Christianity in the Workplace

Are there certain jobs that Christians shouldn't take that as one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer, along with my good friend 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 would love to hear from you. That's eight 338-4326 �73 social media. You can post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts or email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first step today we have a good news story to share with you and 87-year-old man who is denied his Masters degree. 51 years ago because of racial discrimination has finally earned it on January 4, 1964 graduate student Harold Franklin stepped onto Auburn University's campus as the first black student to integrate their campus in pursuit of his Masters degree. The University denied Harold admission and wouldn't give them a dorm room so he filed a lawsuit against the school at that point, a federal judge ruled that Auburn had to allow Harold to enroll, but his masters thesis was repeatedly rejected until 1969, preventing him from earning his degree. After that he attended the University of Denver where he earned a Masters degree in international studies while in 2001 Auburn awarded Harold and honorary Dr. of arts degree.

But he said there was still an incompleteness in his educational accomplishments.

So 50 years after he was first rejected. The University finally invited him back to defend his original thesis.

Harold was able to defend his masters thesis successfully. He was awarded his masters. He was also issued a formal apology from Auburn for their delay in awarding his degree is not cool yeah.

I mean, well, why not obviously heartbreaking just the whole story and it had even happened to begin with this somebody deep wounds in our in our nation and we see it all around us, but I'm glad to hear how that story ended up at least sounds like the guys brilliant to just all these degrees well you just have to admire him for his hard work and his perseverance in the face of that type of discrimination to just keep hanging in there and say you know the honorary doctorates. One thing but I did the work.

Yeah, and I finally acknowledged it and then good for Harold 87 years old. That's just beautiful. Let's get to our first question of the day. This one's a Facebook post from Kathy she says I'm confused about what John's Gospel is trying to say about people who sort of believe in Jesus, but don't truly believe. For example, in John two 2325 and John 831 32. It seems like some people seem to have believed, but really didn't according to Jesus, we understand this particularly in reference to ourselves or friends who may believe, but might not be saved. How can we discern whether someone is in that state, or is that something that only Jesus can see Kathy one let me just read these passages that you've referred to, because not everyone is there with them. So the one that you mentioned in John to John to verse 23 now when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them. You have a suitable play on words there and they believed in him because besides but he didn't believe in them because he knew all people. John said, and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man and then the later passage in John chapter 8 verses 31 and 32 says that it's so Jesus said to the Jews who would believe him if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. So you have two instances here you have individuals who, it seems like they believe and I think you're right. Each of us. We could probably list people who we know it one point were in the church and at least claim to believe in Jesus or maybe still do claim to believe in Jesus, but aren't walking with the Lord and they stopped going to church and maybe have even completely turned away from what it means to be a follower of Christ, and so how do we deal with this will first. I think we want to be careful that were not all consumed with being professional fruit inspectors Jesus to say that false teachers will be known by their fruits is one of the ways we discern and avoid them but sometimes we take that to mean we should go around examining the fruit of everyone in our church seeing if there living up to the standard. As sometimes the standard is an even God standard. It's our own standard and I think we have to be really careful with that. At the same time there is such a thing as false faith, and I think that's what John is referring to. You need understand that there are three elements to saving faith.

One.

There is a level of knowledge that an individual has to have. They understand they know the content of the faith.

If you will, in this case who Jesus is who he claimed to be a number two there is an ascent to that knowledge your your in one since embracing it cognitively. You're saying yes to it.

The third element of faith and I think that this is the key element that a lot of times people miss. Kathy is trust is the a lot of people have a knowledge about Jesus, but they aren't personally trusting in him resting in and receiving the grace that he gives for their own lives as a let me ask you, you believe that Jesus existed yes okay you assents to the fact that he is who he says he is no God the son, the savior of humanity yet so great while, do you trust in him personally for your forgiveness.

That's faith, knowledge, ascent and trust.

There's this personal element to is it's really easy to believe that God is gracious the people out there that God is loving that God is kind. The question is do you know that he's gracious to you, through Jesus Christ, have you personally received his grace and I wonder if for these people here in John two and in John eight. While there was a certain knowledge about Jesus right leg that we know that he's a miracle worker wheat we believe in him. Were they receiving him for themselves where they trusting in him. That's the key element of faith and I think that's what a lot of people today are missing. It's not enough to just say oh yeah, I understand some of the historical realities about Jesus. Most Americans will say that they believe Jesus existed, but that doesn't mean that there saved. The question is are you trusting in him for the forgiveness of your sins. And I think that's at the heart of genuine saving faith in bats. Frankly and sadly what I think these people were missing Kathy Kathy, thanks so much for your question.

We appreciate you being one of our regular listeners. This is core Christianity with pastor Pedro Sanchez and Andrew. Here's a question that came in through our Instagram account from Trevor says I'm thinking a lot about how Christians should relate to their jobs and work roles. It seems like in every job there some form of complicity we share with unethical practices. Whether it's selling products made in sweatshops or being in politics or the Armed Forces where for better or worse, you have other people's lives or livelihoods in your hands. Are there some jobs that Christians should avoid entirely and how should we practice wisdom when choosing what career we pursue that there are some jobs that a Christian I think is forbidden to have a minute. One clear example of this would be jobs in the sex industry. Sadly it's it's a huge industry in our country and throughout the world, but it's obviously something that followers of Jesus Christ need to avoid. And so be wrong for a Christian to have that kind of a job obvious temps are there other jobs as well. There a lot of jobs. However, where Christians can be a shining light in a profession that simply looked down upon. And when Jesus healed the centurion's servant, he didn't say hey by the way, quit your job to now sure that there were all sorts of ethical questions about you know how centurions lived and raises the question about just being a soldier or enlisted in the Army that thing. But Jesus didn't ever tell the centurion or other people and in similar positions that they couldn't have that job. When Jesus called Zacchaeus he didn't say hey by the way, in a tax collecting is a corrupt gig. You should ditch it.

Look at what Jesus said to Zacchaeus that the account is in Luke chapter 19 beginning in verse 19 it says this, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through and behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus he was a chief tax collector and was rich and he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd. He could not because he was small in stature, so he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way and when Jesus came to the place he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down for I must stay at your house today so he hurried and came down and received him joyfully and when they saw it, they all grumbled he is gone into be the guest of a man who is a sinner and Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord. Behold, the Lord half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have defrauded anyone of anything. I restored fourfold.

Jesus said to him today salvation has come to this house.

Since he also is the son of Abraham, the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost, and you see that Zacchaeus had the opportunity to honor Jesus by giving to the poor and restoring what he had defrauded, and there are some professions that are looked down on.

Today I a lot of people look down on lawyers or politicians, business men or women. The fact is, there is corruption and greed that can attach itself to these professions, but that doesn't mean Christians have to avoid them. Here's the question you have to ask yourself is Jesus receiving glory by how I'm working in my doing my job with integrity you want to shine as a bright light for Jesus.

Work hard and with integrity in a world that often doesn't see those two things come together and so I think brother that it's important that Christians do these kinds of jobs jobs that people might think of, you know he's a lawyer that kind of a think.

Note that we do them in a way that honors the Lord with integrity.

Yes, you know, at times, you know, there can be people who use these kinds of jobs in these kinds of positions to do evil things, and that's heartbreaking but that's were we, as followers of Jesus have to be different to serve as unto the Lord, and I think that's where the difference lies no Israel, there are some people I think that get hung up with this whole sacred spiritual dichotomy that they think well if I'm not working in ministry then I'm not really serving God. I'm can you address that I'm glad that you brought that up because of this was something that was really big. During the time of the Reformation is helping people to understand that whatever their vocation was that God was using them that God is feeding people through you.

You think think of people who work in the food industry that kind of a think this is just the the ways that God is at work in the world today and whatever we do and when Paul in the book of Ephesians is is writing to people who were servants there in Ephesus. He says do your work is unto the Lord as if God himself is watching and and when you do it in that way.

In one sense it becomes an act of worship. Doesn't it because you're thinking about pleasing the Lord and whatever you do, and boy if if we could do that in our jobs and our callings calling us as a mother raising children or is that dad going to that the 9-to-5 job but whatever it is saying God I want to do this to honor you. It really it really transforms. I think the way that we work in. And that's the mindset that we want to have and it isn't just as you say, Bill. People who are missionaries and pastors were really serving the Lord. Note each of us in whatever calling it is that we've been given are serving the Lord, and serving each other and that is pleasing to the Lord a man you're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and today we are really excited about offering our new 100 page softcover workbook for the gospel of John and Pedro to talk about what makes this particular Bible study so special but one you in the book of John is just such a wonderful gospel. It's the book that I encourage people to read when they say hey I want to start reading the Bible, where should I begin, I typically point them to the book of John, because there's so much there about getting to know Jesus better and who Jesus truly is me. John even says that the reason he's writing his gospel is so that we would believe in Jesus. He wants you to know Jesus and to believe in him over just talking earlier about what faith is.

Knowledge assent and trust while you can't trust in Jesus, if you don't know who he is and so that's why you I think the study is really helpful because it's can it help you to grow in your understanding of who Jesus is, in each weekly lesson include select passages from John's Gospel reflection questions and explanations of some of the key lessons every Christian should know about this gospel in particular. And so it's also can help you gain a deeper understanding of the whole drama of Scripture, the relevant historic Christian doctrines. The key themes in John's Gospel and in the Bible so for a donation. One donation of $20 or more. You can get your hands on this study, the gospel of John head over to core Christianity.com/Gospel of John to get your copy of this new Bible study today. It is so solid and you could use in your small group, you could recommend it to your pastor and feel free to give us a call for that, or anyone of our resources. Here's the number 833-843-2673. That's 833. The core I and Charlene and I wanted in the book of Jenny saying land after this novel was drunk and sleeping Eli Wolf from his drunkenness and new accolades at the farm and Congolese nakedness. Why didn't he curse a song lightly because Kenya unpleasant that I'm colorblind I know was nakedness and let me know if uncovering this nakedness would you explain this for me thank you Sherman. Thank you for that question you're calling about Genesis 9 and I mean there are a couple of different things here.

One Noah got drunk, he's naked in his tent and were told that ham uncovered his nakedness. He saw him in this vulnerable position and it sounds like you're curious about why it was that God cursed his son ham son Canaan instead of just cursing him well in one sense it was a curse on his whole line ham saw his father in a vulnerable position shameful and his nakedness was uncovered and instead of helping his father. He went and gabbed about it to his brothers, Shem and Japheth is that he didn't do the right thing. Shem and Japheth. What they did was they covered their father's nakedness to pick up a blanket of sorts and they walk in. You know eyes covered and they cover their father.

Now I wonder if there isn't a theme that were seen here in Genesis because you know your member earlier there was another couple in the book of Genesis that need to have their nakedness covered a remember their names. Adam and Eve. God made them coverings of skin so you have this this theme here of the covering of nakedness and nakedness in the Bible sometimes is metaphorically used to describe shame or even sin of there's debate about what it means specifically here, but whatever it was it just it wasn't a good thing.

It was a shameful thing and ham doesn't do the right thing. He doesn't cover his father. Instead he goes and talks about it and so there was this curse that was placed upon him in and upon his line now because my pastor a minute do something here and try to draw out a practical application.

What do you do with the nakedness of the people around you.

Not literally of course. But, but, the shame, the sin, the stuff that's embarrassing to you, laugh, you poke fun do you gossip about it or do you see can love to cover it now. Of course, only the Lord can cover our sin and shame, but we should be a people who don't delight in the nakedness of others. But seek to help them and ham saw his father's nakedness and did nothing.

So His line there under the old covenant was cursed. I think that you have this theme here that were seen throughout the book of Genesis, the need for the covering of nakedness and it's what Pam's brothers do, but what ham didn't do and and so that's why he was cursed here in this passage and also his offspring. You're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, just a reminder that we are listener supported. We count on people just like you to keep this program on the air. If you can make a gift to help us would appreciate that so much.

Our website is core Christianity.com here's a question that came in through the website from Caleb. He says I recently was having a discussion with my brother who used to attend church but has since stopped.

He asked me what I thought of the state of the church is a good bad in danger of compromised etc. I fumbled through my answer. But I said it depends largely on what church you're looking at. Since each church and denomination has its own sets of strengths and weaknesses, how would you answer this question.

What you think about the state of the church right now a bill when we take just a minute to pray for Caleb's brother and for Caleb as he has his conversations with his brother, father, what a sad thing. It is Lord. When people who were in the church who were walking with you. Perhaps at one time have decided to turn back to turn away our hearts break and we think about our family members and others who perhaps we were close with friends who that is the case for them and guy we want to pray specifically right now for Caleb's brother we ask Lord Jesus that you as the good Shepherd would continue to pursue him. Thank you that you're the one who leaves the 99 and goes after the one in and brings the one home and would you do that for Caleb's brother, would you bless Caleb. Also, would you give them wisdom is yes conversations with his brother and is able to encourage his brother with your word to be a light in his life. But we do ask Lord, for your mercy to be poured out on his brother and that you would bring them back to the church and to yourself Lord, and through faith we pray in Jesus name, amen. Okay, let me give you the bad news first and then I'll give you the good news bad news is that the church is filled with sinners who can't get their act together. I don't care what church or denomination your part of. There is no perfect church. There are healthy churches and there are unhealthy churches. But even the healthiest church has its warts and in wounds and areas where it needs to grow where it can do better work can be more faithful and just read the New Testament in the letters to the church is revealed to us that that the church is planted by the apostles themselves struggled with divisions, sexual immorality, greed, legalism, false teaching that the list goes on and on.

Yet, Christians who work defrauding one another me that was just terrible. Now this is an excuse for unhealthy churches.

I'm not saying it's it's all bad. So what can you do you know just let it be what it is. No, we have a calling to love and to leave the church faithfully to teach the Scriptures to walk in integrity as pastors but every church has difficult stories, and if it was true in the days of the apostles that certainly can it be true today in our day and when I asked the pastor how is your church and he says to me oh it's all great you know not one problem I think will. You must not know your church very well because our churches are filled with hurting people hurting because of sin, hurting because of sickness, abuse, infertility, growing old. Losing a loved one, losing the job.

The church is a place for broken people in the church will have times feels broken. It's hard but here's the good news. It's still Jesus is church and he will never leave her nor forsake her, and he is promised that he is going to build his church and the gates of hell are never going to prevail against her. One day Jesus is going to present the church to himself like a pure and spotless bride see if the if the burden for building the church was on my shoulders or on your shoulders, then it would be completely hopeless. It wouldn't it wouldn't happen them. The church is the supernatural entity. It's it's built by the power of God's spirit. Only Jesus can do the work that he's called us to to really and so we look to him and we trust in him and from that perspective I think that you can tell your brother the church is A-OK, not because she's perfect, but because the one who keeps her is perfect and he doesn't give up on her and he will sustain her to the very and I think the beautiful thing about this week and we can understand that corporately for the church but you know what, if you believe in Jesus Christ.

If you have faith in him you can understand that. Personally for yourself as well. In fact, that promise it that we read about in in the book of Hebrews where were told that he will never leave us or forsake us. That's a personal promise to all those who put their trust in Jesus Christ. He will not leave you or forsake you. And in our individual lives in a week and feel broken if it ever going to get better.

Well the good news is, Jesus keeps us and he will sustain us and as Paul said to the Philippians, the one who began a good work in us is going to be faithful to complete it.

So even though Caleb at times we look around us at the church and we can be discouraged and we can look at our own lives and feel, even despairing in moments we look up to Jesus and there is reason for hope because he is all-powerful because he's good because from his blood we receive the forgiveness of all of our sins and frankly I think that's what we have to cling to in these difficult days.

And these days were a lot of people are suffering me think of all the things that we've been going through in 2020 minutes been a challenging year, but boy let's finish strong and with the confidence that Jesus is still on the throne and that we can trust him and that even though we look around us and at times things don't seem good. He is good and he's able to make all things work together for the good of those who believe in him and are called according to his purpose.

There listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez you can call us right now with your question. At 8334 would love to hear from you your own social media. You can post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter account or email us your question questions or humanity.com. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us@corechristianity.com and click on offers and 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