Can I Be Sure I’m Saved If I Haven’t Killed My Sin?

Can I be sure I'm saved. If I keep on sinning best is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Gabriel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. We would love to hear from you and our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so, here's the number to call it 833, the court, that's 1-833-843-2673 90 can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. If you go on YouTube right now to our YouTube channel. You can watch a drill live in the studio course you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to voicemail. We received earlier this week year old.

Why reason you was born two months. Yeah, thank you for that question and then so will with thinking primarily hear about prophetic literature in Scripture. The 42 months of peer in the Old Testament in places like the book of Daniel in Daniel chapter 7 and in Daniel chapter 12 as well in there. It's referring to this time of trial of tribulation for the people of God in the book of Revelation written by the apostle John picks up on a lot of the things that we see in the book of Daniel, including this language of 42 months or 1260 days that you see this in Revelation chapter 11 and 12 and edited it describes brother. Of of suffering for the church at that period of persecution while the church has this sort of prophetic ministry on earth. Now, as I'm sure you can imagine there are a number of different ways in which Christians have understood the book of Revelation us over looking at Revelation chapter 11 verses one into a mission to read it and then give some of the ways in which some people understood this. Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and I was told, rise, and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship there but do not measure the court outside the temple leave that out for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months and I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1260 days, clothed in sackcloth so dark and light. As I said a number of different ways people are taking the some people are our understand this to to refer to this future event is sort of a futuristic interpretation of the book of Revelation, where you have a rebuilt temple on earth that is being trampled and need these two literal witnesses that are prophesying for period of time, so on and so forth. That's sometimes associated with the school of thought. That's known as dispensationalism. But it is a literal understanding of what's going on there and and and of the 42 months, others have have understood this to refer to essentially what took place in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. that's known as the Prater wrist view of the book of Revelation or partial predators view of the book of Revelation and so that's also sort of a literal view. But we have to understand that were looking at that, the book of Revelation are a lot of symbols including with the numbers and in 42 is actually somewhat symbolic throughout the Scriptures that, for example, it describes the period of time that Elisha was was prophesying and had his prophetic ministry during a time of great drought during a wilderness. James talks about that in James chapter 5 verse 17 Israel camped out in the wilderness at 42 different places. See this in the book of Numbers chapter 33 XOXO that number 42 is often associated with the time of wilderness wandering prophesying in the wilderness that kind with things.

I think it's talking to us about that Revelation is speaking to us here about the time while that the church is on earth, prophesying to the nations preaching the gospel from that, the death and resurrection of Jesus all the way to his second coming and and and actually one of the reasons I think this is because if you look at the very next chapter in Revelation chapter 12 verse five, where it speaks about. Essentially, Christ's birth, and ascension. It says that the that that the 42 months or the 1260 days begins at his ascension. Revelation chapter 12 verse five she gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness. There it is again.

This is picture the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God in which she is said to be nourished for 1260 days or 42 months, and so again were dealing with the book of Revelation. A lot of the symbols there and hopefully that that background with the number 42, and other places in Scripture is helpful for you. I just learn a lot of stuff I didn't know where the item know about it a lot. I mean that there are so many questions that we have about that. We get about the book of Revelation and you get it right. It is prophetic literature. That's what we created a resource here at core Christianity of a Bible study through the book of Revelation. So if you got more questions about the book of Revelation.

Get a hold of that resource you can find that by going to core Christianity.com/Revelation just core Christianity.com/Revelation great Bible study which we like to make available to you will. Here's the phone number to call if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

It's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Our phone lines will be open for the next 15 minutes or so, so it is a call right now at 833. The core let's go to Anita in Phoenix, Arizona. Anita what your question after I talked to you what you do and I are both Christian and suffers from Parkinson's and not well understood by the doctor paperwork for donation body after natural bath for medical science research and wondering how you felt it was acceptable for Christian continue well Anita, I would say yes. Personally, I do feel that it is acceptable for Christian to do. I don't think that there's anything wrong with that with donating organs or your body for scientific research or for for someone who needs an organ donor. I think that that's that's a charitable thing. I think that that's a good thing. Of course we know that our hope as believers is and what Christ is done in the resurrection of the body and the life of the world to come.

That is your hope that's my hope that your your husband's hope and our bodies are to be raised because Christ's body was raised by faith and in his name and so you know, whether were we often times on this on this broadcast country. You may have heard, if you listen frequently. I needed you will get questions about his cremation okay is it you know what, what's the proper kind of burial as a skin it is asking to have any negative consequences early to be negative consequences because I've done this and I would say no that the question is if anybody answered his do you believe in Jesus. Does your husband believe in Jesus and if if that's the case, and we have the hope of the resurrection. I think your free as a believer to choose to to donate the your body to decides her to to those who need organs is as I was saying earlier or or not to that's it's a matter of I was a Christian liberty, and so thank you for that question. What what we just for a moment. Now pray for Anita and for her husband, gracious father in heaven. One II do ask that you would give Anita and her husband. Wisdom is the is a think about this decision. In particular, for for them but II do pray for her husband. Also, Lord Jesus, that you would be with him that you would grant healing to his body, that you would give wisdom to to the doctors this is a think about this Lord and and we know that there are a lot of unanswered questions related to this particular illness. What we we ask just for for wisdom for your hand of care to be there with Anita and her husband and and and blessing them so that we ask, gracious father in Jesus name, amen there listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. We have a new resource we want to tell you about today, it's absolutely free and one of the things I love about it is that it really focuses I think on one of the most beautiful attributes of God. Yeah Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. We have a personal relationship with God as our father through Jesus Christ and we want to help you come into a deeper understanding of that benefit your own Christian life is is you draw near to God and utterly created this resource 10 ways God reveals himself as our father. And as Bill said it's absolutely free. You can find it by going to core Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers course you can always call us for any of our resources at 833. The core that's a 33 843-2673 go to an email question we received from one of our listeners and by the way, you can always email us any questions you have about the Bible or the Christian life.

We love to get your questions here and the email address is questions at core, Christianity.com so Adam wrote to us, and he says I have a question I've been confused about concerning Matthew 530. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith not of works, but in this passage.

It sounds like it works. I'm concerned that if I don't stop sinning by lusting after a woman.

I'm going to hell. So I have to I have to do other things to keep myself from going to hell you know this is a passage of Scripture that actually comes up quite frequently on the broadcast as we think about, well, just that the struggle of lust. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 27. You heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery but I sent you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better for you to lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.

For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell now hear the sermon on the Mount, Adam, one of the things that Jesus is doing is highlighting the fact the law of God condemns each and every one of us. He is in particular here. I think Nina really digging into the Pharisees and the religious leaders who externally look righteous but internally there is lust, hatred, greed.

He's he's demonstrating that none of us actually can be saved by the law of God because of all of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.

We've all broken the law. We've all broken God's commandments and so that that becomes very clear here, doesn't it. In Matthew chapter 5 uses it even if you look at someone of the opposite opposite sex, with the intent of lusting after them.

It's as if you already committed adultery in your heart and should cause us to flee essentially from ourselves from our own righteousness from our own ability to keep the law in order to be justified before God and to cling solely to the grace of God and this is what Paul talks about in places like the book of Romans. In Romans chapter 3 that were justified freely by a work of God's grace.

And so Jesus is not teaching in Matthew chapter 5 salvation by works is highlighting the fact that none of us can be saved by our works now, does that mean that it's okay to break God's lot. No, having been justified by faith, we turn to the Lord. We wheat we follow the Lord imperfectly, but day by day.

The spirit of God. Adam works in us putting to death the sinful deeds of the body. As Paul says in Romans chapter 8 and so I would say look here you see your confronted with señorita passage like this.

Matthew chapter 5 versus 27 failure. Confronted with this sin struggle with lust will repent you turn to the Lord you lay hold of his grace that the free forgiveness that he gives you and and you also embrace the new identity that you have in Jesus Christ by faith in his name that you are through faith and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. One who is a lie from the dead, you present yourself to God as one who is a lie from the dead, and you do pray that the Lord would continue to sanctify you day by day, but you're not. You're not saved forever justified if you will because of how perfectly sanctified, you are all of us.

John says in first John, you still have sin if anyone says he doesn't have Cindy's. He's a liar and he deceives himself. He doesn't practice the truth. We all still have sin but you can know that you are saved. Still, even though you struggle with sin because Christ is the one who saves you because he's the Savior. And because of the promise of the gospel. That's why John says in first John chapter 5 to write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know you have eternal life. In so knowing that Adam continue to pursue the Lord and to pursue holiness in your life and get accountability fellowship with other brothers in the church that can help hold you accountable and and walking the path of the Lord calls you to walk God bless great words of assurance their federal this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez by the way. One thing we want to mention to you is that if you are listening to this program later in the day. Many of the radio stations that bear us on a tape delayed basis. So if you want to call in live to the studio want to do that at 11:30 AM Pacific time, which translates in the 1230 mountain 130 Central or 230 Eastern time. And of course you can always leave us a voicemail 24 hours a day and would love to get your voicemails when you do call.

Let us know your name and where you're calling from, and that numbers 833. The core go to William in Joplin, Missouri William what your question for pastor. Israel law their ministry while all oh but anyway D when needing dominant lobby and preached another night they William so my my my sense is no there is no justification for that your you're asking about these these famous televangelist preachers who have not just you know jets to fly around in, but these you know just crazy enormous mansions and all sorts of things you know and it's it's I think it's a shame.

Frankly, you go to the Old Testament in Ezekiel chapter 34 this is a really I think important passage of Scripture to meditate upon is as we think about what it means to shepherd the flock of God and that to care for the church and it's actually a passage of Scripture that I've been meditating on lately as as a pastors. I think about my own role in in ministry that Ezekiel 34 this is a prophecy about the false shepherds in Israel and listen listen what we read there it Ezekiel 34 verse one the word of the Lord came to me, son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel prophesy and say to them, even to the shepherds thus says the Lord God shepherds of Israel who have been feeding you ourselves should not shepherds feed the sheep you eat the fat you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep the week you have not strengthened the sick, you have not healed the injured you have not bound up this straight.

You have not brought back the lost.

You have not sought and with force and harshness. You have ruled over them and so they were scattered because there was no shepherd. And they came and they became food for all the wild beasts my sheep were scattered. They wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill.

My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth with none to search or seek for them.

Isn't that heartbreaking God is talking about the shepherds in Israel at that time and he saying you know what you've been doing. You've just been feeding yourselves, you've been feasting if you will, on the sheep taking advantage of them stealing from them so that you can have this lavish lifestyle. And I think that's what we see with a lot of these sort of televangelist will try to justify having this that and the other, including private jets when you're exactly right. There are people who desperately need the gospel.

There are churches that need to be planted. There are the poor and hungry, that need to be fed and yet there are just as there where then quote unquote shepherds false shepherds feed themselves and don't care about the sheep now William it it's absolutely devastating. It's heartbreaking it it's it's sobering as I think about it. As a pastor, what God calls me to and every pastor I think should should feel that way.

The hope in Ezekiel 34 is the text continues as God says you know what I am going to seek my sheep. I am going to gather them in and I'm going to judge the fall, shepherds, and you think of the words of our Lord Jesus in John chapter 10 what he say I am the good shepherd. You know sometimes we look around us in the church today we turn on the TV and we see these televangelist and and we can be overwhelmed with the sense of and things are so bad the church that the sheep are scattered and you have the quote unquote shepherds who were feeding themselves and taking advantage of the flock will look the good Shepherd Jesus Christ is going to deal with them and he's going to pursue his lost sheep, he goes and he seeks them out and he brings them back to the fold he think of that that beautiful parable in Luke chapter 15 Jesus going after the one wondering sheep and so William, you know, my heart breaks.

I'm sure something your heart breaks to when you see these things. I don't think there is a justification for some of these preachers making no purchases like that. My hope is in the fact that we have a good shepherd. Jesus was going to deal with that and he's going to continue to pursue the wondering sheep. Thanks.

Forgiveness call your listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez we mentioned before that we are live on YouTube every day at 11:30 AM Pacific time and we can consider some question through the YouTube channel. We got one from Caleb. He says in the past before I got converted.

I borrowed sums of money from old friends that I haven't paid back to this day. Can God forgive me.

Yes, God can forgive you and and God does forgive when we when we come to him in faith. Turning from our sins.

You know, sort of reminds me of the story in Luke chapter 19, where Jesus met Zacchaeus, a well-known story in the gospel is want to read it. He, Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through and behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus he was a chief tax collector and was rich and he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd could not because he was small in stature, so he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way when Jesus came to the place he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down for I must stay at your house today so we hurried and came down and received him joyfully when he saw it, they all grumbled is gone into be the guest of a man who is a sinner. They said Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord. Behold, Lord. The half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have defrauded anyone of anything.

I restore it fourfold. Jesus said to him today salvation has come to this house. Since he also is a son of Abraham, the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost friend. Jesus pursues you. Despite that the things that happened in your past, here's a guy Zacchaeus who defrauded people out of money. And yet Jesus pursued him he he he said hey I'm a stay at your house tonight. You know that kind of the thing. He came to seek and save the lost, was also interesting to me.

Here is is Zacchaeus you know he keeps so transformed by the grace of Jesus by the power of the gospel that he wants to give back.

He wants to make things right so I don't know if if that's a possibility for you in this situation borrowing these large sums of money from from old friends that you haven't paid back.

I maybe that would be quite a witness quite a testimony of the grace of God in your life to be able to go back to them all these years later and say hey Christ is transform my life and as much as I'm able. I want to I want to repay what I took from you and I would say that would be that the right approach you think again about about this story here with Zacchaeus and and again that's what the gospel does. It's not the Zacchaeus was saved because he chose to give back that kind of thing know it was Jesus pursued him and extended his grace to him and as a result, Zacchaeus is transformed and he so transformed that he wants to he wants to repair the damage if you will to do whatever he can to make things right and I recognize that that's not always a possibility depending on the situation that were in, but that should be our heart to want to to seek out those who we've sinned against and say forgive me.

I and I wanted I want to try to make things right. Even if I I can't perfectly but this is what Jesus calls me to and so may God give you wisdom as you think about that.

May the Lord bless you and may you rest in knowing that he can and does forgive you when you go to him. No Israel I was just thinking that that really applies to many different situations. Maybe something that we've done in our past, we've now trusted in Christ, and we regret those past actions and sometimes there is an opportunity to make a man sometimes as you said, there's not but boy does not just challenge all of us to to think back – there's this person I I wronged in some way or need to ask for forgiveness. It's never too late is no it isn't, and we do need the wisdom of of the Holy Spirit in each of these situations, because as you said, rather, all sorts of different circumstances in which it may be true that we need to go back in and pursue someone, but just it just highlights the beauty and the power of the gospel and transforming people into the kinds of people who want to make amends.

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