Turning Against Israel

Dr. Couch, I'm convinced that more and more churches are turning against Israel, some even denying that they even existed. What do you say?

ANSWER: This is a sign of the times. I firmly believe we are deep into the apostasy of the church whereby they are turning away from the truth, and the faith, just as the Bible predicted. While I'm not a date setter, I think we're closer to the rapture then we could believe. I think churches have three distinct messages today. (1) the gospel of salvation in Christ, (2) the issue of total depravity and the sinfulness of man, and (3) the doctrine of biblical prophecy. I would also include the fact that the churches should be teaching what is happening in our culture as a warning to our people. This is why elders are also to be called Episcopas, that is we are to be "overseeing" what is coming and giving a warning to the congregation.

Thanks for asking.
—Dr. Mal Couch (7/11)

Jewish Believers in the Gospels

Dr. Couch, what happened to the Jews who accepted Christ as their Messiah in the Gospels?

ANSWER: Good question. You're right. They did not know fully of the fact of His work as the Savior, though they may have known more than we imagine. But if they accepted Him as their Messiah I take it they were acting on all the revelation they had and they were saved! Apparently, the Jews were saved by having faith in what God was revealing, like Abraham as seen in Genesis 15:6. He just believed God and that was sufficient at that point.

However, they knew that the Messiah would justify many (Isa. 53:12). And, "they would be given the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins" (Luke 1:77). In the book of John the verb "to believe" in Christ is used some 90 times. The Jews believed in Him by what He said or by what He did. Surprisingly, the noun "to believe" is not used at all in John! So "to believe" according to John is an active idea! The Jews were holding on to the Lord then by faith. He was the object of that faith but it was not fully understood theologically by all the people.

They would then be added to the church in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit was poured out.

I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
—Dr Mal Couch (5/11)

The Gospel's of Peter and Paul

Dr. Couch, was the message of Peter and Paul the same about salvation to the believer?

ANSWER: I can't believe this question. Don't ask me. Please read the letters of Peter! That will give you the answer. I'd love to know from what heretical position such a question is coming. Mercy, mercy, mercy!

But here we go:

"Caused us to be born again" 1 Pet. 1:3.
"A living hope through the resurrection" 1 Pet. 1:3.
"To obtain an inheritance which will not fade away" 1 Pet. 1:4.
"The proof of your faith" 1 Pet. 1:7.
"You believe in Him" 1 Pet. 1:8.
"The outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls" 1 Pet.1:9.
"This salvation the prophets prophesied"1 Pet. 1:10.
"Who preached the gospel to you"1 Pet. 1:12.
"The grace to be brought to you, the revelation of Jesus Christ"1 Pet. 1:13.
"You were not redeemed with ..."1 Pet. 1:18.
"You were redeemed with the precious blood of a lamb, the blood of Christ" 1 Pet. 1:19.
"Who through Him are believers in God"1 Pet. 1:21.
"You have in obedience to the truth purified your souls"1 Pet. 1:22.
"You have been born again" 1 Pet. 1:23.

I think I'll stop here! This is only the 1st chapter of 1 Peter!

Thanks for asking,
Dr. Mal Couch (4/11)

Old Testament Saints and Salvation

Dr. Couch, if the OT saints are not “in Christ” and are part of the church, then how are they saved?

ANSWER: Good question but it’s really easy to explain. Every Bible teacher worth his salt agrees that Romans 3:25 is saying that the death of Christ is covering the sins of the saints of the past—in former dispensations before the church age. It reads: Christ is displayed as a propitiation (a place of mercy), demonstrating “His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed.”

In his Word Pictures A. T. Robertson writes on this verse: The sins spoken of are “The sins before the coming of Christ (Heb. 9:15). … In this sense Christ tasted death for every man (Heb. 2:9).”

Charles Hodge adds: “The words, ‘that are past,’ seems distinctly to refer to the times before the advent of Christ. … (Heb. 9:15) ‘He is the Mediator for the redemption of sins that were under the first testament (the OT).’ … God has set forth Jesus Christ as a propitiatory sacrifice, to vindicate his righteousness or justice, on account of the remission of the sins committed under the former dispensation (the Law).”

Lenski goes further: “God passed over the sins of these Old Testament believers. … God pardoned their sins. … What took away the sins of the Old Testament saints was Christ’s blood. … The final reckoning with the sins of the Old Testament believers was, as it were, postponed until the true mercy seat was set forth. In this way the Old Testament saints had their ‘remission,’ it was in the form of a ‘passing over.’”

That the Messiah, the Suffering Servant, would do this for the OT believers was prophesied in Isaiah 53:12. He would “justify the many.”

Kroll rightly concludes in his Romans commentary: “The righteousness of God is declared by atoning for present and future sins as well as past sins. Therefore God is the justifier of any man or woman—past, present, or future—who places his or her faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.”

Yet the Bible is careful not to place OT saints into the body of Christ. They are never said to “be in Christ,” be part of “the body of Christ,” and they are never said to be “in the church.” The church is a unique dispensation in which believers of this present period have a special and different relationship with Christ than ever before. When the church saints are resurrected and the rapture of the living church saints takes place, there will be those who believe during the tribulation. They are “tribulation saints” but they are never seen as part of the body of Christ or labeled as those “in the church.”

Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
#289

The Gospel of the Kingdom

Dr. Couch, what is the gospel of the kingdom mentioned in Matthew 24:14?

Answer: It is the "good news" about the coming kingdom of Christ that would be preached during the terrible period of the tribulation. We know this by the context of 24:4-28. This is not what the apostles were proclaiming. While the tribulation is bad, it will be the most productive period of evangelism ever! The gospel of the kingdom is about the fact that the Messiah is both the Savior and the coming King. Salvation is embedded in that message but the focus is about the fact that His coming will counter the kingdom of the antiChrist. Note that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached "for a witness to all the nations and then the end shall come" (Matt. 24:14). This may not happen now because the dispensation of the church age could end at any time be the rapture of the church!

We know from Acts that the disciples were proclaiming the gospel of personal salvation. See Acts 15 and look at what was happening at the Jerusalem Council. "Conversion of the Gentiles" (v. 3) and the fact that the Jews, the Pharisees, were believing in Christ as their Savior (v. 5). The Jews and the Gentiles were having their hearts "cleansed by faith" (v. 9). "Signs and wonders were being performed among the Gentiles" (v. 12). But after this, someday the Lord would return "and rebuild the tabernacle of David which had fallen," i.e. the kingdom (v. 16).

This coming kingdom would be announced during the tribulation as the "gospel of the kingdom" mentioned in Matthew.

Thanks for asking.
—Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

Salvation During the Tribulation

Dr. Couch, will people have an opportunity to be saved during the tribulation? ANSWER:  Yes, indeed, during every dispensation there is an opportunity to be saved. See Revelation 14:6-7. This may be the last chance for the lost to accept the gospel. In verse 6 it sounds like there is "another" gospel besides the one we all know about. But actually, the Greek text simply reads "having gospel (that is) eternal (gospel) to preach to those who live on the earth ..." The gospel of Christ is characterized as a gospel that lasts forever. It is eternal! And people are saved only by it no matter what dispensation they live in.    Notice the gospel will be preached to the entire earth, "to every nation and tribe and tongue and people." To believe is to "fear God, and give Him glory." "Judgment is coming, thus belief is to fear Him and worship Him. Notice how God is classified as the Creator, He "made the heaven and the earth, and sea and springs of water." While technically, the gospel is about the death and resurrection of Christ for sinners, the gospel encompasses a total presentation of the God who saves men. He made men as well, and, He is to be feared and worshiped.    Actually John wrote that "the hour of judgment came" (Aorist Tense, not a Perfect Tense). At the point of Revelation 14, it had already arrived, it was time for human judgment to begin. Men could not escape judgment, it had come upon the human race.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch  (1/11)

Confidence

Dr. Couch, what is the apostle John telling us in 1 John 4:17 about having confidence? ANSWER: John writes: "Love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world" Our confidence replaces fear when we stand before the Lord, as mentioned in verse 18. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected by love." Believers go before the Bema seat where our works are judged but not our eternal destiny. That issue is over as Paul says in Romans 8:1. "There is therefore now no condemnation, judgment (positional) for those who are in Christ Jesus." We now stand as positionally perfect in Christ though in our walk, in our experience, we still are living out our sins in this life. Our destiny is secure but our works are judged, and, we shall receive rewards for what we do in this life. The word "confidence" in Greek is "paresia" which means "to be fearless, to be cheerful, to have boldness and assurance." We can do this because all of our sins were taken care of at the cross. There is no judgment or an indictment against us because of the death of Christ in our behalf! Those who think they can lose their salvation remain in fear and have no confidence about their salvation. And, they do not know their Bible. They do not understand the difference between Positional Truth and Experiential Truth! They think that what they do determines their redemption. Rather, it is what Christ did for us that guarantees our salvation. There was nothing that we could do to please God; Christ had to do it all! Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (12/10)

Real and True Jews

Dr. Couch, what is a "real" or "true" Jew, as mentioned by some translations (such as the RSV) on Romans 2:28-29?  It would seem to me that a Jew is a Jew, and all Jews would be real or true by birth. ANSWER:  The translators of the NAS do not add the words "real" or "true" to the passage. It simply reads: "But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not be the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God."    The amillennial and covenant theologians wrongly think that Paul is saying that God is finished with the Jews as a people. But, they argue, that Gentiles are now Jews in spirit and have replaced Israel as the people of God.    But they completely miss Paul's point. This entire section begins with verse 17 where we see Paul is addressing the Jewish people. He starts off: "But if you bear the name Jew, and rely upon the Law and boast in God, ..." Paul continues the "You Jews ..." through almost the entire section. "You who boast in the Law ..." "Circumcision is of value, if you ..." Paul continues his argument though he changes to the third person from verses 27-29, but his point is the same.    The Jews were trying to say they were favored with God simply because they were Jews by birth. This is not true. They had to be "believing Jews," as Jews who were trusting in God, and, who were embracing Christ when they realized that He was their Messiah, and that He had died for their sins. Otherwise, simply being a Jew by birth, and being circumcised as a Jew, meant nothing!    Circumcision was of value if they kept the Law. If they did not keep the Law, but were transgressors, then "your circumcision meant nothing … it became uncircumcision" (v. 25). The physical Jew had to be a believing Jew, "one inwardly" (v. 29) and one who was circumcised in the heart not simply outwardly.    God still has promises and plans for the physical Jew, the one who is of the generation of Jews. But too, they had to be believing Jews, if not, they were not saved. There are still advantages for the people of Israel (3:1-2) but if they do not trust God "their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?" (v. 3).  No, of course not! "May it never be!" (v. 4).    Paul makes an important and final point on the subject in 11:28. "From the standpoint of the gospel they (the Jews) are enemies (the Jews) for your sake (the Gentiles), but from the standpoint of God's choice (His election) they (the Jews) are beloved (in His eyes) for the sake of the (Patriarchal) fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob); for the gifts (of God) and (His) calling (His election) are irrevocable (unchangeable)."    God has called forth the Jews for His purposes and He will not go back on His promises!    Woodrow Kroll adds:    "Paul says that two things are necessary to be truly Jewish: (1) to be born of Abraham through Isaac (that circumcision that is outward in the flesh); and (2) to be spiritually in tune with Abraham's God (that circumcision that is inward in the heart or spirit). As the apostle Paul is using the word, no one can claim to be Jewish who is not born of Abraham through his son Isaac. But to the requirement of the circumcision of the heart. … The only true Jew is one who is a Jew by race and a believer by God's grace. Thus Paul concludes that mere physical birth alone cannot make a Jew righteous." (Mal Couch, gen. ed. The Book of Romans. Woodrow Kroll. AMG, 35-36)    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (12/10)

Tolerance and Truth

Dr. Couch, tolerance seems to be the word for today. No one can speak the truth with strong conviction as the apostle Paul in the NT. What do you say? ANSWER:  Paul comes out swinging with strong words in his epistles against sin and its consequences. For example, in 1 Timothy 1, he makes it clear that evil is thoroughly evil and must be addressed. He says that the law was righteous but it was given for those who were unrighteous and rebellious (1:9). He adds, the law was "for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted."    Paul is saying that the gospel, and its indictment against the sins he has just listed, is to be applied to the culture and the society, not just for the acceptance within the church. These are sins that the gospel and the Word of God speaks against. Whether the culture likes it or not, these are sins that must be spoken against first by the Bible, and then by believers who are living in this world.    We presently have congressmen and judges in high places who are homosexuals and we should be able to speak out against them with the authority of the law of Scripture, that seems to be what Paul is saying in these passages.    We have been far too silent and passive. And I believe that we are all too afraid to address head-on the sinful state of our society. We have become quiet and do not have the ability to be vocal when the time arises.    Because of this silence, we will pay the price of seeing our nation sink deeper and deeper into the abyss of evil. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (11/10)

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)

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)

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)

Kingdom of God is Here Now

Dr. Couch, since Jesus was casting out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit, does this not prove that the kingdom of God is here now, according to Matthew 12:28? ANSWER:  The verse reads: "If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you [the Jews]."    First of all, this has to do with the Jews and not the church. We do not call the kingdom of God the church!    The kingdom of God, and/or the kingdom of heaven is about the earthly, historic, literal, messianic kingdom promised to Israel. That kingdom has to do with (1) the occupation of the Holy Land, (2) the personal reign of the Messiah in Jerusalem, and (3) the New covenant and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Jewish people, who are in that earthly kingdom. Is that going on right now? No.    While the New covenant has been (1) ratified by Christ's death, (2) launched at Pentecost, and (3) now is benefiting the Gentile and Jewish church believers, it is only one element of the kingdom. And, it also must be benefiting the Jews in the Holy Land, when that Land is restored and ruled over by Christ. None of those things is happening presently.    The kingdom was indeed presented when Christ the king was present. But that does not mean that the kingdom was put into place and is now here, as it is described above.    John the Baptist, and Christ, proclaimed "The kingdom of God is at hand" (Matt. 10:7) (Along with many other references). The verb "is at hand" is the key to understand what is happening. It is the Greek word agizo in the Perfect Tense. The Perfect tense means that the action starts in the past and comes up to the present but this does not imply that the action has been fulfilled. It could be translated "The kingdom of heaven has come up to the present moment but is not necessarily being fulfilled." The word is defined "to come near, to be close by, to be brought near." The kingdom was near because the king was there! But the kingdom did not materialize.    This is what Christ has in mind in Matthew 12:28. The missing ingredient is that the Jews did not repent, in terms of the majority of the nation, they did not accept and embrace their king. Thus, the kingdom was postponed, though it was nearby; therefore it is yet future.    The church is not the kingdom and the kingdom is not the church.    In Matthew 12:28 the "has come near" is the Greek verb "phthano" in the Aorist Tense. The word means, according to Toussaint in his Matthew commentary, "to come or to arrive." He further says "In view of the evident rejection of the King, the kingdom could not now be said to be in the condition of remaining at hand. In fact the kingdom is never again preached as having drawn near."    Matthew 12:28 does not indicate that the earthly kingdom had been established but simply that because the king was there so was the kingdom IN CHRIST! Hindson in his Matthew commentary notes "It must be noticed that the kingdom of God was already present in the person of the king—Christ Himself." But the millennial earthly reign was postponed because the Jews did not repent of their sins and in their accepting of Him.    The well-known grammarians Balz & Schneider say on Matthew 12:28: "This did not constitute the commencement of the kingdom of God announced by Jesus as being near at hand (agizo, Matt. 10:7)."     Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (8/10)

Hebrews and Unbelieving Jews

Dr. Couch, I have been following your arguments for sometime that Hebrews was not written to believing Jews who were giving up their faith in Christ. You have convinced me! I now see that the heart of the book was written to unbelieving Jews who came up to the edge of faith in Christ but then backed off and did not trust Him as Savior. Thank you for that insight! ANSWER:  You and I are in good company. The great Kenneth Wuest, Greek scholar, and I hold to the position that the book was mainly written to unbelieving Jews but then turned over to the Christian community as a witnessing tool. Those who hold that it was written to believing Jews who were about to apostatize cannot point to one verse in Hebrews to support their view!    I just discovered several weeks ago that the best lexicographers, Balz & Schnieder, hold to what I teach. They are now considered the best Greek grammarians around. They write that the word "apeitheo" which is translated in Hebrews as disobedient should, and could, be translated as "disbelief." They write that the word has to do with the rejection of Christian faith in Hebrews. "This equation of disobedience has to do with the lack of belief." "These Jews were unbelievers, Jews who had not become Christians." "The author of Hebrews is speaking of unbelievers." "They had a resistance against the revelation of God's salvation in the gospel." And "when it is said that the Jews have now been disobedient, nothing is being said other than that the Jews had not accepted the Christian faith."  End of discussion.    One Jewish Christian writer says that Hebrews 10:26 is about loss of the physical life not the spiritual life. The passage reads: "For is we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins."    The Jewish Christian author writes: The Jewish Christians "were subject to the penalty of physical death. It will not be spiritual death but physical death."    But he forgot to quote the verses that followed: "There no longer remains a sacrifice for sins (v. 26) but a certain terrifying expectation of a judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries" (v. 27). (The adversaries are those who deny the gospel.)    Verse 27 is about physical death?    The "sinning willfully" is the rejection of Christ after these Jews had heard the gospel. They remained in their sins.    The author of Hebrews shows how bad it was to reject the testimony of the Law (v. 28), but "How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant (the New covenant) by which he was sanctified and has insulted the Spirit of grace" (v. 29).    Thus, the Jews who rejected Christ face the vengeance of God. See the next verse: "For we know Him, who said 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.' And again, 'the Lord will judge His people'" (v. 30). Verse 30 is not about physical judgment but spiritual judgment of the Jews who reject the New covenant of salvation in Christ!    A lot of Bible teachers just quote others without critical and exegetical thinking first. It's okay to quote others but you must make sure your own hermeneutical principles are sound first!    Thanks for writing.    Dr. Mal Couch (8/10)

Mystery

Dr. Couch, is the "mystery" of 1 Corinthians 2:7 the same as the "mystery" of Ephesians 3:1-7? ANSWER:  No, it does not seem to be the same. The "mystery" (musterion) of Ephesians 3 is about the fact that the Gentiles will be blessed by the gospel. Paul says this mystery was specifically made know to him alone. It was "the mystery of Christ which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, but now 'specifically' it is that the Gentiles are [now] fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (vv. 5-6). It is the "mystery according to the gift of God's grace which was given (or revealed) to me according to the working of His power" (v. 7).    The mystery of 1 Corinthians 2:7 seems to be specifically about the gospel not just about God's working with the church. Here, the mystery is God's hidden wisdom "which God predestined before the ages to our glory" (v. 7). The Bible Knowledge Commentary says: "The message which Paul proclaimed was God's revelation (Matt. 11:25). At the heart of this wisdom is the plan of salvation intended for our glory, determined before time began (Eph. 1:4)."    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (8/10)

Suppress Prophecy

Dr. Couch, are Christians saved who seem to suppress prophecy? ANSWER:  Yes, of course. Why would they not be? Salvation is not dependent on one's interpretative skills. But they are certainly blinded by what the Bible is teaching. You asked, why do they undermine normal interpretation. I believe Satan works overtime in fooling people as to the message of the Word of God. This does not mean they are not saved, it just means that they are being fooled. You also asked, do they deliberately suppress prophecy like unbelievers suppress all Scripture?    The unbeliever often denies the entire scope of the Bible, especially about personal faith in Christ for salvation. The amillennialist denies the coming kingdom reign of Christ. They have been brainwashed. And they are cutting out of their thinking almost half of the Scriptures. Premillennialists believe the Bible as it was written and as Christ taught it. To be premillennial means one knows that the Word of God is teaching that the Lord comes "before" His millennial reign. This is what the pious Jews believed. There is no question about this issue.    You also asked, how can a born again believer deny the normal interpretation of Scripture? Again, being born again has nothing to do with what they believe about prophecy. Thanks for asking, Dr. Mal Couch (7/10)

What is Happening in the Nations?

Dr. Couch, where are we today, with what is happening in the nations of the world? ANSWER:  We are into the rebellion of the nations, the hardness of heart, and the rejection of Christ as the Savior of the world! Isaiah said it well. God has to bring upon the planet judgment in order to cause the peoples of the earth to listen to Him. He said "When the earth experiences Your judgments the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness" (Isa. 26:9b).    But the world can grow extremely hardened in its reaction to punishment. The next is not a contradiction but it does lay down a truth that we need to look carefully at. "Though the wicked are shown favor, the wicked man does not learn righteousness; instead he deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, and does not perceive the majesty of the Lord" (v. 10).    Only the punishment of the seven year tribulation will awaken the world to its awful sinfulness. We are getting closer to that day! But the believers in Christ need not fear. The church will be taken out of here before that terrible time arrives. Paul writes that the Thessalonians turned to God from their idols:    "to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come" (1 Thess. 1:9b-10).    I read the other day from some "big" Bible teacher that the only place the rapture is mentioned is in 4:13-18. How foolish and blinded such a teacher can be! And he is only fooling himself and those who look to him as one who explains God's Word! These verses in chapter one give us the same scenario of the blessing that is coming to the believer in Christ. God will remove His Own from the earth before that terrible seven year tribulation comes upon the earth. What a glorious Day!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (6-10)

Meaning of Luke 16:14-17

Dr. Couch, what is going on in Luke 16:14-17? I know you wrote a nationally published commentary on Luke, so you have some idea of what the Lord is talking about. ANSWER:  Christ is speaking to the Pharisees because He knew they were lovers of money. Before men, they were trying to justify themselves and yet God the Father knew their hearts. Before John the Baptist began proclaiming the gospel (good news) of the coming Messianic Kingdom (the kingdom of God), the Pharisees bragged in their Law-keeping. But then some of them saw the benefit of following after the kingdom, whereby the rigors of the Law were eased. While the preaching and the offer of the Kingdom was the new message, the Lord reminded them that the Law was still around, for "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail" (v. 17).    The millennial Kingdom at that point would be rejected and the belief in the simple gospel would be proclaimed after the crucifixion of Christ, and yet it too would be spurned. But the Jews, especially the Pharisees, could not escape the Law! This does not mean that they were to be saved by "Law-keeping." I wrote in my commentary:     But God knew their hearts (v. 15a). What men esteem, God detests (v. 15b). He then added that since the coming of John the Baptist, everyone was trying to force his way into the kingdom of God (v. 16), "but it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail" (v. 17). Many of the Jews wanted the benefits of the kingdom proclaimed by John and the Lord Jesus, but the rigors of the Law and its conviction about the nature of sin were being ignored. God was examining hearts, and the judgment of the Law was standing.    Everything Jesus was teaching was being scoffed at (v. 14). People want the easy route and do not want to live by the truth. The legalists of Christ day would pretend to keep the Law but in the long run they would reject both the Kingdom offer and the simple way of faith in the gospel.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Apr., 10)

Jewish Bankers

Dr. Couch, it seems that there is a larger number of Jews who are involved in banking that are controlling our world economy. Is this true? ANSWER:  The Jewish people have always put a premium on education, and because of this, they are involved in industries and businesses that have profound influence on the world of big business. And, the Jewish people are sinners like all people of the world. It would be natural then that some are involved in shady business dealings but there is no indication that this has anything to do with end time prophecy. Nor are there any verses of Scripture that speaks to this problem in the events now going on in Bible prophecy.    Many Jews are denying the Lord Jesus who bought them by His death on the cross, but there are many who will come to Him as the tribulation begins. Many will be martyred during that period, and many will enter the kingdom when the Lord establishes His rule on the earth.    I am a student of history and I can vouch for the fact that the world has been more blessed by the Jews than cursed by them through the generations. They have benefited the world far beyond their numbers. Many of my recent books show this as a fact. I document how blessed we have been by them, even though they have not all trusted in Christ. The Lord's Word still stands—God will bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them! (Gen. 12:1-3). And, they are blessed in the Lord's viewpoint even though they are presently lost. In fact the apostle Paul says that presently they are "beloved for the sake of the [Jewish] fathers" by the Lord, though they are enemies for the sake of the gospel (Rom. 11:28). God's promises to return His dealing with them is irrevocable and will not change (v. 29). We, the Gentiles, "have been shown mercy because of their disobedience" (v. 30). "A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (is complete); and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written ..." (vv. 25-26).    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Apr., 10)

Salvation by Relationship or Faith?

Dr. Couch, is it accurate to say that salvation depends on a person's "relationship" with Christ when the Bible states that a person is saved by faith/belief? ANSWER: Sometimes we throw the word "relationship" around too freely. Sometimes we simply mean that one who has trusted Christ now has a relationship with Him, after belief! Generally, we use the word "relationship" in regard to one's walk and fellowship with Christ, after we've trusted Him for salvation and eternal life. We are not saved by our relationship with Him. We are saved by trusting, having faith, in what He did for us at the cross. I must believe and embrace the fact that the Lord died for my sins. In a sense, I place myself on the cross with Him, or to put it another way, I see Him taking my place under the wrath of God, for my sins. Now a baby Christian may not see all of the nuances in regard to salvation when he first believes. But as he goes forward in the Christian walk, it becomes more and more understandable as to what He did for the individual. This is why the doctrine of Assurance is important. John the apostle writes: "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). We cannot figure everything out; that is why we need His Assurance that we are saved because of our simple faith in Him. Thanks for asking. Dr. Mal Couch (Feb., 10)