Should National Flags Be in Churches?

Should churches in the US displayed the American flag in the sanctuary. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez as we head into a holiday weekend.

We hope you have a wonderful time with your friends and family. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day and we would love to hear from you. Our phone lines are open right now for the next 25 minutes or so and you can ask your question at 833. The core that's 1-833-843-2673, as always, you can post your question on one of our social media accounts. Of course you can email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Amber in St. Joseph Missouri Amber what your question for Pastor Israel. You can't 20 Romans chapter 10 verses six and seven verse six says, but the righteousness based on faith says do not say in your heart who will ascend into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down or who will descend into the abyss. That is, to bring Christ up from the dead. What does it say the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart that is the word of faith that we proclaim because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified and with the mouth one confesses and is saved and you said is does that have anything to do with further first 2015 what verse in particular, Giffords contains 15 what cell are at and when I read it written down actually and really going down and really going out okay so first 20 chapter 15 verse 26 the last enemy to be destroyed is death for God has put all things in subjection under Jesus's feet. But when it says all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he is accepted to put all things in subjection under him, so you really two different things that are happening in in these passages of Scripture, Amber, but there is some some similarity as well so first in Romans chapter 10 you have Paul contrasting. Essentially, the righteousness of the law with the righteousness that comes by faith. And this is something that he's done throughout the epistle of Roman cities, focusing primarily on the fact that we are we are saved justified freely by God through faith. It is the righteousness that comes from the line. After that, something that he highlights a little bit earlier in verse five of chapter 10 in the book of Romans for Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.

In earlier in chapter 4 of the book of Romans. Paul highlighted the fact that it is not that the righteous person that is justified because all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

It's the one who believes it, that is justified and forgiven. And then in verse 20 chapter 15. The focus is on the resurrection of the dead.

There were some in Corinth were saying the resurrection. It already happened, or that there was no resurrection of the dead and so Paul is emphasizing their the fact that because we know that Jesus did bodily rise again from the dead.

We have confidence as Christians as those who believe in Jesus Christ, that one day we too will also rise from the dead, and into the language there of crisis center Christ resurrection that that's really what it's it's leading us to his is confidence actually in the hope that each and every one of us who believe in Jesus Christ have the hope of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. On the basis of what not the righteousness that comes from the law, but the righteousness which comes by faith in Jesus Christ. As Paul said in Romans chapter 10 Amber thanks for listening to the broadcast and for your question.

Hope you have a great day.

Thanks much, Amber.

We appreciate you. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez and if you have a question on phone right now and give us a call. Our phone lines open for the next 20 minutes or so 833. The core is the number Meka noted that for future reference 833 the core which translates into 833-843-2673. Here's an email we received from Joel he says do you have any thoughts about churches displaying the American flag or any flag in the sanctuary.

I see this a lot of churches and I can't think of a good reason for. Thank you. Hey Joel, really an excellent question, and you know I'm the pastor of a local church.

We don't have any national flags American flag set up in our sanctuary and I actually think that that's important. I I am not in favor of having American flags or any other kind of national flag in the sanctuary for a very simple reason. One of the attributes of the church of Jesus Christ is called catholicity. Now that were Catholic innocent. We hear and we think Roman Catholic, but that's not what I'm talking about. It just means universal catholicity Catholic means universal. And one of the one of the beautiful things about the new covenant that Jesus instituted in his own blood is that the people of God aren't identified with one particular nation, one country or 1 Particular Pl.

The church consists of people from every tribe, tongue, and nation of the world. The church is a sort of United Nations and so our focus in the church should be on that sort of kingdom inclusion of the entire world people from every tribe, tongue, and nation and the church on earth today is a sort of Embassy of grace we are pastors are ambassadors of another kingdom not met the kingdoms of this world, but the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is advancing through the preaching of the gospel through the faithful administration of the ordinances that Jesus gave to the church and so I think that sometimes you having these kinds of displays in the church.

I know that even this this upcoming weekend. There are number churches that are to make it really big deal about this were the focus I think is is good to be misplaced. Our focus brothers and sisters in Christian worship needs to be on God and on his kingdom.

Now that's not to say that we can't be grateful for the blessings of the Lord is given to us, and in whatever country he has a sin in this country in particular that we can be patriotic about that but we have to distinguish between our heavenly citizenship which Paul in Philippians chapter 3 says is the most important thing about us and an art dissipation citizen citizenship in the kingdoms of this world and so I think it doesn't send the right message to people who are coming to our churches or video visiting our churches what we make it seem like this is America's church if you will know this is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ and we are the kingdom of Christ, manifested here on earth today and so I'm I'm not I'm not in favor of, you know, having those kinds of displays in the church is that the church should be a place where Christ himself is placarded before us in his life, death and resurrection.

This is about what the apostle Paul makes absolutely clear in Galatians chapter 3 he says look through my preaching, I placarded Jesus Christ before you and every Sunday of the year.

That's what should be happening in our churches, thanks to that question, Joel. Thanks, Andrew. I'm glad you did point out though that it's there's nothing wrong with being patriotic and I would say being appreciative that we live in a country where we can practice our faith freely when there are so many in this world where that's not possible right yeah love the other art. There are places where Christians are really experiencing intense persecution and ultimately were submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ to wherever we are.

You know it's not that the government of the state that gives us the authority and the freedom to proclaim the gospel.

It's Jesus who calls us to do it and commands us to do it and we can be thankful that here you know we in many churches have been able to live peaceably. Certainly more more peaceably than in other parts of the world that something we can give thanks to the Lord for for sure this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Caleb in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Kate Kelly what your question for Pastor Israel. All right, so my question is so it only four star rating like in the book of John in on the end the Gospels we start reading that John the Baptist extent by you know God and that witness right but you know what, I don't really understand and he started baptizing the you know how do you find out you know he was supposed to be baptizing people in preparing the like that that because and no. In the Old Testament. You never really read it and I never even seen anything about baptism until the New Testament whenever John the Baptist like you like the first one to start doing that. I Caleb.

Great question yet John the Baptist shows up on the scene in the Gospels baptizing people unto repentance, you know, proclaiming repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.

He's paving the way for Jesus, as prophesied back in the book of Isaiah that we do have these Old Testament types and pictures of baptism described in the New Testament, actually. So for example the flood is a type of baptism, Peter talks about this in particular. It's this picture of salvation through judgment and that's actually what baptism is this picture of salvation through judgment. Baptism is a picture of judgment really floodwaters and in particular judgment in Christ. When we were baptized at this picture of our death and resurrection in Jesus Christ our union with him. Paul talks about this in places like the book of Romans chapter 6, another Old Testament type or shadowy picture of baptism is the crossing of the Red Sea in a ball in first Corinthians is it that the people were baptized into Moses through the sea and so you have these these pictures and there were the sort of ritual washings that the Hebrew people had and in particular you know a lot of people note that John the Baptist was out in the wilderness with the sort of wilderness communities. Perhaps, who were looking for the coming of God's kingdom in these particular places.

Oftentimes there were the sort of ritual washings kind of baptism if you will, and so a lot of people say that's that's where John is getting this idea but ultimate letting we can just say he's a mighty prophet of the Lord Jesus himself identified John the Baptist as a prophet and so John is getting this information also from God, from the guidance of God as he is out doing what the Lord has led him to do baptizing and paving the paving the way for the Messiah for Jesus to come and of course, that's precisely what he did.

So Gail, thank you for for your question.

Forgive us a call. Thanks much, Caleb. Appreciate you listening to core Christianity.

If you got a question for Pastor Israel give us a buzz at 833. The core let's go to John in the walkie Wisconsin John what your question for Pastor Israel friends on both sides, not I'm just wondering if there's any reference in the Bible that would may be contradict genetic case with the mRNA that contradict with her divine likeness in connection to God. Hey John, thank you for this question. And obviously this is a contentious issue ready as you said, I have friends kind of on both sides of the aisle with the student.

I don't think that there's any sort of change of DNA that's taking place with the coded 19 vaccine unveiled as a matter of personal conscience and and people are have to make a decision for themselves and exercise wisdom.

One thing I'm really grateful for his week we sometimes call common grace and that is that God can work in and through science and medicine for the good of people and for the good of his people and and hobbies is something we've seen throughout the history of humanity is as we see certain medical advancements take place in an and things it you know were able to think through and and apply I think biblical wisdom tenets of the decisions that we make individually but there there is no I would say assault on the image of God.

Here, in particular, you know what assaults the image of God.

It's not stuff like that the coded 19 vaccine its sin.

That's that that that's the primary thing that's against. If you will. The image of God. That's that's of the image of God is defaced today. It's through sin, and that we see that way back in the book of Genesis in the garden. I think a lot of times are good so concerned with with you and all the things are going on around us and stuff like this. Even then we lose sight of really what God calls us to. That is a life of holiness, a life of loving Christ life of loving our neighbors. Even in the decisions that we make related to the stuff pertaining to the pandemic that kind of a thing and so are our greatest concern with regard to the image of God has to be has to be that has to be walking with the Lord to the image of God as it's described in the book of Genesis is is about a number of things. One of the things about his imaging. If you will, are good creator, reflecting his goodness and his glory through our lives. And of course because of sin, we we don't do that. Well, we don't do that perfectly one of the reasons that Jesus came to earth was to restore the image of God and humanity, so that in Christ. You and I might begin to reflect our loving Savior are good God in a way that we we hadn't before in the way that we couldn't. Apart from the grace of the Holy Spirit, and so so to your question is the vaccine contradictory to the image of God. No sin is sin is and that should be our greatest concern as followers of Jesus. You are listing the core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez and if you have kids or grandkids. We want to tell you about a wonderful book that will help you answer some of the questions that they may have about the Christian faith. How do we know Christianity is really true in apologetics book written for kids young kids ages 9 to 13 into those early teenage years and I am more and more convinced me I have five little kids. My oldest is actually nine years old and more and more I'm I'm just becoming convinced that we have to do a better job as parents, and also in the local church at training our children and establishing them in apologetics in a defense of the Christian faith because there are all sorts of other ideas out there on that there gonna be exposed to and then you know why they believe the things that they believe and why.

Why those beliefs are good and true and make sense and ultimately have evidence to support them and so get a hold of this resource for yourself for your children for your grandchildren again.

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That's 833 the core go to Robin in Memphis, Tennessee Robin what your question for Pastor Israel and there may now know and are you will Robin let me let me pray first for your friend right now Grace's father in heaven we list Robin's friend up to you in the in the middle of this very difficult situation.

What is she suffering and she's drawing near to death. Lord I pray that your Holy Spirit would be at work in her life.

I pray that you would be with Robin giving Robin wisdom the words to say that she has conversations with her friend in this very in this very difficult time clarity Lord and we know, ultimately, gracious father, that you were the one that opens the heart. Would you open this this person's heart Lord is you opened Lydia's heart in the book of acts to receive the word of the gospel. Would you open would you open her heart Lord is Robin speaks to her and would you be working in the situation we ask, gracious father in Jesus name, amen Robin. I think what what you can do is continue to pray and as I said you know we we can't minimize the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion.

It's the spirit of God, who opens hearts and if you're praying for your friend if you if you've sought to walk alongside of her and share with her the gospel of grace. You can puke.

I think you can have a clear conscience, and of course we we want to see the Lord work in this situation, and I don't know how much more time. Your friend has.

I would encourage you in your conversations just to you know be able to continue to express to her that the meeting that Jesus has had in your life and the fact that more than that more than just your own personal experience with Jesus that Jesus is the Savior that he really rose again from the dead, so that we in in the valley of the shadow of death, as David called in Psalm 23 might have hope because we know that Jesus has risen from the dead and conquered death and that that message of what God is accomplished is for your friend can apply to her through faith in Jesus Christ, it's so it's so free it's the good news of the gospel, not on the basis of anything that she's done not on the basis of how perfectly she's lived her life solely on the basis of Jesus in his work and so I think you know it as much is you have opportunity in these days Robin as you as you seek to be there for your friend to comfort her to encourage her to be able to have those discussions and into clearly articulate for your friend the gospel it's it's it's more than just a note, listening to nice Christian music and and the fact that Christians are really nice people. That kind of thing it's it's the message of hope in the face of death because Jesus has conquered death and for all who turn to him for all who look to him.

There is hope in May the Lord give you wisdom sister and just fill you with his spirit and boldness to be able to communicate with your friend.

During this time, and so thank you for giving us a call and I may the Lord bless you, Robin will be praying for you with this a difficult situation with your friend. We really appreciate so much your tender heart.

This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Leroy in St. Louis, Missouri Leroy what your question for Pastor Israel will mean when it suited there were not doing well with you always. Note Lord that will arrive on. Let me say what you want to know about my spirit were not drilled with you always. A Leroy great question. I'm glad you asked honestly been preaching to the book of Genesis is think you're referring to a verse back in Genesis chapter 6 where God says this is right before the flood, and in that the sort of context is that the evil on earth you know mankind had been slowly growing more and more corrupt and God says in Genesis chapter 6 verse three my spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh his days shall be 120 years now. There are two ways of looking at this text, in particular in the context of Genesis chapter 61. It could just be a reference to shortened lifespans. In other words you read the book of Genesis, yet always people living hundreds and hundreds of years and got a Sam to cut that short and out.

Now some people say, what seems like people still continue to live 120 years and and longer even after God said this. And so, though the response to be will make as well. God is basically saying this is what's coming shortened lifespans for humanity. Another interpretation another way in which people look at this as they say well it's the approximate amount of time until the flood.

In other words, God is starting a countdown he say look this is the sinfulness of mankind on the earth. My spirit is not always going to abide with man.

You have basically about 120 years before I flood the earth and judgment comes almost as a sort of preparation.

Think of what God did for the people of Nineveh when when Jonah went preaching to them and selected judgment is coming.

You have X amount of time to repent. It's not referring to the fact that you know God is with us and then when we say and he leaves us. In fact, let me just say if if you're in Christ, if you belong to Jesus.

Leroy ever relationship with him by faith you've trusted in him. Listen to what what he says in the book of Hebrews chapter 13 beginning in verse five the author the Hebrew said this Hebrew life free from the love of money, be content with what you have, for he has said I will never leave you or forsake you.

So, we can confidently say the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what can man do to me man lay hold of those words is a God says to his people. Here's what God says to you, if you're a Christian, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

What's our response. The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what can man do to me, see friends. The love of God is not fickle. It's not here one day and gone the next. It's not like you know that that old game that people would play to get Daisy and pull off a leaf as you he loves me he loves me not. He loves me he loves me not that kind of thing. No, God is committed to his people with this dead fast love that word all throughout the New Testament God's steadfast love and faithfulness is covenant love for his people, so he says to you, I will never leave you or forsake you and we can confidently say the Lord is my helper, Leroy God bless you. Thanks for give us a call. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer as a docent 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