What Are Christians Obligated to Do in the New Covenant?

What are Christians obligated to do as part of the new covenant is just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity wider. 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.

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You can watch us right now on YouTube and send us a message. That way, and of course you can email us with your question at questions@corechristianity.com. Let's go to a voicemail we received from one of our listeners. This is Lori in Michigan were looking at verses one and two, where the Bible refers to the sons of God. Plural and we are wondering exactly what that mean though I know you just preached on Genesis.

Not too long ago, so I thought you might have some insight on that if you could please explain. We depreciated.

Thanks so much and have a blessed day stay.

Thank you so much for giving us a call with that question and I did just recently reached through Genesis chapter 6 verse one it says now when man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive and they took as their wives any they chose. Then the Lord said, my spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh in his day shall be 120 years the Neff Halima were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came into the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were mighty men who were of old, the men of renown and then the passage goes on to say in verse five the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Now there is controversy about the identity of the sons of God here and what precisely is going on. There are some people who will say well the sons of God. Here are a reference to angels and there are many places in the Scriptures where the angelic hosts are referred to as the sons of God.

You see this in the book of Job how you see this in the Psalms as well and so there is evidence in Bible that the sons of God refers to angelic beings. There are others who take this.

Is this the sons of God being thought of intermarrying between the two lines that the seed of the woman in the seat of the serpent, the sort of mixed marriages that lead to corruption in the world.

The set fight the good line, mirroring the Canaanite line and then corrupting the godly line so there are others who prove you it is that's what's happening here.

And then there are others who refer to the sons of God or view the sons of God is these these mighty rulers. Sometimes kings were referred to in this time as sons of God. And so the three primary interpretations that are out there and each of them have strengths and weaknesses. Frankly, that what's helpful and in this is what I focused on when I preach through Genesis chapter 6. Is it regardless of which one of those we embrace which one of those use related to the sons of God. We embrace that the end product is all the same. What's happening here on earth at the at at this time is a corruption in particular in particular a corruption of marriage and proper marriage practices. Sexual immorality was growing more and more rampant. That really is what's been focused on here and that's why verse five says God looks at this. Whatever was going on there and he sees the wickedness of man as it's growing. And this is ultimately the sort of catalyst that leads to the flood God judging the entire world through the flood, and so I think the best thing to do is visit.

There is, as I said debate about how to identify the sons of God are.

I think the best thing to do, say, look, here's the focus of the text man was growing more and more sinful. Apart from God and turning away from the Lord in marriage sexuality was being corrupted more and more, and that led to God's judgment and that's that's I think what Moses, who wrote Genesis is highlighting here in the fact of the matter is is you and Jesus and in the New Testament. You know he talks about the second coming, he says, and to be like the days of Noah and and the reality is we can look around us today and and we see the same kinds of sexual perversions and in moralities being embraced by society by so many people in and so I think it's really important that we recognize that that's the focus of this text is that sin leads to God's judgment and what what was happening there in Genesis is just the sort of progression. A steady progression downward and and mankind was was growing further and further away from the Lord so that you for your for your question and for that call. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Our phone lines are open right now. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

We would love to hear from you. Here's the phone number it's 833. The core in our phone lines will be open for the next 15 minutes or so again it's 833 the core which translates into 833-843-2673 let's go to Mike in Kansas City Missouri like what your question for Pastor Israel will take my call. I recently heard a drill say that God alone makes the choice for saving that he saves people and have nothing at all to do it. In order it's all all God and I kind of researching this problem because you when I was first saved. I thought you know that God wanted everyone to be saved like the computer 39. That got desires all men to repent and come to the knowledge of the truth. But then I didn't reading lately about the other other denominations that they know God does everything you have nothing at all to do with it. He chooses there's going to be saved and is going to be lost and God does not want some people to be say and he deliberately passes them over so they cannot be saved. Could you explain this to me what I can understand it better. Yeah Mike let me let me do my best and I really appreciate your question. Of course I I want to speak the words of holy Scripture. So when we talk about God choosing people for salvation. I don't want it to be pastor a drills word.

I wanted to be the words of Jesus with the words of the apostle Paul and we can look in Scripture in see the Scripture speaking this way. I may have got I'm not sure what what particular broadcast you were listening to, but I might might have gone to Ephesians chapter 1 where Paul says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, director Paul's the one who says God, it shows us in him in Christ before the foundation of the world in love he predestined us in. This is a strange idea under the old covenant, the Old Testament, God sent his particular love on Israel as a nation in Deuteronomy's is a good the reason you were chosen as Moses says to the Israelites is not as were greater than any other nation. It wasn't because you you were more righteous or bad, more numbers than the other nations.

God chose to set his love on you because it was what he chose to do it was in line with the promise he had made to our forefathers and so this idea of God calling the people out to himself choosing people for salvation isn't foreign to Scripture.

Now the same time Mike can you know what were were wrestling to be faithful to the whole of Scripture in Scripture is also absolutely clear that each and every one of us are responsible to the Lord and before the Lord for our actions, and so you have what sometimes people say that this is the tension you know in one sense work.

We are free men out even our freedom has limitations in on that freedom you know, sprout wings and fly.

I can't do that and I'm also not free to save myself I can't because I'm dead in sin that supposed to say later in Ephesians chapter 2 verse one you were dead in trespasses and sins in which you in which you once walked, as it is really important that I think we understand some of those things. So were not trying to do away with human responsibility. All people are called to repent and turn to to Christ. There is this real free offer of the gospel that goes out that's been secured for us by the work of Jesus Christ. But then at the same time we know that salvation is all of grace and again I mean I'm just I'm just hammering away at the book of in the book of Ephesians. Or, you know what Paul says in chapter 2 verse eight for by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God not a result of works, in other words, is not because of something that you did.

That's not why God set his love on you what he shows you why he saved you.

We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Now I again to your question. Brother II know that for many people they hear this, you know, this idea of God choosing for salvation. It concerns them and they think you know will will what what if you didn't choose me that kind of fear and and if I was first wrestling with this concept and I was reading some of these passages. Ephesians chapter 1 Romans chapter 9 was it was a question that I had as well. But the reality is, as we can see God working in us.

If you believe in Jesus Christ. That's because the spirit of God has worked in you. God is giving you this gift. This this this new birth the area and so we can be confident. I think brother that we are and have been received into the family of God. Because we see God at work in our lives. And because we have the promise of the gospel and so Mike I II appreciate again you you calling and and asking about some of these these passages of Scripture what you think about that text that I just read from Ephesians chapter 1 where Paul talks about the fact that we have been chosen in Jesus. Well I made it very clear that that and got dark all III agree with that. I get out this morning what you think about how you do second. 39 not to be contentious but just, you know, I caught a sure one day that that the spirit or the God first John to work since Jesus died for the sin that all men yeah the whole world. There is no yeah I appreciated in and I just appreciate your heart to brother and asking these questions.

I know you're not trying to be contentious work. We are just looking at the Scriptures and wanting to expositor them faithfully as we look at a passage like second Peter chapter 3 verse nine the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowly snow slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance and I think in a real sense you see this all all over the place right. God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. We can say that in terms of how God's is revealed himself to us that God does will and once it's all people to be saved, and he calls the whole world, to repentance and faith out the big question. You know the rub is will then why aren't all people saved and I do believe that God one is not obligated to save anyone. It's it's is it's his free and sovereign grace that the effects on individuals, not obligated to save us. If God left this to ourselves.

You know we we that would be totally just and and yet he doesn't so often he he reaches down to us in his son. He reached down to us so that he might redeem us and then related the text that you mentioned in first drawing of the way III think it's helpful to articulate. This is the death of Christ is sufficient to atone for, you know, for the sins of the entire world, but it's efficient only for those who belong to Jesus. That is it's it's effective only for those who are redeemed, Christ's blood because he's the eternal son of God's is of infinite value in there and so I think it's helpful to make make that distinction. It isn't that Jesus's death on the cross. Just effectively saved everyone on planet Earth, regardless of whether or not they had faith. It's of infinite that value but it's efficient only for the children of the living God.

And so, again, Mike really appreciate your your calling in and in your questions brother and may the Lord bless you as you continue to dig into the Scriptures and may he grant us all wisdom to grow in our understanding everything will day. Douglas and Mike, thanks so much for your call or send Mike a copy of the book or Christianity from our good friend Mike who is written just really I think probably the seminal work on helping us understand the core tenants of the faith, so you will hang on their Mike will look at that off in the mail to you. This is core Christianity with pastor Gabriel Sanchez and if you are new to the program or if you're one of our regular listeners want to let you know that we are a listener supported ministry and that means we count on people just like you to keep this program on the air.

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People will longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me.

Anyway, my interpretation every wrong. I look forward to your on your response and I think people are very anger shall have more than encouraging in my Christian walk is a large man. Thank you for those encouraging words and that you brought us to wonderful passage of Scripture wonderful prophecy in Jeremiah chapter 31 where Jeremiah is given this word from the Lord. Verse 31 behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them up by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was there. Husband declares the Lord nestle so the first thing I would you say so you have this contrast between the covenant that was made with the people of God upon their departure from from Egypt. You know that the Mosaic covenant, the old covenant, and in this new covenant that God is about to make for this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God and they shall be my people, and no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Now there are number of places in the Old Testament that talk about explicitly or allude to this new covenant. All throughout the prophets. In particular, but even in places like the book of Deuteronomy in Deuteronomy chapter 30 I you do. See also in Joel chapter 2 that the promise of the Spirit to be poured out on all flesh. You see this in the book of Ezekiel, but here again very specific specifically in Jeremiah chapter 31 and I think the first thing to notice. As I've already said that it's contrasted with the old covenant that was broken.

Remember that that the tablets of stone that Moses threw down because the people had committed idolatry will hear God says here's what happened in the new covenant not to write my law on tablets of stone to write my law on your heart.

Now this is this is a really wonderful thing and and and what we need also recognizes this is something that is that it happened Jesus when he instituted the Lord's supper in the Gospels.

He said what he say this cup is the new covenant in my blood. That is the new covenant was affected by Jesus by his sacrificial death. He has inaugurated it so that now through him through his work we receive the promises that are described here, namely, the forgiveness of our sins be the presence the internalization of the Holy Spirit got to somewhat abominable. My spirit in you him and to write my law on your heart and our job in the condition if you will. Under the old covenant are all sorts of conditions you got to do this that and the other, and if you don't, you're going to be cast out of the land. And that's exactly what happened that the children of Israel were exiled and and spit out of the land if you will, because of their disobedience to God's covenant will here is the condition for us brothers and sisters, is that we receive these promises. It's by faith.

It's by faith, we come before the Lord, week, week, we come to him in faith believing in him and these promises belong to us now. You did mention to you know you get to verse 34. He says no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of this language of from the least of the greatest is actually used throughout the book of Jeremiah seated earlier and in chapter 8 verse 10 in chapter 9 verse three and and typically when Jeremiah would use this lease to greatest language. He was talking about every everyone in Israel that basically turned away from the Lord, how they work following the Lord, from the least of the greatest, they were in indulging in sin as we talking about this great reversal. This great revival through the work of Christ and through the gift of the Holy Spirit brothers and sisters, we are the recipients of those of those blessings of those new covenant blessings and so really wonderful thing. Also, if you want to see places in the New Testament were talked about the new covenant mentioned Jesus where he instituted the Lord's supper also in the in the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 8. In particular, you have this long quotation from Jeremiah 31 and it talks again about the institution of this new covenant making the old covenant obsolete and then also in the book of first John. John oftentimes and in his first letter alludes to the language of the new covenant even that that verse in verse 34 is a you you will need to teach your neighbor or your brother that kind of a think John says you you have an anointing from the holy one, and you don't have anyone in any need that anyone should teach with their he just focusing on the fact that God himself brothers and sisters teaches us by the grace of his spirit is not a it's not a statement that means we don't need to go to church don't need good and faithful Bible teachers is talking about the spirit of God is at work in our hearts to teach us and to lead us in so really just absolutely wonderful promises that you and I are the recipients of through Jesus. Amen. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question you can always email us. Here's the email address its questions at core, Christianity.com questions at core, Christianity.com here's one from Richard. He says I'm concerned with the politicization of the evangelical church. Do you feel that politics is forming. Our theology shouldn't be the other way around. Yeah, absolutely.

It should be the other way around amino God's word is the ultimate authority for us it's it's what should drive everything in terms of our thinking is is the revelation that God is given to us. And so if an individual is driven primarily by their political party and they're trying to read the Bible in light of that into sort of use Scripture for the you know that the end of helping people to come to the truth of whatever their their political convictions are you that's a huge problem Scripture, God's holy word is meant to shape us in the way we think and the way we live and even yes the way we we think about politics and engage with broader society and so I too am concerned with the sort of police elicitation of the of the church where you know oftentimes I think pastors can can get into this habit of focusing too much on that instead of instead of functioning as an ambassador of Christ and a messenger of God's kingdom, we can get caught up in and really trying to align ourselves with one political power or another. And at the end of the day that is not what what the Lord calls us to do.

Now that's not to say that we ought not to engage in some of these discussions and think about how we can serve our neighbors and and what kinds of policies are going to to demonstrate love for the people around us protection for the unborn. Those kinds of things think it's it's really important, but you have to ask yourself the question, I was the most important thing to me. What is my identity rooted in is it in my political affiliation in party or is it in my union with Jesus Christ and then being a member of a local church. We have to get our priorities straight brothers and sisters, we are Christians and we have a primary citizenship in heaven and we give thanks to the Lord for that and for the grace that we received. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us.

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