How Do I Know Which Parts of the Old Testament Are About Jesus?

No I know which parts of the Old Testament are about Jesus and which are not. That is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi 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. Would love to hear from you I and our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so. So call us with your question.

Here's the number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on one of our social media sites you can watch a girl right now live on YouTube and message him that way course you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to voicemail received from one of our listers. This is Teresa in Kansas. In the Bible where it will all be labeled a little warm, are they waiting on how that all worked to get better, now that would be wonderful.

Thank you. Hi Teresa, thank you for that question. Those who have died in Christ are in the presence of the Lord.

Right now there in heaven. Paul says to the Corinthians to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord in Philippians chapter 1, when he talked about by departing from this world. He talked about it as departing and going to be with Christ, which is far better than anything else in this world. Jesus, when he was speaking to the thief on the cross told him today you're going to be with me in paradise. So this is it. In between death and the final resurrection and it's sometimes referred to as the intermediate state intermediate because it's in between death and the resurrection.

It's it's where believers go to be with the Lord.

Their bodies are in the ground still waiting for the resurrection what's going to happen at the last day, Paul speaks about that is is taking place at the coming of the Lord. First Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13. We do not want you to be an uninformed brothers about those who are asleep, that is, those who have died that you may not grieve as others do, have no hope for since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first.

So those who have died in Christ right now in of those who die in Christ.

Now they're not resurrected yet not bodily resurrected will all be resurrected together at the coming of the Lord. And so there's your answer. Thank you for giving us a call. Some confusion about that. You know, we often get questions about what happens when we die. Is there a sloth soul sleep seems like there's just some confusion about what really happens upon death.

There is confusion about that. I think sometimes you know one of the reasons may be that in the New Testament, there are places like that verse that I just read in first Thessalonians 4 where death is referred to as a kind of sleep and so some people think well if that means that when we die as believers, it's, it's just as if were sleeping until the resurrection. But that's not what what is meant by by that. Really, I think what's been communicated is that death is not the end for believers and of course Jesus himself said, those who believe in me will never die in the sense that death for us is been transformed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Death is a coming to life if you will being in the presence of the Lord. And so it is important Bill that we clarify this for people. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you.

If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

Here's our number it's 833. The core let's go to Brian in Valley Center, Kansas Brian, what's your question for Pastor Israel. A lot of people that are. Thank you for taking my call. But a lot of people I work with and we discussed things like election and predestination and I'm just curious to know what your take is on that. Why would we as Christians were working on the great commission spreading the gospel. Sometimes people argue that it doesn't make sense. Why would we do that it if we don't know we know that some people are not going to really a great question and a controversial one because this is one of those issues that that Christians disagree on that. They differ on. There are some people who think well God chooses people for salvation but based on the fact that they first chose him. This is sometimes referred to as an election based on God's foreknowledge or foresight and it's the idea that God for knows the people who were going to choose him and then he calls those people. His elect and then there are others. Brian and I would be in this group as well that see election God's choice not is based on anything that we do is not even God forcing that we would choose him first, but but it's God working in us first so that we might be drawn to him now know that the reason that people you know are sometimes made uncomfortable by this is because they will then will then what's the point what's appointed in evangelism. If God is the one who who chooses us somehow. The apostle Paul is able to hold together that that tension, we might say in in in a very clear way. I think of what he said in Romans chapter 9 as he's writing about nonbelievers. You said not embrace the gospel. He says I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart for I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh, they are Israelites and to them belong the adoption of the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law the worship and the promises to them belong the patriarchs, and from their race. According to the flesh is Christ who is God overall blessed forever.

Amen.

And then he says in verse six, but it is not as though the word of God has failed.

See he's writing about the fact that many of his kinsmen according the flesh did not embrace the gospel when Jesus came he says this breaks my heart. I could wish that I were accursed so that they might be saved. But here's what you also need to know I have the passion for that I want to preach the gospel to them, but it's not that the word of God has failed. And then Paul begins to talk about the doctrine of election, for he says, for not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel and not all the children of Abraham and Otto all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but through Isaac shall your offspring be named. This means that it is not the children of the flesh where the children of God but the children of the promise are counted as offspring and then and then as as the chapter continue CP goes on to talk about God's sovereign choice in election and so here you have this this heart for the lost. I think Paul is showing us in particular there that the Jews his kinsmen and yet this this belief in the fact that God is still sovereign over salvation is of this is again part of the tension that we see in Scripture, there is this absolute sovereignty of God and and we also know that we are responsible that God holds us accountable that all people everywhere are called to repentance and faith. And so it is that we have to hold those those truth.

This realities together. It's not it's not a contradiction.

And of course we also know that God doesn't owe salvation to anyone that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that it's only God's God's mercy that he calls people to himself that he draws us to himself and so that would be my view and is as I said Brian there are asked me if yes, I as said run there. There are differences of opinion here within the church, but I think we got to go back to the Scripture. Read Romans nine read Ephesians 1 even in the Old Testament talks a bit about the doctrine of election.

God's choice of his Israel and places like Deuteronomy chapter 7. Those would be good passages to meditate on his as you wrestle through this your listing to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. We have a brand-new Bible study. We want to tell you about today and it's actually one that Pedro wrote himself on the book of Galatians.

Yeah I had the privilege of preaching through the book of Galatians. Not too long ago and so this resource was really something that came out of that.

I have a heart for helping people to understand the gospel. First and foremost, and in really, you know how we have to be on guard for anything that would corrupt that message that pure message of the gospel and that's why Paul wrote the book of Galatians is because the gospel message was under attack. It was being corrupted by people who were trying to add works righteousness essentially to the doctrine of justification, and so I think this is a really important resource. I hope that you will get a hold of it. It's it's a Bible study resource 10 lessons and it can be yours for donation of $20 or more. You can find that by going to core Christianity.com/studies again.

Core, Christianity.com/studies look for the new study on the book of Galatians. You can also call us for that resource or any one of our resources will play more 833-843-2673 is a number that's 833 the court by the way, you can also leave us a voicemail at that number 24 hours a day.

If you have a question for Pastor Israel and can call during the program let's go to Jonathan who called us from Washington state.

Real become more clear with my Bible and recognize parallel some of the parallels are interpreted for our Scripture like Aaron Hagar being an allegory of the covenant, but there's others that I'm not a thing like Jesus cleanses the Temple first time with a whip court is not coming. He prophesies of destruction and dismantling the brick and that parallel being to the law for cleansing out of leprosy and the Levitical law where the priest would come and cleanse the house of leprosy.

The first time, but it was found a second time. The dismantled brick by brick and destroyed so my question is, is that a healthy thing to do. Can we draw those parallel for your opinion on the topic.

If it help you help for their dangers and do you have any objections for me as I continue my study of the subject. Thank you. Yeah, Jonathan and I sometimes think of those things, like the biblical Easter eggs you know that the things that you see in one passage of Scripture and then you see sort of this is steam and other places as well, and I would say yeah you know some of those are really cool discoveries really cool insights. I mean, I like we were bring up there obviously there. There is a danger in being overly allegorical and I don't think that that's what you were referring to in the example you gave that wasn't allegorical of just the sort of these themes that we see in Scripture tying tying two passages together that that have a relation relationship if you will. What would be maybe an unhelpful example of allegory will you know there are ways I think of reading the Old Testament out of its context and sort of just trying to read into it.

Jesus in places where were maybe viewed it's it's unhelpful and we knew we know that all of Scripture does lead us not to lead us to Christ in its proper context, so we have to understand the original passages in the Old Testament according to their context aware they were in redemptive history and how where they were ultimately was leading us to Christ and to his gospel, but I would say.continue reading the Bible. That way you want it.

We want to pay close attention to what it is that were reading because there are all sorts of connections that can be made like the one that that you made there and and so I would commend your brother and and again just reiterating it. It's really what Jesus himself said when he was on the road to mass with with a couple of his disciples that these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled and he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. There the whole Bible. Jesus says is about me and so I think that's a controlling principle one understand the Bible in its context and see how it's leading us to Jesus. I love the fact that Jonathan is really digging into his Bible and trying to make these connections, I mean that that's really commendable for someone to take that time ago.

I really want to understand this. Yeah, absolutely.

That's exactly how we need to be reading the Bible. We just want to be buried in as as the book of acts talks about you, searching the Scriptures and when we do that we we really are rewarded. I think with with that encouragement. Those insights.

I think that we we find as students of the word of God you're listening to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez, just a reminder that some of the radio stations that air our program errored on the tape delayed basis.

So if you want to call live into the studio. Here's the time you want to do it. That's 11:30 AM Pacific time or 1230 Mountain 130 Central 230 Eastern for that half-hour.

Were taking your calls live in the studio. If you call outside of that time you can actually call anytime day or night and leave us a voicemail at 833 the court let's go to Stephen in Springfield, Missouri Stephen what's your question for Pastor Israel.

My daughter home from church to church and we were talking about.

I told him I haven't been perfect my whole lot hiding, but the last several years are my best one for what I bring home his understanding was Old Testament and now just want to be told whether it dollars a year or $500,000 a year 10% of my question six I Stephen is encouraged by your question, I love that you are wanting to give to the local church pastor and and I and it's not just as I'm a pastor but ultimately because I think that generosity and in being consistent giving to the work of the gospel. The advancement of the gospel is good for us.

Jesus said where where your treasure is, that's where your heart will be also.

And I don't think that just means that you know you give to what you're passionate about.

I think I think it also indicates that what we give to is what we end up being more and more passionate about your invested in this and so your question. You know it is the tithes something that's binding for new covenant believers while it was certainly binding under the old covenant and what's interesting is when when you do all the numbers. It was actually more than just 10% you think of all the different things that were being tithed under the old covenant and that that money was going to the temple to support the Levitical priesthood and in all other things that were going on there. Under the new covenant. I think giving it 1/10 giving a tie. This is good think that's wonderful baseline. II don't know that I would make the case that it's it's something that is binding under the new covenant seems like what you get Stephen in the New Testament is an encouragement to give generously and to give generously to the work of the gospel. But Paul talks about that in places like second Corinthians 89 particular in second Corinthians 90 says verse six.

The point is this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Each one must give as he is decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver, and God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things and at all times. You may abound in every good work. As it is written is distributed freely. He is given to the poor.

His righteousness endures forever. Personally, I think it I think it tithes is wonderful. I want one thing I think is good about that is it helps us to just be consistent with think about giving consistently to the work of the gospel. So it's not just like ale give whatever and whatever is in my pocket. It's what were planning were thinking about how are going to be generous in terms of giving of the work of the gospel, but I know that there are other Christians who feel like boy you know the Lord has blessed me so much. I give I give more than a tie. It's really you know what were looking for is giving generously and with joy. Not under compulsion, not feeling like your arm is being twisted and all of us ought to give to the work of the gospel as those who have received the mercy of God in the gospel of God has been so generous to us and so we respond with generosity to to the needs around us and and so brother I would say look at those passages is nothing wrong with giving a tither think that's wonderful.

But let the let the gospel shape your mind and heart and and guide you as you think about giving generously answer your question. Good counsel. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life got about five minutes left her so you can hop on the phone right now and give us a call.

The numbers 833 the court let's go to Deborah in Wichita, Kansas, Deborah, what's your question for Pastor Israel well trying and and and in the verse that said, even to this day, or something like that or even to this day, and usually referring to and the distraction of a place or people that a couple of verses Sam Joshua 726 and Joshua 927. My question is how to I day or two.

This day is this a future prophecy like 10 to now, or is this just the days when scripture was written. Yeah, great question.

I think a real simple answer is not a future prophecy referring to. Now it's just referring to when when that was written to the original audience would have received those words that the author is saying, hate that that monument or that gravestone. Whatever it was that that's being referred to is still here. To this day. You can go and check it out and so not a future prophecy, something that would've been relevant for them.

Specifically, at that time that they could go see. Thank you for your question. Thanks Deborah for so much for being a regular listener.

We appreciate you. This is core Christianity let's go to Barry Sardi Barney in Stillwater, Oklahoma Barney, what's your question call last week about what saved always saved. It actually came across your unit never seen before.

The night relation 2219 says that removes anything from the revelations God shall take away his part of the book of life and my question is if you taken out of the block. I revelations 32 says I will not let your name on the lot like this once saved always there about 30 years and I have her time.

I think I got that allow come across another Scripture which I did. In Revelation 2219 and just kind of confused here you yeah great question. And thanks for forgive us a call back again so this idea of the book of life.

It is not just the end of the book Revelation where it appears it also appears throughout the book of Revelation. Revelation chapter 3 in Revelation chapter 13 Revelation chapter 17 Jesus said in Revelation chapter 3 verse five the one who conquers will be clothed. Thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life.

I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. You as an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches now. What's interesting is later in the book of Revelation. It says that essentially those names that are there in the book of life are there from before the foundation of the world is II think I think it's unhelpful to think of this as you know, God's got this book up there and he's just waiting for us to make a mistake and oh boy. They've done this that or the other. Many erase their name out of the book of life there done. They've lost their salvation. That kind of thing because John makes it very clear that those whose names are there, are written from before the foundation of the world is what Revelation is giving us here is this imagery a minute.

Remember John is getting this prophetic vision from the Lord and oftentimes in this visionary prophecy you have all sorts of symbols that are meant to communicate something in here, in particular, I think what was being focused on is the fact that God is the one who is sovereign over salvation as we're talking you know earlier and that God is written the names of his people. In this book and those who are in the book.

Will there there lost that member what you know when Jesus is speaking to his disciples in the Gospels and there there'll stoked because they're able to cast out demons. They have authority over over that the evil one in Jesus, don't rejoice about this, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven will how do you get your name written in heaven.

Well John says those names are there from before the foundation of the world, but by faith in Jesus Christ. We know that that's a reality for us, that that's a reality for us that we belong to the Lord that were part of his people and if were a part of his people. Part of his flock. He's not gonna lose us, Jesus makes is absolutely clear in John chapter 10 and so body that that's what I would say it's really understanding that that terminology and in the whole context of the book of Revelation. I think this is helpful. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez in one quick question here from sac. He put this on our Facebook page and he says in Luke 22 and 23 Jesus is taken before the assembly when he is asked are you the son of God. He doesn't say yes. Instead, he responds with you say that I am. Why does he do that. Yeah.

Well, of course. And in that scene.

You know Jesus is is approaching his death and and make the group that has him there there there not really interested in the truth. They want to condemn him and they do condemn him and he is led like a sheep to the slaughter me think of the prophecy that we see in Isaiah goes silently if you will but but part of it was.

Was I think is a sort of condemnation of those who were who were condemning him, they knew in one since the truth they couldn't deny they knew that he was falsely accused and they asked him you know are you are you the son of God uses you say that I am you know you know and us a really sobering a sobering thing. As he approached the cross for sinners and of course he prayed father forgive them on the cross, for they don't know what they're doing.

God is gracious.

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 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