Will God Bring Justice For Those Suffering in Afghanistan?

Will God bring justice for those suffering in Afghanistan. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity why 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 1-833-843-2673 also post a question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com yesterday we open the program with a prayer for the situation in Afghanistan something that I know just breaking all of our hearts and I'm so glad we get a chance to address that issue again today with a question we received from one of our listeners will get to that here in just a bit first. So let's go to voicemail.

We received from one of our callers earlier this week.

No final judgment never heard that.

Thank you for that question. This is very common question. What about those people who have never heard the gospel. If we believe that salvation is exclusively through Jesus Christ. Well if somebody hasn't heard the gospel unit.

How can they be judged fairly. At least that's how the thinking goes in and I do believe that were going to be judged on the basis of what we do know me in some respects, so II think that that the final judgment is to be worse for some people than it is for others, but we need to remember is what the apostle Paul said in the book of Romans. In the early chapters of the book of Romans. In Romans chapter 1 in particular he talked about how everyone knows that there is a God of the very created world around us reveals to us that God exists.

We look at the stars above us, as will some theologians are called the sense of God you look at the stars above us. You know that the the wonderful sunset that Kennedy are overwhelmed with this sense of their something or someone greater out there so we know that there's a creator God. The problem is, here's what most people do is we take that sense of God and we suppress it we suppress the truth in unrighteousness. And that's precisely what the apostle Paul said in the book of Romans and so everyone just on the basis of God's revelation in creation is justly judged by the Lord because we sin against that reality. And even against our own consciences and so everyone is good to be judged justly on the final day, but I do think that God is going to be more generous towards if you will are merciful towards those who would never heard the gospel you think about what Jesus says about the religious leaders, the scribes and the Pharisees house and be worse for them in the day of judgment because they made a show of religion. They knew these things.

They knew the truth, they saw the miracles and yet they rejected it and so and so it's either we have to take that into account as well, but we can rest assured that God is going to be perfectly just on the final day that no one is going to be judged on that day and say all this just isn't fair know when when the heavenly light is shining upon us in all our works are laid before the Lord were going to know that that God's judgment is perfectly just, and that's what we give thanks to God for the mercy that he shown us in his son Jesus Christ that he justifies us not on the basis of our perfect righteousness. But on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ. And so that's our hope. Thank you for your question.

Thank you so much for that, a drill, and what a blessing to know that we have God's righteousness are right there available to us every day through the death of his son Jesus Christ on the cross when an amazing promise for every one of us. This is core Christianity and if you have a question for Pastor Israel. Here is the number to call 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Our phone lines will be open for the next 20 minutes or so if you'd like to give us a call.

You can also email us your question. Here's the address it's questions at core, Christianity.com.

We received this email from Michael he said I'm a veteran and I served in Afghanistan. It's so heartbreaking and frustrating to see the devastation of what's going on there right now.

And while I wanted to thank you for your prayer on the program yesterday for the people suffering there is prayer.

The only bit of hope we can offer these people.

We have no idea what it's like to suffer this way and I'm just at a loss for words. It seems like there is no sense of comfort whatsoever. What do you think that what is the comfort for those who are suffering persecution and how is God going to deal frankly with with his enemies.

If you will with those who persecute the church of Jesus Christ. We know that that's that's an issue there, but there's also just up the broader issue of the suffering that is being experienced by many people there in Afghanistan right now and you know in many parts of the world, but I want to focus on the church and the cry of the church.

There are a few passages of Scripture that I think are important for us to look at the first one is in the book of Revelation, and it is the cry of believers who are suffering and who have suffered and been persecuted. This is the vision that John had in Revelation chapter 6 it says verse nine, when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God. They cried out with a loud voice, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth than they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete who were to be killed as they themselves had been. This is the cry of the persecuted church of the Christians who have lost their lives at the hands of those who hate Christ and his gospel.

It's God. How long how long until you judge how long until you avenge us in here right. How does God respond to these precious saints who have gone to be with the Lord. He says wait a little wait a little longer there. There is a judgment that is coming and I think it were confronted with the reality God is going to judge his enemies, that God is going to intervene one day against those who were persecuting the church is the passage of Scripture.

I think the other text I want to go to is what Paul said to the Thessalonians in second Thessalonians.

In chapter 1. This is in the context again of of Christians suffering persecution for for believing in Jesus even says to them at the beginning we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also are suffering.

Now get this is something we don't often often talk about. I think in the church to verse six second Thessalonians 1.

Since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well, as to us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus took the first thing I want to say to you in terms of what what comfort is there in a week. We were praying we know that God is going to bring about a just judgment that one day God is going to avenge the blood of his saints.

That's not that's not for us to do. Paul says in the in the book of Romans. Vengeance is mine says the Lord, I will repay, and so in that sense you know this is this is something where we look to the Lord and we said God you are a good God, you are just jot a just judge hear our prayers and have mercy upon your church and we pray that God would would judge in one sense, but but we also pray knowing where we are right now at this stage in redemptive history. Pray not just for the church and for the Christians who are dwelling there in Afghanistan that God would would fortify their faith that God would strengthen them. We also pray for their persecutors.

We pray for the Taliban.

We pray that God would reveal himself to them so that they might embrace the gospel and in this is something that God can do it and we should pray knowing that God can do this. Just think about that. The book of acts acts chapter 9 where you have the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, this man who was, you know, searching out Christians trying to imprison them afflicting them, persecuting them being confronted with the presence of the risen Christ and saying who are you, Lord, you hear that voice Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me and Jesus said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting God's heart.

The heart of Christ is for his suffering saints and win win our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan or anywhere in the world for that matter are suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus himself says your persecuting me and he cares for them and we ought to care for them as well as I said yesterday in my prayer we we pray for them.

We remember those who are afflicted as though afflicted with them because were part of one body. So we do pray we have the hope of God's just judgment and we we cast ourselves upon the Lord, saying, Lord, I hear the cries of the afflicted Lord rescue those who are in danger and reveal yourself to those who are hurting your people and come, Lord Jesus. That's the pray. That's the prayer Mary Nava. Come, Lord Jesus, and make this world right thank you for your question. Your listing to core Christianity with pastor Pedro Sanchez's if you have a Bible, a question about the Bible or the Christian life. We would love to hear from you and here's the phone number to call its 833 the court. That's a 33 843-2673 if you have kids or grandkids at home want to tell you about a wonderful book that we have available and it's one that will help answer some of the tough questions they may have about Christianity. Yet the book is called how do we know Christianity is really true in one of the reasons were offering this resource. Again we offered it. If you remember a little bit earlier in the summer, just a few times and honestly, all it took was a few times and we ran out because there's a lot of people that that are curious, how can I help my children, my grandchildren understand the truth of God. God's word why they should believe what it is that we preach and teach. Will this resource is going to help you.

How do we know that Christianity is really true. It really is for for young children. Early teens, that sort of age range. Get a hold of this resource.

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You cannot find that book for donation of any amount at our website. Core, Christianity.com/offers. Again, that's core Christianity.com/offers just look for the book, how do we know Christianity is really true. Let's go to Elias calling in from Hempstead, New York alas what your question for pastor Pedro Bill Marlowe. I'm a little worse. I have to leave important Bible questions. Your primary. I bet you have your blessing monitor myself to your evolution is ordered in a mobile called French okay let's will you questions number number 11 John chapter 2 verse 15 through 17 the Lord shows global world, the love of the father is not in you. Personally, I love life in this world. Jesus, here's a comment we may have life more abundantly to love life in this world. I do want global default attribute, myself, and I don't know what the world's first goal of the world system selectively reflect the questionnaires in Psalm 139 versus 2122 elixirs, a Psalm of David Lorch wants to do I not hate them all. Lord who hate you do.

I'm not little goals rise up against you. I Graham with hatred. I count them my enemies. After new King James version every. In the new eminent customer chooses her love your enemies seems to be a contradiction here. I was believe that we are hates to love all love the sinner is ever appropriate for the last, thank you for those questions and to very thought out questions and really both of them are limited to sound like the question is are these are these contradictions so to your first question from the epistle of first John we were told very clearly not to love the world. One of the things you need understand lies is that John in particular in the New Testament uses the word world a number of different ways. For example problem with the reference. Most people are familiar with John chapter 3 verse 16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that if John is using the word world in the exact same way everywhere he uses the word world will then God would love the world that he commands us not to love. Will there in John chapter 3 verse 16 it's it's referring to the world of sinful humanity that God demonstrated his love toward sinners towards people in sending his son into the world so that we might believe and be saved. And so that's what John is using the word world there in first John chapter 2 he's talking about the world that you, as that as it includes or or is about if you will, the lusts of the flesh, the sinful pride of life.

John talks about this in his first epistle, and so he's not talking about the people broken humanity and in need of redemption. He's talking about the sinful system of this world that that essentially is ruled by the evil one, the prince of the power of the air, and so there there's no contradiction there at all.

We just have to recognize that John uses the word world in different ways in his gospel. I in his epistles and that we have to really look at the context in order to see how he's using it specifically with regard to your second question from Psalm 139 versus 21, 22, where the psalmist is that you and II hate my enemies with the perfect hatred.

Is it ever okay for us to hate our enemies, we have to understand their that the psalmist is writing in the context of great suffering, but also in the context of God's sort of theocratic kingdom where the enemies of God were commanded to be cast out of the land destroyed that we don't live under the theocracy of the old covenant anymore and Jesus made that absolutely clear that and that's why he said look, here's what were called to do were called to pray for our enemies. Those who persecute us another a lot of Christians today will pooh-pooh the goal which you know maybe we should take up arms against our enemies stand up for what we believe in. But that's never what Jesus says the church should do. On the contrary, we pray for our persecutors. We we we don't fight back. No not not as Christians, not for the sake of the gospel because the gospel does not advance by means of the sword and so it's really important that we we make that distinction.

We look at the sermon on the mount where Jesus spoke very clearly and he called us to love our enemies as you heard that, he said you know hate your enemy.

I said you love your enemies, and so again it's context where we at in redemptive history and how do we respond to the commands of God to the word of God and a once we understand the context we realize there is no contradiction. Thank you for your questions. Thanks so much for that in the lies.

Thank you so much for your call. This is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez. Here's the number to call if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. It's 833 the core and of course you can always leave a voicemail at that number as well.

24 hours a day at 833.

The core let's go to Tracy in Oklahoma.

Tracy what your question for pastor Adrian my question pertaining to the coded vaccine so as a Christian, I've always understood that if someone takes the Mark of the beast. They knowingly take the market to be so it's a conscious decision that they make, but having had I did receive, because it seen and so now I'm watching things unfold where you have to show your card to travel. You have to show your card to go to restaurants and etc. that just seems like it's just kinda steadily evolving from that and so I just I really just want some clarity on that because I can't get past like kind of that fear that I did I take the mark. Well Tracy, thank you so much for calling and I hope that I can alleviate some of your concerns and fears. You're absolutely right that the mark of the beast described in Revelation chapter 14 is not something that we accidentally take. It's not like you know I was tricked into taking the mark of the beast and envoys now IIII want Jesus.

I love Jesus I know Jesus but maybe now I'm eternally condemned because of some mistake that I've made no no, sadly, I think there's a lot of misinformation out there related to Scripture and how to think about some of these issues in Revelation chapters 13 and 14. Chapter 13 where it talk specifically about the mark of the beast, you know, it's described as this disassociation is symbol associating one with the evil one with Satan with idolatry with the man that number 666 and elsewhere God's elect are marked with the name of God.

You see this in Revelation chapter 7 verse three chapter 9 verse four and chapter 14 verse one. Immediately after this discussion about the mark of the beast. Chapter 14 verse one says and I looked, and behold on Mount Zion stood the Lamb and with them 144,000 who had his name and his father's name written on their foreheads. Now again you have to remember what were looking in the book of Revelation at apocalyptic visionary prophecy and often times in visionary prophecy you have these symbols that are given to us in and so we have to be really discerning as weakness. We unpacked the Scriptures here. I don't know that that Revelation 14 one is meant to be understood in the sense that God is in a take you know a heavenly sharpie and write his name on people's foreheads note it's associating with the true God or associating with the evil one embracing the worship of the beast if you will, choosing that rejecting the gospel, that's what it means to take the mark of the beast if you will, and it sounds to me like you don't do that what you want Jesus like you love Jesus like you want to know that you're forgiven and if you believe in Jesus Christ, Tracy.

If you receive the gospel for yourself. You are forgiven you can rest in that reality that the COBIT 19 vaccine is not the mark of the beast, and so we we really have to search the Scriptures and is okay. How should this be understood in its context, and when we do it clears up a lot of the confusion and so you don't have to worry about that and and I would just encourage you to rest in Christ goodness to you and and I'm grateful that you're doing well and that you're healthy. So God bless you thanks that a drill here listening to core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez.

Here's a voicemail received from one of our callers earlier this week high in Albuquerque to Lori.

I'm a Christian.

I do not believe in purgatory.

However, my Catholic friends strongly struggled because of the thought of having to be in purgatory trust and where it noted in the Bible. Thank you, thank you for that question. I've I've spoken to people friends were Roman Catholics who have expressed the same fear. You know I never talk to one friend whose Roman Catholics would what is what you most afraid of the this purgatory is spending a long time purgatory and part of this sister gets at our understanding of the doctrine of justification was mean to be justified before God and on what basis can we stand before the Lord with a clear conscience on the final judgment, knowing that working to be accepted in Christ.

One of the one of the reasons why the doctrine of purgatory.

I think developed is because it resists this sense of hate. You know we were sort of worship just before God. But we still have sins. And so you know we need to have this time even after we die after we leave the body tube to cleanse us to purge us to clean us so that were fully fit for heaven because of our sin still remaining. Well, I just don't think that that's biblical the author to the Hebrews said in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 14 for by a single offering he that is Jesus has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. That is, those who belong to God.

The sanctified, those who have been set apart by the word by baptism, by the grace of God by a single offering. And it's not one that we made. It's the one that Jesus, the eternal son of God made on our behalf by a single offering he has perfect did for all time.

His people, those who are sanctified, network perfected in in the book of Hebrews it's used in the context of being able to approach God. So why can we approach God when we die with confidence. It's because of the work of Jesus. That single offering would have to worry about purgatory. If we have Jesus he's justified us by his once for all sacrifice for sin. 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