Should I Be Concerned About My Child Studying World Religions in College? with Special Guest Dr. Michael Horton

Taking a religious studies class in college. Is it okay for Christians to study other world religions or is that something I should warn them against that is 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. If your question at 833, the court, that's 1-833-843-2673 course you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com today were honored to have Dr. Michael Horton join us.

Dr. Horton is on the leadership team here at core Christianity and he's a theology professor at Westminster theological seminary in Southern California. Mike's also the author of numerous books, including the book that inspired this program core Christianity finding yourself in God's story, welcome back Mike.

Thanks, Bill.

Always great to be with you in a drill I feel like when when we introduce Mike. We should have like what you know that background applause or midnight fireworks or something like that. I have to have background a plot you have to be canned.

You can try to work at it next time. Okay, I know both you guys have day jobs, but here is something that might interest you. For the future conservation officials in Australia have announced they are seeking someone to take a full-time job, living on a tropical island surrounded by the great barrier reef, Queensland's great barrier reef Marine Park has announced it's seeking a caretaker for this isolated tropical island about 9 miles off the coast of Port Douglas, Queensland.

The position requires the winning candidate to live full-time on the island and complete a variety of duties including maintaining buildings in the solar power system, making sure the sewage treatment plant is functioning properly working with tourist operators, cleaning toilets, caring for the grounds and counting the bird population. Wow, you guys. I love working with both of you, but living on a tropical island sounds pretty attractive.

Yeah, you know gold.

I would sign up for that and I get on the plane and unpack my bags and find out that half the hours actually are living in a cage in the water parks.well here just in that job, you can probably just go to the great barrier reef Marine Park website.

Put in your application will guys look good to our first question of the day and Israel Blanco posted this on our Instagram account.

She says I have a friend who has questions about the Christian faith, and I don't always feel like I have good answers I get a lot from your show but I don't always know how to relay that to my friend you have any advice on how to become better at sharing my faith. Yes, blood.

Thank you for that question. I would say you're gonna want to focus on Jesus who he is and what he's done and I've been convicted about this personally as well. Friends of ours invited us over to their house after church. Not too long. They don't go to church. I don't think they would call themselves believers and they asked me what you preach on this is back when I was reaching through first Peter at the time and I just froze and I I responded and I said well I'm preaching through the epistle of Peter and purist is writing to believers scattered abroad in the Diaspora and and as I was talking I could to see this person their eyes slowly glaze over and and I thought to myself this matter. What an opportunity to share about Jesus and what are we supposed to be preaching about the gospel of Jesus Christ and of course I did preach the gospel but we gotta get to the gospel when were sharing our faith. We gotta get to Jesus. And I think a lot of times Blanco we can get caught up with these other for the peripheral things talking about ourselves. Even our own story, but we have to focus on is the story of God. What he's done. Let me just encourage them. Even the apostles. They needed to pray for boldness in acts chapter 4. You have been praying for boldness to continue to preach the word of God and and so we need the help of the Holy Spirit as we think about sharing our faith. So I would say pray focus on the gospel focus on who Jesus is what he's done what he's accomplished where he's at right now at the right hand of the father, praying for us. He rose again from the dead and know what you believe. That's another key is is the deeper you understand God's word that the doctrines that we embrace this Christians the easier it's going to be for you to articulate those truths to others to people that you that you want to share with the need to hear the truth and so pray focus on the gospel and know what it is that you believe that would be my advice.

While a drill I didn't know you were so socially awkward. Yet, I think we we've all had those those experiences that we've hopefully learn from and you don't. As you are saying that a drill I was thinking how Paul couldn't get out of the gate in one of his letters without summarizing the gospel all over again. I never in it. When I write a letter or an email summarize the gospel in the euro dear Fred, minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which happens to be about his living and dying for us and being raised on the third day. That's exactly how Paul opens his letters. That's how you tasted.

There's more gospel in Paul's salutation then and a lot of sermons so I'm with you hundred percent try to turn everything back to Christ crucified for sinners and raised on the third day.

That's the meat, potatoes, and if you can. There's a great resource on our website go to core Christianity.com and pick up why should I believe Jesus rose from the dead will really help you as you get that into your bones to be able to explain in a clear, concise way why we believe in the resurrection, which is the linchpin of everything. It walks you through some of the basic arguments that you can kind of get deep down in your bones so that there your arguments and you can share them as you're able, with people who are wondering will. But how do I know Jesus is the only way the truth and the life. Well, the resurrection came in. The guys have a follow-up for you on that in the past. My kids had a youth pastor who would constantly tell the kids the high schoolers in the group. While the most important thing is to share your personal testimony. Share your own story wall that can be a positive thing. I'm thinking that in today's postmodern world. The response can often be will that's nice for you, you know that's a that's great storing let that happen for you, but I think what I hear you saying is the most important thing is to point back to the truth of the gospel. Yes, it's great that you know you have this relationship with Jesus Christ and again we shouldn't ignore that but should we make that the foundation of the conversation right yeah you can do everything in brief conversation on the plane.

What I think is the best outcome even of a five-minute conversation is moving the needle away from. That's nice for you to all this. Either did or didn't actually happen. You never respond to when a history teacher says you on such and such a date to the battle of Waterloo happened. This was the victory you never have the class divided between those who shrug and say will that's good for you to believe that and the other half's saying yeah I'd just stop for me either did or didn't happen. Now if it did happen then that means is pulses in acts 17. He is who he said he was and there is a judgment coming and he will be the one who judges and all who trust in him are saved all who do not believe in him are lost and condemned forever.

So this is not just the battle Waterloo. This is the watershed of history and it makes a difference for everybody, even if you can't say everything you'd like to say just for people to walk out, saying, oh wasn't just about this person and the difference Jesus is made in this person's life. This is about the difference Jesus has made in history. It's objective it's outside of us, and because it's outside of us it's for us and that means it.

We do have a personal testimony, but that's not the gospel that's the effect of the gospel in our life.

The other thing I would add is what's so wonderful about that is, it just takes the pressure off of us. To me, I think I remember years ago being youth group and everybody started feel like they need, they needed to have this amazing spectacular testimony and and as people are sharing, you know, they just get better and better and better because I really try to one up each of the mess that I didn't know you were the leader, the mafia just a tad exactly.

It's really like like Mike was just saying there anymore. When the focus becomes the story of God with God is accomplished in Jesus Christ that takes the pressure off of me. I don't need to have this spectacular conversion story really is about the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

That's the message that people need to hear so important. Thanks guys this is core Christianity with Israel Sanchez and Dr. Michael Horton and here's a question for you Mike. Gloria emailed us and she said my son is taking a religious studies class in college. Is it okay for Christians to study other world religions or is that something I should warn him against I really done my best to help them be grounded in the word of God when I'm nervous that his professors might lead him astray. Yeah, I've been in a lot of these classes, Gloria, some good some not so good. Well first of all on the danger side and then on the positive side, the approach that's usually taken is what's called comparative religion so essentially you are looking at the similarities and differences between Christianity and Hinduism and Buddhism and so forth and so comparisons are kind of key. There well.

Just as there's baptism in Christianity you have all sorts of ablutions and water rights in other religions and you just as you have this idea of a dying and rising Savior. So to you in Greek myth you have that also. In Christianity, and so forth. Well first of all I'm not just knocking religion departments a lot of comparative religion departments haven't gotten the memo from scholars of ancient Christianity and ancient Roman religions because that's not actually the view that is held by a majority of scholars today.

It was a couple generations ago. Let's compare all the different religions, but we now know Christianity didn't arise out of these Greco-Roman mystery religions.

As CS Lewis said in Christianity you have the myth that became fact in the myths. You have no bolder living somewhere you have the myths of dying and rising gods but no date, no time happened. Once upon a time, somewhere, but then you get this shocking message that walkway, Renee is was governor of Syria in the days of Caesar Augustus, when a decree was issued for all the world to be taxed pitting this to real dates that we actually can compare with Roman historians in that particular little dusty town called Bethlehem the Savior of the world was born, and then tying the rest of the story to datable particular pegs of history so I would say you know the approach makes all the difference that they can't approach Christianity is true they have to come approach it as you. Here's a little bit about Christianity is a little bit about Hinduism and Buddhism. I think if your son approaches it from that standpoint. Realizing that Christianity is the only religion that actually can make a claim to being historically fact it can be really helpful when I was growing up. You had conversations with Roman Catholics, Baptist Pentecostals and Methodists and Lutherans. You know now it's with Buddhists and Hindus and Sikhs and Muslims worst thing in the world is for us as Christians just to start off with our message showing no interest in what other people believe me what what makes them tick. At the deepest level of their life. So just to love them and care for them to be ready to give them an answer for the hope we have, but with gentleness and respect.

Peter says that requires I think knowing something about what they believe look the good news here Gloria is that we don't have to still need missionaries, we don't have to to be missionaries leave the United States and go to another country.

The Lord has brought the nations here into our own backyard into rural neighborhoods and so I would. I would encourage her son to know what he believes and why he believes it, and then to to be a good neighbor and listen to with respect to understand what other people other people believe he will definitely select learning another language you look you get to know your own native tongue better the more you learn about other religions. The more you are just stick your head in wonder at the at at the distinctiveness of the of the claims of Jesus Christ and of the evidence is overwhelming evidence in favor of it and you know where I can tell just by your email date. Your you're really concerned about and what can happen with your son is is is off to college.

I would say one of the other really important things, and in this is what I've seen when people get untethered from the church they go off to college in the make. They stop going to church don't have any Christian community that becomes I think when they begin to drift. There's there's zero accountability and so say one of the things it's really important is just making sure encouraging her sign it and make sure that he's in a good church where he still despite the fact that he's taking these college classes hearing the gospel preached every Sunday and their people there who were encouraging him and his fate may be getting plugged into a unit.

One of those college campus ministries that kind of a thing, but good continuing to foster that Christian community being a part of the local church, even while he's out there I think is in a be huge, and that's part of what helps us stay tethered, even were hearing things that are true about the word, not in a good church. It doesn't have to be the pastor even in a good church there's going to be an older guy there. He can talk to who will be able to kind of help disciple him and when he has questions to be able to answer those questions. Man your absolute right a drill. He's gotta be rooted in the concrete life of local church. This is core Christianity with Israel Sanchez and Dr. Michael Horton if you or someone you love is suffering in some way right now.

And we know a lot of people are due to COBIT and other issues and we have this excellent resource. We know you will find helpful. In Iraq you tell us a little bit about this book that were offering our listeners a wonderful little book by Harold think bile called Christ and calamity you think God has forgotten us in the midst of everything going on when things get tough. This book really does a great job of showing us how God is faithful, and why he can be trusted, really, really, no matter what you're going through. What kind of calamity is that your face is to get a hold of this Harold think bile is a friend and really gracious pastor and a professor of pastoral practice counselor and this is just a wonderful book for very practical like you're talking to you a generous pastor or or father about the things that you're going through the crises that you're facing in.

This is a really helpful book you can reserve your copy of Christ and calamity today by making a donation of any amount just head over to core Christianity.com/offers. You can also call us for any one of our offers at 833-843-2673.

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The core will schedule another question a drill. This one is for you are Cindy called in from New York. I have a question is addressed in the Bible that speaks on you will be charged on the Ballston good and bad done in the body does not mean that your previous sins though. Should cave-in will be will be reoccurred before the throne of grace or is it just the more exciting having time. Did you do it and good intentions are bad intentions. Please help me and answer this question and have has since been blotted out due to the blood of Jesus and repentance and asking for forgiveness. As believers in a thanks for reaching out to a Cindy now. I don't think this means our past sins are going to be reviewed before the throne of grace. Those have been washed away by one of the most beautiful things that God says about Scripture is that he's going to forget our sins.

That is pretty wild when you think about it, the author, the Hebrews, for example, quoting from Jeremiah 31. The promise of the new covenant is quoting Jeremiah 31 in verse 12 God said, I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more mean this is at the heart of the new covenant that Jesus instituted the river when he was with his disciples there in the upper room prior to his death, instituting the Lord's supper. He said this cup is the new covenant in my blood. That's all about the forgiveness of sins, God saying I'm going to forget about your sins is also in other places in the Bible Isaiah 43 verse 25 God said, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and I will not remember your sins, let me just say that we we all have things in our lives that we've done that we wish we could just erase stuff. Wish I think we could just completely forget about you seen the maybe the movie men in black, the special agents that have that new gadget that you look into it and it certainly raises your memory. I wish I had one of those hit like I wish I could just forget about the things will God so blots out your sins. It's as if he forgets about them. There are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. So the judgment doesn't determine our justification are entering into life. Jesus said in John five that the one who believes has already passed from death to life, and doesn't enter into judgment yet at the same time working to stand before the Lord and give an account and God is good to commend us reward us for the things we've done in the body, and I think some of that could be related to you know that the way in which we serve the Lord we don't really know entirely what that's gonna look like and what those rewards are going to look like I often say that some people assume that some people are going to have the you know the nice big mansion and have been other people are going to be in the two bedroom one bath yet another smaller one will Scripture doesn't say that. And so we want to be careful when it comes to speculating, but I think we can say that God is going to parade our sins around at the final judgment to shameless no our sins is been covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. And that's one of the promises that we have in the new covenant where God says I'm not going to remember your sins anymore. And yet at the same time I think we have to do justice to those text of Scripture to talk about standing before the Lord, giving an account for what we've done so at bedside approach your question Cindy, yeah, if I could just down. I think of an award ceremony.

First of all, there's the judgment and we already know the verdict.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Stauffer for believers. We've actually heard the judge deliver the. The verdict not only not guilty but righteous. Just in Jesus Christ.

But then there's an awards ceremony an awards banquet that that's different and only believers go to that I think of Corrie 10 boom, I was think of her when I think of these verses hears a woman who quietly, humbly, without looking for anybody to to see what she was doing was preserving Jewish lives from the Holocaust and in the name of Jesus giving a cup of cold water to those in need, just really an amazing for him to be standing on top of the table, applauding and when she walks up to receive that award work can be thrilled to see people receiving rewards. That's not the heavenly war reward.

The inheritance of eternal life. That's on top of everything else and even that is the gift of God, you know, Mike is you were speaking there just reminded me of what John says in first John we talked about there being no fear in judgment of this idea of perfect love casting out all fear. And I think there are a lot of believers who they have they think about the final judgment and and therefore thinking of it in terms of God's get away my good works and way my bad works in whichever you know whatever's heavier.

That's what's going to get me in.

I miss it really is a set route that a lot of people think about salvation, and so this truth of justification.

You talked about how we've already been justified. The verdict is already been given.

Now there's no condemnation you think a lot of believers today still don't completely grasp that truth yet because it's not in us by nature, right it's for the statistics tell us that even most professing Christians in America don't believe in justification. They believe that were saved by exactly what you're talking about the good outweighing the bad. Look, here's the thing. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one who does good, no, not even one, there is no one righteous right.

Paul's whole argument leading up to the announcement of the gospel is that if you really want to be justified by those scale pans by your good works outweighing your bad you better know what the law requires, and the law requires absolute perfect obedience. Therefore, Paul says not one person will be justified according to the law. That is, according to those scale pans well then how can we be saved till he goes on to say now God is revealed, a righteousness that is a gift in Jesus Christ for all who believe. So now I don't have to wonder about the scale pans the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to my account is the only reason his righteousness ways. In his and our favor completely.

There isn't one work. He failed to do.

There isn't one temptation that he ever gave into there isn't one simple thought that he entertained and chased down. There is not one moment in his entire life.

He was not 100% devoted to his father in the mission that he had given him, and that status that status is mindful that I'm not just forgiven but I am righteous in Jesus Christ.

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