Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. This is the Lamp and Light broadcast coming to you from Central Baptist Church in beautiful Ocala, Florida. Lamp and Light is a ministry that takes a book of the Bible, verse by verse, teaching it as it is to men as they are, without compromise or apology. while at the same time speaking the truth in love, giving the lamp and light to all. Today we'll be continuing our question and answer series with more of our listeners' questions. Let's listen as Dr. Bloom answers these questions. And now, here is our teacher and radio pastor, Dr. Andy Bloom. Thank you again Mr. announcer for this question and what an interesting question from an internet listener from the UK. And so let me just go about this as he has answered me. Thank you for listening to the Sermon audio main page to my sermon on America, China, and the Tribulation, Part 1. Now let me just insert here for you that are listening today, if you go to www.sermonaudio.org, sermon audio dot com right slash that line that leans to the right underneath the question mark on your computer keyboard right slash central baptist now that's S-E-R-M-O-N-A-U-D-I-O dot C-O-M slash C-E-N-T-R-A-L-B-A-P-T-I-S-T. And you can find that sermon in the sermon library there on America, China, and the Tribulation, which is one that I preached in our church. As a matter of fact, that's part one. There's also a part two. Okay, so I go on to answer him. Although you may disagree, at least you listened and were kind enough to write a comment that showed disagreement without making it a personal attack. Now, there are some clarifications to make, so you will be accurate. Rick Warren would probably be offended if you associated his name with mine. I'm a fundamentalist, which is one of the groups that Mr. Warren wants to eliminate. He would hate my views on holiness, especially as it affects church music. He would probably hate that I wear a coat and tie into the pulpit each time. Also, I'm not an Arminian in that I believe in eternal security. Now, you're right that I do not believe some are predestined to hell while others are predestined to heaven. You were very fair in asking people to check out my website and the sermons on the subject. I do believe in election, but not in the sense in which you do. If I perceived your belief rightly, I believe election took place before the foundation of the world. Now, I also believe the blood of Jesus took place 2,000 years ago and been shed for my sin. the blood of Jesus is appropriated to me the moment I receive the Lord Jesus Christ by repentance and faith. Now, although the penalty was paid 2,000 years ago, it's not applied to my account until I receive Him. In like matter, although the election took place before the foundation of the world by God who would have all men to be saved according to His Word that does not lie, He would have had me to be saved. However, that election was not appropriated, just like the blood was not appropriated, the election was not appropriated to my account until I received Christ as Savior. Had I not received Christ as Savior, the blood would not have been appropriated, nor would the election. And so the election is there, as well as the blood is there, for all men. Again, I really thank you for the kindness and dignity with which you have commented on this sermon. Now, I do not normally answer questions to our program that want to debate me. Only those that are seeking answers to questions in their own mind. The answer to your question about posting your notes, that is an administrative decision. You see, we are a Bible teaching ministry, not one looking for blogs in which to have debate that would sow doubt in the minds of young believers. For example, the one who writes and condemns me for my stand that there is only one way to heaven, and that is through Christ Jesus, there are not many roads to heaven, I wouldn't post his comments either. although he believes as strongly as you that I should post his comments. Now as to your next question, if you go to our second site, sermonaudio.com right slash central baptist and click on sermons by Bible you will see I preach two sermons on the Romans passage covering the subject you are addressing I'll give you a short answer to number three which actually needs about five pages of small print but simply I believe that everyone's name is in the book of life from the beginning Because he's not willing that any should perish. And what you don't see there, and that says he's not willing that any should perish, you don't see anything verbally or even by context that he says he's not willing that any of the elected should perish. No, he doesn't say that, and not even context can read that in there. He's not willing that any should perish, but that all, all should come to repentance. Their names. are blotted out when they die without Jesus Christ. Which is unpardonable, isn't it? Because once you die without Christ, there's no chance to be saved. And so that would be an unpardonable sin, to die without Christ. Now let me just kind of sum up here. I'm a man in my 60s. Now as a younger man I debated some Calvinists and I look back and see that I won arguments because I was better skilled at debate. I knew some of their answers that their theologians would have given. answers that they didn't know themselves, but their theologians had written answers to some of those things I had said. I served on a board of trustees for over 1,100 missionaries. I'm also helping with another mission. I have a daily radio broadcast, a church membership of over 700, and a Christian school of over 350. I have on the church side only three full-time pastoral staff consisting of a music minister, an assistant youth pastor, and then myself. And with a full slate of hospital visits, home witnessing visits, and other responsibilities, including caring for my 91-year-old father, whose sermons appear on my website, One can see why I don't take time debating with people who are not going to change their position, just like I would not change mine. You see, I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded of those beliefs by scripture. And by the way, I sat under two different professors in college classes. who were five-point Calvinists. I've heard the other side plenty of times. I am convinced by the Spirit of God they are wrong, and by His showing at me through His Word. Now, friend, I honestly want God's blessings upon you, and may you fulfill His very will for your life. Well, I appreciate that, even though it was somebody who disagreed with me. Not everybody's going to agree with you, and that's something that you have to understand. Sometimes people disagree with you because of their doctrinal beliefs, not because it's a personal thing. And I thank this guy for writing me, because the letter, you don't get the letter read to you in full, but it was a letter written with dignity and yet stating his opposition. So we'll turn it back over to our announcer for the next question. Pastor, someone who was given a card with our church's name on it at his son's lacrosse game wrote this. I have been feeling as if something is missing in my life. My question is simple. How does one know when God is speaking to them? I know that something has been missing in my life for quite some time, and I believe it has come from my long hiatus from church as a whole. Any insight would be appreciated. And they receive a card at the game somehow that has our church's name on it. And he goes to our website and feels led to contact us. That's tremendous. So in answer to his question, I said, thank you for your email. Your question has troubled many people over the years. Even Job faced this issue in Job 23, verses 8 through 10. Behold, I go forward, but he's not there. And backward. But I cannot perceive him. On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him. He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him. But he knoweth the way that I take, and when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." It seemed that regardless of where Job was, or what he did, God seemed to have a deaf ear to him. But Job knew one absolute thing. God knew his entire situation and God would reward him one day. We also know God's testimony in Job chapter 1 verse 1. There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil. In other words, Job was a very godly man, and that's repeated again later in the book of Job. You see, there was no hiatus from the Lord or from His house regardless of what came to Job. Now the first thing I would then be interested in is knowing whether or not you're saved. I don't know if you are from a Baptist background as I was growing up. I was always around Baptists, and we Baptists taught eternal security, which is, once a person has been truly saved, born again, became a Christian, received Christ as Savior, he's always saved. So you may not have come from that kind of a background. The problem is, a lot of times in our Baptist churches, there's no repentance. or heart in the so-called salvation decision of many Baptist conversions. Now the Bible has likened our relationship Jesus Christ as a marriage. Now, a young couple gets married, they say their vows, and the man pronounces them man and wife, they have a marriage license. He doesn't go off and say, okay, honey, look, I'll see you in about a year. I'm just gonna go over here and live in an apartment. I got some other girls I wanna date and so forth. She said, well, yeah, you go ahead and do that. I've got some guys I wanna see and I got things I wanna do still. No, that's not a marriage. Okay, and we wouldn't recognize that as such. This is your radio pastor, Pastor Andy Bloom saying, May the Word of God be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your pathway today. We want to thank you for listening to the Lamp and Light Broadcast. If you would like a CD or cassette tape of today's message by Dr. Bloom, send us your name, mailing address, the radio station by which you are listening, the date of the broadcast, and a gift of $5 to Lamp and Light Broadcast. 1714 Southeast 36th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471 We also welcome your comments on the broadcast and Bible questions. Again, you may write us at the same address which is 1714 Southeast 36th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471 You may also visit us on the web at www.centralbaptistocalla.org. No breaks. Click Sermon Library. Again, that web address is www.centralbaptistocalla.org. This is your announcer, Jerry Banks, saying, May God's peace be with all that are in Christ Jesus.