Are the Stories in the Old Testament Fact or Fiction?

The following is a prerecorded version of core Christianity is it okay for Christian leaders to boast just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Gabriel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. Here's the number to call if you have a question it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch us on YouTube and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Barbara in St. Louis, Missouri Barbara, welcome to the program. Thanks for calling us Barbara, what's your question one not make any graven image or display any graven or anything that resembles heaven above. How does that apply playing the game or any pictures of what could be represented as the holy family that God spoke to his people when he brought them out of the land of Egypt, and he said I'm the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, you shall not make anything any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down yourself to them nor serve them. The second commandment.

And the question is, you know, what about the nativity scenes that we see especially around Christmas time. Is it okay for me to put one up in my front yard. What we have to go to the word of God first and foremost and and I know that this is probably not the most popular opinion but I would say look Scripture trumps everything else we ought not to make images of God, sculptures of God and the reason is because God wants to represent himself, and he does that through his Word through his revelation and so I you and I know a lot of people think is sort of harmless is not that big of a deal, but I would say enough for us.

The focus in terms of communicating what God is like, who Jesus was, has to be the holy Scriptures ball when he talked about giving people a quote unquote image of Jesus as he wrote to the Galatians in Galatians chapter 3 says I placarded Christ before you how not you know by painting a big picture of him or her or his sculpting an image of Jesus the Messiah through the preaching of the gospel through the preaching of the cross we need is more of that gospel preaching. If want to communicate the truth of the gospel that the real message of the incarnation, the Christmas story or anything related to the life of Jesus.

We need to do is share the word of God.

That's we get the clearest picture of who the Lord is and so I think I think were called to be faithful here to the Scriptures.

I know that there is debate about this and as I said, I know that a lot of people he had in the distinct cowboy goodness I've never thought about that. Or that just seems a little bit extreme but but again we want to be faithful to the word of God and what God's word. Let God's word drive us in the decisions that we make in and in the things that we do, especially as it relates to worship and so appreciate your question. Thank you for forgiveness, a call that this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Troy in Nashville, Tennessee Troy what your question for pastor.

Israel call about the Joe Biden equality act agenda is set, even on TV. I'm sure many have seen and heard about heard it from Allah that he is going to make all the first thing of all, I don't hate homosexuals think they can be saved just like anyone else is going to make a lower income into the church and set up their own rules and their teach Sunday school about their lives and the preachers teach and what they teach in their and that he's gonna from what I know from what I've heard is going to make it a law. If anyone who's against it.

It will be considered a hate crime.

I just want to know is this is this the beginning of the persecution of the church, a Troy well I appreciate your question and that that would say this is the beginning of the persecution of the church. The church of Jesus Christ has been persecuted for 2000 years and throughout the rest of the world right now there are places where we have brothers and sisters who are who are executed for their faith in Jesus Christ. We really should give thanks to the Lord for the way in which through his providence and of the churches has grown in many parts of the United States. But even with that.

We desperately need here revival. We desperately need a recovering of the core Christian trues doctrines of the gospel that we find in the Bible that we need that now but out in terms of you know that the Biden administration equality act were called to do as Christians you here's here's the words of the apostle Paul in first Timothy chapter 2, first of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people for Kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way and so II think you wheat we pursue peace.

We pray for leaders, even the leaders we disagree with it and we pray that God would allow his church to thrive to flourish that we would experience peace that they would experience. Also the piece of the gospel so that we could leave peaceful lives, quiet lives godly and dignified in every way.

This is good is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth and I think we can have the sort of alarmist mentality we have to be careful that we recognize look Jesus Christ said I am going to build my church and the gates of hell will never prevail against her.

We have that promise. It doesn't matter what anybody does or says or what you know whatever laws are passed, we know that the church is going to continue to advance through the preaching of the gospel.

We don't get our marching orders from any political administration we get them from the King of Kings and Lord of lords. Jesus Christ were called to be faithful to him and to his word, regardless of what comes down the pipeline and part of being faithful to him and to his word is living peaceably with our neighbors. Loving them and sharing the gospel with them and praying for the leaders of this nation. Even when we disagree with them, to being examples of piece of charity, of righteousness and gift effort for it for you know one reason or another we experience persecution. How do we respond well we do what Jesus said we love our enemies read that the sermon on the mount and so I think that we can't look into the future and we also don't want to have the kind of attitude that just assumes the worst all the time. We ought to do is be hopeful and the promise of the gospel.

We've received from Jesus himself that he is to build his church and were part of that church and so we press forward prayerfully with hope, and ultimately knowing that the victory belongs to the Lord. Troy, thanks for your question, Israel. I'm guessing you would also say that Christians need to be educated and aware of what's going on in the political system and to be active in stating their opinion. Yeah, I think I think that's there's there's nothing wrong with that. Now I think a lot of times and people today state their opinions on things like social media and we would we really have this hard time dialoguing with one another, communicating with each other and charitable way so I can we can be examples as Christians of those who are one willing to listen to show empathy to people who disagree with us and to to have good conversations, helpful conversations where we share exhibit the love of Christ and a and really try to try to understand other people's points of views without compromising what we believe we know God has revealed in his word, and so we should be models of that kind of dialogue in the world today because it's something you just don't see very much on on both sides of the political aisle to seems like there's a lot of fighting a lot of sort of mudslinging and that's something we should not participate in as Christians. I meant this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to Christie in Kansas City, Missouri Christie, what's your question for pastor.

Israel Darrell I don't know if they Christie thanked her for calling us, but your question, I believe our struggle with believing the Old Testament Scripture.

I have faith in the New Testament Scripture because there are multiple historic eyewitness accounts. However, in the Old Testament there are some pretty wild claims of brand filing from the sky. Jonah and the whale, and even the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and snake found more fairytale to me so I'm just wondering is it fair to say perhaps that is their parable to teach us a lesson in how can I increase my faith in the Old Testament specifically Christie one man praise the Lord that you are walking with Jesus.

I do know how long you've been a Christian for no kind what the circumstances were what brought you to the face but I'm so glad to hear that you're walking with the Lord, that you believe in Jesus and that your studying God's word and that you're asking really good questions, hard questions and and keep doing that like we have questions about the Bible. The worst thing we can do this is sweep them under the rug and just sort of you know not deal with them. I think this is really good that you're asking these kinds of questions and there have been some people said yet we just we just have to so to write that stuff off. It was as a sort of a parable for the myth meant to communicate some other greater truth that kind of a thing. But we have to be careful. We do have in the Bible poetic language, thought of the kind of language or apocalyptic language as well you know we have to be careful that in those situations were not just saying oh that's you know that that that that's literal we have to read every genre of Scripture according to how it was intended to be read but outline a lot of the things you mention. You know those those stories are coming from historical narratives and their also confirmed by Jesus and by the disciples in the New Testament. So for example you know Jesus talks about the situation. The story of Jonah as if it really happened in Jesus in Matthew 12 verse 40 gets a prophecy of his his death and resurrection. Essentially, nieces, just like Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights. So I'm in a be in the heart of the earth. You mentioned Adam and Eve.

Adam is mentioned in the New Testament as well by the apostle Paul that you think of a place like Romans chapter 5 first Corinthians chapter 15 Adam is our our unit, the, the first man the first representative of humanity.

Jesus came as the second Adam, that's was emphasized in first 2015 in and out of Romans chapter 5 by the apostle public the with the idea there is that Adam really exist to me really sinned, and his sin really did have a terrible effect on human history and and on but you know what was going to come after him. You mentioned that the bread from heaven.

The story that you have God feeding his people in the wilderness. Jesus talked about that as well. In John chapter 6 that I get that these these events are hard to believe with your ears. What I would say these are instances where God broke into human history. This wasn't the sort of everyday, ordinary life of of the people of God.

Even then, it is not the ordinary everyday Christian life that we experience today, but there were moments Christie throughout redemptive history. We believe that the God who created the entire universe.

All things broke into our world and revealed himself in these magnificent ways through things like the Exodus, you know, being with the children of Israel through the wilderness. Ultimately revealing himself through Jesus his son that the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ and so and so I would say you have to understand they know if we just live in the sort of naturalistic world where we deny the possibility of miracles of the of the fact that theirs is all-powerful creator God. When you these things a bit difficult to believe if we recognize that there is a God in heaven created all things. We experience his grace now through through Jesus, his son, who lived and died and rose again from the dead. We can we can know him know his presence. We know that he's able to accomplish great things and and that's what you have recorded in the Bible is the great acts of God throughout history throughout redemptive history to reveal himself to his people and we believe it would we take it by faith because we know God is real, that he exists and that he is able to do anything even raise Jesus from the dead, and so that that's what I was saying and and I think that that's really really important. You know we live in a day today were many people since the 20th century have been have been trying to deny the miracles of the Bible, but it's important that we embrace them that we believe them because our faith really is miraculous of it rests on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The fact that he rose again from the dead, and so we believe that, I think we can embrace these other ones as well. Christie again grateful to hear from you grateful that God is at work in your life, and may he continue to bless you. This is core Christianity with pastor Pedro Sanchez while one of the things we often talk about in this program is the centrality of the gospel and that means the centrality of Jesus Christ and what he has done for us and a drill has produced a little booklet, which you will find really helpful. It's called seeing Jesus yeah II do think you'll find it helpful it's it's a four-week devotional resource booklet really focusing on God's, God's goodness to us in his son Jesus and who Jesus is and what Jesus came to accomplish it. It's going to get you into the Scriptures. I in particular those passages of Scripture that focus on the ministry of Jesus.

And again I think will be a great encouragement to you if you'd like to get a copy of seeing Jesus. Just go to our website at core, Christianity.com/Jesus that's core Christianity.com/Jesus and request a copy. You can also call us for that resource or any one of our resources at 833. The core eval in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Val, what's your question for pastor. Israel will probably resisting Scriptures that I can look forward to our looking women lost to adultery. What one cannot do suppress those feelings. Hey Val will definitely want to want to pray for you and there are a lot of passages in the Bible to talk about this a meaning in first printing chapter 6, verse 18 Paul said fully from sexual immorality, and I in the sermon on the Mount. When Jesus was talking about sin and if our hander are. I causes us because it causes us to sin. He says look at it. If your right hand cause you to sin, cut off your if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and I think he was speaking hyperbolic leave their meeting. He was he was using this very strong language to communicate a point he wasn't saying he actually need to amputate your hand or or cut out your eye. He was singing week. We have to take this. This really firm stance against our sin against the sin that exists in our own hearts a lot of time. Sadly, as believers, we can we can take a real firm stance against the sin and other people's lives, we can point to them and and see them as the problem and not deal with the sin in our lives and she said I need to focus on the sin in your own life and you take it really seriously and and when it comes to something like this Val lust. I think that that's I think that's key and we have to think about you have to think about the things that tend to be temptations for you may be places that you go there things that you know people sorta scroll on the Internet that kind of a thing and and and determine whether or not eight. Maybe I shouldn't go there if it really is a temptation for me. If it's causing me to sin.

If I'm not strong enough.

I have to be careful have to be wise now.

The hope that we have is that God by the grace of his spirit can put to death the sins that we experience on the struggles we have now decide of heaven were always going to struggle and struggle many times at the same sins for our entire lives and yet the spirit of God is still at work in us, sin in your life as well belt, I would point you to a good place where you could camp out in the Scriptures where you could meditate for a while is the book of Romans, chapters 6 through eight because there Paul talks about. Essentially, our new identity in Jesus Christ and Val, if you believe in Jesus you have this new identity. You're no longer to be characterized by or defined by your sin. Now your to be defined by your union with Jesus Christ. And because you are united to Jesus by faith. There's been this this sort of definitive break with senior no longer to be enslaved to it and again that's exactly what the apostle Paul says beginning and in Romans chapter 6 verse one what shall we say then are we to continue in sin that grace may abound by no means how can we who died to sin still live in it.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. 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.

And so because you united to Jesus by faith because you have this new identity you. You've been identified with Christ in his death and resurrection ball there talking about baptism and and and what what is being signified in our baptisms now walk Val is one who is alive from the dead as one who has the life of God in him. It is so important and have the confidence, the hope that the spirit of God also lives in you and that you belong to the father. E. The ball gets into this a little bit later in Romans chapter 8. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus for the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. What a wonderful what a wonderful promise then goes on to say in verse five. For those who live according to the flesh that their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit that their minds on the things of the spirit were to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace that that's what the web two that's what you want brother. It's a life set on the Spirit a mindset on the spirit and that's what God gives you in Christ and by the gift of the Holy Spirit, and so I was a camp out in Romans chapters 6 through eight and in one of the thing I would say Val is if you are in a good church and I hope that you are in a good church even getting together with with some brothers may be the elders of that church or the pastor just it just to be open with them and say, look, this is something I struggle with. I need prayer that you know James talks about confessing our sins to one another think that there's real healing that takes place that's one of the ways that God often times helps us to grow in these areas is is just to go have real accountability in the body of Christ to confess our sins to receive encouragement to receive prayer and so I would encourage you to get that if you don't have that and and I think that's a part of the process here as well and so may the Lord richly bless you and I want to take a moment right now.

Also, to pray for you Val father II lift Val up to you and all those who are listening right now for whom this is a struggle. Lord lust that the battle with lust.

The battle with the flesh. I pray that you would help my brother to grow in purity in confidence. Lord in your love for him, despite the fact that that we sin, we fail that we fall that you will never leave us or forsake us in with the hope Lord God that your spirit is at work in his life and by the spirit not in our own strength, but by the spirit we put to death the sinful deeds of the body would you sanctify my brother.

We know that your will to tell us that God that our our our sanctification is your will and so we know that when we pray for sanctification were praying something that's in line with your will to pray that your can answer and so I pray for Val right now I would you sanctify him. Would you would you cause him to walk in purity and holiness to honor you to respect the people around him, Lord, to honor them by how he thinks of them and father give him strength in this area. We ask in Jesus name, amen.

Your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to a voicemail that we received yesterday that about topic and humble, not all and I read the Bible for several years now and John in his Scriptures and they both call I underlined that data slant on the line just let my calendar all get kind of braggart me counting as well on martini. He now had their Internet and did not get that when he cocked his other churches that have been established anyway and marrying handball from either of them. Okay think you can attempt to conjure On the radio again. He thinks that for that question yet. I mean there's nothing more unattractive and offputting then then an arrogant sort of Christian leader that kind of thing but I don't think that's what we see here when John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved us throughout his gospel. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

John 1323 unmet number of occasions. I think it's actually quite beautiful is nothing on the one he loved the most recent look. The most important thing about me is that Jesus loves me, and I think that's so key for each of us to know and to understand and to rest in. It's not about bragging that I'm better than others. It's that look. Actually, I'm not that special. What what so wonderful is the fact that despite that Jesus loves me.

Also, the same thing. Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 talks about the son of God, who loved him and gave himself for him and Paul. I would say to go to second printing chapter 12 he talks about posting in his weakness is not a strength because it's in our weakness is the power of God is made present.

Thank you for your question. God bless you. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer.

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