My Friend “Heard from God.” Should I Believe Them?

How should I respond when someone tells me they received a word from the Lord. That is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity either.

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. You can call us with your question.

At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter account course you can always email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Lauren in I guess it's peak in Illinois.

Lauren, welcome to the program what your question wondering Bible says that no man is seeing the face of God. When Adam and Eve were in the garden. They were holy until they sent it.

They see God's face before they send Lauren thank you for that question.

You know sometimes people say what is their contradiction in Scripture because it does seem as if there are times in the Old Testament where individuals will say that they did see God's face where they had to sit experience this mighty experience of God's presence and yet there are other places that make it very clear that we cannot see God and live now. I think the best way to understand this is really in terms of referring to God as he is in his essence. We cannot see God as he is in his essence because were creatures we are finite. God is infinite in glory.

And so what God has to do is reveal himself to us.

He condescends to us and I think even even there in the garden adding Adam and Eve. They couldn't see God in his essence as creatures, but they did have this revelation of God's glory. This clear quote unquote image of God. If you will, whereby he revealed himself to them without. Still, them being able to to see his inexhaustible glory because none of us can. There's this interesting scene in the book of Exodus. In Exodus chapter 33 where Moses has you know quite quite an experience where he's he's experiencing the glory of God and he says to the Lord in Exodus 33 verse 18.

Please show me your glory and God said, I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name, the Lord, and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But he said you cannot see my face and live now so interesting about that is earlier in the same chapter we read in verse 11. Thus, the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend as a is of this idea of speaking to God face-to-face. It was this this analogy, if you will. This this picture of intimate communion with God in it. That's what Adam and Eve had with the Lord prior to the fall. It's not that you know they could see God's face God's essence and then the other thing is, God is a spirit and so you know sometimes it that we dreaded. We try to picture God a certain way.

But God is a pure spirit. And so there in the garden with Adam and Eve had was a revelation of God and communion with God, but they couldn't see God in his essence and so appreciate your question brother. Thank you for giving us a call. This is core Christianity. One of the ways you can ask a real question is by leaving us a voicemail or voicemail operates 24 hours a day you can call leave your question at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

There's a question we received from Sherry in Wichita, Kansas. I had a question about people say talk about word of knowledge they pray for people on they pray for certain things that they say or how to them about people who need if they're sick and some silly people are healed. I wonder if you if that is biblical. Thank you. Well, the language of a word of knowledge is biblical and it comes from the book of first Corinthians 1st Corinthians chapter 12 part of Paul's broader discussion on spiritual gifts in the church at Corinth and he says in verse 27 now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it, and God is appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating in various kinds of tongues are all apostles are all prophets, are all teachers do all work miracles. Do all possess gifts of healing do all speak with tongues. Do all interpret, but earnestly desire the higher gifts and I will show you still more excellent way. And so we have something she will point to passages like then St. Lucie. This idea of these these words of knowledge that we received from the Lord. These prophetic words and certainly for the apostolic church. This was happening now, providentially, can God lay something on someone's heart and and it is me something to pray about for another person. That kind of thing will I think absolutely my concern is when people authoritatively stand up in the church and they said I have a word from the Lord as though they were prophets in line with Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Hosea, it will.

We don't have prophets like that today. And it's actually a very dangerous thing. I think because oftentimes people can be abusive. They can be manipulative, they can claim to speak on behalf of God when reality another just sort of sharing their own opinions and we know how the Bible warns against that. In fact, in the book of Jeremiah 1 of the things that God said to the true prophet Jeremiah is that the false prophets all around him in Israel at that time made up their own words.

Essentially, they came but they weren't sent by the Lord. They were never given a word from him as I think it it's it's unhelpful to use that kind of language today to say I have a word from God for you. I think it's it's much better to say a minute, giving the wrong with this, to pray for people if if God does lay something on your heart or someone on your heart to pray for them and God can and does work in that way providentially, but it's really important you know in terms of thinking about language and how we use language that we that we don't confuse people, or we don't come off as suggesting that we are no authoritative profits. The ultimate authority is God's word. That's what we have to point to we we have to take people to the Scriptures and when people are not emphasizing the word of God but their own sort of personal experience in their own prophetic utterances.

Boy, that's a recipe for disaster. We got it back to the Scriptures and we do encourage each other with the word of God, thank you for that question, no I drill. I'm curious if someone comes to us and says that I have a word from the Lord that you need to blank or that this is going to happen to you, what would you suggest how would you suggest we respond to that person. Yeah well okay so that I think that this can happen in a in a couple of different ways may be that the individual is totally sincere and they really feel like God is laying something on their heart, and maybe it's maybe still in a helpful encouragement that kind of the thing I think we can receive it with humility and and then maybe say hey you know probably not helpful to say God spoke to me and gave me this, because the reality is so often that's that's the is not this individual actually heard the audible voice of God is that they just have this sort of feeling or intuition and the fact of the matter is a lot of time to think we can confuse that with God's guidance and leading it so I want to be careful. There are other situations where I think people are actually trying to be manipulative for you have false teachers, false prophets at work in the church today and of course the apostles warned about this over and over again.

And so, in those it usually comes and says no, thus saith the Lord, you need to do this that and the other you to marry this person or are do this. A lot of times a citizen in sort of manipulative coercive was will that kind of thing I think really deserves a much stronger rebuke and a and I would say don't put yourself under the ministry of anyone who operates in that way that's that's a way of twisting the word of God in order to try to control people, and God is can a judge that severely and so I think with with some people.

We can be. We can be sensitive. We want to be charitable.

Maybe you know explaining why that languages and so helpful. We don't need to unite them over the head.

That kind of thing want to be charitable help for others.

I think you know there there needs to be a stern rebuke and and you avoid him, so thanks for offering it up will good counsel.

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He still only election and mostly talking about Jesus and he's talking about the stolen election by by trunk and I I'm praying for the past I had to make sure I couldn't stand the faults teaching anymore and Planetree snowmaking because he doesn't believe in the baptism the Holy Spirit and I spoke in terms of the nominees preaching to the people so much to the politics and I asked you a question. If you have you got plugged into another church.

Since you left. I have you been able to find another church.

Since you left Thatcher I gave Frank and Mike I'm just rejected.

I'm not in Jesus and have another church, Charlotte you right. Jesus does not reject you, and I am so sorry to hear about the situation, the church and I would left the church to because it's not the job of a minister of the gospel to preach politics that's in the Christ calls us to do. We are ambassadors not of the United States of America, not of any earthly country. We are ambassadors of Christ Jesus and his kingdom. The job of the pastor every week is to get up behind that pulpit and to preach the word and to preach Jesus and so when people are in churches where that's happening. When people are in churches where something else has displaced Jesus, there's a huge problem and I would have no problem saying look if something else in your church is displacing Jesus whether it's politics or anything else you should be in that church because more than anything. What we need is Jesus now. I hope Charlotte that you are able to find a good local church around you, where Christ is preached in effect I want. I want to pray for that but I just wanted I just want to say it is so important you know Christ calls us to himself and he unites us to his body, the church and the church ought to be a place of family for those who feel like they have no family and it sounds to me like you're very alone right now. You feel very alone even like the church has let you down and and based on what you said, it sounds like like they have, but I do hope that by the grace of God, you would be able to get plugged in somewhere else where you can be surrounded by other like-minded believers who are focused on the main thing Jesus and his gospel, and so you know, again, the charge given to pastors Paul talks about this when he wrote to Timothy in second Timothy chapter 4 verse one is preach the word. Let's pray for Charlotte father we lift up our sister to you right now thank you that you do not reject her. Thank you that she can say Jesus is her best friend and I pray for her Lord, that you would pour your spirit out upon her you would give her a sense of your comfort, a sense of your presence sense of your love and I asked God that you would lead her to a church where she is going to be able to fellowship and God where it where she can be there growing together with other believers so she can be encouraged in her faith and with a focus Lord God is on your son Jesus as I know, Charlotte wants it to be so would you please be with her.

Would you guide her, would you bless her and we pray these things in Jesus name amen Charlotte thank you for forgiveness.

A call amen. Charlotte, Wytheville, Hamline for one second want to tell you about a wonderful core question we have that we think will help you as you look for a new church is called how do I choose a church and you can find that by going to core Christianity.com/questions just look for how do I choose a church. Let's go to Sandy calling in from Erie, Pennsylvania. Sandy what your question for pastor. Israel why therefore there is no now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Later I 34. It said it is God who justifies. Who is he that Dan Christ Jesus who died more than that it was raised to life. Yeah, I think you know this is to me like you.

One reason is a contradiction you minutes it would be a terrible thing right like you the very beginning of chapter. Paul says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

And then you know sound like he saying that Jesus is the one who condemns us in verse 34.

But that's not always say sometimes just the sort of word order that can kind of be confusing so he's already established that in Christ there is no condemnation, why because Jesus Christ is for our condemnation. He he in his body on the tree took our sins upon himself so that we might be forgiven and actually what you're getting later on in the chapter in man versus 31 and following is is more encouragement, who shall bring it any charge against God's elect anybody bring a charge against us. It is God who justifies.

Who is going to condemn us, and then he says Christ Jesus is the one who died in which Jesus was the one who was condemned. It's not that Paul is saying that Jesus is the one who condemns us he saying Christ is taken, the condemnation Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that.

He didn't just die years that the rest of the good news. He was also raised who is at the right hand of God and he is interceding for us. Sandy and then the beautiful thing about this is he's not is interceding. He's also our advocate. John makes this clear in the book of first John, he's our advocate with the father. Jesus Christ the righteous, and so far from condemning us Jesus at the right hand of the father is advocating for you. He is praying for you and isn't that man I talk about something that we can just rejoice over. Did you know Christian that right now Jesus your great high priest is in heaven, and he prays for you, who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written, for your sake we are being killed all the day long we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No. And all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I'm sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So there's no contradiction there. Sandy affect just the opposite.

Paul is again highlighting the Christ took our condemnation and that because of what Jesus is done. There's nothing they can separate you from God's love S no Israel. That particular verse Romans 81 has brought me so much comfort over the years when there are times when I've really messed up. I just go back to it again and again we have to go back to the word of God, especially when we messed up bill because you know sometimes it one of the habits I think that many Christians have is you know you struggle with something you mess up, and then you just have the sort of this wave of condemnation. The sense of guilt and shame and ending of conviction over sin is good in our sin should grieve us wallowing in it and and questioning God's love for us, that kind of think I doesn't want us to do that God does not want you to question his love for you.

So we have to do it when we repent we when we realize we sin wished we've fallen into some some done something we know is contrary to God's law as we look up we look up to the one who bore our sins and we hold fast to the promise of his word and in him there is no condemnation that his love for us isn't isn't nano shaken even by our sins and so I've I've taken that versus is a comfort for myself many times as well brother, this is core Christianity were pastor Israel Sanchez, just a reminder you can leave us a voicemail with your question 24 hours a day by calling us at 833. The core we would love to hear from you. You can also email us your question at this email address questions at core, Christianity.com here's a voicemail we received from one of our callers named Mitchell books recently. I hear you yeah there are a number of books that have sort of resurfaced and in popular media Gospel of Judas Gospel of Thomas. I think I think some of them were just popularized by that book that came out some years ago called the da Vinci code and then for for some you know that that book and exposure to these quote unquote Gospels shook their faith because it made they will go.

Is there another story you know is there is there a parallel story to the one we've been hearing that maybe contradicts it or or sheds new light on it but the reality is is these these quote unquote Gospels are not gospels. They tell have any good news in them, but they were really written quite a bit after layer after the fact that the original Gospels were written that they don't have that sort of early association with the apostles and so and so the I've I've read them there sort of interesting to read it at points even funny because you just sort of reading those side-by-side with the true Gospels, with God's word and it becomes very obvious very early on that this is not inspired Scripture and really the theology in some of these quote unquote Gospels is is haywire. It's all over the place they were influenced by what we sometimes referred to are called Gnosticism very negative view of the body, and creation, the sort of hyper, spiritualized, mysterious interpretation of of faith if you will and and this was rejected by certainly early on immediately look at a book like first John, it seems like there was a kind of early Gnosticism that was being rejected there but but much later.

Also, you know that the early defenders of the Christian faith.

The apostolic fathers who came after the original apostles, and are that they they wrote against these kinds of doctrines these Gnostic doctrines, and so I think it you know if you want to spend some time looking at it and reading it in there there there not very long. They could be sort of interesting, but certainly nothing that needs to call your faith into question their they're not accurate accounts of what took place during the time of Jesus or during the life of Jesus and as her and so far as that's the case I don't I don't typically recommend them but I think we can we can be. You can be certain that that there's nothing in there that that call calls the Christian faith into question. So thanks for Thanksgiving sickle is one of those those Gospels talk about Jesus taking will clay birds and bringing them to life. Yeah, I mean that's the kind of thing that you find like that. Yeah, you have the sort of infancy narrative of Jesus. And a lot of what's described. There is this this little boy who was supposed to be Jesus who actually has somewhat of a temper and just as like causing his friends to disappear. You know with the snap of his finger. That kind of a thing is the kind of stuff that's sorta silly and so it's important for us to be rooted in the Scriptures to go to the word of God as we want to do every single day here on this broadcast take you back to the Scriptures because we know that is through the word, that your faith is built up and strengthened and so may the Lord bless you.

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