I’ve Come to Christ After Getting a Sex-Change. What Should I Do?

If someone has come to Christ after a sex change operation. What should they do best is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity 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. And yes, we do get some challenging ones.

You can pick up your phone right now and call us for the next 25 minutes or so with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673, as always, you can post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can actually watch a drill in the studio right now live on YouTube and send us a message. That way you can always email us your question at questions at court. Christianity.com. Today let's go to Chris in Lebanon, Tennessee. Chris what your question for Pastor Israel. Hey, I can hear you Chris, thanks for giving us a call. Question is, you know, brother Dean in October to get into modeling business model, yet really practical question and I guess I guess part of me is that there is no simple answer because I guess would be, what kind of modeling is she's doing is she doing in there different kinds of of modeling men. And so I would say yes it can be okay.

And then there are also instances in which I think it probably wouldn't be a very good thing I do know that the modeling world and industry can be a really difficult place to be and so I think for a Christian who is maybe getting into that world and and they've the you know they have a clear conscience about the kind of modeling that they're doing. I think also just, you know, making sure that they're not getting into not not being sucked into the passions.

If you will of the flesh and and all the things it can sometimes be associated with that industry in particular an over emphasis on on how we look and maybe an under emphasis on on the the important matters of the heart and so I don't I don't know that there's a clear yes or no answer. I think you have to exercise biblical wisdom, but III would say that there are there are instances where yes it it's it's fine and there are instances where I think you need to to say maybe no it's not. It's not okay and so yeah you want one passage of Scripture that I that I think of is the encouragement that we see in first Peter three were in particular Peter is is speaking to women needs talking about you not just letting the adorning be external. The braiding of hair, the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear, but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, and you know that's that's something that isn't very valued in our society today or certainly not in the in the modeling industry. If I think it is a Christian if if that's still your main focus. If you're growing in grace drawing near to the Lord. And yet this is also something that that you're able to do, and you enjoy doing. Maybe get a little bit of money on the side and and you can have a clear conscience before Linda and I would say it's it's fine, but US as the father here. Gonna have to help your daughter out and encourage her and again use use biblical wisdom tank you for your question Chris Gray question Chris, thanks so much and we appreciate so much you being a regular listener here core Christianity paperwork to feature one of those acute pastors calendars one time speaking modeling. Yes, an excellent zero copy spell no one. It was just like a lot of you write she's not my wife. It's crazy like I yeah now I've never, and those of you who are watching live, you understand why I never have. But I do you know it said that this question exits was when I thought about because I have friends who are believers who have ditto done modeling here and there and they wrestled through this question and so you know, I think, again, and I have already answered it but we just have to exercise but the book of wisdom. A lot of times you know it's it's not black-and-white and that's one of the beautiful things I think about this broadcast is were answering questions innocent as you want. Just a yes or no answer. But the reality is, as God gives us his whole category of wisdom in the Scriptures and we have to use it as we think through some of these complex issues great counsel. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life 833-843-2673 is the number that's 833. The core give us a call right now for the next 20 minutes or so will take your questions. Let's go to Don in Kansas City, Missouri Don what your question for Pastor Israel I know I'm going to have and what would be otherwise. But I can imagine I can't think of anything more boring than having to spend my time singing songs and play a game on my me all day long. I'm wondering what my message that's my question. Yeah, they done I I know that there are a lot of people who feel the same way you think boy you know you easily think of those soda cartoon images of heaven where people are floating around on the clouds playing the harp and it's just nice and pieces that's not really exciting to himself and so that's obviously that's this is not the biblical picture that were given of heaven heaven is going to be filled with worship but working to have an encounter of the triune God and in his kingdom. In a way that that bit because everything that we know in this world you know this side of it turned pale in comparison. We just can't even begin to comprehend how glorious it's going to be I don't know that United think about just looking at a beautiful sunset or a starry sky above that kind of thing you know you something is just breathtaking. You think about the created world and how God has made it all of the beauty, the colors, the smells heaven is can it be like that on steroids and we just just absolutely amazing. We can't even begin to fathom it in so no one has to worry about heaven being boring working to be gathered around the throne of God who is incomprehensible, who cannot be contained, working to be experiencing him in a way that we would never experienced them here on earth and so thought we are.

I think we have to make sure that our our vision of heaven, if you will is is shaped by what the Bible says and not by the sort of popular pictures that are put out there in in media and one other thing that all of say to Don is so heavy and we only die working to go to heaven. Our spirits are going to be in the presence of the Lord that's referred to as the intermediate state. Minutes called the intermediate state because were also looking forward to more than just heaven. Were looking forward to the new creation that is the restoration of all things Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 8 working to receive resurrected bodies were going to exist on a new creation perfect without sin without sickness. It's it's going to be the best thing ever.

And so we can even begin to express. I can even begin to express how amazing that's going to be and so you don't have to worry about being bored there in the presence of the living God. It's good to be it's in a be absolutely amazing. Thank you for your question beyond our comprehension as human beings and that explains it right there also. Thank you and thanks Don for your great question. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez Weber brand-new resource would like to tell you about today, it's absolutely free and it actually focuses on one of the most beautiful attributes of God. Yeah, the resources called 10 ways God reveals himself as our father know when Jesus taught his disciples to pray. He taught them by saying a prayer like this.

Our father in heaven and you just think about that for a moment the fact that we can address the God of the universe who made all things as father.

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There's there's a sense of his special care for his creation. In particular for his people. It's so important that we know this because many people have a view of God that is incorrect, you know, we think of God as cruel, harsh, if you will, or may be as as an abusive father. That kind of thing will that's not what the Scriptures teach. We need to understand God as father and so I hope you get a hold of this resource. 10 ways God reveals himself as our father.

It's absolutely free and you can download it by going to our website at core, Christianity.com/offers that's core Christianity.com/offers just look for 10 ways God reveals himself as our father by the way, you can call us for that resource or any one of our resources at 833. The core not one of the ways you can ask a Pastor Israel question is by emailing us an email address is questions at core, Christianity.com here's an email we received from one of her listeners named John, he says. I wrote to you a few months ago about having had a sex change operation and you gave me hope in Christ, but now I read in first Corinthians 316 to 17 that our bodies are the temple of God and to defile them is cause for destruction of the body. Does this mean that I will be destroyed, body and soul.

I tried to live continuously for the Lord since being converted, but what is it matter if I lived, pray and obey the Lord, but I'm still going to hell. John, you are not in a hopeless situation.

Satan wants to convince the people of God that they've done something they've sinned in some way that will keep God from loving them here. You're just doomed and if he can convince us of that will then will will never draw near to the Lord will never go to church with us.

What's the point, as as you said in your email.

John when Paul writes what he wrote in in first Corinthians chapter 3 verses 16 and 17. He's talking about sexual immorality in the church. In particular, and he says do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you. If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy and you are that temple and I don't know when it was that you came to believe in Jesus, John, and receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins. The truth of the gospel but but the reality is there are ways in which we have and do defile our bodies and not okay. It seems to me like it, you recognize that now in hindsight, but are you cursed forever because of what you did to your body. In the past know you do turn to the Lord in faith and you say God have mercy upon me, and even these broken bodies that we have oftentimes defiled even by us of God still pours his great out grace out on us and draws us near to himself and so you you are not hopeless brother.

I would say live as the Lord made you and draw near to him and receive the grace that is for you, that the grace of the Holy Spirit. Your body is still now through faith in Jesus, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and so live in light of that reality and follow the Lord and pursue holiness.

Be committed to him to his word to the local church and and know that his grace is for you that you haven't sinned it away, but that the blood of Jesus is sufficient for for you even know even in light of the past and so John may God be with you and may God bless you and encourage you your listing to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez just seems like in today's culture we have so many challenging situations to deal with that.

We wouldn't have had to deal with, even 23 years ago on Mrs. it is stunning sometimes is not, yeah, and this is why we need to continually I well let's I said earlier, exercise, wisdom, and apply the truth of Scripture is much as possible to the issues that are going on all around us and the questions that people are asking.

This is why it's important for us to be rooted in the word frankly make sure that your studying the Bible reading the Bible for yourself day by day because it's a were shaped in wisdom and that's what this program is all about. We also have our wonderful book core Christianity by our founder Dr. Michael Horton. You can find out more about that book at our website.

Core, Christianity.com. Let's go to Justin in Springfield Missouri just in what your question for Pastor Israel want to get your thoughts on what the Old Testament shows about the age of becoming a man. I know the book of numbers. It talks about census taking place man of 24 years of age and older, and there's a lot of people and I to talk with don't believe that you know the Old Testament is all that relevant, but like to pick and choose to go off as I was just curious on your thoughts on yeah that's a great that's a great question in different cultures of kind of have put that the age of adulthood, and in different claimant obviously at that time to think of people going to war in wanting to wanting you know that someone to be of proper age to go and and fight this. I think you know it. Culturally that's something that's been defined in different ways.

I don't know that there is an age of accountability that's given to us in Scripture per se. A lot of times people are looking for in a what's the what's the cutoff age where I'm really responsible for my behavior for my actions that but the Bible does that, I think, speak to that very clearly. One thing that the Bible does say very clearly is that each of us, even from a very young age can apprehend the gospel, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and so I think rather than then they can get a what will how long does an individual have before there really accountable for that. I think we should we should teach one another, encourage one another in the scriptures and pray that that the grace of the gospel would penetrate into the minds and hearts of the young people around us of of our children and and that can happen again.

As I said it a very young age. One of the things it's so beautiful in the Gospels and I say this oftentimes is some of the people who recognize Jesus better than anyone else were the children. The religious leaders missed it.

They didn't understand what he had come to do what you have the kids at the temple, crying out, hosanna, hosanna, save now recognizing him as is the king was going to sit on David's throne and so we really don't want to to minimize our or just sort of undermined the work of of God.

If you will buy by discounting how the Lord moves in the young around us and so thank you for your question Justin and I appreciate you give us a call. Your listing to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez we have Rachel on the line from Springfield, Illinois. Rachel what your question for Israel. My question is regarding vaccine as a believer I understand that people are watching my actions and my reaction and I've always been able to easily pretty easily submit to authority. The governing authority of my boxes etc. but with this issue. I feel just a check in my spirit honestly about getting it. But if it's a requirement of my employer.

I just don't know how to navigate it like it that the hill I should die on or not. Rachel, this is a question we begin a lot lately and I've been getting personally. Just as it is a pastor. Questions of people bring to me and in my own church and so you're not the only one who feels this way.

Now course, I'm not an epidemiologist I I wasn't there when you know in the lab when they were making the vaccines were all you know trying to trying to use the information it's in front of us to make to make the best decision possible. What I can say is you know sometimes people will think was is this a moral issue you know is the max. If the vaccine at the end of the mark of the beast with hexagon that question on on several occasions here core Christianity like I can say definitively as someone who is trained in the Scriptures, and who studies the Bible to know that the covert vaccine is not the mark of the beast.

When people hear those kinds of things in the dates are treated as a moral issue that does become very difficult and they they start to struggle with what should I do this, should I not do this. You really have to consult you know doctors and people who who know more about the vaccine and that the sort of risk associated. I think everybody recognizes that there is a risk associated with taking a vaccine. There's also risk associated with not taking a vaccine I can to speak from my own experience and I have a have a close friend Rachel who I sure the silly down the broadcasters is a chaplain in Los Angeles and a pastor serving the people of God so faithfully and also serving those who are sick and dying in the hospital and he told me he said look Bob, you know you here also the stuff out there in the news and in the media. I'll tell you he said hundred percent of the people that but I'm seeing in in the hospital, who are really sick right now. Some of them dying have died are all people who have not been vaccinated, and just absolutely tragic and I ate III pray for him.

We need to be praying for people that are working in in the medical field and and and we have to also be careful. You know that were getting so much information in social media and on the news and and whatnot, and not all of it is helpful and so that's why think finding someone that you trust may be a medical professional that you trust where you can have this kind of conversation and and and and become informed and then make a decision from there with a clear conscience and so yet. Rachel, do you want to follow-up at all because I know this is a complex issue and and you might have more to say Sir, I mean I guess my question would be what about like coming under the authority in your in your life you now because regardless of what the doctor tells me the authority that's over me particularly or even our government right if it becomes requirement All-American at what point you know, do you then.

Or you disagree. It's a great question yeah and you reference Romans 13 already and so what one thing that's very clear from Romans 13 is the governing authorities are legitimate authorities there called to do justice to do the right thing and we are called to submit to authority and when were called to not submit to authority when when it's incumbent upon us to reject the authorities above us is when they call us to do something contrary to God's word, and so if the governing officials are said a drill. You can't preach that Jesus is God I would say well it you know I have to obey God rather than man because God is the highest authority, but typically you know when when governing authorities call us to do something. Maybe that that is is not of a moral issue. There are things you have to drive at the speed limiter or something like that will generally that's when Christians submit that I recognize that this is a love more complexes issue that it seems to me like people are still free to not get the vaccine. There just might be certain repercussions. You said you know that the employers might say how well you can't work here anymore and and that's what makes this such a complex thing, but I think we have to not submit when were called to do something contrary to God's word if it's not contrary to God's word if it's not a moral issue then generally were called to be submissive to governing officials.

That's really hard from a number I know what I'm saying right now is not very popular is not an easy thing, especially note for for many of us it's it's it goes against sort of you know what we perceive to be what it means to be an American. You know that that liberty that we have been and I think that's what's been challenged for a lot of people right now and and it's it's difficult sister. I want to pray for you right now that God would give you wisdom and and fill you with grace and obviously you know I hope that there are no negative repercussions for you because I want the best for you and so let's pray for Rachel and honestly for everybody who's wrestling through this right now, gracious father Lord you see your people right now who are wrestling through very difficult decisions, and who want to make the best decision for themselves for their families for their neighbors, Lord, you know how difficult these things. I pray for your grace to be poured out on Rachel.

I pray that you would keep her safe, that you would provide for all of her needs and and for all those Lord God, who are wrestling through these things would you help us Lord with the grace of your spirit to make the best decisions that are that are put before us and to honor you, Lord, in all that we do and I know that's what Rachel wants to do and so Lord, would you be with her and and bless her, I ask in Jesus name, amen.

You know that I'll just say because there's so much bill with with this with with this question in particular you know what is the relationship between the church and broader government and that just that question of when and when do we not obey Romans 13 really is a great place to to go in and I have a professor in seminary who wrote a book before addressing a lot of these kinds of questions and in that place is a government is a legitimate institution, you know, given to us from the Lord. It's a common institution, meaning you know it it it doesn't administer the grace of God, they're not called to preach the gospel. That's what the church does the kingdom of God on earth. It's also provisional that the governments of this world come and go, and we know that we see God you know. Raise up leaders and then bring them down. Then the same thing happens with kingdoms. The only kingdom that's going to last forever is the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and these governments are also accountable.

You know, for the decisions that they make their going to stand before God one day and have to give an account for how they ruled people on whether it was just or unjust and so we fall back on those realities, and we seek to live our lives in submission. First and foremost to God and to make decisions that are going to be good for us for our own health and for the health of the people around us. And so such a complex thing and I know that there's a lot of debate and and argumentation about this topic in particular but brothers and sisters. Let's seek by the grace of the Holy Spirit with the charity that Christ gives us to love one another and to be rooted in God's word and let that guide us as we make these decisions. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer.

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