Does God Tell Moses to Lie in Exodus 3?

Did God tell Moses to lie in Exodus chapter 3 that's a question from one of our international listeners and 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. Welcome to a Friday. This is a 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 our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so, so hop on a call is 1-833-843-2673 also post a question on her 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 burst up today let's go to José in Lemoore, California, was a welcome to the program I pressured my call and have a question. I am a converted Christian and I work in a casino currently and you know I have been praying for an opportunity in a different state where we want to live way that I also been praying to the Lord to give, give me a get me out of this environment, the casino, however opportunity came up in another casino in the state where you want to live. My question is can be answered to my prayer from the Lord. Or is it something that the evil one can also do a José thank you for that question. I might have just a follow-up for some more information for the first thing that I would say is the big question is can we work with a clear conscience and with integrity and whatever it is that the Lord is called us to. There's this really interesting seeing in the Gospel of Luke where John the Baptist is calling people to repentance and crowds are gathering before him. And in Luke chapter 3 verse 10 it says in the crowds asked him what then shall we do, and he answered them.

Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none and whoever has food is to do likewise and tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, teacher, what shall we do, and he said to them, collect no more than you are authorized to do the soldiers also asked him, and what shall we do, and he said to them, do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages know it's interesting about that that section of Scripture, there is some of those jobs and were pretty controversial jobs and and some people might expect, you know that question from the tax collectors of soldiers to come in John the Baptist to say hey you quit those jobs that don't be a tax collector that that's an evil occupation or don't be a soldier you know that that that's not the right kind of occupation that kind of thing. But that's not what John the Baptist says. He says work with integrity. Now there are jobs.

I think that that we just shouldn't do jobs that cause us to sin or are themselves sin you think of an illegal occupation or something like that but but I would say another question is can you work with that with a clear conscience and be a light for the Lord Jesus where you're at and maybe in your praying to go somewhere else in the Lord is opened up a door in this other state. Working in a casino as well. Can you do that with a clear conscience honoring the Lord and in your service there and think if you can, then maybe this is the answer to your prayers. What one question I would have for you though. José is are you are you and your wife in a in a good church right now where you are yet. We are women in this church for 2015 and the how the church which the gospel and were comfortable were aware of the church, praise God. Yeah stoked to hear about that. I would say one of the big questions you want to ask yourself is, is there a solid church were going so look at the community we are thinking about moving me. It's one thing to say like we want to be in the state and there's a job opportunity. But what if there is not a solid Christian church in the area. That's one of the primary questions that you need to be asking that I think we need to be asking.

We consider these kinds of things because that's in a week. We need the body of Christ. We need that kind of encouragement.

So I encourage you look you might have a better job in another place you might make more money, but if there's no church there were you're going to hear the word of God. If you're to be spiritually compromised will then it's not a good decisions.

I would say it is you guys think about this and as you continue to pray about this. Also consider you know what of the church is like in that area were going and maybe try to do some connecting.

Now with some of those churches to get to learn about them and see if there's a place that that would be a good fit for you and your wife to continue to grow in the Lord. So thank you for your question brother and may the Lord bless you guys and in whatever decision you make some great advice there is really my was in Las Vegas recently visiting some friends and found out that about one third of the people that live in Las Vegas are employed in the gaming industry in some way shape or form. You know they could be working in a casino that could be a slot machine repair man you know you you name it. And yet there are some huge churches there.

I mean, preaching the gospel in one of my friends said yell a lot people have had to come to grips with this.

Are they doing something that you know is a job that has integrity, or should they quit and so yes, it's a struggle firm for many people in our culture. I'm sure a lot of people have that same question, especially as you said Bill, if you're living in a place like Las Vegas, and that's where you know we have to be able to serve the Lord in whatever we do with a clear conscience and there are some some jobs are like I said anything about that text in Luke chapter 3 which people have questions about. But the quite you know that the primary question is, can I still honor the Lord in whatever it is that I'm doing and and so that's what we have to be able to answer and an eidetic working in a situation like everything also like food servers, you know, or people who you know, on occasion, after serve alcohol you know somebody you know if going to dinner and and that kind of thing people can asked that question. It was not okay for me to do that or not this person is an alcoholic.

That kind of thing will it's a broader question, but I think you know with you in your service.

Can you serve the Lord with a clear conscience that's that's the main thing I think I think José can so this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Elias in Hempstead Long Island alas what your question for pastor.

Israel will resort all regards.

Mike James version New Testament book of John chapter 23 Jesus says to his disciples, Lord shares if you forgive the sins of every bear forgiven them to retain the shares or any of their retained so she was a direct question manual. Please forgive the serve of a person will only God can produce the right. Alas, only God can forgive sin. You see this in Scripture in various places.

Mark chapter 2 verse seven. For example, when Jesus healed paralytic, the, the religious leaders get upset with him because Jesus says your sins are forgiven to the man and they so who can forgive sins except God alone. But Jesus is revealing to them to the whole world that he is God. Now what's going on there and in John chapter 20. This is after the resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus appears to the disciples, he breathed on them says receive the Holy Spirit kind of this this picture of new creation, a really wonderful image that were getting here and then in verse 2223 says receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you withhold forgiveness from them. It is withheld that I think the sort of idea here is, is the sort of picture of Jesus giving the disciples the apostles the, the apostles, the keys of the kingdom of God. In Matthew chapter 16 Jesus essentially said this to Peter when Peter confessed to Mr. crisis is in a Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my father who is in heaven. I'm getting to be the keys of the kingdom of God. Essentially now what what is that look like it's through the preaching of the word of God is as they are proclaiming the gospel and people are hearing about the forgiveness of sins and receiving that word. The word of the father, their sins are being forgiven and then in the context of the church, you know, again, these churches were planted by the apostles if if someone is cut off from the Church excommunicated will that's a sign that there there cut off essentially from from the grace of God really what's happening here is were seeing the authority that Jesus gave to the church as his representatives here on earth. Now that doesn't mean that people, even the apostles had the power in and of themselves, to forgive people that is only something that God does. And yet God chooses these men to go and preach the gospel and to be the heralds of this message of forgiveness and to to guard the church through things like church discipline, so I think that's that's the idea that were getting here.

We don't want to and got second that that idea could really be abuse the sort of idea that an individual person.

I have the power to forgive you if I say so you can't receive the forgiveness of God.

That's that's not what Jesus is getting at here is talking about through the ministry of the word in. In the context of the church. Forgiveness is held out to the world.

And when people reject that will, then the kingdom of God is closed to them and so I guess the best way to understand this. This passage this this text description. It really does highlight again the importance of the church. The local ministry of the word where the gates of heaven are being opened to us through the preaching of God's holy gospel. Thanks for your question less.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you listen to this program on a regular basis and you find it helpful. We would invite you to prayerfully consider making a gift to come alongside us to support us in this ministry you can do that by going to core Christianity.com and just click donate at the top of the page. We also have a group of we call insiders. The inner core. They are folks that the supporters on a monthly basis and received some very special benefits as well and you can find out more about that at core Christianity/inner core. Let's go to Vern calling in from Missouri. Vern welcomed the program what your question for pastor a drill about all I know you'll build the church. Shulman recently said I should be paid on the ball shouldn't be split up well Shari you understand the you should be paying him to where you on flood by our little church and fed by numerous ministries.

On the other about on the radio, on television and I was just wondering if originally scriptural what sure thoughts will almost well Vern, first I just want to say I love the fact that you want to contribute to to give money resources to the work of gospel ministry. I think that that's wonderful. Jesus said where your treasure is, that's where your heart will be also.

Let me just this is I do is think of a broad encouragement to people if you want to be more committed to invested in the work of God's kingdom. If you if you want your heart to be attached to the work of missions to the advancement of the gospel give to it when you give to something you do sort of attach yourself to and I think I think one of the problems why a lot of people feel like just sort of disconnected from the ministry of the church from the advancement of the gospel because we don't get to it were focused on all the these other things in our lives that doesn't sound like that's you burn it sounds to me like you're really wanting to understand. But how should this work out best under the new covenant I'm persuaded that Christian believers today ought to be generous givers, but that the tide was something that was specifically associated with the Old Testament the old covenant, so that it is not in place today as it was under the old covenant that that doesn't mean that we shouldn't give to gospel ministry. On the contrary, I think we should give generously and that's exactly what the apostle Paul said in second Corinthians chapter 9 at the point is this, verse six whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully and what it promised that his brothers and sisters, if you so sparingly are to reap sparingly, if you so bountifully are going to reap bountifully. Each one must give as he is decided in his heart is you, Paul doesn't say they didn't say hey, you gotta make sure it's it's a lump sum at the you know the first Sunday of the month or at the end of the month or you'd be in a can't split up that kind of thing. I don't know why your pastor. You know I said this.

Maybe it's it's for for sort of budgetary purposes isn't like to have no idea, but I don't think we can says pastors you have to give just like this at this time. That kind of thing each one must give as he is decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver, and God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times. You may abound in every good work. As it is written is distributed freely. He is given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness, and I love that there because I think a lot of times people get confused about this Vern that they think if I give you know my tithe. Then God is in it. Give me back more money.

That kind of thing will that's not necessarily what Paul sentence and granting it's it's the harvest of your righteousness, were sewing to God's kingdom were laying up treasure in heaven and God is gonna supply all our needs is going to take care of us us as his children, but ultimately this is a good work and it's pleasing to the Lord God is and so I would say brother give as use as you purposed in your own heart. Generously, as one who has received from the Lord. The free salvation of Jesus Christ and and II think that's what we should be encouraging as pastors for our people. Now a lot of times people do give a tithe and I think there's nothing wrong with I think the tithe is great. That's kind of helpful I think may be may be starting place of that kind of thing I know other believers who feel like man the Lord is just blessed me so much to give even more than that. The point is, each person should give as they decided in their own heart, not under compulsion, but freely in the Lord loves a cheerful giver and the Lord loves you Vern God bless you my thanks so much for your question and for being a regular listener here to core Christianity and by the way, one of the things that we've been hearing a lot about in our culture recently is how many people are suffering from depression and if you or someone you know is struggling with that we actually have a resource that we want to send you and it's absolutely free. Nine things everyone needs to know about depression. This bill just said there it's free when you sign up for a weekly newsletter. This is a resource that we put a lot of thought into as an organization we want people to know what depression is and how they can help someone who is struggling battling with this very serious disease with depression.

So head over to core Christianity.com/offers to download 19 at nine things everyone needs to know about depression can also call us for that resource or any one of our resources at eight 338-432-2673. That's 833 the core.

If you want to spell it out. One of the ways you can ask a question here on core Christianity is by going to our website and clicking on the little microphone icon there and many of our international listeners ask questions. That way, and there's one that we received yesterday – Santa Ana LAN bail. My name is Sandy and I am calling you from Hyderabad city in India and I'm so blessed by your ministry. Thank you so very much for that.

My question is from the book of Exodus. In chapter 2 US seven. He sees that is going to bring them from the land which is a tip to a good and spacious land flowing with milk and honey again will all see Exodus chapter 3 verse 18 I seen instruction that then you along with that assessment must go to the king and tell him that there God of Jesus has met with SOP let us go on a three-day trip to the Internet so that they may sacrifice to the lot. I got so God's intention is to bring instant lights out of speech. It might when they go to king they say something against any therapist to collect and stamp to say this. I know God doesn't lie, but this has been really confusing for me and I hope you can provide some strategies in case of a much got messy and appreciate that you ended that way sis and by the way, so great to hear from you. Thank you for for reaching out to us with your question, but I do appreciate that you ended that what you saying I know that God doesn't lie because that is something that we we read about in the Scriptures, and I think in particular about the book of Hebrews I in Hebrews chapter 6 the author the Hebrews is talking about the assurance that we have as believers before the Lord, because God makes these promises to us and because God does not and cannot lie.

He says in Hebrews chapter 6 verse 17 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 who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope that is been set before us and so it's it's important that we grasp this truth because if God cannot lie within.

We can cling to his promises. We know that what he said is true and what he promises, he's going to accomplish and hearing Exodus 3 God is promising his people that he is going to bring them out of the land of Egypt out of slavery you mentioned verse seven the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know they are suffering, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of the land up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey to the place, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the parasites, and so on and so forth. But then when when they go to Pharaoh as you said in verse 18. You know work were told they will listen to your voice and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, the Lord, the God of the Hebrews has met with us. And now, please let us go up three days journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, and so is there a contradiction here is God lying is he being misleading to Pharaoh. I don't think so.

The command is let my people go, so that they might worship me now. Initially, you don't when Moses goes to Pharaoh's let them go for three days but I think with being focused on here were seeing is the hard heart of Pharaoh how cruel he was certainly if if the children of Israel said let us go. We were headed to Canaan were to build houses out there. It's gonna be great. He would've said no way, but were seeing here is even this this request let us go for three days just to worship our God in the wilderness and in Pharaoh's are discussed later in chapter 5.

Who is the Lord let you guys go in and this is sort of tug-of-war this battle back and forth and God is loosening the grip of Pharaoh upon his people.

Until ultimately, he brings them out of Egypt with with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and so I would say no. God cannot lie and he isn't lying hear what is being focused on what was being emphasized is the fact that even this minor request. The request to go into the wilderness for three days.

It was a legitimate request, Pharaoh rejects what were seeing here is is again the cruelty of Pharaoh the hard heart of Pharaoh in being unwilling to let the people of God go and so God has to has to show up in might and he does so that ultimately Pharaoh lets the people go. Thank you so much Sr. for for your question and may the Lord richly bless you. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. We love hearing from you. You can call us anytime with your question and leave a voicemail if you can't call during the live program will call during the overnight hours anytime you want.

833 the core. You can leave a message. 833-843-2673 let's go to Roland in St. Louis, Missouri role in what your question for pastor. Israel will produce all own domestic role and the software is cool you Lord and also when he called them Lord does that mean you know who Jesus is. You know that's that's a great question. What did Saul of Tarsus know in that moment. I mean, it seems in in that very moment that is quite confused.

He's knocked off of his horse.

There's this blinding light light from heaven shown around him and then verse four of acts chapter 9 says and falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me and he said who are you bored now, right there when he says, Lord, you know, I think just general I don't think that he recognizes yet that Jesus Christ is the eternal son of God, that kind of thing. The King of Kings and Lord of lords, and Jesus. Respondent says I am Jesus whom you are persecuting rise and enter the city and you will be told what you are to do the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one in Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened he saw nothing, so they let him by the hand and brought him into Damascus, and for three days.

He was without site and neither eight nor drank it so this is this is is his introduction to the risen Christ to Jesus. He doesn't fully understand everything their role in the ED had nothing grasp it all yet, but he is going to and over time, especially him even to go and speak now and in the next scene is going to did the disciples and speak to an individual named Ananias what the Lord appears to envision and Ananias gives us all more guidance. I don't think you fully understood everything yet. Like like we like like like we are in that situation. We first come to the Lord, we don't totally grasp everything, and yet the Lord brings us along and that's exactly what he did with Saul of Tarsus when when he knocked him off of his horse and so thank you for that question and may the Lord bless you your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. We received this question through our YouTube live channel and here's what Irena says, what does it mean to be a lukewarm Christian LOI.

I think people take that language in particular Bill from the book of Revelation were Jesus's is giving these expectations to the seven churches, and in the way in which a lot of people use that word today, a lukewarm Christian is is and obviously are. You're not hot or cold the ideas are not really on fire for the Lord.

I actually don't necessarily like that phrase because the reality is that as Christians in our in our own lives.

We wrestle with commitment to the Lord. But the question is do we cling to the gospel. You hold fast to it.

Are you serving the Lord through that, knowing his grace and his truth. 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 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