The following program is recorded content created by The Truth Network. It's Matt Slick Live! Matt is the founder and president of the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry, found online at calm.org. When you have questions about Bible doctrines, turn to Matt Slick Live for answers. Taking your calls and responding to your questions at 877-207-2276. Here's Matt Slick. All right, but welcome to the show hope you're gonna have a good time listening today and as you can probably tell I have a chest cold and It's gonna take a little bit for it to get away. So yeah chest cold to go away My voice is a little bit deeper than normal. So there you go for that And if you want to give me a call as usual, all you have to do is dial 877-207-2276 I want to hear from you. Give me a call And I released an article about an hour ago on justification by faith with an analysis on it. And what I do is I put these in my notes as well as release them in articles. And hopefully people will find them and use them. But I'm going to start doing some videos here pretty soon. Just starting to blab and just get stuff. I'm going to sit here in the chair and just start doing vids and expose some of the false teachings of so many different groups and things like that. So that's what I'll be doing in part of other stuff, and I want to hear your feedback on that as well. So like I said, if you want to give me a call, the number is 877-207-2276. And if you want to email me, you can do that as well. All you have to do is send an email to info at CARM.org. C-A-R-M dot O-R-G, CARM, Christian Apologetics Research Ministry, and put the subject line, radio comment or radio question, and we can get to it. All right, let's get on with Porter from North Carolina. Porter, welcome. You're on the air. How are you doing today? Oh, except for this head cold. I'm doing okay, man. Okay. What do you got? Chest cold, actually. So we were doing a Bible study yesterday about Matthew five on divorce and remarrying. And the people, people were saying that doesn't really apply to today. So, and that didn't really make sense because the Bible said that except for the exceptions for sexual immorality, like I've read in first Corinthians, So I decided to ask them, so do you believe if you look at a woman with lust, does that not apply till today? Because that was written then, and they didn't really give an answer for that. But I just wanted to hear your stance if that marrying, like divorce and remarriage rule still applies till today. Well, biblically speaking, we're allowed to divorce under the right conditions. And the two conditions are the ones where Jesus himself in Matthew 19, he talks about, he says, because the heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wife, but from the beginning it has not been this way. So he allows it, but Jesus says it's doable with the issue of sexual immorality. And that's Matthew 5, as you're talking about. So the word there is porneia, sexual impurity. Now, if someone wants to say that that's not for today, they need to ask, you did right, ask the question, why is it not for today? And see if they can justify that it's not for today. Now they could give an argument that it's under the Old Covenant, and then we get into some theology about that. But, by the way, God divorced Israel in Jeremiah 3.8. He gave a writ of divorce. And so we know that divorce is not automatically sinful, because even God, so to speak, theologically, he does that. Another option for divorce is in, um, uh, first content seven, I believe it is a 14 or 12 or something like that. I'll look at my notes and it says when the unbeliever goes, let them go. You're a believer, not under obligation in such times. So you're allowed to divorce if your spouse commits adultery and you're allowed to divorce if your spouse abandons you. Those are the two new Testament admonitions, uh, permissible for divorce. Okay. Yeah, that's what I was kind of saying. Like I was saying, except for those two grounds that are mentioned in Scripture, you can divorce, but you can't get remarried after that, right? No, you can get remarried, sure. Yeah. So, let's just say that a man and a woman are married, they've been married 10 years, whatever, and let's say she starts committing adultery. And he finds out, and they go to church, and the counselors, the elders, the whole bit. He's doing what's right. And she just doesn't repent. She continues in this, it goes on and on. then at this point, let's just say, he has that right to divorce. It would not be immoral for him to remarry because his divorce is biblical, because she's committed that adultery in an unrepentant state. So then, therefore, it's permitted. Now, in Jeremiah 38, God divorces Israel. Symbolically, but it also says in Revelation. There's gonna be a wedding feast the symbolic wedding feast So God himself in a sense is remarrying Now we're stretching this analogy a little bit more than maybe we might want to go too far with it But but at least God says it's about himself So we can look at that and say well, okay if it was if it's Completely unacceptable. Why does God allude to it at least by illustration referring to himself? So, if such a man divorces his wife because she's unrepentant, he's free then to remarry. The same way if she were to abandon him, then he's free to remarry because it says in 1 Corinthians 7, the one who's left is not under obligation at that point. So, 1 Corinthians 7.15, if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave. The brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. So then that person is free and can remarry. Okay? I get, yeah, I understand that. Just the last question. But, um, so like let's say people, two people are married, but it does not, but they want a divorce and there's no ground for it. Like no one's committed immorality. They just want a divorce so they can get with someone else that would not be allowed. Right? Correct. Then they would be, uh, they should not get married or they're done. That's right. Okay. Thank you. Okay. All right, man. Anything else? That's it. All right. Well, God bless buddy. God bless you too. All right. All right. Next longest waiting person is Mike from Ohio. Hey Mike, welcome. You're on the air. Well, my question for today is, um, you know, um, what kind of Christian should we be? How be around? Uh, Is that, that's a hard one, isn't it? I'm sure. Um, no, it's not really Christians who are, who are faithful, who love the Lord. None of them are going to be perfect. You're going to have friends who are Christians and they're going to mess up in different ways. Okay. Yeah. So the idea is to be associated with like minded people, believers, and that's it. It's just, you should be with other believers. Okay. Yeah. Um, can I give you an analogy? Um, I'm a bowler and to be a good bowler, you've got to hang around good bowlers to understand the game. And to be that kind of a bowler, you've got to be well versed in the game. You have to understand why a bowling ball goes right to left and why it goes through the pins and how it goes through the pins. As a Christian, you know, it's not easy to you know, find someone that just, um, uh, just, just enlightened you or, or, or cares for you or, you know what I'm saying? I, that's my opinion. I, it seems like there's a bunch of, babies around you. I hate to say it like that, but dang on it. It is true. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. If they're not being helpful to you, that's, that's on them. You need to be a proper Christian to them. So if they're failing in what they're doing, it doesn't hold you, it doesn't excuse you. You are to be faithful Christians. And then what you do is you pray and you ask God to bring people into your life who are good Christian people that you can trust and stuff. You don't want to get too needy on them, but you want to just give as much as you take, so to speak. And the general idea is to give more than you take. You'll find good Christian people that way. All right. Yeah. Hey, Mark. Thank you for, for being Matt. I'm sorry, Matt. Thank you, Matt. For, uh, yeah. Thank you for being that Christian that deals with someone like me. So, you know what I mean? I'm not always that, uh, enlightening maybe, but, uh, you know, I, you are enlightening to me. And that's why I listen to you. And thank you, sir. Well, by God's grace only. Well, good. OK. Yes. Yeah. Mine, too. Yeah. It's not always to be wise. And that's what you need. We need to pray every day to be wise with God and understanding his word and and pray that. Give me wisdom, Lord. Is that right? Right. We want to ask God to give us wisdom. Absolutely. Amen. All right. Thank you Matt for being and giving me wisdom. All right. All right, man. God bless. Okay. God bless her. All right. Now, if you want to give me a call, all you gotta do is dial 877-207-2276. Let's get to Alberto from Georgia. Alberto, welcome. You're on the air. Yes. My question is, um, pastor that teach Arminianism, Are they teaching really a work-based salvation or not? Those who teach Arminianism. it would depend on what they're doing with it. Because if they're teaching, if their pastor, any pastor is saying, get a lot of noise back there, buddy, if any pastor is saying that you keep your salvation by your goodness, by keeping the law or anything, because you don't want to lose your salvation, then that pastor is teaching a false gospel. So it just depends. A lot of Armenian pastors don't teach that, and they're good pastors. OK? All right. Uh huh. So like a base, like I said, tenant church, I got to, to the tenancy denomination commission more. The pastor said that, uh, basically, you know, like, like I mentioned in the pad, like she said, 70% of church, they won't stay behind because they're not living right. That's a work based salvation. Right. It depends. Attitude and intention is really critical. If they are seeking to keep themselves right by their goodness, by not doing bad things, doing good things, they maintain their place with God, then that's it. Then it's a false gospel, okay? All right? Okay. My next quick question, if you don't mind. Well, what about when the Bible said that don't get, um, even if I'm going to joke, is that going to refer to unbelievers or, or denominations or generally it generally it's in a marriage context and real tight relationships. You want to not be a wedded, so to speak, a loose term there with unbelievers. You would be careful. So versus marrying unbelievers. Yes. Okay. So if I want to marry a Muslim, is that okay? That would be a sin to do that. Okay. You're not to join yourself in darkness. Or Catholic. You can't marry a Catholic because both of them are not true Christians. The Muslims, obviously, and the Catholics, they're idolaters and false gospel, false priesthood. Okay, so what about if you marry a Catholic or a Muslim and they're a real good, faithful woman, And you may be a Christian, but because it comes out to be giving you hell, your marriage, because they're Christians, I'm going to use going to work out anyway. I mean, I mean, well, look, look, look, a believer is not supposed to marry an unbeliever, period. And once you're married, you got to work it out. Things get tough. You got to work it out. OK. All right. All right. OK. Thank you. All right. So God bless. All right. All right. All right. All right. Now, let's see. Next longest waiting is let's do Tony from Virginia's next. We're going to break right there. So be right back after these messages. Please stay tuned. It's Matt Slick live, taking your calls at 877-207-2276. Here's Matt Slick. All right, welcome back to the show and please excuse me for my chest cold, which makes my voice a little bit deeper. My wife likes it. If you want to give me a call, all you got to do is dial 877-207-2276. Let's get on the air with, let's see, that would be Tony from Virginia. Tony, welcome. You're on the air. Hey, good evening, Matt. How are you? Doing all right, man. Hanging in there. Praying for you cold, man, for real. I understand. I have a question that might sound a little controversial as I'm saying it, but I really need to get some understanding about this. I had a discussion with someone that asked the question, where is pedophilia in the Bible? Now, I gave him various scriptures about how Jesus protected the weak. I gave him scriptures about Psalm 127, how children are a heritage of the Lord, and even though the word pedophilia is not used. Now, I know that somewhere there's probably a distinction between a child and a young woman, and what really it revolved around is the social construct of age of consent and kind of how things were culturally then for Israel, one, and then also for the surrounding nations, how the heathen nations were different than Israel and how God had called them out to be different. But how does that forward to where we are nowadays, where we have rules and laws in place for like statutory rape, which if you're below the age of whatever, um, you know, and there's an age gap between the two people that there, you know, it could be considered to be statutory rape and probably pedophilia. Hold on, hold on, hold on. We had children in cars and, uh, who might be listening. So we want to be careful. I do apologize for that. So, but so how about this? Just wow. What question? What's the question? Let's go. Let's try that. So where is, where is the sin of pedophilia just, uh, just condemned in the Bible? There's no specific verse that says, uh, that condemns that it's not addressed specifically. However, we do know from other scriptures that a man shall leave his father and mother be joined. that marriage is between a man and a woman, and it's within marriage that sexual relations are to occur, and that the marriage bed is to be undefiled, Hebrews 13.4. All right. There are other verses that say, protect the helpless, in Psalm 82, vindicate the weak, for example. And then Jesus talks about those harming children. And, of course, there's judgment. So we can very easily construct an argument that that sin is condemned in Scripture. Absolutely. Yes. Now, even though sin is condemned in Scripture, the person kind of said that was more of a social construct in the form of this. And this is I know this is something that's probably under scrutiny right now, but it's a social construct. that was, was more in the Western society was, was made more stringent than it was back in Eastern and early Eastern cultures. Well, okay. So biblically speaking, we've already gone over that. So you're talking about how cultures change them and some cultures have approved of it, some haven't. So I'm not exactly sure what you're asking there. Try it again. Well, okay, because, like, biblically speaking, yes, but then if the Bible doesn't specifically spell it out, then why, socially, is it wrong? Yes, it's wrong, because whether or not people want to admit that the word of God is true, they're still under obligation to believe the truth of what God has revealed. There's the Adamic covenant that represented all people, and God had given instructions to Adam to do certain things, and so they're obligated to do that, and all the descendants are. So we're obligated to to be sexually pure, whether you're a believer or a non-believer. It doesn't matter what society says. In the rise of the decadence of free societies, which often happens throughout history, the more free they become then the more licentious they become, because persecution brings devotion to God, deliverance, and so people become more sanctified, and they abandon these kinds of things, and then in societies where great leisure is there, people have a habit of using that leisure to become more vile. Instead of depending on God, they answer the needs of their flesh. So anyway, that's a generic thing. So societies are not to be doing this. You shouldn't be doing this. You should be outlawed. Gotcha. And I do apologize for anybody if I, if I stepped over any lines or stepped on any toes there, but I do appreciate your answer because you're my apologist that I, that I go to for any, any hearts questions like that. So thank you very much. That just tells me you're super smart. I like that. There you go. All right. Hey, have a good one. But then again, you're trusting a guy named slick, so I don't know. All right, brother. Bye bye. All right, man. God bless. All right, want to give me a call? We have two open lines, 877-207-2276. Glenn from Virginia. Welcome, Glenn. You're on the air. Can you hear me, Matt? Yes, I can hear you fine. OK. Yeah. My question was, are there any original manuscripts? Basically, no. So the Old Testament manuscripts, the oldest we have is like Isaiah from 100 BC. You have copies of things all over. All right, but in the New Testament context, we have documents that are very old. And there is, I forgot what it's called, P51 or something. that is a segment of the Gospel of John. It's about the size of, I don't know, a couple, three, four inches by a couple inches, something like that. And there's discussion about that segment on whether or not it is an original document, a handwritten from John. But we can't prove it. There's no way to prove it. From what we know, we don't have the originals. But we do have the copies of the originals, and we have like 6,000 supporting Greek manuscript copies of varying documents of the New Testament. It's very well attested, and it's there. I don't know if that helps or not, but that's it. Yeah, but just the New Testament, none of the older. Well, they're different. They're different kind of categories. In the Old Testament was scrolls, and that was finished by around 400 BC. So what the Jews did, realizing that the scrolls would decay over hundreds of years, they just would, they would copy them, just like the New Testament writers would do, the copyists would do the same thing. So since it's so much older, in the Old Testament context, several hundred years older, it does not appear that we have the originals there either, but that we have very well preserved copies of the originals. And New Testament, there's just like I said, a debate about the issue of New Testament documents, whether or not they are, the one thing I told you is, is an actual document, an actual, it's called an original, it's called an autograph actually, an autograph, an original writing by the author, okay? Oh, okay. Alright. Thanks, Matt. I hope that helps, you know. There's a book you can get, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, by Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict. It goes through a lot of that stuff. Alright, buddy? I've got to break. Alright, thanks. Alright, man. God bless. Hey folks, we'll be right back after these messages, please stay tuned. It's Matt Slick live, taking your calls at 877-207-2276. Here's Matt Slick. All right, everyone. Welcome back to the show. If you want to give me a call, the number is 877-207-2276. And I have a chest cold, which is why my voice is like this. Let's get to Betsy from Charlotte, North Carolina. Betsy, welcome. You're on the air. That's all right. What? No, I just saw that over there. You're on the air. Betsy. Hello. Sorry. How are you? I'm all right. How are you? Good. I'm good. Thank you. So, um, I was curious. I have a couple of friends who I work with that rarely say JC, uh, use the Lord's name of a just off the cuff, but there, one of them is who I looked to a lot for, um, not spiritual guidance, but she's just very much a Christian, I believe. And I called them out on it at different times, and saying, hey, look what you're doing. And they're like, oh, no. And then they would quote scripture saying about if you need something or you want something, you call on the name of the Lord. And I know it's just, I believe, it's just a knee-jerk reaction. But I don't know how to clarify my thoughts when I'm in that situation. So I didn't know if you could give me a couple ideas. Yeah, tell her that she is taking the Lord's name in vain. The standard of using his name is to only use it in a context of reverence, worship, adoration, praise, things like this. That's what it means. So if she's not doing it in that context, then she's taking it in vain. And that's point one. Point two is that this is what the world does. God has stated in Exodus 20, do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. And so the servants of the devil will use the Lord's name in vain and they don't even care. They don't even think. They just do this. Christians are not to participate in breaking one of the 10 commandments. Okay. that if you repeat three uh... think you've had the reverence yes uh... reverence uh... adoration worship praise that's how you were supposed to use the name of of god himself got it alright that helped so much thank you i just i get in that situation i get a little part i'd mostly come in that competent and myself and they you know appear to be more so i get a little intimidated there but uh... well that is not going to get right to the point Exodus 20 verse 7, okay? 20 verse 7. Yeah, I think I got an article on it on Karma, I don't know if I do or not. Alright, well I'll check it out. But yeah, it's the name of God is so high and holy that you're only to use it in a godly, reverential, praiseworthy sense. Not something happens and you say the Lord's name. You know, oh my goodness, oh. I believe that, yeah. and so I've had to preach a sermon. That's why I think I'm so sensitive to when somebody says it. Yeah, I am too. I don't like it when they do it on TV. And I just, I actually have gotten into a habit now when they say it, I just make a noise, mmm, like that. I try and block it out. I don't want to hear it. And that's my habit now. I hear it, yeah. So I don't want to do it. I say, I work in customer service. So I'll hear it, and they say it, and I'll say, praise his holy name. Yeah, you can do that, sure. Just to bring attention to what they're doing. Yeah, I used to work at Sheila Packard in San Diego. And we would work in the room, all of us computer techs together. And sometimes the guys would use Laura's name in vain. I'd say, where? Where is he? Yes, I did that once too. I've done that. And one time they brought it up, they said, look, you don't like that? I said, no, it's offensive to me. I said, you can do what you want. But every time I hear it, it hurts. It causes me discomfort. Yeah. And they actually started to curtail that around me, which is nice. Yes, and I should express that as well, because they're nice folks, and I believe their heart's in the right place. They just, again, they just succumb to the world and not give it much thought, maybe because it's so common in their circle. Right. They're being brainwashed and influenced by ungodliness. And ask the question, and here's a question just to put in your quiver, if the Lord Jesus was with you, walking with you each day, walking at your work, and you're talking to people, how would you use his name? Just ask the question. Yeah. Powerful. Yep. Sure will. OK, well, I listen to you a lot and I appreciate you very much. Well, good. Call my wife up. I'll give the number. Tell her that I'm great, that I'm wonderful. She's listening. I will also. All right. All right. OK, good. Well, thank you so much for your time. Have a great night. Bye bye. OK. All right. Now, let's just jump over to James from Oregon. James, welcome. You're on the air. Are you there, James? I don't know if you're... Yes. So I had put a comment on your live yesterday in regards to the JWs and Mormons and baptism. Yes. And so I'm going in to clear up because obviously I wasn't able to explain the whole thing. So I had became a believer in Christ, in Him as my Savior, back in 2010. kind of got tricked by the JWs at that point in 2015. I had not been going to church because of COVID and all the medical things that were going around. But when I did that, I had gotten tricked to go to the JWs. And I started going to their church. And the whole time that I was in what they called their church, I was very, very convinced that I was in the wrong place. I had these feelings that none of what they were saying was right. The fact that they have you basically bow to their um, bishops and bow to their people just really threw me off. And so wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I got to hear about this bowing to who? Yes. So, so the, the JW church that I, or the hall that I was going to, you had to basically get on your knees and bow to this person as he was walking out. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I got to hear this. Hold on. I've never heard this before. Which person? So the, they don't call them pastors, they call them bishops. So it's basically a pastor. So you're in the kingdom hall and then when, when he leaves you, they urge you to get on your knees literally and bow. Yes. And because what they're so the way that all that all that all that all that did he accept that Or do you say don't do that? Accepted it. No, he he was all for it. Everybody in that Kingdom Hall did it Wow I've never heard that before. That's really interesting. So now I'm wondering it was very strange Yeah, that's cultic. It was very strange But I was baptized in those areas. I And I had a actual Christian pastor tell me that because I was baptized in those, even though I was baptized way before and I believed in Christ, and I just veered off the path that I was supposed to be on, I was baptized in those areas. And that's this other pastor that I was speaking to, who was a Christian and as a pastor, had told me that my baptismal for Christian was invoided because of me I guess you could say, sinfully, being baptized in another religion and going against God. Let's talk about that. I don't know of anything in Scripture that voids a baptism. I just, my first inclination is, well, what says that? You know, I would ask him, where does it say that doing whatever you did in your ignorance and foolishness and blah, blah, blah, invalidates the previous baptism? I don't know of any scripture in that, so I can't agree with him that that JW baptism invalidated. Okay. Now, I am curious, did they baptize you in the formula, the Father, Son, and God's organization? What was the formula they used? I don't remember exactly because they don't have, so they believe that Jesus is a man. They don't know that they don't believe in God and all of that. So I don't remember exactly because it was so long ago and I've actually tried to block it out. Okay. No problem. Okay. So, uh, all right now, now is it you who said that you then became LDS also? Yes. So I was JW from 2015 to 2018. I left the JWs because I knew that their religion was completely fake, like wasn't even true. And during the time that I had departed from them, I ended up in the Mormon church. And only because they had came to my door And they seemed believable to be quite honest. Yeah, they do. They seem. Hold on, we got a break. Hold on. We got a break, brother. OK, hold on. We want to get back with you after the break. Hey, folks, please stay tuned. We'll continue with James from Oregon. And this is an interesting conversation. We'll be right back. Please stay tuned. It's Matt Slick live, taking your calls at 877-207-2276. Here's Matt Slick. All right, and welcome back to the show. Let's get back on here with James Morgan. James, you're back on. So I'm not sure where Morgan came from, but my name is James Knight. James, yeah. That's right. Listen here. The producer put it in. So, OK, now, OK, so you became a Mormon for a little while. Go ahead. Yes. So I became a Mormon in 2018. Um, they, they made it sound like, oh, well, this is the way it is. And, you know, it was basically, they made it sound true. Um, so I followed that religion. Well, once I started going to their actual, um, church setting, I realized really quick and, um, pretty quick that none of what they were saying was actually true. And it was totally off the trail. I was also baptized with them, thinking, well, at the time I was thinking, well, I'm with a true religion. Well, when I started realizing that this wasn't true, that's when I reverted back to being a Christian and left them in 23. And I was like, you know, I've been going through this spiritual fight since trying to come back as a Christian because I'm all, you might as well say I'm brainwashed at this point with the JWs and the Mormons and the Christian part. So I'm just trying to clear it up. You know, it was really hard to explain over. Yeah, that's okay. So gotcha. I understand now. So are you going to a church now? I am. I'm going to a church in my community called Prangles Community Church. Um, the pastor's pastor, Chris, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I want to, I want to catch up to you. What's the name of the church? You want to look it up? Go ahead. What's the triangle community church. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Okay. P R I N. Prime view. Prineville. I L yeah. Pringle community church. Okay. It's in Oregon. All right. All right, now I'm looking. Oh, nice little. It's a reformed Baptist church. Oh, well, then good. OK, good. Well, that's that's right. And he's actually he's that's the church that actually recommended to me that recommended me to. Yes. He sent me the link. The pastor did. Pastor Cook Cook Cookston at that church. He sent me the link and said, you should go watch him and ask him. And he he watches you all the time. Well, hey, I'm waving to him. How you doing? Thanks for the recommendation Okay, so let me summarize stuff here and give you what I think is the case from what you've said You were a real Christian you got baptized then some issues came up you ended up in being deceived by both the Jehovah's Witnesses and the LDS, thinking that they were good Christian groups, but then you realized they were not. Correct. And then you left. Yeah. And now do you get re-baptized? No, I have not. So what happened between the time that I left the LDS and came back to Christian, I had went to a church called Mystery, something Mystery Baptist or something to that effect. And I had spoken to that pastor, and that's when he told me that because I was baptized in these false religions, that my Christian baptismal was avoided. No, no. I don't see a thing in Scripture that says that, so let me make the case. It's certainly possible that you, uh, I'm going to work this way. It appears to be the case that you were truly saved and regenerate before the JW LDS, a debacle, and you were baptized in that. So that is a legitimate baptism with legitimate faith. You then in your ignorance, no disrespect meant, but you didn't know any better. You joined up with the JWs and the LDS, but it appears to me that the spirit of God is working in you because you figured out, Hey, these guys are wrong. This is wrong. That's a sign of being regenerated. So this tells me or suggests to me that you really were saved and your baptism was valid. And then the baptisms of the J-dubs and the LDS, they're false, they're cults, and so they don't have any effect on your spirituality. You're legit, you're okay. I don't see any need for you to be re-baptized. I think your first baptism is legitimate because you appear to have been saved, you just strayed away, not understanding stuff, figured it out later, and then you came back, which is a sign of regeneration. And so I wouldn't say you have to get baptized. But on the other hand, I'm going to throw this out at you. If you are not convinced of that and you just want to get baptized again as a kind of recommitment, then I would talk to the elders of your church about it. and see if they agree that you want to do that, that they would do that for you. I don't believe it's theologically necessary, but sometimes it's emotionally necessary for somebody. And as I like to say, I like to err on the side of grace rather than law. So I think of this, that I was in Israel. I've been there twice, and both times there were baptisms that were done, and people had been baptized already, and they wanted to be baptized in the Jordan River. And so I didn't do any baptisms of them. I probably would if they asked. But they were baptized again. I don't consider that an insult to God. I don't consider that a, uh, an invalidation of the first baptism. It's just a confirmation where they are. And they just want to say they got baptized in the Jordan, which I think is awesome. And so me, I didn't choose to get baptized because I know my, my baptism is legit. I'm not worried about it. But so you see, I'm just trying to be gracious here. And I think that I think you're OK. I don't think you need to get baptized again. But if you want to. And neither does my pastor. And he told me that he doesn't think so. But it was also a tricky question. You know, he wasn't sure how to answer it. And he went and asked a bunch of friends. So a bunch of his pastor friends to figure it out. And then they came back with, you don't need to. That's good. Yeah. So I have a verse that, um, I had brought me back to my religion. Um, a thesis two eight four by the grace you have been saved through the faith. And this is not your own doing. It is the, The gift of God. Right. That's Ephesians. It's pronounced Ephesians. Yes. Okay. From Ephesus. That's what I meant. That's okay. And actually, I've been there. I've been to Ephesus. It's really neat having been there. But yeah, you're saved by grace through faith. That's right. Yeah. God is gracious. He's loving. He's patient. And he's willing to overlook so much. Trust me, I know that one. And still use us and love us anyway. All right. I don't think you need to get baptized again. Just commit your life to Christ and learn from your pastor. That's what I'm doing. I'm just going through a spiritual warfare right now. Like, I just, I don't know. It's really hard on me, and I'm actually getting ready on Sunday to do a repent letter publicly in front of my church, so. Okay. Now let me ask you about that, because we've got nobody waiting, which is fine. Okay. Now the reason you want to do that is for what reason? Just curious. So... Just the basic reason. I think it's going to help me. Okay, that's all right. So what you're trying to do... And it's basically announcing that I'm renouncing them, basically calling out the Mormons as a cult, publicly renouncing the Mormons as a cult. I don't know if I'm saying the word right. That's fine. That's fine. And it just tickles me to hear you say that. It does. Because I don't think you need to do it, but if you want to, praise God. Go for it. And it's good. You're really struggling through this, and you're trying to do what's right before God. And that's a good thing. Right. Because I was baptized at Assembly of God. Yeah, that's legit. Even though they're whacked in a lot of areas, it's legitimate baptism. So what I would do is, after you get this done and stuff, your pastor, sound like a good guy, is listen to what he's teaching you in the sermons and grow in your relationship with Christ. I'm looking at their website, Sola Scriptura, Sola Christus, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola De Gloria. That's beautiful stuff. Beautiful stuff. Yeah, that means he's they're dedicated to the scriptures to Christ faith grace and the glory of God and from that Tree the fruit of holiness comes forth. You'll be blessed. Okay. Yeah It's a wonderful church Since I came to them in December 23. It's been an amazing walk and They've helped me get through Most of it, and I'm just coming to the point that I'm just like, you know what, I need to renounce this and just end this portion and move on because I know where I'm supposed to be. Even though this spiritual warfare seems to, I'm to a point that I'm just like, I'm ready to give up on my whole religion because I'm just lost. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, you're saying these things. Wait a minute, you want to give up on Christianity because of spiritual warfare? Um, so it's really broken me down, um, because I'm lost in my whole religion at this point, because I'm not sure what is true. And I've tried to... Okay, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. You're saying a lot of things, okay? We only have a few minutes left. Right. Okay. What I would do if I were you is I would go to the pastor and talk to the pastor about this and have him guide you and teach you through stuff. And that's what he's doing. See, that's exactly what he's supposed to be doing. Yeah, I did that last night. Well, good. Take notes. Take notes and learn. Okay. And, you know, you call up on the radio and that's fine, you know, and I'm a generic kind of answer guy, but your pastor is the one who will really be able to help you and guide you. And yep, that's just, it was actually his idea to do this letter and I thought it was great cause it will hopefully close that door and I'll be able to get back on the straight road. Well, it sounds to me like you already are. Okay. I'm getting there. Well, but no, I just think I call you, you know, try to clear up a few things so that way It's not a mess. It's all right, man. No problem. Appreciate it. But I appreciate you, and I watch you every day, and you're amazing. Well, I don't know about that, but it's easy for me to sit here and answer questions in the comfort of my chair, my coffee to my right, and my cough button to my left, and four screens. What's hard is being a pastor in a church, dealing with people, working, doing all kinds of stuff. That's where the real work is. And so, uh, you just want to point you to the elders of the church and look for them, look to them and, and learn from them. And then if you, you know, get, you want to lower your standard and trust a guy named slick, well then, you know, then give it a shot. Okay. Well, I actually would not trust yet if it wasn't for the pastor recommends. Well, there you go. OK. All right. I only came to you because the pastor recommended you. So well, that that's good enough. And he even suggested he's like, well, go to him and ask him that question and see what he says. So and you pretty much said basically what he said. Well, sounds good. There you go. Two witnesses establishing it. All right. Yeah. Well, thank you. You have a God bless. And I really do enjoy your show. And I really do appreciate your honesty. We'll praise God, man, and just keep doing your work, okay, brother? All right, God bless. Okay. All right, bye. All right, that's perfect timing, and there's the music for the end of the show. May the Lord bless you, and by His grace, we're back on the air tomorrow, and we'll talk to you then. I hope you all have a great evening. God bless everybody. Another program powered by the Truth Network.