What Does It Mean to Crucify the Flesh?

In the book of Galatians, Paul says we should crucify the flesh, passions and desires.

What does that mean that is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity wider welcome to the program on Bill Meyer along with pastor Adm. Sanchez. This is the radio show where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day and you can pick up your phone right now and call us for the next 25 minutes or so with your question.

Here's the phone number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 also post your question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts also watch us on YouTube live and send us a message. That way, or you can submit your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today. Here's a voicemail we received from one of our listeners know the other day when a young lady called about racism and the answer was very eloquent, but in your answer you mentioned something about "the fallen world.

So I'm asking if you can define better or give us a definition of what you mean by the fallen world. You mentioned the world that we live in. As the falling world. Thank you.

Yeah. Why was I was probably talking living in a fallen world per unit of Genesis chapter 3 where you have the sin of Adam there in the garden of Eden where were you had this this definitive break that is happened in the world. Rebellion against God and answered in Genesis chapter 3 in one of the things we see is that the fall, sin the entrance of sin into the world to just affect Adam and Eve, humanity also affected everything around them.

The creation you you think about the curse on the serpent you think about what God tells Adam. He says in Genesis 317 because you listen to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you shall not eat of it. Curse it is the ground because of you in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you and you shall eat the plants of the fields.

It seems as if sin in the entrance of sin of the world has had this this effect on the entire creation. And that's why Paul in the book of Romans is the whole creation groans it it's it's groaning essentially for the further restoration for the new creation that we look forward to that work were already experiencing through faith in Jesus Christ now but but it really what I was talking about that was speaking specifically about the effect of sin on the world in which we live with the question that we were answering there specifically were talking about racism and racism is a sin and one of the things that it exists in the world because of the fall and so you really when we look at what the Bible says about sin and the engine sin in the world. In Genesis chapter 3 you have death you have destruction you have decay. You have all these things we also have hope because of Jesus and the promise of the new creation and so thank you so much for that question, sister, and hopefully that clears it up for you and if you think about the ways the fall has affected us one of those ways is relationally and the fact that you you see Adam and Eve in their shame hiding from God, blaming each other, blaming the serpent. I mean, you see all these ramifications which today we see it in our human relationships. Yes, it was a lymphocytic that was recently preaching on Genesis chapter 3 in the fall and you see how we tend to deal with our own sin in ways that are just sort of insufficient to me there with Adam and Eve got them making these.

These are the fig leaf coverings trying to hide their nakedness essentially and then when when they are confronted by the Lord with the Lord comes to them. You see them blame shifting and those two things we often do when when we are confronted with our own sins and the holy presence of God. First we do, we try to cover up that kind of dread hiding from Christian community, or we blame shift we minimize instead of you know really repenting of our sins so you know what I am responsible for this.

We like to point the finger and so there's this really be that you know like Ecclesiastes is nothing new under the sun. These are the ways in which our first parents tried to deal with their sin, and the ways in which we often try to deal with our sins instead of going to the Lord and being clothed by him instead and forgiven. That's we need to do. I meant this is core Christianity with pastor Averill Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. You can call this right now at 833.

The core our phone lines will be open for the next 20 minutes or so 833-843-2673 let's go to Leanne and Garrett Indiana Leanne what your question for pastor Averill premarital hotline will have our plan confounds saving grace that you have been doing. How better able to quit asking questions yeah Leanne I really appreciate your question and you just the way that you asked the question. It shows how how important this is what were talking to love ones and maybe friends who are believers.

I remember when I first started wrestling with with the doctrine of God's sovereignty and asking some of these questions and thinking what if God predestines people for salvation. That kind of thing.

What is that mean about my my loved ones.

You know who don't know the Lord. Family members who maybe don't believe in Jesus or reject the gospel and will have people like that in our lives. And so this this really you know strikes to the heart. What we have to do is we have to affirm what the Bible affirms in the Bible very clearly that you know states that man is responsible for actions for our sins were all called to believe in Jesus Christ, God commands all people everywhere to repent and so when we talk about the preaching of the gospel. We sometimes say that the gospel is to be preached promiscuously, that is, to all people and that it's a real offer of salvation.

It is this promise. It's this hope that we have and that we can extend to others because we know what God says in his word. John 316 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. And yet at the same time you open up the Bible you look at passages like Ephesians chapter 1 of Romans chapter 9. It makes it absolutely clear that God is sovereign in salvation that it's only by the work of the Holy Spirit and the gift of faith. Paul talks about that in Ephesians chapter 2 that anyone believes and so you have to sort of tension, we might say in Scripture that sometimes people try to reconcile or say will let you know maybe we can water down the doctrine of God's sovereignty and exalt man's responsibility that bullet you have both were totally responsible.

According to the Scriptures and yet we know that God is sovereign that he's using our will and even our freedom to accomplish his purposes. He does that others is wonderful passage in the book of acts and ask chapter 4 where you have this prayer of Peter and it is really interesting because he talks about. Basically, the crucifixion of Jesus and all of that, the terrible things that had happened to Jesus and then he says something really interesting. Let me just turn there to ask. Chapter 4 beginning in verse 27 it says for truly, in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel to do what ever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. There's that word there predestined and now Lord look upon their threats and grant your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness is you have the sovereignty of God.

Here you knows your hand predestined these things to take place.

But then you also have responsibility human responsibility Pontius Pilate the Gentiles the people of Israel there. The ones who crucified the Lord of glory. And there to be held responsible and yet somehow God was even through their their their choices that they're making their free choice is that there responsible for using those choices to accomplish his sovereign purposes.

How that works exactly Leanne that that's part of the great mystery, but we take comfort in the fact that the Lord is is sovereign and yet we are responsible and that were called you're called to share the love of Jesus with everyone as a real and genuine offer of of hope of salvation, and so thank you.

I'm sorry I couldn't totally probably unravel the mystery of God's sovereignty and human responsibility. With that, but we just want to stick to what the Scripture say while theologians are trying to do that for centuries drill so I think your kind forgiven their thanks, Bill. All right, this is core Christianity with pastor Averill Sanchez. Let's go to Jason in Wichita, Kansas Jason, what's your question for pastor. Israel yeah Dennis is an excellent question.

So you know is if you're giving a tithe to your church is a just, you know what you make.

You know in your 9-to-5 job.

What if you win the lotto. You know, do you need a tithe on your winning the lotto and should you play lotto probably not is probably not a very good use of your money, but an excellent question. Now the tides in the Old Testament under the old covenant really was was 10% of all sorts of actually was, was quite a bit more than we often think of and it was really the sort of temple tax.

It was it was given for the sustaining of the priestly ministry in Israel and so people would bring offerings, ties, crops, all sorts of things to sustain the ministry there. The priesthood there and I think it was specifically the part of a part of that old covenant administration. You do see examples of the dive prior to the giving of the Mosaic law. This idea of a tidy think of Abraham in the book of Genesis, giving a ties to Melchizedek and SOI. I actually get.

I encourage Christians as they hate you know that's it. That's a great way to be consistent in terms of cultivating a heart of generosity and giving to the work of the Lord, giving to the work of ministry and mission. As Jesus said where your treasure is, that's where your heart will be, but I think as far as your question is, is concerned Jason there. There's quite a bit of freedom for us as believers and this is what the apostle Paul said in second Corinthians chapter 9 verse six. The point is this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he is decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for the Lord 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 that God wants us to abound in his charity in in good works and then as far as you know it as the Lord blesses you with with income and in whatever ways you you get, you know, being generous and cultivating the heart of generosity and so I would say yes. The Lord blesses you, is it such a such a joy for us as Christians to be able to cheerfully give back to the work of the Lord to the work of of ministry is one of the ways we align our hearts with the advancement of the gospel in the world today and so I'm not can I give you, you know the law and say yeah you know if you get a settlement or something you have to do that but I would say you praying you say Lord help me in the way I use money to reflect your generosity, your goodness, how you how you've blessed me and to cultivate that that same generosity in my own heart to do good to others and to share it.

That's were called to and so may the Lord give you wisdom Jason and encourage you and cause you and everyone else all of us to grow as as cheerful givers to the work of the Lord, you know, that actually happened to us in our family and really want a lot of know what happened was is Maya.

My father-in-law was exposed to radiation during World War II and so is he passed away and his children received a settlement for that and so we we got that settlement, we said will of course work in a pile on this and so we gave actually portion your church, and a portion of some other ministries because we felt it was a amino. It was a terrible thing that happened but we receive that blessing.

So you know to be cheerful givers. This is core Christianity with pastor Averill Sanchez and by the way, we know that a lot of people right now are still dealing with the consequences of covert, 19, and maybe that's you or somebody in your family.

Or maybe you've been suffering in some other way. If that's the case we have a wonderful resource that would like to offer you today. Yeah, this little book called Christ and calamity grace and gratitude in the darkest Valley. We think this will be a wonderful resource for you, especially his bittersweet you had to navigate these very difficult days in which we been living with that with the pandemic with a lot of the tension in our countrymen. This is a kind of book that I think will really encourage you and strengthen you in your faith and and help you to think about what it looks like that to walk with the Lord in those dark valleys and so get a hold of this resource for for you especially going to suffer right now. I think this is a great resource or someone you know I get a hold of this book and get your copy of Christ and calamity today for a donation of any amount just head over to core Christianity.com/offers. You can also call us at 833-843-2673 for help getting that book or any one of our offers. That's 833 the core. You can also call that number right now.

If you have a question for pastor Israel.

Our phone lines will be open for the next 10 minutes or so.

So give us a call with your question about the Bible or the Christian life 833. The core Google voicemail we received from one of our listeners named Mark yes I'm going to see Galatians 5 the first 24 as those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and tires. How do we do that yeah that's it. That's an excellent question.

The first phase is not something that that we do we we don't crucify our own flesh, and I think this is a work of God first and foremost, and in the language in Galatians chapter 5.

Actually, I think this is sort of baptismal background to this first earlier in chapter 2, verse 26 you really well known verse in the book of Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 Paul said, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Now again, he thing with the crucifixion of my thought is that it is actually Christ's crucifixion. And since I'm united to Jesus Christ. I been crucified with him. Now I know the reason I said that there's I think the third of baptismal imagery in the background the languages because in the very next chapter in Galatians chapter 3.

Listen to what Paul says in verse 27 for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ using this. It's not something that you do to yourself.

It's something that God has done to us when by faith and through baptism he united us to his son Jesus in his death and resurrection, and that's actually the very same thing that the apostle Paul says later in another book and in Romans chapter 6 verse six he says, we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin for one who has died has been set free from since.

Again, it's is this language of been crucified with Jesus and then a little bit earlier in Romans chapter 6 what we talk about he talks about baptism. Romans six where we were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, we too might walk in newness of life. Francis, this is so beautiful so wonderful when we believe in Jesus and are baptizes discrete picture of our union with Jesus in his death and resurrection.

The crucifixion of our own flesh. The death of our own flesh so that now we might walk in newness of life. And so it isn't something that you do, and boy I don't even know how we think about going about Chris you know that the just as it know it's something that God has done to you for you in Jesus his son when you were united to him by faith. So it's a it's a finished work yeah and Ethel. Paul says this is happened. Now we want to live in light of that reality.

So you know that sometimes we talk about the imperatives in the indicative's you have these commands and in the Scripture these imperatives to go and do work or act in a certain way, but they always flow out of the indicative's the truth of who we are in Jesus Christ, you are by faith in Jesus, dead to sin and alive to God now live like it you. You've been baptized into his death and resurrection. Now walk in that new identity. And that's that's exactly what we have here your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez bills go to Brandon in Dixon Tennessee Brandon, what's your question for Israel thinking about what you got all you do and thanks so question is and they are not in six where gives attributes of the child that will be given to the world and one of those attributes seems or why the listing is the everlasting father coupling that with John 14 nine where Jesus talking to the disciples.

They said if you see me when you seen the father would then suggest that I know Jesus is God, but also is Jesus. Then the father as well member and this is this is such a great question and and it's one, actually, that was very controversial in the days of the early church there were there were a group of people that were saying hey you know the father the son and the Holy Spirit are all the same person just sort of revealing themselves in different ways and at different times on us as if God the one God is wearing these masks, you know, sometimes he appears as a father. Sometimes he appears as the sun sometimes is the Holy Spirit. It was, it was sometimes referred to is modal is him and it was an ancient heresy that was rejected by the church. It's not the right understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity, and certainly not I would say what what the Bible says now you do have this language in Isaiah chapter 9 beginning in verse six, registered to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name will be called wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of peace of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no and I think right there. You know it's not thing that Jesus is the father. The unbegotten one that the eternal father in that sense you know the first person of the holy Trinity, but that Jesus is the one who cares for his people, and oftentimes now here in particular. Brandon was with being focused on is this the kingship of Christ and often in those days the King was viewed as discrete father to his people, a protector and so that's why you have that language there. It's not meant to confuse us are confused that the persons of the Trinity. It's it's meant to highlight Jesus's role as the great King of his people is what goes on the scene of the government is going to be upon his shoulders on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it as this the focus here in Isaiah chapter 9 that you do also have the divine status of Christ being mentioned in a mighty God there, and so this is one of the passages that we can go to to to to show that Jesus is God, but the fact of the matter is, when you look at all of Scripture together and that that's what I do have to understand individual passages in their context that we gotta synthesize everything is taken the whole Bible.

All of God's revelation makes it absolutely clear that the father fund and the Holy Spirit are three distinct and separate persons, but that they are, but that there one God and the way we do we distinguish them is by those those sort of, but we refer to is that their personal properties that the father is unbegotten arena from all eternity. The sun is eternally begotten of the father, he's the eternal son of the father. The Holy Spirit is it is eternally preceding we might say, from the father and the son that's historically how the church has has distinguished between the persons of the holy Trinity another sniff. You know there's a lot there. We need to get into all of that but but the realities is based on the teaching of Scripture you some of the language that they've used, to help us distinguish and is so important that we do that because were talking about God here, and if there's if there's something that we don't want to get wrong it's it's who God is.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to Doug and Central Illinois Doug, what's your question for pastor. Israel and John the Baptist go out to see it.

He described in John a great prophet, and then at the end of that phrase and I forget where it is I'm trying to find it again. He's but he's the least in the kingdom.

And I never made me ask yeah you're referring to Matthew chapter 11 and there's a lot about John the Baptist here. Matthew chapter 11 verse 11. Truly I say to you among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist at the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he and from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven is suffered violence and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. If you're willing to accept it. He is Elijah who is to come you as ears to hear, let them hear that when one of the things that Jesus is emphasizing here is is the unique role that John the Baptist had in his ministry him.

He's the one that Isaiah prophesied about in Isaiah chapter 40 no prepare ye the way of the Lord, comfort, comfort my people, which John is coming us is the last in line if you will, of these great old covenant Old Testament promise prophets and he's he's heralding the promises of God's kingdom. You know it when John the Baptist was preaching in the Gospels.

He says repent, the kingdom of God is at hand.

It's here the kingdom of heaven is breaking in on us calling the people to repent. Jesus had the exact same message and so he sort of living on on the brink you know that that the dawn of a new era that that the promise of the new covenant in the coming of God's kingdom. And so Jesus thing. Look, John the Baptist was great, the last in line of these old covenant Old Testament prophets, but something new is coming. The new covenant, the kingdom of heaven is breaking in and in that sense. Because of this new reality.

This new new existence that we have is the people of God through the shed blood of Jesus.

Jesus could say what he said there yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Another what she's talking about what we get to enjoy now through his sacrificial work. John the Baptist was a great herald of that mountain just like all the all the prophets of old.

Remember what John the Baptist said in the beginning of John's Gospel, behold the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world will Jesus did took away the sin of the world so that we might have everlasting life, and in him, we rejoice. 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