill that would not allow anyone who is against homosexuality from joining the services. They meet again to finalize the wording after the 4th of July. Please write to your Congressman to object to this “Hate Crime” legislation that marginalizes and targets those who have strong reservations on this moral issue. Another 150,000 names are needed. Please respond!

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, I really appreciate your teaching on the Trinity. How can we get more material from you on the subject? ANSWER:  I've never done a series on this. There are some great sources out there that I suggest. One is The Trinity by Edward Bickersteth (Kregel). You need to get it! This answers all the issues on the Trinity, and gives all of the main verses of Scripture. Because of the inclusion going on today ("all religions are the same") you need to fortify your heart, mind, and soul, as to the nature of our God!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #75

Dr. Couch, Are the Arabs descendants of Ishmael? ANSWER: The Arabs in the Middle East today are a mixture of many peoples, but there are three groups that play heavily on the biblical texts. Yes, they would include far descendants of Ishmael (Gen. 17:20-27), but also the sons of Esau (25:24-on) and Abraham's later sons from his wife Keturah and his many concubines (25:1-6). Nearing death, Abraham became guilty and fearful about the many sons from the concubines. The Bible says that "Abraham gave gifts while he was still living, and sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, to the land of the east" (v. 6).     All of these children were not of the covenant through Isaac and Jacob and his sons. This is partly why there is war today in the Middle East over the Jews, and over the Promised Land. Abraham's family mistakes have to a degree brought about competition, envy, and jealousy.     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, I understand that some believe Solomon was not saved, that he was so deep in sin with all his wives that he was not a child of God. How do you answer? ANSWER: Solomon was saved as we would understand it in NT terminology. But he was seduced by the idols of his many wives. We read in 1 Kings 11:4: "His many wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been." He "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully" (v. 6). He "built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab , on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem , and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon" (v. 7). God commanded him "that he should not go after the other gods; but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded" (v. 10).    We know he was saved from 2 Samuel 7. Solomon would build a house for the Lord's name, and through Solomon, God would establish "the throne of his kingdom forever" (v. 13). Wow! Forever! God would "be a father to him and he will be God's son; when he commits iniquity, God will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men" (v. 14). But more, God's "lovingkindness" shall not depart from Solomon (v. 15). David's house and kingdom shall endure before God FOREVER; and David's throne, because of Solomon his son, "shall be established forever" (v. 16).    The Hebrew word "lovingkindness" is actually the word Chay'Sad which is better translated "mercy." The word is rich in meaning with a related word "to take refuge." God will be a place of refuge for Solomon, One who gives protection, One to whom Solomon can flee. Other meanings of the word can be: "kindness, benevolence, grace." The Jewish Rabbis say of 2 Samuel 7:15: "God's mercy shall not be permanently taken away." They add, "This promise through David and then Solomon is about an everlasting kingdom of the house of David powerfully influenced by the development of the Messianic hope in Israel ." And, "despite the sins of Solomon it is repeatedly affirmed that the kingdom shall not be withdrawn from David's house for his sake."    Thus, Solomon was saved, he was a believer in the Lord, though weak by being tempted with the idols if of his pagan wives!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

New Audio Files: Dr. Robert Lightner teaches 2 John

Join Dr. Robert Lightner as he teaches the book of 2nd John at the Clifton Bible Church

• 2 John, Part One
• 2 John, Part Two

Ask Dr. Couch #76

Dr. Couch, what is the difference between a Pentecostal and a Charismatic? ANSWER:  Some of the differences have to do with practice and not doctrine. The Charismatics are "modernized" Pentecostals. The Jim Bakkers had a Pentecostal heritage but "came out of the closet" with Tammy Fay wearing make up and dressing extremely flashy. Many Pentecostals still believe in no makeup and dress in sackcloth and ashes! Doctrinally they are the same as far as I can tell. However, the Pentecostals really dislike the teaching that you can materialize what you want to just saying it. The name it and claim it thing!     I had a distant relative who was Pentecostal, who disliked Charismatics. He thought they were too showy. He felt if he sinned he would lose his salvation. He lived constantly in fear, studied the Bible only on the surface because he repudiated "the learning" of the Scriptures. I was influencing him and believe he was changing doctrinally. In a short time he would have given up his false tongues speaking, but he passed away before that happened. It was a terrible thing to see how shallow he was in terms of scriptural study. They all are. He had a lot of problems in his life, which they all do, though they try to deny this lest they lose their salvation.     Two of the best Bible teachers in America were charismatic, whom I will not name. They both have authored many, many books. You would know the names right off if I mentioned them. Before I met them they had given up their tongues speaking. I asked them why and they answered, "Because of the study of the Word of God. They saw what we were doing was wrong, was emotional and not biblical!" Sitting around the dinner table they would "speak" in tongues to show how they could turn it off and on at will!     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, can believers be seduced by idolatry?   ANSWER: You bet they can! Not so much today, but during Paul's day many of the Gentiles were tempted again to serve idols. Paul warns believers about this. He told the Corinthians, "Do not be idolaters, as some of" the Jews were in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:7). He added, "My beloved (the believers), flee from idolatry" (v. 14). And then John wrote: "Little children, guard yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21 ).    We forget that believers can act fleshly or carnal and live just like the world. Paul warned: "You are not able to receive solid food, "even now you are not yet able. … are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men (the lost)?" (1 Cor. 3:2-3).    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #77

Dr. Couch, does the Reformed doctrine of predestination differ from the Islamic view of predestination? And what about Islamic fatalism? ANSWER: The doctrine of predestination did not begin with the Reformed movement. It may have been further explained and fleshed out, but it was a doctrine of the church well before Augustine. Augustine taught it along with the sovereignty of God. Many Catholic divines of the Middle Ages, who I believe could have been born again, also expounded on it.     Muslims get their views of the absolute sovereignty of God from both the Old and New Testaments. (Is it not strange that the Muslims believe this but many Evangelical Christians do not!)     Remember that the Koran is a blender full of truths and half-truths from our Bible. Islamic fatalism is different from the sovereignty of God in the Bible, in that our Scriptures speak of a plan that has distinct purposes in it. Salvation to the Muslim is very capricious and uncertain. It is based on works and an uncertain hope that Allah will be capriciously gracious—though they will never know they will get to heaven until passing through the judgment for their works. Our Bible gives absolute certainty of salvation by faith in Christ. This would be foreign to the Muslim. While some Muslim sects have animal sacrifices they are not as an expatiation for taking care of the sin issue that separates man from God. only Christianity really addresses the issue of human sin and the love of God for the sinner.     Our Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit "intercedes for the [Christian] saints according to the will of God" (Rom. 8:27) and that God "causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (v. 28). This kind of language is foreign to the Muslim.     By the way, some years ago I asked an Iranian engineer to tell me of any prophecies that were in the Koran. He looked puzzled and could not answer. I told him that this was one of the big differences between Islam and Christianity. Our Bible has thousands of prophecies with about half that have already come to pass. He could not name one from the Koran!     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, what is going on in Hebrew 6:1-9? I have had people say it is teaching the loss of salvation. Please explain. ANSWER:  I was privileged to take the book of Hebrew in graduate Greek from one of the best Greek teachers in America . And I can assure you this is not what the old "having fallen away" passage is all about!    I came to the conclusion years ago that the book of Hebrews, though passed on to believers in the church, is mainly addressing those Jews who had heard the gospel but had not received Christ as their Savior! They knew of Christ but were rejecting the message of salvation through Him! I stuck to my guns about the meaning of the passage because I'm a pretty good observer and that's what the verses are really all about—these folks were never believers! I discovered a few years back that one of the most brilliant Greek scholars of the last century, Kenneth Wuest, held to the same view.    It would take too long here to spell out the full reason that this is the case, so I can't do that in this short question and answer. But here is just one point that I think is important. When the author of Hebrews starts this section he uses the third person ("those, them"), and not the second person ("you"). In other words, he's writing about the rejecters who refused to believe that Christ was the Savior and the promised Jewish Messiah! He concludes the section by saying: "But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning YOU, and things that accompany salvation, …" (v. 9). Below are just a few of the comments that Wuest makes on the passage:    "The readers were enlightened as every sinner is enlightened who comes under the hearing of God's Word. But as the unsaved in an evangelistic meeting today clearly understand the message of salvation but sometimes refuse the light and turn back into the darkness of sin and continued unbelief, so these Hebrews (the readers) were in danger of doing a like thing. … The translation reads therefore, 'if they fell away.' [The writer] here presents a hypothetical case, warning these unsaved Hebrews from making such a thing a reality. Now the writer gives the reason why these Hebrews cannot be brought back to the place of repentance, should they return to the First Testament (the OT Law) sacrifices. They would crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open shame. Vincent adds, 'the greatness of the guilt is aggravated by the fact that they thus treat the Son of God.'"    Again, it would take too long here to explain the passage completely, but I hope that this helps some.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

ONE NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

President Barack Hussein Obama is pushing for a national standard for all public school curriculums across the United States . This will destroy the initiative of state and local involvement in the publishing of school textbooks, and dictate what all teachers will be teaching throughout the nation. What schools taught was once dictated only by the local school systems; then it became the responsibility of the states. But with this new plan, there will be a universal curriculum that will determine the content of what is taught in science, literature, social sciences, etc. for every school in the nation!

This will be tantamount to federal brainwashing of all youngsters in America . Those advocating the new plan have already made it clear that this will get rid of the writings of those “old white dead authors” and replace their works with minority radical literature and works by radical women authors. Our children will be brainwashed in the government schools with a national curriculum on evolution, social sociology (acceptance of homosexuals, abortion rights) etc. Parents and teachers will have no say in what is being taught. Children must pass tests that support and advocate the new subjects. Obama promised us “change” and that is what we’re getting. This will be the final death knell of any possible influence of Christian morality, conservatism. Your child will come out the other end of the school system holding to things that are contrary to what you may attempt to teach them at home, or at church.

The storm clouds are forming over this nation. We are moving deeper into the prophesied apostasy. The judgment from God will be certain on America.

You need my new 145 page hardback books entitled: “ AMERICA , THE NATIONS, AND ISRAEL – Promises Made-Promises Kept.” And, “THIS GREAT NATION – The Things That Made It Great – And How We Lost Them.” Both are $11 each. Send your donation check to Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX 76634.

DRIVE TIME: WOMEN DEALING WITH LIFE’S ISSUES!

This is one of Dr. Lacy Couch's most important series: A Study in Ecclesiastes about the problems of life. Especially for women and for couples needing practical guidelines for the struggles of life. Dr. Couch has subtitled the series: "Living Above the Sun" because often we find ourselves walking about in darkness, needing the light of God's Word!    Dr. Couch spent eighteen years as a counselor, especially helping women in life's struggles. She holds her BA and MA in counseling, and a D.Min. from Louisiana Baptist Seminary. Her approach is biblical, disavowing secular counseling practices, drawing her directives from Scripture. The eight CDs come in an attractive album for Drive Time listening. Limited number of sets will be produced. Cost: $35. Make donation out to: Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX. 76634. Act now!

Ask Dr. Couch #78

Dr. Couch, did Christ inherit any physical characteristics from Mary? Is the sin nature passed on through the man, but not the mother? ANSWER: Since Christ inherited His humanness through Mary, more than likely He had physical features from her, though the Scriptures do not tell us that. In God's providence the virgin birth somehow played a role in the fact that Christ did not take on sin through her humanness. Maybe this would demonstrate that the sin nature is passed down through the father and not the mother! I do not believe anyone can fully explain the mechanism of how this worked. The Bible says God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf …" (2 Cor. 5:21). He was tempted "yet without sin (or sinning)" (Heb. 4:15), and He was a high priest "holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners" (7:26). Peter quotes Isaiah 53:9 and says He "who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth" (1 Pet. 2:22).     The angel told Mary that within her, from the Holy Spirit, and from the Most High, was "the holy offspring (thing)" that will be called "the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). "Offspring" is used though it is not a masculine in gender. The point is that there was going on a total "holy" happening in her womb which would bring forth the Son of God! Because Christ would be perfect and holy, Psalms 16 calls Him the Holy one. This is quoted by Peter (Acts 2:25-28).     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, I understand that Christ’s name in Isaiah 9:6 is one long name. Since you know and have taught Hebrew, is this true?

ANSWER: Yes, indeed it is! The Hebrew text says that the Messiah has “one” name (singular). The Hebrew text spells out His name thusly: Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom. In English it reads: “Wonderful Counselor-Mighty God-Eternal Father-Prince of Peace.” In the Hebrew version of the Jewish English Bible, they simply spell out the name with the English letters, but with no explanation. The average Jew then cannot tell what the Hebrew words mean. I believe this is calculated so they cannot know what His name is actually all about!

The words “Eternal Father” should be translated “The Father of Eternity.” The Messiah is the Second Person of the Trinity, and, of course He is God! But He is not God the Father but God the Son! However, He is the Father, if you will, who “is in control of” eternity! Unger says on this passage:

“The Messiah is the Eternal Existing One,” the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending” (Rev. 1:8), construed according to the Semitic idiom, “Where He who possesses a thing, etc. He is called the father of it!”

Thanks for asking.

Dr. Mal Couch

DRIVE-TIME LISTENING: THE PLAN OF WORLD HISTORY!

Dr. Couch is completing a series of seven CDs on the Plan of World History. It is the unfolding of the dispensations of Scripture that make world history understandable! Dr. Couch explains Scriptures that have often been forgotten for clarifying the Plan of God. Only a limited number of sets will be duplicated. Don't be left out! The seven CDs come in an attractive, easy-to-carry album. Cost: $30. Send the donation to: Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX. 76634. Act now!

Ask Dr. Couch #79

Dr. Couch, what is your view of Mother Teresa? ANSWER: Only God will be the final Judge of her salvation, but from all of the evidence, it is doubtful that she trusted Christ alone as her Savior. It is a fact she taught that suffering in death for the poor opened the door for heaven. In other words, suffering was a work for redemption. Most Catholics believe Christ is a Savior, but the Church does the work of salvation for the individual. The emphasis on personal faith in Christ alone is not taught. While all can admire her work of charity, charity does not save!     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

New Audio Files: Proverbs

Please join Dr. Couch and the Clifton Bible Church for the study on the book of Proverbs.

• Proverbs, an overview
• Proverbs 31

THE GATHERING STORM

If you are not a subscriber, you're missing some of the best Bible studies you could ever have! Each month we send you a Gathering Storm CD, usually featuring outstanding guests, such as Dr. Andy Woods, Dr. Tom McCall, Dr. Robert Lightner, Dr. Raj Kripalani, and others. We are just now doing a series on the Rapture of the Church, and we finished a short series on The Fall of Adam (Genesis 3). We ask for a $30 donation for the year. Don't be left out in the cold! Send your donation to: Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton , TX. 76634.

Ask Dr. Couch #68

Dr. Couch, I have been reading your book The Fundamentals for the 21st Century and my heart has been warmed. What other systematic theologies do you recommend? ANSWER:  I have all of the Reformed systematic theologies and appreciate them except when they get o­nto eschatology, then I gag! They are into allegory and Covenant Theology that even Berkhof and Hodge admits is not in the Bible. But apart from eschatology they are good: Berkhof, Hodge, Strong, Reymond, Shedd, Calvin, Gill.     But the best to pull the entire Bible together would be Lewis S. Chafer's Systematic Theology, and Ryrie's Basic Bible, Theissen's Lectures in Systematic Theology, Paul Enns Moody Handbook of Theology. These would be consistent in literal hermeneutics, no allegory, premillennial, dispensational.     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, is The Emerging Church dangerous to orthodox Christianity? ANSWER:  Absolutely. I'll let you decide. From the Lighthouse Trials (May, 2009) we find that those of us who believe in Bible prophecy, and the prediction of war in the Middle East (as is seen in Ezekiel 38-39) we are cultish and a danger to the world! Brian McLaren has suggested that premillennialists are part of the reason there is no peace in that region of the globe! Rick Warren agrees. One of his staff has said that ministries and prophetic scholars who have this view are "not normal people, they are complainers, critics and typical dissidents who are generally unhappy about life itself. … They are deadly."    McLaren added that we are doing terrible and deadly things, distorting Scripture. We are morally and ethically harmful.    What this means is that there is now an open war between believers over the issue of Bible prophecy. This war will only get worse, using blame to marginalize what some Christians hold. We who are dispensationalists and premillennialists will only be put down more and more. This has to be a satanic conspiracy. Here we are seeing events in the Middle East heat up and yet there is a growing denial by those who deny the prophetic Word!    Peter writes: "Know this first of all, that in the last days, mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation …'" (2 Pet. 3:3-4).    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #69

Dr. Couch, what is posttribulationalism? ANSWER: It is downright stupid, that is what it is! Remember the old joke about the man who hated tigers so badly and had to go to India to shoot one to get his hatred out of his system? Well, there are a bunch of people who will do anything to violate the plain teaching of Scripture about the pretribulational rapture of the church! They just hate with a passion this clear teaching of the Word of God. They will come up with crazy views like the postrrib idea.     Posttribers go all over the board mixing Gospel passages with church passages, pulling a verse here and one there. They have no clue of what context-context-context means! For example, many use Christ's words in John 16:33 to deny the pretribulational rapture. Christ said: "In the world you will have tribulation." They blindly say, "See, the church is to go through the seven-year tribulation!" They use the "fishing" approach to Bible study, and, the dart board approach as well. They drop a hook into the water and pull up anything that will supposedly help them deny the pretrib view. Also, they blindly throw darts at the wall, and where they stick, that's what they embrace!     If you want the right scope, you need my award-winning volume The Dictionary of Premillennial Theology (Kregel). Send a $20 donation to Scofield Ministries and I'll send you a signed copy.     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch #72

Dr. Couch, how should we respond to those who ask, "What about those who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ?" ANSWER: We should answer scripturally. Before the lost person one is witnessing to, the issue is "Have you trusted Christ as your personal Savior?" Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. It is our responsibility to present the gospel; it is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring whom He pleases to saving faith! This is His world and His work. He is in charge!     Now deeper spiritual truth from Scripture will tell us why men do not accept the gospel, and why God has not sent the message to the entire world, which He has not! The world is in denial of God even by the evidence in nature (Rom. 1:18-32). Men are depraved (v. 28), never ever seeking after God (3:9-17), are children of wrath by nature (Eph. 2:3), followers of Satan (v. 2) and dead in their trespasses (vv. 1, 5). Dead men cannot get up and walk! And besides, the sin of Adam has been imputed to his entire race (Rom. 5:12-19).     Thus the lost who have never heard the name of Jesus will not be judged on the basis of their rejection or acceptance of Christ, but on the fact that they suppressed the truth (1:18), denied the evidence of Him (v. 19), and are now without excuse for their lostness (v. 20). They refuse to honor God (v. 21) and have become fools (v. 22). They refuse "to acknowledge God any longer" (v. 28). They practice the sins they see and "give hearty approval to those who practice" such sins (v. 32).     Remember what I just wrote above, your eyes may not wish to accept because you may be into humanism (wimpy sentimentality) and not strong virile hard truth that comes from the rock of Scripture!     You need my book Fundamentals for the 21st Century that has chapters on depravity.     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

A LOT OF CONVICTION!

A man who is not a Christian recently read my new book "FOR THE CAUSE OF ZION!" His first response was, "Boy, is that disturbing!" He had never thought about where the world is presently going and what this means to him. The gospel is made plain in the book but it does so by showing all that God is doing, prophetically speaking! We're about out of the first printing. If you'd like a copy, please order fast with a $11 donation from: Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX. 76634.

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit in Matthew 12:22-32 is confusing. Would you clear this up for me? ANSWER:  The reason it is confusing is that you are not looking at the Bible dispensationally. You take what is said in Matthew as applicable to the church today. Remember, we must interpret by context, context, and context! And what you're doing is pushing everything in the Gospels into the church age. Context is the key. Christ is discussing the fact that He is physically in the presence of Israel, showing the Jewish people by His healings that He is the Messiah. He is not speaking about church truth!    The common people were amazed at the fact that Christ was healing, and therefore, must be the "Son of David," Israel's promised King and Messiah (v. 23). The OT made it clear that the Messiah would heal—thus Christ is that One! His healings, done by the power of the Spirit of God, proved it. The Pharisees did not want to accept this fact! They argued that He was healing by the power of Satan, by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons (v. 24).    They did not question the fact that Jesus was healing—that they had to admit to! They saw the results of His healing work. What they were doing was ascribing that miracle working to Satan! They were denying the object facts that were taking place right in front of them. This blasphemy would never be forgiven because it was ascribing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit (v. 31). Interestingly, they could blaspheme the Son of Man (the Messiah) and be forgiven. But to deny the objective work of the Holy Spirit, that was taking place right in front of them, was unforgivable (v. 32).    The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit cannot happen today. In Matthew 12, the people, and the Pharisees, were seeing literally the healings of Christ. Christ is not here with us physically, doing objective healings, which could be verified and not doubted. So this blasphemy can not happen today!     I am not fussing with you, but your question proves the point that we must understand Scripture from its dispensational framework, otherwise, we end up with false doctrine, and with an interpretive mess! (1) Keep the lines straight, (2) Observe carefully, (3) Pay attention to context. I fly small airplanes and I learned long ago to keep all my stuff in order, to observe carefully my maps, to keep a close watch on my radio dial settings, pay attention to my altitude (especially in night flying), or I'll end up in a big mess on the ground! Do things in order, and don't jump to conclusions without proper interpretive skills and good observation!    You need my Hermeneutic book: Classical Evangelical Hermeneutics (Kregel). We have it for a $17 donation. Send a check to: Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX. 76634. This book will lay out all the key principles that will guide you straight in interpretation!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #73

Dr. Couch, what do you think is the greatest evidence for the inerrancy of the Bible? ANSWER: That is easy! What the Bible says of itself, and the fact that there is prophecy (The telling of the future) from God Himself in almost every book. The Bible on the average of every page, says three times something parallel to: "This is the Word of God!" And fulfilled prophecy is also a sign of God's inspiration but also inerrancy in that exactly what He said came to pass. If the Bible is inspired it is inerrant. God would not give us a lying message or faulty prophecies. He cannot lie!     Inerrancy means that the original message is without error. Some wrongly argue, "Well, we don't have the original Bible." The best of NT scholars say we have (what was copied and re-copied) about 99% of what was written by the apostles, and about 97% of what was written by the OT prophets.     Remember that inerrancy extends to both the larger message but also to the parts, to every single word in Scripture. The Lord told Jeremiah to write "all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not omit a word" (Jer. 26:2). He said to Israel, "Listen to the words (plural) of My servants the prophets" (v. 4). Again: "And I will bring upon that land all My words (plural) which I have pronounced against it, all that is WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK, which Jeremiah prophesied against the nations" (25:13).     Inerrancy is one of my favorite subjects. My Th.M. thesis was on inerrancy!     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch #74

Dr. Couch, I saw on this website comments about homosexuality and wondered if you consider all things 'same sex' a sin, even same sex romantic love? ANSWER:  The Christian authority on all moral and spiritual matters is God's Word, not the word of man. The Bible is the authoritative Word from the God of creation. It is He who says that homosexual relations are immoral and constitute aberrant behavior. The homosexual community likes to talk about different life styles. Homosexuality is not a different life style. All humans exist pretty much the same. Homosexuality is about a foreign and different sex style that violates even basic biology, much less the commands of God.     Sex, man to man or woman to woman, is not romance, and it is God who determines what true romance is, not human beings. It is God who has said, "a man (not a woman) shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife (not a him); and they (male and female) shall become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24-25). "Become one flesh" is more than romance and emotion, it is the union between two who are sexually interactive, not sexually the same.     All the men of Sodom, young and old, wanted to have "relations" with the two angels who came to Lot. The city, "this place," was polluted by the immorality of the people. The angels said, "the Lord has sent us to destroy" the city. The entire region was destroyed because it had become so spiritually tainted (Gen. 19). The Mosaic Law too, given by God, is against homosexuality.     The authoritative word from the Lord is that He is against the man who plays the feminine role in the homosexual relationship, the one who is "effeminate" (the soft one) and against the homosexual who plays the male part, the one who takes another man to bed (1 Cor. 6:9). The Greek word for homosexual is "arsenokoital" which means "man/bed." No more vivid description could be given!     It does not matter what the world, the culture, tells us is okay. It is God who sets the standard. And it is God why says we are all sinners, straights and homosexuals, who need a Savior. Christ died for all of our sins, and we can be liberated by just trusting in His sacrifice at the cross for our evilness. God loves all people, but all must be honest about their sins, and accept the painful death of Christ in place of us, the sinners!     Thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch #64

Dr. Couch, we know the kingdom of God is promised to Israel, and since the church is not the "new Israel" nor the kingdom, what is the meaning of Matthew 21:43 that reads: "I say to you (the Pharisees), the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to another nation (ethnos) producing the fruit of it"? ANSWER:  In the NT the overwhelming use of the word ethnos is used in the plural and is generally translated "Gentiles," though sometimes "nations." Or, a few times in the singular "the heathen." Some wrongly have tried to use Peter's words in 1 Peter 2:9-10 to say in these verses he is calling the church "a new" kind of nation. But if o­ne examines closely this passage, this could not be. Peter is writing to Jewish Christians, those among the diaspora or who are residing as "the aliens," "the scattered" among the Gentile Greeks (1:1). Peter then applies Isaiah 61:4-6 and Deuteronomy 10:15 to these new Jewish Christians, because they are now, even in the church, recipients of the blessings of the new covenant. Peter writes: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (ethnos, singular), a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you o­nce were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."     Peter's point is that their generation was rejected because they rejected their own Messiah, but these he is writing to have received mercy and accepted Christ as their Savior. While they are part of the body of Christ, they are also "fulfilled" or completed Jews, fulfilling the purpose God intended for this people, because they have accepted their Messiah! Since the Lord Jesus in Matthew 21:43 is talking about "the kingdom of God" (that is without question distinctly messianic and not the church) that will be taken away from that present generation of Jews and "give to a nation" that will produce fruit, He more than likely is talking about a future generation of Jews, a new and different nation, and not the generation that is standing before Him. This would be the Jews who enter the messianic kingdom when He returns to earth to rule and reign! The Pharisees got it! They knew He was talking about their rejection of Him (v. 45) and they realized that the people knew He was a predictive prophet (v. 46). Since the "kingdom of God" will be an earthly spiritual nation of the Jewish people on earth, the parallel to "kingdom of God" would be "another" nation "equal" to the kingdom of God! (If that makes sense!) It is admitted by all that this is an obscure and not-so-clear verse. And one of the most important rules of good hermeneutics is that you do not establish a doctrine by an obscure or difficult passage of Scripture. I do not have to "fight" over the meaning of Matthew 21:43 in order to uphold the ideal of a literal earthly kingdom yet to come. I have hundreds if not thousands of both OT and NT verses to show that this is yet future. And too, I take the clear meaning of these many, many verses to heart, while the amillennial allegorists have to put into the texts their allegorical interpretations. Prophecy scholar Dr. Walvoord writes on this verse: "This should not be construed as a turning away from Israel to the Gentiles."     Dr. Toussaint writes: "The 'kingdom of God' always refers to the future millennial kingdom o­n earth."     Dr. Gaebelein (a use-to-be allegorist) says: "The nation is Israel still, but [this passage is about] that believing remnant of the nation, living when the Lord comes."     I hope this helps and thanks for asking.     Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch #63

Dr. Couch, what is the difference between humanism and liberalism? ANSWER:  I guess I don't see much of a difference. But this may help: Humanism puts man before God. Liberalism generally throws away all rules and guidelines, especially the Judeo-Christian guideline and makes new laws as it goes along. Both terms are bedfellows in my opinion! And they both function together. Before he died, the Christian philosopher, Francis A. Schaeffer, saw our day coming. In fact it was "already here" when he began to write his many works on the Bible, culture, and history. He understood exactly what was going on. In his book A Christian View of the West he wrote:     The humanists push for "freedom," but having no Christian consensus to contain it, that "freedom" leads to chaos or to slavery under the state (or under an elite system). Humanism, with its lack of "any" final base for values or law, always leads to chaos. It then naturally leads to some form of authoritarianism to control the chaos. Having produced the sickness, humanism gives more of the same kind of medicine for a cure. With its mistaken concept of final reality, it has no intrinsic reason to be interested in the individual, the human being. Its natural interest is the two collectives, the state and society.     There is no turning back the onward march of humanism, liberalism, self-aggrandizement, immorality, and socialism in America. We have cut the ties of the Christian base and now have nothing to go back to. Judeo-Christianity to a degree was in the past, respected and seen as a foundation of the American society. That is now gone. And the sewer pipe spews forth rebellion and revolt, all coming out from our secular universities. Our secular universities are anti-God, anti-Bible, anti-Right-and-Wrong! We are moving deep into both the social and "religious" apostasy that will then lead the world under the anger, and the wrath of God—the seven year tribulation period. But the Scriptures make it clear, believers in Christ will not be here! We are to be removed from the "wrath that is on its way" (1 Thess. 1:10)!    Thanks for asking.    Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch #62

Dr. Couch, how does one determine which elements of a previous dispensation are still applicable in a subsequent dispensation? For example, Paul says that the dietary laws are no longer applicable in the age of grace. But the laws ordaining capital punishment from the OT are still in effect. Is there a systematic way of determining these differences? ANSWER:  Observation, observation, observation! There are certain things that continue through the Bible. For example, salvation is always by faith; example: Abraham. He was made righteous by his trust in what God said. God's mercy continues in all of the dispensations. Morality remains the same.     However, you mentioned capital punishment. Since we are no longer under the law should there be capital punishment? Remember capital punishment was initiated in Genesis 9:5-6 before the Mosaic law. o­ne who takes a life forfeits his life because man is made in the image of God (v. 6a). Therefore this principle remains; it is not tied to the Mosaic law that came along in Exodus 20-on. Too, Paul virtually repeats the issue of capital punishment when he says that the government "does not bare the sword in vain" (Rom. 13:4). The government is a minister of God, "an avenger to execute wrath o­n him who practices evil."     We discover the dispensations by observing how God, who is the author of history, makes big historic changes in the way He deals with humanity. Yet there are certain principles that continue o­n into the next dispensation. We simply observe what remains and what changes.     But remember too, the essence of dispensationalism is not simply historic dispensational distinctions we can all clearly see in biblical and earth history. The essence of dispensationalism is: (1) consistent literal interpretation from Genesis through Revelation, (2) progressive revelation whereby God "progressively" unfolds truth in the Bible, and, (3) Israel is not the church; there is a clear distinction between Israel and the church.    Thanks for asking.    Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch #61

Dr. Couch, I understand that a well-known seminary, that was premillennial, caved in to the Reformed position and became Covenant in its theological orientation. Is this so, and do you know anything about this? I am not in the covenant camp. ANSWER:  I have the same information as you, though I do not have any details as to what happened. I can tell you in general what I think may apply to this situation:     There is less and less genuine study of the Word of God in our seminaries and Bible schools. They are becoming more and more pedantic and less and less academic, though they are now big-time into theological philosophy and "academia" (not true academics)!    They are less and less textual and are moving away from solid hermeneutics and interpretation. They are also becoming anti-Semitic and turning against biblical prophecy. Let me simply summarize. I think some of the things I list below may fit the case you are asking about.    1. The younger teachers love "academia." They like the big degrees and accreditations!    2. They are postmodern and are rewriting the nature of Bible study.    3. They no longer really believe in systematic theology.    4. They are less and less truly biblically textual.    5. They are enamored with Luther and Calvin and the Reformed mystique. It just "sounds" so sound!6. They are enamored with the "classical" nature of the Reformed movement.    6. They have no regard for Israel and believe that the church has replaced the work of God with the Jewish people.     Now do not get me wrong! We owe much to the past, and I love studying the Reformed greats, though they are way off base in eschatology, and too, they are terribly inconsistent in their hermeneutics. Many also have the attitude that if Calvin said it, it must be right. They study the Scriptures blindly without discernment and context. Many establish their theology and then go into the Bible to "confirm" what conclusions they have come to.     I was not trained that way. I was heavily trained in the biblical languages, and by textual analysis, I establish with a normal hermeneutic, my theology.     I believe this is why such schools as you are asking about have departed from premillennialism and turned to Covenant theology. Everytime a student goes to a "weak" school hermeneutically he comes out confused. And this is what is happening. But also the faculty and the governing boards are even more confused.     At one of the "big" seminaries close to me, the administration does not know it but more and more of the students, after they receive their diploma, jump ship into Covenant and begin to deny God's working with Israel. But too, the biblical education they received is less and less from what I received.     While Scofield is far from perfect, we are getting our students deeper into the Word of God and giving them sound interpretation so that they can defend the great doctrines of Scripture. This of course includes eschatology: the rapture, the tribulation, and the Messianic kingdom!     My answer is not on target as to what you asked, but I hope this helps.    Thanks for asking.    Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch #60

Dr. Couch, what do you think is the main mission of the church? Many "preachers" say it is evangelism, which is important, yet they tend to neglect the teaching of the Word of God. What do you think? ANSWER: By doing a concordance run on "doctrine," "teaching," even "preaching," one finds that the key purpose of the churches, i.e. the work of the pastors, is to exegete and explain doctrine and biblical truth. Doctrine is like the atomic table of the elements in chemistry. If you do not know that table you cannot work chemistry! The main problem is that many pastors are simpletons and do not study the Word. They do not know what their role is in the ministry. They are but reactionary and just "react" to the latest fad—they buy into it and embrace it! They embrace psychology, feel good devotionals, seeker friendly approaches, Rick Warren's Forty Day Whatever! They are driven by adding numbers, focusing on false worship, building big buildings, etc. They call the first hour of the church service the "Worship Hour" instead of calling it the "Teaching Hour (with worship)." They have shortened their messages and use the Bible less and less. They want the flock to have "experiences"! They love ceremony, plays, rock music, etc. They shun education (really really biblical education) and focus on Christian Ed, psychology, church management, etc. They love to have "staff" and build "worship" teams! They may talk about the Bible but they do not "teach" THE BIBLE! One pastor of a so-called Bible church in the Metroplex area advertised a night in which the church would give away tickets to the Super Bowl football game. They thought this was "cool." I thought it was an advertising gimmick and down right stupid! Something must be wrong with the spiritual glasses of many pastors today. They cannot see clearly and what is biblical is apparently out of focus. What is sad is that they do not know they need another pair of spectacles! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, since the church is gone in the rapture, how could the lost say "peace and safety" in 1 Thessalonians 5:3? ANSWER: We often try to outguess what is going on in the Bible. And we shouldn't do that because all the information about what is happening is not given to us. The world will not care about what is happening with the believers when they are gone in the rapture. Remember, the world at that moment thinks all is well and does not believe that a horrible war in the Middle East is about to take place. Notice, it is "they" who say peace and safety, the believers are gone home, though we know that during the tribulation people can and will come to Christ, but they will not constitute technically what is now called the church. The dispensation of the church will be over.    The Greek text reads "While they are saying 'peace and safety' …" "Saying" is an indefinite Present Active Subjunctive. Lenski, though not a dispensationalists gets this right. He notes "While at some expected future time they are saying …" He adds, "The blind world will remain blind to the last despite the great procession of signs during the course of the years, that advertise the Lord's day [coming]."    You asked about the expression "destruction" in verse 3 as given in the NASB, while the KJV says "sudden destruction." The word "sudden" is separated from "destruction" though it is emphasizing that word. The word sudden (aiphnidios) means that "they were unaware that it was coming." This destruction would take place without a warning. The church is gone and the world is not expecting this destruction to come so quickly.    You need my technical Greek commentary on Thessalonians published by AMG. Though technical, laymen can still understand it. We have it on sale for $16 and that includes postage.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #48

Dr. Couch, how can the Covenant and Reformed guys be so off base in regard to their "non-literal" view of the rapture of the church, the tribulation, and the return of Christ? ANSWER: I think the answers are somewhat simple. (1) They don't take the Bible in a normal, literal sense, when it comes to future prophecy. However, they (strangely) take His first coming literally but deny His second coming as actual and literal. (2) They really do not study the Old Testament. When is the last time you heard of a Covenant guy giving a verse-by-verse exegesis from an OT book? (3) They are to some degree anti-Semitic. When have you heard of a Covenant or Reformed guy calling for heart-felt support for the Jewish people in general, and for the nation of Israel in particular? Christ did not chide the Jewish people and the leadership for their literal views of the Kingdom of God, which is actually the Millennial reign of the Messiah on the throne of David! He chided them for their legalism and for their hypocrisy, not their literal and orthodox theology. Reading the ancient Jewish Rabbis one can see the normal interpretation and literalness the Jews had for the OT Word of God! While often they had some mystical views (those writing in the period of the Middle Ages), they still understood the OT was predicting a worldwide tribulation, a literal coming of the Messiah, and His messianic reign in Jerusalem over the entire world. For example in the Zohar (2:7; 2:172b) we read: Sufferings will overtake Israel [in the end times], and all the nations and their kings will consult together against Israel, and many evil decrees will arise and will bring trouble upon trouble. At that time King Messiah will be stirred up to come forth. And on that day on which He comes there the whole world will tremble, and all the children of the world will hide in caves and crevices [the book of Revelation!]. The Messiah will arise and reveal Himself in the Land. The Messiah will be revealed, and many nations will gather against Him, and He will stir up wars in the whole world. And at that time the Holy One, blessed be He, will manifest His power against all the nations of the world, and King Messiah will become known in all the world, and all the kings of the world will rise up to wage war against Him. And many of the wicked among the Jews will join them and come with them to wage war against King Messiah. And then the whole world will be darkened, and many of the people of Israel will die in that darkness. It is a satanic ploy to attempt to get rid of Israel, in Scripture, or in actuality in history. Thanks for asking. Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, what does Paul mean in Romans 7:9 when he said, "I was alive apart from the law once; but when the commandments came, sin revived, and I died"? Paul says the law is "spiritual, holy, righteous, and good" (vv. 12, 14). But the problem has to do with us! We cannot keep the law. Paul in a certain sense is running his personal history all together. He tried, as a good Jew, to keep the law, he thought he was alive to it, but he could not keep it because of sin within. He tried before he trusted in Christ. The cross saves us from ourselves and from the indictment of the law. I won't put down all the verses but read carefully all of chapter 7 and you'll get Paul's point. The law condemns because we are sinners. We are not under the law as believers. Though the law in itself is good, and, it has many qualities that make it admirable as an example. But again, we're not under it as a system, or dispensationally. This is where dispensationalism makes sense and comes into play. And this is where the Covenant guys get all confused. They pretend they somehow are still under the law. Paul wrote earlier in Romans and Galatians: "Through the law comes the knowledge of sin …" "Apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested …" "No one is justified by the works of the law …" "The law leads us to Christ that we might be justified by faith …" "Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor, that is, the law" "He redeemed those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." Paul adds: God "has made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter (of the law), but of the Spirit; for the letter (of the law) kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Cor. 3:6). "But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter (of the law)" (Rom. 7:6). And, "He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter (of the law), …" (2:29). Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #49

Dr. Couch, what do you think of Dave Hunt's book on Calvinism? Many Bible teachers endorsed it. ANSWER: Many Bible teachers, even published ones, are not really scholars when it comes to exegesis and knowledge about church history. So we don't take a vote on doctrine as to who believes this or that. We must exegete carefully the biblical texts to find the truth. Let's play a little game for a moment. Let's drop the word "Calvinism." Now what do we see with careful exegesis of the Word of God? We see (1) God being absolute sovereign. (2) God controlling His universe with His absolute providence. (3) We see total depravity of the human race, with "none seeking after God, no not one" (Rom. 3). (4) We see absolute predestination and election, i.e. no one gets saved unless they are sovereignly drawn by Christ and the Spirit of God. (5) And we see those who have come to Christ kept for eternity! Textually, we do not see Limited Atonement, i.e. (Christ died only for the elect)! It is extremely doubtful if Calvin taught this false doctrine. And whether he did nor didn't doesn't matter. I can prove that Christ died for all. His sacrifice is sufficient for all but applied only to the elect. So then, I can be "Calvinistic" in essence but not in every detail as to what Calvin taught. Thus, if you want to throw away that dirty word (Calvinism), go ahead, but this above is what the Bible teaches and does not teach! Your question about Calvinism is an indictment against our theological schools that used to be clear on the subject but are now in the dark. The big Evangelical seminaries, Bible colleges, and institutes, were mostly Calvinistic and did not mind teaching it in the classrooms. They are now turning liberal, however, and moving away from "basic" Calvinism (minus Limited Atonement). The rejection of basic Calvinism is a neon blinking sign of how we've moved away from strong and deep theology. The ignorance theologically today is gross! Thanks for asking. Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, do you think there is a difference between saving faith and the sanctifying faith of the "renewal of your mind" (Rom. 12:2)? Yes. Saving faith is the belief that Christ died for our sins. The "renewing of our mind" is written to believers presently. Paul writes: "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." In "Be not conformed to this world," Paul actually says "Do not yourselves (Middle Voice) be daily employing schematics with the world." Kroll in my commentary series on Romans puts it this way: "Believers are not to be fashioned after this world, having our thinking transformed which reaches far deeper than conformity to the world."    Instead, we are to be metamorphasized (Present Passive Imperative) by the re-newing of our mind. The Greek word re-newing means to "be up-newing." Or, making anew! These are Present Tenses and they mean believers are to be daily, right now, doing the things that make us different in the Christian walk! What Paul has in mind is found in the verses that follow. So, yes, this is a sanctifying work of believers presently. This is different than saving faith. In fact, faith is not mentioned here in Romans 12:1-2. Here in verse 2, we have a conscious act of changing what we're doing and how we look at our life and at the world. The Lord lays out the directives in chapters 12-15.    Metamorphasized is what the little butterfly does to change from an ugly creature to a beautiful butterfly! He is not aware of this happening as established by the Lord in the DNA code. But we are to be aware of this process, that's why Paul uses a command or an imperative in the passage.    I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #50

Dr. Couch, I understand that the Bible says that faith is a gift of God. Some of my friends do not believe this. What do you say? ANSWER: I say what the Bible says. Both "saving" faith and faith "for Christian living" comes from God. Before beginning to answer we must look at the issue of "Who is in charge" of this world, both in macro-management and micro-management? It is God! Whatever He has decreed will come to pass in every detail because He is at work. This world does not run on some kind of self-existence. He controls it and is bringing it to its conclusion. Daniel said "And it is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings …" (Dan. 2:21). After being restored, Nebuchadnezzar said "And all the inhabitants of the earth are as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'" (4:35). Now let's look at some passages on the giving of faith for the Christian life: 1 Corinthians 12:9. As those who are gifted in the body of Christ, some are given the gift of faith by the Spirit. This is not saving faith but a special dose of trust for some (but not all) for a specific reason: "To each one (individual) is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (v. 7). This gift of faith is given by God's sovereignty. "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills" (v. 11), and, "God has placed the members, each one of them in the body [of Christ], just as He desired" (v. 18). So the question is: Who is in charge? Now concerning the giving of faith for salvation: Acts 13:48. "And as many as had been appointed to eternal life BELIEVED." The word appointed is a Perfect Passive Participle of the Greek word tasso. It could be translated: "And for those who have been progressively positioned, determined, classified, inscribed, enrolled in the past [with the action coming up to the present], these believed." Believed is an aorist tense of "pisteuo" and could be translated: "They definitely believed, began then to believe." What caused the belief? It was the "positioning," the "appointment." This work started sometime in the past and came to fruition at some point in the present! Most of the great commentators on Acts 13:48 of the past and the present agree that this passage is saying that salvation faith comes from God's appointment. For example: John Polhill: "These Gentiles took an active role in believing, in committing themselves to Christ; but it was in response to God's Spirit moving in them, convicting them, appointing them for life. All salvation is ultimately only by the grace of God." Mal Couch: In my Handbook to the Book of Acts I wrote: The verse "implies the sovereign work of God in salvation. The great Greek scholar J. A. Alexander believes it scandalous the 'violent attempts which have been made to eliminate the doctrine of election and predestination from this verse.'" C. K. Barrett: "Those believed who were appointed (the passive implies, by God) to do so." F. F. Bruce: "The Gentiles who heard and believed the gospel—all in fact, who had been enrolled for eternal life in the records of heaven then believed (for this appears to be the sense of the words here used)." Steven Ger (in my 21st Century Commentary series): "Luke uses the term 'appointed' to reveal that God elects both Jew and Gentile according to His sovereign purpose. It is difficult to miss the doctrine of God's sovereign election in this verse." Philippians 1:29 and Ephesians 2:8 are equally compelling. The Word of God is clear: The full package of salvation, including faith, is from start to finish the work of God! Thanks for asking. Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

New Book: America, The Nations, and Israel

Dr. Couch's latest hardback book tells the story of Satan's opposition against America and the Nations of the world. The book examines the working of demonic opposition in history and as described in Scripture. Also, an examination of the evil coming against the world and Israel in the last days. This 145 page book is an $11 donation to: Scofield Ministries, 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX 76634

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, with all the confusion going on in the world today, do you think the church knows what its main task is all about? ANSWER: No, absolutely not! I could not help but think of 1 Timothy 3:15 where the apostle Paul says the church is "the household of God, … the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth." But two verses down (4:1), Paul then adds these disquieting words, "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from THE FAITH, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines (teachings) of demons." The expression "fall away" is the Greek word "aphistami" which is in the Future Middle Indicative form, meaning, "they will in the future themselves withdraw" from the faith! Paul is clearly speaking about those who are "religious" and could even be those who were born again, but who will apostatize and no longer give credence to the truth. They could be then the Christian Blind! Paul was concerned about those Timothy was ministering to. He warns Timothy to be concerned for the brethren: "In pointing out these things, you are to be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of THE FAITH and of SOUND (healthy) DOCTRINE which you have been following" (v. 6). By using the Middle Voice, Paul seems to be implying that when this departure takes place (in the future) those who do so, are somewhat aware of what they are doing. They will not be innocent! This is the apostasy that I believe we are presently moving into quite rapidly! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #51

Dr. Couch, you have had some interesting answers to Progressive Dispensationalism in the past that I really appreciated. Any new thoughts about it? ANSWER: I understand from a reliable source that o­ne of the "creators" of this off-beat view has recanted his position that Christ is reigning on the throne of David in Psalm 110:1-4. All of us dispensationalists who translate from the Hebrew text knew this all along. T his guy, by the way, graduated from a big liberal European University and was tainted in his biblical views. He is o­ne of the founders of this position. By the way one of their most silly views is that the church does not have a "heavenly destiny," whatever that means. Again, remember that the PDs come to the Bible with their preconceived views and then try to substantiate them with Scripture. An old-line premillennialist and dispensationalist like me, goes to the text to Observe what the Bible says. I let it speak to me; I don't speak to it first! The Bible makes clear that the church indeed has a heavenly destiny. Read 1 Peter 1:4. God "has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR YOU." End of argument! Please stop following aberrant and dumb views from folks who just like "the new" for variety sake, and not for the sake of spiritual truth! Stay on the main highway and do not go onto the rocky, bumpy back road. I believe in ACADEMICS but they are into ACADEMIA! Beware! Thanks for asking. Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

CAN’T KEEP UP!

We sent to our subscription list for the Gathering Storm a stand-alone CD entitled: URGENT UPDATE: MATTHEW 24! These CDs are going like hotcakes! If you would like a copy, please send a donation of $5 to: Scofield Ministries: 120 CR 3222, Clifton, TX 76634. Order fast! We're running out!

Ask Dr. Couch #52

Dr. Couch, how does dispensationalism differ with the Reformed folks on infant baptism? And is baptism replacing circumcision? ANSWER: The heart of dispensationalism is to take the Bible at face value, in its normal grammatical-historical sense. Dispensationalism believes in all the rules for solid hermeneutics but the Reformed people do not. They allegorize second coming prophetic passages, for the most part. Dispensationalists are consistent with the issues of "Progressive revelation, normal interpretation, and studying the Word of God by "context, context, context"! Depensationalism is not a system, it is "a way of life" in that you just take the Bible in its normal sense. Israel means Israel and not the church. Rapture means a "going up," not Christ "coming down" to reign. If you know up from down you are a dispensationalist. The church goes up in the rapture; Christ comes down to rule o­n the Davidic throne over Israel. Read what was told to Mary in Luke 1:30-33. Christ will be reigning over the house of David. The house of David is not the church! Anyone who thinks the house of David is the church is not reading their Bible. When the OT says God brings back the Jews to Jerusalem, this is not the gathering of the church! IT MEANS WHAT IT SAYS! Now to your questions: Circumcision was a sign of the Abrahamic covenant, though it was also later after the time of Abraham included as part of the Law system. It was not a sign of salvation, as baptism is. Baptism does not replace circumcision because that would cut out 50% of the population being baptized, women! As for infant baptism passages, you cannot find any! Read Acts 2:38-39 carefully. (This is what dispensationalists do!) The passage urges the Jews to do something actual and literal. "Repent (individually) each o­ne of you for the forgiveness of your sins." This is a conscious act. This "promise" of forgiveness "is for you and your children." The promise includes the action of the o­ne receiving forgiveness—repenting. You cannot foist that blessing of forgiveness over o­nto your children, your infants, unless they can consciously "repent." And they cannot! About infant baptism you cannot use the story of Cornelius and his household. Peter said when in that house "everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins" (Acts 10:43). The Spirit fell o­n "all those who were listening to the message," not o­n the little infants who could not process that message. (1) those who believed, (2) received the Spirit, and (3) were baptized. About infant baptism you cannot use the story of the jailer at Philippi. He asked Paul, "what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). Paul answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household" (v. 31). THERE IT IS! INFANT BAPTISM within the household! Keep reading. Paul and Silas preached the word of the Lord "to him together with all who were in his household." The word "was preached and heard" by the household. This would not be small infants who could not process the message! Note verse 34: "they" in the house rejoiced greatly, "having believed in God with his whole household." The Greek is saying "the whole household" believed along with the jailer. Infant baptism will not fly! Unfortunately, the Reformed, following Luther and Calvin, just carried infant over from Catholicism, though in some ways, not with the same heavy punch as is in Romanism. It is unfortunate too, that they do not admit this. While I am most grateful of what these men did for us, I do not follow them blindly, as many Reformed people do. It is almost as if, "Since Calvin said it, it must be true." Thanks for asking. Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, do you see an "unholy" trinity with Satan and the antichrist in Revelation 13? ANSWER: Yes, and many others have also. Satan would be the counterfeit of God, the Beast would represent Christ, and the "other Beast" would be something like the Holy Spirit. Hindson in his commentary notes: "The Bible predicts the rise of a counterfeit messiah in the Last Days. While many of his titles and descriptions emphasize the diabolical character of his rule, we must remember that he is ultimately a deceiver who promises to bring world peace. The meaning of 'antichrist' also means 'in place of.' Thus the Antichrist will rise to power brilliantly. He will oppose the Messiah by pretending to be Him." Satan will empower the Beast. In 13:3 we read: "And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed." I write in my Handbook of Revelation (Kregel), "One of the Beast's heads, not necessarily the Beast himself, will receive a fatal wound. Since the Beast will be the ruler of a ten-empire confederacy, this one head would simply be one of his leaders who represent an empire." Walvoord adds: "It is significant that one of the heads is wounded to death but that the beast itself is not said to be dead. It is questionable whether Satan has the power to restore to life one who has died, even though his power is great." The "as if had been slain" is important. Thomas adds: "This is all part of the dragon's attempt to counterfeit the death and resurrection of Christ." The Greek text reads: "hos esphagmenan eis thanaton." The "hos" implies in Greek "something appearing like being slain into death." The "slain" is a Perfect Passive Participle. "It had at that point appeared as having been slain." Humanity will believe that a resurrection had occurred. Verse 4 reads: And men "worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast." I write: "God gave His authority to His Son, and so Satan will give his authority to the Beast." The apparent miracle will fool the entire world! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #54

Dr. Couch, you referred to Philippians 1:29 as a verse that argues that faith is a gift of God. Would you explain? ANSWER: This is an awesome passage. It reads: "For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." The word granted is an English word that is too meek and mild in relation to what it actually means. In Greek the word is an aorist tense of the word charizomai. It is related to the Greek words charis (grace) and charisma (gift). It should better be translated "to gift to you," or "to freely give." It is not passive, as "granted" sounds in English, but it is an active word. God is gifting us for two things: TO "believe" and TO "suffer" for Christ's sake. Both of these words are parallel present active infinitives playing off the main verb "to gift." Is this "believing" simply meaning to be having a stronger faith for the Christian life or is it related to salvation belief? It has to do with salvation "belief." The expression "in Him" always refers to saving faith not simply Christian walking faith! The word "to gift" is in the aorist tense which makes it a very distinct action on God's part. "He definitely gifted us to be believing in Him and to be suffering for His sake!" Most of the "giant" Bible teachers and grammarians agree with this interpretation: "God granted to us the double proof of His favor." – Alford "Salvation is of the Lord from the beginning to the end (Jonah 2:9). As objects of divine choice [election], believers know they will be in the eternal presence of God because of what Christ has done for them. All are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Eph. 2:8-9). The entire program of salvation is a gift from our loving God." – Gromacki (Philippians – From my new commentary series) "Believing in Christ is not from one's own power. It is a gift from God." – Poole "Faith in Christ is here incidentally spoken of as a grant of divine grace." – Moule "To you it has been graciously given by God to believe in Him." – O'Brien Founder of "old" Dallas Seminary, Lewis S. Chafer, taught that faith was clearly a gift of God. He wrote "Christ said: 'All things are delivered unto Me of My Father; and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and He to whosoever the Son will reveal Him' (Matt. 11:27). Faith accordingly is declared to be 'the gift of God' (Eph. 2:8). Utter lack of faith is the condition of unregenerate men (1 Cor. 2:14) until God be revealed to them by the Son through the Spirit." - Systematic Theology, vol. 7 Stick to the Word of God. Do not listen to contrary voices. Thanks for asking. Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

Bible Answers: May 2009

Join Dr. Couch for Bible Answers for the month of May, 2009

• May 3
• May 10
• May 17
• May 24
• May 31

Bible Answer: April 2009

Here are the audio files for Dr. Mal Couch's radio program Bible Answers for the month of April 2009.

• April 5
  
• April 12
  
• April 19
  
• April 26
  

Ask Dr. Couch

Dr. Couch, what is going to happen in terms of the Middle East and all that our President is now doing? ANSWER: I would not want to give dates but there is no question that we're moving in the direction that all premillennialists have taught. The Bible is clear! We are getting close to the Rapture of the church, the removal of the believers before the wrath of God falls on the earth. I also believe we are already into the time of the Apostasy, the falling away from The Truth and The Faith! Note what is stated in Psalm 129:5. "May all who hate Zion, be put to shame and turned backward." Too, the world will despise the Jewish people. They will also begin to despise Christian Zionists—That's Me! In the Hebrew text, the word "Sa'Nay" is a very strong word. It means to be "unable to put up with, to treat as an enemy." The world disdains the Jewish people. In his commentary Unger says: "The Spirit of prophecy through the prayer of the psalmist announces the doom of the wicked, who manifest their hatred of God and His Word by their hatred of the Jew." God promises to someday restore the Jewish people to health. He will "heal you of your wounds," Jeremiah says (Jer. 30:17). Because the world will say "You are an outcast. It is Zion; no one cares for her." Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch

Ask Dr. Couch #55

Dr. Couch, Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum points out that in some contexts, the word "eternal" may not mean "forever," such as the service of a slave to his master (Exod. 21:6), the Levitical priesthood (28:43), or the sacrificial system (29:28). How then do we know that the spiritual life is "eternal life"? ANSWER: Interpreting by context makes all the difference in Bible interpretation and hermeneutics. The best way to understand this about salvation is that its "eternality" is open-ended with no hints of it stopping in the context. Also, we are given the righteousness of Christ to our account, and you can not "unrighteous" His righteousness! If one does a study of the word eternal in reference to salvation, this becomes a dead issue! All those who want to argue for loss of salvation do so, not on the issue of the word "eternal," but from the standpoint that they do not understand the doctrine of total justification by faith. If they understood that, they would not believe that one can lose salvation. Thanks for asking. Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

New Audio Files: Ezekiel

Join Guest Teacher, Dr. Raj Kripalani, as he teaches Ezekiel.

• Ezekiel 11
  
• Ezekiel 12
  

Ask Dr. Couch #56

Dr. Couch, what is theology? ANSWER: Technically the word means "the study about God." Some say this includes what is revealed in nature. I however disagree with this. Through the Word of God, Christians can see God's handiwork in creation, but this is not the same thing as studying about Him, in nature. The only source of theology as understood in the Judeo-Christian sense is what the Lord says about Himself, and His work in history, as found in both the Old and New Testaments. Some point out that Psalms 19:1 says: "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." While the heavens tell of God's glory, o­nly through the eyes of spiritual enlightenment and conversion can men understand such a passage. Theology then really comes from the Bible, and then it must be illumined by the Holy Spirit of the Lord (1 Cor. 2). Today we have people defining theology as spiritual truth o­nly as it has meaning to the individual. This means that theology cannot be theology unless it is relevant to the human mind. This is a lie! God's truth is truth; biblical theology is biblical theology, no matter that mankind is blind to receive it, or understand it. Thanks for asking. Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.

New Audio File: Acts

Join Dr. Couch and the Clifton Bible Church as they finish Acts 13.

• Acts 13, part two
  

New Audio Studies: Ezekiel 36-39

Please join the Clifton Bible Church as Dr. Mal Couch teaches through the highlights of Ezekiel.

• Ezekiel 36-39 - Part One
  
• Ezekiel 36-39 - Part Two
  

Ask Dr. Couch #57

Dr. Couch, does dispensationalism require one to believe that the Ten Commandments were given to the Jewish people alone? How would you answer the charge of antinomianism that is often thrown at dispensationalists? ANSWER: First of all, the entire law, not just the Ten Commandments, were indeed given to Israel alone. Read your Bible! Don't get mad at dispensationalists who can read! Remember, there are 613 commandments, not just ten. All of the moral principles that reflect the demands, and the character of God in the OT, are eternal in nature. While many are in the commandments, there are also many ceremonial laws that are no longer in effect. Every moral injunction however is carried over into the NT. Lust, murder, thievery, not loving our God, are still part of what Christians are to live by and honor today. It is wooden-headed people who make such ludicrous charges against dispensationalism. They have not studied their own Bible, nor have they read what dispensationlism teaches. May I ask you, is the church today under the commandment of the Sabbath? Do we make animal sacrifice? Do we go up to Jerusalem o­nce a year for Passover? Well, we are not under the system of the Law, this is why we do not do those things. Since you don't, you are a dispensationalist, and you understand the difference between the theocracy demands of the OT, and the fact that we are now under the dispensation of grace, not law. Please read what Paul says in Romans and Galatians about this issue, especially in Gal. 3:23-25. "But now that faith has come (the dispensation of grace) we are no longer under a tutor (the law)" (v. 25). I didn't write this, Paul did! Thanks for asking. Mal Couch, Ph.D., Th.D.