How Should We Respond When a Church Member Commits a Hate Crime?

How should we respond when a Christian commits a hate crime best 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 for the next 25 minutes with your question and talk to Pastor Israel live. Here's the number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 also post your question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch us on YouTube and you can email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com burst up today let's go to Sally in Lincoln near Indiana Sally what your question for Pastor Israel regarding others that the only legitimate baptism by immersion as Christ with mercy and I just Pastor's opinion on that question Sally. They really were talking about right now is the mode of baptism is necessary to be immersed fully dumped in the water. In order for you to be truly baptized.

Yet it seems to me that from from the very beginning of the history of the church. The churches had different ways of baptizing limits through immersion or sprinkling or pouring one of that one the most ancient Christian documents that we know of a document called the did I K probably written around the same time as the Gospels of it is that old items written by believers bite by Christians are one of the things they did okay. Talks about is this idea of baptism and how to do it and one of things it says that you talks popping baptizing in the sort of living water, a river or something like that. If you can't do that will then just baptized via pouring you have to recognize you that there there were circumstantially innocent as is difficult to be fully immersed. What does that mean that you couldn't be baptize her other ways other modes.

Legitimate modes of baptism. In fact, adjusted to get biblical with this you think about what Jesus himself said in acts chapter 1 where he told the disciples prior to his ascension that he was going to baptize them in the Holy Spirit. Acts chapter 1 verse five Jesus said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. He was referring to what took place on the day of Pentecost. Well, what did it look like when the disciples were baptized in the Holy Spirit Sally in the very next chapter in chapter 2. You know that Peter quotes from the prophet Joel Joel 217 the last days, it shall be, God declares that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

You see this also.

And in verse 34 of acts, verse 33 of acts chapter 2 and therefore being exalted at the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. So this idea of baptism.

It doesn't necessarily have to mean that that a person needs to be fully immersed in order to be legitimately baptized, although I that's perfectly fine to me. That's that's wonderful and think that's a good thing. But you can also be sprinkled or you could have water poured on you and and that would also be a legitimate baptism of the case that annex acts one into it is certainly something the church is done from the very beginning so Sally, thank you so much for your question. May the Lord bless you your listing to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez to Jenny from Donelson Iowa Jenny, welcome to the program.

Thank you for taking my call. I have been doubting my salvation for about a year because Vladek constant inner turmoil and I was just wondering what does putting my faith and trust in Jesus look like I've prayed that know that just in case prior a lot. You notice in case it didn't take the first time and how can I believe that he died for me. I did this big struggle for me. Well Jenny, you are not alone.

There are a lot of sincere genuine believers who have this this same question I've shared on the broadcast. Before that I really wrestled with this as a newer, Christian, and when we look at the New Testament, there are a number of places.

The New Testament talks about us, about us having assurance or place where we can get assurance from as believers, the one that a lot of times people focus on is their fruit you know I am I really being faithful in my really walking with Jesus is my life truly changed and there are places in in the Scriptures were it where it talks about this were talks about how you having a genuine relationship with Jesus does indeed change the spirit of God is working in us day by day.

I don't think that's the primary place you should go or any of us should go to find assurance. Another place that did the Scriptures talk about is this the sort of internal testimony of the Holy Spirit. Paul said in the book of Romans that the spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are indeed the children of God sort sort of like this overwhelming sense of the fact that I have been adopted into God's family, and some people point to that and I think that's legitimate it's it's it's biblical but even that I would say is not the primary place that we should go in order to to find assurance. The primary place we go is to the promise of the gospel which is for sinners.

Jenny, it's that Jesus Christ died, rose again from the grave and that all who trust in him are indeed saved born again and it's this objective promise of the author. The Hebrews talks about actually a passage of Scripture that a lot of times people go to edit and it's one that they feel like you know causes them to question their salvation. It's in the book of Hebrews chapter 6 yet in the second part of a Hebrews chapter 6, I want you to know what the author the Hebrew said just because something was really comforting for me when I when I grasp it wrestling with this with this very question.

The other lever says Hebrews 613. When God made a promise to Abraham since he had no one greater by whom to swear.

He swore by himself saying, surely I will bless you and multiply you, and thus Abraham having patiently waited, obtained the promise for people swear by something greater than themselves and in all their disputes. An oath is final for confirmation so when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we that's you and me, Jenny, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to lay hold of the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul. Hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf. What is the anchor of your soul. What is the anchor of my soul. It is Jesus Christ himself who is ascended into heaven, the anchor of my soul. What keeps me is not my own faithfulness is not my feelings. We got not look to those things in order that to find assurance. We look up to Jesus to his work and and what I love about this passage of Scripture. Jenny is is it's focusing on the promise of God the sure promise of God that God can't lie. He's extended this gospel to us to sinners.

Our job is to lay hold of that hope by faith. How do you how do you do that well faith. Jenny is like an empty hand. It's just receiving the grace that Jesus has for you as broken as we are as simple as we are as much as we still struggle that grace is for you and so you lay hold of it so you know, we can look at our lives and say what I see the Lord working in me and and that might comfort us. We can have this sense of the fact that we've been adopted into the family of God but but even those things right. It can be sort of shaking their subjective. The object of hope that you can have is and what Jesus has done. He is the anchor of your soul. And as John says in in in his first letter first. John and I write these wings to you who believe in the name of the son of God, that you might know you have eternal life Jenny.

If you believe in Jesus. If you trust in him. If you've extended that empty hand to him receiving his grace. You can know that you have eternal life. God bless you and I literally used to really important words. Their objective and subjective and objectively the prices been paid or sent objectively we are saved and yet subjectively as Jenny expressed to many people express they get stuck with how I feel on a certain day.

Am I really sure we need to keep coming back to that again. In the end away. Yeah it it's looking outside of ourselves up to Christ and to his work and and at the end of the day. That should lead us to worship because what were not resting on what we do, but what he did and and so it in that sense, I mean it really it really is such a comfort because we know that our works are shaky that we do well and then we fail and then we get back up but but that's why we don't get assurance from primarily from what we do, but from what Jesus did and that it's for sinners like us. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Danny who is calling in from Davie, Florida Danny, welcome to the program and will only program is a real blessing to me as long as you know that all hey thank you Danny, but it is we know that people in our day claim to be Christian. If they are trusting in their good works to save them grace and mercy of God's work. Jesus would cause them to remain on milk. Abraham believed God was credited to him as righteousness. One works. Wages are not credited of the gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work to trust God justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. So my question is this. Jews in the Old Testament times were saying say what is Abraham and us by trusting God is looking to the coming Messiah back to the cross Old Testament juicing to put their obedience of the law is something that was crucial to their salvation so people now at work to salvation, nullifying their salvation. Old Testament Jews be guilty of the same mistake work more than a bit trusting good works of their obedience to the law thoughts on that issue. I really appreciate the question and and that shows that you are digging into the Scriptures. You're absolutely right and I think this is something it's really important for us to to grasp the saints in the Old Testament that they want saved a different way from from us and they weren't saved by their works, by the law and now under the new covenant were saved by grace and the forgiveness of sins that kind of a thing know everyone who saved saved by grace through faith and in you cite a couple verses in the book of Romans there talk about Abraham being justified by faith as well just good text to go to. So that's that is the clear teaching of the Scripture is. The question is what what was the role of the law. What was the role of the temple. The sacrifices he had the ceremonial law. All of those other things and it wasn't so that the Hebrews would put their trust in it for their salvation for their justification, we might say the apostle Paul McKeesport teases us out in the book of Galatians specifically talks about how the law was given as a guardian until Christ came.

This is Galatians chapter 3 verse 24 in order that we might be justified by faith of the law could never justify didn't justify that it doesn't justify now, in one sense, it was the Guardian that help to keep the people of God there under the old covenant until the appointed time and all the other things you do note that the ceremonial law you think of the temple, the tabernacle, the types and shadows what those things were meant to do was set the eyes of the Hebrews onto Christ and the gospel through these sort of shadow we types.

These these precursors if you will, to the redemptive work of Jesus. When John the Baptist shows up preaching.

He points to Jesus and he says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In other words, this is the ultimate sacrifice for atonement for our sins that all the sacrament, the sacrifices of the old covenant pointed forward to the Hebrews were called to put their trust in the law right if you trust and love you trusting yourself your own works. Your your lost or condemned, and again that's appointed a Paul makes throughout, Galatians, and especially in Galatians chapter 3 it was all of these things, the law, the sacrifices that the types and shadows of the Old Testament were meant to point us to lead us by the hand to Jesus and one of the things it's so beautiful about this is when you really grasp this. It helps you to recognize that the entire Bible friends is about Christ that I took me a long time to to to understand that the years actually died. Read the Old Testament.

I think okay just seems like you that you know God is all about rules and regulations there in the New Testament is about grace and it seems like there were saved by the law back then and now are saved by forgiveness and grace. No that's not it at all. That's exactly what Paul says it was not the case and in Galatians chapter 3. All of these things are actually pointing us to Jesus into the grace that we receive in him, and Jesus himself is the one who said this when the religious leaders were denying him or rejecting them, you know, he says to them in John chapter 5, you search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life.

But these are the very Scriptures that testify of me. And so we see Jesus.

The gospel all over the place in the Old Testament, but it was through these sort of types, figures, shadows, these these precursors if you will, to the reality and so that's that's how we have to understand is that what trusting in those things those things were leading them to the one in whom they should trust, and in whom we should trust Jesus, thank you for your question Danny, this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question for the pastor Israel. Here's the number to call you want to call here in the next 10 minutes or so. It's 833 the core that's 833-843-2673 one reminder some radio stations air our program at a delayed basis later in the day so if you want to call live in talk pastor Israel.

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One word. To learn more or give us a call at 833. The core 833-843-2673 let's go to Maria calling in from Paris, California Maria, what's your question for pastor. Israel and yeah well I I would say we lift them up to the Lord.

We offer a prayer for them, with faith trusting in God and looking to learn a minute. Situations like this.

I think a lot of times can cause us to question whether or not God is able to help another person, and sometimes you think of issues were being mentioned delirium. Maybe there's some mental health stuff there.

You know what can really really discourage us assist. I want to encourage you Maria, the Lord Jesus hears your prayers, and he is able to work in the life of this individual.

Whatever it is that they're going through.

And so I think that think that we do is we lift them up and we say Lord give them clarity of mind ultimately Lord because the light of your countenance.

The light of your love the light of your mercy, the light of Jesus to shine upon them so that they might know your truth and will we ultimately know that in terms of someone coming to the faith Maria someone embracing the gospel that that really is a work of the Holy Spirit, and so I think you can pray and ought to pray that the spirit of God would be at work in this person's life illuminating their mind and helping them to see and clean to Jesus. So you pray for that and also I would say pray for opportunities to be able to share the love of the Lord. With this individual to extend that that kindness to them through your actions toward them.

But even just speaking the truth in love, speaking the gospel who Jesus is and what he's done for us, so that they might they might begin to see by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and so yeah I want to encourage you to pray and and I think that that's the best approach. Knowing the spirit is in control and trusting him to do his work.

Thank you for your question and remember this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

You can leave us a voicemail on our phone line 24 hours a day. If you have a question. You can also leave a voicemail through our website at core, Christianity.com just click on the little microphone icon to record your question. Here's a voicemail we received from Brad.

I doubt Atlanta. I got one of many more thought on where the perpetrator is someone they number go to evangelical bird so some people say that these searches ignore talking about but they should talk about or an order wrong report that it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that the people would hurt wondering what you think or think or do they do more than what they are doing or something that the inevitable people who are the nerves of other people out. Thank you for that question.

Absolutely devastating. What Took Pl. in Atlanta and then as you mentioned, you know, a lot of the new stations reported this person was a member of the church and at least you know the first thing we should do is cry out to the Lord for his mercy for his mercy and comfort for especially the victims. For those who've been directly affected. Pray for the church to have a have a good response to be able to come alongside of those who are in need in this time. Obviously, you know something like this happens and it's it's another black eye for the church in the eyes of the world heat of the world sees this in his essay yeah you guys are all a bunch of hypocrites and so this is absolutely devastating, heartbreaking, and I know a lot of people in our arsenal looking for for motives and that kind of a thing II did see some reports that were saying essentially in of the heat he was saying that the reason he did this heinous thing was because of some sexual addiction that he had a quote we quote a temptation for him that he wanted to eliminate these spas that he shot up and and what this is, frankly, is it just is the spirit of the antichrist murder and it's a sort of false theology, frankly friendly, a misunderstanding of sin, the misunderstanding of the image of God. It seems like he has objectified these women essentially dehumanize them and then was able to kill them and he saw it as as fighting against his temptation in it. I think it's okay for us within the tritium and we should reflect on ourselves and are there things that we say is Christian leaders and pastors that allow people to think like this that really you know I think I think often times in the church were always pointing the finger at the outside and say what the problem is out there, not inside of us. The promise out there sometimes people can take that and and run with it and say yeah that's right that's the problem, and that's the problem that I'm at war with and maybe that's what this with this young man thought and he was deceived he was deceiving. And as I said that that was. This is the spirit of the antichrist at work.

Jesus himself made absolutely clear in Matthew chapter 15 where the problem is where sin lies.

He says it comes from our hearts. Verse 19 of Matthew 15 for out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander, these are what defile a person to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone brothers and sisters.

Too often we fail to realize that that the problem that the sin issue that we need to deal with first and foremost isn't out there it isn't. In other people made in the image of God first and foremost, so often it's it's right here in our own hearts. And if in the church there is this rhetoric that's always pointing the finger out there, and in particular hear one of the big issues was the way in which women were being treated and talked about as if these women were the problem. I think that the defect can be language that used in the church at times that contributes to this sort of ideology that we need to fight against. Frankly, no, we need to turn to the Lord the problem so often brothers and sisters, is our own hearts and the sin that's there that needs to be mortified in the hope is the gospel that Jesus himself has conquered sin, even the sin in us. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time.

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