Will People With Mental Illness Be Judged Differently for Their Actions?

Will people with mental illness be judged differently for their actions, since they're not in their right minds.

That is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi 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 and would love to hear from you. You can call us right now with your question.

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A new study suggests that robots with the ability to carry on conversations can positively impact the mental health of seniors in care homes. As we all know seniors in care facilities are a lot more isolated due to the coronavirus restrictions will here is one possible solution.

Researchers say a culturally competent robot named Pepper was tested on residents of elderly care homes in Britain and Japan over the course of three years peppers artificial intelligence was designed to allow the robot to carry on culturally specific conversations with the seniors and residents who interacted with pepper over the course of two weeks saw a significant improvement in their mental health as well as a small but positive impact on their level of loneliness and a drill I saw a video featuring pepper and he really looks like a sweet robot, but I have to admit the whole idea just kind of creeps me out yet creeps me out to Bill, I mean it. I just don't know what it would be like to send robots to see grandma I'm yeah exactly yeah I think maybe we should just go visit Greg a bit more instead of sending the robots in, but I actually heard a story a while back about a robot priest conducting services and it was raising all these questions about you know what do we really need pastors or priests, we can just have robots and so I take offense at that because I thought you know Carly I say but your elder board is having a boat right now and pepper. Give your new I'm sure there would be at least a couple of people in our church would be excited to hear that Homo habilis get to our first question of the day. This is an Instagram post from Margarita and she says I'm wondering why it is that I always feel unsaved how to why rely on the promise that I have been redeemed. I also struggle with sin. How do I find a good balance between resting on the idea that I'm already saved but still living in the flesh and fighting sin while Margarita, I want to just open up the program with praying for you because I know exactly what it's like to wrestle with this assurance of salvation for three years early my walk with the Lord and I really had this exact same question that you have and so I know how difficult it can be in solicitous prey first from Margarita. Father, we we lift Margarita up to you, Lord, we pray that your spirit would bear witness with her spirit that she is a child of God, as Paul said in the book of Romans. In Romans chapter 8 that her confidence, Lord wouldn't be in herself but in the fact that you sent Jesus for her. She believes in him and that she has the objective sure promise of your word and that she would rest in your word Lord and that as she rests in your word that more and more she would put to death the sins in her life that she still struggles with not in her own strength. Lord, but in the strength that you given by the power of the Holy Spirit. We know Lord that that it's your work and so I pray for her. I asked that you would encourage her. I pray that you would give her your piece and rest in the gospel. In Jesus name, amen. I think the first thing to just say Margaret is at this.

It is a real fight for all believers. I remember at least for myself early on part of the trouble was thinking I must not really be a Christian because II because this is an issue because of having these kinds of questions and if I was really a Christian, why wouldn't experience this sort of tension.

This lack of assurance but actually think that that the battle through the battle between the flesh and the spirit is something that we should expect as Christians in the Christian life. You see this very clearly in places like Romans chapter 7 you see it in Galatians chapter 5. What Paul talks about the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit and he says very clearly there that the flesh lusts against the spirit. A lot of people are confused about that verse. It's not referring to our flesh and our spirit is as if there was, this is the internal battle between my flesh in my spirit. It's my flesh, YM, and the Holy Spirit. There are times where we still desire sinful things and we have to bring our lives in our wills in submission to God's Word and God's spirit, but it's a battle anyone who tells you that you know were going to get to the place in the Christian life where we just don't struggle with sin anymore is lying to you. When John says that in first John chapter 1 if anyone says he is without sin.

He's a liar and the truth is not in him. And so just right out of the gate.

I want to say that what you're experiencing this battle that you're fighting it doesn't mean you're not a Christian actually I think that this is the normal experience for many believers as they wrestle through thinking about what the Bible teaches, in light of the fact that we still have indwelling sin.

Now, for Christians are assurance, biblically speaking, I think can come from three different places you talked about. Now you still struggle with sin every day and a lot of times people will point you to your works to get assurance whether or not you're obeying God's word and I think there's a level of truth to that right because for example John says, and in places like first John chapter 2 verse five we know that we been born again because we love because we love each other may ultimately love is is the fulfillment of Alonso yeah when when the spirit of God is in us. We know that we know God, because that's had an effect on our lives, but the fact of the matter is as if we look in to get assurance and that's the primary source of our assurance.

It's can be really really difficult for us to be able to rest because for spirit filled Christians who are justified and have faith in God, we still as you said, and as John says right there in that same context of first and we still have sin. So there are other sources of assurance to be defined as scripture I mentioned in my prayer for you, we sometimes referred to as the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit with Paul says in Romans chapter 8 that the spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God with horses.

It's as if there's this deep conviction that comes from the Holy Spirit that we belong to the Lord that we've truly been adopted into the family of God in their times in the Christian life. Or you might really sense that then there are times again. Where were struggling and we think my adopted how why would God ever want me. I still struggle with the same things over and over and over again and so that's why what we need more than anything. If you want assurance one arrest, but we need to do is look outside of ourselves that you have to do Margarita get the look outside of yourself and to Jesus and to his word and promised to you. I love that person first John chapter 1 verse nine if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Sometimes we confess our sins, we still don't have assurance because we think well yeah, I've confessed it. With this you really forgive me.

Will God act hatches his promise to his word if this is sure 100% when you confess to God when you turn to him. He does forgive you because he's merciful he forgives you because he's faithful and just to do another words to not forgive us when we confess our sin sincerely and truly would be to go against his very nature is the God who sent his son into the world to forgive us and so you can rest in the fact that God does forgive you the question you have to ask yourself is, am I going to trust my feelings or God's word and we have to trust God's word when you're struggling when you're doubting look outside of yourself cling to that promise. You have in the gospel that when you turn to Jesus when you confess your sins. He forgives you all of your sins.

And he cleanses you as II just would say you know that the balance that you find is recognizing yes were still that have indwelling sin. As Christians, for the rest of our lives in the spirit of God is working in us and so there's a slow process of sanctification, but were never to be perfect this side of heaven is our hope, our confidence is not in our perfection, how well we did today or yesterday or are doing this week our confidence is in Jesus and his saving work for us, which is sure objective.

It's the anchor of my soul is the author. The Hebrew says in Hebrews 6 and that's where you can rest. Thanks for your question. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and Eliza posted this on her Instagram account. She says where does the doctrine of the Trinity come from. I don't see the word Trinity anywhere in Scripture is a really good question and it it's one of those questions that will be raised by Jehovah's Witnesses. For example, I mean I remember as a newer believer in a get that knock at the door and it's a couple Jehovah's Witnesses dressed real nice. They want to talk to about the Bible and one of the things that they try to call into question, is the doctrine of the Trinity and they'll say things like, well, that word Trinity is not in the Bible that I was a doctrine that was invented much later built, though sometimes it was invented at the Council of Nicaea in the fourth century that the earliest Christians didn't believe in the doctrine of the Trinity that Jesus was equal with the father. Well there wrong the doctrine of the Trinity.

Eliza comes straight from the pages of the Bible that while the word Trinity may not be in our Bibles, the doctrine this stuff, if you will, of the doctrine of the Trinity is all over the place. The doctrine of the Trinity is this there is one God. Deuteronomy 6 for hero Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one with this God is three persons, father, son and Holy Spirit. These persons are distinct but equal in power and glory, and one of the things that we we see in Scripture is that while there is one God, the father is called God, Jesus, the eternal son of God is called God. Think of John chapter 1 verse one in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the word was God or numerous other passages like Romans chapter 9 verse five Isaiah chapter 9 verse six.

Speaking of the Messiah, says his name will be called mighty God over and over again on the pages of the Bible you have the stop and sit with the Holy Spirit. The disciples told Ananias and Sapphire when they lied about the processes that they laid at the feet of the apostles that they hadn't lied to men but to the Holy Spirit to God and ask chapter 5. You also have Paul's words in first Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19 that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in the temple, God does. Paul is saying the Holy Spirit is God in us the first time you see that word Trinity in the history of the church is until a little bit later and I think it was first used by Tertullian. He was a Latin church father and in about the third century, but the fact of the matter is that doctrine of the Trinity arises from the pages of Scripture and what the church did early on if they had to.

They had to come up with the language of vocabulary for articulating what it was that they were finding in God's revelation as they were embracing what the Bible topics that it will. How do we had we described this in and that's where the word Trinity is really helpful because it helps to sum up, the teaching of the Bible, but don't let anyone tell you that because the word Trinity is not in the Bible that the doctrine of the Trinity is not in the Bible it is all over the pages of Scripture. You know, speaking of the Trinity, a drill your core Christianity, we have an awesome resource that we want to make available to our listeners because we do get a lot of questions about the Trinity and this will really help. I think the average person understand the Trinity in a really clear way yeah and I think this is so important because there been some recent studies related to what the average Christian understands about the doctrine of God. The doctrine of the Trinity who God is and there is so much confusion.

If we have a personal relationship with Jesus.

If we know God. We also need to know about him so that we can rightly worship him. And so if you're a little bit confused about this doctrine. The doctrine of the Trinity want to help. If a four-week study called, what is the training it's gonna take you through the biblical foundations for believing and worshiping the Trinity you find our website core, Christianity.com get this. It's free. You sign up for a weekly newsletter. So get a hold of that resource. You can also call us for that resource in any one of our resources at 833-843-2673. That's 833. The core Holy Spirit led me if we have the same Holy Spirit. My interpretation Bible one. Thank you Rose. Thank you for that question.

I love hearing people be able to share how they been walking with the Lord for four years in the Lord and so I praise God that he brought you to himself and and I get your question, I mean it.

It is concerning is in it. We have the same Holy Spirit who lives in us by faith in Jesus Christ. And yet there's still so much division in the church and as you were talking.

There, my mind immediately went to the words of our Lord Jesus in the upper room discourse where he talks about the ministry of the Holy Spirit with his disciples prior to his departure and in John chapter 16 verse 12 Jesus said to the disciples.

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you all that the father has his mind. Therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you what, what a beautiful passage and what a beautiful comfort that was for the disciples that Jesus was leaving, but the spirit was going to come another helper, and he was going to guide them into all truth.

And yet when we look around at the church today. It seems like it is. As you noted, there is a lot of confusion. We have these different interpretations of the Bible. So how do we make sense of this will one. What I would say to you roses. There is a doctrine related to our doctrine of Scripture that I think is really important. It refers to the clarity of Scripture sometimes called the perspicuity if you want to a fancy word which really just means the Scriptures are clear when it comes to the doctrine of salvation that even a child could understand the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I think about what Jesus prayed at the end of Matthew 11. Father, thank you that you hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and revealed them to babes to the children. The gospel is for the children. The Scriptures are clear all throughout the Bible you you get this over and over again.

Psalm 119 verse 30 the unfolding of your words gives light imparts understanding to the simple or someone hundred and 19 verse 105 your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path to the problem is not that God has not spoken clearly in the promise and that he hasn't given us his Holy Spirit. He has he spoken clearly and he's given us his Spirit. The problem arose is that we still twist God's word. We still have sin. I think of what Peter said in second Peter chapter 3 verses 15 and 16. He said count the patience of our Lord as salvation just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you concerning the wisdom given to him as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction as they do the other Scriptures to the problem is not that God's word is not clear and that God is not given us the tools that we need to understand and embrace the gospel.

The problem is our minds are clear our hearts are still clouded with sin and we will take God's clear word and will twist it and I think that's part of the reason why you have so many divisions in the church today white why there's so much infighting in many different churches instead of humbly approaching God's word and growing in God's word. We assume things about it, were ignorant were not learned in the Scriptures, and that's why roasted so important for us as believers to humbly search the Scriptures and to pray. I remember when I first started walking with the Lord many years ago and older brother in the Lord wise man. He told me every time you open up your Bible, you know what you should do should pray and ask God to give you understanding.

It's one thing to do. Just read the Scriptures and to have them what we need to lose is the illumination of the Holy Spirit. We need the spirit to open our eyes and our hearts to receive the truth of Scripture humbly and so we pray for that and I encourage you to pray for that and I encourage you to pray for the many divisions and the dissensions that exist in the body of Christ today.

Pray that the Lord would bring unity through his word through the clear teaching of his word. As we grow together in our understanding of God's word.

God bless you know it or let me ask you, in addition to the fact that our sin nature can really skew our understanding or interpretation of Scripture isn't part of the issue, also that we are limited, finite human beings coming. We were not omniscient, we don't have God's view of everything and so sometimes our understanding is just limited by our human capacity yeah all I mean we were just talking about the glorious doctrine of the Trinity and we have to admit that this is what's revealed in Scripture, but were not fully gonna wrap our minds around everything we just can't ever know God's essence because he is God. He's not like us where the creatures he's the creator it be like in and trying to comprehend the life that I live you. It's like not going to happen.

Well, God is infinitely greater different than we are. He's the Lord of heaven and earth. And so, so there is that piece too and I think one of the reasons there is confusion sometimes is we assume that we can know more than we actually can know receive what God has revealed to us about himself with humility and not try to go further than God's revelation into speculation because that's in another area we just get ourselves into trouble. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez we have time for one more question, and this is a really interesting when it came from Gaylene, who posted on our website at core, Christianity.com/radio. She says will people with mental illness to be judged differently for their actions since they are not in their right minds a very good question Gaylene and and since you brought up the topic of mental illness. Let me just say how important it is for us in the church to get this one right. There is been so much confusion over the last many years.

Related to this yet. I think sometimes we've discounted in the church.

The reality, the seriousness of mental illness and in the importance of getting professional help at times and so how important it is for us as people in the church for me as a pastor to want to care for people in this area because there is a very real issue here with mental illness and just like there's other kinds of illnesses will meet our our minds are subject to the effects of the fall, and there can be.

These serious chemical imbalances that cause us as you say it when the words of use. You noted to not be in our right minds and so how does God judge us in that situation and we can say this on the basis of what the Bible teaches there is a level of severity to the judgment we experience on the basis of our knowledge and understanding. This is why James says in James chapter 3, verse one.

Don't let many of you become teachers, knowing that working to receive a stricter judgment or wire teachers, pastors, theologians can be judged more strictly because of the knowledge that they have they have more information there studying the Scriptures is that the sobering thing you think also the warnings on that you see in Scripture.

I think of second Peter, for example, where it talks about the false teachers who, though they had all these truths set them aside and there was in a be there is going to be a very severe judgment on them.

You also see this principle in places like Luke chapter 12 verses 47 and 48. This is a parable that Jesus gave and Jesus said the servant who knew his master's will, but did not get ready, or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating everyone to whom much was given of him much will be required and from him, to whom they entrusted much they will demand more. So I think that there's this principle here that we can factor into your your question and so I would say yes. Are they going to be judged differently or less severely I think so now I don't know what that looks like but here's what we can know all of his judgments are good. No one is going to say to God on the day of judgment, why have you done this God this is your fault. Your your an unjust judge know because God is perfectly just, and is good and so we can trust him in your thinking of these good he sent his son for you and for people with mental illness to redeem us to save us, and ultimately in the new creation to restore are broken down bodies and are broken down minds. We don't know exactly what the judgment is going to look like and how it's going to be different, but we do know that God is just know that he's good and you can rest.

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