What to Say When Friends Follow Charlatans

Does the Bible support the subjugation of women.

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 Pedro 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 and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first step today we have a good news story to share with you for nearly 25 years. Thomas Polaski served in the United States Marine Corps before retiring with the rank of Lieut. Col. but a burglary at his home last year resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of dollars worth of items including all of his military metals, ribbons and pilot swings. The loss hit home with Detective Frank Corona of the police officer who worked on the case because he also served in the Marines while he wasn't able to recover the original military keepsakes. Frank and his supervisor also Marine were able to get them replaced by a company in South Carolina.

So last Friday, just days before Mr. Filipski's 84th birthday. Detectives arrived at his home and gave him a special surprise they presented him with the box displaying replacements for all the military service, metals, ribbons and pilot swings that were taken from him. That's wonderful and that's so cool you know I just I love these stories about people who go above and beyond. I mean he didn't have to do that, you know, his job is to investigate the crime and hopefully solve it. What is a duty they spend their own money to make a difference in the city for your old man's life that we need more that today I'm a nicer story after story. It seems like when you turn on the news of people doing things that hurt other people and so gosh we just have to be reminded of the fact that it's not all that there is there things that are happening and here's the best thing Christ kingdom is still advancing through the preaching of the gospel and so that we have to keep our our mind fixed on that, especially with everything that's happening right now.

Let's get to our first question. This is an email we received from one of our listeners. They say how do I deal with a Christian friend who has fallen for a lot of false teaching and is absolutely not teachable and gets offended if I don't agree with them, this can be really really frustrating and and ultimately really really heartbreaking because you you have a friend in your concern for their soul package it comes to mind is James chapter 5 verses 19 and 20 is brothers.

If anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone brings him back let them know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. James recognized that there are going to be people in the church who because they buy into. Teaching because they embrace it up pattern perhaps of sin that they don't want to let go of that they're going to wander away from the life of the church and I think we as the followers of Christ as the children of God ought to pursue them you think about Jesus. He's the good Shepherd. I love in Luke 15, you know you have all those parables of the parable last coined the parable of the prodigal son of the last feet below the good Shepherd who pursues his wandering children. What would people in the body of Christ wander away. We should pursue them with the heart of Jesus Christ and so I want to commend you first for for doing that for thinking about this question with your friend and as I said I know can be frustrating especially when people don't want to hear it when they when they want to argue with you, and they're unwilling to listen to ultimately what God's word has to say, but I'm to say just keep at it and make sure that your praying, and that your desire ultimately is like James was saying. You care for this person's soul is not about winning an argument is not about proving them wrong. It's you know that if they continue down this path if they embrace this false doctrine. Whatever it is I don't know what what you're referring to, particularly that it can cause serious problems for them. I also think of that warning that you have in first Corinthians chapter 5 verses 19 and following in the context there. Paul was addressing an issue at the church in Corinth where you where you had someone engaged in sexual immorality in the church there didn't deal with it. They didn't address the issue. They started let things continue to go on as if everything was fine and Paul says to them, listen to what he said. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people nodded all meaning the sexually immoral of this world or the greedy and swindlers are idolaters since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of rather if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed or is an idolater reviled or drunkard or swindler, not even to eat with such a one for what have I to do with judging outsiders is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge God judges those outside purge the evil person from among you in here Paul is talking about. Essentially, church discipline, he said, look, if there someone in the church whose living in sin era drunkard and idolater engaging in sexual immorality and that the situation in Corinth was pretty cut and dry. If that's happening and their unrepentant they just don't want anything to do with the truth in their they're saying out yet.

I'm gonna live in this way pulses we have to take that seriously. We have to take that seriously have to warn this brother or this sister whoever they are, that again their actions are putting their soul at jeopardy and so you want to be serious about this. You want to warn but you also want to make sure that you're doing it with humility and that the driving force behind it is love. Love for this brother or sister.

And so my prayer for you is that your heart would be full of love for this person and that with that love in that love you would pursue them with the truth of God's word in the same way that Jesus pursued us when we wandered from him. You said you know the person right now is absolutely not teachable. They get offended and that's what you have to just be so. Don't engage in an argument.

There is just sort of one upping in and going back and forth and it it's not helpful you want to plead with this person and you want to point them to Christ of the gospel. I'm not sure what what false teaching there engaging in an obviously there some false teaching gets worse than other false teachings of this is a heresy if if it strikes at the jugular. If you will of core Christian doctrines may be the rejecting, the resurrection, or the fact that Jesus is God or one of these other cardinal truths that that are of the essence of what it means to be a Christian doctrines that we have to embrace will then then yeah there needs to be a really stern warning. If this is the difference of opinion on may be a secondary issue.

Will you approach a little bit differently but no matter how you approach it.

Be humble to be prayerful and you want to be full of love and so may God give you wisdom as you pursue this friend federal me ask you in a situation like this. If I say this individual goes to church with this person does this rise to the level of church discipline rules that we we read in Matthew chapter 18 oh yeah, it can, and of course it's a really good text to go to as well a menu so you know 70 sins against you, go to that person you and them in and you try to address the issue and if that doesn't work, you go with others from the church witnesses and you bring it up again. If that is a unit take to the church and I think there Jesus is referring to the leaders of the elders of the church and is still an individual's unwilling to repent more than you treat them like a non-Christian and that's exactly what Paul says in first grade in five.

This this person was unwilling to repent.

There engaging in the sexual immorality will you treat them as the so-called brother but at some point you just have to cut it often and that's not something we individually this is a really important point that we individually I don't exercise church discipline, even as a pastor you individually don't exercise church discipline. It's the job of the church, but in particular the elders of the church and so there's a process you're the sad thing is a lot of people today aren't even in churches or part of churches where the process of church discipline can actually happen and if it sounds kind of heavy. The goal, even the going first Corinthians 5 with this person who Paul says you don't deliver them over to state ultimately for the destruction of the flesh, and then he says this so that there soul may be saved. Their spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. The goal of warning is not to condemn someone will pulses don't even eat with such a person. It's not because he's like Anna were done with them that were trying to show them were trying to highlight for them based on our actions in response to their sin that this is serious and that it puts their soul in jeopardy and we love them. We love their soul, maybe even more than they love their soul in that moment were trying to have a high value of that which is most important and so false teaching.

Also to the work of the flesh.

Heresy is a work of the flesh, and so does that need to be, you know, brought under the discipline of the church, yes, but it's the church together. It's not me individually, and ultimately the goal is restoration. Restoration to the truth. Restoration to Jesus great points. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and Israel. Here's a call that came in from Suzanne at 833, the court… You're starting our members and no more. Why do we have counterparts and and Garrett have our reward bargain thank you thank you for that question does seem like you know maybe on the surface. Is there a contradiction here. Isaiah 4325 but I think that's the verse that you referring to were God said to his people. I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and I will not remember your sins. What a wonderful promise there that God gives to his people. I am going to glide out the race cover your sins. I'm not even going to remember them and I want that word for myself. I'm sure you do too, but then you have Jesus's words that very clearly where he talks about you giving account for everything that you say and so is there contradiction here. Let's look at that passage and in context where Jesus makes that statement is Matthew chapter 12 and I'm to begin reading in verse 31 therefore I tell you every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven. People but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven, and whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come, either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you speak good, when you are evil. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Now who Suzanne is Jesus speaking to their restocking in particular to the religious leaders. The ones who in this context were speaking against him. They were saying earlier in this passage that Jesus was performing miracles by the power of the devil and Jesus is saying essentially watch your mouth, your you're walking on really dangerous ground here you're accusing me of performing miracles by BLS above by the power of Satan look like if you speak against me that you can be forgiven, but the one who speaks against the Holy Spirit and then he talks about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit gives this very severe warning, we have to understand is in Jesus here is speaking to the religious leaders and he's highlighting the fact that they're going to be condemned by the words that they speak that they're going to have to give an account and one of the things that this shows us is that we cannot be justified by our works or our words, we sin against God in thought, word and deed every single day. That's what the psalmist says in Psalm 130 verse three if you will, Lord, should mark iniquities Lord who could stand so in the context here Jesus is condemning the religious leaders highlighting for them that their hearts are corrupt, but he's also revealing to us that were all condemned by the law that if I was to be justified by my words. I would be in big trouble because who of us could say I've been perfect with my lips I mean James picks up on this rate talks about the tongue, and how it sets things on fire with the fires of hell ages is no one is sinless when it comes to our speech and so you can't be justified by your words you will only be condemned ultimately what we need is that forgiveness that comes through Jesus Christ. The justification that comes to his shed blood for our sins and so I think the context helps us to understand right but you know speaking to the religious leaders highlighting the fact that there condemned basically by their actions and that they will be judged by the words that they speak and the reason he saying that is because of how careless they are being with their words and there is a warning for us here as well to be careful how we speak there two things. It just happened recently that it really made me think about this you know that there seems to be so much harsh speech in our society today. Doesn't there two things than just this last week that it really discouraging. What I there is this model Chrissy Teagan, who lost her her son tragically died in the hospital that think shortly after she gave birth and a lot of the news outlets for picking this up because she posted no photos there is a photo of her posted just crying in the hospital and the sad thing was, was really interested me. She's she's not at least as far as I know she does. She doesn't claim to be a Christian.

People were essentially speaking against her because of her position on abortion and some other things.

They were essentially saying that social media you know like you know well I guess your your baby is not a clump of cells after all that kind of thing. But there was this just this lack of compassion lack of compassion from people who are supposed to be pro-life and I am very strongly pro-life but there was a lack of compassion the way people were using their speech and adjustment me think you know when when bad things happen to people we disagree with. How are we speaking about them, but then you also have you know the president who contracted coronavirus and how people respond to that, almost gloating, celebrating we as Christians have to be so careful how we use our speech.

Are we using our speech to harm, to kill or to build up to be edifying you think about Jesus's words here every careless word that you speak you. You have to give an account for an even with when it comes to people we disagree with. How are we using our speech, brothers and sisters. Is it exhibiting the love the grace, goodness of Jesus Christ or are we bringing out evil treasure if you will, from our hearts and how we talk to and about each other and the fact of the matter is we all fail. We all say things we shouldn't say it's that images can escape it. According to the teaching of the Bible and that's why we need forgiveness and that's why we can only be justified by the work of Jesus for us, not by my own words and not by my own works by the works and words of the Lord Jesus. And so, having been justified by him or let's use our speech in a way that honors him you're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez you know there's a lot of confusion about Christmas in our culture and today were offering a resource that will help you explain the true meaning of Christmas when you're talking to nonbelievers 3 billion for many, Christmas is a time of festivities gifts, special events, for others it can mean unwanted pressure that's I want to help by sharing the special resource child in the manger.

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The core was go to another question. This is from Timothy, who posted on her Facebook page he says what's the biblical distinction between the spirit and the soul. What role do the heart and mind play in this relationship or distinction of biblically speaking, my view is that oftentimes the spirit and the soul are used interchangeably. Revelation 69 when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God for the witness they had born there. The souls refer to just the person in the presence of the Lord after having died to the same thing and in a Hebrews 1223 except those same persons are referred to as spirits and we come before and worship the author. The Hebrew said the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all into the spirits of the righteous made perfect, that sometimes the heart and the soul are used interchangeably as well, or at least there is there's a close connection. Deuteronomy 65 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. The heart in both the intellect, emotions, the feelings the will and I struggle to say it's who we truly are because we are our bodies to your party is integral to who you are and that's why there's a resurrection, but sometimes we can hide or attempt to hide what we really think or believe our hearts and God sees that you've heard the saying, no sheep, she wears her heart on her sleeve, you know what that person is thinking or feeling they don't hide their emotions, will, God sees all of that and I think one of the big takeaways here Timothy is that there's more to us than meets the eye. We aren't just bodies, but souls and we really ought to take care of both know Jesus came and he assumed humanity body and soul get a human soul so that he might redeem our whole person and so I think spirit soul are often used interchangeably. I think it highlights that there's more to us than just our bodies being made in the image of God is a sort of uniqueness that we have is God's people.

God's creatures body, soul, and ultimately both are redeemed by Jesus Christ in his incarnation, life, death and resurrection, and I'm looking forward to the day when I have a glorified body because every morning when I wake up my back hurts.

I'm looking forward to the day when you have a glorified body as well. Let's go to our next question.

This one is an email from David. He says my daughter told me about a lecture she heard in her college class where the professor said that God the father in Christianity functions as a way to maintain patriarchal structures in society which causes harm to women. My daughter doesn't seem convinced by her professors analysis, but I'm wondering is there a way to encourage her to affirm that God, being a good father doesn't have to mean what the professor seems to be saying yeah why I think if you know the context of the ancient near East and then you look at the way in which the Scripture talks about women, the Old Testament and on. Also in the New Testament. You come away, not with the sense that the biblical religion was invented to support the patriarchy, but to reveal the true God to us in the true God of Scripture defends and honors women. God made man in his image, male and female were told and throughout the Old Testament. You have the stories of women who God used mightily that think of Deborah and Ruth and others. The Old Testament Scriptures give a voice to women and there were provisions in Israel for the protection of women in the ancient near East and one of the shocking things about God, at least in the context of the ancient near East, the God of the Bible is that he identified with and cared for groups that in that day were often subject to abuse and mistreatment widows, orphans, strangers got advocated for them and upheld them in a society in a world where oftentimes they were cast aside in the New Testament. You see Jesus pursuing in and defending women who typically would have been mistreated in his day.

I think of the woman at the well in John chapter 4 she's a woman who's who's had all these different partners. He's not Jewish she's the Samaritan she's probably viewed with contempt by the society and yet Jesus pursued her and cared for her, loved her, redeemed her, you will see the band of women who Jesus ministered to being instrumental in his early ministry supporting and helping to spread the gospel truth so I don't buy the whole Christianity is justice.

Religion invented by powerful men to subjugate women.

I think it's baloney men and women are spiritually in terms of their being equal to each other but were also created by God uniquely and differently and that different should be celebrated not dismissed the Bible's teaching on men and women is probably to be different than it sounds like with this college professor is giving to your daughter, but that doesn't mean it's bad it's good actually. It celebrates the uniqueness of creation how God has made us to serve each other, reading the Scriptures, Old Testament and New Testament seek God lavish his love on his creation on his creatures on men and women redeeming them using them for his perfect thanks for listening to court Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer.

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