Are My Kids Too Young to Understand the Gospel?

At what age can my kids consider themselves to be Christians.

That is 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 and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

You can call us right now with your question. At 833. The core that's a 33 843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch a drill right now on YouTube and message him that way and course you can always email us at questions@corechristianity.com stuff today let's go to Peter listening in Dublin, California Peter, what your question for Pastor Israel and so I question because I'm going to a Bible study in the book of John and were reaching chapter 7 and I see in my Bible that the earliest manuscripts do not include chapter 7 verse 53 to chapter 811 and I'm wondering how we should deal with that if that's not can and should we consider it as such.

Peter, thank you for that question. And this is something that a lot of Bible scholars disagree on. There are some who say that we just should not treat. This is a part of the canon of Scripture because some of the earliest textual evidence doesn't have this this section. And then sometimes what will you do have this section, you know different different it appears in different places in the gospel just where it's supposed to be placed. There's not a lot of certainty and there are others who say well there does seem to be some pretty early evidence because this scene is is quoted by a number of the early church fathers. They make reference to this and so so I mean it's one of those sticky issues, and in the in the in terms of New Testament studies. This text actually and in the end of Mark's gospel. I think where I'm at right now and my views could change on this you know if if I find out more about where I'm at right now is I would not treat this section as a part of inspired script or because of the. The early manuscript evidence, but that the comforting thing to me, Peter, is that when you read this instance is the story of the woman caught in adultery.

There is nothing in it that would call into question the teachings of Jesus or contradict the teachings of Jesus seems very much like something that you would see and so that's another one of the reasons why like Lakeville. This defection just fits it fits with the apostolic testimony with the testimony of the Gospels, and it is quoted by the early church fathers. The there are those who say no this is a part of inspired trip to but but where I'm at right now is I think I think it's it's helpful to look at it to go over to talk about that. The discussion related to textual criticism and how we got our Bible that that kind of a thing, but I don't know that I would.

I would treat it as a part of the inspired text.

The original canon so that's that's my view right now and I think that you know really solid believers unit disagree on this and so I wouldn't die on this hill, necessarily, but hopefully that helps you as you guys think through this this passage of of John's Gospel. Thanks Peter so much for your question for listening to core Christianity.

We appreciate that if you got a question for Pastor Israel about the Bible or the Christian life we'd love to hear from you.

No question is too difficult for Pastor Israel/future physical right now that 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Now we do often get calls about the return of Christ on this program and there's one we received earlier this week, so I am a young mom to three young children have a four-year-old, a two-year-old and a one-year-old and are thinking about having my question is what happened if the Lord comes back when my kids are still too young to really fully comprehend the gospel and what the Lord comes back while I'm pregnant like what I have my baby and that be great.

Thank you for your time. Now wouldn't that be.

Wouldn't that be great that the heavenly home birthright that kind of it. They will if the Lord comes back while you're still pregnant then you're just eternally pregnant. That's how it is without the morning sickness so no great question.

You know, there are a few passages in in the Gospels that I think about first Jesus his heart toward children in in the synoptic Gospels. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke you have this scene where parents are bringing their children to Jesus and the disciples worked up about. This is a you let let the master be that kind of a thing, don't bother Jesus with your children. But Jesus rebukes the disciples and he welcomes the children into his presence and blesses them. Our Lord has a heart for children, especially the children of his people throughout that the Scriptures you have this promise over and over again I would be a God to you and to your children and so you know, God, God cares for us and he cares for our children as well and you know I also think that that that section at the end of Matthew chapter 11, where Jesus is praying and he said he says I thank you father, Lord of heaven and earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent.

That is the reality of the gospel you've hidden this from from the wise and the print you've revealed it to the babes, the gospel, God's word is for our kids for little children now in order to understand it to grasp the gospel. We need a work of the Holy Spirit, but the good news is the spirit of God can work in our children, even at a very young age. Think about that scene where where Elizabeth meets the Virgin Mary and the baby in Elizabeth's womb, John the Baptist leaps for joy if you will, that when he's in the presence of Jesus. Even though Jesus is in in utero. If you know that somehow it seems that the spirit of God was working in John right there giving him this sort of perception he was in the presence of the Christ, and so boy I think we really have to be confident in the fact that the spirit of God can work and does work in our children of the gospel the message of salvation is for them and they can even understand it because it's it's simple, it's the free forgiveness and love of God for us in his son Jesus and just one more passage of Scripture that I want to point to its it's in Matthew chapter 21 when Jesus cleanses the temple listen to this. Verse 12 says Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons and he said to them, it is written, my house shall be called a house of prayer you make it a den of robbers in the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying out in the temple. Hosanna to the son of David, they were indignant. They said to him, to hear what these are saying. And Jesus said to them, yes.

Have you never read the quotes from Psalm chapter 8 out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise. A guy doesn't just welcome our children. He prepares them to praise him. If you will, and so I think you can be confident sister.

The Lord comes back right now that God is working in your children and that they're going to be with you in the presence of the Lord, don't discount the power of the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of the gospel, even to the littlest among us and around us and so may the Lord bless you as you continue to mother these children to care for them. I I am just so grateful for the work that you're doing and thanks for giving us a call. Your listing to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. We have an awesome new Bible study they would like to offer you today.

Actually, Israel wrote this one and it's on Paul's letter to the Galatians. Yes, a book that I actually was able to preach through. Not too long ago and such a powerful book of the New Testament, Galatians was written during the time of great turmoil for the church because the church in Galatia was being led astray by false teachers who were compromising the gospel in the fact of the matter is brother brothers and sisters we see people compromising on the gospel everywhere around us today that there's one thing that we have to know for certain. That's what the gospel is, and Paul gets to the heart of that in in this book. The book of Galatians and so I think that this resource that the letter of Paul to the Galatians, a 10 week Bible study through the book of Galatians will really bless you and help to fortify you in the truth of the gospel get a hold of this resource. It's it's yours for a donation of $20 or more. You can go to our website to find that@corechristianity.com/studies again. That's core Christianity.com/studies and look for the new Bible study on the book of Galatians.

You can also call us for that resource or any one of our resources. Here's the phone number it's 833-843-2673. That's 833. The core let's go to Maria calling in from Missouri. Marie what your question for Israel and yeah I think we should just stick to having our kids and me to forward the religious texts reading the Scriptures.

It's it's there were the power of God is that the book of Enoch is not part of the canon of Scripture.

It's a sort of ancient Jewish apocalyptic text that you know sometimes people can can look at these books, and especially especially discoloration of the might look at them to to learn a little bit more in terms of the context that time what people were thinking about things like the end times, things things like the apocalypse, but I would safer for Christians, especially because there's so much biblical literacy. Today we we need to make sure that were growing in our understanding of the inspired text that were committed to reading the holy Scriptures and and knowing them and being built up in them. And so I would say Marie me to focus on the Scriptures for yourself and for your children. Does that mean that there you know that that the you can't benefit in some way or maybe just get some some more historical background from from other books like like that one will know that you can, but I would just save you focus on on the Scriptures and and I think you can't go wrong there. Thank you for your call. Your listing to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. We often get the emails here as well, and we get questions via YouTube. We have the one that came in from one of our listeners in Lodi, California, and he says I'm a nurse and I am resisting the mandatory vaccine policy at my hospital because I think it might be the mark of the beast.

What do you think I should do well. Thank you for that question. And certainly this is a question that is at the forefront of a lot of people's minds. The first thing I'll say is I don't believe that you need to be concerned that the covert 19 vaccine is the mark of the beast, the mark of the beast is not something that people can accidentally take. It's not like oh you know I thought I was taking this medicine, but it was actually the mark of the beast and now I'm eternally condemned know we have to understand the mark of the beast in the context of the book of Revelation and what Revelation is as God's word is this apocalyptic literature. This prophetic word that John receives from Jesus's visionary prophecy, and often times in visionary prophecy. You have a lot of symbolic language John earlier in the book of Revelation talks about the seven golden lampstands, which are the seven churches really easily seeing these lampstands, but they stand for something else. It is a picture of the church there on earth at that time so we have to understand the book of Revelation in its context. When you look at places like Revelation chapter 13 where it talks about the mark of the beast, then bit y'all just to read verse 16 it says it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or on the four head so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark that is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

This calls for wisdom. Let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man and his number 666, which again is this this number associated with the Antichrist associated with man with the worship of man. The worship of self. That's really what the mark of the beast is is about its i.e. identifying with idolatry with the worship of the beast and rejecting the gospel, rejecting Christ, the true Messiah and actually is is Revelation continues.

It's interesting, could you be so to have this mark of the beast associating with identifying with the beast contrasted with those who are in Christ and united to him by faith and and are associated with the true and the living God. Chapter 14 of the book of Revelation begins.

Then I looked, and behold on Mount Zion stood the Lamb and with him 144,000 who had his name and his father's name written on their foreheads.

And I don't know that that we know what this is pointing to is you know God taking you know that heavenly sharpie and writing his name on on the. The names of the hundred and 44,000. You know it's it's a symbolic word of prophecy that these are those who are identified with the true and the living God, who have his truth in their minds and in their hearts as of the mark of the beast is contrasted with that.

You don't have to be afraid that the covert 19 vaccine is the mark of the beast that is bad. That's is bad theology. Bad study of the Bible we we really ought to reject that and so I think I can't tell you, you know what what you have to do in the situation I have the authority to do that. My job as a minister the gospel is to proclaim God's word and to encourage people in the Scriptures and God's word. But if you have a pastor who's who's telling you have to do this one where another out I would be really careful with that but what I think you know we want to use wisdom and also use the best of of you what's before us in terms of God's common grace in science and not only to say something.

I'm a friend who's a chaplain in the Los Angeles area and he was just sharing with me. Not too long ago, how 100% of the people that he saying that he's praying with who are who are dying in the hospital. There are people who have not been vaccinated, and boy yelled that you hear a lot of stuff out there in the media on the news. I trust this guy. He's a he's a friend. He's a fellow minister in the gospel and and he says look I'm seeing it firsthand and so yeah I personally would would say we have to use wisdom here and think about what what are the.

The consequences of the decisions that we make and certainly wanting to take care of ourselves and wanting to take care of the people around us and so Joe may God bless you. May God give you wisdom and God keep you safe. Thank you for that. The service that you provide for the community and that you don't have to be afraid that the covert 19 vaccine is the mark of the beast because it isn't such a controversial issue right now in our culture, and I know we have the Christians on on both sides of the issue.

So thanks for exploring that part of it force Israel.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez got an email come in from one of our listeners named John. I was in the Bible when someone asked about the actual meaning of repent. The expository dictionary said that means to perceive afterwards to have a change of mind, the seat of moral reflection, but when I studied repent and repentance in the Englishman's concordance numbers 33, 40 and 33, 41, it seems like all the verses referred to, specifically the act of salvation as opposed to a Christian repenting of sin after he or she is saved a little surprised by this. Can you please help me out in understanding the correct idea and meaning of repent and repentance. Think hey John, love digging in the Scriptures with questions like this, so we have to understand first that words just in general, but certainly in the Scripture have a semantic range range of meaning and so words can be used in different ways. Even the same word can be used in different ways. In the New Testament, so you might have this idea of repentance and until life. This sort of initial repentance where a sinner sort of apprehends this, that the reality of who God is who Jesus is our another convicted of their sin there. Seeing maybe for the first time near the veil has been lifted and there realizing I'm a sinner and their turning away from that sin towards God, towards Jesus Christ in faith and in their experiencing.

For the first time the grace of God. This this repentance until life and in Scripture does talk about this me think about that. Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost in acts chapter 2 calls the people to repent and to believe, but certainly the case that repentance is also very much so a part of the everyday Christian life at the get that thing with the very first of Martin Luther's 95 theses Reese's you know what our Lord said to to to repent payment of the entire life was was supposed to be a life of repentance we never have to stop repenting as Christians. And yet there is this this initial turning away from our sins and turning towards Christ by faith. Now here's what we we need to understand and this is where a lot of people get confused, John.

Yes, repentance is a change of mind is a is a is a good definition, but are our salvation isn't dependent upon the perfection of our continual repentance. The fact of the matter is right.

You know, I know the Christian life is a fight we are fighting every single day to walk with the Lord to take up our cross and follow him were called to repent of our sins to to put to death by the spirit pulses in Romans chapter 8 the fleshly deeds of the body and so your whole life is a Christian is going to be a life of repentance, but were saved by word justified by his trusting in Jesus Christ. We are born again right like the you you believe in Jesus Christ you lay hold of the gospel for your self. And that's what saves you. That's what justifies you and as a result of having been saved justified by the grace of God we should be encouraged to live lives of holiness and lives of repentance in the spirit of God lives in us to convict us of sin, to draw us nearer and nearer to the Lord to to mold us and shape us more and more after the image of Christ would enliven us if you will, and so again that that the simple answer to your question John is that words can the same word can be used in two different ways and sometimes you see repentance in the Bible as that initial repentance into life and sometimes it. Speaking of the day-to-day repentance that were called to as believers. Thank you for your question. Great explanation. Thanks for that Israel. This is core Christianity, just a reminder that we have that great new Bible study on the book of Galatians available to you. It's one that Israel himself wrote and you can find that by going to core Christianity.com/studies just look for the Galatians Bible study. Here's a question we received from one of our listeners named Jason and he says what is the correct interpretation of the verses John 1426 and John 1613. They apply to Christians in general or they only apply to the apostles and the direct associates of the apostles in relation to the inspiration of the New Testament will John 1426 and later in John. John 1613, we just begin at John 14 verse 25. These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you, but the helper, the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you and then just going over to John chapter 16 verse 13 will start in verse 12.

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak and he will declare to you the things that are to come really good question and you know what I appreciate about this question as well as is a lot of times were not asking this question we read the Bible we read the old and new Testaments. It is this something for me to or was it specifically for the apostles or was it specifically for the patriarchs and into often.

I think one of the problems that we have.

Jason is we just will read the Bible and will apply promises given to the patriarchs, or promises given to the apostles directly to us. So, for example, the apostles were promised you no authority over snakes and serpents, the evil one.

The ability to cast out demons and to heal and so we just think what I should have that kind of authority to, and Christians can go around trying to do those things, so we have to be really careful now that we understand the Scriptures in their context, and in here. In particular, I think that there is a special application for the apostles themselves as they were taking the word out. Initially, many of whom invoked the more involved with the the writing of Scripture, even. But I wouldn't want to say that that this upper room discourse. John, you know, 14 to 17 a is limited to the apostles. It applies to us in a very significant way because in so far as Jesus throughout these chapters is talking about the sending of the Holy Spirit, the fulfillment of Joel chapter 2, the spirit of God being poured out on all flesh. This is this about us to the helper, the comforter that Jesus is talking about here. You know with his disciples is the same Holy Spirit who fills you and me and so I think you know, one recognizing the other is a particular application of the apostles, but by extension, insofar as the spirit of God was can be poured out on the whole church on the day of Pentecost in that same spirit fills everyone who believes in Jesus Christ today. This is for us it's meant to be a comfort for us and in the spirit of God does lead us into the truth. It's by the spirit that the word of God is illuminated for us, so that is were reading the Scriptures as were learning about the gospel we come into that understanding that saving understanding of what this means. And so I would take comfort.

Read read these passages and and receive what the word has for you in these passages as well. Thanks for your question. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673.

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