How Can I Act as a Peacemaker During the Upcoming Election?

I have family members on both sides of the political spectrum. How can I act as a peacemaker during the upcoming election. 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 with your question. At 833, the court, that's 1-833-843-2673.

You can also post your question on our Facebook or Instagram account or you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com will first up today. We wanted to share a message we received from one of our listeners in Malaysia. She says hi Pastor Israel. I've been listening to the core Christianity podcast and I just want to say I really enjoyed each episode and look forward to new ones each day. Thank you for your insights and various issues that were brought up by listeners. I've been learning so much more importantly than all the wisdom shared in these episodes, I'd like you to know that what really encourages me a lot. Is your pastoral heart the way you respond to questions and the way you do it really warms my heart to see such love and gentleness coming from a pastor.

I guess I just wanted you to know that your love for God and his people has been a great encouragement to a listener here in Malaysia that view how a weapon that is so humbling to hear and thank you so much for your kind comments.

I hope that for you. This program continues to be a blessing continue to grow, to learn the intent to be encouraged in your walk with the Lord. I mean, I, I, as a pastor just my greatest joy to see people growing in their faith. And I think we do have to model gentleness and care as we talk about these things. We think bill of all the arguments that are happening right now in the world and the way people talk to each other not very graciously as we want to we want to model something different for the watching world gracious speech getting us into God's word and helping us to grow in our faith. By the way core Christianity is listener supported.

We, people just like you to keep this program on the air. So thanks so much for your support website by the way is core Christianity.com/radio let's get to an email that came in from Ryan. This has to do with the passage in the Old Testament Israel says can you help me understand how God's sovereignty fits into the story of King Saul. The Bible says that if he would've obeyed. Then his kingdom would've been established forever. Instead, God sought another doesn't that seem like an argument against God's sovereignty looks like Saul could've gone either direction, but if I understand sovereignty right. Shouldn't Saul's fall be set in stone by God's decree. Can you recommend any resources that will help me understand this issue like you like were diving into the deep end of the pool is in the program for today and we were were talking about the mystery of the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Something that has been debated by theologians and pastors and people for years and years and years and the reality is both of these things are affirmed in Scripture. Both God's absolute sovereignty as the King of heaven.

The Lord of all and the responsibility of mankind before God to follow him to believe, to obey his commandments to so we have to affirm both that that's the first thing I want to say is your reading through the Bible you see these things emphasize highlighted we want to take the Scripture at face value want to embrace what the Bible teaches in the Bible teaches that God is sovereign but that we are.

Saul was responsible for the decisions that he made the first dude you have got sovereignty you mentioned God's eternal decree you think of a verse like Ephesians chapter 1 verse 11 where Paul said in him.

Speaking of Jesus here. We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

Now all things in that verse means all things God works all things according to the counsel of his will.

Now we, as creatures here on earth don't know what God's sovereign decree is it hasn't been given to us to know what God sovereign decree is to get in a climb up to heaven and say, God, what, what have you decreed from all eternity and he just sort of tells us is not how it works. He's revealed to us what he wills for us through his word is law his gospel and so that's what we cling to be cling to God's revelation, but it is the case that God has decreed all things that come to pass. Now, this decree doesn't erase human freedom and one of the things you said there in in your question, Ryan was well know, shouldn't Saul have had to have done this, you know, it wasn't written in stone because of God's decree that was sort of suggested Saul wasn't responsible and that something that we don't want to affirm God is not the author of evil. Christians have always denied that and God is not coercing our wills. If you will to do things so it's it's really important that we hold onto those two things together. Now let me give you a word that probably you haven't heard of theologians used to try to describe this relationship.

The relationship between human actions and God's action. It's the word con curses human actions and divine actions run together side-by-side and somehow God is accomplishing his purposes and his sovereign decree through our free choices in such a way that he remains absolutely sovereign and yet were free and responsible for our freedom is limited by our nature. I don't have the freedom to fly because I don't have wings with the similarly weak we can make ourselves born again.

I can't save myself. It's not in my nature, I need the work of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, but the way we we understand God's sovereignty and in human actions. God's actions that they run together and somehow God is accomplishing his sovereign purposes, even through our decisions even. This is the mind blowing thing.

Even through our sinful decisions. Now they go to verse in order to prove this. I think it's the one that I go to over and over again when this discussion comes up when this question comes up is in acts chapter 4 verse 27. The context is the disciples praying for boldness after they'd been persecuted there crying out to the Lord and they say truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.

Both Harriet and Pontius Pilate along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel. Yet this verse 28 to do what ever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place, and now Lord look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with boldness to the disciples recognize it. All the things that happened to Jesus at the hands of the Jews at the hands of the Gentiles. Pontius Pilate those things happened according to God's sovereign decree and get all of those people were absolutely responsible for what took place so we have to hold those truths together and I get the big know this is a mystery. It might be difficult for us to fully grasp but that's okay because were talking about the infinite God and so we embrace what the Scripture teaches in the Scripture teaches very clearly that God is sovereign and yet we are responsible.

Saul was responsible got got sovereignty didn't remove his responsibility.

That's what he was judge severely because of his sins.

Thanks for your question Ryan asked about a girl this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question for Sears. The number to call.

It's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 word word and see that word Bible and I'm where I want to know what going on before Jesus, thank you very much Jean thank you for calling us and can I just say God bless you 32 years. Walking with Jesus I praise the Lord for that, and after 32 years of walking with Jesus saying I just want to learn. May the Lord give us all hearts like that. And may the Lord continue to fill you with the knowledge of himself and of his son Jesus as you keep walking with him so I just want to say, praise God. I was just really encouraging for me to hear Jean Christendom can be used to refer to the whole of the Christian world is not really a word that we use this much anymore. I think it's more associated with the medieval church in the broad political power that the church had and wielded for many years. During that time you think of the church is the sort of political Empire Christendom may have to ask yourself the question, is that what the church is supposed to be political Empire. Are we supposed to take over the political institutions of the world and transform the culture in that way. Well, I don't think so in others is amazing prophecy in the book of Daniel in Daniel chapter 2, where King Nebuchadnezzar had received this vision of this great big statue in Daniel's interpreting the vision for him and at the end of the interpretation. Daniel says in Daniel to verse 44 in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people it shall break in pieces all the kingdoms and bring them to an end and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, a great God is made known to the king what shall be after this.

The dream is certain in its interpretation is sure. Daniel has this vision of the kingdom of God covering the face of the earth and replacing all the kingdoms of this world has the kingdom of God expand today we look at the book of acts as the word of the gospel spreads the church grows people's souls are saved through the preaching of the message of the cross.

It doesn't grow like the kingdoms of this world through political might in the use of the sword. It grows mysteriously through the suffering of the church and the proclamation of the gospel.

There's this old saying that was given by the church fathers. It's the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. They recognize that the church continued to grow, even as it suffered in the world. It wasn't that the church had all this power and might and that that's how the church was the advancing. It was through the humble advancement of the gospel to the proclamation of the message of salvation, even at the cost of our own comfort of our own lives. Mass of the church in the kingdom of God continues to grow. Another is coming a day where the kingdom of God is going to fully and finally replace all the kingdoms of the earth. We call that the consummation the very end when Jesus comes back and he judges the nations, and his kingdom, the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven onto earth and covers the face of the whole world is something we look forward to, but it isn't that the church is this political powerhouse, advancing through, you know, coercion, or the sword. No church advances through the proclamation of the Bible. The message of Jesus. So there's a little bit of a difference therebetween help people oftentimes think of Christendom as the church is the sort of political great big institution that sort of taking over the systems of this world and the church as the body of Christ on earth, advancing through suffering and the message of salvation it reaches the ends of the earth. Thank you for your question and in May the Lord continue to bless you Jean you're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and today we have a great offer for you know, a lot of times Christians are looking for something come supernatural in their walk with Christ and yet most the time our Christian experiences pretty ordinary and there's a book from Dr. Michael Horton. That explains why that's the case I find, over and over again is a pastor that one of the most exhausting things for Christians is chasing after experience and were looking for this extraordinary experience that the mountaintop spiritual high and we want that to be the ordinary Christian life. The everyday Christian life and and one chasing that can be exhausting, but to realizing that that's is not what we experience every single day can be disillusioning.

It's important that we understand what the Christian life doesn't look like that's want to offer you this book ordinary. It focuses on the essential Christian beliefs and it shows why they matter for our lives today. Basically this book is can I help you study who God is and what he's done for you and why you can rest in that and live the ordinary Christian life of being a part of a of a solid church where the gospel is preached being a good neighbor, being a good father, a good mother, a good friend. Check out this resource go to core Christianity.com/offers or give us a call at 833 the core and on behalf of the whole team here core Christianity. Thanks so much for listening and go request your copy today.

Once again the book is called ordinary would love to hear from you are number 833-843-2673 you can call us for that, or any one of our offers another question Israel. This one came through our website@corechristianity.com/radio. It's from Matt he says hi Bill and a drill I wanted to ask a preemptive question for you both.

I'm worried about conflict between family, friends and church members after the election, especially since it's already been a stressful year. I know that Jesus says blessed are the peacemakers in the sermon on the Mount. How can I prepare myself to be a peacemaker. I think we are. Many of us, at least I know I certainly MMM thinking about this very question. Mamie got Thanksgiving coming around the corner and in you imagine sitting around the dinner table with friends and family and I do know about you, but at least in my family another there are differences of opinion on these kinds of things, and there can be some argument, and so we wanted think as believers, as followers of Jesus, how can we engage in these kinds of discussions in a way that's fruitful in a way that's encouraging in a way that brings peace. As Jesus said in one of the reasons that tensions are so high is because people put so much hope in this process the next political candidate. You know so much hope. In fact, that if things don't go their way there absolutely devastated their field.

Even with anger with raider four years ago when the seven we saw a lot of reactions that were frankly heartbreaking because it highlights how much hope.

People put in this present world, and in getting political leaders. I think you know of the psalmist and some 118 E. it's better to trust in the Lord and to put confidence in man, and yet it seems like all around us, people are putting confidence in man, and so there's a lot of room for disappointment. I told my church this just the other day and at this season reveals to us. Oftentimes, where it is that were placing our confidence, our hope where others are placing their hope. Frankly, I'm troubled by the fact the Christians who are often timid about Jesus slow to learn theology to study the Scriptures are bold apologists and evangelists for their political candidate, whoever that candidate might be, you know the watch hours of videos and read article after article, learning about why their view is right, but they don't desire to draw near to the Lord to study the Scriptures to learn theology to grow in their understanding of who God is that why are we shy about Jesus, but willing to lose friends and family over politics. Jesus is really easy to defend his his record is spotless. He's perfect. He's holy the gospel, the good news that we've been given is Christians is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes this is good news for the whole world, the forgiveness of sins. If there's anything we should be bold about even willing to lose friends over. It's the good news of Jesus Christ. It's following Jesus and yet so often were shy about Jesus and bold willing to fight over other things and so how do you bring peaceful.

I think what you need to do is point to the ultimate hope highlight the fact that we can all agree that the world is broken. I think everybody agrees that there are serious problems in the world today, but that are ultimate hope for restoration isn't rooted in who the next president's and that means of this good news here. That means that whoever is in office. Come November, we know who's on the throne, Jesus Christ, and that should give us a sense of deep peace as the people of God and the ability to engage others, even people with whom we disagree with charity and respect because our hope isn't rooted in the things that maybe their hope is rooted in SOI think we want to be models of grace.

I think we need to be sensitive to the concerns that people have on different sides of the political spectrum and are willing to listen.

I think of what the apostle Paul said in Colossians chapter 4 beginning in verse two and this is I think good advice for all of us and for you Matt continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving at the same time.

Pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison, but I may make it clear which is how I ought to speak, walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time and let your speech always be gracious. Season with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person boy let's try for that were around the table with friends and family. Less point to the ultimate hope. The mystery of Christ. Let's speak graciously. Let's speak to one another in a way that is honoring to Christ and let's help people who are frustrated and struggling look to the hope that is deeper than may be the one that they been looking to the hope that can only be found in Jesus met that that should ground you and it should help you as you engage with others and seek to bring that piece to them as well.

God bless you and God bless all of you who are thinking about this very question because I know that there are so many God bless you and our drillers are great proverb that I often think about during times like these. Proverbs 1518 hot tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient columns a quarrel. Yeah there is a lot of wonderful wisdom in the book of Proverbs about how we should use our start our tongue how we should talk and this is one of those verses that I think helps us in these discussions. Thank you for bringing that up your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and here's a call that came in from Robert the body. I'd like you to address God's holy word. I auto body. I can relate to her was the apostle John was taking instruction from the Holy Spirit concerning the revelation much like that question and my mind did go to the book of Revelation as well. John has this vision that the Lord gives to him. I also think of Paul's words in second Corinthians chapter 12 first part of that chapter. Listen to what Paul said. Think of these chapter 12 beginning in verse one.

I must go on boasting, though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven, whether in the body or out of the body I do not know God knows and I know that this man was caught up into paradise, whether in the body or out of the body I do not know God knows and he heard things that cannot be told which man may not under his right there. Paul makes it clear that you knew a guy who some time ago had experienced perhaps an out of body experience was sort of like what you see and in the book of Revelation.

You lifted up into heaven to receive this revelation from the Lord. And so you do have the sort of scriptural warrant. I guess for this kind of thing but I would just say we have to be very very careful.

I've heard so many stories related to the occult about the sort of out of body experiences, so I think that there's something here that at least for me.

You know somebody talks about this kind of thing gives me pause back to that text in second Corinthians chapter 12 one of the things it's really important. There is that Paul says that what this individual heard in this perhaps out of body experience was not meant to be shared goes back to what we're talking about earlier how a lot of us are looking for this extraordinary experience. We want the Christian life to be this out of body experience that kind of a thing. But that's not how the Christian life really is and even this experience that this individual had according to the apostle Paul was not meant to be the focus of the Christian church because it wasn't supposed to be shared what is supposed to be the focus of the Christian church. Paul makes it very clear in other places, like in first Corinthians 15 where he talks about the message of the gospel. He says I want to remind you the gospel I preached to you, which you received in which you stand. By which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

This is what I received.

It's of first importance, and this is what I hand onto the church. Jesus, the message of the gospel. What concerns me is a lot of times with these sort of supernatural out of body experiences the focus oftentimes is not that message. It's on the individual. It's on some sort of secret knowledge that they discovered I'm not saying that that's everyone, but I am saying we have to be so discerning and at the end of the day. Fix your mind and your heart on that which is of first importance that which God has revealed to you in his word, even though supernatural experiences that people claim to have had in the Scriptures like Paul mentions in first Corinthian swellable that wasn't for the church. What is meant to be repeated. Is this Jesus Christ came died and rose again for your justification. Rest in him and life eternal. 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 for 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