Are the Stories of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas True?

We have four gospel accounts of the Bible.

But why aren't the Gospel of Thomas, Mary and Judas included in the Scriptures that just 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 a radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

We would love to hear from you at our phone lines are open right now for the next 25 minutes or so, so hop on the phone if you have a question here's the number 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Now if you can't call right now. You can always post your question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch us on YouTube and you can also send us a message. That way, and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to David in St. Louis, Missouri David, what's your question for Pastor Israel hey David, welcome to broadcast such a question. Rather, you know, David. I found as a pastor sometimes you know will have the sort of theological one-liners that people will throw out there that aren't necessarily helpful because the reality is oftentimes a lot more complex and the symptoms of people say things people say things like God cannot be in the presence of sin at it with her trying to communicate. Is that really actually sinners can't stand in the presence of God met, at least not in in a way that ensures their safety because God is a holy and righteous.

We need to recognize that sin is not like kryptonite to God. It's not like God is.

You know he has to flee from sin because he's afraid it's going to hurt them or something like that.

The problem is not one that God has it's one that we have as sinners standing before a holy God.

Standing before a just God as sinners, we need grace we need forgiveness. And so it is no issue in the book of Job where you have you know that the language of the angels.

In particular, Satan coming before the Lord. You also just think about Jesus and his earthly ministry. I mean he is eating and drinking with sinners and it didn't.

He's doing so in order to extend his grace to them in order to teach them the truth of the gospel and so when we talk about God not being able to be in the presence of sinners or something like that were not communicating is that God is in any way harmed by synergies is not able to that kind of the thing were saying is is really no actually sinners apart from the grace of God cannot stand in the presence of the holy Lord, and so that's that's the issue there. David is that clear it up for you yeah yeah that what will yeah and and of course are those interesting passages of Scripture like in the book of Job where the accuser is coming before the Lord had accusing Job. I mean really it's this kind of an interesting scene and then of course are other places in Scripture that talk about the sort of divine counsel the Angels around the lid. We know that the evil one and and all of that, the demons were judged definitively at the cross that that's what they were dealt with. And, of course, at the end of the book of Revelation we know what their destiny is it's it's the lake of fire for all eternity. And so that's that's a bit back ship pretty magnificent picture it's painted for us. The book of at the end of the book of Revelation, and so that's their fate.

And so, yes anyways thank you David for your question and forgiveness. Call this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. We'd love to get your questions about the Bible or the Christian life.

Here's the number again 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also leave us a voicemail anytime 24 hours a day at that same number.

There's a voicemail we received from Mike from Oklahoma. I know, but I really really really have you ever heard of Julie and his stories about Jesus.

When the boy and his father had him quit playing in the play because he was making little spirit and breathed on them and the before they flew away, he said, remember this, everything about me stories. The key please enlighten us a look please I sure appreciate it. Douglas show your work really hard to do this not know it really hard to build like this letter show in my thank you for the question. You have these ancient writings that were including included in the canon of Scripture for a number of reasons and what you're referring to, actually comes from what sometimes called the infancy narratives of of Jesus from the Gospel of Thomas, of the infancy Gospel of Thomas is actually kind of a short work edits, you know, supposedly has a list of miracles that Jesus did while he was a little boy and it's just a minute is all made up. It's not. There's a reason why the church rejected these one they were there written much later.

To date, they were never accepted by the whole church is canonical Scripture. I just didn't really even make sense and actually are things there that contradict the actual teaching of the Bible am I getting to that in a in a second note oftentimes will point you in terms of, you know how how was it that the New Testament do we have was decided upon or determined will the church really receive these documents as inspired Scripture that they had this apostolate city to them. They were either written these documents by the apostles are somewhat associated with the apostles and antiquity. Their their ancient their old eyewitness accounts that kind of thing catholicity. Sometimes we use that that phrase to refer to the fact that that the universal church receive these books as inspired writings and that just is not the case for books like the Gospel of Thomas or the infancy Gospel of Thomas and so it's actually you read it and it's almost kind of comical because it's so out there. I mean there's there's a scene that the thing that you mentioned were Jesus is making birds out of clay and then making them come to life. That kind of thing that's want to but you also have in in the sort of infancy. This infancy narrative of Jesus's life. Jesus depicted is this very mischievous sort of troublemaker who has mystical powers as is. There's a scene there where a boy runs Byman sort of nudges him on the shoulder by accident and Jesus just kills him and the boys parents go to Joseph and they complain that there that that their son Jesus is is cursing children that if they basically you know you have to leave because he's killing the children in town and edges out totally outrageous and one of the one of the ways we know that this contradicts the Bible. If you look at Mark's gospel. In Mark chapter 6 when Jesus goes to his hometown in Nazareth, the place where he would've grown up the place were people would've known him as a child, listen to what what happens there. It says in Mark chapter 6 verse one when away from there and came to his hometown and his disciples followed him, and on the Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished saying where did this man get these things. What is the wisdom given to him and how are such mighty works done by his hands.

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joseph's and Judas and Simon and are not his sisters with us here and they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his relatives in his own household.

Verse five and he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. Seems like the people in Jesus hometown right there blown away that now that he knows Jesus began his earthly ministry. Is this great miracle worker and he's doing all these wonders and they're shocked because that's not the Jesus they had known, and that flight out contradicts we find in in the sort of infancy Gospel of Thomas narrative because there has used in all sorts of miracles you know they would not have been surprised if this was actually true. If if that account was actually true and it is in and so that's why we reject it, and it is I guess kind of fun to read. If you if you just looking for it for a good laugh. You certainly shouldn't take it as God's word or anything that you should, you know, treat as inspired Scripture. So thank you for your question, no Israel. There's also some other so-called Gospels like the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Judas, you could just briefly explain why certain books that purportedly were written around that time were not accepted by the church coming. I gave some of the some of the criteria that that was I think used by the early church right over saying that the church didn't decide the canon of Scripture, but really it is.

She received the canon of Scripture. These inspired books from the Lord and some of the things some of the criteria that I that I mentioned are catholicity that is that these are books that the entire church at the whole church and generally accepted, not just in one region of the world, but everywhere were the gospel was being preached apostolate city.

That is, these books were written by an apostle or someone closely associated with the apostles antiquity. So these notebooks like the Gospel of Thomas.

For example, what were written after the original Gospels, the four Gospels.

Much later, and so there is this antiquity to the middle.

Pauline epistles to the to the Gospels that kind of thing, and then really there's just is coherence as well.

What where they fit together.

Theology fits together. There are these contradictions were us again if you're looking at the infancy Gospel of Thomas.

There it basically contradicts what I just read there in Mark chapter 6 that that the people Jesus hometown didn't know him as a miracle worker and yet that's the opposite of what the infancy Gospel of Thomas is there people in those days were writing things. Try to make a name for themselves and and it just sort of fell flat.

But now, now we can read those things is there to see what was happening in and the absolute think we point to Bill your listing to core Christianity and if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

Here's the number it's 833. The core it's 1-833-843-2673. Our phone lines will be open for another 15 minutes or so.

So call us right now. Let's go tomorrow in Springfield, Missouri Mara what your question for pastor.

Israel is not a liar the same time Scripture does it, makes me wonder about that and part a land that you are is over supposed told Moses told Pharaoh that they were going to go three days out of 11. So out of the desert fights which he was really taken a map for good and Samuel he was going to go or not David to be a king down Bethlehem radio said God told him to go down there for celebration like that now. So there was Rahab that she deceived sandwich and protected. They asked Isaac a man and also Elisha. He was surrounded by the enemy and got behind the dam there that said member now anyway and got blinded and then Elisha lied to make on the wrong place and took them out to another place I like about the sources is sometimes people live maybe protect yourself. Thank you for giving us a call and thank you also for your encouragement and of course God's laws very clearly recalled not to bear false witness not to be deceitful not to tell half past true is that sometimes you do have in this immuno redemptive revelation that we see before us examples of even even you know supposedly holy people doing this kind with anything of Abraham. For example, as well. Lying about the identity of his wife Tina saying that she was his sister with with the hope of protecting her and so you sometimes are the example the extreme examples that are giving you like if you were hiding someone or group of people out in your basement because they were, you know being threatened would be wrong to tell. I would be right to lie to protect them. That kind of the thing in NW 30 get into that in a discussion about the letter of the Lord, the spirit of the law what what is it that would ultimately and truly be pleasing to the Lord, man, and here's where I think sometimes you know we look at the Scriptures and and we go to places like the Wister wisdom literature and it it's it's helpful to look at that because of the wisdom literature.

I think you were given these sort of blanket statements is black-and-white. So to do this, don't do this, but you also realize that life is more complex than that and that we really need the guidance of God spare the help of God's spirit in each particular situation which is not ever a justification for lying or being deceitful and and of course this is the people God is this where word not called to to do that. And so, but it is helpful to to recognize that you know there are complex situations and and circumstances and then you know I think that we have to exercise wisdom in those situations, but the fact of the matter is one of the things you will find and and we do see as we read the Scriptures as you do have examples of godly people. The people of God.

Oftentimes, breaking God's law, lying, getting drunk at Noah for example, I just preach on that recently and that doesn't that doesn't justify you to give even of King David taking multiple lives right or or Saul that that never doesn't justify that kind of behavior but just as is the reality of the kinds of people that God uses its broken sinful people, even deceitful people think of you know Jacob and Esau and Jacob. The way he treated his brother and so as we have in the Bible and and Frank was one of the things that should encourage us because we realize God is very gracious to us and uses a still, despite our sins, despite the fact that we've broken his lawn. So my appreciate your question and thank you for that lifeless tomorrow and for her digging into God's word. We really do appreciate that and admire that in our listeners who spend time to really get the Scriptures. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and if you are new to this program or if you're one of our regular listeners want to let you know that we are a listener supported program. That means we count on people just like you to keep the show on the air.

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It's a really wonderful resource for helping us understand that incredible book and complicated book. The book of Revelation to help us with our mission and request a copy of the Revelation Bible study just head over to core Christianity.com/Revelation that's core Christianity.com/Revelation or call us at 1-833-843-2673 and on behalf of the entire core team. We want to thank you so much for your support. Let's go to another call we received about a gentleman who's has a friend who's struggling physically and transmit getting a heart to you later today and he donate the much of my dislike. I have prayed for meant everything a little well this morning, but I my question is will the Lord bless an atheist or nonbeliever, will he answer prayers concerning them.

I don't know the answer to that.

I enjoy your show every night at 630 publishing. Thank you Richard, thank you for your encouragement man just want to encourage you to continue to pray for your friend who's an atheist because God does hear your prayers and one of the ways that God draws people to himself is through the faithful prayers of the body of Christ, and so don't doubt that the Lord hears your presuming they think about what the apostle Paul told Timothy that were called to pray for all people for everybody for Kings and everybody was in authority and in that context, you know, the people who he's referring to. Most of them were not Christians were believers at Kings and in that time, the authority figures at that time and and ultimately it is right you to Paul also tells what is the will of God that all people should should repent that should believe. Should you know that so I would say pray for him. Continue to pray for him. Continue to encourage him and know that the Lord does bless the entire world, whether they believe or don't believe in in in unique ways I think about what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 43's that you've heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I said 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. In other words, Jesus is saying there and in the sermon on the Mount God is kind even to atheists, if they get that the sunshine and the sunsets and the good food and the and of those kinds of blessings we sometimes referred to as common grace blessings God got showers.

Those upon the entire world believing and unbelieving alike in Exodus was something that was promised way back in the book of Genesis in Genesis chapter 8 when basically Moses receives that the covenant, the noetic covenant God had just flooded the whole world because of its sin and and listen to what happened. You know, Moses has been on the boat. He gets off of the boat and then we read in Genesis chapter 8 verse 20. Noah built an altar to the Lord to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar and when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart. I will never again curse the ground because of man for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth.

Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done while the earth remains seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease. In other words, the sort of common grace sustaining of the entire world. Despite the fact that it's full of sinners. Despite the fact that it's full of atheist cuts is a many continued to shower it with my goodness to to provide food, the seasons those kinds of things and so we can see God's generosity of the world, even to atheists. God's kindness God's goodness and that should encourage you Richard to continue to pray for your friend and to be to be someone who's there for him as as a believer as as a Christian to do is to share the gospel of Christ with him and so thank you for your call and and again thank you for your support. God bless your listening to core Christianity and by the way Richard mentioned the time… The program we actually take calls live at a certain time every day, but some radio stations there are program at a later time. So here's the time you want to call if you want to go to the studio and talk to pastor Israel live call at 11:30 AM Pacific time, which translates into 1230 Mountain 130 Central or 230 Eastern time for that 30 minute. Our phone lines are open.

If you can't get through. During that time you can feel free to leave a voicemail anytime of the day or night by calling us at 833-843-2673. That's 833. The core and let's go to one of our calls.

One of her voicemail calls from a listener named Elizabeth. So I am reading through the Gospels and I am noting every time Jesus healed someone from a deaf and dumb spirit. Like any sick deceased RL me and I noticed once again in Luke 1316, not this woman being a daughter of Abraham, whom Sadie and headband love these 18 years be loose from this man on the Sabbath day. I am just wondering how his line to decipher when Satan inflicted an individuated disease or infirmity when it is just the natural process of living in a fallen world are we to pray against the evil spirit are she leaches. Pray that God will heal and leave all the other parts of the Lord to work through. So thank you so much I Elizabeth, thank you for giving us a call. And of course you know we don't have any sort of special revelation that would that would tell us you know you need to pray for this person because they're oppressed by demonic spirit or bull because they're just suffering under the threat of common curse that afflicts us all because of sin and we have to be really careful here because there are some ministries that I'm sure you know Elizabeth, that will say hey if you're if you're struggling with the sickness with the physical ailments or something bad happen to you that must be a sign that you're in sin or that there some kind of it didn't demonic oppression going on and there are there are Christians there are sincere believers that live under this sort of weight of that kind of teaching and there there. You know, scouring their lives trying to figure will be to what is it that I did wrong. Why is it that this is happening to me when in reality there are just the sort of is, as you said the sort of natural things that take place in this world, living in a fallen world, and even the righteous suffer and are afflicted near Timothy had these frequent stomachaches were told ball both that hate to have a little wine that you know not just water so you can have your stomach settled. Hey, wasn't attributing that to a demonic attack you think also of Job, Job didn't do anything evil, but there was this demonic attack that did he experience it went so from our perspective, Elizabeth.

We don't know. You know what's behind you know a particular malady which is not sure and so I think we can pray to the Lord confidently that he would extend his mercy that he would extend his grace we could say Lord if this is in no spiritual warfare. If this is demonic attack would you find the evil one would you deliver this brother or sister from from from that that kind of oppression but but we don't know, and so are there instances may be where were an individual might say I can see how my own sin has led to this terrible condition that I made may be there in slave to addiction or something like that.

And there are all sorts of medical issues that are associated with that we could say yeah maybe there's something deeper here that you you can pray about and pray for, but I would just encourage you and you sort of alluded to it. I would encourage you to pray and leave the rest up to the Lord as I got. I'm not sure exactly why this person is suffering in this way and I don't want to try to guess that that could be unhelpful and and frankly harmful for that individual. I want to trust you and so we we take these things to the Lord in prayer and trust that he hears a stress that he hears you. Elizabeth and knows that he will bless you as you continue to pray for the people around thanks 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