Does the Bible Say Anything About Interracial Marriage?

Does the Bible say anything about interracial marriage matches one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi there 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. We pray that you had a wonderful weekend 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 you can talk to pastor a brick drill alive. Here's the number again 1-833-843-2673, as always, you can post your question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can also email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Brandon and St. Louis, Missouri Brandon, what's your question for pastor atrial. My question is your something in my mind for a while. It's if I am let's say if I'm saved by grace through faith alone in a sincere question, but a mournful center like truly bad, but continue to do it but repent every day but I still fall victim to the flesh, my ready if Jesus were to come back tomorrow. Would I be going with him a minute I can tell that this is something that really concerns you and you know there are there are different answers that people will give but I think what the Bible says very clearly is now just quote from from what we read and in John chapter 5. These are the words of our Lord Jesus. He said John chapter 5 verse 24 truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but is passed from death to life, and so Brandon if you are in Jesus Christ. If you have been justified by faith. You don't go go back and forth from from a state of justification to a state of not being justified. Every time you sin. Our sin grieves the Holy Spirit and Paul talks about this and in Ephesians chapter 4 were exhorted not to grieve the Holy Spirit but I don't believe we ever lose that status of being justified so that when we stand before the Lord. When you stand before the Lord on the day of judgment you can stand with confidence not in your own righteousness. But in the righteousness of Jesus which he gives to you freely by faith and so I think that's what we have to fall back on wooden when were looking to ourselves to our own works in the struggle that you described sounds to me a lot like what Paul himself described in the book of Romans. In Romans chapter 4 he he says in a wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of debt your struggle you're feeling what I think every genuine believer has felt in their lives.

Assertive day by day battle with sin or we will get up and we say look, walk with Jesus today, but we realize that we still struggle with the with the lust of the flesh.

Everything there is a person of sin against God in thought, word and deed every single day and yet our hope, our confidence, your confidence isn't in the.

The level of our obedience or the level of our sanctification.

It's in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and so you can rest in that you can rest in him that that's what faith is.

It's his empty hand it receives and rest and what God has done for us in Christ.

And so brother if you believe in Jesus life you've trusted in him.

Then you can you can rest and and and from that place from that new identity in Christ you walk with him.

You serve the Lord you seek Lord. Of course, none of us does that perfectly, but we seek to grow in grace to walk in the spirit. As Paul says elsewhere in the book of Galatians and so I think I think that you can you can rest in that and not go back and forth between, you know, I might am I saved because I and I'm doing good now and the not safe tomorrow because I failed. I'm struggling with some with something. No, look to Jesus and rest in him and and then walk with him as a child of God. We've also got a great core guide that might be helpful to you and will send you the PDF or that further folks might be interested.

It's called Seven things everyone needs to know about repentance and you can find that at our website under core guides against seven things everyone needs to know about repentance. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez and we want to mention that we are listener supported. We don't receive money from a particular church or denomination. We rely on people just like you to help keep us on the air so if you like this program.

If you find it helpful. We would encourage you to consider making a gift of any amount you can also join we call our inner core. Those are folks that support us on a regular basis and that entitles them to some very special exclusive resources, including some Bible studies from pastor atrial that that we sent to our core members.

You can find out more at our website. Core, Christianity.com. Let's go to Brandon in Dixon, Tennessee hi Brandon, welcome to the program call again but my question is coming from Exodus 424 and 25 were talk about God seeking out to kill Moses and then support his wife taking a stone and circumcising the sun things really were husband of low blood to make some of what is why did God want to kill Moses and will be the purpose of him if he did succeed like why is a great question someone to read that text now give us some of the background Exodus for verse 24 Lodging Pl. on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death him him there is is good be a reference to Moses or reference to Moses the son, then as a Bora took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses his feet with it instead. Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me. So we let them alone. It was then that she said a bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision so what's the background to this well the covenant of circumcision was given to the people of God back in Genesis chapter 17. This is the background. This is why this is such a serious thing back in Genesis chapter 17 verse nine God said to Abraham, as for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep between me and your offspring after you, every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you he was eight days old.

Among you shall be circumcising every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your own money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring both. He was born in your house, and he was bought with your money surely shall be circumcised, so shall my covenant be in your flesh and everlasting covenant, and then verse 14 says this any uncircumcised male who is not circumcising the flesh of his foreskin, it shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant so the issue here is is Moses being disobedient. It did essentially the command that God had given to his people there in Genesis chapter 17 the sort of covenant of circumcision to sign of the covenant, which was a picture of being a part of the people of God intended to withhold that from his child would've been at a terrible thing it was a horrible mistake. It was breaking the covenant of the Lord, which he took very seriously. And of course one of the other things I think we see here Brandon is how much God cares that our children are raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord that the people of God. The Hebrews were called to to train their children up in godliness in righteousness to give them that and been particularly old tester that covenant sign of circumcision, which is a picture of their inclusion in the visible quote unquote covenant community that the family of God. If you will… It was a sign of that. And Moses wasn't obeying the Lord by withholding it from from his is child and so his wife steps in and and really sort of you know keeps back that the judgment of the Lord. You also see I think a little bit later in the book of Exodus. Just just God's heart for the children of his people the importance of raising them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord of teaching it, teaching them the doctrines of our faith and and what it looks like to walk with God and obey God and worship in Exodus chapter 10 for example, verses eight and nine. I love this. This is the sort of back and forth between Moses and Pharaoh verse eight Exodus 10 so Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh and he said to them, go serve the Lord your God which ones are to go. Pharaoh wants to know who you can take with you in the wilderness to worship the Lord. And Moses said we will go with our young and our old we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we as all of us. The entire family must hold a feast to the Lord is, or is it that there was a part of, sort of passing on the faith to the next generation in Moses and so far as he wasn't acting in obedience there in in Exodus chapter 4 was was compromising the truth was was going against God's word going against God's command and that's why the Lord was about to judge him and so appreciate your question brother hope that that clears it up for you and and thank you for the call. Thanks much, Brendan. Thanks for being a regular listener to core Christianity. We appreciate all of our listeners.

If you have a question for pastor atrial. Our phone lines are open right now for the next 15 minutes or so, here's the number to call. It's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

By the way, you can also leave a voicemail at that number 24 hours a day.

If you do let us know your name or your calling from, and will do our best to use your voicemail on the air. And here's a voicemail we received about the New Testament I call I have said my question is how do we know that all of the New Testament is inspired by God yeah really an excellent question. They know sometimes there are things we point to in terms of trying to understand how it was that that it was determined that these books, in particular the New Testament books were meant to be a part of the canon of Scripture. Those inspired books of holy Scripture and some of the things we we point to our one what we call apostolate city.

That is, these books were written by an apostle or someone associated with the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, they were there they were eyewitnesses they were part of what was happening you think about what Peter says you know we weren't following cunningly devised fables will be made known to you that the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ were eyewitnesses of his Majesty and so there's that apostolate city.

These books were associated with the apostles. You also have what what sometimes referred to as catholicity network Catholic. It's it simply means universal. These were the books that were universally embraced by or accepted by the whole church early on in the first few centuries, and so there were other books that maybe were more disputed, but the reality is you have in all places. These books received as the inspired word of God that they cohere they sort of makes sense theologically together they're not set out in left field, teaching, wonky things, which is what you sometimes find another quote unquote you know books that we know some people say you should been included in the Bible which they should have gotten thinking of things like the Gospel of Thomas. Or whatnot, but you have these think antiquity also there.

They are old, their ancient they date back to the first couple centuries of the church.

Those are all things that we would point to say this. This is some of the criteria that that we use to determine that was used to determine which books were to be received as God's inspired word but you also have sort of internal evidence that we see in the New Testament itself. Paul writing to Timothy. I love this this verse.

Second Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 he says all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Now there primarily. He sees thinking you know about the Old Testament Scriptures. That's what they had at that point, but to say the Old Testament Scripture uses all Scripture and even in the New Testament you have your of these instances where you know the New Testament writings themselves were considered to be Scripture that is on par with God's inspired word Pierce says this of the apostle Paul's writings that you see this in second Peter chapter 3 verse 15, Peter refers to Paul's writings as Scripture. Paul even views his own writings as the word of God. The commandment of God.

He says this to the Corinthians in first Corinthians chapter 14 verse 37 so you also have the sort of internal evidence that that confirms for us that these books these writings are indeed the inspired word of God for us to receive for our encouragement for our growth in grace and so we we love the word and we read it we study it, and God speaks to it. Thank you for that question.

Thank you pastor atrial. This is core Christianity and you know what summer is right around the corner and most kids are going to be out of school for a few months and just in time for summer. We actually have a great free resource brand resource just for families okay so this is a resource.

I'm really excited about as a father with four young children we done some Bible memorization and in our own family and this resource is called 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer. By the way, you could do it on your own. Doesn't have to be with your entire family, but it is a really wonderful resource to get you and your family into the Scriptures meditating on the word of God and memorizing the word of God is this wonderful verse in second Timothy chapter 1 verse five that were Paul says to Timothy, I am reminded of your sincere faith of fate that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother you niece and now I am sure dwells in you as well.

Unit one of the ways that we we surpassed the faith on is through the Scripture by memorizing the Scripture we know according to God's word that faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of Christ both said that in Romans chapter 10 and so look, there are few better things you can do with your time this summer, then memorize the word with your family, get a hold of this resource 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer.

Just go to core Christianity.com/offers to download that again.

It's called 10 verses to memorize as a family this summer get started memorizing those verses this week and also you can call us for that offer or any one of our offers. Just go to 833 the core that's 833-843-2673 for help getting any one of our offers will here is an email question that we received from one of our listeners named Joshua he was says. I was told by a reformed the honor. Most that the fact that I'm a Mexican man and I'm married to a white woman with whom I have a son makes for a big problem.

It seems like he was advocating for racial purity.

He called his beliefs biblical and historical what the Scriptures say about interracial marriage between two believers I Joshua, thank you for that question whether or not you know this guy's views and I would recommend many find some new friends. But what whether or not these disguise views are historical and the key is, are they biblical and let me just say to you know they're not biblical. The question here is a question about interracial marriage, you do find it's really interesting.

In the Scriptures.

Examples of interracial marriages were blessed by the Lord, the affected the matter is were made in the image of God, humanity is made in God's image worthy of dignity respects I'm thinking in terms of some of the marriages we see in Scripture that Moses Moses himself, the mediator of the old covenant in Numbers chapter 12 verse one.

This we read Miriam and Moses spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. Here you have a Hebrew marrying a Cushite someone from Ethiopia, she would've she would've been black and Moses his wife was black and yet this was a marriage that was blessed by the Lord. You see this action and all sorts of places in the Scriptures.

Another passage on scheduling is so beautiful song of songs or song of Solomon as assert poetic love poetry between between the wife and her husband, you have the sort of back-and-forth dialogue and and the woman says in song of Solomon chapter 1 verse five. Listen to this. She says I am very dark lovely O daughters of Jerusalem like the tents of Kate are like the curtains of Solomon do not gaze at me because I am dark because the sun has looked upon me.

My mother sons were angry with me. They made me a keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard.

I have not kept tell me you whom my soul loves where you pastor your flock where you make it lie down at noon.

For why should I be like one who avails herself besides the flocks of your companions you have your sister love story and the woman here in the song of Solomon, she said, look at you and I've been forced to work out in the field all day. The sun has looked upon me. My skin is is dark and don't look at me negatively as is this beautiful love story between these two people who probably had different colored skin is not right there I'm not. I'm not sure that it's technically an interracial marriage but but oftentimes that's what's focused on in these kinds of discussions you have the example of of Moses, which already gave you. You think of Boaz and Ruth as well. There's another example.

You also think for example of Jesus's conversation with the woman at the well this is so interesting in John chapter 4. Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well of course we know our Lord Jesus was never married but you have a lot of this sort of bridegroom imagery there in John chapter 4 because that in the Bible oftentimes in the Old Testament in Genesis that in Genesis and Exodus men and women would meet at Wells and that's where they would be betrothed and so Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman at the well would've sort of raise the eyebrows of his disciples, and indeed it did.

We showing is this woman the Samaritans of Gentiles are being welcomed into my church. They are the bride of Christ is a people who don't understand this are people who say no interracial marriage is not biblical.

On the why would you say that you have a really poor understanding of the Scriptures of the new covenant of human humanity in general and I think that's just an idea that we can reject that right away something you see the Old Testament and New Testament, something that God blesses that the real question is, and Paul talks about this in verse 20 and seven marrying in the Lord. That's were called to call to Mary in the Lord is about it matter whether the person that you're married to his is black or white or Asian or Hispanic, are they a believer are they in Christ.

That's what God calls us to in his word. So God bless no waiter. All the research shows that if you marry a person of a different faith. You have probably a lot more problems than you would in what say interracial marriage because trying to marry outside the faith was a Christian marrying someone who's Muslim or Jew that can be a real strain of marriage, especially when it comes to raising children.

Yeah, that makes perfect sense to me. Bill doesn't surprise me that that's what the research says the Lord out to be the most important thing for us in in our lives individually and in. Also it in a married Sheena, you grow together in Christ. And so if one partner has zero interest in that and that could be a huge strain. Of course you do oppose expectation in verse 20 and seven enough with an unbelieving partner is is willing to stay with you. That's a good thing you know you don't have to leave them if you're already married. That kind of thing but but there is I I know a lot of heart ache that can be had there. And so were called to Mary in the Lord. Good advice for our young people who are listening today and considering marriage. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to Robin in Lawrence, Kansas Robin, what's your question for Israel. I probably did not die so I go straight to Lord we die we yell all yeah Robin I be happy to answer that question.

So were talking about now is you know what takes place when a believer someone who is in Christ dies their body goes down into the ground where it is their soul go.

Are they just her sleeping waiting for the resurrection unconscious and then all of a sudden you know when when the resurrection of the for the final judgment happens then there brought back to life if you will her recovery resuscitated that kind of a thing or are is it the case that when we die were in the presence of the Lord experiencing his glory, his goodness worshiping around his throne to what, what's the answer and I believe that the Bible is very clear about this. The Bible says in multiple places that when we die in Christ, we are immediately in the presence of the Lord, our bodies go down into the ground waiting for that day of resurrection, but we are with the Lord in the spirit, if you will. The apostle Paul talked about this in various places. Second Corinthians chapter 5, beginning in verse seven he says for we walk by faith not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. You see this also in the book of Philippians chapter 1 where he's talking about his death and and departing to be with Christ.

He says in verse 22. If I'm to live on in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me yet which I shall choose I cannot tell I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. Did Paul realize he's when I die when when my body goes down into the ground. Might my spirit to depart and be with Christ.

Looking forward for to that day of resurrection and so there really is a great hope here and this is what we sometimes referred to as as the intermediate state intermediate because it is the final state of of believers. The final state is that the glorified resurrected body that we receive it at the last judgment, but between that the moment we die and that last judgment were in the intermediate state in the presence of the Lord to be absent from the bodies to be present with the Lord around God's throne worshiping him with with the saints who have been perfected with gone before us.

If you will all those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.

You have a vision of this actually given in the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 12 is a what is mean for us was a mean for you. It means that we know we know that when when our body fails us when when we go down into the ground moment we die here on earth, physically speaking only die physically speaking, we are in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and that is such a such a wonderful thing to look forward to, but there's even more than that.

It's not just that that were in heaven floating around for all eternity is that our bodies are to be raised incorruptible, no more sickness, no more pain, no more sin.

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