Will There Be Different Cultures in Heaven?

Will there be different cultures in heaven, or will we all be the same as 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, now's the time to call our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so. You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch us on YouTube and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to D in Bakersfield, California. D. Welcome to the program that happening today in America. I learned from the light and in Scripture. I refer to to rescue our nation's A.D. thank you so much for that question. I know that a lot of people right now are struggling and concerned have deep concerns about things that are happening. I I really first and foremost like to point people to the hope that we have in the gospel and the confidence that you can have that we can have as Christians in the fact that Christ is going to continue to build his kingdom. No matter what I go back to the words of Jesus to Peter that promise that he made to Peter in Matthew chapter 16 verse 18 Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against her. That's a promise that we have from the lips of our Lord Jesus. Now we don't know whether the gates of hell will prevail against the earthly nations of this world, but we do know that the gates of hell will never prevail against the kingdom of God which he is advancing in every nation of this world and so that's something I think D that we should first and foremost, be comforted by having our citizenship is primarily in heaven. Paul talks about this in Philippians chapter 3, but that doesn't mean that that we shouldn't know not care about the things that are happening around us. And so I would say one you can rest your hope in Christ and what he's doing. Advancing the gospel here and throughout the world, but you also want to pray pray for the.

The governing authorities here in this country and and Paul make that made it absolutely clear in first Timothy chapter 2, he said. First of all, then I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people 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 there was ungodly leadership there. In Paul's day in the days of the apostles, and they were persecuted for their faith for preaching Jesus and the gospel and yet they're continually encouraged to pray for those ungodly leaders doesn't matter whether or not we agree with that with a person's party or political positions. We should pray for them and pray, ultimately, that God would pour out his grace in their lives that they might come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And that's precisely what Tim it up.

Paul told Timothy there in first Timothy chapter 2, and so I think you want to have hope. I think you want to pray with confidence to the Lord for this country for the leaders here in this country, but the other thing I would say this is something that we often don't think about.

I would say be loving and hospitable to your neighbors. You want to see some change around you. I think that's Keith listen to what Peter said in first Peter chapter 4 verse seven he says the end of all things is at hand. In other words, things are pretty bad out there the end of all things that hand, therefore, is how we should live as Christians in light of this. Be self-controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling as each has received a gift use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. I love that expectation there not to grumble. You know it so easy for us as believers to get frustrated with the way things are going to to begin to grumble to be upset and Peter here says look yet things are difficult but look, look, let's love one another. Let's be sober minded, vigilant, prayerful, hospitable, sharing the love of Christ that we have with the people around us with our neighbors.

That's what were called to do and so we have hope.

We pray for this country for the governing authorities and we extend the love of Jesus to our neighbors. That's were called to D thank you for for your question, no Israel, one of the translations of that verse that I love is love one another deeply, from the heart. And boy, isn't that a great calling. First of all, for our fellow believers in the body of Christ, but then also as you mentioned for our neighbors yet for overall people in the world were called to love people, regardless of what their viewpoints on politics are you know that their cultural background.

Whatever it is. This is were called to think about that.

The parable of the good Samaritan that Jesus gave one of the ways that God exhibited his love to us so clearly is in and loving his enemies in those who weren't friendly toward him, if you will not. That's each and every one of us prior to our salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul made that absolutely clear in Romans chapter 5, God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

And if God loved us.

That way we ought to love one another. I meant this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Here's the number to call if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

It's 833.

The core were waiting to hear from you right now 1-833-843-2673, which also mentioned that our program airs on a delay on some radio stations so you might hear at a different time of day.

But if you want to call and talk to pastor Israel live here are the times to call you want to call at 1130 Pacific time 1230 Mountain 130 Central or 230 Eastern time during that half-hour.

We take your calls live or you can of course leave a message on our voicemail at 833, the court hears a voicemail we received yesterday from one of our listeners about turning the other cheek when in ordinary life turned to kick me might it outweigh the load. Hey, thanks for that question. Ice take boxing classes. I don't think Jesus is teaching boxing classes here is not denoted in the the bob and weave thing you know if it's a trend that had duck move out of the way.

No, that's not what he Sam he's talking again we were just speaking about this with the previous question, what it looks like for us as believers to love our enemies, even those who persecute us. The language here might be a little bit hyperbolic, exaggerated, we might say no Jesus really saying somebody punches you in the face. Make sure that you turn the other cheek so they get a good hit on the other side of your face as well. I don't I don't know that that's the case, earlier in this same sermon that Jesus gave her talk about the sermon on the Mount here when Jesus was talking about lust. He says you've heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart and then he goes on to say if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell and I don't think Jesus is saying you literally need to amputate your hand there. I think he's using powerful language did to express how serious we need to take sin. We need to wage war against the sin that's in our own hearts and and so that's that's what's happening here and I think with this language about retaliation in Matthew chapter 5, beginning in verse 38, a Jesus is again using powerful language to express how it is that we should treat our enemies as followers of Jesus Christ read the passage you heard that it was said, and I for an eye and a tooth for tooth, but I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

And if anyone forces you to go 1 mile, go with him 2 miles give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. I love the words of Jesus here but Dominic discontinuing in verse 43 says you've heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you what rewards you have, do not even the tax collectors do the same if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others do not even the Gentiles do the same. You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Jesus is saying look if you just love the people who love you, your friends that you know that the folks that are easy to love to get along. Note no real tension there will everyone does that. The sinners do that which should be distinct about my followers that I just love the people that are easy to love. They love even their enemies. That's a Jesus is encouraging. There, in this passage of Scripture, and what an encouragement for us today. We desperately need to hear this. I think it's so easy for us when we feel persecuted when we feel like someone had done something to harm us to retaliate is that you and I for and I a tooth for tooth to just feel so natural feel so right. It feels just and Jesus says don't do that when you're being persecute is best for what you believe Beaufort for faith in my name, no don't do that.

Love your enemy pray for those who persecute you is that precisely what Jesus did in a week with his enemies including us.

He prayed for us, he redeemed us.

He extended his grace and forgiveness to us. And so, what an encouragement again. This isn't Jesus teaching us how to how to do the bob and weave. This is his encouragement to us to love our enemies. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to Val calling in from Oklahoma City about what your question for pastor a drill and drill, talk about our purpose here on yeah well there are, you know, broadly speaking I would say even just looking at the early chapters of Genesis where it talks about humanity. Mankind made in the image of God, male and female. Now with that there is there is this sort of sense of you know where respect on civil human beings you were able to relate to God we have a will you know emotions. All of these things but but even beyond that, there's a sense of calling God called Adam and Eve there in the garter garden of Eden to represent him there there sort of like his royal representatives and in that there called to procreate actually in in Genesis chapter 1 and also to take dominion over the creation. Now the way that that sort of that parsed out in the New Testament is, as the word of God, advanced in the book of acts, you know that the church was fruitful and multiply diffuse as a gospel advances in the world.

The kingdom of God.

Advances in the world and that's were all called to participate in our own lives in our own vocations and in different ways with. However, God is called us to serve and to honor him, but were called brother to imitate God to glorify him and that's the chief end of man to to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. That's what that's were called, but I would say specifically, we can do that in in all sorts of different that you have to be a pastor or a missionary to go into that and in our in our normal day-to-day jobs were called to reflect the goodness and glory of God by serving as unto the Lord whatever it is that God called us to do or to be. Whether you're a stay at home mom or whether your you know you do a 9 to 5 in construction that kind of a thing in whatever it is that were doing were able to glorify God and to enjoy him as a broadly speaking, that's what I would say. More specifically, Val got his giving us his word, his law, ultimately his revealed will, to guide us so that we might know how to live in a sometimes people are saying what's the will of God for me specifically in my life unit is got only make this decision or that decision and a lot of times we just have to exercise wisdom as we study the Scriptures is as were guided by the spirit we exercise wisdom with those day-to-day decisions, but we we allow the word of God to lead us ultimately because he reveals there what his will is for our lives.

And ultimately it's it's to love him. It's to love our neighbors as so if were doing that, I would say were were walking in the will of the Lord and so that's that's how I approach this question was or something. Val, are you taking more specifically like how can I know specifically what God's will is for this particular situation, you really answer the very word clearly confused by competition will.

What should we do you answer it very well. Hey thanks Val appreciate that well yet. I just view your purposes. I exist to glorify God to know him and to enjoy him and that that's what God calls us all to and whatever it is that your you're doing. That's a God calls us to. And so thank you Brother for your call and that may the Lord bless you and enable you to do that day by day. Thank you Val. Thanks so much for your call and for being a regular listener core Christianity really do appreciate it but we have a brand-new Bible study. We want to tell you about. It's very cool.

It's on a book that actually trips a lot of people up. It's on the final book of the Bible, Revelation, I am so excited about this new Bible study that were offering to you on the book of Revelation. This is written for Bible study group Sunday school classes and minds but you can really go through it and in a more informal gathering or even on your own by yourself questions like how should Christians discern the signs of the times.

Why hasn't Jesus Christ returned yet who is the antichrist and what can happen at the final judgment, really, really important questions that that it is important for us to find answers to written by actually a professor that I had in seminary, a man named Dennis Johnson.

I just loved him as a professor is really a privilege to be able to learn from him and thought I'm really excited about this recently to say one thing about about Dr. Johnson, the man who wrote this this this booklet.

This offer use one of the professors that had similar who, when he would talk about Jesus as he was lecturing tears would just well up in his eyes because he just had a love for the Lord. That's the kinda guy he is and so I really want you to get a hold of this resource. It's available for a gift of $20 or more and that's gifts like like those that gift like that that help us to stay on the air. And so get a hold of this revelation study what you have to do to request it is go to our website. Core, Christianity.com/Revelation or you can call us at 833-843-2673 again core Christianity.com/Revelation or call us at 833. The core let's go to a voicemail that we received yesterday about what's going to happen in heaven and on land. I found out that I wouldn't trade yell I'll just be really good with this I'd I don't think that there's a difference between the book of life in the Lamb's book of life you have them referred to in various places in the book of Revelation talk about the Lamb's book of life. In Revelation 21 verse 27 in Revelation 13, verse eight and in the book of life. Just called that in Revelation 20 verse 15 in Revelation 17 verse eight what's being emphasized there is that the the book of life and the there is this one book, but it belongs to both the father and the son. If you will visit his oneness. The Lamb's book of life. The book of life was so interesting as you look at the book of Revelation and over and over again. Jesus shares not just the book of life if you will with the father but even the throne of God. To him who sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb. The people are praising Jesus and the father to the throne of God and of the Lamb were told Revelation 22 verse three.

So the language there with the book of life. The Lamb's book of life just just highlights the fact that Jesus has the authority that that unity power, together with the father and and so that's that's one thing I would take from that. I guess that little distinction but but there's no difference. I would say between the Lamb's book of life and the book of life. Thanks for listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. You can call us at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Kim in Omaha, Nebraska Kim, what's your question for Pastor Israel. I have been one of the people in Texas who went through the storm I was in a very small town is by the grace of God that the only National Guard found me and took me to safety. I started all I have. I have Iran I am so thankful that I have my life. Now there is an issue with electricity I was without, and I like so many others out there that were talking hundred dollars and they won't send me the information I need for that month and I I feel in my heart I know why I am so angry with them.

My heart what they're doing is so wrong you Kim one. I do think the Lord for his grace and you said it's only by the grace of God, and I thank the Lord for his grace in your life for protecting you for preserving you. And when when things like like they know this happened will first.

You know, being able to say, Lord, thank you for your mercy, but now you know being taken advantage of. You know those those kinds of injustices there there horrible and so I'm so sorry and in there can be this bitterness.

This hit this hatred that begins to brew up in our hearts. And of course we know as Christians were called to forgive me and I was just reading those passages of Scripture earlier in Matthew's gospel, the sermon on the mount where Jesus talks about forgiving. Even those who harmless. Even those who persecute us know that doesn't mean that you shouldn't project pursue justice.

Here the right thing, but I don't want that bitterness and that hatred to brew in you and and and be harmful for you and so I think it's the pathway is saying okay, how can I pursue justice.

Here the right course while all also not allowing the bitterness and the anger to control me and ultimately we just need more of the grace of God and so Kim again I'm I'm so thankful that you called and I just want to take this opportunity to to pray for you right now and for everyone who's listening right now to to pray with me for you. First, Lord, we thank you for preserving Kim's life and we thank you Lord for your hand of grace and hand of protection that is on her. We pray for wisdom for her Lord as she navigates how to deal with with the situation the bills.

The electric bills of those kinds of things she's been receiving Lord, would you provide for each and every one of her needs and would you feel her heart even right now, Lord Jesus, with your peace with your love with the sense of the fact that you are Lord that you control all things that you see her right where she is right here right now that you love her Lord and that you will never leave her or forsake her, but we ask for for wisdom for her. We ask for your provision again and for your continued peace.

Thank you for her Lord. In Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thanks so much Kim and we will continue to pray for you and your situation. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, one of the ways you cannot ask a question is by leaving a voicemail at 833 the core and here's a voicemail that came in yesterday about together. My question about that would be what what's going on with the culture how much of our unique individual cultures CO2 eight collectively retain how much we don't guess so if you can elaborate on what that is what that means.

I would be awesome thank you so much that he does seem like we read the text in Revelation chapter 7 there is there's a part of our individual culture that is retained if you will mean I'm John as he has this vision of heaven of worship, around the throne of God. He says after this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne of God and of the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice. Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. And so John is able to discern these different cultures bear in heaven, nations, languages, tribes, tongues all me. All of these things and I think it is this really just beautiful picture. Ultimately, even we should strive for here on earth.

Having this kind of unity in diversity around what not.

Our political affiliation. You know not what kind of food we like that kind of thing but around the throne of God and of the Lamb God his salvation, his mercy should bring together sinners from all different tribes, tongues, and nations who experienced the forgiveness the mercy the goodness of God, and soon out to what extent you know what percentage of our culture like what what's can be brought in. I don't know how to think we have a clear answer. I certainly hope that Mexican food is a part of the new creation and not just Mexican food, but let me all of it because it is so good and so we don't really know but we do know those things are necessarily erased were around God's throne worshiping him forever. And what a joy.

It's going to be. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673.

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