Dr. Brown Answers Your Questions

By lofradio Sep 2, 2011 / 30 Comments

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Is there a gap between theology and living an authentic Christian life? Did Jesus die twice on the cross, spiritually and physically? It’s that time again! Dr. Brown answers your questions!

Hour 1:

Dr. Brown’s Bottom Line: Put the emphasis on living a practical, holy, love-filled, Jesus-exalting life. Those things that distract you, or are tangential, put those things aside and follow the Lord, bear much fruit, and you won’t be disappointed.

Hour 2:

Dr. Brown’s Bottom Line: Live, my friends, with constant hope. Live with an attitude of expectation, because our God is good, and has destined us for glory with Him. We have everything to look forward to–lift your head, lift your eyes, and rejoice!

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Other Resources:

Dr Brown Debates Rabbi Tovia Singer on Sid Roth’s Radio show “Time is running short”.

Dr Brown and Rabbi Tovia Singer debate on a variety of topics, from the Messianic fulfillments of Yeshua to the core foundations of Christianity and Judaism.

This fascinating debate has a surprise ending!

A Christian Response to Homosexuality: Brown/Knox Debate [DVD] An important debate between Dr. Michael Brown, Director of the Coalition of Conscience, and Mr. Harry Knox, Director of Faith and Religion for the Human Rights Campaign, on the topic of “A Christian Response to Homosexuality.”

Must a President Be Smarter Than A Fifth-Grader? Townhall Article by Dr. Brown

If a man earned poor grades in college, is he fit to be the next president of the United States?

The recent attacks on the intelligence of Texas Governor Rick Perry included the charge that he was dumb and, more bitingly, was like George W. Bush only without the brains. The release of his college transcripts seemed to confirm these accusations. In fact, Frank James, writing on NPR.org, warned, “if you ever enter politics, you may one day think about running for president. And if you do decide to run, your college grades could become an issue, especially if they’re mediocre.” […]

30 Comments

  1. It says that we must work 6 days, and rest on the seventh — because IN THE SAME MANNER (of days), God made everything in six days and rested on the seventh: I would disagree that there is NO definite time period given.

  2. Dr. Michael Brown,
    Concerning Calvinism @16:36 and on

    1. Are you saying that God does not know who will choose Him? Doesn’t

    min 17:34-18:00
    “…God is saying, ‘choose’, ‘choose’, ‘choose’ — and here are the consequences if you reject… and when people reject, He would say that His Heart was grieved: this indicates, to me, that God DID NOT predestine them to reject or predestine them to choose; rather, He DOES give them that choice…”

    Is this not problematic with Romans 9, which clearly talks about NO MAN resisting the will of God?
    Specifically: that the Creator created and formed ALL vessels — some for mercy, and some for wrath — and Himself, with plans in mind (to Pharaoh, it is said, ‘for this very reason, I have raised you up’, which is a commentary on HIS FORMATION OF ALL VESSELS FOR HIS PURPOSES [to glorify Himself]).

    OK: understanding this doctrine correctly would cause a need for the next verse:
    “…why, then, does God still find fault (if “no man resists His will)?”
    …a person would RIGHTFULLY respond in this way (if they understood him correctly).

    It seems like your take on the issue *might not be held with respect to this teaching — that God MAKES PEOPLE DO THINGS (or not), and then finds fault with them (since no man resists His Will), regardless of the fact that no man can resist His Will: can you clarify this, please? I do not mean any disrespect.

  3. *1. Are you saying that God does not know who will choose Him? Doesn’t it say to Jeremiah, “I knew you before you were in your mother’s womb” ? Doesn’t it say that He knew us from before the foundations of the world? How does that NOT mean He knew specific people? Doesn’t Paul say that “in the fulness of time, God chose to reveal His Son IN ME” ? Doesn’t that mean that God had a specific plan for his life, and unfolded it? He DOES know everything, so how could He NOT know exactly who He would choose?

  4. (especially considering that it says that God created the vessels for mercy and others for wrath — and that, if He wanted, He has the right to create from the same lump two different kinds of vessels: He is the One who CAUSES the vessels to reject or accept?) How could He NOT know who would choose Him, IF He is the One who MADE them choose Him — formed the vessels for mercy (choose Him)?

  5. Dan1el, those are fair questions. I would suggest you listen to my debates with Dr. James White on these issues, in particular the first of our two on his online program, where we discussed Romans 9. Search for his name here, and then go to the links to his online broadcast.

  6. Dr. Brown,
    I already listened to your debates a while ago (with Dr. White) several times.

    I noticed that he could not respond to some of your points; however, I also noticed that you (with all due respect) could not respond satisfactorily (this is just my opinion) to this point on Romans 9.

    Thanks for your time & consideration.

  7. Dr. Brown,
    He asked you, “could Pharaoh had done anything different than he did” — you answered, “…God confirmed him in his path…”; however, that is not what the text says: God MAKES the vessels however He desires, and, therefore, “no man resists His (pre-destined/pre-formatted) WILL” — and, yet, He finds fault with them. The person who understands correctly responds to this is, “why does He still get angry if they’re doing what He made them do?”
    Paul corrects them, and says, “who are you to answer back to God?” Then, he quotes the Scripture that is along those lines (from Isaiah, or Jeremiah).

    I am no one, and I do not have doctorate nor the years in the Lord that you have — I recognize that first — with that said, however, it seems that your position seeks to (without trying to or knowing) circumvent this Truth (seeks to “acquit” God of something that might SEEM [to a human mind] to be unjust); however, He is perfectly good and just, and wields the right to make “of the same lump of clay” vessels for destruction and others for salvation: who is man to answer back to Him? He makes some impenitent (vessels of wrath); others, He makes penitent (vessels of mercy): the single purpose is His glory. He displays His wrath, resulting His glory AND/OR displays His mercy, resulting in His glory.

  8. But, like you said, it might matter more how someone applies the belief, rather than whether it is correct “a correct belief”.
    Someone might have ‘the right idea’ in application, even if their ‘letter-understanding’ is “off” (such as with the rapture doctrine).

    Shalom

  9. That “it grieves God’s Heart” when men reject Him”, therefore, does not “prove” that He did not predestine them to do those acts that grieve Him — inasmuch as Scripture says that He is ANGRY with people who do nothing more than His Will (no man resists His Will). Your response might be, “why does He still find fault (get angry/grieve)?” Paul says, ‘who are you to answer back?’

    This is a mystery to me; however, this is what it looks like — I mean, if we’re talking about ‘the letters’ of the Word, isn’t this exactly what the letters are saying?

    This idea of Paul’s almost sounds blasphemous (I do not want to stand before the Lord and give account for saying something blasphemous); but, if you prove this wrong, then I will openly admit that I am wrong. Why is it wrong to talk about a subject the Bible tells us to believe? I feel like I am doing something wrong by bringing this up; however, my feelings are not always right.

  10. Dan1el, thanks for your honest and gracious comments. I would emphasize Paul’s “What if” in Rom 9:22. Yes, God has the right to do whatever He wants, but look in the Word. Whom does He harden but those who already chose to do wrong? And on whom does He desire to have mercy? All! (Rom 11:32)

  11. Dr. Brown,
    1. I am no one, once again; however, Romans 9 says “no man resists His will”, and that God RAISED UP PHARAOH FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE… to bring glory to His Name via revelation of His wrath.

    The picture in my mind is that He writes the story, he CREATES the characters to fulfill the roles, and, in the fulness of time (at the right time), he brings the characters to the stage to play their part.

    2. It does not depend on man who wills, but on Him who has mercy. Also, then, it does not depend on men who are evil, but on Him who is NOT-MERCYING those men.

    BEFORE Esau or Jacob made ANY “choices”, God ALREADY SAID “Jacob I have loved; Esau I have hated” — this is cited by Paul in order to HIGHLIGHT the theme of HIS pre-destination and pre-formation of vessels (and both tend to His glory).

    3. “And on whom does He desire to have mercy? All! (Rom 11:32)”
    Yes, but by the mere fact that there are men who do not choose God, it shows that God has chosen to destroy them, since “no man resists His will”; and God has mercy on “all” “who believe in the Son, but those who disobey Him are still under the wrath of God” (John 3) — didn’t He FORM THEM for that end/wrath?
    “For certain people have crept in unnoticed WHO WERE LONG AGO DESIGNATED for this condemnation”

    4. Possible Problems With ‘My Position’
    a. “What if He endured with great patience the vessels fitted for wrath”?
    This sounds like the Lord is “putting up” with something — in this case, it would have to be something He is subjecting HIMSELF to (IF men can do nothing that He didn’t make them do)… which is strange
    b. Even those who are “chosen for mercy” can become subjects of wrath, afterwards — Rom. 11, where Paul warns them not to boast against the natural branches, having not been spared; ALSO, He will be willing to tear off GRAFTED IN (believing) branches, too, if they ever stop believing! (2 Cor 13:5 + Gal 4)
    If what I am saying is true, then, that would mean that these “vessels formed unto mercy” all of a sudden became “vessels fitted unto wrath”. How would that work? Someone might say, ‘they were never saved’ — but, Romans 11 says they were grafted in (it was a done-deal). 2 Cor 13:5 says you OUGHT to be a temple of God, with the Spirit in you — but, if you’re not in faith, He isn’t in you; this is what happened to the Galatians.
    Now, there is only one remedy for that problem (if it is any real remedy at all): Peter’s “make all the more sure your election and calling” (para.). He says, “you don’t really know if you’re a vessel of mercy, or not — even if you ARE saved (believing, and a container of Christ — 2 Cor 13:5)”.
    c. When Judas gave Jesus up, it says that the authority Pilate had over Jesus was given to Pilate “from Heaven” — therefore, it seems Heaven acted TOGETHER (not that Heaven agreed) with Judas’s volition; it is possible, then, to say that Heaven/God worked together with the works of the men before time began.

    The only difference is that (normal) pots don’t usually ‘do’ anything the wielder isn’t making it do.

    HOWEVER, the human ‘vessels’ are REGULARLY rebuked in Scripture for not acting of thinking of themselves as the mere vessels they are ( you know the verses).

    So, I am still not certain… there are problems with both sides.

  12. “And on whom does He desire to have mercy? All! (Rom 11:32)”

    Here is what I do: I ask myself, “was there another time that God ‘desired’ (so-called) ?

    It seems that when God “finds fault” with men, you might say that it is because He ‘DESIRED’ that they do something DIFFERENT than what they’d done, right? YET, He is the one pulling the strings, MAKING them do the things which He wishes/desires they not do (therefore, He finds fault with them)!

    Therefore, even saying that “He desires to have mercy on all” doesn’t solve (this is just an opinion) the problem; because, we must leave room for God to stop God’s ‘wishes’ from coming to pass (again), and to then take it out on man (who is incapable of resisting God’s Will).

    Sounds crazy, but it seems (this is just an opinion) to be saying this.

  13. Daniel…

    The Lord hated Esau because Esau(Edom) hated Jacob (Israel). The wrath of God will come upon all those who harm His children.
    The thing is God wants everyone to be His children. But not everyone chooses to be.

    Your post is making it sound like the Lord destined some people to be evil and some to be good. Free will is what He gave us all.

  14. just heard what you say about Tiding……. personally I think the new Testament teaches a far more challenging reality :Acts 4,32….but , hmmm, never heard a sermon about that one 🙂

  15. Daniel,
    Check out this scripture, Paul is telling us WE need to “purify ourselves”. Meaning WE need to work on this. If God made certain people good and evil we wouldn’t need to work on doing anything with ourselves. Food for thought.

    2 Corinthians 7:1
    Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify
    ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit,
    perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

  16. Debbie,
    1. “The Lord hated Esau because Esau(Edom) hated Jacob (Israel). The wrath of God will come upon all those who harm His children.”
    In context, that is not true — for obvious reasons, Romans 9 is touching other aspects of Truth, here; not the “touch not mine anointed” or the “whoever curses Abraham” verse.

    2. “Your post is making it sound like the Lord destined some people to be evil and some to be good.”
    It seems that that is exactly what the text says — HOWEVER, I am desiring to understand what it is TRULY saying.

    3.”Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
    That is in keeping with the strangeness that is presented in God finding fault with men who are doing no less/more than His will — which they cannot “resist”. It is giving commands that will not be kept (as is presented, albeit under different contexts, in the Israelites’ reception of the Law) — in reference to the anger of God towards people who He is MAKING be evil (this is precisely what Romans 9 is saying — nothing more; nothing less, IN MY OPINION).

    4. Obvious problems with my current understanding of Scripture are the fact that

    Only satan tempts people to sin — God never tempts them, according to Scripture:

    But what if satan is “part of God’s plan”?
    What if satan is just a lackey — we do know that he is subject to the authority of God (needing to get permission — as seen in Job; and in Peter’s sifting)?
    What if (just like men) angels (which satan was/is [though, now “fallen”]) cannot resist the will of God, and satan (or what ever his name was before he fell) “fell” because he was SUPPOSED TO fall?
    i.God sent lying spirits to people (if you know the Scripture).
    ii. An evil spirit FROM THE LORD went to Saul. What does that mean? Could it shed light on this?

    Once again, I am no one; these are just opinions from an uninformed/untaught person (me). I believe Dr. Brown; but, in this case, I haven’t heard a satisfactory (all-encompassing) response to Romans 9.

  17. Daniel,
    I just did a study on the book of Obadiah. Read it. But don’t knock yourself out. Its a whopping 1 whole chapter long. LOL 🙂

    The Lord destroyed Edom(which are Esau descendants) because they attacked and hated God’s people.

    Anyways. The Lord has not ordained or ordered Lucifer to betray Him? To turn a loving worshiping angel into a evil demonic devil called Satan to cause evilness to man kind?

    Free will is given to all. humans and spirits. Either you are with God or against Him. You choose this day whom you will serve. Satan decided not to serve the Lord anymore.

    The Lord sent an lying spirit to Saul because the Lord has what you call spiritual laws which He has established and will not break and must be applied to all mankind whether you are saved or unsaved.
    Ex) you reap what you sow. This spiritual law applies to all mankind. Saul opened up the door for Satan to come into his life.

    1Samuel 16:14-15 “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.”

    God removes His protective hand, he often turns the person over to Satan for destruction or to an evil spirit for torment. The devil and the evil spirits do the work, but God has allowed them to do what come natural to them for His own purpose.

    Saul had disobeyed and rebelled against the Lord. You can not given Satan a crack to come into your life. Sin can cause the devil to come into our life. Yes God will forgive us of that Sin, but again you reap what you sow. There are consequences for our action.

    Look what happened to Edom in the book of Obadiah.

    Anyways Daniel, I just want to note and I truly believe that the Lord wants you to know that you are a “Someone”. You are a child of God who hungers and thirst for his righteousness and who is just seeking true understanding of God’s word. You want answers, and that is great.

  18. The Lord has reason for choosing people to do His will in life. Ex) Abraham, Mary, Paul, all the prophets of old. All the apostles. Heck, even us Daniel. The Lord has a plan and purpose for your life too. The Lord wouldn’t of made you alive otherwise.
    Jeremiah 29:11
    For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

    In Romans 9 when the Lord said He loved Jacob and hated Esau was not an human emotional hate. God is love. Men are made in His image, God doesn’t literally hate Esau, He just didn’t choose him.

    The Lord chose Jacob (Israel) to be His people and to follow Him. He did not choose Esau and his descendants. Why? Because God is the potter and we are the clay. God can decide who He wants to use when where and how. Who are we to question Him?
    The Lord is not going to create someone to be born just to purposely hate or torment him. That is not the way God works.

    The only one alive who was chosen to be born and to be tortured was JESUS CHRIST who is God.

  20. Debbie,
    I think I’m just going to discuss this with Dr. Brown; I don’t want to get too entangled in discussions with other people, for now. Thanks.

  22. “Whom does He harden but those who already chose to do wrong? And on whom does He desire to have mercy? All! (Rom 11:32)”

    If ALL were vessels of mercy, then ALL would be saved; but in Acts, it says “as many as were appointed to eternal life, believed” + “those whom He called” define a particular group.

    In John, is Jesus saying to the Pharisees that they are not His sheep, but that they can repent and BECOME His sheep??? You know what I mean?

  23. All of us have have at times resisted the will of God. Our nature from the fall caused this miserable condition and we have so often went along with it for which cause we have no excuse.

    Therefore we needed the grace of God to deliver us.

    If we resist his grace and goodwill extended toward us, his judgment may very well be that our heart be hardened, being a direct result of our disobedience and our fallen nature.

    How many times did Pharaoh resist the will of God before Moses? I don’t know how many times. It’s a scary thing to be turned over to evil isn’t it?

    I wonder what was happening in the courts of heaven concerning Pharaoh.

    To have the ability to turn to God is a gift of his grace.

    To have the ability to repent is a gift of God and gifts of God can not be earned.

    When I was a child I would ask for things from my parents. I couldn’t earn anything. All I could do was ask. Sometimes I was given what I asked for and sometimes I was not. It was the decision of my parents to give or not to give me what I asked for.

    Receiving from God requires faith. I think a lot of times it requires asking also.

  26. I wonder if God looked at everything everyone would do before they did anything, and gave some to be saved by Jesus, under his care, while the rest he decided to let go their own way unto destruction.

    Those that were named by God and put under the saving grace of Jesus are the elect, the chosen of God it seems.

    These are deep things to be thinking about.

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