Bible Answers Live with Pastor Doug Batchelor and Pastor Jean Ross, Ep30 (12/03/2023)
Please call in your Bible questions to 1-800-463-7297
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
01:22 – Start of Program
05:44 – Please explain Acts 23 verse 8? Are there two groups of Pharisees today?
07:47 – Why is the book of Psalms not included in the Torah?
09:06 – Why do churches celebrate Christmas when it is a pagan holiday?
13:14 – What is the reason for the thousand year period mentioned in Revelation 20 verses 4 and 6?
16:31 – Is it true that the apostle Luke never met Jesus personally?
19:55 – What does “being born again” mean practically in John 3 verse 3?
22:28 – Is there a heavenly courtroom where our cases are decided?
26:19 – Should we tithe on social security or other retirement benefits?
31:57 – If Adam and Eve had not sinned what would their life have been like?
33:52 – Is the Book of Mormon comparable to the Bible?
36:22 – Please explain why the word “King” in 1 Peter 2 verse 13 is lowercase in some Bible versions and capitalized in others?
38:07 – When the ark of the covenant was being transported, why did the man die that touched it when it tipped?
41:23 – Are there other ways to pay tithe aside from just giving money?
45:05 – Who is the “He” in 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 7?
47:26 – Was it acceptable for Esther to marry a pagan king?
49:00 – In Leviticus 25 very 46, why did God allow slavery?
52:02 – Is contact sport a sin?
52:52 – What is the difference between “faith in Jesus” vs. the “faith of Jesus”?
55:30 – In Exodus 9 verse 12 it says the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Did Pharaoh have a choice?
57:46 – Does Ephesians 4 verse 30 show “once saved always saved”?
58:33 – What did Jesus mean when He said, “First will be last, and the last will be first”?
59:09 – Does God expect us to forgive a person straight away if they hurt us or does forgiving someone take time and is a process?
1:00:03 – Is it possible to actually keep all the Ten Commandments?
Video Source
About Christmas: So if the Bible doesn’t specifically say we shouldn’t celebrate pagan holidays, we can go ahead and do as the heathen and just say we’re doing it for Jesus? My Bible says, “Learn not the way of the heathen” (Jer 10:2). The same verse goes on to refer to the signs of heaven, which the Bible defines as the sun, moon and stars (Luke 21:25). Jeremiah 10 provides the context of the heathen custom of what we know as Christmas today (see verses 3 and 4). I, for one, abjure Christmas and will strive by God’s grace to not be judged and condemned by Matthew 15:9, which says, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” We, as Christians, should know that the date of death is of greater importance than the day of birth, and should celebrate Christ’s death by surrendering ourselves to Him and dying to sin. “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth” (Ecc 7:1).
It may surprise you, but Christmas is not a purely Christian holiday! The beginnings of their celebrations date back to pagan times, i.e. a long time before the advent of Christianity. They were celebrated by different cultures and peoples, and gradually evolved into modern holidays, the kind we know and celebrate today.
One of the main pre-Christian holidays that influenced Christmas was Yule, celebrated mainly by peoples in the northern part of Europe. This twelve-day 'festival', during which the people paid homage to the Norse god Frey, was characterized by large feasts featuring roast boar, drinking and the lighting of large fires. Decorating the Yule tree and lighting the Yule log was typical, which was connected with the winter solstice celebrations.
Other holidays that significantly influenced the present-day form of Christmas were the birth of the Greek god Dionysus. The festivities, known as Bacchanalia, were famous for their wild character, lavish feasts, drunkenness and excessive revelry. They were celebrated for 12 days from December 25, when Dionysus was supposed to be born.
Saturnalia belonged to other pre-Christian holidays. The ancient Romans celebrated them for one week every year from December 17 in honor of the god Saturn. It was a period of feasts, gift-giving and a temporary overturning of social norms, when even slaves were for a while considered equal.
As Christianity began to spread through Europe, its leaders adopted and reshaped these existing pagan traditions to facilitate the transition from paganism to Christianity. The decision to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 was deliberate and aimed to incorporate and Christianize popular pagan customs. Many of the traditions of the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, including gift-giving, singing, candle-lighting, feasting, and merrymaking, were gradually incorporated into the traditions of Christmas.
The fact that the Bible itself does not give the exact date of birth of Jesus Christ is also interesting. Some theologians therefore believe that Jesus was born more in the spring, as indicated for example by the references to shepherds tending sheep in the story of his birth. It was not until the 4th century that Western Christian churches decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25. This allows them to incorporate the holiday into the celebration of Saturnalia and other popular pagan winter traditions.
Today's modern Christmas is thus a mixture of various cultural influences rooted in ancient pagan celebrations and customs
Worship God in spirit and in truth. Not when you want or to accommodate.
The Saducees appear like the atheists of today.
Shame on the 7th Day so quick detail someone they can't wear jewelry so quick to tell someone what and what they can not eat even will bring the bible when it comes down to this pagan holiday even knowing that the Catholic Church this day of festivity that they do that they worship on the 25 so SDA wanted to share this festival so bad that they broke one of The commands thou shall not lie I'm going to say it's Jesus birthday Jesus buy will go on to say that we really don't know when His Birthday is so we celebrated on the basically so our children can be a part ( frown ) and you take on the Christmas tree do you know one of the song we would Sing oh Christmas? What you're singing to the tree what are we doing? How many commandments are being broken as Jesus says vipers basically telling them they are doom what does acts 13:10 say I truly have to say the scriptures is talking about you… Because you claimed to be children what worshiping other things that are not biblical the Lord tells us to be not deceived and he also tell us that men will fail you… I follow you as you follow the Lord and all this homosexuality pastors look how the women dress shameful like the world you don't address it yet you allow it shouldn't be allowed singing in the choir not dressed close up letting them come in nakedness in God's presence in front of the church shameful ..STOP LYING And Repent before the Lord comes and remove your candlestick