I Am Same-Sex Attracted: Is There a Place for Me in the Church?

Is there a place for same-sex attracted Christians in the church.

That's just 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. If you have a question you can call us at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 also go on social media and post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts.

You can also check us out. All right, now on YouTube and messages that way and you can send us your question by email at this address. It's questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Beverly calling in from Illinois Beverly what your question for pastor atrial crash land grant works being challenged me yeah Beverly, this is a great question, what does the final judgment look like, and in particular, what does the final judgment look like for believers in Jesus Christ, you know, there are some people say will believers you know were knocking and are our works are knocking to be judge that kind of the thing but it does seem like when you read the New Testament and you mentioned that one passage of Scripture in second Corinthians chapter 5 that yet.

We are going to be judged and often times this is this is called the judgment according to works. Another passage of Scripture that we could go to is Revelation chapter 20 beginning in verse 11.

Listen to what John the apostle said what he saw in this vision, Revelation 20 verse 11 then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it from his presence. The earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done in the sea gave up the dead who were in it, death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them and they were judged, each one of them according to what they had done.

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.

This is the second death, the lake of fire and if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Now it sounds to me like like the question then is, and this is a great question. You're not the only one with this question. Beverly will if were judged according to our work, so I thought we were judged at the cross when Jesus died for. So how can any of us be confident before the Lord.

If I'm judged on the basis of my works. Does that mean if I don't have enough good works.

God is not going to let me into heaven. That kind of thing will know what unit I think that this is to be more of a, commendation for believers.

Believers are going to be vindicated on the last day. Certainly we know that we can be confident on the day of judgment, because of the work of Jesus for us.

Beverly and and that's what I want to come comfort you with and it is not just my word to you. It's the word of the apostles.

Listen to what John said in another place he wrote that that passage there in Revelation chapter 20, but in first John chapter 4 verse 17 listen to what he said. By this is love perfected with us so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment. You don't have to be afraid. You can have confidence because as he is, so also are we in the world. There is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear. Fate has to do with her for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.

You know what gives you confidence. What gives us confidence for the day of judgment. It's the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. That's what you don't have to be afraid, Beverly. If you believe in Jesus Christ. And because this is such an important issue and one that I think a lot of Christians struggle with another passage that I think we can go to referring to the final judgment in the confidence that we can have as Christians is what Jesus himself said in the Gospel of John. In John chapter 5 verse 24 truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but is passed from death to life right now. If you hear the voice of Jesus. If you believe his word, that word of the gospel.

You don't enter into judgment, which is to say you are not condemned on that day. You've already passed from death to life, and that's why the apostle Paul can say in Romans chapter 8 verse one there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, so we will stand before God on the day of judgment.

There will be this this judgment according to works, but it will be a vindication for believers in the confidence that we can have that you can have is the confidence of the gospel that God loves you and that you have passed from death to life in Jesus.

God bless you sister some comforting words there. Israel, thanks for that. This is core Christianity with pastor atrial Sanchez. If you have a question for us. You can call us 24 hours a day and leave a voicemail and we will find your question there. You can call us at 833 the core. You can also email us at questions at core, Christianity.com here's an email received from one of our listers named Christopher he says I'm a middle-aged Christian man who has struggled with homosexual attraction.

Although I am not engaging in relations with men due to my faith and my convictions I'm not sexually attracted to women. I want to be an active member of the church community.

As in the past, but I can't handle the bombardment about getting married. I wonder if I should now get married in order to annihilate completely the homosexual desire in me, even though that I can imagine that marriage ending up in divorce. I think I'm prepared and would be okay living alone until death or until my heart is change miraculously. Am I disobeying God by nursing.

These feelings while friend I don't think that that the feelings are meant to him. If you're talking about the sort of disorder desires disordered sexual desires had those feelings are not meant to be nursed.

We confess those things to the Lord we say God I'm broken, i.e. sin. I need your mercy, and there is mercy for you brother. There is forgiveness for you. God is gracious, but I don't know that that the answer is going off and in getting married, you mentioned, you know, eradicating your your desires by going off and getting married. We don't eradicate our sinful desires. I can't sanctify myself.

You can't sanctify your self. Sanctification is the work of God's Holy Spirit in your life.

The apostle Paul talks about this very clearly in Romans chapters 6 through eight. In particular, in chapter 8 he says that it's by the spirit that we put to death the sinful deeds of the body and so I think one recognizing the sinful desires to confessing them, and three trusting in the grace and the forgiveness that is yours through the gospel, and the fact that God is at work in your life. I hope brother that you are able to get plugged into a good church where you feel welcomed and a part of the family as you continue to press forward in the Lord to grow in grace. I think it is so important that you have that kind of community and and part of that might include just transparency talking to the leadership there being honest about the feelings, the struggles and getting the accountability and then brotherhood really that you need to continue to fight sin and and to walk with the Lord. But don't put your trust in yourself in your own ability to to change your desires.

The fact of the matter is, many of many of the sins that we struggle with. We struggle with the feelings that we struggle with even we will struggle with for our entire lives and so we lean on the Lord. We look to the Lord.

We trust in him and we link arms with the body of Christ pressing forward and and fighting against our sin, trusting in in Christ and in the gospel and so may the Lord bless you in that fight the fight. The world were in together in in in different ways and may the Lord open the doors for you to to get plugged into a solid Christian community that again will welcome you and where you can feel at home in a part of the family.

God bless you and our Israel.

One of the things that I find so troubling in our culture today is that people will define themselves by their sexuality, though, so you know whether I'm gay and lesbian, transgender, what it is that's that's who I am. That's my definition of my my personhood but that's not what God calls us to. We had something very different is not yeah that is a great point that you bring up Bill because we are not defined by our sexual desires. First and foremost, that's not the core of our identity.

We are as human beings made in the E model day, the image of God. That's who we are called to to reflect God and his glory and his goodness, and because each and every one of us even, regardless of whether or not we have faith in Jesus Christ are made in the image of God we are worthy of dignity of respect of love. God made us in his image. That's at the core of who we are now are our desires are sexuality that that's a part of that but it's not it's not doesn't exhaust our identity and that's one of the problems that we see today in the world is is the sort of the sense that our our sexual desires define who we are. No were made in the image of God and if were united to Jesus Christ. That's the main thing about a stats first and foremost, we are children of the living God, I meant you're listening to core Christianity with pastor atrial. Sanchez, one of the things we often talk about on this program is praying for our family members. How can you best pray for your parents.

Well we have a book that will help you explore just that you have built. It's this book. Five things to pray for your parents. The fifth commandment says that we are to honor our father and our mother, and I think that sometimes we just sort of assume that that's a commandment for children for little kids growing up in the household and then as we get older as we could get into adulthood that the commandment doesn't apply anymore. Well, that's not the case at all.

I Jesus made it clear that it does apply very much so to all of us to honor our parents and one of the ways you can do that is by praying for them and so get a hold of this resource can inspire you and encourage you to pray for your parents. Chelsea Stanley's book. Five things to pray for your parents can learn more about that offer by going to core Christianity.com/offer look for five things to pray for your parents. You can also call us for that offer or any one of our offers at 833 the core that's a 33 843-2673 let's go to a voicemail received from one of her callers earlier this week.

Pastor atrial. I have a question about Matthew 721 to 23 talking about.

Not everyone who said to me Lord Lord will enter the heaven. How can we be sure that we are in that group of people who think were following Christ and doing the will of the father and how can we be sure of our salvation. If this is what Jesus himself says that many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and drive out demons and perform your old hotel he never knew them. How do we know were not one of those people. Thank you pastor enjoy your ministry is just one of the biggest blessings in my life. I thank you pretty when Jesus came. Thank you. Appreciate your prayers and we definitely need a sweet answer questions about the face every day. God's wisdom, and in opening up the Scriptures and and appreciate that encouragement there. Let me read Matthew 721 through 23 because they're the words of Jesus there powerful words that I think we all need to hear and then I'll get to your dear answer. Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. But the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven.

On that day many will say to me Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name and then will I declare to them, I never knew you depart from me, you workers of lawlessness that last that last section there of Jesus's words really indicate two things. One, these people never had a vital relationship with Jesus Christ. I never knew you.

It's not that these are people who at one point in their lives were walking with Jesus believed in Jesus experience the forgiveness of their sins. They knew Jesus he knew them and then they departed.

No, Jesus is at no point have I known you. I never knew unit course the word no. Throughout Scripture, it's often used differently than the way we use it today. We oftentimes today use it is sort of this cognitive understanding. I know about this or that it's it's a it's a much more intimate word in the Scriptures.

In the Old Testament and in the New Testament. It speaks of intimacy of relationship. There was no relationship there.

And that was also evidenced by the fact Jesus second part there in verse 23 Jesus says you are workers of lawlessness. So despite the fact that maybe externally you you might look very religious and it looks like you're doing great things for God.

The truth is, you have nothing to do with God and his law you work, lawlessness, know who who in particular are in the crosshairs of Jesus here in Matthew chapter 7 I think he's focusing on the religious leaders on folks like the scribes and the Pharisees who thought that they were righteous thought that they were doing. Also to mighty works in the name of God and yet Jesus says about them. The reality is unit inside there full of dead men's bones.

It's hypocrisy.

And so the question is do you know Jesus. Do you have a relationship with Christ. Have you trusted in him for your salvation. That's precisely what the religious leaders were not willing to do in the fact of the matter is, is there are even people today think you see them sometimes on television making all sorts of bold claims talking about how God wants people to be healthy and wealthy and get a bless you with success in this, that in the other claiming to do many mighty works in the name of Jesus and yet and yet it seems as if there so far from the gospel from the message of the forgiveness of sins from calling people to repentance and folks persist in this sort of lawlessness.

All the while thinking that God exists for them to serve them and so this is a real problem and there are people brother who are genuinely deceived and that's why think we need to ask ourselves the question have I embraced the gospel. Have I embraced Jesus Christ for myself and my trusting in him for my salvation.

Can I say I know him and can I say he knows me that's that's that's the key here and so I appreciate I appreciate this question let me just add this we can as believers in Jesus have confidence God wants us to have confidence in John says in first John chapter 5 to a group of Christians that he writes to them writing these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God, that you might know that you have eternal life to you who believe you truly confess that Jesus is Lord, you can have the confidence that you have passed from death to life. Jesus says in John chapter 5 that you have eternal life, that the spirit of God is working in you and so we can have great great confidence, even we look at passages like this, but they are sobering in their passages of Scripture that we need to hear it. So thank you for that for that question. May the Lord bless you your listing to core Christianity with Pastor atrial Sanchez's.

We love getting your questions can always email us at this address questions at core, Christianity.com.

If you write to us. Make sure tell us your name and where your writing from. Again, the email addresses for his questions at core, Christianity.com go to Christina who was calling in from Nashville, Tennessee Christina, what's your question for Pastor atrial believer in Christ. All the word that charge so I will try and and your cry to an attorney that has been in you to be online or television. Whatever your grow even though it's not a local ministry. Well, Christina is an excellent question, and I'm just stoked to hear that you are. Recently, you have recently come to the faith and are walking with Jesus and not just not deceive come to favor the you really want to honor the Lord with how you live your life with how you spend your money and as you look for church to go to right now to pray for you that the Lord would guide you and and and be with you in that in that search, you know, Paul says in second printing chapter 9 that when it comes to giving we don't give you know out of compulsion. It's not that were getting arms twisted and and that's why we give we give with cheerful hearts, and in an and so II think if there are gospel ministries that you want to give to that you want to give too generously because they're committed to the work of the great commission there committed to bolstering building up the local church through Bible teaching resources that that kind of think that there's there's nothing wrong with that you can give with joy, knowing that that that was resources are going to the advancement of the gospel and I would encourage that. That also say when we get plugged into a local church to to make sure that that your supporting that church where your hearing the word of God preached.

Week in and week out where you're being nourished and cared for by the ministry of the word and that the pastors and elders who are there in that church, but I don't think you to feel bad about giving to parachurch ministry. During this time.

I think though that that really the big priority should be getting plugged into a solid Bible teaching church we have we have resources about how to get how to find a good church which we want to get to you, but I also just want want to pray for you right now because I'm so grateful that you're in the Lord and walking with the Lord, and on this journey and so let's pray for Christina gracious heavenly father Lord we are so grateful for your mercy to us in your son Jesus that you every day are bringing people to yourself that they might know you and your love and walk in a manner that is pleasing to you and and I can tell largest to do that question.

Lord, that Christina wants to honor you with her life and with the way she spends her money. I pray God, would you bless her that you be with her and especially Lord, would you guide her to the the right church place where she is going to hear your word faithfully proclaimed a place where the worship of Jesus is done according to the Scriptures place. Lord God where there is fellowship, life-giving fellowship that takes place where she can continue to be nourished, as she grows in her faith in your son Jesus. Would you be with her Lord protect her from the evil one and cause her to grow more and more into the image of the Lord Jesus, throughout her entire life.

Bless her.

We pray in Jesus name, amen. Christina would love to send you a complimentary copy of our book core Christianity. So if you hang him will I will get your address and send that to you and by the way, a real mention some of the resources that we have on finding a church we have a great core question on that topic. It's called how do I choose a church for any of our listeners who may have moved recently are looking for a new church go to our website.

Core, Christianity.com/questions and look for.

How do I choose a church will really help you make a wise and discerning a decision there. Finding a new church wallop April here's an email question we receive. And it has to do with the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament. This is from Olivia.

She says in Proverbs 19. Three. It says when a man's fall, he brings his way to ruin his heart rages against the Lord. How should we interpret this, I don't think it brings glut God glory, to be angry with him when he lovingly disciplines and chastises us for foolish or sinful choices we've made, and we should repent. When we do, but if that's true, what does this verse actually say yeah Proverbs 19. Three. I think the focus here is this individual this man in his folly, instead of taking responsibility for his actions is blaming God for his quote unquote lot in life. For the reason of his ruin. When a man's fall, he brings his way to ruin his heart rages against the Lord and then this does happen, tragically, you know, people do things they make decisions or have heard it said before, you can choose your sin but you can't use her consequences and we experience the bitter consequences of our folly of our sin, and if were not careful what will happen is our heart will rage against the Lord will will blame God will be angry because of what is happened to us when in reality. Often times this is what we see so often in the book of Proverbs. It's the sort of cause and effect. It's a you you reap what you sow.

Instead were cotton folly when were caught in sin instead of our hearts raging against the Lord, you know, we need to do when you confess our sins is a God, you are right, I have sinned, I need your mercy, I need your grace and the good news is God's gracious towards repentant sinners. When we look to him in faith way.

There's an ocean of mercy for you and showers it on you. 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. 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