The American Christian Podcast

Do We Interpret the Bible Literally?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Pastor Joseph Oster) — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 12:11:09 +0000

Biblical literalism is the method of interpreting scripture that says that, except in places where the text is obviously allegorical, poetic, or figurative, it should be taken literally. The confusion that would result from interpreting the scriputre figuratively would essentially render the Bible null and void. This is what many have done. The Bible is God's word to us and He meant it to be believed, literally and completely.

Does God Give Us More Than We Can Handle?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Fri, 9 Aug 2024 05:00:00 +0000

If God never gave us more than we can handle, why would we need Him?

Does Jesus Accept Everybody?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (josephoster) — Tue, 6 Aug 2024 05:00:00 +0000

It is common among Non-Christians and far too many Christians to believe that Jesus somehow just accepted everyone without question, that he never had a harsh word to say about anyone, their beliefs, or their behaviors, and that his only message was for folks to just be happy and be nice.

Jesus told us in scripture that many would say unto Him Lord, Lord, and proclaim how many wonderful works they did in His name and He would tell them depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.

Episode 37 - Wile E. Coyote and Church Attendance

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Pastor Joseph Oster) — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 12:22:02 +0000

My favorite cartoon of all time is Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner. I can remember getting up early on Saturday morning as a kid to watch cartoons. I could not wait for the Roadrunner.

I asked my 22 year old daughter who Wile E Coyote and the Roadrunner were and she had no clue. It seems like I have failed in part of my parenting. I was about to say that most of you would know what I was talking about, but I guess I need to say that you have to be in your 30s or older to remember this cartoon.

In each episode, the cunning, devious and constantly hungry coyote repeatedly attempts to catch and subsequently eat the Road Runner, but is unsuccessful in catching the Road Runner except on only extremely rare occasions. Instead of his animal instincts, the coyote uses absurdly complex contraptions to try to catch his prey, which comically backfire, with the coyote often getting injured in slapstick fashion. Many of the items he uses are mail-ordered from a variety of companies implied to be part of the Acme Corporation.

One running gag involves the coyote trying, in vain, to shield himself with a little parasol against a great falling boulder that is about to crush him. Another involves him falling from high cliffs, after momentarily being suspended in midair—as if the fall is delayed until he realizes that there is nothing below him. The rest of the scene, shot from a bird's-eye view, shows him falling into a canyon so deep that his figure is eventually lost to sight, with only a small puff of dust indicating his impact.

In one of the episodes, Wile E. tries to lift a boulder out from the ground using a crowbar as a type of lever. When the crowbar gets wedged under the boulder, Wile E. tries jumping on the upper fulcrum position of the crowbar. However, when he does, the boulder gets launched up in the air and then lands Wile E, crushing him. When he pushes the boulder off, his body is like the bellow section of an accordion and he makes the same type of sound when he walks.

Yes, I will admit it is a slap-stick type of humor, which most people would not find amusing, but it always brings a smile to my face.

Of course this episode of the podcast is not all about Wile E. Coyote and the roadrunner. When I thought about the episode I just described, I began to think about the fulcrum that the coyote used to wedge the crowbar against.

You remember what a fulcrum is right? It is the pivot point or prop about which a lever turns. It's like a hinge or support. On a see-saw, it is the hinge in the middle that the see-saw balances on.

In a figurative sense of the word, it has a meaning of something that is essential. Simply put, in a figurative sense, the fulcrum would be the main thing or that thing which everything balances on.

Sometimes I sit in church with the realization that for a lot of folks, and when I say a lot of folks, I mean the vast majority, think the center point of the Christian walk with Jesus is building attendance. We have been raised to make church that "can't miss" thing of the Christian walk.

I am trying to teach myself the correct biblical language on this subject because biblically speaking, we do not GO to church. the Bible clearly states that people who have placed their faith in Christ ARE the church. We cannot go to something that we are!

I need to clarify something before I go any further, because many people are good at hearing what I don't say. Don't hear what is not being said in this podcast. Listen to what is being said. The only text that most preachers and even church people will use is Hebrews 10:25 where the author says that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

I agree that this is a command to meet with other believers, but this is NOT the main thing we are to do, yet so many Christians use this as that one thing to determine if a person is walking with the Lord. Can I tell you something today? There are many people who attend the building who do not have a close relationship with the Lord. There are even people who attend the building who are lost and on their way to hell.

In evangelicalism, the practical disciplines of the spiritual life are:

Go to church, read your bible, and pray daily. If you want bonus points:

Go to Sunday School and serve in a ministry of the church. Do not get me wrong, these are wonderful expressions of the Christian life, but they are peripherals, not the fulcrum!!

The church building is not the centerpiece of your walk with Jesus and if it is, you need to repent of idolatry.

You can’t sit in church and say… “YES! This is it.” Attending church as a passive action, which most church goers do, is not active participation, anymore than watching football on TV is the same as playing in the game. Jesus didn’t come so you could go to church.

He didn’t tear the veil between the Holy of Holies and the people so you could attend a service. That’s a foundational misunderstanding in the person and action of Christ.

It really irritates me how people will act like others are not “good Christians” because they don't make it to church much. I see posts on Facebook and other social media platforms all the time where people posting about church attendance in the most condescending manner, basically telling others they aren't good Christians because they don't' attend the building. News flash, the thief on the cross never attended a worship service a day in his life.

Again, don't hear what I am not saying. I'm not saying we shouldn't meet together, but did you know I can do that on a Tuesday with three of my Christian friends where we talk about the Lord and read scripture together?

We have this westernized view of worship service. Did you know there are church gatherings all over this planet that still meet in houses? Where do we get this idea that a person is less of a Christian or not right with GAWD because they don't come to the same building we go to at the same time we go?

We are not accepted by God by our building attendance. Me attending the building or gathering no more makes me acceptable to God than dressing up a monkey in a three-piece suit, handing him a Bible and a tambourine, and then setting him on the front row, makes him acceptable to God.

Our hearts have to be right, no matter where we are at. This is what’s most important to God, our hearts. Does Jesus dwell there? Is it brand new?

Every Sunday morning millions of people get ready for church. They put on their best clothes and head off to a geographical location to learn about God and worship Him. But really, it doesn’t matter where the actual church-going Christian is physically. God is much more interested in us understanding what kind of church we are—you and I. Luke even penned what Paul said about this, in Acts 17:24:

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands”

Friend, we house His Spirit at all times (see 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19)–but do we show the world who Jesus really is through us? Or are we thinking that God is giving us a gold star for driving our rears to the nearest church building and sitting there for an hour?

Can we get really honest? I've said this in many messages throughout the years. Some of the meanest people on the planet go to church! Some of the meanest acting, most unloving people I know attend the building.

They say things like.....“Well…if they don’t go to church then they just ain’t Christian.”

“BACKSLIDERS! You better get back into church if you don’t want to go to hell!”

You know what I want to say to some of these people in response to the things they say? “So what! You don’t show it! Show me Jesus! If going to church makes me like you, then you can keep it! I don’t want to be like you at all!”

We place so much importance on church attendance, but what about controlling your tongue? What about putting away pride and walking in humility? How loving are you towards those who you don't "go to church with?" Are you filled with the Spirit? Do you show love? Joy? Peace? Gentleness? Meekness? Kindness? Self-control?

Can I tell you something, if not, then it doesn't matter if you go to the church building every day!!

Friends, we gotta have change. We gotta change the way the world looks at church-going Christians! Church attendance means nothing if we don’t allow Christ to live through us. If we refuse to do this, then why are we going? We may as well sleep in or go fishing–or whatever. Be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to live through you! Be being the Church! LET HIM OUT OF YOU!!

Listen to me carefully, I'm all for meeting together to worship. Go. Please go.

Find one and get plugged in. You are a vital part of the body of Christ! But never find your identity in that building–or in what you do for the building. Find your identity in who lives in you! Why? Because YOU really are, His Church.

Episode 36-What About Tithing?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Pastor Joseph Oster) — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Many Christians struggle with the issue of tithing. In some churches giving is over-emphasized. I promise you I have been in churches before where all the preacher talks about is church attendance and tithing. I want to let you know that I do not subscribe to the lie that God is going to get His money!!

As if God needs your money to accomplish His purposes. Can I get a witness! While I say this emphatically, this is also not a way to establish a lifestyle where a person never gives off their monies to the work of the Lord.

Tithing is an Old Testament concept. The tithe was a requirement of the Law in which the Israelites were to give 10 percent of the crops they grew and the livestock they raised to the tabernacle/temple (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 14:24; 2 Chronicles 31:5). In fact, the Old Testament Law required multiple tithes—one for the Levites, one for the use of the temple and the feasts, and one for the poor of the land—which would have pushed the total to around 23.3 percent. Some understand the Old Testament tithe as a method of taxation to provide for the needs of the priests and Levites in the sacrificial system.

After the death of Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law, the New Testament nowhere commands, or even recommends, that Christians submit to a legalistic tithe system. The New Testament nowhere designates a percentage of income a person should set aside, but only says gifts should be “in keeping with income” (1 Corinthians 16:2). “On the first day of the week let every one of you lay in store, as God has prospered him…….Some in the Christian church have taken the 10 percent figure from the Old Testament tithe and applied it as a “recommended minimum” for Christians in their giving.

Saints we are no longer under a mandated 10% tithe. One of the things that has always bothered me is the mandate. Listen to what 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says….

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Let every man give according to the purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you, always having enough of everything, may abound to every good work.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬-‭8‬

How can we be under a mandated 10% and then Paul say under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we are to give as we purpose in our heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity? Saints if I have to give, if it is a command, then how can it be cheerful? How can it be out of a heart of love? No, he says give as you purpose in your heart, don’t do it grudgingly, and remember that you will reap what you sow. He gives a reminder that if you give sparingly, then you will get sparingly. The opposite of that is true as well.

Although no tithe is demanded of the Christian, the New Testament talks about the importance and benefits of giving. We are to give as we are able. Sometimes that means giving more than 10 percent; sometimes that may mean giving less. It all depends on the ability of the Christian and the needs of the body of Christ. Every Christian should diligently pray and seek God’s wisdom in the matter (James 1:5). Above all, offerings should be given with pure motives and an attitude of worship to God and service to the body of Christ. (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Episode 31 - Should Christians Become Like the World to Win the World to Christ?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Pastor Joseph Oster) — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 14:00:00 +0000

In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 the apostle Paul makes a profound statement about winning the world to Christ. He says... "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under [h]the Law, as under [i]the Law though not being myself under [j]the Law, so that I might win those who are under [k]the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it."

To understand what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote, “I have become all things to all people,” we must keep the statement in context. Paul was explaining to the Corinthian church his motivation for submitting himself to a hard life. He had relinquished his rights to be married (verse 5) and to draw a salary from the church (verses 6–12). Paul had completely abandoned himself to the purposes of Christ and bore the marks of that decision in his own body.

Many Christians and church leaders have taken liberty with interpreting this passage and they twist the scripture to mean that we are to compromise with the world in order to fit in. This could NOT be further from the meaning of this passage. Context is king when reading and interpreting scripture.

Some have used Paul’s statement “I have become all things to all people” as an excuse to live worldly lives, assuming that unrepentant sinners will be impressed and want to come to Christ. But Paul never compromised God’s moral standards set forth in Scripture. Paul's ultimate goal was to win souls to Christ, not become like the world.

A misapplication of this scripture is happening in churches all across this country. Pastors and church leaders will create services and a church atmosphere that appeals to the world. You have probably seen it...It looks like a concert atmosphere with dim lights and fog machines. The preacher shortens the sermon and waters down the gospel to make it more palatable, all in hopes that people will come to Christ. It is a "get them there by any means necessary" mentality.

That is NOT what Paul is remotely talking about. Paul never compromised the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul never watered it down. Paul never violated God's perfect law so that he might win souls to Christ. He didn't become a sinner and participate in their wickedness in an effort to win them.

In Christ he was no longer bound to the ceremonies, rituals, and traditions of Judaism. Following or not following any of those things had no affect on his spiritual life. But if following them would open a door for his witnessing to Jews, he would gladly accommodate.

In order to witness of Christ to the Gentiles, Paul identified as closely as possible with Gentile customs. He ate what they ate, went where they went, and dressed as they dressed, but he never compromised his faith.

There are several ways we can become all things to all people. We can listen, we can be kind, we can be sensitive to any cultural norms, and put away any prejudice and judgmental attitudes, while we show the love of Christ. The goal of a Christian is to be inoffensive in every way except in the matter of the cross. The message of the cross of Christ naturally gives offense, but we cannot water it down. “The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18). Jesus warned us not to be shocked when the world hates us—it hated Him first (John 15:18). Our message is offensive to human pride and contradicts the sin nature, so our behavior and our attitudes should not give offense. When we strive to follow Paul’s example and become all things to all people, we must be willing to humble ourselves, let go of our “rights,” meet people where they are, and do whatever Jesus calls us to do. He died to save them. We must love them enough to tell them that in ways they can understand.

Episode 30 - What is the Second Coming of the Lord?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 13:00:00 +0000

One of the greatest hopes for the believer in Christ is the 2nd coming of the Lord. Before we go further, we need to examine what the 2nd coming of the Lord is and why this is important. If there is a second coming, then we can naturally know that there was a first coming. In Jesus' first coming to earth, He was born of a virgin, Mary, and God became human flesh just like you and me. Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus' birth in a manger in Bethlehem.

Jesus lived and walked this earth for 33 years before He was falsely convicted and sentenced to death. We know that the prophecies had to be fulfilled that He would have to die as a substitute for the sins of the whole world. Jesus fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Messiah during His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection.

However, there are some prophecies regarding the Messiah that Jesus has not yet fulfilled. The second coming of Christ will be the return of Christ to fulfill these remaining prophecies. In His first coming, Jesus was the suffering Servant. In His second coming, Jesus will be the conquering King. In His first coming, Jesus arrived in the most humble of circumstances. In His second coming, Jesus will arrive with the armies of heaven at His side.

After Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, He appeared to many people. In Acts 1 we read....

"So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” 9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into [h]the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into [i]the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

These two angels who appeared to Jesus' disciples foretold of Christ's returning to earth. This is known as the second coming of the Lord. The second coming is spoken of in greatest detail in Revelation 19:11-16

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will [d]rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the [e]wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

In Christ's second coming, He will be brining the wrath of God upon those who are wicked and have refused to place faith in Him as the one and only way to get to God the Father. The time for mercy and grace will be over and He will execute perfect judgment from on High. When Jesus returns, He will be ready for war (Revelation 19:11–16). The nations will be gathered to fight against Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2) in what we call the battle of Armageddon. But that will be the day Jesus returns: “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south” (verse 4). It will be a unique day in the history of the world: “On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness . . . a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light” (verses 6–7). God’s enemies will be defeated, and the Antichrist and the false prophet will be “thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur” (Revelation 19:20). Jesus will set up His kingdom, and “The Lord will be king over the whole earth” (Zechariah 14:9).

In establishing His kingdom on earth, Jesus will first set up a judgment for those who are still alive after the tribulation and who are on the earth at the time of the second coming. This is referred to as the “judgment of the sheep and the goats” or “judgment of the nations” (Matthew 25:31–46). Those who survive this judgment will remain on earth and enjoy a time of peace and prosperity with Christ for 1,000 years (referred to as the millennium; see Revelation 20:4–6). Those who are found guilty in this judgment are cursed and consigned to “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Satan is bound and forbidden to act during the millennium (Revelation 20:1–3).

During this time there will also be a resurrection of all believers in God (Revelation 20:4–6). These resurrected believers will join believers who are alive at the time of Christ’s coming and those Christ brings with Him from heaven, and all will live with Jesus during His 1,000-year earthly reign.

At the end of the millennium, Satan will be released, and one final battle will occur, which will rapidly be won by Christ (Revelation 20:7–9). Satan is then permanently consigned to the lake of fire. At this point the second resurrection will occur, and another judgment. Unbelievers will be resurrected and judged at what is referred to as the great white throne judgment; based on their works, they will be assigned to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15).

So, the return of Jesus will usher in two different eternities—one with God and one without Him. This truth is captured in two verses in the book of Malachi: “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire. . . . Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves” (Malachi 4:1–2).

What happens when Jesus returns? Evil is defeated, the earth is restored, and God wins. Your response to Jesus’ return depends on your relationship with Him. It will either be, as one pastor calls it “the greatest calamity in all of human history” or the fulfillment of the Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13). Faith in Christ makes the difference. “But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” (Luke 18:8, NLT).

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep [k]in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [l]and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a [m]shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive [n]and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Some have claimed that Jesus has already returned stating that His return was purely symbolic according to Matthew 24. But later verses in that chapter suggest that Jesus intended a literal coming.

Jesus warns His disciples to discredit prophets claiming that He was on earth; rather, His coming would be like lightning shining from east to west (24:26–27). Borrowing the language of Daniel, Jesus promises to come “on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (24:30). He notes that the tribes of earth would mourn at His coming—not just Jerusalem, but all the earth (24:30). His visible coming will affect the entire earth.

For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will [n]show great [o]signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the [p]elect. 25 Behold, I have told you in advance. 26 So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. 27 For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Matthew 24:24-27

Do the words that Christ will return to judge the wicked and those who have rejected His work....do they scare you or do they give you a great hope? The answer to that question depends on whether you have placed faith in the only begotten Son of God. If you have confessed with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. You will be eternally secure and safe from the wrath and judgment of God. If you have rejected Jesus, you will be defeated and cast into the lake of fire that burns forever.

Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? Do you believe? Have you placed faith in Him? You can do that today and are encouraged to call out to Him to save you. Attend a local church and get involved and share your decision to follow Christ.

Episode 29 - Should Christians Associate with Unbelievers?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 13:00:00 +0000

I have heard many good Christian people state throughout my years in ministry that some of their good friends are those who are non-believers. I've even had believers in Jesus Christ tell me that they are good friends with people from other religious beliefs. This has always troubled me because scripture is clear about our associations and the type of company we keep.

I want everyone to know up front that I am not saying that we should avoid all people who do not believe as we do. The point of this episode is to point us in the right direction about our relationships while keeping true to the word of God. It is absolutely true that Jesus Christ associated, sat, talked, and even ate meals together with sinners. In fact, scripture tells us in

Matthew 9: 10 Then it happened that as [e]Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and [f]sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn [g]what this means: ‘I desire [h]compassion, [i]and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus associated with sinners and the dregs of society in order to give them the gospel and win them to Himself. It was never with the intention of having a lifelong friendship with them. Some of the encounters Jesus had with sinners were a one-time occurrence. He might sit with them, eat, and leave and never see them again. But He always left them with spiritual food and a calling to repent and turn from their sins.

When I was attending NOBTS in the early 2000s, we had an assignment to memorize Psalm 1 and be able to recite it to the class. It was actually something that I remember to this day. This passage presents to us a choice we must make in this life...a fork in the road so to speak....one way is the way of the righteous that leads to eternal life and the other is in the path of sinners that leads to destruction.

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the ]path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by [b]streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its [c]leaf does not wither;
And [d]in whatever he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord [e]knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.

Notice that the blessed man/woman does not walk with wicked people. They do not stand in the path with sinners. They do not sit with those who are scoffers/unbelievers. All of these people are characterized by wickedness and ungodliness. To walk not in the counsel of the ungodly means to reject any advice from the wicked. It includes avoiding any guiding influence that might shape or direct your way of life toward godlessness. Walking involves progress; thus, the verse instructs, “Don’t walk in the counsel, don’t stand in the path, don’t sit in the seat” of the ungodly. The apparent progression presents a picture of someone walking next to sin, then stopping to stand and take it all in, and then finally sitting right down in sin’s seat “to enjoy it.

Not walking, standing, or sitting with the ungodly implies steering clear of sin by avoiding participation in every aspect of the sinner’s way of life. The apostle Paul warned, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Proverbs 22: 24 Do not associate with a man given to anger;
Or go with a hot-tempered man,
25 Or you will learn his ways
And find a snare for yourself.

How can a Christian expect to to keep progressing forward in their relationship with Christ and be formed more into His image when they associate with sinners and unbelievers? 2 Cor. 6:14 says not to be yolked together or bound together with unbelievers. Why? Because light cannot fellowship with darkness. They have nothing in common, at least not eternal things. That scripture goes on to say, come out from among them and be separate. That is not elevating yourself to a position of being better than, it is separating yourself from evil influences.

My grandmother has said it best my whole life, "If you lay down with dogs, you'll get fleas. If you hang around trash long enough, you'll start to stink."

Simply put, it is much easier for you to be brought down and participate in evil activities than it is for you to bring them up. This doesn't mean we never talk to, nor associate with people who are non-believers or practice other religions. It doesn't mean we are mean-spirited or think we are better than them. It means we do not have eternal things in common.

A believer who “walks not in the counsel of the ungodly” will apply biblical truth to his daily life, letting God’s Word be a lamp to guide his feet and a light for his path (Psalm 119:105). His “delight is in the law of the Lord,” and he “meditates on his law day and night,” says Psalm 1:2. This person will grow in faith and spiritual maturity.

Loving God and obeying His Word will result in abundant blessings (Joshua 1:8; Luke 11:28; John 14:21). As we read the Scriptures daily, study them, memorize them, and meditate on them night and day, our thinking changes. We no longer love the world or the things in it (1 John 2:15–17). We no longer walk in the counsel of the ungodly. We “don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world”; instead, God transforms us by changing how we think. Then we can experience God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2, NLT).

People who walk in the counsel of the ungodly listen to worldly advice, make plans with the wicked, and willfully participate in the sinner’s way of life. Romans 8:5–7 describes these people as those “who live according to the flesh” and “have their minds set on what the flesh desires.” By contrast, “those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”

What about associating with people of other religions? This one is really simple. 2 John 1 is very clear. Listen to what it says.

9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

Did you get that? It says don't even greet them. The KJV version of scripture says do not wish them godspeed. Do not with them a good day. Do not associate with those who preach anything other than Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. Why? Because if you give them your approval, you are participating in their evil deeds. That is heavy friends.

We are to be people of the kingdom of light, not darkness. That is why I do not associate and have close friends who are non-believers. I do not hang around with people from other religious beliefs. Amos 3:3 asks us a question, How can two walk together unless they be in agreement? The answer to that question is....you can't. You cannot walk with those who do not think like you, walk like you, act like you, believe like you....well, you may be able to, but I can't. I want to associate myself with those who have the same mindset and worldview that I have and that is a mind and belief system that is based on the absolute authoritative word of God and belief in His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. We are to be separate.

What are our relationships with non-christian people supposed to look like? We are to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them until they are converted. Here is what I promise you, if you begin to share the gospel with all of your non-believing friends, or those who do not believe as you do according to the word of God, the separation will happen automatically! Start telling them about the Jesus of the Bible and associating yourself with people who know Jesus Christ.

Episode 28 - Is God Pouring Out His Wrath on the Earth?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 13:00:00 +0000

It is important that we learn the distinction between the punishment of God vs the discipline of God: It is important for maintaining the honour and glory of God, and for the peace of mind of the Christian. God’s people can never by any possibility be punished for their sins, because God has already punished Jesus Christ for our sins at the cross. This is a fundamental truth and one that Christians need to be established or rooted or grounded in. So many believers have this idea that when they mess up, that God is ready to strike by punishing them for their sins. That could not be further from the truth.

Isaiah 53 is the redemptive chapter. It is Isaiah seeing Jesus as He bears the iniquities of the whole world. Jehovah God put all our sins on Jesus and He not only put them on Jesus, He punished Jesus for our sins. He took our place, He died our death and took our negative judgment from God.

Is. 54: 6 For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. 7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. 8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.
Now that right there is how I know that God is talking to me and talking to you. If you are saved, He is your Redeemer, AMEN? He is talking about the people of God. He is going to have mercy and be kind to us with an everlasting kindness as the Lord our Redeemer

9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. 10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

What a promise? Amen! That is something to shout about!
Because of what my Son did for you, because of the cross and this great redemption and me being your redeemer, I will never be wroth with you again. I will never be angry with you, I’ll never punish you again. That verse told us that God's kindness will never depart and His covenant of peace can not be removed because of His mercy.

Isaiah 54: 14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. 15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
God says there are 3 things that are enemies that will come against us. Oppression, fear and terror. We need to know that while these things may come against all of us, God says, it’s not by me.

Verse 13 says, they shall surely gather together….who is they….oppression, fear and terror But God says, not by me.

No matter what comes around me and against me, it didn’t come from God.

How many of you know that if you were diagnosed with cancer that would be a great source of fear? It might would even be a great source of terror? Amen? Folks, listen to me tonight…..God isn’t giving us cancer. Did you hear me? God isn’t causing fear. God isn’t causing terror.

I once had a man in one of the churches that God called me to pastor....he told me that he believed that if he messed up today, if he sinned today, then God would get him tomorrow. That somehow, someway, God would punish him for the sin he had committed. What a misunderstanding of the grace and mercy of God! What a misunderstanding of our relationship with God when we come by faith in the person of Jesus Christ! What a misunderstanding of the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross!

Friends listen to me today....if you have to be punished for your sin that you commit, why did Jesus have to go to the cross and die? If you have to suffer the penalty for your sins, then Jesus died in vain. If you have to endure the negative judgment of God for your mistakes, then the cross is of no effect.

The Lord Jesus, our Blessed Substitute, suffered the full penalty of all our guilt, that is why it is written that “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Neither the justice nor the love of God will permit Him to again exact payment of what Christ fully discharged.

You might ask, then if we can never be punished for our sins, why do bad things happen to good Christian people? Why is there suffering? Why are there trials and temptations? Those are great questions. While a believer’s sins cannot be punished, while the Christian cannot be condemned (Rom. 8:3), he/she can be disciplined by God. Once we are saved from His wrath, we now belong to the Family of God. The relationship which now exists between us and God is that of parent and child; and as a son/daughter we are disciplined for wrongdoing. Many times God uses discipline to correct us.

Keep in mind that the discipline of God and the wrath or judgment of God are not the same thing. Punishment is always given as a payment for sin. Discipline is always for teaching and correction. Punishment is eternal. Discipline is temporal.

Does that mean that every time we suffer that we are under the discipline of God? Absolutely not! Sometimes suffering is just a result of living in a fallen world. People get sick, loved ones die, we have accidents, and sometimes terrible things happen through no fault of our own. But God does use discipline to correct us and grow us into Christ-likeness.

Many times even good Christian people will go to Job to show that God causes sickness and death and loss. But what they always fail to see is God did not take away Job’s wealth and position, or his loved ones, health, and wellbeing. That was not God. That was Satan.

Remember that scripture from earlier that we have an everlasting covenant of peace with God now because of Jesus Christ? According to that scripture, I do not believe that God is in the business of robbing people, killing their loved ones, or taking away their health and wellbeing.

Some people say, "well God allowed it to happen, so He must have caused it." Absolutely not! God allows everything my friends. Do you think it is God's will for there to be murder, suicide, adultery, fornication, or any other form of wickedness? NO!

God allows us to live in and suffer through an imperfect world in which we are free to make our own choices that have consequences.

God allowed Job, a good and righteous man, to learn that he had a wee problem with self-righteousness.

God allowed Jacob, the deceiver of his brother and father, to be deceived by his uncle and experience what it was like to be hoodwinked and taken advantage of.

God allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery and pruned of his spoiled selfishness.

God allowed Naomi to lose her sons and experience her daughter-in-law’s great love and loyalty.

God allowed Peter to crumble like sand under pressure and deny Jesus three times before learning about God’s willingness not only to forgive him but give him the grace to become a rock of faith.

God allowed Paul to suffer with a thorn in the flesh that taught him humility.

But listen to me today, God is not killing our children, causing death, giving people cancer, breaking down our cars, or any other trying thing that may happen in our lives. God is for you, not against you! Does He discipline His children, yes, but how?

1. God arouses our conscience through the presence and power of His Holy Spirit when we do what is wrong, just as David’s aroused conscience took away the joy of his salvation.

We need to pray each and every day, asking God to expose any attitudes and habits that we need to confess and correct. I always like to go through my list of sinful tendencies that I need to confess and make sure I correct each day.

I believe one of the best signs that we have opened up our lives to Christ is when we do wrong, we are convicted of our sin that robs us of peace and joy. Christians cannot “En-Joy” sin. If Christ has become an integral part of our heart, soul, mind, and body – and we can say with Paul, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20) – then we will be conscience-stricken whenever we sin. If we are not conscience-stricken, if the Spirit of Christ is not “working within and on us,” then He is not a part of us.

2. We are disciplined through His word. God advises us to open and read the Bible. We need to read our Bible with an openness and eagerness for God to show us what we need to know and do! Many people have been disciplined by God while reading the Bible.

3. God disciplines us through spiritual leaders/teachers. We need to listen to good and godly people with an open mind, people who will not hesitate to tell us the truth about ourselves – and challenge us to be better than we are. Everyone needs a friend who will tell us what we don’t want to hear, but need to hear.

God sent Nathan (II Samuel 12) to confront David with his sins. We then read: “David responded to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Then Nathan replied to David, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin; you will not die. However, because you treated the Lord with such contempt in this matter, the son born to you will die’” (II Samuel 12:13-14).

God is the author of life, not death. He is the great physician of healing, not sickness. Can He use sickness to teach us? Yes! Can He use the death of a loved one to show us something? Yes! Can He correct us through trying times that come our way? Yes! But never get confused and think that God is causing death, pain, oppression, fear, and condemnation. We have bee set free from the punishment and wrath of God because of Jesus Christ! What a savior!

Episode 27 - Can All Religions Be True?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Fri, 14 May 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Many people today believe that all religions are true. According to a recent Barna study, 58% of teens and 62% of adults agree with the statement, “Many religions can lead to eternal life; there is no ‘one true religion.’” It would be nice if everybody could be right about their religious convictions. After all, these are beliefs we often hold dear to our hearts. Nobody likes telling others that they are wrong about their deepest convictions. Yet simple reason and common sense tell us all religions cannot possibly true. However, in our day, common sense isn't too common.

Let's reason together and take a look at what the Bible has to say about getting to God. Even a half-hearted examination of different religions would quickly reveal that different religions make very different truth claims on a number of issues. By its very nature, truth is exclusive. It is not logically possible for all religions to be right when their core claims differ so radically. Either they are all wrong, or one is right.

Consider that Buddhists belief in no God, Hindus believe in many gods, and Christians believe in a triune God consisting of God the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit of God. Just looking at these beliefs alone, we can see that all religions are not the same, nor do they all point to God.
n fact, different religions don’t even claim to be the same. Every religion has its own specific idea of who God is (or is not) and how salvation may be attained. Yes, religions often agree on secondary, non-essential doctrines. But on core beliefs, they differ radically.

Unless we are willing to abandon the law of non-contradiction, Buddhism and Christianity cannot possibly both be true. God cannot both exist and not exist. There cannot be one God who exists as one person (Islam) and one God who exists as three persons (Christianity).

So all religions cannot be true. Despite our culture's love for pluralism and acceptance of everything, there can only be one true religion.

This is where Christianity takes center stage. Biblical Christianity is absolutely unique among all the religions and philosophies of mankind. Its claim to be necessary for salvation is based squarely on the uniquely powerful evidences for its truth and finality. Actually, true Christianity is not a religion, but a person, Jesus Christ.

Christianity is unique and set apart from all others for several reasons.

1. Only in the Bible is God revealed as the one eternal, personal Creator, who brought the entire universe into existence by His own Word.

All other religions start with the material universe as the only eternal reality, with their “gods” being essentially personifications of the natural forces which develop the universe into its present form.

On the other hand, the Creator-God of the Bible has all power and is Himself, therefore, not only the One who created the universe but also the One who establishes the basis for human salvation.

2. Christianity alone is centered in the historical events associated with a Person—the birth, death, resurrection, and imminent, glorious return of Jesus Christ.

Other religions are invariably based on the teachings, rather than the acts, of their founders.

3. Jesus Christ alone, of all men in history, has conquered man's greatest enemy—death. The founders of other religions are all dead and their tombs venerated. The tomb of Christ is empty, and His bodily resurrection from the grave is the best proved fact of all history. The fact that He alone could overcome death demonstrates that He alone has all power. He Himself said,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6).

4. All other religions of the world are fundamentally just one religion—one of salvation by works. Each religion sets up a particular set of religious rites, of commands and restrictions, and of ethical principles to follow, and then teaches that if a man does these things he will be saved. The human origin of each of these systems is indicated by the fact that each is humanly attainable.

The Bible, however, sets its moral and ethical standard as the very holiness and perfection of God Himself, and demands nothing less than this for salvation. Obviously, no man would invent a standard which was utterly impossible for any man to keep.

5. The man Christ Jesus, alone of all men who ever lived, maintained in every respect a life of perfect holiness and full obedience to the Father, thus demonstrating that He was the God-Man. He then died for the sins of all men and thus can offer full pardon and His own nature of perfect holiness to anyone who receives Him.

Christ alone offers salvation by grace alone, to be received only through faith in Him.

To the one who truly believes on Him, He then gives through the Holy Spirit a new nature, enabling that one to live a life pleasing to God.

There is no mere “religion” in all the world like this. Jesus Christ is the world's Creator, and its only true Redeemer.

“Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Christ alone was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin.
Christ alone is God incarnate.
Christ alone lived a sinless life.
Christ alone died a penal, substitutionary death
Christ alone rose from the dead triumphant over sin
Christ alone qualifies as Savior, and Christ alone is Savior.

In the words of the country preacher...."there ain't nobody like Jesus"

Do you know Jesus today? Do you believe? That is what is necessary for salvation. The Bible tells us that God so loved the world......

Do you believe? For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Have you believed in your heart that Jesus is the only true Savior and way to get to God? Have you confessed that to Him with your mouth? If not, you can today. Call out to him and tell Him you believe and that you need forgiveness for your sins. He will cleanse you and transform your life.

Episode 26 - All Sins Are Not Equal!

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Thu, 1 Apr 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Growing up in a pastor's home and being in church since 9 months before I was born, I have always heard Christian people say that no sin is worse than another. All sins are equal in the eyes of God.

One mistaken and unfortunate trend in many parts of the contemporary American Christian church is the propagation of “Christian” clichés that are neither Christian nor true. One of these is this very idea: no sin is worse than any other sin.

Sin is sin they say. Before I discuss some problems with this view, I first want to point out what is right about it. It is true that because God is perfectly holy, He detests all sin. It is not as if God takes murder seriously but merely gives theft a wink and a nod. God is morally perfect, and His heart is grieved by all sin. We should expect no less from a morally perfect and holy God who is worthy of all of our worship. God’s perfect character requires that He abhor all sin. As followers of Christ, as people who aspire to exemplify His character in our daily living, we should pursue holiness and avoid all sin.

It is true that no matter how great or small, all sins separate us from God and require forgiveness in Christ. The consequence of sin — any sin — is spiritual death. All sins leave us in need of redemption.

James 2:10-11 For whoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point is guilty of breaking the whole law. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,”[b] also said, “Do not kill.” Now if you do not commit adultery, yet you kill, you have become a lawbreaker.

Simply put, that scripture tells us that if we break just one of God's laws or commandments, its the same as if we broke them all. So in that sense, yes, all sin separates us from God and we needed Jesus to dies as a substitute for our sin, But that does not mean that all sins are equal in His sight in the sense of consequences or punishment.

It is clear that there are degree of wrongdoing. The idea or belief that murder is morally equivalent to stealing a pack of gum is absurd for many reasons. For example, the level of harm is vastly different. If someone steals a pack of gum for me, that's not good, but I'm not dead....hello?!

The right to life is fundamental. It is the most important right we possess. So murder is a morally worse act than stealing gum. The two actions are not morally equivalent, nor are they the same in the eyes of God. All sin does not have the same effect.

There is a very strong biblical case that can be made against the claim that all sins are the same in God's sight.

Let's read Matthew 23: 23-24 Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You tithe mint and dill and cumin, but have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone. You blind guides who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

In this passage, Jesus rejects the claim that no sin is worse than any other. He told them that justice, mercy, and faithfulness are more important than giving tithes. And just for the record, He is NOT talking here about social justice. That's a podcast for another day.

The point of this passage is the the scribes and Pharisees focused on lesser matters of the law while neglecting the more important. Jesus did not hold that all sins are equal because His teachings here directly contradict this view.

In Luke 20: 46-47, Jesus teaches that there will be some people who will receive a greater condemnation or punishment than others. The scripture reads, "Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation."

And who did Jesus have in mind when he warned of hell’s greatest levels? We might think it would be Hitler or Stalin, but instead, Jesus tells us that it will be respectable religious people. In this passage it was directed at the most religious teachers of the law.

Matthew 11 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of Judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who is exalted toward heaven, will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you.”

On the last day, he tells us, the judgment will be “more bearable” for Tyre and Sidon, and “more tolerable” for Sodom, than it will be for the citizens of these Galilean cities.

Tyre plundered Jerusalem after Babylon had laid it waste (Ezekiel 26:1–2), but better to be a marauding Tyrian on judgment day than to be a citizen of Chorazin. Sidon exulted with Tyre over the destruction of God’s chosen city (Isaiah 23:4, 12), but better to be a proud Sidonian on judgment day than to be a member of Bethsaida. The men of Sodom nearly battered down Lot’s door in order to commit homosexual acts (Genesis 19:4–9), but — can it be? — better to be a lecherous Sodomite on judgment day than to stand with the city of Capernaum.

As far as we know, Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were not renowned for their wickedness. These were small Galilean cities, neighbors to Nazareth. Capernaum was even Jesus’s “own city” during his ministry. The residents of these places were likely synagogue-attending, Torah-memorizing, Sabbath-keeping Jews. How could they possibly outdo Sodom in sin?

For this simple reason: when they witnessed the mighty works of the Messiah, God’s own Son, “they did not repent” (Matthew 11:20).

The worst sinners in this world, then, are not necessarily those who live in rank debauchery, but those who go on sinning when they have every reason and opportunity to repent. Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, for all their wickedness, lived and died in gospel darkness. Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum saw the gospel’s blazing light — and they quietly closed the curtains.

It makes sense that because not all sin is the same, there will be greater degrees of punishment and reward. In fact, in Matt 16:27 saysFor "the Son of Man shall come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay every man according to his works."

How many of you know that there will be some who have greater works than others? Some people have dedicated their lives to the service of Jesus Christ, while others give the bare minimum in their service to the Lord. Throughout the NT the scripture even talks about 5 crowns that will be given to believers, but not every Christian will receive all 5 crowns.

It stands to reason that if there are greater rewards in Heaven and greater punishments in Hell, that all sin cannot be equal.

Where we are all equal is at the foot of the cross. the Bible tells us that all of us have sinned and come short of God's standard of perfection. There is forgiveness in Jesus Christ for all sin except for one which brings me to my last point.

If all sin is equal, then why does Jesus tell us in Mark 3:28-29 that there is an unforgivable sin? He said, 28 Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they speak. 29 But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal condemnation.”

Simply put, there is one sin that is greater than all others and that is the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ. A person cannot reject Christ as Messiah and enter the kingdom of Heaven.

If you are still breathing today, you can be forgiven of your sins.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28–30)

Come to me. No matter how many years someone has merely dabbled with the gospel, no matter how many opportunities they have trampled, no matter how many sermons and exhortations they have despised, Jesus says, “Come to me.” He invites those who rival Sodom in their evil, and he invites those who compete with Capernaum for their apathy. He invites those who have blatantly hated him all their life, and he invites those who have quietly rejected him.

Jesus is gentle and lowly in heart. He does not delight in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11). Rather, he delights when the wicked, after long years of refusing him, finally come, ready to repent and find their rest in him.

Not all sins, and not all sinners, are the same. But they all have the same remedy: the Savior who came, and lived, and died so that no one who feels the weight of their guilt need finally go to hell.

"Do Not Let the Sun Go Down On Your Anger"

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Thu, 4 Feb 2021 14:00:00 +0000

One of the most misunderstood and misapplied verses in scripture is Ephesians 4:26, which says, "be angry and sin not: do not let the sun go down on your anger."

I grew up in a Christian home. In fact I grew up in Southern Baptist home where I was in church 9 months before I was born. I have heard many sermons.

For years, the only way I have ever heard Ephesians 4:26 preached is you shouldn’t go to bed angry at your spouse. In other words don’t let the sun go down before you resolve any conflicts. He is not saying be mad at your spouse all day, just make sure you get it resolved before the sun goes down. That is NOT what this passage means!

While I do think it is a great idea, and you are well advised to be at peace with your spouse on a daily basis, context is crucial. We have the habit in modern evangelical circles of taking passages of scripture and ripping them out of the context in which they were written. The surrounding versus say nothing about husbands and wives.

The surrounding versus deal with speaking falsehood, not letting the devil have an opportunity, don’t steal, don’t lie, and don’t let corrupt communication come out of your mouth, among other things. They are dealing with sin and what happens when sin is in your life.

While anger can be a sinful issue in our lives when it is allowed to grow into bitterness, resentment, wrath, and hatred, it is possible to be angry and not sin.

Unlike the modern interpretations of this passage, husbands and wives are not mentioned anywhere in this chapter. We have a habit in modern Christianity of taking versus out of their original context kicking and screaming and we try to make them fit a particular theology or interpretation. This is not the way we should handle the scripture.

Look at the context. He has been talking about how we should live as believers and certain things we should eliminate from our lives. In verse 22 it says that we should put off the old way of life which is corrupt. Verse 25 says put away lying, he says to speak truth. He says in verse 28 not to steal anymore, but instead work with your hands. In verse 29 it says not to let corrupt communication come out of your mouth. He says don't grieve the Holy Spirit. Verse 31 says to put away bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and blasphemies.

I don't want to give you a greek lesson today, but I do want to let you know that verse 26, when he says be angry, that is in the imperative mood, which means it is a command. He is commanding us to be angry. And yes, we can be angry and not sin.

As believers, we know that Jesus did not sin. He lived a perfect life while He was on the earth. Yet, the scripture tells us that He fashioned a whip and drove the money changers out of the temple because He was angry they had made the house of worship a den of thieves. He was furious, but He did not sin. It is possible for us to be angry and not sin.

He is commanding us to be angry over our sin.

While I do think he is saying that we should put away vengeful anger and not hold on to it, He is saying be angry at your sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Don’t quit hating your sin. Don’t stop being angry over your sin. Because if you stop being angry over your sin, you will give the devil opportunity.

Simply put, don’t get comfortable or numb over sin. Sin has no place in the life of a believer. May God help us to continually confess and repent. Stay angry over YOUR sin!

Not letting the sun go down should remind us of an OT story. Remember when Joshua was fighting with Israel over the 5 kings of the Amorites, the scripture says that the sun stood still for a period of 24-hours.

Joshua 10:11-14 says, 11 As they fled from Israel on the downslope from Beth Horon, the Lord hurled large hailstones down upon them from the sky as far as Azekah. They died, and in fact more died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

12 On the day the Lord gave over the Amorites to the children of Israel, Joshua spoke to the Lord and said in full view of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 So the sun stood still,
and the moon stood in place
until the people brought vengeance on their enemies.
Is this not written in the book of Jashar?

The sun stood still in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day. 14 There has not been a day like this either before or after it, when the Lord obeyed a man, for the Lord waged war for Israel.

As long as the sun was up, Israel experienced victory. Joshua and Israel were victorious over the Amorites. So how does that relate to the sun not going down on your anger in the New Testament? We should never allow the sin of complacency to infiltrate out lives. Sin should not have a place in the life of a Christ follower. Do not let the sun go down on your anger and give place to the devil.

Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Tue, 5 Jan 2021 14:00:00 +0000

I do want to go ahead and answer the question up front and say, yes, the OT does still matter to us today for faith and practice in the Christian life. Although we do not have the time to address all of the challenges to the importance of the OT, I do want to spend a few minutes explaining some reasons the OT is still applicable for us today.

1. The Old Testament is the Framework of the Work of Christ

The fundamental reason the OT still matters is because we cannot properly understand the work of Christ without it. What Christ came to do doesn't make sense if the OT background and foundation is properly laid.

Consider, for example, the most foundational claim that Christ shed His blood for our sins. We use this statement, and proclaim it to others, without always recognizing that it only makes sense in light of the OT.

The statement presumes the definition of sin (breaking God’s law), the seriousness of sin (God is holy), a penalty for sin (blood must be shed) and a substitute for sin (the death of a pure sacrifice in our place). All these categories come from, and are defined by, the OT.

Keep in mind that NT authors referenced the scriptures. They would say things like, "as it is written" or "you have heard it said." They were referencing the OT scriptures. They didn't not have completed copies of an Old and New Testament. Many times all they had to reference was the Torah, or the books of law.

Think of the person and work of Jesus Christ. New Testament authors are often keen to set the story of Jesus within the larger story of OT Israel. Thus, Matthew, the first book of our New Testament, begins his Gospel in a classically OT manner: with a genealogy (1:1-17). In essence, Matthew is telling us that the story of Jesus begins in the OT with Abraham, with David, with the story of Israel.

That means the story of Jesus is not so much a new story but the ending of an older one. One of the reasons people don’t understand the message of the NT is that they don’t understand the message of the OT.

But we must remember that the OT does not merely anticipate Christ. On the contrary, Christ is actually present in the OT itself, visible in the types and shadows therein. Christ is not just the main subject of the NT; he is also the main subject of the OT! Thus, Jesus could say, “Everything that was written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). This is the fundamental reason why Christians should preach from the OT. If they preach from the OT, they will be preaching Christ.

2. The Old Testament is the Framework for Our Identity as Believers

The OT is relevant not only because it explains who Christ is (and why he came), but it also explains who we are. The OT lays out critical categories for understanding our identity as followers of the God of Israel.

Unfortunately, this is often missed. With the influence of dispensational theology in modern evangelicalism, a sharp separation is often made between Israel and the church. Thus, Christians rarely view their identity in OT categories.

But the NT writers saw a deep connection between what God started with Israel and what He continued in the church. Indeed, the NT writers repeatedly identify Christ-followers as those who are the true Israel.

Take, for example, Paul’s remarkable statement in Galatians 3:29, “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.” For many first-century Jews, you were only the offspring of Abraham if you were physically/genetically related to him. In contrast, Paul’s statement lays out the mind-blowing truth that the true “offspring” of Abraham are followers of Jesus.

And this is not the only place he does so. Elsewhere, Paul defines Christians in the most OT of categories, namely as the “circumcised” ones: “For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3).

The apostle Peter does the same thing. He describes Christians in categories typically used for OT Israel: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9).

This pattern reminds us that we need the OT to understand our identity as believers. By faith, we have been “grafted in” (Romans 11:17) to the Abrahamic tree and are counted among God’s true Israel.

The Old Testament is a Guide for the Christian Life

The third and final reason the OT still matters is how it functions as a guide for the Christian life. The NT writers continually draw upon the OT as an abiding authority for believers in Jesus.

The Ten Commandments, for example, are regularly cited and applied to new-covenant believers (e.g., Romans 13:9; Ephesians 6:1-3; James 2:11). Wisdom books like Psalms and Proverbs are repeatedly utilized (e.g., Romans 13:20; 1 Corinthians 3:19-20; James 4:6). And, of course, the countless stories of OT figures are laid forth as examples to emulate (Hebrews 11:1-40) or avoid (Romans 10:6).

The fact that the OT is still profitable to new-covenant believers can be seen perhaps most clearly by Paul’s statement that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). When Paul described “Scripture” in this way, he had in mind the Old Testament!

Of course, this does not mean all portions of the OT still apply under the new covenant. The entire cultic system — animal sacrifices, temple worship, purity laws — is completed and fulfilled by Christ. Likewise, civil laws that governed Israel during its tenure as a geopolitical nation are no longer binding given the nature of the new-covenant church.

But even the abrogated portions of the OT can still have an abiding relevance. Even though we (obviously) do not offer animal sacrifices today, we can still see how the animal sacrifices prefigured Christ and pointed toward His redemptive work. In that sense, these portions are still important for the church to know and understand.

Conclusion

We can all acknowledge that the OT can be difficult to understand sometimes. There are portions that are confusing and maybe even troubling. As a result, we may be tempted to think the church would just be better off without it.

In the midst of all the attacks on the OT today, we must remember that the OT lays the foundation for Christ’s work, shapes our identity as believers, and is a faithful guide to the Christian life.

We should remember the words of Jesus about the OT Scriptures: “Until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18).

The entire word of God is relevant for us today. If we allow for freedoms to dismiss any part of scripture, where does that stop? If the OT writings can be written off was old and irrelevant, couldn't the same be applied to the NT? You see, we must take the WHOLE word in order to understand the greater context of the work of Jesus Christ and His coming Kingdom.

Why is the Virgin Birth Important?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 14:00:00 +0000

The virgin birth of Jesus through Mary is a doctrine that is crucial to biblical Christianity. On this doctrine hangs original sin, the inspiration of Scripture, who Jesus was, and what Jesus did through salvation. To deny the virgin birth is to deny these other doctrines as well.

Scripture describes the event for us. In response to Mary’s question, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin” (Luke 1:34), Gabriel says “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you...” (Luke 1:35). Matthew 1:20 says "…For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”

Scripture teaches that Jesus was fully human, with a physical body. This He received from Mary. At the same time Jesus was fully God with an eternal, sinless nature (John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14-17).

Romans 5 indicates the sin nature is passed down from generation to generation through the father. But Jesus was not born in sin, He had no sin nature (Hebrews 7:26). He was the Holy One of God since He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Because He was the Son of God, He partook of the divine nature.

Simply put, all of us were born into sin from the moment of our birth. The psalmist himself said that his mother conceived him in sin. It all started in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve partook of the fruit of the forbidden tree, their sin was passed down to every man that would be born thereafter.

Romans 5:19 tells us "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." That one man who disobeyed was Adam and because of that we are all born into sin. This makes us enemies of God because we have all transgressed God's law.

So why is it so important that Jesus be born of a virgin? Seed comes from men and if Mary had been impregnated through any man on the earth, the child would have inherited the same sin nature as every other man.

The virgin birth circumvented the transmission of the sin nature and allowed the eternal God to become a perfect man. the Bible says that what was conceived in Mary was of the Holy Spirit, not a sinful man. This work of the Holy Spirit, bypassed the sinful human race and got a child on the earth who was not born of the corruptible seed of man. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Heavenly Father. He also never sinned, which qualified Him to be a righteous substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. Christ was fully man—therefore able to die—and fully God.

Scripture says that His name was to be called Emmanuel, which means God with us. God wrapped Himself in the person of Jesus Christ and came to live as a real man. Because of His sinless life and substitutionary death on the cross, anyone who comes by faith in His work can be saved from their sin and reconciled to God. In effect, it reverses what Adam did to us through His sin. While we still suffer the effects of sin while we are on this earth, one day we will ultimately be saved from sin, death, sickness, and the curse of sin for eternity.

The virgin birth is also important because it affirms the inspiration and authority of Scripture. If we deny the teaching and say it’s a myth, then we undermine the rest of the Bible. Isaiah 7:14 says, “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

This was prophesied some 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. To deny the virgin birth is to deny the work of God and to deny that Jesus is the Messiah. The virgin birth is important because it shows us that salvation must be from God. It shows we have no part in undoing the sin curse. Only He can save us. Humanity couldn’t produce its own redeemer—salvation had to come from outside in order to make right what Adam set wrong so many years ago.

Do you believe in the virgin birth? It is crucial for a proper understanding of scripture and salvation from Christ.

Do you know Jesus Christ, if not you can know Him. the Bible says that if you will confess with your mouth.......

Call out to Him in repentance of your sins and ask Him to save you from Hell and from your sins.

Why Do Democrats Want to Abolish the Electoral College?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Things are much different now then when I was in school. We were required to take a civics class in high school. It covered everything from the 3 branches of government, how laws are made, the role of Congress and the Senate, the Supreme Court, the electoral college, and many more important roles of the government.

And man am I thankful that we had to take it. In fact every student should be required to take civics before they graduate. They should also be required to take personal finance as well, but that’s a topic for another show.

We obviously don’t have time to dive into everything concerning government, but I didn’t wanna to touch on the electoral college today.

The Electoral College was created by the framers of the U.S. Constitution as an alternative to electing the president by popular vote or by Congress. Each state elects the number of representatives to the Electoral College that is equal to its number of Senators—two from each state—plus its number of delegates in the House of Representatives. The District of Columbia, which has no voting representation in Congress, has three Electoral College votes. There are currently 538 electors in the Electoral College; 270 votes are needed to win the presidential election.

Several weeks after the general election, electors from each state meet in their state capitals and cast their official vote for president and vice president. The votes are then sent to the president of the U.S. Senate who, on January 6 with the entire Congress present, tallies the votes and announces the winner.

The winner of the Electoral College vote is usually the candidate who has won the popular vote. However, it is possible to win the presidency without winning the popular vote.

The Electoral College is not a place, it’s the process that takes place to election the President of the United States as set forth by the Constitution.

Why is this such an important process? What makes it different than just taking the popular vote? We’ll, the answers gives you an idea why Democrats want to abolish not only the electoral college (which would have to be done by constitutional amendment, and that requires being ratified by 3/4 of the states) but they also want to destroy the constitution. Why? Because that would keep them in power.

You can think public school education, or lack there of, for removing things like history and civics from the classroom and we’ve raised generation generation of young people that don’t know anything about government, how it works, or how brilliant the founders were in setting up our system.

Why not just vote and whoever gets the most votes wins?

I don't want to dive to deep into the process, but it comes down to population distribution among the states. The founders were brilliant in designing a system that not only ensures federalism, which is the diffusion of powers among federal, state, and local governments rather than a strong central government, but they wanted to ensure that each state had equal representation of votes. Remember, we are a representative republic, not a true democracy.

Let's look at population. I live in Mississippi, and yes, we have shoes, we can read, and we have all of our teeth....well most of us anyway....and the population is around 3 million. The smallest state by population is Wyoming at around 600,000 people. On the other hand, California is the largest state by population with approximately 40,000,000 people. #2 is Texas with almost 30 million, followed by Florida with around 22 million, and then New York with 20 million.

If we decided the presidential election by popular vote, simply put, the largest states would determine the presidency each year. That means Mississippi's votes would count less than California.

Smaller population states like Wyoming, their votes would significantly matter less than California. Simply put, it means that California, New York, Texas, and Florida would decide who was President every four years. By having an electoral college, it evens the playing field for smaller states.

So why do Democrats want to get rid of the electoral college? Just look at the makeup of voters in states like California, New York, and Florida. California and New York almost always vote majority democrat. Florida is a toss up each year and Texas is usually a red state. Considering that this year, not considering any election fraud, it is estimated that President Trump got over 73 million votes. That means that California, New York, Florida, and Texas alone cold decide who would be president. That hardly seems fair for smaller states.

Since the majority of these states vote Democrat, no wonder why Democrats want to do away with the electoral college. It would almost ensure that a Republican president would never be elected again barring a demographic shift in population.

It is because we have raised a generation of young people who aren’t taught history and civics, they are ignorant of our form of government and are easier led down the path of socialism. I mean who doesn’t was free stuff? But what they don’t realize is that it is not free. Someone is paying for it.

Is there a Christian form of government? Does the Bible speak to the issue of government? The answer to these questions is “Yes.”

The issue has certainly been debated over the years, as to whether or not these questions can be answered, and it comes down to whether there is evidence to support that America’s Constitutional Republic is a Biblical form of government.

There are numerous biblical principles that speak to a form of government and give us biblical direction on how a biblical government might be established. Ideas that come directly from Scripture, either by direct edict from God or by principles extrapolated are as follows (not exhaustive):

* Humans, as image bearers of God, have a right to life

* Humans have a right to private property: if stealing is wrong, that implies that people have a right to have sole possession of certain goods.

* Humans have a right to self-defense to protect said rights to life and property

* Government is a God-ordained entity which has been given authority by God to punish evil and promote good (1 Peter 2:13-14).

We can even see representative government in scripture. In the Scriptures, we read about the travels of the nation of Israel in Exodus through Deuteronomy. In Exodus chapter 18, Moses was speaking to his father-in-law and it became apparent that Moses was being worn out by all the needs of the people. Jethro gave Moses advice (which is then reiterated in Deuteronomy 1) which, when implemented, turned the Hebrew nation into a representative government of sorts.

Jethro told Moses to “select out of all the people, able men who fear God, men of truth, those hating dishonest gain; and you shall place them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. Let them judge the people at alltimes; and let it be that every major dispute, they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their place in peace.” The passage goes on to say that Moses implemented this plan. Ancient Hebrew historical texts shed further light on the system which was established what could be called the Hebrew Republic.

We also see in the New Testament that churches were established as elder-led communities. While the Apostles clearly had much authority over church affairs, they also allowed for much republican rule.

God desires to execute His government in the universe through the church; the divine government among God’s people is not democracy or autocracy but theocracy, God Himself ruling and reigning through some agents.

This is how God ordained things, and even if we don’t agree with the way God runs things, we cannot but say Amen to His arrangement.

Our God is the One who rules and reigns; He has a government in the universe, and there’s also a government in the church.

God is still governing and administrating in this age according to His economy; He governs and administrates in the church, and judgement begins from His own house.

God’s intention is to execute His government in this universe through the church; He first heads up a group of people – the church – and then through the church He heads up all things in the universe in Christ.

The divine government among God’s people is not autocracy (which is a form of dictatorship) or democracy (which is the voice of the people and their decision) but theocracy (government by God according to what He is).

The divine government among us today in the church life is a theocracy (Rev. 4:2; 5:6); theocracy means that God governs among us according to what He is (Psa. 89:14).

We don’t have democracy in the church; God’s administration among the children of Israel was a theocracy, which means that God Himself came to govern, to rule, to administrate, the people directly – yet through some agents (Deut. 1:9-18).

These agents were the priests and the elders working together for God’s theocracy.

The priests received the word from God, they had God’s judgements, and they passed these on to the elders to execute that judgement among God’s people; the elders depended on the others to help them accomplish that.

Our country may have a democratic system or an autocratic system, but in the church life as the divine kingdom there’s no place for autocracy or democracy – here we have only theocracy!

1 Samuel 8

There’s a reason that we have messed up. There’s a reason we have the election mess that we see happening. It is partly because we are trying to live by a system of government that God has not prescribed. Now for the sake of this podcast, I don’t want anyone to leave today thinking that I believe a representative republic is anti-God or not blessed by God.

There is no doubt that Hod has truly blessed America and has His hand on this nation, but God ultimately wants to be king. When Christ returns we will not be led representatives. Christ Himself will rule and reign. This is the system of govt that God desires, no matter what we may think is best.

I hope this podcast has been helpful.

Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Tue, 8 Sep 2020 14:00:26 +0000

There are certain denominations and groups of believers that hold to the belief that in order to be saved a person must be baptized.
This belief is known as baptismal regeneration. This is an unbiblical belief and the scripture has much to say about it.

Before we go further, let's define baptism. Baptism is the immersion of a person in water after they have placed faith in Jesus Christ. There is no mention of baptizing babies, sprinkling, or any other form of baptism in the Bible. In fact, the word baptism literally means to immerse. Christian baptism is the means by which a person makes a public profession of faith and discipleship.

Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Romans 6:3-4 declares,

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

The action of being immersed in the water illustrates dying and being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection.

Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a works-based salvation. To add anything to the gospel is to say that Jesus’ death on the cross was not sufficient to purchase our salvation. To say that baptism is necessary for salvation is to say we must add our own good works and obedience to Christ’s death in order to make it sufficient for salvation. Jesus’ death alone paid for our sins (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ payment for our sins is appropriated to our “account” by faith alone (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, baptism is an important step of obedience after salvation but cannot be a requirement for salvation.

Yes, there are some verses that seem to indicate baptism as a requirement for salvation. However, since the Bible so clearly tells us that salvation is received by faith alone (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5), there must be a different interpretation of those verses. Scripture does not contradict Scripture. In Bible times, a person who converted from one religion to another was often baptized to identify conversion. Baptism was the means of making a decision public. Those who refused to be baptized were saying they did not truly believe. So, in the minds of the apostles and early disciples, the idea of an un-baptized believer was unheard of. When a person claimed to believe in Christ, yet was ashamed to proclaim his faith in public, it indicated that he did not have true faith.

If baptism is necessary for salvation, why would Paul have said, “I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius” (1 Corinthians 1:14)? Why would he have said, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:17)

My default will always be the thief on the cross. There were two thieves that hung on either side of Jesus. One was arrogant and we know he died and went to hell. Luke's gospel records the other their asking Jesus to remember him when He comes into His kingdom. Jesus' response was, "this day you shall be with me in paradise. The thief was never baptized yet Jesus told him he would be with him in glory. So baptism cannot be a requirement in order to enter the kingdom of God.

Baptism is not necessary for salvation. Baptism does not save from sin but from a bad conscience. In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter clearly taught that baptism was not a ceremonial act of physical purification, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. Baptism is the symbol of what has already occurred in the heart and life of one who has trusted Christ as Savior (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12). Baptism is an important step of obedience that every Christian should take. Baptism cannot be a requirement for salvation. To make it such is an attack on the sufficiency of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Simply put, we don't get baptized to get saved, we get baptized because we are in right relationship with Jesus Christ and want the world to know that we identify in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Amen!

Does A Person Have to Speak in Tongues to go to Heaven?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Fri, 4 Sep 2020 23:02:33 +0000

I have heard it preached by different denominations that speaking in tongues is paramount to receiving access into Heaven. Many preachers have taught from their pulpits that tongues is this special, private language that only God can understand.

Before we discuss entrance into heaven, we need to define speaking in tongues. As always, we will look to what the Bible has to say for understanding. The first occurrence of speaking in tongues occurred on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, 4 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak. 5 Now dwelling in Jerusalem were Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 When this sound occurred, the crowd came together and were confounded, because each man heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to each other, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 How is it that we hear, each in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages the mighty works of God.” 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other, “What does this mean?”

Throughout the entirety of scripture, the word tongues always means languages. More specifically, known languages.

Speaking in tongues was the ability to speak in a language the speaker does not know, in order to communicate the gospel to someone who does speak that language. In the multicultural area of Corinth, it seems that the gift of tongues was especially valuable and prominent. The Corinthian believers were able to better communicate the gospel and God’s Word as a result of the gift of tongues. However, Paul made it abundantly clear that even in this usage of tongues, it was to be interpreted or “translated” (1 Corinthians 14:13, 27). A Corinthian believer would speak in tongues, proclaiming God’s truth to someone who spoke that language, and then that believer, or another believer in the church, was to interpret what was spoken so that the entire assembly could understand what was said.

This is not in agreement with those who view praying in tongues as a prayer language. To give you a brief summary, there are many who believe that speaking in tongues is a special prayer language that only God can understand. They get this from 2 Corinthians 14

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

Several question arise from this passage. 1 How could praying in tongues be a private prayer language is the scripture says it has to be interpreted?
2) How could praying in tongues be for self-edification when Scripture says that the spiritual gifts are for the edification of the church, not the self (1 Corinthians 12:7)?
3) How can praying in tongues be a private prayer language if the gift of tongues is a “sign to unbelievers” (1 Corinthians 14:22)?
4) The Bible makes it clear that not everyone possesses the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:11, 28-30). How could tongues be a gift for self-edification if not every believer can possess it?

Some understand praying in tongues to be a “secret code language” that prevents Satan and his demons from understanding our prayers and thereby gaining an advantage over us. This interpretation is unbiblical for the following reasons: 1) The New Testament consistently describes tongues as a human language, and Satan and his demons are well able to understand human languages. 2) The Bible records countless believers praying in their own language, out loud, with no concern of Satan intercepting the prayer. Even if Satan and/or his demons hear and understand the prayers we pray, they have absolutely no power to prevent God from answering the prayers according to His will. We know that God hears our prayers, and that fact makes it irrelevant whether Satan and his demons hear and understand our prayers.

What do we say, then, about the many Christians who have experienced praying in tongues and find it to be very personally edifying?

First, we must base our faith and practice on Scripture, not experience. We must view our experiences in light of Scripture, not interpret Scripture in light of our experiences.

Second, many of the cults and world religions also report occurrences of speaking in tongues/praying in tongues. Obviously the Holy Spirit is not gifting these unbelieving individuals. So, it seems that the demons are able to counterfeit the gift of speaking in tongues. This is not to say that all who speak in tongues are filled with demons. But what this should do is cause us to compare even more carefully our experiences with Scripture.

Third, studies have shown how speaking/praying in tongues can be a learned behavior. Through hearing and observing others speak in tongues, a person can learn the procedure, even subconsciously. This is the most likely explanation for the vast majority of instances of speaking/praying in tongues among Christians.

Fourth, the feeling of “self-edification” is natural. The human body produces adrenaline and endorphins when it experiences something new, exciting, emotional, and/or disconnected from rational thought. The key word here is emotional.

Simply put, speaking in a language you have never learned is 100% an act of the Holy Spirit. This is not something that can be conjured up in our own flesh. Tongues always has been and always will be for edification of the body of Christ and the communication of the Gospel. If it has nothing to do with someone hearing the Gospel of Christ, there is no need for it! Last time I checked, God can hear me in the English language that I speak.

There are those of certain denominations and communities that want to shame those who do not speak in tongues and consider them to be inferior because they do not share that experience. Many have even declared that a person cannot enter into heaven without speaking in tongues.

As a matter of personal note, I do not believe that speaking in tongues is a private prayer language that only God can understand nor do I believe that there is a necessity for tongues today. We have so many tools at our disposal to communication the Gospel. If you don't believe that.... All of us have language translation apps on our phones.

There are those who want to shame those who do not speak in tongues and even those who declare that a person cannot enter Heaven without speaking in tongues. I've got a good Greek word for that.....bologna!!

Scripture is clear on how we receive eternal life and that is to believe on the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ! Hallelujah! Not speaking in tongues or any other "thing" we can do. By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Do We Become Angels When We Die?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 14:00:13 +0000

Having been in the gospel ministry for the past 25 years as a pastor and minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have had the opportunity to preach and participate in many funerals. Whenever there is a grieving family, I often hear phrases like, God got another angel, or they finally got their wings.

Phrase like these are usually well meaning, but they are not biblical. I respect a person's sorrow and grief and their desire to honor and remember their loved one, but we do not become angels when we die and go to Heaven.

Before we dive into the discussion on angels, we need to have a clear understanding of how a person get's to Heaven in the first place. Many people believe that their good works are going to get them to Heaven.

In fact, I had a man share with me one time about how he envisioned entrance into Heaven. He shared that there would be a scale and if our good outweighs our bad, then we would be granted entrance into Heaven. That is in direct opposition to what the scripture declares.

Ephesians 2:8-9 tell us "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

In Romans 11:6 God tells us (and I am paraphrasing) that salvation is by grace and not works, if it is by works, then God's grace is not really a free gift.

Paul tells us in Galatians 3 that all who rely on getting to Heaven by works are under a curse. Why? Because God's standard is not goodness. God's standard has always been perfection and none of us are perfect after the flesh. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. This is the reason Christ Jesus had to be born of a virgin, come in the flesh, live a sinless life, so he could be the perfect substitute for you and me. Now when we place faith in Him and His work on the cross, our faith is counted as righteousness and we can be granted entrance into Heaven. It has nothing to do with our good works.

There is a false gospel being preached that everyone goes to Heaven when they die, but the Bible tells us that not all who say unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that does the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Jesus told us that the work and will of God is to believe on Him who He sent....that is Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ is the only pathway to entrance into Heaven.

With that nailed down now, do we become angels when we die and go to Heaven? Simply put, NO!

Those who believe that humans become angels when they die have a distorted idea about the nature of humanity and angels. Humans are physical beings with a spiritual soul, made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Angels are spiritual beings (Hebrews 1:14) who can only become physical if God ordains that their work requires it. Humans are born with a sin nature and sin throughout their lives. Because of this, God arranged a plan of redemption that angels can't even understand (1 Peter 1:12).

Angels are similar to humans in some ways. They were created by God (Colossians 1:15-17). They have intelligence (2 Corinthians 11:3), emotion (Revelation 12:17), and will (Jude 6). They are meant to praise God (Luke 2:13), serve God (Revelation 22:9), and work for His kingdom (Acts 8:26). When they need a physical representation, they often appear human (Daniel 8:15), although not always (Ezekiel 1:5-11). And they know the Scriptures (James 2:19; Revelation 12:12).

At no point does the Bible indicate that humans become angels after death. At death, the body and soul of a human are separated. The soul of the believer goes to be with Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:6-8), and the soul of the unbeliever goes to a place of torment (Luke 16:22-23). At the end times, believers (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) will receive new, glorified bodies and spend eternity in paradise (Revelation 21:1). Unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15) will be judged and cast into the lake of fire. No work as an angel is mentioned.

You see, these bodies we live in now are under a curse. It is the reason that there is disease, sickness, and even death. All of us are dying from the moment of our birth. If you don't believe that, look at your high school yearbook photo! One day, these bodies will give out because we are under the curse of sin. But one day, the scripture declares that when Christ returns we will be given eternal bodies, ones that are not susceptible to disease or sickness where we will ever praise and worship God. It makes no mention of us floating around on clouds or getting wings or anything like that.

The Bible also says that in heaven we will be higher than the angels–and the reason is because we will be like Christ. The Bible says, “Do you not know that we will judge angels?” (1 Corinthians 6:3). While this verse may be referring to the rebellious angels who chose to follow Satan, it still implies that our status after death will be above that of the angels.

God created humans and angels as different beings for different purposes. Occasionally, our paths cross as we work together for the kingdom of God. In heaven, we will glorify God with the angels, but we will never become them.

What Does the Bible Say About the Creation Account?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 14:00:05 +0000

One of the most important parts of scripture to understand is the creation account in Genesis. Many people, even good Christian people, dismiss the creation account as secondary. While we can get caught up in the debate and lose focus on the spreading of the Gospel, I want to posit that what a person believes about the creation account plays a significant role in how the view theology in general and most importantly, how they view the Gospel.

For the sake of this vlog, we obviously do not have time to dive into each of the views of creation and dissect them all so we will read what the scripture has to say and take it at face value.

We do not have time to dissect the four major theories of creation but they are the gap theory, the day-age theory, the framework hypothesis, and a literal 6-day creation.

Genesis 1 gives us the biblical account of creation and I encourage you to read through the entire chapter. The 1st day God created light and separated light from darkness, Day 2 God created the sea and the sky, Day 3 He create land and plant life, Day 4 He created the sun, moon, and stars, Day 5 He created the birds and aquatic life, Day 6 He created land animals and human beings, and on the 7th day, He rested from His work.

So the book of Genesis tells us that God created every living thing that creeps on the earth in a 6 day time period. Where things begin to go amuck, is when people begin to interpret the scripture in all kinds of weird ways. We have been taught in school, on TV, and in books that the earth is millions and millions of years old. However, we do not find that time period in the scripture. If a person is going to believe the the earth is millions of years old, believe in evolution, and believe the Bible, then they have to place those millions of years somewhere in the creation account.

Some want to place the millions of years before Genesis 1:1, Gap theorists want to place them in a gap between verse 1 & verse 2, still others want to spread the millions of years out over the 6 days of creation. What are all of these views doing, they are adding to scripture and Proverbs 30:6 tells us not to add to His word lest He reprove you and you be found a liar.

The Day-Age theory is another view that seeks to place the millions of years within the 6 day creation period. This is the idea that a day is like a 1000 years. They get this from 2 Peter 3:8 where is says that a day with the Lord is like 1000 years. But the verse goes on to say that 1000 years is like a day, so it cancels out their argument!

This seems to be the only time in scripture where people have a problem with the interpretation of the word day. They believe when the word day is used in Genesis that it doesn't literally mean a 24-hour time period, but it can mean a much longer time than that.

Outside of Genesis 1, in the OT, the word day is used with a number 410 times. In every instance it means an ordinary day. Outside of Genesis, the word morning and evening appear together without the word day, 38 times and every single time it means an ordinary day. The word evening and morning appear together with the word day 23 times outside of genesis and in every single instance it means an ordinary day. The word night appears with the word day outside of Genesis 52 times and in every instance it means an ordinary day.

If you read the creation account the language that is used is the evening and the morning were the first day, the evening and the morning were the second day, the evening and the morning were the third day, the evening and the morning were the fourth day, the evening and the morning were the fifth day, the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

What more could God do to convince people that it was an ordinary day? They say that the word day could mean 1000 years. But my question is, where does that get applied to other areas of scripture?

When was the last time you were in a bible study and listening to the story of Jonah when he was in the big fish for three days, when has anyone ever stood up and said, wait a minute, a day with the Lord is like 1000 years, maybe Jonah was in the fish for 3000 years.

Or you are studying the book of Joshua and he marched around Jericho for 7 days and someone says wait a day with the Lord is like 1000 years, so Joshua marched around Jericho for 7000 years. That doesn't make sense.

What makes sense is the God created the world in 6 literal days just like the scripture says.

Why is it important to have a correct interpretation and view of the first two chapters of Genesis? Because if the Bible can’t be trusted in the first two chapters, what makes it trustworthy throughout the rest of the book?

The first eleven chapters of Genesis set the stage for the rest of the biblical story. You can’t understand the unfolding narrative of Scripture without Genesis 1–11. There is so much foundational material in these chapters for the rest of the Bible—e.g., creation, the fall, sin, the certainty of judgment, the necessity of a Savior, and the introduction of the gospel. To ignore these foundational doctrines would render the rest of the Bible as unintelligible and irrelevant.

Christian theology is based on the historical accuracy of the Genesis account. The concept of marriage comes right out of the creation account (Genesis 2:24) and is referenced by Jesus in all three Synoptic Gospels. Our Lord Himself acknowledges that man was created male and female “from the beginning of creation” (Matthew 19:4). These statements, to be comprehendible, rely on the historical accuracy of the Genesis creation account. Most importantly, the doctrine of salvation depends on the existence of a literal person named Adam.

Twice in the Pauline Epistles (Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15), Paul links our salvation in Christ with our identification in Adam. In 1 Corinthians 15:21–22, we read, 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came by man, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The entire human race is in a fallen state by virtue of being “in Adam” through natural birth. In similar manner, those whom God has chosen for salvation are saved by virtue of being “in Christ” through spiritual birth. The in Adam/in Christ distinction is crucial to a proper understanding of Christian soteriology, and this distinction makes no sense if there were no literal Adam from whom all humanity descended.

Paul argues in a similar vein in Romans 5:12 and says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned”. This verse is the linchpin in the argument for total depravity, and, like the 1 Corinthians passage, it depends on a literal Adam for it to make any kind of sense. Without a literal Adam, there is no literal sin and no need for a literal Savior.

Without believing the literal Genesis account of creation, how can a person believe that we needed a real Savior to die on a real cross to take away our very real sin.

Social Justice is Not a Biblical Issue!

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Thu, 4 Jun 2020 14:00:31 +0000

Justice means getting what you deserve without favor. “Social justice” means getting what you don’t deserve because you are favored.

We see justice demanded of God's people in Isaiah 1:17, Proverbs 31:8-9, Exodus 23:1-9, Leviticus 19:15, James 1:27 and elsewhere in the Scriptures.

Social justice is different. This is a state or doctrine of egalitarianism” which is the notion that all social, economic and political “inequalities” must be removed from society. As it is defined by our culture, “social justice” is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. THIS iteration of “justice” is NOT commanded in Scripture.

Justice pursues what is right according to an absolute, impartial standard. Social justice pursues what is lacking for certain groups of people based on what is possessed by others.

Justice is driven by what is morally acceptable, or what God says is right. Social justice is driven by what is socially acceptable, or what the people say is right.

Justice is objective. Social justice is subjective. Justice involves matters that can potentially impact anyone. Social justice involves matters that are believed to only impact specific groups.

Social justice doesn’t resemble biblical justice at all. Actually, it is injustice, and believers must oppose it.

Should Christians Tolerate the Beliefs of Others?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 27 May 2020 20:58:17 +0000

According to our culture, tolerance is one of the key virtues of today. Those who do not tolerate other ideologies, beliefs, worship practices, sexual preferences, and choices in life are considered to be intolerant.

It doesn't stop there. Those who are labeled as intolerant are also considered to be racists, bigots, and haters. This is the reason that many "Christians" are shy away from confrontation on these issues and will not speak out against false religions, or stand on biblical truths, because they do not want to be outcasts from society.

If you listen to me long enough you will find that I do not care if I am an outcast or if people consider me to be intolerant. I am not looking to deliberately offend anyone, but if the truth of God's word offends, then it shouldn't be a surprise because Christ himself told us that they hated him, and if we proclaim truth, the world would hate the followers of Christ too.

The original definition of tolerance and the way in which the word is used now are quite different. Originally, tolerance meant to acknowledge that others have differing beliefs and accept that it is their right to do so. In this way, Christians are to absolutely be tolerant. Recently, tolerance has come to mean accepting that those other beliefs are true—something Christians absolutely cannot do. Unfortunately, the world no longer defines "tolerance" as acknowledgement that others have a differing belief. It has come to mean full acceptance of those beliefs. Of course this definition makes no logical sense because to embrace this type of tolerance precludes any personal opinion or belief.

Christians are not to endorse religious beliefs that run counter to what the Bible teaches. It amazes me in our culture today that many Christians are doing everything they can to please and appease the world while being a follower of Christ. Christ told us in Matthew 10:34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."

Now Christ obviously did not come to purposefully divide and cause dissention, so what does that mean. Simply put, the truth of God is dividing. The word of God is polarizing. You either believe it, by faith, or you reject it, there is no middle ground. I can take you to people right now where fathers hate sons and mothers hate daughters because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The truth divides. The kingdom of light is in conflict with the kingdom of darkness.

As Christians, we are often called narrow-minded and prejudice because they believe that there is only one true way to receive eternal life but is this “one way” belief of our own origination or imagination? No, this is what Jesus said; “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

He never said I am one of the ways, I am one of the truths and I am one of the ways to eternal life; rather He said that He is the way, the truth, and the life and there is no other. If we believe that there is only one way to be saved, we only believe what Jesus said and this is Jesus’ teaching, not ours. If people disagree with us about this, it is really their disagreeing with Jesus.

Clearly, this is what the Scriptures teach, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10:13). This necessarily means that if someone calls on the Lord’s name they will be saved. The antithesis of this must also of necessity be true; “Whoever does not call on the name of the Lord will not be saved.” There is only one name given to men, women, and children by which they can be saved and that name is Jesus Christ’s (Acts 4:12). It should not amaze us that Jesus is the only way to be saved but considering the sinfulness of mankind, it is amazing that there is any way to be saved at all!

Is there Objective Truth?
I’ve heard this statement frequently; “Well, that may be true for you but that is not true for me. What you believe makes it true for you but it doesn’t make it true for me.” The problem with tolerance as it is now meant is that it rejects the possibility that objective truth exists. The Bible teaches that truth does exist, that God is truth, and that we are to follow in His truth. John 1:14 and 17 says that Jesus, who came from the Father, gives us truth. John 8:32 and Romans 6:16-23 says that the truth sets us free from the control of sin.

The Bible is also clear regarding those who hide or distort the truth in the name of tolerance. Romans 1:18 says whoever suppresses the truth will receive the wrath of God. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus says that our mission is to teach others of the truth about Him. First Corinthians 13:6 (NIV) says, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." John 14:6 says that Jesus is the truth. While Christians can acknowledge the right of others to have different beliefs, we cannot allow those beliefs to go unchallenged for one simple reason: it is not loving, and Jesus calls us to love (Luke 10:25-37).

It's inevitable that the world will call believers intolerant, but we can mitigate the damage by being intolerant in the way God tells us to. First, we must know what we believe (1 Peter 3:15). Second, we need to know how to teach what we believe. Second Timothy 2:23-26 says:

But avoid foolish and unlearned debates, knowing that they create strife. 24 The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward all people, able to teach, patient, 25 in gentleness instructing those in opposition. Perhaps God will grant them repentance to know the truth, 26 and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

In the heat of the moment, faced with personal attack and rejection, it's easy to forget the reason we speak truth. It is not so that we'll be proved right and vindicated, but in the hope that the truth will set another free.

Should a Christian be tolerant of others' religious beliefs? Yes, in the classical sense. The Bible teaches that many will reject God. We should be prepared to accept that, as well as the fact that those who reject God will reject His followers. Christians should not be tolerant in the modern sense. We should not endorse the belief that all religions lead to God, that truth is a personal construct, or that everyone's beliefs are valid. Jesus is the truth. Christians are called to tolerate – and even to love – people without accepting their false beliefs.

If we understand that it is not our responsibility to save people who are lost and outside of saving faith, we should be more understanding of the beliefs of others. Without the Holy Spirit to reveal a person’s need for the Savior, there is no way that we can convince them by arguing that their belief or religion is false. No person will ever argue their way into God's kingdom. It is not our responsibility to save anyone…it is their response to His ability, although it is our responsibility to tell them. We can point them to Christ but God alone does the saving (John 6:44)

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14). The point Paul is making here is that we cannot convince people that they are wrong. We can tell them about Jesus and point out that their sins have the wrath of God abiding on them. We can tell them that Buddha is not the way to be saved but until the Spirit of God convicts them of their sin and convinces them that Jesus is their only hope to be saved, they are “not able to understand.”

Acceptance is primary in our culture. This is especially seen in the LGBT lifestyle. Not accept someone who participates in a homosexual lifestyle is pure evil in the eyes of the world. A persons religious beliefs are no different. However, I will not accept that homosexuality is an alternate lifestyle. I will only accept that God is pleased with marriage between one man and one woman. I do not and will not accept that there are multiple ways to get to Heaven. I will not accept that there is salvation in any name other than through Jesus Christ. While I stand firm on those beliefs, I do not hate those who believe in or practice those things.

When thinking about beliefs that are different than ours, many Christians fail to see what is most important. Is our goal to see them come to Christ? If so, then how will will we win them with arguing, ostracizing them, and writing them off? We would be in this same state of disbelief in Christ except the Spirit of God revealed these things to us. We are in no way superior to those who don’t believe. We are only in a better position on the coming Day of Judgment and that is only because Jesus became sin for us so that when the Father sees us, He sees Jesus’ own righteousness and not our sinfulness (2 Cor 5:21). That is not something that we did but it is what God has done. For those who believe in Muhammad’s way, Confucius, Buddha, Mormonism, or Jehovah’s Witnesses, we must realize it is only by the grace of God that we are not in the same belief systems ourselves. When we understand that salvation is fully a work of God and that God receives all the glory for our being saved, we will be more tolerant of those who differ in their beliefs. If we understand these things, we can tolerate others; indeed it should motivate us to pray for them so that their blindness can be removed so that they are able to see the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion
We can accept a person's right to believe whatever they choose without compromising what we believe. We can also do this without arguing, fussing, and fighting. Just because I refuse to verbally or physically fight with someone over their religious beliefs doesn’t mean that I agree with what they believe. And for the record I need to say this to a whole bunch of people. Just because I disagree with someone's religious beliefs, that doesn't make me a racist, bigot or hater. We have got to relearn something in our society that just because we disagree it doesn't mean we have to hate each other.

Yes, there are some people that I will not fellowship and cannot walk with in this life, but we should still love people, even those who disagree with us. There is hope for everyone. 1 Corinthians 6:11 tells us that "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." That means that no one is outside of the saving arms of Jesus Christ. Conversion can happen and they can be changed. But I will guarantee they will not be changed if we argue fuss and fight with them and write them off. We must still share with them that Jesus is the only way but if they don’t believe in Him, then all we can do is pray that the Spirit of God reveals this to them. This doesn’t lesson our responsibility to proclaim the gospel but we should understand that it takes the Word of God, from a person of God, mixed with the Spirit of God, to make the children of God, and for the glory of God.

Should Christians Resist the Government?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Tue, 26 May 2020 20:17:16 +0000

We are seeing some unprecedented times in America today. The country is taking extreme measures to slow down the "pandemic" or should I say plandemic! And many of the measures being taken are limiting individual freedom and violating rights guaranteed by our constitution.

We are seeing people being arrested for trying to go back to work, mothers being harassed by police because they take their children to the park, citizens being physically removed from public transit because they refuse to wear masks.

I'm going to try and remain calm for this vlog because these things infuriate me. First amendment rights are being violated by not allowing dissenting voices to challenge the current narrative and by not allowing people to gather for worship. I believe the 1st amendment states "or prohbiting the free exercise thereof" 2nd amendment rights are being violated by governors restricting individual gun carrying rights. To what extent should the Constitution be violated? The answer.....NEVER.....period!

Our rights should not be violated for any reason! Otherwise we are not free. This goes for all Americans.

As a pastor and teacher of the Bible, we cannot overlook Romans 13 in the scripture.

To put it in simple words for those who may not have read this Chapter of the Bible, it calls for Christian people to be obedient to governing authorities.

God's word consistently calls us to obey and support our governing authorities.

Paul urged that "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions" (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

His instruction to Christians living in Rome was clear: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment" (Romans 13:1-2).

The apostle then stated that "the authorities are ministers of God" (v. 6) and urged his readers: "Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed" (v. 7).

Peter added: "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good" (1 Peter 2:13-14).

It would seem clear, then, that Christians are to submit to the authority of the government, seeing its exercise of power as God's will for us. However, there's more to the story.

Is there ever a time for civil disobedience? Is there ever a time when Christians should stand against tyranny? Are there biblical examples? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes!

In Acts 4, Peter and John were ordered to stop preaching the gospel by the Sanhedrin, the highest authority in Judaism. Their response: "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard" (vv. 19-20).

After Peter was arrested again for preaching the gospel, he was again bold in his civil disobedience: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). His faithfulness to God led to his martyrdom by Rome. Paul suffered a similar fate: imprisonment (2 Timothy 4:6) and execution.

And so, two apostles who counseled Christians to obey the state were executed because they would not obey the state.

Theirs are not the only stories in Scripture.

In Daniel 3, the Babylonian king erected a golden image and required all people to worship it. The Jewish exiles Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego testified before the idolatrous king: "We will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (v. 18). You know what happened to them.

Three chapters later, Daniel refused to pray to the Persian king and was thrown into the lions' den as a result.

Some people even think that Jesus was the ultimate pacifist.

They like to think of Him as the first hippie, throwing flowers and exclaiming, “Peace and love, man!” That may be the Jesus of their imaginations, but that is not the Jesus of the Bible. The Jesus of the Bible was loving. He was forgiving. He was compassionate.

But the Jesus of the Bible also administered justice. He made a whip and drove the moneychangers out of the temple. He told His disciples that as the days were getting more dangerous, they may need their swords (see Luke 22:36-38). It’s called self-defense. A Christian can defend himself or herself. It’s also acceptable for a nation to defend itself from those who want to harm it.

There is a place for self-defense. You have your rights as an American citizen.

John R. W. Stott was one of the most respected evangelical theologians of the twentieth century. In his commentary on Romans 13, he asks:

"Granted that the authority of the rulers is derived from God, what happens if they abuse it, if they reverse their God-given duty, commending those who do evil and punishing those who do good? Does the requirement to submit still stand in such a morally perverse situation? No. The principle is clear. We are to submit right up to the point where obedience to the state would entail disobedience to God. But if the state commands what God forbids, or forbids what God commands, then our plain Christian duty is to resist, not to submit, to disobey the state in order to obey God."

As Christians we have been commanded to have a gentle and quiet spirit. Many Christians take that and use it to believe that we are to be doormats for everyone to walk on. While there is a command to turn the other cheek, mess with my children and something is going to happen....you get what I am saying. Mess with my wife and you are gong to know something!

The command to turn the other cheek and live in quietness, gentleness, and submission, is not a command to have people run over us, nor is it a command to lay down and take abuse. That even applies to those in authority over us.

You and I are citizens of two countries. We live in a secular nation with secular leaders we are to support and obey. But we also live in a spiritual society with an omnipotent King whose authority is supreme (Psalm 2:10-11).

Jesus taught us to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21).

But when we are forced to choose, we must obey our highest authority.

Peter encouraged us to "show proper respect to everyone." What does this entail? "Love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor" (1 Peter 2:17 NIV). We are to love each other, and we are to honor our secular leaders. But we are to fear only God.

In our contemporary American society, we face a much different world than that of the Roman Christians.

Paul doesn’t write to command unquestioning obedience to whatever power Christians happen to fall under, because those powers are human, fallible, and sometimes need to be changed. Rather, Paul wrote to remind Christians to always respect the concept of authority. We’re not to be anarchists. When we resist, we resist people, not the authority that they represent—that is always needed for human society to function.

So what does holy resistance look like?

This is not to sound gushy and sentimental, but it must come from a place of love, not anger. And yes, I get it. I am angry at the ungodly governing authorities that are stealing away our freedom. I am angry that there are those who wish to Lord over us, and I will not idly stand by and watch us fall into tyranny, the very thing we fought against to start this great nation. But as a believer, our heart should always be a heart of seeing people come to repentance and faith.

You see, God is the ultimate authority for the Christian, not the government, not the President, not any Governor, mayor or any other human being. This is undisputed. But governmental authority is also necessary in a fallen world. And while these human authorities may ultimately become corrupt or inept, we are given leave to change these authorities, and even, when needed, completely change the systems they control.

But Paul shows us that we must never cast aside the notion that someone will have authority. That is a spirit of rebellion. That is anarchy. It doesn’t work, and God knows it. That is what Paul communicates in Romans 13.

Before you ever decide to resist authority, I have a question. Before you rush to stand or take up arms or grab our torches and pitchforks, can I ask you have you even prayed about it?

Have you brought your concerns and requests to the Lord? That is the first thing you should do. Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in [b]authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

No, we do not have a king, but don't you think that God would have us pray for our leaders? Abraham pleaded to God on behalf of the nation. Moses sought the Lord on behalf of the children of Israel. What about Elijah, Solomon, David, and Nehemiah, YES, they all prayed and sought the Lord to intervene, and it worked!

I am afraid that many of us, myself included allow our emotions to rule us when we should be on our knees repenting and praying and pleading for the nation and those in authority over us.

So if, as a Christian, you disagree with the way America—or whatever your country may be—is being led, do something about it. But do it in love. Do it with the idea that authority, itself, is a Godly concept.

Yes, we are to honor authority, but blind obedience to those who are over us is not what God has called for. We have a God-given, not man-made right to say not to and we should resist those things we believe are oppressive and immoral, no matter how costly or difficult.

Galatians 5:1 tells us For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Dear brother or sister, personally, I will not be placed under that yoke of slavery and bondage. Christ's entire purpose for coming to this earth was to make us free. In fact, where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

I cannot tell you what you should do as a matter of your conscience. And I also know that many Christian people will disagree with me. That is fine. But what I can tell you is that whether you ever choose to stand against authorities, I cannot and will not allow those who are corrupt in power to place me under the very chains that Christ came to deliver me from.

NO, this doesn't mean that I am ready to take up arms, nor does it mean that I have a mind and spirit of disobedience. What it means it simply this, one day if it ever comes to defending my family, myself, or any brothers and sisters in Christ, I am ready. Why? For whom the Son has set free, is free indeed.

10 Words Every Christian Should Know (Pt 2)

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 16:25:34 +0000

The first 5 words we dealt with in part 1 were faith, grace, salvation, law and gospel. If you missed that teaching, feel free to go back and watch part 1. Let's take a look at the next five words.

6. Righteousness
Mankind at large has this idea that God is satisfied with goodness or being good. However, God's standard has never been goodness, it has always been perfection. Because we have sinned and have fallen short of God's standard of perfection, we are not right with Him. We are not righteous.

What puts us in even more of a tough situation, is that there is nothing we can do to earn right standing with God. Romans 3 tells us that the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

This is why we needed Jesus Christ to become the substitute and died on the cross for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

There is only one way to be made right or righteous in the sight of God and that is through faith in the only begotten son of God, Jesus Christ and his work on the cross.

7. Justification
What does being justified mean? Romans 5:1 says Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

The word literally means to be rendered innocent or found not guilty. Even though we have messed up and have done sinful things, through Jesus Christ, while we are guilty, Jesus took our guilt and shame, and the punishment for our sin became guilty in our stead. Through faith we are justified freely by His grace.

8. Propitiation
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Romans 3:24-25 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

The word propitiation literally means appeasement or to be satisfied. Because God is holy and His standard is perfection, He cannot overlook our sin. We have broken His commandments and deserve punishment. This is why He sent Jesus to be the propitiation, or satisfaction for the penalty of our sin. Jesus went to the cross and died as a substitute for you and for me.

Isaiah 53:11 tells us the God saw the anguish of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice and is satisfied. That is propitiation.

9. Imputation
The word imputation means to credit to ones account. The great transfer that has taken place is between us and Christ.

In 2 Corinthian 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

This scripture explains that there are two imputations or credits that have taken place in the work of salvation. First is the imputation of our sin to Christ. At the cross Jesus took our sin and punishment and it was transferred off of us.

The second imputation happens when we place faith in Jesus Christ. We are credited or imputed with Christ's perfection and are viewed by God as if we have never sinned. What a great salvation!

10. Sanctification
The word sanctify means to set apart. When we place faith in Christ, we are then sanctified and set apart, positionally with Jesus Christ. But the fact is, we still sin when we are saved. As a believer, we should be striving to be set apart for the work of Christ and growing to maturity in the faith.

John 17:18-19 Jesus said, As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

God started the work of making us like Christ, and He is continuing it (Philippians 1:6). This type of sanctification is to be pursued by the believer earnestly (1 Peter 1:15; Hebrews 12:14) and is effected by the application of the Word of God in our lives. It literally means that every Christian should be striving for holiness in their lives based on all that Christ has done for them in salvation.

10 Words Every Christian Should Know (Pt. 1)

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 13:27:45 +0000

Here are 5 words every Christian should know—and be able to explain—in order to "be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15).

1 Faith

Hebrews tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. It involves not only mental assent or belief in who Jesus is, but also a heart trust and belief in what He has done for us to provide salvation.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

2 Grace

Grace is one of God’s attributes. It is an essential attribute of His character. It literally means the favor of God towards the unworthy.
We deserve death, and eternal punishment because of breaking God's law. If you don't believe that, read Romans 1. It shows us that we are totally dead, blind, and wretched because of this, we needed God's grace.

God's grace is a free gift to us. Because we are unworthy and in need of help, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sin.

God extended favor to us while we deserved punishment, that is grace!

3 Salvation

In the Christian doctrine of salvation, we are saved from “wrath,” that is, from God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Biblical salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequence of sin and therefore involves the removal of sin.

Who does the saving? Only God can remove sin and deliver us from sin’s penalty (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5).

How does God save? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, God has rescued us through Christ (John 3:17). Specifically, it was Jesus’ death on the cross and subsequent resurrection that achieved our salvation.

4 Law

The law of God was added because of transgressions and was given to show us what sin is. We would not have known sin but by the law. The law was God's way of showing us how messed up we are and driving us to Jesus Christ. The law also serves the purposes of restraining evil and showing us what is pleasing to God. Even though we will fail at this many times, Christians should also strive to keep God's law in joyfully thanksgiving for all God has done for them in Christ.

5 Gospel

The Gospel is the good news of what Jesus did to redeem his people (his birth, life, death, and resurrection) and inaugurate the kingdom of God and the new creation (1 Cor. 15). It is good news because we are unable to save ourselves, as all our works are tainted by sin and we are all guilty in Adam (Rom. 5:12-21).

Why Believe the Bible?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 17:27:29 +0000

Let me give you 5 quick reasons we can know the Bible is reliable and true.

1. The Bible Claims to be the Word of God

2. Ancient Manuscript Evidence authenticates the Bible

3. Archeological Evidence validates the Bible

4. Fulfilled prophecies confirm the authenticity of the Bible

5. The Consistent Message of the Bible

Episode 8 - Is Transgenderism a Sin?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 8 Apr 2020 14:42:46 +0000

We are living in a culture where anything goes. Because of man's fallen state as a result of sin there seems to be a lot of confusion. This confusion even extends to gender identity where some men believe they are female and vice versa.

Those who believe and support this idea of gender-neutrality have simply rejected the design of creation by God Himself.

To get a better understanding, we must take a look and understand how and in what manner God created human beings. In Genesis 1:27 the scripture declares

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

This simply means that there are only two genders that are revealed by God and His word. Although society views gender identity based on individual beliefs, perceptions, and social construct, the Bible always associates gender with the two sexes...male and female. So the idea that there are multiple genders is an unbiblical concept that seeks to destroy how God designed us and His entire purpose for creating us in the first place.

Many will argue that gender and sex are two separate things, and what a person wears is a product of social construct in the first place. However, the scripture tells us in Deuteronomy 22:5 that a woman is not to wear men's clothing and men are not to wear women's clothing because that is an abomination to God.

The idea that clothing, high heels, and make-up are all just socially constructed today is preposterous seeing as the bible speaks this issue. This means that there has been a distinction between male and female clothing for thousands of years.

As Christians, we are required to confront the sinful issues of today with biblical truth. God made men and women different (Gen. 1:27). Contrary to mistaken interpretations, sexual difference does not exist on a continuum where some men are more like women or vice versa. Men and women are different at the deepest levels of their being. Our chromosomes are different. Our brains are different. Our voices are different. Our body shapes are different. Our body strengths are different. Our reproductive systems are different. Most everything about us is different.

Because men and women are different, it’s philosophically impossible for a man to become a physical woman or a physical woman to become a man, no matter what the culture may say. Those who say otherwise are trafficking in fiction about human nature. In fact, there is no scientific proof to verify the claim that one is trapped inside the wrong body.

If God made men and women fundamentally and comprehensively different, then the idea that a man could ever become a woman (or vice versa) is simply impossible. According to one author, the differences between men and women can’t be overcome simply because one person feels they’re a member of the opposite sex. Your psychology (feelings) cannot change your ontology (being).

This starts early in life with our children growing up in this confused world that are bombarded with messages of confusion. Little boys are told they don’t have to be boys; girls are told they might not really be girls. Whatever they feel they are is what they are—boy, girl, or a mixture of the two. The world tells them it doesn’t matter. The confusion and ambiguity are reinforced in many ways: gender-neutral days at school, the banning of terms such as boys and girls in the classroom, unisex restrooms, curricula that promotes homosexual marriage, and the list goes on. It’s little wonder that some people grow up struggling with their sexual identity.

As Christians, we should be concerned about those who are struggling with gender dysphoria. Whether or not we think there confusion is real, we should
welcome all into the grace of the gospel, because our gospel is applicable and available to all (1 Tim. 2:4; who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.)

2 Pet. 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.) So, first and foremost, we must offer genuine love to our gender dysphoric neighbor

Mark 12:30–31
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

In understanding why people may be confused on the issue of gender, it is important that we not just parrot what the world says. As Christians, we must meet the world with truth, and at the same time offer hope and love through compassion.

(Prov. 3:5–65 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.)

Biblical counsel would begin by helping a person embrace, however difficult it may seem, that their birth sex is a testimony to their true nature, and that perceptions of a different gender identity, while sincere, do not constitute an actual identity change.

The Bible says that God created “male and female” and He pronounced His creation as "good" (Genesis 1:27, 31). God’s plan was perfect, but, as with everything in mankind’s sphere, perfection was corrupted by sin in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Sin brought deviations from God's perfect creation and standard and we would be hard pressed to understand where sin's contamination ends in the creation. Could this contamination of sin affect people physically and mentally? The answer is yes. And the answer resides in salvation in Christ.

Truth is, we are involved in a spiritual battle for our souls. According to Pauls letter to the Romans in 12:1-2, we are being forced to conform to the world's mold. Instead, we are commanded to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That means those with gender confusion must have their minds renewed and the only way that can be done is through personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Satan does everything he can to kill, steal, destroy and deceive us into questioning God's plan. One of the devil’s ploys is to make us dissatisfied with how God made us.

We know that the whole world longs for the day when Jesus returns to make right all wrongs. The curse of sin will one day be lifted. This is possible because of the redemption that we have in Jesus Christ. Through salvation, Jesus Christ grants us forgiveness of sin and deals with all of our brokenness, even those struggling with gender identity issues.

Many people battle with temptation, greed, pride, anger, or any number of sins. Someone else may battle gender confusion. Regardless of the battle with sin and the devil’s lies, the question we must answer is, “Is Christ and His redemptive work sufficient for our battles?” The answer to that question is a resounding YES!

Jesus definitely claims to be sufficient for any and all of our battles, and He desires to sanctify us through His Word of truth (John 17:17).

As children of God, we should be content in this life (Philippians 4:11) Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.)

2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We realize that we all have limitations, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. But when we yield to God's design and plan for us, those limitations can be overcome through His strength and power.

If a person feels he or she has been born as the wrong gender, the answer is not gender-reassignment surgery, hormone therapy, cross-dressing, etc. This is simply giving in to the devil’s lies.

Listen, God does not make mistakes and any person who feels like they were born in the wrong body needs to come to the understanding that they are desperately in need of the to experience the transforming power of Christ.

And as Christians, we should be willing to sit down with or walk alongside someone who is experiencing gender confusion and help them understand the Gospel and the transforming power of Christ.

Episode 7 - Is Homosexuality a Sin?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 1 Apr 2020 14:00:16 +0000

It is often viewed by many in our culture that being homosexual is outside of a person's control. Just like a person cannot decide their race or eye color. Despite this cultural view, the Bible clearly and consistently declares that homosexual activity is a sin (Genesis 19:1–13; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9). This ignorance of the scripture has lead to controversy, debate, and even hostility from people on both sides of the issue.

It is important for us to get a right view on homosexuality and to do this we must take a look at the holy scriptures.

In Genesis 19, the Bible tells us that God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone because of the wickedness of homosexuality which was referred to as an unnatural and abominable act.

There are many other instances of homosexuality in the Bible, Romans 1:26–27 teaches that homosexuality is a result of denying and disobeying God.

Romans 1:26-27
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged the natural function for what is against nature. 27 Likewise the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men with men doing that which is shameful, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.

When people continue in sin and unbelief, God “gives them over” to even more wicked and depraved sin to show them the futility and hopelessness of life apart from God. One of the fruits of rebellion against God is homosexuality.

There is also the belief that a person can be a homosexual and a Christian. A careful examination of 1 Corinthians 6:9 tells us that those who practice homosexuality are not saved or Christian.

1 Corinthians 6:9
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."

When looking at homosexuality, it is important to distinguish between living in a openly homosexual lifestyle or just having homosexual thoughts or attractions. There is a difference in thinking about sin and actually carrying out or acting upon it. Homosexual behavior is sinful, but the Bible never says it is a sin to be tempted. Even heterosexual couples are tempted to sin sexually. Many marriages have ended in divorce because one spouse chose to act on the temptations of lust towards another person.

A person may be born with a greater susceptibility to homosexuality, just as some people are born with a tendency to violence. That does not excuse the person’s choosing to sin by giving in to sinful desires. Just because a person is born with a greater susceptibility to something doesn’t make it right for them to give in to those desires. The same is true with homosexuality.

No matter our attractions, we cannot continue to define ourselves by the very sins that crucified Jesus—and at the same time assume we are right with God. Paul lists many of the sins that the Corinthians once practiced (homosexuality is on the list).

But in that same passage of 1 Corinthians 6, verse 11 tells us that there were those who were homosexuals that were saved and delivered from that lifestyle,

11 Such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, and you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of our God.

This should remind us that no sin is too great for the cleansing power of Jesus, not even homosexuality. Once we are cleansed, we are no longer defined by sin.

The problem with homosexuality is that it is something God has forbidden. Same-sex attraction is an expression of our fallen nature. Romans 1 tells us that there are ho humans that are good. All of us have wicked hearts and desires because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. We are sinful people living in a sinful world. Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and missed the mark of God's standard of perfection.

This world is full of temptations, lures, and entrapments because of sin and the devil, including being enticed to engage in a homosexual lifestyle.

The good news is there is hope for those looking to be redeemed from this lifestyle.

The temptation to engage in homosexual behavior is very real to many people. Those who struggle with homosexual attraction often report suffering through years of wishing things were different. People may not always be able to control how or what they feel, but they can control what they do. We all have the responsibility to resist temptation according to Ephesians 6:13 which says

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Romans 12:2 tells us to not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

According to Galatians 6, We must all “walk by the Spirit” so as not to “gratify the desires of the flesh” 16 I say then, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. These are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

Finally, the Bible does not describe homosexuality as a “greater” sin than any other. All sin is offensive to God. Without Christ, all of us are lost, no matter what sin we engage in. According to the Bible, God’s forgiveness is available to the homosexual just as it is to the adulterer, idol worshipper, murderer, and thief. God promises the strength for victory over sin, including homosexuality, to all those who will believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

If you or a loved one is struggling with homosexuality and needs help let me give you a couple of resources. First is Living Hope Ministries....you can plug into the many resources and spiritual help through this ministry by visiting www.livehope.org

You can also find great information from Focus on the Family. Dr. James Dobson has helped many people find their way into the will and purpose of God through promoting biblical truths and the God-ordained family. Visit www.focusonthefamily.com for information and resources of this ministry.

One last great resource is a book entitled "Coming Out of Homosexuality" by Bob Davies and Lori Rentzel. This is not a theoretical book: it is a practical guide for people struggling with same-sex desires. You'll find answers to your questions about what it means to be a man or woman, how your past relates to your present tensions, how biblical principles apply to your daily life, how you can form healthy relationships, and how your healing may eventually prepare you for heterosexual romance and marriage.

Get your copy today by visiting www.americanchristianpodcast.com and click on the book link at the bottom of the page under book recommendations.

Established in Righteousness

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 14:00:02 +0000

What does it mean to be established in righteousness? Can you earn your way to heaven?

Isaiah 54: 6-15

1. Righteousness is imputed, not earned

2. It’s God’s righteousness, not man’s

3. Righteousness is received by faith, not works

Episode 5 - Is Panic Sinful?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 14:00:14 +0000

No, there is nothing wrong with being prepared, nor is there anything wrong with stocking up on things. We all have fears, but not all fear is the same. How do we know when fear is sin?

Unbelief is the root of fear. Fear causes worry and anxiety. Therefore, unbelief is at the heart of anxiety. Stop for a moment and think how many different sinful actions and attitudes come from anxiety. Anxiety about finances can give rise to coveting and greed and hoarding and stealing. Anxiety about succeeding at some task can make you irritable and abrupt and surly. Anxiety about relationships can make you withdrawn and indifferent and uncaring about other people. Anxiety about how someone will respond to you can make you cover over the truth and lie about things. So if anxiety could be conquered, a lot of sins would be overcome.

But what is the root of anxiety? And how can it be severed? To answer that we go to our text in Matthew 6. Four times in this text Jesus says that we should not be anxious.

Matthew 6:25: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life.”

Matthew 6:27: “And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?”

Matthew 6:31: “Therefore do not be anxious.”

Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow.”

The verse that makes the root of anxiety explicit is Matthew 6:30: "Therefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is here and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

In other words, Jesus says that the root of anxiety is lack of faith in our heavenly Father. As unbelief gets the upper hand in our hearts, one of the results is anxiety.

How many of you know that when you are anxious and fearful, it can lead to irrational thought? That is true for anyone.

As believers, we are commended in 2 Timothy 1:7 "You have not been given a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and of a sound mind."

"What does the Bible mean when it refers to a sound mind?"

In other Bible translations, the word rendered “self-control” (ESV), “self-discipline” (NIV, NLT), “discipline” (NASB), “good judgment” (GW), and “sound judgment” (CSB). What is Paul referring to when he tells Timothy that God has given us the spirit of a sound mind?

The influence of the Spirit of God is required to produce a genuinely sound mind. The sound mind Paul speaks of is a mind under the control of God’s Holy Spirit. In the sense of self-discipline, the word denotes careful, rational, sensible thinking. Having a sound mind requires a thought process based on the wisdom and clarity that God imparts rather than being manipulated by fear.

Today, as in Timothy’s day, fear is a driving force in the world. Fear inspires the news headlines, motivates advertising campaigns, and stirs up social media frenzies. Fear is one of Satan’s favorite devices to confuse our minds, cause irrational thoughts, misunderstandings, and derail us from the will of God. For this reason, the Word of God encourages us to cultivate a healthy, renewed mind that can process right-thinking based on God’s truth: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

A sound mind is a stable, healthy mind. A healthy mind is linked to our attitude and outlook as believers. A sound mind is not overly concerned with the cares and problems of this life but is set on God and His Kingdom (Colossians 1:1–2). A sound mind is alert and sober, focused on the eternal hope we have in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13). A sound mind recognizes who we are in Christ, and does not depend on human wisdom and strength (2 Corinthians 10:3–5). A sound mind is guarded through prayer and purity: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:6–8).

A sound mind stabilizes our entire inner world. When Paul says God has given us the spirit of a sound mind (or self-control, discipline, and sound judgment), he doesn’t mean we’ll be able to train harder, eat better, or study more. Paul recognizes that God’s Spirit yields obedience, right living, and moral judgment. From the inside out, the Holy Spirit reshapes and transforms not just how we think, but who we are.

If we yield to our own understanding, we will be led astray. Our hearts are desperately wicked and the scripture even declares "who can know it". This is why it is sinful to act in ways that display unbelief, or lack of faith in our God. The beauty of the gospel is that even when we mess up, we can be forgiven. Hallelujah! If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So we need to surrender to God's will and His way daily. That is why the Apostle Paul told us to not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. We have to renew our minds daily. We have to die to self daily. That way we can be controlled by the Holy Spirit.

We are all going to be ok. The coronavirus will be gone and life will return to our version of normal. Until then, we need to exercise faith in the promises and hand of God and not succumb to our human fear. Amen?

Episode 3 - Why is Abortion Unbiblical?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 14:00:02 +0000

Scripture makes it clear that the cornerstone of the biblical witness against abortion is the sanctity of human life. People possess innate worth because God created humans in His own image.

Let's build a case against abortion.

1. We are created in the image of God

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27

We do not have time to dive into the implications of all of this passage, but if we take this verse, we have the case for the sanctity of all human life, we have the case against homosexuality, transgenderism, the case against animal rights. Sorry PETA, God gave us dominion or rule over all the animals.

But again, all of those issues we will tackle on another episode of the podcast.

Those who do not value human life are in rebellion against God rejecting what the Lord says about human life. Those who claim to be Christians and yet advocate these evils do so in contradiction to what it means to be a Christian, one who is a disciple, a follower Christ. Whether they admit it or not, they blaspheme and offend God by their disobedience to His commands clearly given in His revelation of Himself and His will in the Bible. They want to play God in deciding who lives and who dies based on their own reasoning instead of what the Lord has declared.

Abortion, euthanasia and genocide are just different names given to the willful taking of a human life, which by definition is murder. Each are blasphemy against God because they willfully destroy a creature made in God’s image. These are very serious sins that have brought God’s judgment upon individuals and societies in the past. One of the reasons God had the Canaanites annihilated was their practice of infanticide as part of their worship of Molech (Lev. 20:2; Deut. 12:31; 18:10-13)

Any conversation concerning human value must begin with this scripture in Genesis 1.

2. Life is valued from the womb

A detailed exegesis of Exodus 21:22–25 manifests that unborn children are also created in God’s image and that the unborn and adults are of equal value in God’s eyes.

If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that her child is born prematurely, yet there is no serious injury, then he shall be surely punished in accordance with what the woman’s husband demands of him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 But if there is any serious injury, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. Exodus 21: 22-25

We can see here the value of life in the womb.

Psalm 139:13–16 is a very significant passage of scripture when we talk about abortion because it shows that the biblical concept of personhood is present at conception.

13 You brought my inner parts into being;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise you, for You made me with fear and wonder;

marvelous are Your works,

and You know me completely.

15 My frame was not hidden from You

when I was made in secret,

and intricately put together in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw me unformed,

yet in Your book

all my days were written,

before any of them came into being.

Wow! This passage tells us that God's hand is upon the forming of a baby in the womb. Look science may explain in the physical realm how all of these sequential biological processes work with sperm and eggs and fertilization, but science doesn't tell us who? Someone testify! It's God. God's handiwork is all over the unborn child from conception.

The entire corpus of Scripture argues for the personhood and the incredible worth of unborn children.

What about Genesis 9:6 that explicitly connects the intrinsic worth of every individual to the image of God in which they are created. This verse reads, “‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.’

Whether a person wants to acknowledge it, God's hand is all over creation. Here are some quick examples.

Sarah – the wife of Abraham. In Genesis 16:1-2 Sarai tells Abram, “Now behold the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.” She understands that it is the Lord that opens or closes the womb. In Genesis 17:16 the Lord says, “I will bless her and indeed I will give you a son by her.”

Hannah – 1 Samuel 1:5 states, “. . . but the Lord had closed her womb.” In verse 11 Hannah prays that the Lord would give her a son. Verses 19-20 state, “And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her and it came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, ‘Because I have asked him from the Lord.”

The testimony of the Psalms.

Psalm 100:3, “Know that the LORD, Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 127:3, “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD; The fruit of the womb is a reward.”

Jeremiah 1:4-5

“Now the Word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Don't tell me that the bible has nothing to say about pregnancy, the value of human life and killing babies. It's all in there. I'll say it again, how can you read the scripture, claim to know Jesus Christ, and come away with it is ok to kill babies? You can't. You either have deny the bible, deny the teachings of God, or deny God Himself.

But the last piece of evidence is

3. The love of God for all humanity

The entirety of scripture is about God's love for all of humanity despite our sinful condition. The bible tells us that "God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

One of my favorite passages of scripture is John 3:17 which tells us that God did not send His son Jesus into the world to condemn the world but that the whole world through him might be saved. Talk about love for all humanity. Wouldn't a person think that would include the life that God formed in the womb? Of course it would. This is why abortion is sinful. And may God have mercy on us as a nation for the millions of babies we have murdered on the altar of convenience.

Why Is Socialism Unbiblical?

theamericanchristianpodcast@gmail.com (Joseph Oster) — Wed, 4 Mar 2020 15:10:21 +0000

Jesus himself even stated that the poor would always be among us. But, socialism is not the answer. Though it may sound compassionate and Christian, it's actually antithetical to everything Christianity teaches.

Here's why:

1. Socialism is based on a materialistic worldview.

According to socialists like Bernie Sanders, the greatest problem in the world is the unequal distribution of wealth.

His website declares: "The issue of wealth and income inequality is the great moral issue of our time, it is the great economic issue of our time, and it is the great political issue of our time."

To socialists, suffering is caused by the unequal distribution of stuff — and salvation is achieved by the re-distribution of stuff. There's no acknowledgment of spiritual issues. There's just an assumption that if everyone is given equal stuff, all the problems in society will somehow dissolve.

This worldview contradicts Christianity, which teaches that mankind's greatest problems are spiritual. The Bible says the cause of suffering is sin and salvation is found in the cross of Christ, which liberates us from sin. Because of sin, though, there will always be inequalities in wealth. As the parable of the talents shows, those with good character tend to accumulate more; those with bad character may lose everything they have. Yet, even if we are unable to accumulate wealth, Christianity teaches that we can still have an abundant life. That's because our quality of life is not determined by how much stuff we have, but by our relationship to Christ.

2. Socialism Punishes Virtue

Socialists want to distribute wealth to individuals according to their need, regardless of virtue.

As Karl Marx, famously said, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs."

However, whenever any institution provides aid, it runs the risk of removing God-designed rewards and consequences. It can punish those who are industrious by making them pay for those who are not. And, it can reward those who aren't industrious by giving them the fruits of another man's labor. This is precisely what socialism does.

Interestingly, Marx mooched off others his whole life, and failed to provide for his wife and children.

The Bible teaches that aid should be tied to responsibility. First, anyone who refuses to work should be refused aid.

As 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."

Next, no one should be given aid whose family can provide for him. In fact, the Apostle Paul said that a man who fails to provide for his family is "worse than an unbeliever." (1 Tim. 5:8) The church also required widows receiving aid to have "a reputation of good works." (1 Tim. 5:10) So, even in dispensing aid, the church rewarded virtue and discouraged vice. Unfortunately, socialism does just the opposite.

3. Socialism Endorses Stealing

Barack Obama once defended his socialist policies to a little girl by saying, "We've got to make sure that people who have more money help the people who have less money. If you had a whole pizza, and your friend had no pizza, would you give him a slice?"

That sounds pretty Christian, right? What Christian wouldn't endorse sharing your abundance with someone who has nothing? However, Obama wasn't endorsing people voluntarily sharing their wealth with others; he was endorsing the government forcibly taking a piece of the pie from one person and giving it to someone else. Put another way, that's saying that if you have three cars and your neighbor has none, the government has a right to take your car and give it to your neighbor. That's not Christian; that's stealing! and that’s clearly against the teachings of Christ. Hey, it’s one of the basic 10 right?

But, socialists don't believe in private property. And, some Christian socialists actually assert that the Bible doesn't either. That's preposterous. God blessed Abraham. He had livestock and money and lots of land. So don’t come to me and tell me that God is against having wealth.

Both the Old Testament and New Testament unequivocally affirm private property. We can't even obey the eighth commandment to not steal, unless we accept the notion of private ownership. Nor, can we steward our money as the Bible commands if the state owns our money, not us. So, for an economic and political system to be Christian, it must protect private ownership and allow individuals freedom to allocate their resources according to their conscience.

4. Socialism Encourages Envy and Class Warfare

Socialists demonize the rich, blaming all of society's problems on them.

Bernie Sanders once posted to his Facebook Page: "Let us wage a moral and political war against the billionaires and corporate leaders on Wall Street and elsewhere, whose policies and greed are destroying the middle class of America."

Here, Sanders is mimicking Karl Marx, who viewed history as a series of class struggles between the rich and the poor — and advocated overthrowing the ruling class.

Scripture strongly warns the rich and powerful not to oppress the poor.

In fact, Proverbs 14:31 says, "Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for his maker . . ."

But, Sanders — and other Leftists, including Hillary Clinton — go far beyond decrying specific acts of injustice. They basically condemn an entire class of people simply for possessing wealth. And, they encourage those who are poor to overthrow them. In fact, Clinton once said the U.S. economy required a "toppling" of the wealthiest 1%.

The rich are not causing all the problems in American society. People like Bill Gates are not acquiring wealth by stealing from the masses. They're creating great products, which produce wealth, and actually provide jobs for many people. But, even if they were exploiting the poor, nowhere does Scripture support the have-nots demanding money from the haves. Instead, it teaches that we should not covet (Exodus 20:17) and should be content in all circumstances (Phil. 4:11-13).

God never gave the responsibility of giving to the needy to the government. In fact, scripturally that is not the role of the government. He left the responsibility of meeting the needs of the poor to the church, His people.

I John 3:17-18 says, "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

And until we follow God's pattern, we will never see things change. Socialism is not the answer, nor is it biblical. What is biblical is the church being obedient to God's Word.