What Do I Do When My Pastor Acts Like a Political Pundit?

When pastors faithfully preach the Scriptures, they are bound to speak against political and cultural idols. But does that mean the pastor should act and sound like political pundits.

That is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Adria 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 and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today.

If you been involved in a coronavirus lockdown. Did you know that sharing a home with a pet appears to act as a buffer against psychological stress. The other was a study done at the University of York in England and it found that having a pet was linked to maintaining better mental health and reducing loneliness during the coronavirus affect about 90% of the 6000 people who were in the study had at least one Pat. They say the strength of the human animal bonds did not differ significantly between species with the most common pets being cats and dogs followed by small mammals and fish. I was going to ask you a goldfish count because I feel like that's my kind of pet I don't know what about snakes and reptiles. I mean, good iguanas. I just don't know I just don't think I know you have Sparky there. We have elaborate a little as he helped you cope during this time. Please help me tremendously during the slow coronavirus like the kids and I am and my wife would like to snuggle with Sparky and he gives us great comfort. Nice. Let's get to our first question of the day.

This one is from Jean and she emailed us the said reading second Timothy 215.

How do I rightly divide the word and handle it rightly when it seems so easy to take scripture out of context hygiene. I'm glad you asked this question. It's so important for us to really think about how it is that were approaching the Scriptures second Timothy chapter 2 read verses 14 and 15 multiple Timothy remind them of these things and charge them before God not to quarrel about words which does no good but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one of crew. A worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. Many was on December 16 but avoid irreverent babble, or it will lead people into more and more ungodliness. Again, you ask a great question. How is it that we can approach the Scriptures to be faithful to God's word and not take them out of context.

I remember as a newer Christian Iser treated the Bible like a magic book when I had a question. What I would do is I would. This is kind of embarrassing, but I would stop and I would take my Bible and I would just open it up at random and and you know stick my index finger in there and read the first thing that I saw and that was a very poor way of reading the Scriptures and actually can be really troubling. I think after this before but I remember at one point opening my Bible at random and pointing and I didn't even look at the first that I pointed out I turns out I opened up the page 666 that I just thought oh no I'm in trouble if you back to not how were meant to read the Bible. I think one of the ways you can protect from reading the Bible out of context is by not treating it like this part of book of you know, like a fortune cookie. But you know just got all these things that we are sort of ripping out a context and and were looking for them in that we note read the Scriptures in context by reading book by book by book. I think that's really important you know and be consistent in your Bible reading, start a book of the Bible and read the really and Esther reading through it.

Now, take notes, ask questions, that's really helpful it's really helpful. I think also to read entire letters like the New Testament letters in one sitting or the minor prophets. It really helps you to get this sort of context of of the letter, instead of just reading one verse here are one chapter there and then forgetting to continue reading or going somewhere else know study the Bible in its context, and remember that Jesus is central to the whole story. Now you might be thinking will. How does that make sense you know Jesus's speech showed up in the New Testament what you mean is central to the whole story were to talk about these the Old Testament. Well believe it or not, all over the place. Jesus actually rebuked the religious leaders who are unwilling to believe in him and John chapter 5 because he says that they search the Scriptures thinking that in them. They had eternal life pieces. These are the very Scriptures that testify of me. If you believed Moses, Jesus said you would believe me because he wrote about know there's this amazing scene at the very end of the gospel of Luke where Jesus is on the road to Emmaus with two of his disciples, and they're having a hard time understanding who he is and he said to them, these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled is really interesting that Jesus cites those three places in the Old Testament, the law of Moses.

Think of the tour of the first five books of the Old Testament, the prophets, they were referred to as that they never even it was the prophetic writings of the Scriptures and the Psalms will the Psalms they fit into this other part of the Old Testament.

It was that was referred to as the catch of the writings that Jesus is appealing to each of the major divisions of the Old Testament. It's as if he saying the whole thing. The Torah that they never even the prophets the cat to redeem the writings. The entire thing points to me and so we can understand genus were reading the Scriptures that the Scriptures are meant to lead us to Jesus. Whether you're in the Old Testament or in the New Testament that that all of it is pointing to Jesus and one last interpretive key for you as you seeking to read the Bible in its context and to understand in a way that you're not twisting the Scriptures as this let the clear passages of Scripture interpret the less clear passages of Scripture.

We all know that there are there passages of Scripture that there little bit more difficult the authority to understand what exactly the biblical writer was saying there's more controversy surrounding those passages of Scripture more interpretations well let the clear passages of Scripture interpret the less clear ones. Don't let but the less clear once interpret the very clear ones and maybe create a contradiction in your mind you were allowing the Scripture to interpret itself. Because ultimately the only perfect interpreter of the Scripture. The only infallible interpreter of the Scriptures are the Scriptures, God is the only perfect interpreter of his word, and so we let Scripture interpret Scripture in order to come to the most faithful understanding of so Jean God bless you as you seek to open up and study the word of God and I pray that the Lord blesses you as you do so. Jean, thanks so much for your email. We really appreciate the fact that you are digging into God's word and want to interpret it correctly. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Here's a question that came in from Hannah. She emailed us and said I've recently been laid off due to covert.

I realize that God generally promises to save and redeem us and that does not mean we will live successful and comfortable lives. But when I began the job. I was laid off from it seemed like it was a huge answer to prayer. I really felt that God had me where I was supposed to be in now that's been taken away.

I'm sure God cares for us in these times, but is the only comfort we have is that will be with him in heaven. That's comforting, but it seems like we're on our own. As were looking for work. Do you have any thoughts on this.

Yeah Hannah will first.

I just want to see him so sorry to hear that you've been laid off and Bill, let's just take a moment to pray for Hannah and for all of those right now who are suffering because they've lost work lost hours are been laid off and so let's pray your father we live Hannah off to you in this moment of trial where she's trying to figure out where her next paycheck is going to come from looking to you for provision.

We ask Lord, that you would comfort her. After having lost her job that you would give her a sense of confidence in knowing Lord love her, you will care for her and provide for her will be don't know what that's going to look like and we know that oftentimes you provide for us in ways that are there unexpected. I pray that you would help her to trust you in this time God that you would provide for her a new job, one that is a blessing when it's even better than the one she had before.

Lauren and whatever it is that happens over the next few days and weeks God was she growing her faith in and her love for you and her confidence in your word and resting in whatever it is that your teaching her through this. We pray you would be with her and be with all those Lord were suffering and with lost work because of the pandemic or for whatever reason will be with them and do these difficult circumstances. Lord bring them near to you. We pray in Jesus name, amen. Well Hannah, it isn't that our only comfort is that were going to be in the presence of the Lord, where all our tears are going to be wide women. That is the ultimate comfort that we have on and we praise God for that ultimate comfort and that's our hope on the hope of all believers throughout the world, especially in in the midst of suffering. This is why the church during times of persecution cried out all the more strongly marinara come Lord we need to were suffering and maybe that's the cry of your heart right now, Lord, just, I need you I need your help with God also comforts us in other ways that Ed and God does say Jesus taught us to pray in in, but the Lord's prayer that he gave his disciples. Give us this day our daily bread. You think about the children of Israel in the wilderness, gathering manna each day, just enough for that day. Anything that they gathered extra wood rot and be, you know, not edible. God gave them just enough for that day. The promise to provide for his people and he calls us to pray and to say Lord give us this day. Give me this day my daily bread.

I look to you provide for me and so God does care about the needs that you have the physical needs that you have no oftentimes I think Hannah we expect that the Lord will give us or should give us more than we need. And sometimes he does because he is good, but other times he gives us just what we need and I don't know what it is that you need, but I think right now coming before the Lord as Jesus taught you and saying, Lord, you know best. Give me this day my daily bread provide for me just for another day opened the doors for me to have that which I need to remember also what Jesus said there in that same context Weasley speaking about these things. He says don't worry about your life what you will eat or what you will drink, or what you will put on the nations of the world. The Gentiles seek after seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

Sufficient for the day Jesus, that is the trouble they are sister.

That's an encouragement for you and for me and for all of us to look to the Lord and to say, God, help me to trust in you to know that you clothed the lilies of the field. God admit that you care for your creation that not one sparrow falls to the ground apart from your will, gracious father and so I can trust you and as difficult as it is right now Hannah to trust God because of all the things that happened.

This will encourage you sister trust him. He's a good father. We don't know why these things have happened.

You don't know what God's plan is in all of this but you do know that he's good that he calls you to come to him as your father say give me this day my daily bread into rest in him and to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, that doesn't mean you know don't put in job applications or start looking for another job but it means that even if you do that you can rest in knowing that God is going to care for you and does care for you and will provide for what we need. Day by day may not be again in Outlook.

All that we expect or hope for God is good he gives us just what we need.

So God bless you Hannah and we pray that the Lord does open up the doors for you to find work again very soon. You're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and today we have a really cool offer for a listers in fact were offering the book that helped launch this program � Dr. Horton's or Christianity. My friend Mike Horton wrote this book and over the years we've heard from many Christians who shared their struggle to see how the Bible is relevant for them in 21st century or Christianity focuses on the essential core doctrines of the Christian faith and it brings those doctrines home to us today. How does this doctrine mean anything for me right now that the doctrine of God's word, or the incarnation, the God man.

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Just had to core Christianity.com/offers or give us a call at 833. The core Maureen Martin Road near 20 shaping the message and turned it into a political lad a means toward people that don't have they been leading the league create new things he would not let Marcus your question is super important.

Right now, especially with the election coming up in all of the things happening around us. As you say, there are pastors who can turn their sermons into political ads and so how you will approach your pastor if he's doing that.

The first why is it a problem for pastors to do this.

I think you understand this, but not everyone does the job of the pastor is to let God speak is to be one who proclaims God's word, not my personal opinion, not my my feelings about politics, that's not what people show up on a Sunday to hear it shouldn't be what they show up on Sunday be here we show up to church on Sunday to hear the word of the living God. And that's precisely what the New Testament says we need a me that Paul told Timothy in second Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be completely equipped for every good work. Many said this to Timothy, I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom preach the word be ready in season and out of season, reproof, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching for the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. This is a charge of solemn charge that the apostle Paul gives to Timothy is a young minister of the word to preach God's word charge you by the Angels, by God, the judge by Jesus Christ preach the word why because it's God's voice to us. It's what transforms lives. It's what makes dead hearts live and so we desperately need pastors who are faithful to the call to preach God's word not to share with us.

You know their own thoughts about the world today are you know a bunch of great stories about their childhood or whatnot. Nothing. The illustrations are bad and I'm not saying that applying God's word to the present circumstances of the day is bad not it all week. We preach the word to the church and to the world who proclaim the gospel, but if ministers are serving as political pundits are getting up there and sharing kind of their own thoughts on politics and why you should both this way or that way they've stopped focusing on God and his kingdom and started focusing on this present age. The kingdoms of this world and their speaking into something that oftentimes they just don't have the knowledge that they ought to have visits is not that the job of the pastor to be this political expert.

The job of the pastors to be an expert in God's word markets. One thing I will say here is as I mentioned, this doesn't mean that we as pastors or pastors shouldn't apply God's word to the present circumstances of the day, we have to be very careful though that were not just applying God's word and in particular God's law to the culture outside and not preaching to the people within the church.

What I mean by that is it's really you know, one of the things you see is this church is pastors who will talk about all the evils of the world of society, of this or that political party and they give people within the church. The sense of we play we really are the righteous were God's chosen and everybody out there is so evil, so wicked wheat we need the kind of protect this bubble that we have and at the end of the day. Will they end up doing is reading this sort of pride and self righteousness that actually doesn't love our neighbors, but instead just demonizes them so that we don't have to serve them and then we feel really good about ourselves.

That's not what I mean by applying God's word to the culture outside of us know we have to preach God's word to the church, God's law and God's gospel to nourish people in the truth of Scripture, and we apply the truth of Scripture to the world around us to the situations that are happening around us and that doesn't mean that the world around us dictates what the pastor should be preaching on a Sunday morning at this.

Preach the text and asked that text relates to and up can apply to what's happening.

We should apply minutes a part of. I think faithful Bible teaching now in terms of Marcus having a conversation with your pastor or a approach. It humbly prayerfully not I would say accusatory going to him and say how could you, how dare you, you're not being faithful that second Timothy three.

I just think that would be unhelpful to approach it in that way, but asking questions and maybe say have noticed that, especially as as November approaches. Your sermons have really become political speeches and not expositions of holy Scripture, we need to hear God's word. I need to hear God's word even as as a minister of the gospel. We need to hear the law of God that challenges us that frankly it kills us our pride, our self-righteousness in the gospel of God that lifts us off boy that's that's what we need more than anything right now because we look around us and we look at this for the political climate. It does feel for a lot of people at man seems hopeless and then that's how a lot of people feel, what we have a hope.

As Christians that's greater than what this world has to offer and what any political candidate has to offer.

His name is Jesus Christ and he is the one we fix our hope line and he's the one that the Scriptures testify of and he's the one that pastor should proclaim week by week by week and so Marcus may the Lord give you wisdom and humility, a heart of love for your pastor as you ask these kinds of questions and you approach them on this and just a willingness to listen. God bless you brother as you seek to grow in your own understanding of the word and as you seek to be ministered to as well.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez we have time for one more question. This was a Facebook post from Michaux. Michelle says does the Bible actually say that Christians should pay a tithe. I thanks for that question that you might think I'm biased because I'm a pastor you know so and all pastor say yeah definitely got the title, at least in the New Testament.

You don't have a clear command for Christians to pay a tightknit title is a part of the old covenant. It was this this temple tax, and I'm really when you break everything down was actually more than just 10%. There were all these things were being brought and so know you don't have under the new covenant. This law that Christians must pay at five but I don't think that means that we should not give generously and consistently and in a thought out way to our local churches. In fact, I think if we if we are not doing that. There's a really serious issue. Jesus had absolutely no problem talking about money. They talk about money and possessions because he knew that our our hearts are so often attached to those things we tend to make an idol out of money and possessions is what Jesus said you can't serve God and in Mammon. You can't have two Masters rather than a love one and hate the other. You're gonna hate the other end and love what it's one of the most strong temptation to think that we experience in the West and the United States. This love of lust for possessions, money, and so I think we ought to challenge ourselves here and what grips our hearts.

Where is your treasure. Jesus said where your treasure is, that's where your heart will be also pulsating second Corinthians chapter 9. The point is this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully, but each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times. You may abound in every good work. As it is written is distributed freely. He is given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever.

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness, and you will be enriched in every way, to be generous in every way which through us will produce thanksgiving to God and their Paul is talking to the Corinthians about generosity about giving for the good of the church.

There's a joy associated with giving it should be done under compulsion is being able to say you know what money, possessions, those things don't hold me money is at school that I use for the good of God's kingdom to care for my family, but it's not object of my ship. 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. 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