Bible Answer Man Podcast with Hank Hanegraaff

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/25/24), Hank begins this special Christmas Day edition by recapping this week’s special editions of the Bible Answer Man that featured his acronym, CHRISTMAS. Hank also poses the question: do you have the Christmas spirit? In fact, what is the Christmas spirit? More than the feeling of happiness experienced when we receive a gift or a bonus. The true spirit of Christmas is a spirit of selfless giving, like the Lord Jesus Christ who humbled himself for our sake and gave us the greatest gift of all.

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/24/24), as we arrive at Christmas Eve, Hank concludes his special series on his acronym CHRISTMAS, detailing the final three letters of the acronym. The “M” in CHRISTMAS represents Miracles. Modernity has left many with the false impression that the virgin birth is nothing more than ancient superstition. But, in reality, miracles are not only possible, they are absolutely necessary in order to make sense of the universe in which we live. The “A” in CHRISTMAS represents Advent. The term Advent literally means “coming.” As such, Advent is a season in which the Christian church celebrates the coming in flesh of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The final letter in the CHRISTMAS acronym is “S”, which represents Salvation. On Christmas Eve, it is time to turn our hearts toward the primary reason for the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ—namely, the salvation of sinners. The very name—Jesus—embodies salvation, as it is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation.” This Christmas season and throughout the coming year, may you be ever mindful of the reality that God has condescended to use you as the means through which the free gift of the water of life is dispensed to a parched and thirsty world.

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/23/24), Hank resumes his special series leading up to Christmas Day featuring his acronym CHRISTMAS. Today he covers the next two letters in the acronym: “S” for Santa Claus, and “T” for Traditions. Believe it or not, even Santa can be saved! Far from being a dangerous fairy tale, Santa Claus in reality is an Anglicized form of the Dutch name Sinter Klaas, which in turn is a reference to Saint Nicolas, a Christian bishop from the fourth century. According to tradition, Saint Nick not only lavished gifts on needy children but also valiantly supported the doctrine of the Trinity at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325. This Christmas as you celebrate the coming of Christ with a Christmas tree surrounded by presents, may the story of selflessness on the part of Saint Nick remind you of the Savior who gave the greatest gift of all. Moving on to the “T” in CHRISTMAS; it has become commonplace to hear Christians condemn trees adorned with ornaments as idolatrous while abusing Scripture to make their point. While the passage Jeremiah 10:2-4 may sound to modern ears like an uncanny description of Christmas trees, the historical and biblical context precludes this anachronistic reading of the text. This passage is in reference to wooden idols, not Christmas trees. In fact, Christmas trees originated in Christian Germany, from two Christian traditions that merged over time into the present Christmas tree tradition. As such, the Christmas tree began as a distinctively Christian symbol and can still be legitimately used by Christians today as part of their Christmas festivities.

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank discusses the common mistake that Christians make in supposing an unbeliever can be talked into the kingdom of God. Often the problem is not that one cannot believe but one will not believe. Hank also answers the following questions: My daughter attends church on Saturdays and our church on Sundays. Our pastor told her that she cannot go to two different churches. What should I do? Julie - Newnan, GA (2:45) Some churches think the Ten Commandments are void. Should we still observe them today? Ron - Memphis, TN (4:58) Which member of the Trinity should I pray to? When I pray to God am I praying to Jesus too? Kevin - Ponca, OK (15:13) Why did they take God’s name, “Yahweh” out of Scripture? Kathy - Oklahoma City, OK (20:32) Do you think it’s okay for Christian parents to tell their children stories about Santa Claus? Rusty - Birmingham, AL (23:43)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/20/24), Hank continues his special series leading up to Christmas Day featuring his acronym CHRISTMAS. Today he picks up with the third and fourth letters of the acronym, “R” and “I”. The “R” in CHRISTMAS of course refers to Resurrection. This is so transcendently important because, without the Resurrection of Jesus, there is little point in even discussing Christmas. As the Apostle Paul put it in a letter to the Corinthian Christians, “if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless” (1 Corinthians 15:17 NLT). In light of St. Paul’s words, it is incumbent on us to demonstrate that the Christ of Christmas had the power to lay down His life, and the power to take it up again. The “I” in CHRISTMAS represents the Incarnation of Jesus Christ—the Incarnation that makes Resurrection possible. Jesus took on all the essential properties of human nature, but he did not take on that which is non-essential—namely sinful inclinations. In fact, as Adam was created without a proclivity towards sin, so the Second Adam was untainted by original sin.

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/19/24), Hank starts a special series leading up to Christmas Day featuring his CHRISTMAS acronym, starting with the first two letters of the acronym: "C" and "H". Christ—the "C" in CHRISTMAS—is a title that comes from the Greek “Christos”, which is a rendering of the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning “anointed one.” As such, the Christ of Christmas is the long-awaited Messiah who fulfills all the types and shadows of the Old Testament Scriptures. So, to fully grasp the significance of the Anointed One’s Messianic role, you have to drink deeply from the wellspring of Old Testament prophecy. Moving on to history—the “H” in CHRISTMAS—Hank explains that Jesus Christ stands at the very apex of human history. Therefore, he can say with certainty that Christmas is not about reveling in mythology, it is about celebrating events that are rooted in historical fact.

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/18/24), Hank answers the following questions: What will our glorified body look like? Brenda - Nashville, TN (0:48) I recently lost my husband. Will we know each other in heaven? Brenda - Nashville, TN (2:38) What is your interpretation of 2 Corinthians 2:14? Does this passage refer to Paul saying that we are triumphant in Jesus? Greg - Kansas City, MO (4:18) Does 2 Corinthians 2:14 lend weight to prosperity gospel teachings? Greg - Kansas City, MO (7:05) How can I control unclean thoughts? Should I be careful about the media I consume? Chad - Salem, VA (9:18) Do you believe in a future coming Antichrist? Kon - Charlotte, NC (15:39) Can you explain 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 and the Holy Spirit being the restrainer holding back the Antichrist before the Rapture? Kon - Charlotte, NC (17:07) Who is the taken and left behind at the Rapture? Ron - Byhalia, MS (20:22) If we give gifts during Christmas are we participating in paganism? Barnwell - Charleston, SC (22:16)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/17/24), Hank talks about the way the Bible described Satan as a twisted serpent whom God alone can crush. Hank also answers the following questions: If the Garden of Eden was perfect, how can we account for the presence of evil there? Is evil just put in there to test Eve? Adam - Nashville, TN (4:15) I can’t accept a God who knows beforehand all my choices, and that He already knows that I’m going to be eternally condemned. Adam - Nashville, TN (6:38) In 1 Timothy 3, what does Paul mean when he says that a deacon needs to be tested? Danny - Ozark, AL (9:42) Someone considered his nationality to be Muslim, though he was from Jordan. How can I witness to a Muslim? Who wrote the Qur’an? Paulette - Oklahoma City, OK (15:12) Can you explain your view of the seven seals and trumpets in Revelation 5-6? Edwin - Clinton, MD (20:26) What is the best way to memorize Scripture? Edwin - Clinton, MD (24:04)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/16/24), Hank answers the following questions: It is said that Satan is the god of this world. Does Satan have the power to create hurricanes and earthquakes? Ken - Glen Allen, MS (0:45) A lot of bad things have happened to me, is this because of my sin? Ken - Glen Allen, MS (2:13) I saw a debate on whether Jesus spoke words explicitly stating His divinity in the Gospel of John. Can you comment? Kevin - Sutter Creek, CA (4:55) What can you tell me about the Baha’i faith? Colin - Shiprock, NM (15:13) What does the Bible have to say about depression? Was Jesus ever depressed? Jovannie - Toronto, ON (18:13) Do our sins pass on to our children? Jovannie - Toronto, ON (19:48) Does the Apostle’s Creed deny that Jesus was Creator? Stan - Woodridge, VA (22:11)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank shares on the Tree of Life, the two Gardens, and Golgotha. Hank also answers the following questions: How can I start reading the Bible without getting confused? Jeremy - Fresno, CA (4:08) What is your take on the rapture? Juan - Modesto, CA (8:44) Can you explain Ezekiel’s vision of the wheel within a wheel? Curtis - Antioch, TN (15:13) I debated with a friend on whether Jesus died or not. Was I right to say that He died in his humanity? Norris - Memphis, TN (17:00) In Job 2:1-2, had Satan already been cast out of heaven? Norris - Memphis, TN (18:29) Is there subordination within the Trinity? Kevin - Chicago, IL (21:03) I heard a statement that all religions lead to heaven. Can you clarify this? If I am Jewish and I died, would I go to heaven? Holly - Topeka, KS (22:08)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/13/24), Hank speaks on the difference between being indwelt by the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Hank also answers the following questions: Is the “seed faith” doctrine biblical? Emmanuel - Cincinnati, OH (3:50) I was told about having a prayer language and that I need to pray for my prayer language. Is this biblical? Kathy - TX (15:11) Is the mark of the beast a literal mark on your hand or forehead? Delita – St. Clair, MO (18:31) If Jesus was in the grave for three days and three nights, how could he have been crucified on Good Friday? Tony - Farmington, MO (22:28) What are your thoughts on the United Church of God? Tim - Wichita, KS (24:45)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/12/24), Hank comments on reading the Bible for all its worth—or as he likes to say, mining the Bible for all its substantial wealth—and the dangers of literalistic interpretations. Hank also answers the following questions: If the Bible is divinely inspired, why is it so misunderstood? Why didn’t God write the Bible so that it was easy to understand? Mark - Centreville, MD (5:02) What is your opinion of the book New Evangelicalism by Paul Smith? Guy – Tyler, TX (15:11) Could you give me some advice that would help my prayer life? Lance - Huntsville, AL (18:52) Is it right to accommodate another person’s religious beliefs? Nate – Las Cruces, NM (23:48)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/11/24), Hank discusses the common mistake that Christians make in supposing an unbeliever can be talked into the kingdom of God. Often the problem is not that one cannot believe but one will not believe. Hank also answers the following questions: My daughter attends church on Saturdays and our church on Sundays. Our pastor told her that she cannot go to two different churches. What should I do? Julie - Newnan, GA (2:45) Some churches think the Ten Commandments are void. Should we still observe them today? Ron - Memphis, TN (4:58) What is your opinion about Israel existing today, and the right of present-day Jews to occupy that land? Jim - San Antonio, TX (15:14)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/10/24), Hank answers the following questions: The Bible says the Earth was created in six days, and it’s clear that the Earth is young. Isn’t dating by man’s standards foolishness to God? Rodney - Atoka, TN (1:20) What is your opinion of The Shack by William P. Young? Keith - Sioux Falls, SD (18:00) My wife is Catholic and I’m protestant. We are struggling with our intimacy because of our differences. Would masturbation be a sin in this case? Al - Harrison, NJ (20:11) If someone sins but they do not realize they are doing anything wrong, will God still condemn that person? Armando - St. Louis, MO (23:04)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/09/24), Hank answers the following questions: How do I witness to a friend who doesn’t believe the Genesis creation account? Brian - Springfield, MO (0:49) Where did Cain’s wife come from? John - CT (4:30) Would Christ want us to publicly protest things like abortion? Jeff - Medford, OR (6:13) Which member of the Trinity should I pray to? When I pray to God am I praying to Jesus too? Kevin - Ponca, OK (15:13) Why did they take God’s name, “Yahweh” out of Scripture? Kathy - Oklahoma City, OK (20:32) Do you think it’s okay for Christian parents to tell their children stories about Santa Claus? Rusty - Birmingham, AL (23:43)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank discusses what it means to say, “God is in my life,” or “Jesus is in my heart,” or “the Holy Spirit is in me.” Hank also answers the following questions: Can you clarify your view of souls after death in relation to the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16? Paul - Fulton, MO (3:31) My son-in-law is a physics professor who believes God used evolution to create the world. How should I respond to this? Joyce - Spokane, WA (7:55) What is the significance of God numbering the hairs on our head? Joyce - Spokane, WA (10:01) If God is love, how would an unbeliever experience love? It’s not real love, right? Chad - Salem, VA (15:10) Is it okay for Christians to drink alcohol? Cheryl - Hermitage, TN (19:15) How do you explain Luke 6:38 in light of the prosperity gospel? Gerome - Fresno, CA (22:31)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/06/24), Hank answers the following questions: Is it okay for a Christian to be friends with a homosexual? Andrew - Elk Grove, CA (0:48) If we are made in God’s image, who created God? Sean - Topeka, KS (2:17) Can you explain the Trinity? As I understand it, God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are one in three separate entities. Sean - Topeka, KS (3:17) The Oxford Study Bible says the Book of Job is Hebrew folklore. Is this true? Is the Book of Job fact? Jeff - Winston-Salem, NC (6:03) Will Christians be raptured before, in the middle, or after the tribulation? Humphrey - Lafayette, CA (15:11) Are all of the disasters mentioned in the Book of Revelation not true? Humphrey - Lafayette, CA (19:52) There are so many prophecies in the Bible, especially in Isaiah. Aren’t they prophesying the future, not the fall of Jerusalem? Humphrey - Lafayette, CA (22:41)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/05/24), Hank answers the following questions: Is it considered murder when a soldier takes someone’s life? Paul - Oklahoma City, OK (1:00) How does the killing and murder distinction apply to the abortion issue? Paul - Oklahoma City, OK (6:52) Can you explain the passage where Jesus says, “we are gods”? Bobby - Griffith, GA (7:55) Can you explain Ezekiel’s vision of the wheel within a wheel? Curtis - Antioch, TN (15:13) I debated with a friend on whether Jesus died or not. Was I right to say that He died in his humanity? Norris - Memphis, TN (17:00) In Job 2:1-2, had Satan already been cast out of heaven? Norris - Memphis, TN (18:28) Is there subordination within the Trinity? Kevin - Chicago, IL (21:03) I heard a statement that all religions lead to heaven. Can you clarify this? If I am Jewish and I died, would I go to heaven? Holly - Topeka, KS (22:08)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/04/24), Hank shares on the Tree of Life, the two Gardens, and Golgotha. Hank also answers the following questions: How can I start reading the Bible without getting confused? Jeremy - Fresno, CA (4:08) What is your take on the rapture? Juan - Modesto, CA (8:44) There are many interpretations of Scripture, so how do you rightly divide the word of truth as instructed in 2 Timothy 2:15? Herman - Merced, CA (15:13) What is your view on speaking in tongues? Angel - Nashville, TN (19:11)

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/03/24), Hank answers the following questions: How did the origin of different races come to be? Did the separation of races come after Noah or the Tower of Babel? Stephen - Independence, MO (1:00) What is your understanding of the redshift of starlight? John - Kansas City, MO (2:35) You don’t believe in a secret coming of Christ. What about the “thief in the night”? Donna - St. Louis, MO (8:30) If death entered the world through the fall of Man, how does the death of dinosaurs and other animals fit with this? Darryl - Rock Hill, SC (15:11) God created Adam and Eve as mature humans. Can we not take that idea and apply it to the universe? Darryl - Rock Hill, SC (19:47)