What Must I Do To Be A True Believer?

What did Jesus mean when he told us not to cast our pearls before swine. 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 Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call this right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com. We try to start each of our programs with a good news story and it really understand this past Sunday you share one of those stories during your sermon yeah Bill I read about this guy in India named Yadav hi gang and he goes by the title forest man. So apparently when he was 16 years old. Back in 1979, he came across this barren wasteland, and he saw all these dead animals because they were under the elements didn't have any shelter so get this at 16 years old. He said I'm gonna plant a tree here every day for the next almost 40 years every single day you get up early in the morning and he'd go to this place. This this barren wasteland, and he plant a tree while you fast-forward all these years and he's single-handedly planted this enormous forest. Currently it's it's almost twice the size of Central Park and in the forest. You have these wild elephants and tigers and rhinos, even these rare breed of rhinos bores me to just really this remarkable story of this guy every day, planting a seed and then and then seeing this enormous harvest. This great beautiful forest and I was using that as an illustration because preaching this week on Galatians 6, 6 to 10 were Paul talks about how we reap what we so don't be deceived. Decision whatever you reap, you're going to so and it's it's amazing to think about the fact that each of us are sowing seeds every day, every day with with the way that we live our lives and in the question is both point.

Galatians 6 is are you selling to the spirit or are you sowing to the flesh, all of us are sowing seeds. The question is what a harvester we can have an and I think it's such an important thing for us to think about in the beautiful thing is that persistence to that consistency me think of the story of this guy in India. I mean faithfulness that sort of ordinary faithfulness in the Christian life of continuing to seek the Lord loving our neighbor we might not see the fruit of it right now, but there is a harvest coming. What a great illustration for all of us to really be consider each day.

What kind of seeds we are planting will schedule our first question of the day, this one from Irena. She emailed us and said, greetings from Romania. I have a question that is kept me wondering about my salvation. It is about the verses from Revelation 315 and 16 were talks about lukewarm Christians, and it states that the majority of the Christian community is not going to be saved. Can you please explain this to me hi Irena thank you for that question. So let's read Revelation 3 of the section you're talking about in its context, start in verse 14 to the angel of the church in Laodicea write the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. I know your works. You are neither cold nor hot.

You were either cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold. I will spit you out of my mouth for you say I am rich, I have prospered and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich and white garments so that you may clothe yourself in the shame of your nakedness may not be seen in salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see those whom I love, I reprove and discipline.

So be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.

One who conquers I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches powerful words from the lips of our Lord Jesus. I think there's one way that we can miss read that passage, Irena. We think this is teaching that only those who are on fire for Jesus are actually saved and then we define being on fire for Jesus as you know your evangelizing, volunteering, serving, being just a radical Christian we think about our own lives and we say will when was the last time I share Jesus with someone or how perfectly. Have I followed Jesus this week not fallen into sin and we start to have serious doubts. Boy, I feel like I'm a cold Christian or lukewarm Christian wealth in this parable, so to speak that Jesus gives this this story that he tells both hot and cold or actually good cold water is refreshing.

Hot water is something that is soothing but lukewarm water. No thanks.

The problem with the Laodiceans was that despite the fact that they had this sort of nominal religion. Externally, it might have looked okay.

They were still spiritually naked.

So Jesus says to the church there. You need what only I can give you, and I think he says the same thing to you today.

He says you need what you need spiritually speaking, is not something that you can conjure up on your own.

It's not something that you can you can purchase if you will buy your good works, it's only something that I can give you as a gift.

You need the riches that I give monetary wealth and health salvation, the forgiveness of sins you need me to clothe you. You need me to open your eyes.

You note this, Jesus is saying stop trusting in yourself your riches.

The fact that you think I got it all together you and that was the problem with these labor decisions Irena that they thought they had it altogether, spiritually speaking, you think of the Pharisee was there praying in the presence of the public any he's saying.I thank you that I'm not like that guy over there. My pipe I have put together. Well, that's not the religion that God accepts self-righteousness, thinking that we can save ourselves thinking that were spiritually clean when in reality were naked, because we have not been clothed by Jesus, so that passage, Jesus is you need the white robes that I give you know it's interesting because later in the book of Revelation. Revelation chapter 7 verse 14 it talks about the Saints having washed their robes white in the blood of Jesus you think about that vivid picture bloodstains doesn't. It may get blood on your shirt and it's it's red will the Saints have washed their robes white in the blood of Jesus. Revelation 2214 says blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and they may enter the city by the gates.

The problem with the Laodiceans. I think Irena was that they were trusting in themselves and their own riches in what they had and not clinging to Jesus. And so Jesus says to them. I counsel you depend upon me. Here's here's the salve that I give to open your eyes. My blood to wash your robes and that's what we all need to come to Jesus is naked and depending upon him in his blood, to cleanse us from all of our sins. If you have that Irena you can be confident thank you so much for your question and more blood sugar in Romania and we just love having you listening there in Eastern Europe. Let's go to another question here encore Christianity. This one came in from Brad through her website and it's kind of a specific question about something in the Old Testament. He says in Numbers 21 God sends down fiery serpents to bite the complaining Israelites as I was reading I thought to myself, does God get frustrated.

I know that God is not sin but how would one properly explain these passages in regards to his holiness, his frustration, not a sin, I see that Jesus uses the story in regard to looking to him for salvation. Is this the reason this incident took place just so Jesus would use it during his earthly ministry.

Yeah Brad will thanks for that question. I may makes perfect sense and you see some of these Old Testament passages written text. In the New Testament that seem to indicate God getting frustrated. He grows angry.

In the end he pours out his wrath on Israel and their continuing insanity.

Since the snakes write the bike. The complaining Israelites some deep waters here, theologically speaking, but we don't want to avoid those waters because I think that they can really help us and at the end of the day like theology is practical, the better we understand the truth of God's word that we can cling to him, worship, and no him as an attribute of God that theologians have talked about for thousands of years that gets to request a couple attributes. One is the attribute called impossibility is the idea that God doesn't suffer is not overwhelmed by suffering in the same way that we are another one is immutability. God doesn't change in his essence. Why is this important because if God.frustrated if he threw up his hands because of our actions than in one sense he would be subject to us really wouldn't be God. But how do we understand universes like this to talk about God growing angry, and so forth will think of it like this is sort of like baby talk have four kids read our youngest is is a year old and when I talked to my one-year-old. I don't talk to him like I'm talking to you right now right I come down to his level. God is doing. He's coming down to our level to communicate to us in ways that we can understand that the Bible is God's revelation to us his condescension is loving condescension to is not condescension in the negative sense of the word coming down to us to help us understand who he is is never overwhelmed or caught off guard by us, but in his Revelation, he's helping us to know that human sin really is something that is shocking its evil. It's wrong.

Malachi chapter 3 verse six says for I the Lord do not change. Therefore, you will. Children of Jacob are not consumed God's is different than we are. Brad and I think that wonderful passage in Isaiah 55 verses eight and nine for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

So I'm saying here is we come across these passages were seems like God is growing frustrated. We don't want to conclude is God is like us, you know, we fit in. And that guy just gets upset and EEE flies off the handle is any sense. Snakes are way that's not how God is God is perfectly controlled.

He's not overwhelmed by anything certainly not by the things that we do. She's not dependent upon us, we Brad are dependent upon him and get in his Revelation what he does. He gives us these these analogies, we might say to help us understand that sin really is heinous and that it needs to be paid for that. It'll kill us. That is like a snake bites is not that that's a real story that actually happened. This is history that's taking place, but it also vividly depicts for us the destructive nature of sin, and in that sense is is you say Brett, I think it points us to Jesus. And what an interesting picture to give the snakes biting the people what you read that promise way back in Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 where were told that the seed of the woman is going to crush the head of the serpent.

We know that that seed of the woman is Jesus, the one who crushed the head of the snake so that we might have life, so that our sins might be forgiven so that in him we might be victorious and so I think that you have that there is well Brad, thank you for that question.

Glad to see that your reading through the book of numbers not one of those books that we often pick up in our devotions and so keep pressing forward. This is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez and by the way this program is supported by generous listeners just like you who make it possible I would like tail a bit more about that today. Yeah. So look I want to invite you blessed by this program to join us and become a member of what we call the inner core, very thankful for every inner core member in their regular gifts to help us accomplish our mission, which is ultimately to help you and others grow in their understanding of God's word in the core tenets of the Christian faith because we know it's as we grow in knowing who God is our love for God grows.

That's what it's all about. We want to love Jesus better by knowing who he is, according to the Scriptures and if we helped you to do that which you consider joining the inner core with the monthly donation of $25 or more.

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What schedule another question. This one came in through our website at core, Christianity.com/radio Carson wrote to us from Birmingham Alabama and he says Jesus taught us to love our enemies, but were also told not to cast our pearls before swine, lest they trample on us. Can you shed some light on this great area where do I draw the line you really, really practical question and that was so interesting about the of these two passages that you bring up is vague, both of them from Jesus's sermon on the Mount in Matthew five through seven right like it seems like you can have a little bit of a contradiction with this is from the exact same sermon that Jesus preached so in Matthew chapter 5, beginning in verse 43. Listen to what Jesus said you heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have do not even the tax collectors do the same if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others do not even the Gentiles do the same.

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect and then just a couple chapters later in Matthew chapter 7 verse six is the verse are talking about.

Do not give dogs what is holy and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn and attack you think about that image for second write it if you're married, imagine that you saved up a ton of money and you want to buy your spouse a beautiful gift. Maybe you know you're buying something for your wife and it's a fancy necklace with diamonds and jams and just picture the most beautiful thing you can imagine that.

Imagine taking that same beautiful necklace to the farm editor for the pigpen and offering it to one of the animals they are in the stall. How crazy would it be right. Like that this it wouldn't it wouldn't work.

There is no point to that. Well, Jesus is saying that's how crazy it is when we take the pearls of the gospel and offer them to those who hate the truth and are waging war against as that will practically well I mean I think one of the ways that practically this is applied is in the church. For example, we don't just give communion. The Lord's supper to the impenitent to those who reject the gospel who hate Jesus that would be wrong to do if I exit there's this ancient Christian document called the did okay for the earliest Christian manuals for living that is ever been discovered. Many people think it was written around the same time that the Gospels were being written and actually quotes this passage from Matthew chapter 7 verse six it says, but let none eat or drink of your communion or Eucharist, except those who have been baptized in the Lord's name for concerning this also did the Lord say give not that which is holy to the dogs as I think right like that. There are instances where you're in a conversation with someone about the Lord and it's obvious that they're just wanting to fight to be contentious. They're not interested in learning the truth. They just want to market and I think there's there's a sensor we just for a time. We just have to say look, continue with this challenge here is really the gospel is something people just don't generally love Jesus said it's the aroma of life are some in the realm of death for others. We preach to all people indiscriminately, but I think the point here is when there are those situations those instances where it's clear that someone wants nothing to do with the truth in your sharing the love of Christ with them. Your your walking with them if you will and and preaching Christ. And there comes a point, I think we say okay luckily continue to to cast my pearls before swine if if you really just want to fight and waste my time if you will then move on and and that's okay and continue to pray. I would say for that individual.

You can love that person still even by not casting your pearls before swine. By continuing to pray for them to plead with them and share with them when they were in need. Don't repay evil for evil.

I think that's that's part of the point and so in a one of the things that but I think is important is sometimes the command for us to love our enemies right like all who are our enemies.

You think of the people who don't love you. Think of the people who make your life more difficult. The people who spoken bad about you is hard enough for us, even as believers to love the people who love us right. Jesus calls us to something so much greater is even even the sinful people. The tax collectors love those who love them as a follower of me, Jesus says, was unique about you as my follower Jesus says is you love your enemies and you know how we can do that and why we ought to do that as we were the enemies of God, that wonderful passage in Romans chapter 5 for Paul says that God demonstrates his love for for us while we were still enemies. Christ died for us and we often think how can I love someone who is hurt me someone who has come against me in this way are in that way will remember the fact that we were enemies, we were shaking our fist at God. And yet God in his mercy, sent his son for us and began to woo us with his love. What a beautiful picture that is not what God calls you to. If you follow him. If you follow Jesus to love your enemies and you can do that by remembering the fact that you were an enemy, and God loved you and brought you into the family. Now again, there are those times were as you do that in your in conversations with people becomes very obvious this this person I'm casting my pearls before swine here and I think you need discernment to know when that's the case, God calls us to love all people, even those who are hard to love great counsel Israel and Carson.

Thank you so much for your question. Thank you for listening to core Christianity, we have time for one more question.

This one came in from Amber who posted on her Instagram account she says is Lordship salvation biblical when I think about it. I get so depressed because I don't understand. From what I read you have to do certain things to be considered a true believer, but that just makes me feel hopeless will. So there was this whole debate in evangelical Christian church some years ago one side, you had this group that was advocating for what they might with what they referred to as free grace, theology, and yet another group that was saying, well look, if you follow Jesus there is can be fruit in your life. Jesus can't be your savior and not your Lord and so there is this debate.

Some were saying, look, you accept Jesus in your heart, your saved not really bear much fruit and though your whole life maybe never even have any works of righteousness if you will.

And yet you're still saved solely by the grace of God.

Yet other people that were signal that the nature of true faith is that it works that it makes Jesus not just Savior but Lord, that's really important that we define faith well. Faith is what is knowledge sent in trust is three principal parts of faith, there's the knowledge of the truth. There is an ascent absence yes to the I embrace. I believe Jesus he existed he lived. He rose, he died and there's this trust is not as he died. I really believe it, but he died for me. I trust in him to forgive my sins that Amber is saving faith we have that we trust in Jesus for justification for war say that that in and of itself is a work of the Holy Spirit. The very first question we received on today's episode was one about you and I'm reading through this passage of Scripture. And I'm wondering we have these questions as followers of Jesus and by I think it's really important that we we address this in a biblical way defining faith accurately. One of the problems with with the people that were arguing against the sort of Lordship position, I think, is that sometimes they define faith in a way that was not helpful or could make it sound like fate was simply that I sent to these truth there is a dangerous that we want to avoid one. We don't want to embrace a definition of faith is just sort of. I believe Jesus existed. So I'm born again I'm save that kind of thing.

No faith is trusting in Christ.

When the spirit of God fills you when you're justified solely on the basis of faith, the spirit God fills you and does begin to sanctify you that the process of of inward renewal and it's a slow process. That's why a lot of times when we look at our lives, we can be discouraged because we think God I don't feel like I see the amount of fruit that I should have and probably for each and every one of us who follows Jesus, we could say that God I wish I was further along in my walk with you out. Why am I still wrestling with the same old things over and over again. Well, it's the battle that Paul talks about in Galatians chapter 5 were called put the flesh to death. Both of Romans six through eight, and to walk by the Spirit, but that's a life long process. The other issues we don't want to make people feel like they're not saved or not truly justified unless they have enough worksite so backward were justified solely by faith as those who are justified to serve him. Our focus needs to be Jesus Christ and him the phone when you cling to that arrest. 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 bar 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