Names of Christ

Dr. Couch, what do the names of Christ mean in Isaiah 9:6 from the Hebrew text? ANSWER:  I am glad you asked this because I am now teaching the book of Isaiah on Monday nights at Clifton Bible Church. Actually, there is only one long name (singular) in this verse. In the Hebrew language it looks like this in the English transliteration: Pele-Joez-el-Gibbor-Abi-ad-Sar-Shalom.    In the Jewish translation of the Hebrew, and even in the orthodox Hebrew commentary, they leave the name just like this, thus, unless the readers knew Hebrew, they could not interpret the words that make up this one name!    The Jewish commentary does admit "The meaning of the Hebrew words is 'Wonderful in counsel is God the Mighty, the Everlasting Father, the Ruler of Peace.'" There is more to this one name. By the way, "the Everlasting Father" should better be translated "The Father of Eternity." This is referring to Christ. He is not God the Father, He is God the Son. Therefore, to say He is the Father of Eternity is far more accurate.    PELE means the Messiah is "extraordinarily marvelous," with the idea that He can speak "unheard-of" words. When the Messiah rules He will have awesome powers and will be the most outspoken with wisdom and righteousness.    JOEZ is the simple Hebrew word for "counselor." His advice will be perfect. He will not advise from the human standpoint but from the Divine! No human governor has ever expressed such perfection. He will rule with full authority and absolute wisdom!    EL is one of the most basic words for God. It is often used in a compound. He is "the High God." The Messiah is Very God/Very Man. Whatever can be said of God is said of Christ, the God-Man!    GIBBOR has the idea of God "the Strong One." It is used of a military leader. The Messiah is "manly, vigorous, a benevolent Despot, a hero, a warrior." It is a word used of the most powerful of animals. "The horse, crocodile." These animals represent the most fierce man can encounter—so is the Messiah. There will be no one like Him!    ABI is part of the phrase "ABI-AD, or Father of Eternity." He heads up the realm of The Forever! The Son of God, the Messiah, has always been! He was born into the realm of humanity but in spirit and soul, the Son has always existed, has always been! He is the eternal Son of God with no beginning and no ending.    SAR means "the leading person, the ruler, the chief." He is the Guardian, the military General, the Higher Being! The Messiah is no pushover, He is not passive. He is the ultimate Authority, the final Arbiter. He is the one will command full authority in His eternal earthly and cosmic realm!    SHALOM means the Messiah is the one who is full of kindness, salvation. He represents "personal wholeness" and completeness. When He rules He will have prosperous relationships—peace. He has peaceful intentions in His universal rule.    I trust this will cause a great appreciate for our Savior!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch   (10/10)

Wrath of God

Dr. Couch, what is the wrath of God (being revealed) in Romans 1:18? ANSWER: "Being revealed" is the Greek word "apokalupto" and it means to "remove from being hidden." It is in the Present Passive Indicative form. "For the wrath (orgas) of God is right now being revealed." And it is being revealed against "all unrighteousness of men ..." In other words, people know what is evil among the human race. And there is a sense, not necessarily in detail, that there is a judgment coming from God against the same. Some go a step further with this verse and argue that it is saying that there is a knowledge of the fact that there is a final day of wrath right now being set forth, that will soon fall upon mankind. The seven year period of the coming tribulation is called "the wrath of God." On this verse the great scholar Nicoll says: "Wrath in the NT is usually prophetic, but in 1 Thess. 2:16 it refers to some historical judgment, and in John 3:36 it is the condemnation of the sinner by God, with all that is involved, present and to come. The revelation of wrath here probably refers mainly to the final judgment." I hope this helps. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

Defending Doctrines

Dr. Couch, I was recently reading Philippians 1:11-20 and was convicted that we should all stand firm on defending the gospel but other issues, such as the Pre-Tribulation and Premillennial prophetic issues, we do not have to defend so strongly. What do you think? ANSWER: While the gospel is extremely important, and should be defended to the teeth, to make sure that it is clear and not distorted, when it comes to teaching in the church, we still have an obligation to stand strong on the doctrine of the return of Christ. This includes the Pretribulational rapture issue, and the coming millennial reign of Christ. Those who believe in other views of Christ's return are still our brothers, if they hold to the pure teaching about salvation and the gospel. However, in the building up of the faith of believers, the church has an obligation to continue to speak forth exactly what the Bible is teaching. So I will debate and make firm the issues of Christ's return. I will not say, when teaching believers, "Oh well, it doesn't matter what you think on these doctrines!" When I am responsible for the sheep, I will make sure that they are getting biblical doctrine and not error. Christ and all the apostles (and the prophets of the OT) taught the Premillennial coming of Christ, the Messiah. The orthodox Jews believe and teach the same thing. If one moves off center on some of these great teachings, you will end up in terrible error. And in time, even the gospel will be perverted and distorted. Satan would love for us to teach with error any doctrine of Scripture! So I have a mandate to make sure that the Word of God is clear, all of its doctrines! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

American Catholics

Dr. Couch, I appreciate your information about early America in your books, but what about the Catholics who came to this country early on? ANSWER: In Europe wars were raging between Protestant countries and Catholics but many Catholics realized that there would be a blessing in coming to America. The wars ceased in this country! The first Catholic settlement landed near what is now Baltimore. Thomas More, who was the Lord Chancellor of England, sanctioned the persecution of Protestants, even to the point of burning them at the stake. A century later, George Calvert, Lord Baltimore, projected a Catholic colony in America based on religious liberty. An expedition of Catholics landed on the island of St. Clement's on the Potomac River and held the first Mass on March 25, 1634. This was on the Feast Day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Lord Baltimore gave the Jesuits a subsidy to establish their work in that area. Strangely, Lord Baltimore, under the rule of Parliament, appointed a Protestant Governor with a majority of Protestant councillors. They submitted laws that brought the death penalty to any who spoke out against the Virgin Mary, the Apostles. As well, there could be whippings for anyone who said anything against Protestants or Catholics alike. The Catholics of Maryland settled in and lived at peace with their Protestant neighbors. They all accepted the peace between the two groups. Overt persecution did not raise its ugly head in the colonies. It was not until the first of the nineteenth century that many more Catholics arrived in America, and they were mainly (but not exclusively so) from Italy and the Latin countries. The Catholics accepted the spirit of America and lived side by side with the Protestant majority without major problems. While it can be said that there was peace between the two groups, it was Catholicism that became more "Protestant-ized" and accepted the good influences of the Reformation in America. Besides the East Coast, Catholics had pockets of populations in Louisiana, along the Southern borders, and in California. But for the most part, America would be Protestant in belief and opinion. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

President Obama and England

Dr. Couch, why does President Barack Hussein Obama hate England so much? That's easy. His grandfather and father were anti-Colonialists. They hated what they perceived were the sins of England. Now Britain did not do all things perfectly but we need to count her blessings in the past.    England gave to some degree the message of the gospel to the nations she went to. She also gave them roads, hospitals, English law, took away some of the horrible sins of the nations she had control over. For example, in India, the wives practiced sati,  the suicide by burning of the wife when the husband died! The English put in telephones, built railroads, etc.    Hussein Obama forgets all of this. England "made" the pagan nations and took them out of their paganism, at least to a degree. Hussein Obama forgets this.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

Ephesians 6:23

Dr. Couch, what is going on in Ephesians 6:23? ANSWER:  The verse reads: "Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."    The "Peace" and the "love with faith" both come from the Father and from the Son. Paul means that love is associated with faith. Love connected with trust, faith, bathes the relationship of the believers. And this is coming from the Father and the Son. We are not to have just simple love, but we are to have love that is bound together with Christian trust. This is not plain love. Thus, it is Godly peace and love! It may read "peace and love" with Christian faith both come from the Father and Son.       Believers are not to have ordinary peace and love. "Faith is presupposed as being the believers" bestowed by the Father and Son.--Alford    This makes Christianity unique!    Thanks for asking.    --Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

Freewill

Dr. Couch, does man have a will so that he can choose salvation for himself? ANSWER:  Man has a will but it is not free. It is bound by sin and it runs from God. The great old English Calvinist John Gill writes:    "The efficient cause of salvation is not of man but of God. Not man, it is neither by the power nor will of man. Men are dead in a moral sense while unconverted, they are dead in trespasses and sins, which are the cause of their death. They are only weak through the flesh, the corruption of nature, they are without strength, without strength to perform that which is good, and much less a work of so great importance as their own conversion.    "Christ said that no one can come to Him except by the Father, which has sent Me, draws him (John 6:43). Nor is conversion owing to the will of men; the will of man, before conversion, is in a bad state, it chooses its own ways, and delights in its abominations; it is in high pursuit after the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Man can freely will natural things as to eat or drink, sit, or stand, or walk, but it cannot freely will spiritual things, such as conversion. Man has no will to that which is good till God works it in him, an of unwilling makes him will in the day of his power; he has no will to come to Christ, to be saved by Him; nor to submit to His righteousness. Salvation is not of  him that wills, so this part of it in particular, regeneration, with which conversion, in the first moment of it, agrees, is not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (Rom. 9:16; John 1:13). It may be said that conversion is not in the power of the will of man, to which purpose are such exhortations as these.    "Only God can remove the stubbornness of the will, and bend it at His pleasure, and make it pliable and conformable to His own will. He can take away the hardness of the heart, to give a heart of flesh. Man has no will nor inclination toward God!    "Conversion is according to the will of God, His will of purpose which can never be frustrated; 'Who has resisted His will?' God's counsel shall stand; and He will do all His pleasure. 'Who makes you to differ one from another?' (2 Cor. 3:4-5). 'Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made is adequate as servants …'"    "As many as had been appointed (ordained) to eternal life, believed" (Acts 13:48). Which came first, God's choosing or our believing? God chose us on what basis from the beginning for salvation? (1) Through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and then (2) by faith in the truth (2 Thess. 2:13). In other words, the work of the Spirit came first. This initiated the work of salvation, then the response of faith followed because of the work of the Holy Spirit. His work is the prime cause of our salvation. I wrote in my nationally published Greek commentary on 1 & 2 Thessalonians:    "The verb sozo (to save) is used six times in the Thessalonian letters. God's choosing is the cause of salvation, but the means comes about by the sanctifying work of the Spirit and the verbal proclamation of faith in the truth. The work of the Holy Spirit, that is, through sanctification—a process of causing you to become increasingly detached from the world and attached to Christ. Divine election is proclaimed throughout the Scriptures.    "The Spirit of God is the agent for this sovereign calling and redemption (John 3:5; Titus 3:5). Faith is exercised in time by the one who has been awakened by the Spirit. Faith itself is not self-generated. All humans are said to be dead in sin and children of wrath by nature (Eph. 2:1, 3) and cannot come to salvation without faith that in itself is a gift of God (2:8). The Spirit must first set the elect apart for God, awaken those initial faith desires after God, convict of sin, lead to Christ, bring faith to the heart. Being under the influence of the world, the flesh and the devil, the natural man needs as an essential prerequisite in the new birth, this action of the Holy Spirit; without it there would be no salvation."     --Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

To Breath In or to Breath Out?

Dr. Couch, the Latin word "inspire" with the "in" means "to breath in." But the Greek word "theopnustos" means to "breath out" as in 2 Timothy 3:16. What does this mean? ANSWER:  "Theopnustos" does not mean "to breath out." It simply means in the Greek "God-breathed." It is used only one time and that is here, in 2 Timothy 3:16.    It is Scripture that is "God-breathed" not the apostles. When they wrote, they were superintended by the Holy Spirit to record exactly what God the Spirit instructed them to write. No more and no less. This subject was my thesis for my Th.M. Degree. I learned a ton by studying this doctrine out. The evidence is seen throughout the Bible—it is inspired and it is inerrant and can be trusted. What a blessed revelation we have to guide us from the mind of our Lord!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch  (10/10)

Church Buildings and Money

Dr. Couch, a pastor near my home is building a half a million dollar church. He wants to rent it out to other groups in order to help pay for it. He wants to lease it out also to a Jewish group. Is this right? ANSWER:  It's not right to build such a monument to start off with. It's really a temple to the pastor, not to the Lord.     I would allow it to be rented out to a Jewish group. They are God's people though they do not trust the Lord Jesus, yet, as their Savior! But many will, soon!    The bigger error is the flashing of the money, just as we go into hard times financially. This is foolishness. But you cannot tell such a pastor. He's into the American way. Bigger is godly, according to his thinking, but this is not so! What a waste of time and money!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

Glenn Beck

Dr. Couch, is Glenn Beck a Mormon? And if so, should we listen to him? ANSWER:  I listen to Beck because he's a conservative and has a good research team. I have never heard him say anything that I could not agree to. I have never heard him push his Mormonism. And if he is, he is not a strong "doctrinal" Mormon. He talks constantly about the God of the founding fathers who would be the God of Scripture.    The apostle Paul says "love that which is good" (Titus 1:8), and, "seek after that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:15). He does not say "only if the good is coming from evangelical Christians." Wherever good comes from we should be glad about. While we would like it to come from our biblical perspective this will not always happen just as we wish.    Be glad that men like Beck are speaking out. We need such to do what we may not be doing!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

Feminine Movement

Dr. Couch, what is your view about "liberated" Evangelical women who buy into the Feminine Movement? ANSWER:  It is better to get the opinion of a well-educated Christian woman who knows her Bible, like Dr. Lacy Couch. She can't stand the fema-Nazis that are influenced by the culture. We find it funny that they want to appear so liberated but they actually are not. They go along with the crowd and throw the Bible to the wind.    It's like the kids today who want to be so liberated and uninhibited but again, they are not. They do what the crowd dictates and wear what everyone else is wearing.    Dr. Lacy Couch points out that the unsaved women, and the fema-Nazi evangelical women, are really ignorant of Scripture. They mix up the difference between VALUE and ROLES. Men and women  are loved equally by the Lord; they have the same VALUE before Him. But their ROLES are entirely different. And the dumb fema-Nazis can't seem to get that. They actually want to do what the guys do. So far it is 100% of men I talk to in the military who make it clear that the women in the military who try to be like the guys just can't make it! Behind their backs the guys just laugh. They put the gals in the motor pool to change truck tires, which they can't. So they give them the easier jobs and the gals think they are equal but again, they are not! The men just laugh behind their backs.    Statistics and biological facts make the difference. Men have 50% stronger upper-body strength, have 50% more stamina, and can run on the average 50% longer than the little girls. That's facts!     Each sex has its own ROLES. And this is the perfect plan of God. He knew what He was doing! We have concluded that the women just like to be in the company of the men. That's why they want to push the feminist agenda. Dr. Lacy Couch has had many of this kind in counseling and finds that they really have been brainwashed (but they don't think they have been!).    The prophet Isaiah blasts the feminist movement when he writes about what the tribulation will be like. He says "O My people! Their oppressors are children, and women [will] rule over them. O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray" (Isa. 3:12), and, "Seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying, 'We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name, takeaway our reproach'" (4:1).    By the way, there are women today who want to keep their maiden names but this last verse points out that the women have always wanted to take the names of their husbands, which has always been done until recently when the fema-Nazis took over!    If you want some books that will really open your eyes, I suggest the classic on the subject, "Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth" by Wayne Grudem (Multnomah) and a fully researched volume entitled "Co-Ed Combat" by Kingsley Browne (Sentinel). The book is endorsed by Dr. David Buss, professor of psychology, University of Texas. One endorsement read: "Praise for Kingsley Browne's Biology at Work" volume!    On the issue of the women as Pilot-esses Browne points out "on flying, the highly differentiated sexes, one can only conclude that the temperamental difference between the average fighter pilot and the average women is huge!"    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

Covenant in Isaiah 42 and 49

Dr. Couch, what Covenant is referenced in Isaiah 42:6 and 49:8? ANSWER:  Isaiah 42 is about the Messiah, about Christ the Servant of God. God says "Behold, My Servant whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights" (v. 1).    The the Lord said "I have called you (the Messiah) in righteousness … I will appoint you as a covenant to the people" (v. 6). More then likely this is the New covenant because it has been ratified by the blood of Christ at the cross. Jesus told His disciples before He went to the cross: "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood" (Luke 22:20). Isaiah 49 is the same, and verse 8 says virtually the same thing.    The New covenant was ratified by Christ's death (Luke 22:20), and launched at Pentecost (Acts 2), and is now applied to the church, though the church does not fulfill the New covenant. It will be finally fulfilled when Israel is back in the land.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

Ancient Nation

Dr. Couch, who is the "Ancient Nation" in Isaiah 44:7? ANSWER:  The passage says "Let the one who is like Me 'From the time that I established the ancient nation'"? Unger writes: "God alone is the Architect of history, and His plan and purposes from time and eternity enable Him to know the course of events. As Israel's God and King, He appointed (established) this people, called here the ancient people (nation), giving them prophetic disclosures from ancient times."    I have been saying for years that God is the Author of history. This is the what Unger is saying also!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

Covenant in Isaiah 42 and 49

Dr. Couch, what Covenant is referenced in Isaiah 42:6 and 49:8? ANSWER:  Isaiah 42 is about the Messiah, about Christ the Servant of God. God says "Behold, My Servant whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights" (v. 1).    The the Lord said "I have called you (the Messiah) in righteousness … I will appoint you as a covenant to the people" (v. 6). More then likely this is the New covenant because it has been ratified by the blood of Christ at the cross. Jesus told His disciples before He went to the cross: "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood" (Luke 22:20). Isaiah 49 is the same, and verse 8 says virtually the same thing.    The New covenant was ratified by Christ's death (Luke 22:20), and launched at Pentecost (Acts 2), and is now applied to the church, though the church does not fulfill the New covenant. It will be finally fulfilled when Israel is back in the land.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)

Ephesians 4

Dr. Couch, what is going on in Ephesians 4:7-on? And especially with verse 8 about Christ ascending and giving gifts to the captives? ANSWER: The apostle Paul reaches back to Psalm 68:18 and brings a verse forward that illustrates a victorious general who sets the captives free after a battle and then bestows upon them gifts. Ephesians 4:8 (quoting Psa. 68:18) reads: "When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men." The apostle then writes that Christ came to earth (He descended into the lower parts of the earth) and then returned far above into the heavens, "that He might fill [or be in charge] of all things." A.T. Robertson argues that Christ's Descending refers to His Incarnation when He came down "to the earth." This is a genitive of Apposition: Or, "He came down in reference to the earth." He then bestowed gifts to those in the church. Verse 7 better reads: "To each one of us (in the church) 'was gifted' according to the measure of Christ's gifts." I wrote in my nationally published commentary on Galatians-Ephesians (AMG) that "The apostle Paul is arguing in the strongest manner for the deity, sovereignty, and preeminence of Christ as God the Son. No one can look carefully at these verses and deny this fact." Christ then gave gifts to the spiritual body of believers. He gave four offices to the church, not five as the ignorant Charismatics often argue. To the church He gave (1) apostles, (2) prophets (not telling the future but as teachers), (3) evangelists, (4) and pastors INDEED, THAT IS teachers. The "and" (kai) is making these two positions relating. These gifted individuals are to build up the body of Christ: "Until all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God" (v. 13). Psalm 68:18 is a hymn of victory in which God is praised for victory and deliverance. It is freely adapted by Paul, who regards its substance rather than its letter, and uses it as an expression of the divine triumph as fulfilled in Christ's victory over death and sin.—Vincent We cannot do Bible study without knowledge of the Greek text or without good commentary material to help those who are deficient be able to see what is happening in the text. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (10/10)