Is It Sinful To Work On Sundays?

I'm a nurse in a nursing home and I'm wondering is it a sin to work on Sundays.

That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Adrian 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 core that's 1-833-843-2673 and you can email us with your question at questions@corechristianity.com first step today. It's a financial bailout for lemonade stands country time lemonade has launched an economic relief program they call the littlest bailout to help out the littlest entrepreneurs with their lemonade stands. The company is offering $100 to kids whose lemonade stands have been affected by the coronavirus. All they have to do is submit an essay on how they would use their stimulus check and a photo of the lemonade stand sign.

The child was going to use but can't because of coated in their area. Kids ages 14 and under can apply with parental permission through August 12 and there to choose a thousand winners to receive the hundred dollar stimulus check in later. If your kids started lemonade stand there in San Diego. It would probably be shut down by California's governor, so maybe they should apply country.bailout.

That's right, and San Diego's like the perfect place to have a lemonade stand in the summer so I don't know what been slacking on here. We really should get that going. Such a three-story look at to our first question of the day. Stephanie posted this on our Instagram account and she says can we pray for repentance I Stephanie. We certainly can and I think that we should pray for repentance and repentance is a gift from the Lord.

True repentance is not something that I think we can conjure up within ourselves.

You know this is like a minute to repent.

I'm going to do it know it's a work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and this is why the apostle Paul when he's talking to Timothy in second Timothy chapter 2 says this listener what he says. Chapter 2 beginning in verse 24 the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach patiently enduring evil correcting his opponents with gentleness God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will. You see, this is why repentance isn't something that we can just do on our own or in our own strength, especially outside of Christ. The world has been taken captive by the devil, having been captured by him to do his will. We are children of wrath, and so we need the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives to bring us to this place of repentance and so I think it's important for us to pray for others as well.

And that's exactly what the apostle Paul is saying there in second Timothy to pray for the people around you that God might grant them repentance. The other passage I was thinking about is reflecting right now Stephanie on your question is in acts chapter 8 the story of Simon the magician is kind of a an interesting account of acts chapter 8 Simon hears the preaching of the gospel and that he sees the spirit of God at work, and yet there is this this desire that he has to try to purchase from the apostles the ability to lay hands on people to give them the Holy Spirit and he's rebuked and asked chapter 8 knees pulled repent. Verse 22 therefore of this wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that if possible.

The intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

Those two things right there repent and pray. Essentially asked the Lord asked the Lord cry out to the Lord. That's exactly what is being told to do there. So yes can we pray for repentance, absolutely. It's one of the things I think were commanded to pray for in Scripture and the entire Christian life.

We should be saying to the Lord help me to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Christ and what is what is repentance. I think quite simply write it.

It's a change of mind and were changing our minds about our sin. We sing our sin for what it really is and our Savior recognizing Jesus for who he really is and instead of downplaying our sin, concealing it, hiding it were saying no God. This is wrong or turning our eyes to Jesus and resting in and receiving the grace that he provides for sinners when they come to him confessing their sins. Stephanie God bless you and I'll join you in praying for more repentance and in each of our lives. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question you can call us anytime at 833 the core.

You can also send us an email at questions@corechristianity.com and you can go to our Facebook or Instagram accounts and post a question there affected Jackson posted on our Facebook page he says I know Hebrews 6 comes up regularly on your show.

I have a slightly different question. I think I'm wondering how can someone who isn't saved be said to partake of the Holy Spirit.

Yet it's a really good question and that's one of the questions that people often raise when thinking about that passage because you know Hebrews chapter 6 you have the option of the Hebrews warning the Hebrew church is one of the strongest warnings in all of Scripture you have. You were six HEBREWS 10 work yet another really strong warning passage in Hebrews chapter 6 he makes it sound like this church and really experienced the power of God, they they heard the preaching unit tasted of the heavenly gift. They partook of the powers of the age to come of the Holy Spirit. So on and so forth and so you think will. Are these people saved and they lost their salvation. Or is there a way in which we can experience these things and yet still not truly belong to Jesus not be saved while the position that I take Jackson is that it is a true follower of Jesus Christ to someone who is been born again you can't lose your salvation you can become unsafe to talk about that on the program numerous times and we can continue to talk about them is really that important question.

I know that there are differences of opinion within the church about this, but that's my position.

I think that the teaching of Scripture and yet you come across passages like this that make it see what will these people partook of the Holy Spirit, some in what sense, then, can they do that and not be saved will I think that there are a couple of ways. One, when we hear God's word and reject it work under the ministry of the word if you will. We are in a real sense under the operation of the Holy Spirit.

The spirit of God is working in our midst. That's why Stephen for example, when he's being stoned to death in acts chapter 7 he says to that the people who were persecuting them. Acts 751 use stiff necked people uncircumcised in heart and ears. If this you always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did, so do you. Another which when you hear the word being taught the truth of God's word and in that context, preaching the gospel. The Spirit is at work with the word and yet what they're doing is they're shutting their ears their closing their eyes, their hardening their hearts and in essence I think we can taste of partake of the Holy Spirit, and yet still not be saved. There's also a sense in which people can experience God's miraculous power firsthand and not truly believe you think about the wilderness generation in the Old Testament talk about people who had powerful experiences of religion in color of fire by not by night in the cloud by day seeing God's mighty acts of redemption crossing through the Red Sea, and yet we know that many of them perished in the wilderness because of unbelief if they could see and experience in one since the powerful working of the Holy Spirit, and yet still not believe in the Hebrews were in the thumb since was very similar to what was going on there with the wilderness generation.

That's why the author of Hebrews draws lines of analogy between the wilderness generation and the Hebrew church in places like Hebrews chapter 3 and four so there are ways Jackson that people can by being in the church around the things of the faith experience the power of the spirit through the preaching of the word Duke lives changed all around them by the gospel by Jesus and yet get to a place where they say I reject that no thanks. Continuing insanity and unbelief hardening their heart and that's the great fear and just being in the vicinity of the truth doesn't save anyone you have to lay hold of the truth by faith. You can see the signs and wonders like the people of Israel did going to the wilderness. You can hear the preaching of the gospel experience the conviction in one sense of the Holy Spirit, and yet if you turn away from the truth. If you harden your heart in unbelief and in sin, you will perish. So we have to take heed to these warnings and and I think that's what's happening in Hebrews chapter 6. These people partook of the Holy Spirit and that they heard the word they experienced the life of faith miracles even at the upper lever talks about that. Hebrews 21 through four the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They'd seen it, and yet they weren't laying hold some of them were not laying hold of the gospel by faith well you to friend listening right now, you might hear the gospel, you might see the change lives. The power of Jesus all around you, but the question you have to ask yourself is, and I trusting in Jesus personally in my resting in and receiving the grace that he offers to the gospel.

Is it good news not just for other people but is it good news for me. It is, it is good news for you lay hold of it by faith by man Jackson. Thank you so much for your question. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez hi Bill Meyer, and we have another great Bible study want to tell you about today it's it's one of our most popular Bible sees both of how does God talk to us. You can download it for a donation of any amount just a great study to go to with a group of friends or by yourself. If you've ever wondered if God spoke to got tell you to do something well hold of this study is digging deep into the word of God thinking through how is it that God speaks to his people today at over the core, Christianity.com/offers to download how does God talk to us.

The great study and we know so many people struggle with the question so please do go on our website or give us a call and requested. Here's the phone number is 833-843-2673 for help giving anyone a bar offers. That's 833, the court get back to another question. This one was posted on our website at core, Christianity.com Belinda asks. I'm a nurse in a nursing home in every facility I worked it's mandatory to work every other weekend. Is it sinful to work on Sundays. Hey Belinda, what, what a great question their nurses and in the church that I pastor men that they have to do the same thing our friends in law enforcement who get called in on Sundays so I appreciate your question you not the only one who asked this question. The first thing I want to say is Sunday the Lord's day is a day where worship of the triune God should be prioritized them speaking everyone here, but especially I want I want to speak to my generation. In particular, because I feel like the younger generation were having a hard time prioritizing Sunday worship that I think part of the problem here isn't so much just the fact that we don't care what many churches have not prioritized worship with kind of communicated to people you know worship is no different than the rest of life. All of life is worship and community.

You don't really have to be in church we are the church.

I don't have any times I've heard that you probably heard that as well.

You don't go to church.

You are the church and understand people trying to get when they say that but I think that kind of theology actually ends up undermining what God calls us to. As the church because yes, we are the church with the body of Christ. But God also calls us to worship him and to gather together for church and so I would just want to begin Belinda by saying we should as much as it is possible for us to do prioritized worship be committed to going to church to being there under the means of grace.

Experiences were just talking about. Hebrews chapter 6 right you know all the things that Hebrews 6 talks about experiencing there through the preaching of the word of God. The powers of the age to come. Breaking in on us, God speaking to us from heaven, God giving us his gifts the heavenly food in communion.

The spirit of God is at work in church and we have to believe that and embrace it as a I just over and over tonight. I don't ever communicate on this program or anywhere else.

Frankly, that church is just something that we can kind of overlook is not that big of a deal and I know that you're not saying that it all Belinda. I know that your your question is different than that and what we do. If I have a job that keeps me from worship, like being a nurse well, there are certain works of necessity in society that I think allow for this. However, I think is much as possible.

As I said, you strive to worship on Sunday with God's people, even if it means working less. So that means you note. I encourage people pay is there a way for you to get those shifts covered not to have to work on Sunday if that's possible. Great do that could create more of a financial strain, but were doing is were committing to worshiping together as the people of God.

He also reminded of that account in the Gospels in Mark chapter 3 were Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath again. He entered the synagogue first wanted a man was there with a withered hand and they watched Jesus to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him we said to the man with a withered hand come here and he said to them, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm to save life or to kill, but they were silent and he looked around at them with anger grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man stretch out your hand and he stretched it out in his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out immediately. Health counsel with the Herodian's against them how they might destroy him look Belinda the job that you have your helping people your healing people.

If you will. I get that and I think it's important for us to recognize that there are these two works of necessity and yet at the same time I think we ought to recognize that a we can do that and still prioritized worship and maybe that means I don't take as many shifts on Sunday.

Or maybe that's if that's not possible.

It means that I'm trying to get fellowship in other ways, but I just I never want to communicate that hey, let's just miss church for whatever reason that's not what you're saying.

I really want you in and so many others to understand how beautiful corporate worship really is and what is that God is giving to us.

There is not so much about what were doing. I'm going to do this that and the other to use my gifts, it's about gathering together as the people of God, broken sinners, to receive the gifts of God that something that so many people don't understand today. I think if they did if we did want to be in church too many churches have focused on what we are doing what you're doing you show up as you observe and you have your ministry, and so on and so forth. And I think a lot of people are burned out, and that's what you want to be in church if we realize the church was not so much about us and what were doing and it was more about coming together as broken sinners to be washed by Jesus to be fed by Jesus to receive his guess we come together. That's what's happening and that's why method we should do whatever we can to be there. Is it a sin enough you have to work on Sunday as as a nurse was a police officer would know I why don't think that you should be brought up on church charges because of that, or something like that know there are works of necessity, but let's as the people of God do the best we can to gather together with God's people to receive the gifts that God has for us great perspective. Thank you for the federal to read Israel's article why you need to be in church this Sunday go to core Christianity.com you're listening to core Christianity.

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You can find out more@corechristianity.com/inner core schedule another question, this one from Jaden who emailed us and said, is the office of evangelist still for today is it included in the office of elders or is it something independent of that there will thank you for that question. I think it's it's important first to distinguish between the idea of a gift and an officer like there are some people who have the gift of evangelism were told in Scripture and some people are just more naturally gifted when it comes to sharing the faith in you probably met people like that Jaden may be you're one of those people. Now office is however a rethinking something about a little more specific than a gift and I would go to Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11 we you kinda have a description there if you want to open up.

Paul describes these various offices within the church.

Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11 Paul said, and he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and you know those offices that the polis there that Jesus gave by the Spirit when he ascended to heaven. The apostles thinking there about the 12. The prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers. Now there is some difference of opinion on this. Among Christians know some people think that the office of evangelist was really associated primarily with the apostles there in that era of the early church, then we don't have apostles today like we did then because apostles were eyewitnesses of the risen Lord Jesus Christ that's with the 12 work and so we don't have apostles in that same way and in their people who think will the evangelists were closely associated. The office of evangelist was closely associated with the apostles and so it's not around today in my denomination reaction ordain people as evangelist there technically just pastors or elders who focus on teaching and preaching percent to minister in a particular context with the focus on sharing the gospel sharing Jesus planting churches. Paul in second Timothy chapter 2 verse four told Timothy, who was an elderly sees a pastor to do the work of an evangelist, so I think Jaden that there is no close relationship between preaching, teaching, and evangelism.

In one sense, all of us as believers in Jesus Christ are called to evangelism in first Peter chapter 3 verse 15 talks about being ready to give people the. The reason for the hope that is in you, but what is that reason it's Jesus to share Jesus with others you think about what Jesus himself that on the sermon in the sermon on the mount. We are as the church salt and light.

The light what is what is like it's a picture of the truth. Jesus is ultimately the light and so we are spreading as the people of God through our faithfulness to our words to our deeds.

The love in the light of Jesus Christ were all participating in this, but there are some people who were called specifically as evangelist sent by the church to represent God and his word and I think that's what Paul is referring to in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11. Now whether or not that office is still around today will I think that the gift certainly is and we do as I said in our denomination ordain people as evangelist. I think the important thing for us to know is just that evangelism ought to be a part of the Christian life for you as a believer for me as a pastor for all of us growing in boldness and praying for that and sing Lord help me to share Jesus with the people around me God. You've been so good to me.

Help me to boldly share with others. Your goodness and ultimately the truth of the cross and resurrection of Jesus because message Paul says in Romans chapter 1 is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, but I really think the main thing that we need to take away even just with this discussion on evangelism is a got calls all of us share the love of Jesus with the people around us. They call some people specifically in in these particular offices, especially the office of pastor teacher right to share Christ to evangelize and in it in a way that's more official if you will, but all of us participate in this great mission in this work that Jesus is given to us. No Israel, there are so many Christians today who feel inadequate about sharing their faith. They feel like why don't have the answers. And what if an atheist tries to challenge beyond the Bible: can you recommend a couple resource we talk about core Christianity in the past, but I really believe it behooves us as followers of Christ to do our due diligence and prepare ourselves for those difficult conversations. You're absolutely right yet core Christianity is a great resource. The book on just knowing the basics of the Christian faith. In terms of an introduction to what we call apologetics defending the faith.

I always recommend great cohost the story of reality.

I think that such a helpful book of an introduction to worldview and proof evidence for things like the resurrection. That'll be really helpful, but let me just say this if you're struggling with. I feel like I don't know enough. Think about the woman at the well.

She was a nobody really Jesus goes to her and John chapter 4 and reveals to her who he is the Messiah and she's blown away.

She shocked what the sheet she do she goes back home and she begins telling people about who Jesus was and what he did for evangelism is going and telling people who Jesus is the Messiah and he's done for me. And boy, you don't have to know everything in the world to be able to do that you can be like that woman at the well testifying of the goodness of your Savior. 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