What Should I Do If I'm Having Homosexual Thoughts?

What should I do if I have homosexual thoughts. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Pedro Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

You can call us with your question. At 833, the court, that's 1-833-843-2673 and you can also email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com you can also post your question on our Instagram or Facebook accounts. We would love to hear from you.

First up, today we have a positive story to share with you for fifth graders Daniel Grant and Max cable Negro the last few months have been a blur of flour bacon bits almond butter and chicken stock. That's because they have been making the perfect homemade dog treats several times per week. These 10-year-old best friends from Milton, Massachusetts spend hours in Daniel's kitchen mixing the batter baking the tree's labeling bags and then hopping on their bikes to deliver orders to dog owners all around their town. What started as a way to keep busy during the coronavirus quarantine has turned into a thriving small business for these two boys. They've also made $400 worth of donations to the food bank in their town is not good. I love hearing these entrepreneurial stories about kids like this. These guys going to end up being Fortune 500 CEOs someday and it is great. I feel like so many stories you share. They really is young kids were doing. Some of these great things, which is just I need to see you have to believe there's probably some parents encouraging it just a little bit behind the scenes right, I think. So let's get to our first question of the day and posted this on our website and she says why do we have denominations. Why can't we just worship as one church. Yeah, that's a great question and and I know it's one of the things it is a stumbling block for a lot of people outside the church and even Christians inside the church to really wrestle with this. You know why why the Bible is clear. The doctrine referred to as the perspicuity the clarity of Scripture.

Scripture is so clear why is there so much division why all these different denominations and you think about what Jesus prayed in John chapter 17, where he prayed for the unity of the church and I think one of the things that we have to lament as Christians is the fact that there is so much division it's heartbreaking. Paul says in first Corinthians chapter 1 beginning in verse 10, I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind in the same judgment for it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers, what I mean is this, that each one of you says. I follow Paul or I follow Apollo's were I follow Cephas or I follow Christ is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the name of Paul.

I think God that I baptized none of you except Christmas and Gaia so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name is one of the things that Paul is emphasizing there is that where one body through baptism we been baptized in the name of the father, the phone and the Holy Spirit were part of this universal family of believers by faith in Jesus Christ. And yet, instead of embracing that unity that oneness which is really a gift that God is given to us through the blood of his son. We divide we quarrel in it and it's not just a problem that we have today. It's a problem that we see in in the earliest churches that in the church at Corinth and in the church in Galatia when there were these divisions as I think part of it is well were sinful. The Scriptures might be clear and I think that they are especially related to what they say pertaining to salvation what it means to know Christ and and to embrace his salvation free gift, but were not always so clear our hearts and our minds are tainted by sin, and so we divide and we fight and we bicker and we set aside the core truths of the Christian faith and and we split over some of those things that may be aren't supposed to be things that we focus on it so that's not to say though that that these are important things because everything that's revealed in God's word is important for us it's important for our growth and grace for our sanctification but I personally I'm not. I lament that there isn't more unity, more oneness, more charity in the church.

At the same time though III don't think that denominations are necessarily a bad thing. Let me just tell you it like for a long time. I was a part of first when I first walked with the Lord, nondenominational churches, and I took pride in that. You know denominations are there all divided in and who needs denomination you know why I just want to follow Jesus, but the reality is, is, as I continued to grow in my faith and understanding. One of things I came to appreciate now being a minister in a particular denomination is having that wider accountability and communion with Christians so that I'm not out there pastoring by myself but I'm accountable to other ministers to other pastors there is that there's a Court of Appeal, so that if my doctrine ever went south if if God forbid something ever happened like that and people in the church that hey pastor Rachel why are you now teaching things that that aren't in line with the Bible.

I can just say will I'm the pastor. I can teach whatever I want nonaccountable to other believers in a in a broader body and I think that that's biblical you see this and in places like acts, chapter 15, where you have what's referred to as the Jerusalem Council and the church comes together and makes these judgments that are that are binding for the whole body is not just individual churches that are so autonomous that they don't have a relationship with other churches, but there's this communion and fellowship that we have together and I think sometimes you can get that in denominations in a way that you don't get that in nondenominational sort of individual autonomous churches. But you know what I think is is you bring up you know there is a there is a sorrow that we should feel for the divisions within the body of Christ, and we see this throughout the history of the church.

But here's what I think this is really encouraging, and something that we can all be encouraged by that ultimately, even though you have these different denominations you have these different expressions of of the faith. If you will styles. A lot of times it's related to style and culture and how people want to worship.

The reality is this again will Paul was emphasizing in first grade is chapter 1. We were baptized into Christ into the one body by the Holy Spirit, so that even though we might be not fellow shipping with each other in the same denomination. If you have faith in Jesus Christ. If you're united to him, then there's really only one body, one church through faith in Jesus Christ and one day that's going to be realized fully on the last day when everything all of our divisions are sorted that they play fade away and were gathered around Jesus and his throne worshiping him in perfect knowledge and perfect understanding and perfect love. Thanks for your question. Do you think there is a danger when a church is so disconnected from any kind of denominational authority that sometimes you can have pastors and leaders kind of acting like loose cannons and going off the deep end into areas that could be even considered heretical. Yeah, Bill, and I've seen it on numerous occasions was one of the things that scared me as a young pastor thinking about entering into the ministry feeling like I need that kind of accountable. I need other people, godly brothers and and sisters and many know more about theology and the word than I do to be able to come alongside of me and so years ago when I was thinking about ministry and thinking in particular about church planting. I felt like I don't need to reinvent the wheel tightly to figure this out by myself know there is a church and a body of believers and accountability and I think that's so so important because we don't have that. It really is easy to get derailed to go off into some other place and not to have any accountability and so I think it's something that no matter what your church background is you want to have Vanessa just important for pastors.

It's important for you as an individual believer in the church you need accountability any people who are able to encourage you in your walk with the Lord to speak into your life about the things that you believe in is in line with the teaching of Scripture. The way that I'm living the way that I'm thinking we all need that and that's one of the things that the church ought to provide for us.

Your listing to core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez. It really had a listener posted this one on our Instagram account. Will we be raised bodily like Christ was raised.

If so, does this mean we'll have scars from our past as Jesus had. Will our burial grounds and casket be open like Jesus tomb was or was Jesus bodily resurrection representative of our spiritual resurrection. Yeah, really important question, I mean really, this is the heart of the Christian faith, the resurrection of Jesus.

The answer is yes, we will be raised bodily as Jesus was raised whether or not we're going to have scars. I'm not sure. I guess you could say there's some indication I mean obviously I think you're referring to, when Jesus rose again from the dead, and he shows Thomas is scars or even in the book of Revelation, Jesus is picketed as a Lamb standing that had been slain, and so so you do have that but I'm not entirely sure if in our resurrection bodies are glorified bodies were to have you know this. I got it but me. I have a scar on my right knee from the basketball injury and I don't know if that's going to be a part of the new creation.

I kinda don't think so. I kinda think that our bodies are going to be raised, perfected, glorified, without any of those those scars but I don't know that I think important thing is that the bodily resurrection is going to happen is not just a spiritual thing to Jesus rose in and now he's he's risen spiritually in our hearts or something like that work or where can arise spiritually. This was actually one of the huge controversies in the very earliest days of the church over and over again when Paul writes to the Thessalonians, when he writes to the Corinthians. It seems like he's addressing this very concern that the resurrection is not just this spiritual thing but it's this bodily physical resurrection, and this is so important because it reveals to us that God is saving all creation. If you will, that is not just my soul that's being saved in my body. God doesn't care about. Our bodies are part of who we are and boys in this good news for you if your struggling with sickness, with chronic pain with a body that's just deteriorating thinking man, it's never going to get better. It's only going to get worse. I was talking to a dear sister the other day who who has cancer and she said right now the only thing that I know is that it's getting worse.

My body is going downhill. We know what we all have the hope that though our outward man person is perishing the inward man is being renewed day by day and one day God is going to raise up our bodies perfect without any sickness without any sin. And again, this is what repeated over and over again for scraping 15 Paul calls the resurrection of Jesus, the firstfruits of the resurrection, meaning the same way that Jesus rose from the dead you. If you have faith in Jesus are also going to rise this gives us comfort even in the midst of the greatest sorrow tell you a story. I some years back. There was this priest that I don't know him personally, but it was so tragic. He was driving with his kids in the car. It was snowy crashed. He died his children lived. His wife was not with him and she was widowed with all of these children praise God.

The children were not when I heard it all, but he he died in that car accident. This is the Christian family and sometime after that, his wife shared this story that I was so moved by items in a read this you said yesterday morning early, I was working at the computer and my husband's office when I heard little feet running toward me.

My four-year-old ran in the room and looked around and then looked at me happy and expectant. Did daddy rise from the dead, and I responded as I have several morning since the accident. No, not today, but he will, it will seem like a long time to us, but he will completely.

Undaunted, he smiles and saunters out. I suddenly realize that each morning he is been looking for the resurrection of his father. The story of Christ's resurrection is so real to him. He sees it is something that could happen any day and probably in the morning. I suppose we could smile it is immaturity. But I wonder if that is not the better attitude to have. Maybe this is what Christ meant when he said that we must become like a little child is that beautiful vision is tragic story but we have the hope of the resurrection of the body and the life of the world to come.

You have that hope. If you are in Jesus. Okay I'm crying out full order powerful story federal thank you for that and what a great promise that all of us have to look forward to, regardless of what kind of pain or suffering really going through in this life we are promised a place where there there will be no more tears, more grief, no more sorrow, and the more cancer so your listing to core Christianity with Bill Meyer and pastor Adm. Sanchez and we have a very important offering want to tell you about today is on a controversial topic, but a very important one. He had Bill mean people in different situations and with varying perspectives have asked us questions about the Bible's teaching on homosexuality. So one of these.

We did was we created a resource on core, Christianity.com called 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality and it's free for you if you sign up for our weekly newsletter in the highly politicized world that we live in where important matters are often times just reduced to soundbites and shouting matches is so crucial for us as Christians to remember that were dealing with people, not just issues. So head over to core Christianity.com/offers to download 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality. You can also call us for that offer any one of our offers at this number 833-843-2673. That's 833. The core, by the way, if you have a question for us.

You can call us at that number or you can record it through our website.

If you go to core Christianity.com/radio you'll see a little microphone icon there in the right side of the page. Just click on that and you can record your question there. Joy and I live in Northern California and my sin is on Roma 813 48 live after the/E, I bet if he S do mortify the deeds of the body. He might not have to live that out and that life in my Amway day life. Could you explain that to make the and thank you for your answer. My Mac I actually got bless you and thank you for that question. What does it mean to mortify the deeds of the body by the spirit mortify like you read in the old King James. There's that old word that means to put to death the deeds the sinful deeds of the body. How, not by your own power by the Holy Spirit. Now I think a a really good parallel passage to go to is what Paul said in Galatians chapter 5 and I think that this can help give you some guidance here on what it looks like to put the deputies of the body by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul says in Galatians 5 verse 16. I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things that you want to do now know that there's this battle here Joy a battle between the flesh that is us like who I am. My my person and those simple and inclinations that I have within me. Those lost those desires that exist in all of us a battle between the flesh and the spirit now is not my spirit is not a battle between my flesh and my spirit is about to my flesh and the desires of the Holy Spirit who lives in me and who lives in you and that's one of the things that Paul is going to go on to say in Romans chapter 8 we been adopted into the family of God, the Spirit of Christ is in us crying out Abba father. So how do you walk by the Spirit bearing the fruit of the spirit. Where does this fruit come from Jesus said in John chapter 15 Joy abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit apart from the vine and if you abide in me, you will bear much fruit, living according to the spirit, walking by the spirit looks like. Abiding in Jesus by faith that how do we do that well.

Jesus said in John 656 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and John 831. He talked about receiving his word that the one who receives his word abides in him you think also of Colossians chapter 3 verse 16 were Paul talked about the fact that being filled with the Holy Spirit. Looks like letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly in John 15 verse nine, Jesus talked about his love abiding in us and in verse 10, he talked about keeping his commandments is abiding in him. But one of the things I want you to see here is that abiding in Jesus looks first and foremost like receiving the gifts that Jesus gives to you by faith, chiefly himself, his body and blood at the table of communion is word. The word of Christ dwelling in you richly, his love as Jesus fills us attached to Jesus by faith as his life flows in us, by the grace of the Holy Spirit by the spirit will begins to happen is the fruit of the spirit is produced in us and the works of the flesh are put to death. So it's not like the way to abide in Jesus looks like trying really hard to abide in Jesus, and to do X wire is the it looks like receiving first and foremost, the love in the life of Jesus by faith. And as you do that.

Jesus in and through you by the power of the Holy Spirit will put to death the sinful deeds of the body.

The slow process, but we have the spirit of God in us, who helps us. Thanks for your question and thank you for that in drilling we are so thankful for God's Holy Spirit the comfort of the comes alongside us in and helps us with that transformation.

This is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez and Federalists email came in from a teenager will just call her Jane Doe and she says I don't know if you usually answer questions from young people, but I'm 17 and I been having lots of homosexual thoughts lately. I don't know what to even do I pray about this issue more I pray about this issue more than nearly any other thing in my life. Yet I feel nothing has changed. I don't want to be like this for the rest of my life. How do I get rid of this temptation.

What will happen to me if I become gay. Could you give me some advice or biblical wisdom to help. Thank you hello dear sister limit is first pray for you, Lord, I want to pray for the sister Lord you know her name. You know who she is. You know the struggle that she feels and you love the Lord God. We all have that battle the desires of the flesh, whatever they might be help her.

I pray to walk by the Spirit, even as we just read there in Galatians 5 to walk by the Spirit to experience your love, your joy, your peace and Lord all the days of her life to know you so Lord I pray for your mercy upon. I pray for wisdom for her. I pray for your grace to fill her and the Lord that she would be encouraged by your word now in Jesus name, amen of the first house to save you sister is that you aren't alone in this battlement a minute right like I think it's great that the previous question were opening up with Galatians fiber pulses look all of us have these fleshly desires.

These passions inside of us. And if you don't realize that you know you feel like you're crazy in my really a Christian help what I think or feel these ways of if I was a true believer would not even be the case and you pulses know there is this battle the desires of the flesh are against the spirit that is the Holy Spirit in the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh. These are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do, but if you are led by the spirit you are not under the law sister, let me say you believe in Jesus are not under the law, you're under his grace led by the spirit. I can't tell you that those desires those feelings will ever go away but I can tell you what Paul said walk by the Spirit abide in Jesus, receive his love for you and and I think that's that's a journey that Ron is knocking to be easy. Following Jesus looks like denying myself at times. The sinful deeds of my body that's that's for all of us a call that's on all of us. And yet, the God calls us to that gives us something greater than our own desires. He gives us himself in Jesus's body and blood.

His love for you lay hold of that we give up a lot to follow Jesus faithfully, but what we receive is more than anything we've given up we receive God himself for us. His love is goodness. Not because of all the things we've given up know we follow him. We lay down our lives because of all he's done for us. He's done that for you sister walk by the Spirit, in light of his great love for you and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us@corechristianity.com and click on offers in the menu for or call us at 1-833-843-2673 that's a 33, the court when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this podcast and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together