Me has been the result of my attempt to measure up to a religious code or standard that has been invented by men in fact the laws of God and the standards of man were the furthest thing from my mind when I trusted Christ of savior all of the things that have happened to me since 1976 have happened because I place my faith in Jesus Christ. Now my story is not unique there are many people probably listening today who could tell you similar stories how their life dramatically changed the moment they place their faith in Jesus Christ that was certainly true with these goal ations but apparently they have forgotten this reality they had forgotten about how their faith in Jesus Christ had changed their lives they were not dramatically changed by keeping in the Old Testament law they were not dramatically changed by keeping some Old Testament code they were not dramatically changed by Judah istic legal ism they had been dramatically changed by placing faith in Jesus Christ but they were beginning to forget this reality they were beginning to try to go back under some Old Testament law that never changed their lives in the 1st place so when Paul begins goal ations chapter 3 he wants to drive home a point and the point he wants to drive home is this your personal experience of your own transformed life proves that justification is by faith alone apart from any works now in the 1st 5 verses of Galatians Paul has to remind the goal ations of what has happened to them and that's the brilliance of Paul in fact in reminding the Galatians of what has happened to them he presents as one writer said a classic defense of justification by faith now in Galatians chapter 3 verses one to 5 there are 2 main thoughts that Paul wants to communicate thought number one he wants to communicate the present status of the goal ations in verse one of chapter 3 I'm reading you foolish girl ations who has but which you before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Now the glaciers are not flattered by Paul in this verse in any way shape or form and before we present the status that he describes here I want to draw your attention to the last part of the verse Jesus Christ had been pro-trade as crucified since day one ever since these goal Asians had heard of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ it had been presented to them that he is the only way to be justified it is only by faith in Christ that one can be set free of sin that's why Jesus Christ died on the cross he died as a sin offering to save people from their sins and when Paul says this is been portrayed to you that Greek verb portray Prograf 0 is one that means to portray something or to depict something or to proclaim something in writing so apparently Paul had graphically spelled out for these goal ations the Cross work of Jesus Christ he had done this in public in that you had also done this in print he had written about the importance of the Cross work of the Lord Jesus Christ he must have written out expositions any must have written out theological treatises in every instance he had told these go Asians that the Cross work of Jesus Christ is the only way that one can be justified in the sight of God They have been thoroughly indoctrinated to this point Paul had graphically described the crucifixion of Jesus Christ how he had been stripped and whipped and nailed and crucified he'd been spit on and beat needed as beard ripped out he'd been mocked for and had been rammed into his head he was hung between 2 thieves and a sword was thrust into his side Paul had graphically portrayed this to the Galatians. But now they were starting to drift and they were starting to drift into thinking that thought they could improve on the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary when Christ cry it is finished he was saying I've accomplished everything that needs to be done to save a sinner but some were creeping into the Galatians churches were trying to claim otherwise listen there are those who will try to convince you that Christ Cross work is not enough to save you from your sins but I want you to carefully and clearly understand Jesus Christ Cross work is the only thing that can save you from your sins when I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died my riches gained I count but lost and pork intent on all my pride Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross and that cross was pro-trade as being the only way that people could be right with the Holy God. Well Paul gives 2 classifications to these goal ations as to how he views them they were being moved away from this kind of thinking classification number one he says You're foolish you foolish girl ations Paul does not let the glaciers by the way blame demons or Satan he doesn't let them blame faults religion or the Judy estate legalizers he puts the blame on them he does not let them off the hook people love to blame others for their problems when a person is struggling they'll blame a pastor or a pastor's wife or they'll bring blame a board or husband will blame a wife or a wife or blame the husband Paul says blame yourself you foolish collations and that word foolish is one that means without understanding without thought the root word of this no at all means to think in terms of of systematic design and purposes he's not calling these people the bunch of foolish country bumpkins these were not people who are mentally deficient morons or simpletons these were people who did have minds but their minds had slipped out of gear and the word foolish indicates they'd stop thinking systematically and logically about the Cross work of Jesus Christ these glaciers were letting their emotions carry them away listen Christianity is not based on feelings Christianity is based on concrete facts that are found in the written Word of God and whatever a person law allows their emotions to carry them away from biblical facts they are foolish or just as fully as the goal ations these goal ation believers that have the best teaching in the world they have the Apostle Paul teaching them on the subject of grace but they apparently still could not discern sound doctrine in truth they sat under the great teaching of the Apostle Paul and yet they did not get it in their minds and hearts and they were absolutely foolish you can be an individual who listens to teaching you can be an individual who listens to sound doctrine and still in your own life if you don't take a stand you can drift along and doctrine like a pummelling tumbleweed and if you don't apply what you've learned if you don't stand and defend the. Cross of Jesus Christ you're just as fully she has the gall ations you fully chelation as he says. Secondly he says you've been bewitched that word be which is one that refers to an evil an emotional captivation and fascination Satan captivates people in their emotions the a cold dominates feelings now if you allow yourself to be governed by your feelings most of the time you'll end up making wrong decisions people can get swept away in their feelings and that's exactly what was happening here. If a person thinks that anything but the Cross work of Jesus Christ can make them right with a holy God you are foolish and b. Which you're being controlled by your emotions but you're not being controlled by the written Word of God and the written revelation of God There is a say tannic spiritual with rich witchcraft in sorcery in the world of religion this kind of sorcery does not feature cult members standing around a bonfire holding candles and chanting weird things it features very religious and sophisticated people who present a work salvation there's subtle their emotional and their speech is that which can but which people the Bible says over and over again that you're only justified by faith in Jesus Christ the Bible makes it clear that Jesus Christ was the one who was wounded on the cross for our transgressions and if you believe that anything else can save you from your sins other than the finished work of Christ on Calvary you are as Paul would say to these glacial as foolish and be which. So Paul classifies these goal ations this way. The 2nd thought he presents to them is the practical questions to the glacier in Xilai Calpol operates here in verses 2 to 5 goal ations 3 ask a series of questions begin to get verse 2 Here is what we read this is the only thing I want to find out from you did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith are you so foolish having begun by the Spirit are you now being perfected by the flesh did you suffer so many things in vain if indeed it was in vain so then does he who provide you with the spirit and works miracles among you do it by works of the law or by hearing with faith. Now there are 4 practical questions that Paul asked these goal ations in Galatians chapter 3 verses 2 to 5 to prove that their justification came by faith and not by works of the law and I want you to notice the emphasis that he places here on hearing the Word of God hearing with faith he says that in verse 2 he brings that out again in verse 5 hearing with faith ladies and gentlemen God's Word preached is what produces faith it is not law preaching that produces faith it is preaching the Word of God and preaching the grace of God that produces faith in people the contrast here is between a preaching ministry versus a law keeping one Paul says what happened to you when I preach so we ask a series of practical questions practical question number one did you receive the Holy Spirit by works of the law when you were trying to keep the old testament law or did you receive the Spirit of God by faith in Jesus Christ now the Holy Spirit is mentioned nearly 20 times in the book of Galatians because it is the Holy Spirit not law which is so crucial to Grace and when the Holy Spirit 1st came upon believers he did so in a very visible way there were new signs of power and life that took place when the Holy Spirit 1st came to indwell believers Jesus said any who would believe on him alternately would receive the Holy Spirit they would get the Holy Spirit the moment they believe on Jesus Christ they didn't have to beg for it they didn't have to plead for it they didn't have to work for it but by believing in Jesus Christ whoever would believe on Him would receive the Spirit of God So Paul asked the question how did you get the Holy Spirit by your attempts to keep the law or the moment you believe Jesus Christ and the answer to the question is they got the Holy Spirit the moment they believe done Jesus Christ now I've done many things in my life that have been wrong and sinful. Since I have somewhat of a public person in the Kalamazoo area people can testify of this that prior to coming to faith in Jesus Christ I pursued a lifestyle that certainly was not given to that which was godly but all of that changed on June 10th of 1976 I invited Jesus Christ into my life and the things that I once pursued I now saw is wrong and it was the Holy Spirit that began to do this work in me and I received the Holy Spirit the moment I invited Jesus Christ into my life I did not get the Holy Spirit because I made a decision that I was going to try to somehow try to keep some Old Testament Law I invited Jesus Christ into my life to be my personal savior and then things started to happen which were clearly wrought by the Spirit of God and if you invite Jesus Christ into your life to be your Savior you can see yourself the things will start happening wrought by the Spirit of God you don't get the Spirit of God When you say I think I'm going to try to keep the old testament law. Or read of a skeptic who once asked a Christian who had been a terrible alcoholic drinker whether or not he really believed the miracles of the Bible and the Christian said absolutely the skeptic laughed and said Do you really believe that Jesus could to turn water into wine and this former alcoholic said I sure do but because he turned whine in my life into food and clothing and furniture for my family and other words he had the Spirit of God in him the moment he believed on Jesus Christ and then Holy Spirit totally turned his life around Paul's question to the Galatians How did you get the spirit by your feeble attempts to keep the old testament law or when you believe done Jesus Christ is 2nd practical question is do you blossom in your own spiritual life by works of the law or by hearing the Word of God that produces faith verse 3 are you so foolish having begun by this spirit are you know. Being perfected by the flesh. Now most of the time the spiritual life progresses from lesser to greater a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ and begins to grow the glaciers have gone just the opposite they went from greater to lesser. I not too long ago to talk with someone who has tried to keep the law and he told me I'm frustrated I go to church I get this emotional charge I get all revved up but then I go back out into the world end up in the same run why. I said because it is the hearing of the Word of God and a focus on the grace of God that produces faith and power and you are getting your emotions revved up but by a system that will never give you the power you need to have victory there are 2 dead end streets in the arena of theology to think that you can be saved by your law works and to think that you can grow by your law works neither are true you're saved by faith in Jesus Christ once you trust Christ as your Savior you are the recent beginning of the Holy Spirit and that begins a sanctifying process that will develop you for the glory of God. I suppose you get on a jet and and you decide that you're not going to trust the jet totally to take you to your destination how foolish it would be for you to sit on a jet airplane and start flapping your arms I'm sure some stewardess would come over to you and ask you what is your problem why are you flapping your arms and you would say well I'm trying to fly myself to my destination the stewardess would say Are you insane that's what this jet is for the jet is going to take you to your destination. There are many people ladies and gentlemen who are trying to govern their lives by the Old Testament law they have a wonderful Jette power about them the Holy Spirit and yet they're flapping their own arms and they're trying to somehow get spirituality on their own initiative by keeping the old testament law and Paul would say you're foolish you're insane are you out of your mind you have a jet power that will take you to the spirituality why do you try to do it yourself you will blossom the most in your spiritual life now when you're trying to keep the old testament law or codes that have been invented by men but when you are hearing the Word of God faithfully taught because Faith comes by hearing the Word of God And when you hear the Word of God The Spirit of God within you does a purifying wonderful growth work you get into a church where the Word of God is faithfully and carefully taught and your faith will take off like a jet airplane. The 3rd practical question is that Paul asked these goal ations Have you suffered or sacrifice more when you were trying to keep the law or sense you've come to faith in Jesus Christ verse 4 did you suffer so many things in vain if indeed it was in vain. Ever since Paul came to faith in Jesus Christ he was verbal abuse he was run out of towns he was stone and he was jailed that's what happened to Paul when he trusted Jesus Christ the Savior virtually abused run out of town stone and jailed none of those things happened to him when he was trying to keep the Old Testament Law truth of the matter is when he was trying to keep the old testament law he fit in with most of the religious world they patted him on the back and thought he was a great guy but the moment he started telling these same people you can't be right with a holy God by your attempts to keep the law you've got to rely only and totally on the crucified Christ to give you a relationship with God That's when he got in trouble. I must say that before I came to faith in Jesus Christ there were times when things seemed to somewhat sale I started recognizing a whole different kind of warfare though the moment I invited Jesus Christ into my life I found myself at war with myself I found myself at war with the religious world I found myself at war with the world and sometimes with even forces of evil I've suffered some things since coming to faith in Christ that I never suffered before you see the moment you take Jesus Christ into your life that's the moment you do you realize things can get a little tense you will soon discover that you are in a war with your flesh in the world and with the devil however there is also a moment when you will experience the greatest blessings the blessings of God what Paul says is those who live godly will be persecuted he doesn't say they might be persecuted he says they will be you may be persecuted and it may come from a mate a child a parent a coworker a neighbor even a member of the church but the promises. You will be persecuted not Paul's point to the goal ations here is let me ask you this question did you start suffering when you were trying to keep the law or did you start suffering the moment you believed in Jesus Christ and the answer to the question is you began to find yourself at odds with the religious world the moment you came to faith in Jesus Christ. It's possible to suffer for nothing. We know that the Holy Spirit will never give you more than you are able to bear some Christians are after all a life of continual positive excitement but Christianity that is real sometimes as tough and lonely and sometimes Christianity that is real is a tedious war when you're Christian and you're really in tune with the will of God in the plan of God there's real hurt pain and suffering those who live godly by faith will suffer but if you're suffering because you're trying to keep some code that you've invented in your own minds it is for nothing or God promises those who suffer for him will be highly honored some day with him but those who suffer based upon their own attempts to keep the old testament law are not only miserable here but they'll be miserable in eternity and by the way Paul is saying that if you allow yourself to be drawn away from truth no matter what you suffer it's vain it is for nothing your suffering only counts when it's focused on the truth of God when it's focused on the grace of God. The final question that Paul asks these goal ations is this Does God operate by works of the law or by the hearing of God's Word which produces faith I'm reading from go lation 35 So then does he who provides you with the spirit and works miracles among you do it by works of the law or by hearing with faith now Paul basically said how does God miraculously work how did God miraculously work in your world in your life when you were promoting law or when you heard the word of God and you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ that you were saved the most amazing and miraculous things that will ever happen to you in your life will happen to you when you're walking by faith not by your feeble minded attempt to keep. The law there are wonderful things that God does for people when they take in the Word of God and respond to the Word of God lives are changed eternities are changed wonderful things happen when people hear the Word of God and respond to it. Now we've heard from a number of people by way of those who have called our church by way of those who have. Written our church and by way of those who have come to our church we know that there are many people listening today and they're drawn to this broadcast and there is a ringing and a fire that is really stirred in one's soul which says I know this is true I sense this is true I sense this is right and some of you who are listening have been taught law and legalism and ritualistic religion most of your lives what you must ask yourself is this question What is it that's drawing you to listen because we're presenting here a message that says works the law will not ever get you anywhere in your relationship with God what is causing you to listen what's the drawing card that's moving your soul that's moving your heart to tune in and listen it is God. And it's the preaching of the Word of God and there is a power that comes from hearing the Word of God It does not come by attempts to keep the law or by reading the Old Testament Law It comes by hearing the Word of God Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and as the Word of God is taught faith is produced there's a level of spirituality that is promoted that no law can ever promote. And if you listen to this and you ever have any questions about spirituality about the Bible about any subject write us at Texas corners Bible Church 7780 South 8th Street in Kalamazoo 49009 ripeness I'll be happy to discuss these matters further because there's absolutely no question that when you read this book of Galatians Paul is driving home a riveting message and that is you're justified by faith in Christ and by faith alone faith plus nothing. And don't let anyone or any group or any church convince you otherwise. The peculiar feature of Biblical Christianity. Versus every other religious system is this. All religions will tell you you must do something to be right with God biblical Christianity says there's nothing you can do to be right with God It's all done for you in the person of Jesus Christ and the only thing that we can do is place all of our faith in Jesus Christ to save us from our sins have you been foolish or Bewitched about your spiritual life. If you think that you are saved by your works you've been foolish and you've been bewitched if you stink that you are saved by your attempt to keep the old testament law you've been foolish and you've been bewitched if you think that you can somehow merit a right standing with God based upon your own goodness that you're better than your neighbor you're better than most people you are foolish and bewitched you are not saved by your works by your goodness or by your religion or by your attempts to keep the law you are saved only by faith in Jesus Christ you do not keep or lose salvation by your works you're saved by the Cross work of Jesus Christ Paul said it was Jesus Christ who was crucified for us that's the only one who can save any of us from our sins as the songwriter said Jesus paid it all all to him I all sin had left a crimson stain he washed it white as snow. If you're listening to this today. And you've never trust the Jesus Christ the Savior. I just want to share with you this important doctrine that comes from the book of Galatians we will never be made right in the sight of God in any other way other than casting our faith on Jesus Christ and we have proof concrete proof that this message is absolutely true and that is the empty tomb when you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you are saved you will receive a new power about your life that you never dreamed you could have you will discover that God will do wonderful things with you and for you if you make that commitment today to invite Jesus Christ into your life you will never even begin to understand where that decision will take you but it will take you a long way it will take you all the way to heaven so right now in the privacy of this moment you who are listening who have never trusted Christ as Savior just settle this between you and God you don't have to let anybody else know this is business between you and God This is what I did back in 1076 I basically got along with God and said God I know I'm a sinner I admit it. I see that I need Jesus Christ in my life to be my savior so I invite him in the my life and the moment I did that my whole world changed and so will yours Father take your precious word and do a full work of grace in the minds of all who listened today in Jesus' name we pray Amen. Thank you so much for listening for the Syrian 1st of right versus left mornings Monday through Friday 6 to 7 am types of. Food good touring and good conversation say my life simple pleasure is. Located at the landmark in d.t.c. . Welcome to defending the truth with showing the truth of our faith as Christians really does stand the test of scrutiny so sit back and enjoy defending the truth with Bob to go on today's program members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints former growing population of both numbers and influence yet few people have more than a passing understanding of their most important document Bob discusses this with a former Mormon who is now an evangelical Pastor Ross Anderson author of the book Understanding the Book of Mormon a quick Christian guide to the Mormon holy book Here's Bob. You know I've talked with you many times over the years about various calls to be a Jehovah's Witness Mormonism. We talked about Mormonism off and on over the years and I know that there are some Mormons they get upset I hear from you get e-mail from you saying Bob How come you call us a call that's not right that's not fair with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints you know we worship Jesus Christ. But as you know and we've talked about a many times the Mormon doctrine itself it is a it's just it's a different gospel it's a different Jesus Paul said in glaciers one second Christians 11 so he preaches a different Jesus different gospel a lot of eternally condemned and you know and the truth is that it is not the Jesus the scripture and certainly the plan of salvation is just way way way too far removed from biblical and Orthodox Christianity to be considered in my opinion part of Christian them and merely a Christian denomination but then what do we do with the Mormon people because I found the people themselves by and large are very decent honorable people and in many cases they have a heart for the truth they just don't know that they're trapped in a cult in many cases and I would argue a lot of don't even know some of the teachings and false prophecies and everything surrounding Joseph Smith and and really what it says in the Journal of Discourses and so many different places but we're explore it now how to how to relate to Mormons how to understand where they're coming from so that we can be a more effective witness we're going to talk about this with Ross Anderson he is founding pastor of. Such Evangelical Free Church in Roy Utah he's now teaching pastor down playing Community Church in Utah he's a former Mormon and he's author of this book Understanding your Mormon neighbor a quick Christian guide to for relating to Latter day Saints and Ross Anderson joins me now Dr Anderson thanks for being with us today. Well thanks for having me Bob thank you so much you were a former Mormon how up how long were you a Mormon before coming out of the movement. I was born and raised in an active Mormon family and I came out of Mormonism in my college years. And through a process of our investigation over 2 or 3 really 3 and a half years Mormonism and came to find that trust in Christ for my salvation sure now I want to talk with you obviously about how we how we relate to our Mormon neighbors you talk about in your book but before then I suppose we do need to establish a foundation here that Mormonism is in fact a a cult and should not be considered just one of the many Christians nominations so let's deal with that 1st of all why Dr should we view Mormonism outside of Christian what is it about Mormonism in general that makes you say that's just too far removed from orthodox Christianity to call a Christian denomination. Yeah there's a whole bunch of issues but they're all rooted in an underlying worldview the underlying view of reality of Mormonism that posits that God is an exalted human being and that that that humans and God are all basically sensually the same species of being and that we could become you know as God is now that we could become if we follow all the right commandments and ordinances and so forth that the world view that that collapses the transcendence of God and equates God with just another human being Ok and so and of course this is just a few make it to the Celestial Kingdom of course with the certificate of Joseph Smith That's when you have a chance to kind of spiritually evolve if you will into your own God the Father but the other 2 kingdoms of terrestrial in the Telestial Kingdom is a kind of pluralistic kingdoms one for the good people that aren't Mormons one kind of for the not so good people that are Mormons. Almost everybody gets to go to heaven which again is a contrary world view from the biblical worldview that posits that all human beings are are are lost and sinful apart from their death to the work of Christ. So you and I Dr as non Mormons if we're decent people if our good deeds outweigh or bad deeds according to Mormon doctrine we couldn't go be with God the Father Jesus Christ or Joseph Smith that we could go into the middle kingdom the kingdom and we be there with Hindus and Muslims and atheists and anybody else who happen to do more good deeds in life than bad deeds in life so are our accepting of Jesus Christ is not enough to get us reconciled with God the Father not at all commit sense no. Now they positive Jesus would be their president in that 2nd kingdom and so we get to be in the presence of Jesus forever so it's a pretty good deal but not God the Father not God the Father for all human right right and not and not be opportunity to continue to progress into exile patient Right right so we're just kind of there and then I suppose outer darkness that's where a few people go but isn't this like that Hitler in the Stalin's in the Pol Pot's or just the worst of the worst you know it's not even that even those people would be in the lowest level of have an avatar this is reserved for those people who had a certain knowledge of the truth and then denied that though he might have been high level Mormons or someone in Mormonism who had a testimony of Mormonism and then turned away and became a prostate so it's not perfectly clearly defined but in the obvious system you might be in the 2nd having and I might be an outer part Ok now how many how many Mormons rank and file Mormons do you think even know a lot of the a lot of the doctrines and teachings of Joseph Smith a lot of the claims that he even made about you know the so-called angel more and I in the golden plates saying let alone some of the heretical teachings and doctors we're talking about now. Well most Mormons almost all Mormons would really understand the core story of the restoration but that's what the Mormons call it the idea that the Christian church became a Pa state after the death of the Apostles that the original church that Jesus found was lost and had to be restored by Joseph Smith that it so the stories of related to the Book of Mormon and all those things are part of the core belief set there is a lot of other things that Joseph Smith taught that. Are more obscure or or or strange to our ears and a lot of things that he taught a lot of things that were once. Common in Mormonism are now being sort of gradually released Mormonism has a history of fluidity and they've been able to be flexible with the times in order to survive. Starting back with the relinquishment of polygamy and 890 and so there's a lot of things that I grew up with as a Mormon that that many younger Mormons are converts to Mormonism with not believe or understand or would not have heard but the core story of Joseph Smith Book of Mormon the restoration of Christianity post apostasy is the heart and soul that gets repeated over and over again why do you suppose that so many Mormons. Are Ok with even some of the basic things that they learned about the you know the 3 kingdoms and even the even the story of the tablets with Joseph Smith and this this angel more and I mean why don't why don't so many Mormons who consider themselves just traditional Christians why don't they look at that and see the conflict with those accounts and that plan of salvation to the gospels themselves they interpret everything through the lens. And and modern revelation and so you know they're not really looking at the Bible to decide or to try to do. Sir what the Bible says for self they're looking at the Bible through the that grid of this system of thinking that they have accepted and in the majority of Mormons I grew up Mormon still even though they've converted a lot of people and so they just really grew up with the cultural system with an identity that has shaped them most Mormons did not become Mormons because of the doctrine because of the worldview either they were born into it or they joined many who are converts from organism have joined Mormonism for relational reasons for motional reasons a sense of belonging for a lot of different reasons that most don't have much to do with. The actual truth the doctrine of Mormonism. For a lot of reason ignored that. Grid of what they. Are just a moment was picking up from there in just a couple of minutes more with Dr Ross Anderson the book again folks and titled understanding Mormon neighbors. Next more with Bob and Pastor Ross Anderson in 2 minutes on defending the truth with Bob to go. Hire a student I hope college here is president of Hillsdale College Dr Larry are on what the Founders meant by general welfare the great preamble of our Constitution states that the purpose of the document is in part to promote to turn off their country to the modern understanding of the term The founders understood for to me public good or happiness this is understood in accordance with the prince was a trace of Independence such happiness is contingent on securing to each citizen his natural rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness because this requires the government be limited powers of the federal government were a numerator and matters were reserved to state authority this was precisely to do to secure the rights and in turn promote the general welfare this constitution minute by Hillsdale. Ali's curacy of a free pocket Constitution and Declaration go to Constitution it dot com. From the Pacific Justice Institute this is the legal way defending your rights as a Christian a parent and a citizen Here's predicate 38 states have laws against fetal homicide yet most of the state laws include special exceptions for feel homicide when it comes to abortion Well Alabama Supreme Court justice Tom Parker calls this the exception and urges the u.s. Supreme Court to reconsider these Roe exceptions and over rule this unconstitutional aberration folks it Roe versus Wade the court decision which legalized abortion were overturned the question of the legality of abortion would return to each of the 50 states Pacific Justice Institute prays for and would welcome a Supreme Court review of the constitutionality of abortion the Pacific Justice Institute provides legal representation to individuals without charge learn more about the city Justice dot org That's the civic justice of the r.j. You're listening to Bob do go on k l z $560.00. Now more of Bob's discussion with Ross Anderson author of the book Understanding the Book of Mormon a quick Christian guide to the Mormon hold a book on defending the truth with Bob to go here's Bob continuing our discussion with Dr Ross Anderson he is a former Mormon He's author of the book Understanding your Mormon neighbor. So Dr I would my audience was I was raised in a religious cult it was worldwide church of God Armstrong isn't here and Ok I have my brother and my mother actually stayed in there for a long time and then when when when my church of God had their split and accepted orthodoxy they they made the split as well and they moved into Orthodox Christianity which was great but I know growing up that the reverence that everybody had for Mr Armstrong was like you know he was God's modern day prophet revealed you don't touch him at all and in in in trying to talk with my mother or my brother for the decade that I witness to them before they finally come out of it. It was a really bad strategy if I tried to expose the false prophecies of Herbert Armstrong if I said a negative word against as I o. It shut down instantly So how does that relate to Mormons and Joseph Smith That's a very apt analogy formants really revered Joseph Smith tremendously after all that everything about him were to be true he would be worthy of their reverence Chris we know better than that but they revered him tremendously there's a huge folklore that surrounds his person. And the serious way to shut down communication with they say is to denigrate Joseph Smith and now because they have a history of. Persecution in leaving America coming west and so forth there's this interesting kitchen sensitivity so it's very easy along with that for Mormons to feel like if you're you can bring up a legitimate point. That you're attacking or persecuting them so you have 2 factors that are kind of working together to really set down communication right well and here's where I'm trying to maybe i'm just being too left brain about this but you know if I'm talking to a Mormon I won't go after Joseph Smith at least not in our initial discussion because I just know strategically is going to shut them down but I wonder why and so here's what I want to get from you you're a former Mormon when you were a Mormon you're an intelligent man if someone said to you let me just share with you some of the prophecies the Joseph Smith gave and let me let you see for yourself how these prophecies were proven false what what doctor would you have done with that information what would you have felt the emotion of oh you're just attacking God's prophet and I don't want to hear it lalala or would you think the person is lying or would you say Ok so he gave false prophecies but who cares. Right know you it feel attacked you might think the person flying that more a lot more than that you think they're probably deceived. You'd understand you feel like well there's got to be an answer for that but I'm not going to go there because that puts my soul at risk one of the greatest fears in Mormonism is the fear of apostasy. Latter-Day Saints don't even want to go anywhere near a place where they could become subject to apostasy and lose everything that is so meaningful to them I think part of the problem is. Even Jellicoe Christians have typically addressed Mormonism in a real cognitive fashion using We have great apologetics and a great doctrinal comparisons that have been done over the years but we realize have to realize that. Letter Day saying don't approach truth in the same way that we do they don't approach truth entirely from a rational or I'm here because to perspective they approach truth experience away and also understanding that there's a whole lot more to them as to their identity as a Mormon and Jeff their belief there's a whole the whole culture and heritage and tradition of Mormonism that shape their identity and so it's not that hard for a person to discern of defer away from that rational comparison because so much more to their experience is at stake Sure well and it does seem I mentioned this my earlier introduction but it does seem like at least from my experiences that Mormons seem to be by and large pretty decent honorable people let the Mormons I have known and have been friends with are like really decent nice people and they are and they really have a heart for serving who they believe God to be and so I obviously I mean you live there in Utah and you're among many more Mormons so you paint a picture if you would of what the Mormon people themselves are like. Well they're great they're great people and their emphasis their culture and upbringing emphasizes that they be virtuous that's part of what it means to be worthy for God in their view in order to attain that salvation Rak saltation is to be virtuous people and so obviously they're not perfect and there's sometimes a double life or there's at the near and when you strip underneath the veneer sometimes you see the darker underbelly but by and large the Latter day Saints My family is still almost the active in the Mormon Church my neighbors and the rest they are great folks. And that's one of the things that makes it challenging because for 4 active Latter day Saints it's hard for them to see their needs their spiritual poverty and their need for the good news of God's grace sure what happened with you I mean what what was it that 1st started to put some cracks in your Mormon armor. Well one of the things was I was 18 years old senior in high school and I was to be preparing for my Mormon mission all the young men in active Mormon homes go on their 2 year mission when they're 19 years old my older brothers had gone and the prospect of going on that mission maybe began to wonder do I own this enough is it important enough to me and do I have convictions enough about it to make that sacrifice and go do what these other young men had done so I began to evaluate that and then secondly around that time I began to. I dated a girl who was. A good joke a Christian she was a very strong runner so when they've been dating me but nevertheless she at least knew which it was up and so she because they valued that relationship I was willing to listen to some of those arguments and be exposed to some of that material that is characterized by them as anti mormon And so if I had value that relationship or been relations is important I would never have begun to explore those things so the fact that you had a close relationship in a close friend that was the that that relationship is what allowed you to even entertain some of the things that she was saying which of course puts you in battles against that fear of apostasy the Mormons have exactly right through an extra pair sure hang on just a moment we'll spend our last a few minutes together next more with Pastor Ross Anderson he is a former Mormon and he's author of the book Understanding your Mormon neighbor again is from Zondervan next more of Bob's dialogue with Ross Anderson in 2 minutes on defending the truth with Bob to go. Clean up every place in. The movie welcome to Maher when he is an unusual story is based on the real life experiences of photogs. For Mark Hogan camp who lost his memory his abilities to be an illustrator and his confidence after being savagely beaten by a handful of attackers in a desperate attempt to cope Marcus trucks a miniature World War 2 village called Maher when in his yard any populates this world with his alter ego hoagie a brave straight shooting foot high hero and a bevy of beautiful dolls who safeguard Marlon from perpetually responding Nazis the dolls bear a resemblance to the real women in Mark's life who've been friends and supported him through broken body and mind and as we see how he fights shoe box sized bad guys we can see that the make believe town of Mar one is indeed a feel of war a battlefield upon which Marx mind and his soul are being fought for. Listen up. There's you gotta remember we were here right now we're still alive and that's what matters. So a toast to life love tomorrow. And the beautiful women there this tale of the imagination an emotional recovery is compelling and as speaks of the power of compassion for others but it's also a film packed with unexpected content in the form of a man's juvenile objectification of women and his love for adult films there's also drug abuse and quite a bit of a magine airy and real world violence in the movie mix so I'll give welcome to Maher one of 2 out of 5 for family friendly news for more on this bill check out plug in dot com slash radio plugging you into the movies. For focus on the families plugged in movie reviews. Bob Duke always defending the truth on k l z $560.00. Now Bob wraps up his conversation with Roseanne as an author of the book Understanding the Book of Mormon a quick Christian guy to the Mormon holy book on defending the truth with Bob to go here's Bob as we spent the last few minutes with Dr Ross Anderson former Mormon and author of the book Understanding your Mormon neighbor So Dr if for people in my audience right now that have a family member a friend a coworker someone who is a Mormon and they'd like to witness to them obviously 1st things 1st you need to develop a relationship with that person so. What would you recommend as far as some basic do's and don'ts I mean a once you start talking about your faith compared to Mormon faith where do you recommend that people go where do you recommend they kind of start the discussion and what pitfalls do you recommend they stay away from yeah that's a great question and the 1st thing is being willing to be committed to the relationship because it could take a long time and it could be challenging to be different times when you're Mormon friend or neighbor or one maybe back away from it because they feel a little bit offended and you work through that to keep on plugging away keep on serving them I think serving them is the key thing finding a way help out with their kids. You know around the house whatever it is find ways to serve them because they're stereotyped is that Mormons are they have that we can break through some of the stereotypes they have. Of even Jellicoe Christians then that begins to you know creates an openness for them to think about things in a new way one of the stereotypes they have is that all we want to do is attack them and so we've talked about that. So serving them is a way to do that one thing it's really important is understand that not every Mormon is the say and as you pointed out earlier some of the mormons don't really understand all of their faith or believe all the things that they believed in the past so it's really important is to listen. Ask questions not to assume that I know what they what they believe until they've told me what they believe and so a lot of the initial conversations are just asking questions and listening to the answers sure you know I one things you talk about in your book are questions of people ask such as you're sure you vote for a Mormon obviously the the Mitt Romney issue and then are Mormons Christian and you know I had a Mormon call in my show not too long ago and asked me that you know are Mormons Christians and I know that they I caught some heat doctor for the answer that I gave want to get your take but 1st I want to share with you what I said. I said that I don't I don't really like the way that the question is posed because I don't mind declaring that Mormon doctrine is not Christianity it's not Biblical Christianity and so therefore I would say Mormonism is not Christian but I don't want to say automatically that 0 percent of Mormons are Christians because you know you take somebody who is steeped into Mormon doctrine they know Mormon doctrine there they've read all the journals discourse that they know all of this and they're buying into this then I'm going to basically categorize that person as part of Mormonism but I see a lot of people that are there young that are naive that are kind of baby Christian and they've accepted Jesus Christ as their savior but they've done it naively through this vehicle of Mormonism and I have to ask myself how much doctrine did the thief on the cross know next to Jesus and so I don't know that I know that that there might not be some people who have accepted Jesus Christ and they just don't know that they happen to do it through and through the falsehood of Mormonism but the sincerity of their heart as they mature they learn that the true Jesus Christ is not found in the Book of Mormon but in in the gospels right Greta and I think we point out in the book we different standard for assessing institution that we do for something individuals we can say that it's a call it is or is not Christian or a nomination or Mormonism whatever is there is not Christian based upon the doctrine that they profess. With individuals we know that it's not simply a doctrinal test a person can have all the right doctrine and not know God in a personal way through Christ right or a person can have an adequate doctor and still have trusted in Christ alone for to be right with God So I think you're onto something there and especially when we have so many now people converted to Mormonism out of nominal Christian faith Baptists and Methodists coming into Mormonism after having after having been raised nominally in some kind of Christian church they still have a more Biblical framework that they bring into their Mormonism without really a valuating that. I think there are a number of people who genuinely encounter Christ in a. Eternally saving way who are within Mormonism now the ones that I know personally eventually have come out right right you know and I do to people that have come out of it that that were in it and so what do you do though Dr We're just about out of time but what do you do though when you have someone who's a friend or a family member or a coworker and they say have a Mormon so we're both Christians and you know you don't want to start by giving the slam a jam on doctrinal errors so you want to build that relationship but do you treat them the same way that you would another brother in Christ I mean Dr if you and I are together I'm going to say hey you know as a fellow brother in Christ you know why don't you and I pray together and I would have no qualms doing that with you but how do we view a Mormon who calls himself a Christian do we go ahead and conduct ourselves in dialogue with that person in the identical way that we would with a someone who is a member of orthodox Christianity you know not at all 1st of all that these the conversation about definition and I want to hear them define what they mean by Christian might give me an opportunity to explain what I mean biblically by using that term I don't have a problem personally praying with the Latter day Saints and praying to God. I don't I don't feel comfortable singing hymns with a writer to a thing or being involved in something that construed that we have a common worship or or that we share a common say so there are there are boundaries and people might define those in a little bit different way. Right or do things around here want to have some of those kind of events with churches and do something strongly and typically the churches are being fair say we're about that would define our as being you know in the same you know campus as you and so there are the hesitancy there sure last last about 45 seconds Mitt Romney vote for a Mormon is there any reason that as a Christian you could vote for a Mormon obviously not for Pastor but for commander in chief well in Utah we vote for Mormons all the time we don't have any choice the Democrat Morgan it's a Republican. I don't have a problem voting for Mitt Romney if you're the best qualified candidate you know folks the book is entitled understanding your Mormon neighbor it's from Zondervan it's by Pastor Ross Anderson and Dr I appreciate your time thank you so much for being with us today well thank you I mean obviously you take care now you've been listening to defending the truth with Bob Duca showing that our faith as Christians really does stand up to logic and intellectual reasoning the opinions and views expressed on this program are those of its participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of proper Broadcasting Company this station its management staff or advertisers comments may be addressed to be e-mailed to talk at Crawford broadcasting dot com This is a broadcasting company God and country station defending the truth is a presentation and the property of the Crawford Broadcasting Company and this station certain compensation is made available to Bob to go from the company in the form of products and services sold as advertised to the Crawford broadcasting company and its affiliates have no financial responsibility for or interest in the Prada. The services offered for sale. Expressed on Cale's if I 60 or those of the speaker commentators hosts their guests and colleagues they're not necessarily visa for broadcasting or kills the management. Or advertiser scale 60 is a call for broadcasting. Conservative ideas I. Am one of our advertising partners Intel. Am and f.m. Fullpower Front Range coverage on Am 560 in the Denver Metro calles e.f.m. 100.7 and on line listening at 560 the source dot com like is on Facebook slash calles e 560 the source. For the source is a crossover broadcasting station. As we stand on the threshold of the new year the president of Crawford Broadcasting Company. Takes a look at the events of the last 12 months we've made it my fellow Americans the great god of the universe the God of all energy on life itself allowed you and me to live the wonderful year 2018 and come now to what may be the greatest year ever year 2019 thank God for life don't you think and what a year it has been the year 2018 there were wars and rumors of wars there was political unrest everywhere there were violent lawless reactions to the election of President Trump and the Republicans fought the Democrats as usual in Washington there was a change in the United States Supreme Court 2 of them 2 of them appointed by President Trump and terrorism terrorism. At work and always present and always threatening and radical Islam ISIS and even lone wolves continued their murderous assault on civilization what a year. The Constitution and especially the 1st Amendment were further weakened and attacked freedom of religion became less free academia turned further progressive even radical sanctuary cities grew up in so many places and still exist the rule of law constitutional America became much less thorough Americans grew angry or polarized more than ever seemingly We the people hopelessly divided there were red states and there were blue states not 50 American states the United States of America became the Divided States of America we were not one nation indivisible but rather a nation divided in so many ways the divisions grew deeper and the anger.