Is My Fear a Hindrance to God's Love?

What did John mean when he said there is no fear in love.

I was recently diagnosed with cancer and I'm finding myself very fearful. 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 us 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 first up today three British treasure hunters are smiling today after they discovered an estimated $130,000 worth of silver coins using metal detectors they found limited field behind a British pub Luke Mahoney said he and his friends Dan Hunt and Matt Brown receive permission from the property owners to search the 15 acre field behind the Lindsay Rose pub in Lindsay, Suffolk, England. The trail use their metal detectors to search the field for three days and ended up unearthing over 1000 silver hammered coins believed to date from the 15th to 17th centuries. So now there are over $100,000 richer and you know a drill I was thinking maybe you should start digging around the parking lot behind your church because who knows what you might find yet I think I need to get myself a metal detector and although there isn't very much grass around here meets like the concrete jungle.

So I'm getting more than a jackhammer. So let's get to our first question of the day, and Gregory posted this on her Facebook page he says for the past couple weeks I've been having problems with my blood pressure suddenly going up, which gives me a feeling of anxiety and keeps me from sleeping and that raises my blood pressure even more. I know God is watching over me and I pray during these times for God to heal me and help me sleep.

I pray every morning that God would not let me have any heart problems. I really want God to heal me of this so I don't have to feel that way again. How should I pray for healing. Will Gregory let me pray for you before I answer your question. Father, I want to lift Gregory up to you, Lord. And we know how scary it can be with issues like this in and learn the anxiety that can begin to play guess I pray for him, Lord, that you would comfort him that you would give them a sense of your presence and also of your love for him, Lord, you are a good father who cares for him and has his best interest in mind to pray for his healing for the strengthening of his body for good health and and ask Lord. Also in this time for the peace that passes all understanding. In the midst of his circumstances, so what would you be with him the name of your son Jesus, I ask, amen Gregory. I had a lot of conversations with people recently who, for different reasons are are battling with that sort of anxiety could be the fear of the coronavirus. It could be other concerns things like this just other health issues that tend to come up. There's nothing wrong with praying for immediate healing with all of the prayers that we pray we want to pray in faith, the Lord is your loving father and the trick I think is trusting him. Even if you don't get healed.

We don't know whether or not God is going to heal us when we asked him you can pray in faith in God may say no. The challenge I think that we oftentimes faces believers to say okay Lord I'm in a trust you. I don't know why it is that you're allowing this in my life but I'm in a trust you, trust that your good.

I'm in a trust that you love me. I'm in a trust that you have my best interest in mind.

See sometimes what we are afraid because we imagine that God is cruel that he doesn't love us. We don't know why God chooses not to heal us oftentimes and that's where again as I say trust comes in the Bible is absolutely clear, though, Gregory. Even if you're suffering from these things in the blood pressure sure what not God is for you. He has your best interest in mind and impulses in Romans eight he's able to make all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

Sometimes that that verse gets float quoted flippantly. You know well don't worry about it know God is to make everything work together for the good.

We want to quote it. I don't want to quote you in that way, but I just want you to receive the comfort.

I think that you can receive from that passage because it's absolutely true.

God is able to take any circumstance, any sickness in your life in our lives as believers and somehow working together for our good.

God has your good in mind Gregory. This is what Paul said in Romans chapter 8 begin in verse 35.

Listen to this, he said, who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written, for your sake we are being killed all the day long we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things Paul said we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. So Gregory, as you pray to the Lord.

When you go to the Lord asking for healing or for anything else. Go to him. Knowing this, God loves me and he has my best interest in mind and I can trust him and that's where the peace comes from. I think that's where we have victory or can begin to have victory over those feelings of fear and anxiety, because we know that no matter what happens God is in control and God knows better than we do what we need and he has our best interest in mind. He has your best interest in mind, because he loves you. He's given his son for you if he's given Jesus for you is going to take care of you again that doesn't always mean that we immediately get healed. We do have the hope as followers of Jesus, that one day our bodies are going to be finally and fully restored the resurrection on the last day see you have that hope you know that one day healing.

Full healing is coming may not come today and it may not come tomorrow. It may not come in this lifetime. You can trust in God because he loves you Gregory thanks much for your question will be praying for you. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and if you have an email question for us. We would love to hear from you. Our email address is the questions at core, Christianity.com. Now Israel.

Chris emailed us and he has kind of philosophical question. He says are we sinful because were evil or are we evil because were sinful is a really good question. It's like to remind me of what what is that that which came first the chicken or the egg thing you know is it is it that we do bad things because we are inherently evil and you know this is a really relevant question today is in it Chris because there are a lot of people as it will what mankind humans were basically good. Was that what the Bible teaches or are we evil because of what we do, the choices that we make the actions that we carry out well.

Here's what Paul said in Ephesians chapter 2 verse three.

Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. When Adam fell, we fell in him.

Paul makes is I think absolutely clear in Romans chapter 5 verses 12 and following in Adam we inherit what theologians have called Original Sin. Is this the guilt and corruption of that first sin nine safaris were created by God as human beings. Humanity is good because everything that God makes is good, but insofar as were falling in Adam were evil were lost. We've fallen away from the good from the Lord from God.

Now if this gets at the doctrine of what sometimes referred to as total depravity. Now let me define that. What does that mean ultimately it's a biblical doctrine. It's how we unpacked the teaching of the Scripture. This idea that we are, as Paul said in Ephesians 23 by nature children of wrath, not doesn't mean that were as bad as we could possibly be in. Thank heaven for that you know is not. It's not that you are the worst version of yourself.

Just outside of Jesus know by God's grace. People are in as tight as they can possibly be a mean, that's the reality. We thank God for that. Even for ourselves units of that old saying, but for the grace of God there go I to know it's it's God's mercy that we aren't falling headlong into sin.

But the doctrine of total depravity teaches that every part of us has been tainted by corrupted by sin, our minds, our bodies are spirits. There isn't one part of humanity. If you will, that hasn't been touched by the effects of sin and what that means is we cannot save ourselves the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ is not a try harder. Keep God's law and pull yourself up by the bootstraps and and one day God will accept you into heaven, the fact of the matter is that could never be. The good news because as Paul says earlier in Ephesians in Ephesians chapter 2 verse one we are dead in trespasses and sins.

What is our spiritual condition outside of Christ is the condition of death were not spiritually alive. That's why Jesus said in John chapter 3, we have to be born again is a look, we are christening to get to the heart of your question, we are sinful we do evil things, because we've inherited this original sin. We are by nature children of wrath. Now that doesn't mean again that humanity is bad, everything that God makes is good and yet we are falling in sin and the condition that were in is one of spiritual death to the degree that we cannot save ourselves. We can even move toward God. If it wasn't for the help. The work of the Holy Spirit were completely dependent upon the Lord and that's why again Paul in Ephesians chapter 2 what we were dead in trespasses and sins, he made us alive exist resurrection by the work of the Holy Spirit.

We need God's grace.

Now let me tell you what that does when you realize that you're completely helpless that there's no hope in and of yourself, and that God reaches down to you in that condition of spiritual death, and that Jesus's hand grabs a hold of you and raises you up. What that does is it gives God all the glory it causes you to realize what there is nothing that I could do nothing that I could contribute. This was all a work of God's grace and we look to Jesus and we seek God. Jesus, thank you for saving me and this is why can the passage I keep going back to his Ephesians 2 why, again as Paul goes on there. He says you know he saved us by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works, so that we cannot boast there's there's no boasting that we have in our salvation. I can't say this happened to me because I'm better than someone else, or because I've done this that or the other. No, I was spiritually dead. So were you and Jesus in his great love reached down to us and raised us up and gave us life, filling us with faith, strengthening us so that we might know him and follow him.

And so we are sinful because were lost in Adam falling corrupt and yet even in that condition, God demonstrates his love to us in sending his son and raising us up by grace you have been saved. God bless you Chris I man this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and if you're a parent or grandparent. We have a very special offer to tell you about today.

Yet today were excited to share a helpful resource over core, Christianity.com, especially for parents listening today as you say bill.

It's called five ways to help your kids keep the faith. It's free for you on our website and we often hear from parents asking for advice on how to help their children grow in their Christian faith. This resource includes practical down to earth ways to help your kids keep the faith this week. Don't miss this one had over core, Christianity.com/offers to download it for free and of course you can call us for any one of our offers at 833-843-2673. That's 833 the core and again ask us about the special resource. Five ways to help your kids keep the faith.

Let's get back to another question a drill. This is a call that came in from Sandra in Pennsylvania about 19 no bearing, but perfect love drives out fear. Fear has to do with the one who fears is not made perfect in love. I wondered what it means that there is a man, and fear. I recently was diagnosed with cancer and I'm finding myself very fearful and I just wondered what that punishment part two is my situation. Thank you. I love hearing from you people. I think you're great. Thanks a lot by all.

Thank you Sandra for the encouragement and I'm sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis.

Let me pray for you right now. Father, I live Sandra to you. We pray for the healing of her body.

We pray Lord for wisdom for doctors wisdom for her as she thinks about decisions that need to be made. Lord give her faith to continue to trust in you and not to be afraid. Ultimately, Lord, because she knows that she belongs to you and that she is in Christ, that she doesn't have to fear that punishment that John talks about there in first John chapter 4 Lord, as she does experience fear because of cancer and bodily sickness which you by the grace of your Holy Spirit, comfort her. Encourage her with your word with your love in Jesus name, amen Sandra. Let me just say that the text in first John chapter 4 verse 18 it talks about fear having to do with punishment.

I think it's very different than the fear that you experience right now or are feeling right now.

The anxiety related to your cancer diagnosis context seems to be fear before God's judgment seat of the words, the fear of God's wrath and and I think John is saying that we as believers followers of Jesus Christ. We don't have to be afraid of God's wrath. Why because were in Jesus because perfect love. Ultimately, the love of God casts out that fear. First John chapter 4 beginning in verse 15. Look at the context a little bit here. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the son of God, God abides in him and he and God so we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God's love and whoever abides in love abides in God and God abides in him by this is love perfected with us so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world there is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear.

Fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us so you don't have to be afraid. On the day of judgment, because of the love of God for you in Jesus Christ. If you are in Jesus. If you have faith in him. You don't have to add that fear of punishment before God's judgment C and that's what John is talking about now. It's not that were not can experience fear at times in our lives as followers of Jesus, certainly we are and I think you don't have to beat yourself up or feel bad for for experiencing those feelings with something like a cancer diagnosis. I mean, I think naturally there's fear and that's okay.

I don't think God condemns you for that question is what we do with those fears we let them cripple us. They oftentimes can or do we turn to God and say Lord help.

Help me Lord, help me to know is we are talking about even earlier on this very program, help me to know that you love me even through this that nothing can separate me from the love that you have for me, not even cancer. Oftentimes Sandra when we experience difficult things in life. That's the very first thing that we question God, do you really love me if you love me. Why is this happening why was this happening to my body or my minder or my job on whatever the circumstances. The difficult circumstances might be in. Paul makes it absolutely clear in Romans chapter 8 that the section that I read earlier verse 35 and following that nothing, not even persecution nakedness. Not even death. The sword can separate us from the love of God. God loves you. God loves you.

Sandra you don't have to be afraid.

On the day of judgment, because of what Jesus has done for you in the fear that you experience right now related to the cancer, the, the anxiety, that's not what John is talking about here with everything going on. The one thing you can rest in and know for sure.

God loves me.

Jesus loves me. I don't have to be afraid.

On the day of judgment and one day my body, which right now feels like it's breaking down is going to be fully restored. On that day on the last day in the presence of the Lord and to his great power that rose Jesus from the dead. I'm in a be raised up as well. So God bless you sister and I pray that God gives you strength during this difficult time. Sandra, thank you so much for your call and we will be praying for you and your situation with your cancer.

This is core Christianity by Bill Meyer with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

We are always open to your question, you can go to our website at core, Christianity.com/radio and there's a little microphone there on the right hand side of the page, you can record your question right there. You can email us at questions at core, Christianity.com. Tom has this question for us.

He says I have a question concerning first Corinthians chapter 5 verse five. What does Paul mean when he says he is delivering the sitting member of that church over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh. Yeah, that's a heck of a kind of a an unsettling verse training Paul is sending somebody to Satan so that Satan can destroy his flesh, and that doesn't sound too nice. What's going on there. Well, again, let's look at the context so first radius chapter 5, beginning in verse one.

This is what Paul says to the Corinthians is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not even tolerated among the pagans for man has his father's wife ensure arrogant you not rather to mourn, let him was done this to be removed from among you for the lapse in the body. I am present in spirit, and it as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing when you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that is a purpose clause here so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord, you know sometimes talk about how we want to get back to the days of the early church. That's when everything was great. That was the golden age of the church. Look, here's a church pastor cared for by the apostle Paul himself and Paul says they're doing things that not even the unbelieving pagans in the culture are willing to do their sending in ways that even those outside of the church recognize as shameful a minute really was a sad thing and they weren't dealing with the sin in their body that they were practicing the church discipline Jesus it talked about in places like Matthew chapter 18 so you had this church where you had sin out in the open sexual sin. In particular there in first Corinthians chapter 5 and it was just sort of not being dealt with and Paul.

He's very serious about this because he knows that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. In other words, sin is like this lab and that will sporadic if it's not addressed that's what we have to take church discipline in the church serious.

That's what we have to deal with sin in the life of the body of Christ began to speak were always pointing the finger to the people outside the church is a look at all those terrible sins in society. Know the fact of the matter is we have the start with the church that's very clear. Here Paul says look Judge the one in the church who is sending why so that we can remove that sin so that it doesn't spread to the rest of the body and so that that person might be restored. Deliver them over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh pulses. In other words, excommunicate him this this person is living in open sin, unrepentant sin.

They're not wanting to repent what they're essentially cutting themselves off from the body of Christ deliver them to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. In other words, let Satan beat him up for a while. Why so that they'll come to their senses so that they'll realize how destructive sin is an brothers and sisters, it is destructive, it will kill you. It will take everything from you.

That's a sin wants to do it wants to consume you and ruin you and destroy you.

And Paul says look, don't let it continue to persist in the church, remove it, let this person come to their senses realize how destructive this is so that they might be restored and that's always the goal of church discipline. It's not punitive it's not replenishing this person because of their sins. It's always meant to be restorative about protecting the church and loving this person who is struggling with sin enough to say no this is not okay this is going to ruin you. Your cutting yourself off from Jesus them coming to their senses so that they might see Jesus so that they might be restored. 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 core when you contact us.

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