Must Christians Keep the Mosaic Law?

It seems like there are so many voices spreading their views about the Bible and God's law online. So how do I know which ones to listen to and which ones to avoid. That's just 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. We would love to hear from you can talk to pastor a drill live right now by calling us at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook or Instagram account and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com. By the way, that's our website. If you want to check that out core Christianity.com will first up today Israel hears a voicemail we received from a listener named Sandra hi 17 and I'm still relatively safe and confused about the meaning of first John chapter 3 verse four. There are a lot of discrepancies writing that prayers and using it to say that we must uphold God's Sabbath and going deep down the rabbit will of Internet couple weeks back which is probably a big mistake and I discovered that there are some groups claiming that our salvation is contingent upon obedience and is justified by the law, but all the conflicting information online has been making really overwhelms confusing stress lately, so I was just wondering if you could help me resolve this conundrum. Thinking that was a voicemail that we got from Kiersten. It sounds like, and so and honestly what what a wonderful question that is actually at the highlights for us why good theology understanding God's word rightly is so important. I mean, when we don't have a right understanding of God's word. I does lead to a lot of confusion leads to us feeling overwhelmed, confused, stress, and so just don't help you out with this and by looking at the passage you first brought up in first John chapter 3 and I want to start reading at the beginning of the chapter just to give us some context. Their first John chapter 3 does John say anything here that indicates that Christians need to keep the Mosaic law in order to be saved. Keep that in mind as I read this passage see what kind of love the Father has given to us that we should be called the children of God. And so we are the reason why the world is not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now and what we will be has not yet appeared but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is in everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself, as he is pure. And here's the verse that you brought up verse for everyone you makes a practice of sinning. Also practices lawlessness, sin is lawlessness. Now John isn't saying anything here that would indicate that believers in Jesus Christ. Those who are part of what we call the new covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31 talked about. Hebrews chapter 8 or under the Mosaic law. You need to keep the Mosaic law in order to be saved.

What he's focusing on here.

Kiersten is our adoption, is the fact that we've been welcomed into the family of God through Jesus the son of God Jesus, who is the eternal son of God by nature. The word of the father, John 11 made you and I that sons and daughters of God by grace. The grace of adoption and that's what John is talking about here in this passage. One of the things that he's highlighting is those who have been adopted into the family of God. Those who are the children of God are filled with the spirit they love God. They love each other. John seems to be focusing on how we can tell the children of God versus the children of the devil Uganda verse 10 he says.

By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. And so that idea is not anywhere here in first John chapter 3, and actually it's this very question that was addressed by the apostles, the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ at an event called the Jerusalem Council. If you have your Bible, you can turn to acts chapter 15.

Again, this question which we received on the program several times do I as a believer in Jesus need to keep the law of Moses in order to be saved will look this is something that that the apostles themselves had it had to deal with acts chapter 15 beginning in verse one, but some men came down from Judaica and were teaching the brothers unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. In other words, if people really want to be saved if they want to know Jesus and be a part of the church. They need to keep the law of Moses that have to be circumcising and adhere to these other rules and regulations and how to the disciples of our Lord Jesus, how the apostles respond back chapter 15 go down to verse six the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter and after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, brothers, you know that in the early days, God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe in God, who knows the heart bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.

Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear. That is the law of Moses. We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus just as they will, Kiersten. There's your answer given directly from the lips of Peter. Christians are not called to obey the law of Moses in order to be justified is nothing of the law is a bad thing to think. That's not how were justified. That's not how are made right in God's sight, and so if you're hearing people who are trying to put you under the law. As a believer in Jesus. I look at it in less you do these things you can't be saved. You can't be justified for go to acts chapter 15 or go to the book of Galatians, or go to the book of Romans where the Scripture speaks so clearly to this, we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and as those were saved. We obey God's will we follow them by the grace of the Holy Spirit, not in order to to be justified because he justified us by the blood of Jesus. So, thank you so much for that question, Kiersten may let me Lord bless you. So nice to hear from blisters like Kirsten 17 years old and already thinking about some significant issues regarding her faith and that's just so encouraging to all of us. I love it. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez's by the way we want to say. If you have a huge thank you to our listeners who have joined what we call our inner core.

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Let's go to one in Houston Texas and a question somewhat related to what Kristin asked hi Juan how are you welcome the core Christianity. Yeah, I really like working out. My question was little ball and make her do it is you know I ran into the family at home or family member that went to no longer an old one. I will call decode their limited academic and recruitment and think about not following I'm not keeping the salary and gave their lives hundred you was what I would say one I would say that doesn't even sound like the messianic Jews that I've heard of. I know some some brothers who would consider themselves to be messianic Jews and they confess that Jesus is the Christ, that is God. Now you know we can talk about some of the other things that they they include there, but I would say no, these are these are genuine believers, but it sounds to me like this group that you're referring to is a call to the deny the deity of Jesus Christ. Sounds like there also trying to put you back under the law.

Colossians 216 therefore let no one pass judgment on you and questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ in any group that focuses on the sort of shadows and not on the substance that is in Jesus and it sounds like. Like I said like they're minimizing the identity of who Jesus is, which is essentially in first John what what John said that the spirit of the antichrist as he is trying to get denied the identity of Jesus and so what when people are doing that. I think we just we turn in and run or or mean in terms of need him you don't want to join that church, but we also address the error there.

The Scriptures are absolutely clear that Jesus is the son of God the eternal son of God, equal with the father and and so I'd say be careful with with this group brother and I thank you for calling in your listing the core Christianity let's go to David in Alberta, Canada.

David, welcome to core Christianity there. I hope you're warm over there.

-45 per night where I am right now. David, I have never experienced anything like that in my life grown up in in in San Diego. That just sounds pretty wild. May God keep you warm embrace. What's your question on another Mr. O you quick question in regards to Matthew 11, but it's regarding our attempts are probably the most terrifying verse mobile. I've heard other people of very different interpretations love to get your guide interpretation about where Jesus basically so you know many, this day will come to me and say, Lord, Lord, that we not do miracles and prophesy your people in your name and skills they'll surely turn the you know I never knew you workers of lawlessness and I just want to get your interpretation, thanks again for your ministry.

Hey, thank you for the encouragement, brother. And you're right. This is one of the most terrifying passages in all of the Bible I think Matthew chapter 7. Beginning in verse 21. Not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. But the one he does the will of my father who is in heaven.

On that day. That is the day of judgment that Jesus is referring to here on that day many will say to me Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name and then I will declare to them, I never knew you depart from me, you workers of lawlessness that you know here that Jesus is talking about an individual Christian losing their salvation is not hey. I used to know you used to be in a good relationship you were justified and then you fell away and and sorry you know you lost your salvation of that's not what Jesus says he's talking here to false teachers, false prophets in the context of Jesus it and made this clear back in verse 15 beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves and so externally they look really good. Maybe they do acts of charity. I mean the people here are appealing to their works. David there there sin did we prophesy in your name Jesus and do all these wonderful things in your name and actually the reality is they didn't even know who Jesus was and Jesus didn't know them. Now what does that mean that mean that Jesus wasn't aware that they exist, or that kind of thing know in the Scriptures, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament that word no means more than just would have a cognitive knowledge of no speaks of intimacy.

God said of Israel in the Old Testament you only of all the nations of the world have I known me think even in the book of Genesis where it talks about Adam and Eve coming together that they Adam knew his wife even meet the active intimacy there in the Bible this were to know is speaks of so much more than just the sort of head knowledge.

Jesus is saying we were never in a relationship, but we never had a personal relationship. You did not know me by faith. That was the problem here. These these false teachers is so interesting.

David there appealing to their works, what they've done. And Jesus says I never knew you. Now I think one of the reasons why this is so scary is because each of us.

You know, we think, and when I'm standing before the Lord on the day of judgment. It seems like these people are just caught completely off guard. How could they be so blind that they think that they're serving Jesus, but they don't even know Jesus. These are the same people brother who rejected Christ.

Now how how can they claim to be doing these miracles in his name and yet rejectable.

He says your workers of lawlessness, that is, they didn't love them.

They didn't keep his word and that that's not that were saved by keeping God's word by fulfilling the law.

I talked about that with with the first question, but when we truly know the Lord.

We have a relationship with him were justified by faith. The spirit of God begins to work in us and we begin to love the Lord to follow him imperfectly this side of heaven. But these people never had any of that. And so brother I think we we ought to take this as a warning and ultimately to be reminded here of the importance of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ by faith. Jesus said to them, I never knew you. David is a help clear up this passage for you, thank you so much for Marriott up by the author.

I'm not real. I really appreciate your time. Wonderful. I'm glad it was helpful.

May the Lord bless you brother is right that is a scary passage if we don't really understand the context and what Jesus is saying there. That's right, we want to make sure that we are going to be with him for eternity and these not to turn us away right yeah and and again it's it's not focusing on ourselves and our works on that day on the day of judgment. We stand before the Lord. We can't stand in our own righteousness in our own goodness.

God is in a bring everything you know into account. And so that's why we can only stand in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

And that's what these false teachers didn't have. He never knew them, Jesus says, and so each of us should be encouraged to look to Christ and to find our rest, our confidence, our hope in him by man. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and today we want to offer you a special resource that a drill has produced. It's called seeing Jesus.

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Let's go to Michael who is calling in from Oklahoma, to try to say your town. Michael is it tall Aqua you got it pretty close to her head. The aliquot Delacroix that's what people have a lot of trouble with that are out of state so you did great. Nice job, Bill takes Michael what your question, yes. My question pertains to in Luke chapter 22 verse 36 were Jesus advises the disciples to obtain a sword and if they don't have one to sell the cloak and get one so I was just curious from your your interpretation of that. Yeah that's good so my take on this and I was there. There are various interpretations that people of but for some people think Jesus Salak literally, you need to go and get a weapon and be ready to go toe to toe with you know some people I don't take that view. In particular, because even just a little bit later Peter is going to try and defend his Lord is there coming to arrest me. Remember Peter does. He cuts off the air of of the servant of the ear of the servant of the high priest Malka's and and he's rebuked and Jesus and you know those who live by the sword will also die by the sword and so I don't think that Jesus is talking about it out. Each of us as believers, we to make sure that were where you know I'm going in and purchasing weapons that kind of a thing of this is that the up to each individual person think the focus here is on the fact that look as Christians, as the people of God followers of Jesus we are in a very real battle and and we can't minimize that mean the apostle Paul in the book of Ephesians, he talks about the spiritual war that we are in and too often I think today Michael, that is it not for not focused on are not emphasizing us as believers today. We started to think everything is is fine and dandy, but the reality is work were in the middle of a spiritual battle for the souls of people and the Christian life. In in one sense really is a fight. It is a war and we are under that the sovereign commander Jesus Christ called to follow him and to do battle.

But how do we do battle were not battling against flesh and blood and no were battling against principalities and powers and rulers in the heavily heavenly places in the way we do battle is with the sword of the Spirit, the gospel of Jesus Christ through prayer. Again this one of the things that Paul emphasizes in Ephesians is I think I think here the words of Jesus are primarily symbolic. He's he's preparing his disciples for the kinds of things that they're going to face and what it means to be a follower of Jesus emphasizing the fact that this is a real battle that were entering into following Jesus. It's not a cakewalk. It's it's a spiritual war, and we as Christians need to understand that right answer and Michael, thank you for your question there from Oklahoma. Let's go to Brendan from Rockford, Illinois Brendan, welcome to core Christianity a great show. My question is in regards to all first Shepherd three where he says that that God desires all to be saved and all to come to the knowledge of the truth. I believe that God sovereignly elects all of us to be saved are all description could be saved along with that. That would mean that also that God chooses to not save others. So how does that, if that is true. All thing here is also true. Out of those two things correlate are all people say is there that we have to do in terms of getting to acknowledge your truth and hope that that would be great to have the text referring to is in first Timothy, she says that she chapter 2, first of all, that I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people and then process for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth and so you you know you're right were in were getting into some pretty deep stuff here brother more thinking about God's sovereign decree you mentioned election that is this doctrine that God chooses people for salvation. We can get into that at something that's not met with the focus of your question, but here it is very clear that God desires all people to be sending me think about John chapter 3 verse 16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Now there are different ways in which Bible teachers and scholars have interpreted this passage in particular some people to say will get God wants all people to be saved, but not everyone is saving so God is disappointed about that other people have said that the church father St. Augustine.

He said you know God wills all men to be saved who are saved, sort of, sort of how he understood that I take this passage to be. I understand this passage in the way that that understands is Paul is saying here, God desires all people without distinction to be so. That is all kinds of people because in verse two he says for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life. In other words, look at God desires all kinds of people to be saved for kings.

All were in high positions. Pray for them and and ultimately we can say that it in in a real sense I got it in in terms of how his revealed himself to us. Does call the whole world, to repentance and faith, we can say to God desires all people to be saved now. Why is it that some people don't come to faith. We have to be real careful, careful here and we we always want to say look, God is absolutely sovereign, but mankind is totally responsible as well. Those who aren't saved because they reject Jesus Christ. It's because they deny him. They don't have faith they don't want him ultimately but we also know that anyone who is saved is saved solely because of the work of God's spirit that God is the one who grants us faith as a gift. And these are these are two things that we see in Scripture absolutely clearly laid out for a scene of the absolute sovereignty of God and the responsibility of mankind on think there's any contradiction there and in what Paul is saying here, to Timothy's God to start desires all kinds of people to be saved and so Timothy pray and what an encouragement for us brothers and sisters, we need to pray for kings and for all who are in it authority it doesn't matter whether you agree with him or not with their policies because God is good and desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth and one of the ways he brings them to the knowledge of the truth is through the prayers of his people and so pray that the Lord might save others.

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