Did God Die on the Cross?

The following is a prerecorded version of core Christianity.

Jesus is God that is accurate to say that God died on the cross match is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Adria Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day want to wish you a very happy Easter. As we head into this weekend you can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook or Instagram program account.

You can also email us at questions at court, Christianity.com will first up today let's go to Gaylene in Topeka, Kansas daily what your question for pastor Adria hello hi Gaylene how are you already knew. I'm telling you all know you to call him they were talking before yeah I will. One year I will want and how you okay you recall speaking gospel. I will always read the words and everything beyond a lot at last he mining ship out in LA so the flaws in the media lose so much years economy. They are encountering.

You really can't mess with your son, your prayers yeah how do you deal with that right is that your question, how do you deal with that yet.

Will you know Gaylene, the reality is, to say this in the Christian life were in a battle.

Don't ever let anyone tell you that if you're a Christian. If you feel filled with the Holy Spirit that kind of thing that this should just all come easily to you. It's a sort of natural you know, obedience, and, and, following the Lord perfectly in your prayer life, which is always good to be flourishing. That kind of thing. The reality is it's a daily struggle. I know a lot of a lot of believers who when they first recognize that you know that they think is there something wrong with me and might my really actually saved, you know, why do I still have these thoughts are, why do I still struggle with this center. How could I feel so cold when I open up the Bible and read it. That kind of thing. Maybe there something wrong with me but the reality is no genuine believers, people who truly know and love Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit still struggle day by day.

The apostle Paul talked about this battle in place is like Romans chapter 7 or in Galatians chapter 5, where he encourages the Galatians to walk according to the spirit of the flesh lusts against the spirit.

These two are at odds with each other and there is talking about our own our own flesh.

Our own sort of sinful inclinations at times were we don't want to follow the Lord. We don't want to do what we know we should do and so I want to just encourage you with that. Just not to think that your experiences is foreign to a genuine Christian experience, and when you feel weighed down.

When you feel like Batman III want to follow the Lord. I want you talking about preaching and sharing your faith with others, or I think that's a wonderful thing. But you just feel weighed down by sin may be by by the flesh. Whatever whatever it is well we go back to those promises that ground us in the Christian faith, those truths that we know are true regardless of how we feel that our sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ not on the basis of how I feel when I wake up in the morning.

Praise God for that. But on the basis of God's word on the basis of what Jesus is accomplished when he went to the cross me today, many, many Christians are celebrating Good Friday, focusing on the cross of Christ. Well, why should we focus on it because it's there that our sins were nailed to the tree as it were, God made him who knew no sin to become sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Paul says in second Corinthians. So we go to those promises and we remind ourselves of those truths, what is true regardless of how we feel and we pray by me and I know the prayer you know can be a very difficult thing for many of us that I've never met a believers as I just let you know II that's one area of my life or it's just perfect. My prayer life know, but we continue to press in and to seek the Lord even when we don't have those those feelings those emotions necessarily and we recognize that again it's it's going to be a battle. It really is but don't quit continue to press into the word continue to press into Christian Fellowship continue to press into prayer and to seek the face of the Lord in Jesus and by the grace of the Holy Spirit. And as we do that we have the seasons of me. Other times were really don't experience or feel God's presence in my life. I'm just struggling than their other times were manned the word of God is really opening up to me and it it's as if God is illuminating my mind I'm I'm gaining all this new understanding just continue pressing in, and may the Lord bless you as you do. I hope your encouraged friend.

And thank you again for calling us.

God bless your listening to core Christianity with pastor Pedro Sanchez. Let's go to a voicemail that came in at 833-843-2673. This is from Giovanni in Nevada city, California with last year's die. Jesus told his disciples that he was going to go to his friend to awaken him because he was asleep when he got there resurrected Lazarus, but my question is when we die we go to heaven.

Why would Jesus have brought Lazarus back from heaven to earth. Only again die after he finishes the earthly course page. Thank you for that question is yet thanks a lot Jesus I was.

I was really enjoying my time there in heaven.

And now I'm brought back down to that kind with thing. Why in the world would Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Another the passage of Scripture that you're referring to is John chapter 11 a really beautiful portion of Scripture were Jesus's comforting Mary and Martha, Lazarus is sisters and there's this whole dialogue between them and I think from the very beginning.

You kinda get the sense as to why Jesus did what he did in John chapter 11.

If you look at it at verse 13 starting their third Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant that Lazarus is taking rest and sleep, and then Jesus told them plainly not here Jesus is speaking to his disciples. Lazarus has died and for your sake. I am glad that I was not there so that you may believe senior money is not always about us can and what were experiencing. Sometimes God works in our lives in mysterious ways for the good of others, and here it seems like it was first the good of the disciples uses for your sake.

I'm glad that you may believe, and then a little bit later in this chapter in John chapter 11 verse 42 Jesus is praying there at that big gravesite if you will buy the tomb and he saying to his father. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around that they may believe that you sent me okay for now, such as the disciples it's it's the other people that are there gathered around the, the, the tomb of Lazarus that were there were Jews who were there. Some of them even Pharisees people were gathered there to see and comfort.

Really, Mary and Martha and and Jesus said that they may believe that you sent me see this again in verse 45 just a few verses later, many of the Jews. Therefore, who had come up with Mary and had seen what he did believed in him and so why does Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, while first for Lazarus. In one sense, but the reality is, it wasn't just all about Lazarus. It was about the people that were there experiencing this miracle witnessing this miracle and at the end of the day. This is another way to understand is these kinds of miracles we see in the New Testament is not there never serve and in and of themselves, not hate Jesus is going to heal this person from blindness just so that they can see you know better and and great for them.

Know the purpose of miracles was always to lead people to faith to believe in Jesus, so that the greatest miracle might happen, the forgiveness of sins. And so Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, so that those there might believe and receive his grace.

Thanks for your question Giovanni just love the passage of John. It is also beautiful and him and so powerful and I moved always when I read about Jesus's tears at death and how death affects us and how we grieve and how painful it is and yet he seems that he Congress death on the cross. Yeah, you do see there in John chapter 11 the sort of emotions.

The emotions of the son of God grieving but I think also. Even maybe, this sense of anger at death mean death.

According to the Bible is this great enemy were told an enemy that Jesus came to conquer. A pulse is us in first grade is chapter 15. And so, so Jesus is dealing with death here in John chapter 11, but he's in a deal with death more fully and more. Finally when he himself goes into the tomb and then rises from the dead. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez by the way, we'd love to have you join our inner core. That's a group of people that regularly support this program and if you give a gift of $25 or more a month. We will send you exclusive content. We have some wonderful video devotionals that April will be sending you on a regular basis and a copy of the book core Christianity.

To learn more about that you can just go to our website.

Core, Christianity.com/inner core. Let's go to Kelsey who is calling in from Baltimore, Maryland Kelsey, welcome to the program know what the Bible like opinion on sexuality hey Kelsey, thank you so much for your question.

A question actually that we we've had on the broadcast before and it's one that a lot of people are asking right now homosexuality or same-sex sex acts are clearly forbidden or prohibited in the Scriptures. You see this in places like the book of Leviticus. You also see it in the New Testament Romans chapter 1, also in first Corinthians chapter 6, the apostle Paul said there in first Corinthians chapter 6 is writing to a group of of Christians who are actually struggling with all sorts of different kinds of sins at church there in Corinth and he sees essentially warning them not to go back to their previous lifestyles and he says do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor revolvers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. The word that's used there in first Corinthians chapter 6, homosexuality is elsewhere in the New Testament attached to words and those two words describe. Essentially, same-sex sex acts and so what's being forbidden here in particular is engaging in this kind of sexual relationship. Are there people who wrestle with same-sex attraction to have these desires yeah and can they can they experience the grace of God the salvation of Jesus Christ. As we all experience these these different desires that are disordered because of sin, and because of the effect of sin in the world that were weren't were wrestling with an and frankly that were were putting to death, as it were mortifying that the sword to be apostle Paul uses in Romans charge again. Romans chapter 6 through eight, we all have the sort of desires and it could be the desire to lust after someone of the same-sex or the opposite sex.

For this, this sort of proclivity towards pride, towards any number of things that were called to set aside Jesus that take up your cross and follow me and and so what does the Bible say about homosexuality. While it calls us to follow Jesus to set aside maybe those desires that are disordered because of the fall because of sin and to receive the grace of Jesus Christ to follow him. And so, so I think the Bible is very clear on this. There have been some people Kelsey and in recent days who sorta try to make a case and say you will.

You know the way that in which the church is interpreted the Scriptures for 2000 years is off. Now we have more information there. Some of even said you know those passages that talk about homosexuality are talking more about something like pedophilia are something like that. But really, when you when you look at that the New Testament words that that just doesn't add up. The reality is, is even in those days in the Greco-Roman world. There were people who were in same-sex relationships. There was homosexuality that was really being practiced all over the place and those are the words the words are used to describe those acts of the words that are used in the New Testament that there forbidden by the apostles. This is not in line with how God is called us to express ourselves sexually and so I think the Scriptures are really clear on that.

That doesn't mean that a person who wrestles with an end and has asserted same-sex attraction can't be saved. No way that they can be, by the grace of the Lord Jesus, and in fact, Paul says to the Corinthians. Again in verse 11 that text I just read and such were some of you in other words, some of you were engaged in this kind of behavior but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God doesn't matter what our background is what our proclivities are sinful proclivities or what our struggle is the grace of Jesus in the blood of Jesus is sufficient to cleanse us and Christ welcomes us when we come to him and say Lord have mercy.

Thanks Kelsey for your question. Amen.

What a great promise for all of us a drill. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to a voicemail that came in from Debbie in Lodi, California hi I have a friend who believe that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday and not Friday. How would I address that.

Thank you.

Yeah so I'm in there. There is some discrepancy in the Gospels and I think that's one of the reasons why a lot of people sort of wrestle with and been part of it has to do with the way in which people think about you know the day you were told that Jesus was in the grave for three days that he rose on the third day and so then people are trying to sort of backtrack Psalm and and you know we want to make sure that he was there for 72 hours and that's how that that those prophecies are going to be fulfilled. I think we understand the way in which the Jews thought of the day, in particular as beginning the night before when the sun sets and and the sort of a part of the day really being able to account for a full day. That kind of thing that there there really is an issue here, and it's absolutely clear. According to the New Testament that Jesus rose again on the first day of the week. That's when the women went to the tomb were were told repeatedly. It was the first day of the week that would have been Sunday, sometimes referred to as the Lord's day in places like the book of Revelation, and that's why Christians from from very early on, Debbie started to worship on Sunday. You see this in first Corinthians chapter 16 you see this in acts chapter 20 and in celebration of the fact that Christ is risen. Now many Christians are to celebrate that this this Sunday but the realities we actually celebrated every Sunday. That's what we gather on Sundays because we proclaim to each other and to the world. Christ is risen, we don't worship but a dead Savior. We worship a victorious risen God King Lord Jesus, and it's clear.

According to the Scriptures that he rose on the first day of the week and so I think of focusing on that I had.

I don't know that you need to get into a really big discussion or debate with this friend about about Wednesday or Thursday dinner that kind of thing. I'd be curious to know why. In particular they were. They were saying what they were saying and without knowing that I don't like it can really tell you how to continue approach that but but I think focusing on the fact that he was crucified and that he rose when that's that's key for us there and so may the Lord bless you and may you have a wonderful Easter. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. We often talk to talk about different books of the Bible. On this program and the book of Revelation is one that can be very confusing to Christians and we have an excellent resource that will help you understand and study the book of Revelation would like to tell you about that today. Yes, I knew resource that were offering to you and it's called five things you should know about the Bible's final book I mentioned yesterday, know the first time we offered it yesterday and were talking about you people have questions about things like the rapture.

What is that is that with the book of Revelation is all about questions about note it is, is this book talking about us. The United States and there were four countries present a country in a how do we had we understand some of these prophecies in the book of Revelation can be really confusing for people and so it's it's really important that we dig in that we understand the context and that's what this resources can help you do you can get a hold of it for free again. It's called five things you should know about the Bible's final book love to send that off to you. All you have to do is go to core Christianity.com/final book again. Core, Christianity.com/final book. You can also call us for that resource or any one of our resources at 833-843-2673 little voicemail we received yesterday. This is from Natalie. I I love this question. Not just because it's Good Friday were thinking about the cross, but because I think that there's a lot of confusion about this. I I've had conversations with Jehovah's Witnesses. For example, who deny that Jesus was God who don't embrace the deity of Jesus Christ and say okay now you say that Jesus was God. But we know that God can't die and so you have a contradiction here and so there are some who in an attempt to answer that question if said well the human nature of Jesus died on the cross that kind of thing.

It was sort of the human nature of Jesus that accomplished redemption for us. But even that statement is problematic when were we were really getting into the nitty-gritty of the theology of the incarnation, if you will what we say, Natalie, is that Jesus, the eternal son of God, the divine person assumed human flesh for us, he took on humanity. He made his own so that we can say in in one sense God the word died on the cross. How in the humanity that he assumed. And that's why the Scriptures can speak the way that they do. I think for example of acts chapter 21 of my favorite chapters in the Bible.

By the way, Paul is speaking to a group of elders from Ephesus and he's encouraging them, exhorting them to continue to care for the church to be on guard against false teachers, and he says to them in verse 28 of acts chapter 20 pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with his own blood and can the language get anymore powerful any more vivid than that God purchased the church with his own blood. Now God hears is a reference to the second person of the Trinity.

Jesus, not the father, not the Holy Spirit were talking about Jesus, the eternal word who assumed humanity took a body just like ours could bleed could be hungry could suffer so that he might bear our pain and our curse.

Actually Paul leader uses equally powerful language in the book of first Corinthians in first grade. In chapter 2 verse eight he talks about how the Lord of glory was crucified that throughout the Old Testament.

In particular you you read a lot about the glory of the Lord throughout the book of Exodus and other please God manifesting his glory, the glorious Lord is Yahweh is God. I think Psalm 24. For example, you know who is this King of glory the Lord strong and mighty pulses. The King of glory was crucified Jesus for so it is right for us it's it's accurate for us to say we can't say in one sense God died on the cross would qualify that by saying in his humanity, which he assumed for us, and because it was God himself. Our sins are forever put away. It was a sacrifice of infinite value and because he was a true human. This is the mystery of the incarnation Jesus is true God and true man. He is our perfect representative. I really such a wonderful such a beautiful doctrine and and and its front and center for us on Good Friday has we think about the cross as we think about what Jesus did for us in and it might sound to you like splitting hairs like man, where we getting in all this deep theology you know Jesus true God.

True man that kind of a thing assuming humanity dying in that humanity.

What really has to do with our redemption because if he wasn't true man. He couldn't represent us and if he wasn't the infinite God, the Lord of glory, who was crucified and that sacrifice of our Lord Jesus would not have been sufficient to cleanse the sins of his people. All those who trust in him there is no message, friends like the Christian gospel you're not gonna find this anywhere else. This this story of the God who loved sinners so much that he assumed there humanity that he took on their suffering that he bore their curse find that anywhere else other religions of the world are to tell you what you need to do to sort of climbed the ladder up to God.

Only Christianity tells us what God did to come down to us sinners to lift us up to himself. That's we celebrate every single week and especially around this time of the year. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer is that us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and 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.

As we explore the truth of God's word together