Our Dirty Laundry and the Final Judgment

Wire the 10 Commandments all about telling us what we shouldn't do this focus our attention on negative traits instead of what we should be doing for one another and for God that's just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition 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 core that's 1-833-843-2673 and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first step today, a toothless Chihuahua named kismet is giving dental patients something to smile about each day. This little dog. He heads to the Corte Madera family dentistry office in California with her owners, Dr. Cameron Garrett and his wife Deborah everyone in the family has a job. Dr. Garrett is the dentist. Deborah is the dental hygienist and kismet is the dental therapy dog. The dog is available to snuggle with patients during exams, cleanings and even root canals.

Dr. Garrett is about 98% of his patients choose to cuddle with kismet because so many people are anxious about having dental work done, and Israel. The story does not mention why kismet is toothless but I'm guessing you just didn't brush and floss. He had a got all his people, that's what happens when your dog and you work it dentist office is a good picture of him most smuggling with one of the patients while the dentist is working. There are so very to we had to be sure to put that on the show notes for we will do that will that want to see kismet will post a picture of kismet. I don't know if it shows his teeth are not earthlike to our first question of the day and carry posted this on our Facebook page she says why did God choose Jacob over Esau or David over Saul when they were all moral screw ups. That's actually really good question. I would say what it tells us right away is that God doesn't choose people on the basis of how moral they are. I mean, that's kind of how we think it might work right. God chooses people because he sees that there really good people. Yet, we all know someone who we just think to ourselves, oh man, there's just one step away from becoming a Christian.

There such a nice guy that the kind of person that she should be in the church. Well, this is not how the Lord works often times, and that's one of the things we see over and over again in Scripture, and what highlights is the fact that God chooses on the basis of his own purposes and that ultimately not one of us Marriott God's grace. Even the people that we tend to look at and sale. Boy, that person is such a great person. All of us. We all fall short of God's light think it was Charles Spurgeon.

Yet the sermon. I remember reading many years ago and he said you know if you go to the people of God in and you asked them you know why is it that God chose use it because you know you were going to do this that and the other because you would go on to live this wonderful life and a lead many people to Jesus and in Spurgeon I think so wisely said, if you asked the people of God, they'll say that since their conversion had a lot to weep over. Sometimes they have to pray to God to forgive their prayers because even our prayers are tainted with sin we recognize.

I think the longer we walk with the Lord. The fact that God didn't choose us on the basis of our own righteousness because we realize how broken and how sinful we aren't in the passage of Scripture carried to go to speaks directly to your very question is Romans chapter 9 to begin reading in verse six that is not as though the word of God has failed. Know just give you some of the context here. He's talking about how many of the Jews rejected Jesus when he first came in, so it seemed as if the Messiah failed the Jews rejected him and impulses.

It's not as though the word of God is failed for not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel and not all are the children of Abraham because they are his his offspring, but through Isaac shall your offspring be named. This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God but the children of the promise were counted as offspring for this is what the promise said about this time next year I will return, and Sarah will have a son and not only so, but also when Rebecca has conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad. Get this in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls. She was told the older will serve the younger.

As it is written, Jacob I love, but Esau I hated.

What shall we say then is there injustice on God's part. And of course you know why Paul asked that question when you hear this, that God chooses not on the basis of our works even before they had done anything. Our temptation is to say what that doesn't seem just that doesn't seem fair. And so Paul is anticipating that he's responding to it. Is there injustice on God's part. By no means, for he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy see when we embrace this understanding of the way things were coming, but in terms of God's choice because choice of Jacob over Esau or David over Saul. What highlights for us. Carrie is the absolute sovereign mercy of God doesn't judge by external appearances. God doesn't choose us because were great because were special. No Romans chapter 5 says that Christ died for us while we were still sinners, we come before God. It broken into sin and and it's a wonder that in his mercy, God would pursue sinners who didn't deserve it and lavish his grace upon them in his son Jesus. And so God it gets all the glory. God gets all the credit. Does that mean that were not responsible for our actions, not at all because the Bible makes it acts absolutely clear that when we sin, we are responsible unbelief where responsible and so you have these these truths in Scripture that we embrace the absolute responsibility of humanity before God and the absolute sovereignty of God. The knowledge that if it wasn't for his grace.

I would be lost. I wouldn't have chosen him, I would've continued to rebel against him by the grace of the Holy Spirit, God wooed us and he calls us and he calls all people everywhere to turn to Jesus. And when we do we receive mercy and so what this highlights is that God is merciful, as you say Carrie to screw ups to broken people to sinners and that's really good news, that is great news. Every morning I wake up and I don't think the that's right that's right Mrs. Gore Christianity with faster Israel Sanchez, one of the ways you can ask a question is by going to our website at core, Christianity.com/radio there's a little microphone icon there on the right side of the page you can click on that microphone and leave a message like this person did hi Dr. Myron pasta Sanchez.

Thank you so much for the sport because I really enjoy it and I'm David from New Zealand knighthood Jade from Adelaide's question about the judgment of believers and you said that there would be no shame at the judgment seat of Christ, and I wanted what it means for our works to be tested, and for what was built on Christ will last and we built out of high will the bones and all souls will be saved, but only as through files. What does that mean if there is no pain and the judgment of believers before we reigned with Christ. I'm could you please help me understand.

Thank you. Hey thanks David and I really appreciate your question. I love getting these follow-ups to previous questions and so thank you very much and I think the point that I was trying to make the Jade was that at the judgment.

Jesus is it going to shame us.

In other words, it is not a timeframe to air our dirty laundry before the watching world, rubbing it in our faces just doesn't seem to me like who Jesus is. Now that doesn't mean that when we stand before the Lord will be given account that there isn't going to be this perhaps sense of loss. To me that's the language that's used in first Corinthians chapter 3 verses 10 and following, and I think that was that the passage that you were referring to Summit to read that text first Corinthians chapter 3, and one of the gift understand about this passage is that it's in the context of speaking about since it pastors and their ministries was talking about building with gold and silver wood and stubble it. It's talking about the ministry of the word for first printing chapter 3 verses 10 and following both in a court of the grace of God given to me like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation in someone else's building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, would Jesus draw each one's work will become manifest for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives you will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire knows as I was just reading that text.

I was thinking of that image that's given to us of Jesus in the book of Revelation having eyes like a flame of fire.

You know, when we stand before the Lord.

There is nothing that we can hide there's nothing that's going to be hidden. All is going to be laid bare.

It's going to be as though everything are our sins are motivations everything they're going to be in the open before the Lord now again I don't think in that moment that what Christ is going to be doing is shaming us is that that's what I was getting at is that I don't think it's about shame. I think those works if you will, the works of hay and straw why what might that be made in the context here. You know Paul is talking about people who aren't properly building on the foundation. The focus is not Christ and the gospel.

Maybe the focus is themselves and their own ministries and and even though they they truly have embraced Christ and believe in Jesus they've gone astray. In this way will. Those motivations are to be burned up there going to be exposed and yet that person is still going to be saved.

It seems like the apostle Paul is saying it so there's nothing here in this passage I think that would indicate that the Christ is shaming us, but there is this sense, David.

As you bring out that there is loss that you know these things that we built with what you know without the proper materials that there is going to be the sense of loss and what exactly that's going to be like in the context of these rewards and been commended by the Lord. I'm not entirely sure but I don't think it's going to be this through cosmic guilt trip that Jesus lays honestly think as we stand before the Lord Mayor as our works are brought before the judgment and is the one who has eyes like a flame of fire peers into our lives. All those works that didn't count will burn up will still be in the presence of the Lord and he's gonna wipe away every tear is the book of Revelation says, and comfort us and grant us that eternal life, which is promised to us through his life, death and resurrection, and so thank you for reaching out to us again. David and David so nice to hear from you from New Zealand. We know there aren't a lot of evangelical Christians in your country and it's so encouraging to know that you are following Lord and really searching his word diligently.

That's just great management so thank you so much for going to our website and leaving the question.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and today we want to tell you about an opportunity you have, to join us in our mission of helping to equip believers and reach out to unbelievers with the truth of the gospel. Yeah, we want to invite you what I want to invite everyone to consider coming alongside of us. As a member of the inner core that we are so thankful for each inner core member in their regular gifts that help us to accomplish the mission of getting the word of the gospel out and helping people grow in their understanding of the Christian faith.

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To learn more and course you can always give us a call at 833 the core that's 833-843-2673 Pedro, here's a question that came in from Cory. He posted on our Instagram account what to Paul and Jesus mean when they say that the bread and wine are Christ's body and blood. Is this metaphorical yeah will that hasn't been debated for 2000 years initiates that know it really has. And it's one of those hard sayings of Scripture him you think about Jesus in John chapter 6 where he said very clearly to the crowd that came to him and there's a large crowd of people and they wanted Jesus to make bread for them. He had fed them earlier. And so now they're going back. They want more bread and Jesus's response to the crowd there in John chapter 6 is I am the true bread that comes down from heaven unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood. You have no life in you and your member what happened in that passage. Many people stopped following him. This is a hard saying what's he talking about, and even the disciples right they might've been tempted to stop falling on the 12. In Jesus there you as a stop following me too and they said, where will we go.

You have the words of eternal life. Throughout the history of the church.

Cory Christians have believed that there is something so powerful is unique. It's happening in the Lord's supper in communion and it's because of Jesus's words when he instituted this meal he said take, eat, this is my body given for you. This cup is the new covenant in my blood shed for the forgiveness of many do this in remembrance of me.

You get that in.

In the synoptic Gospels Matthew Mark Luke those words and also as is you mention Paul talks about this in first grade. In chapters 10 and 11 and I think one thing is absolutely clear it's so important for us to grasp this as believers the Lord's supper communion is more than just a memorial. It's more than just an opportunity for me to remember what Jesus has done for me. The fact of the matter is you can do that all the time.

You can do that before you have pizza on a Tuesday night. This is something that's unique and actually I think that many people have misunderstood the words of Jesus when he said do this in remembrance of me. Or as my memorial actually wrote an article over core, Christianity.com called how we've misunderstood.

Do this in remembrance of me. You might want to go and check that out because I could've unpacked that there but one of the things is absolutely clear is more than just a memorial. This is communion in a special way with Jesus with the body and blood of Jesus limited to just one verse that makes that absolutely clear. It's in the book of first Corinthians chapter 10 verse 16.

Paul said this, the cup of blessing that we bless is it not, and then listen to what he says it is a participation in the blood of Christ, the bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ and then he says in the next verse, because there is one bread, we who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread another words in communion. We have participation in the body and blood of Jesus.

How, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and through faith know in John's Gospel there is no institution of the Lord's supper. You do a bit that language in John chapter 6 related to eat my flesh drink my blood but you don't have the institution there in the upper room but what you do have is a lot of the.

The discussion that Jesus was having in the upper room with the disciples is called the upper room discourse. John 13 through 17. You know what Jesus highlighted their that he would be present with us while he was gone by the power of the Holy Spirit. So I think it's absolutely clear in communion. We have more than just a memorial we have communion with the body and blood of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and we receive Christ, his goodness, his benefits, by faith.

Boy, I think if we recognize that it would really transform the way we think about the Lord's supper, because I think many of us know we just think, oh it is an opportunity for me to remember. It's kind of somber. We don't want to get old and that's what we don't want to do it every week it's it's the focus is on me what I'm doing. I'm remembering I'm trying to call to mind the cross so on and so forth will small part of what's happening in communion.

It's more than what I am remembering, it's God showering us with his gifts with his promises.

Ultimately, the promise of the new covenant and that's what Jesus said when he instituted this meal be for these tangible means that conveyed to us, the forgiveness of the gospel, the grace of Jesus and were called to receive them to ingest them by faith.

So the next time you're at church and you're taking communion know if it's more than just a time for you to remember something know that it's first and foremost, time for you to receive and to be nourished by the gospel by the body and blood of Jesus by faith. Now, does that mean that date of the bread and in the wine are transformed into something new that they become the literal body and blood of Jesus. No, I don't think that that's what it means. I think it the bread and the wine RS sign of a greater reality. And through that sign. By faith we receive the greater reality Jesus.

This is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez. Sally tweeted this on our twitter.

She says why are the 10 Commandments all about telling us what we shouldn't do. Doesn't this focus our attention on negative traits instead of what we should be doing for one another and for God. Yet, you know that's a really good question. I think that's how a lot of people. Sally read the 10 Commandments and that's why when you asked someone you know what's the gospel and they respond to you by saying I think it's the 10 Commandments that you know you know do do good, don't break the law and try to tell you what the 10 commitment. It feels very negative, doesn't it. The reality, though, is that the 10 commitments are just negative. Actually when Jesus summarized the law, the 10 Commandments in Matthew chapter 22 verses 37 and following. Listen to what it says in verse 36 someone came to Jesus, the teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law and he said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.

And the second is like it you shall love your neighbor as yourself, and then listen to what Jesus said in verse 40 on these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets. In other words, the law of God, the 10 Commandments.

All the commandments ultimately are fulfilled in loving God perfectly and loving our neighbor as ourselves. So that's positive it's not just don't hurt your neighbor. Don't murder your neighbor. It's love your neighbor and I think it's so important for us to grasp this because there are many people out there today who think I do a pretty good job keeping the commandments I never killed anyone. I've never cheated on my spouse covet, what's that I don't do that, you know, that kind of a thing and we don't realize that it's not just when we break or transgress God's law that we said it's also get this when we fail to conform our lives to the righteous requirements of God's law know what that means is I'm not just sending by hurting my neighbor you know picking over his trashcan or whatever you might do.

I am also sending when I failed to love my neighbor positively is not enough that I just don't have any relationship with my neighbor, were called to love our neighbors to care for them to sacrifice for them. Even though I did.

We oftentimes Sally read the 10 commitments is primarily negative, don't do don't do don't do. There is this positive element that there positively also calling us to love God and to love our neighbors and that's why while there good. They are not. The good news of the gospel because all of us really realize that that's what the law is. It is not just me failing to break the law, but also failing to conform to the law that I sent in it. We will we realize very quickly is that all of us fail that none of us perfectly keeps the law and so the lobby comes for us for sinners, bad news and that's why we need the gospel. That's what we need. The message of the free forgiveness of our sins.

That's what we need to be encouraged by the one who came and perfectly fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law.

Paul tells us in Galatians a Jesus was born of a woman, born under the law, and he perfectly fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law Sally for his people. That's the good news of the gospel. It's not that you know we do a good job keeping the life that Jesus is perfectly kept the law and that in him.

I am justified. And guess what now through Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit where people who were called to love. I think we really have to take us all the way. We realize that the law isn't just negative, but that it also has this positive requirement that we fail to keep that positive requirement.

That's why we need the gospel, God extends his grace to us, forgives us all of our sins, and now having been forgiven, not because we kept the law it was because of our morals that God forgive us know, having been forgiven because of the goodness and mercy of Jesus Christ as free men and women to love and serve each other. 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, 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