How Were People Saved Before Christ?

How are people in the Old Testament saved matches one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity 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.

We would love to hear from you, and you can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter account and you can email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to a voicemail we received from one of her listeners earlier this week. Have a question, subject to certain people, has to do with God's command in the Old Testament, the Canaanites and Amalekite lights the command to go on and kill the children. I would love it if you guys would address this question because a lot of the we would have a think that God was being done just even evil for giving such a command and so I'm having a hard time trying to explain why God would do something. Thanks and God bless you brother thank you for that question. Well, the first exit I would want to go to is one in Genesis chapter 15 action were God prophesied about this. He gave Abraham a word as he was entering into this covenant with him and God is speaking to Abraham about the future of of the nation of Israel. If you will in any says to him know for certain. This is Genesis 1513 that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there and they will be afflicted for 400 years, but I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterwards they shall come out with great possessions. Now, there Abraham is learning about the enslavement in Egypt that period of of suffering and slavery in Egypt. As for you, God said, you shall go to your fathers in peace and you shall be buried in a good old age, and they shall come back here in the fourth generation that is after after this time period is complete before the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete, the Amorites, there is just basically stands for all of those nations that God called his people to dispossess when they entered into the land of Canaan that the Canaanites, the Amorites, the parasite, so on and so forth. But essentially, one of the things we see here is that God was long-suffering toward those people 400 years and it was after 400 years of sin of idolatry of very wicked practices that God sent his people into drive them out, and that's precisely what happens in in the book of Joshua that the Bible the story the Bible continues, but one of the things you need to recognize is this is one not unjust. God is actually executing justice. Here he is condemning the these people driving them out because of their wicked practices with some of the things that the Canaanites did would just cause that the hair on the back of your neck to stand up they would sacrifice their very own children, burning them to various pagan deities a minute. Was it was absolutely terrible and that the children of Israel there not coming out of Egypt as this mighty superpower. That's just sort of displacing this these weaker nations there actually the ones who have just been wandering have been just come out of slavery in Egypt and now they're going into the to to drive out these pagan superpowers if you will be as wicked nations, by the grace of God.

It isn't their military strength. It's it's the hand of the Lord. And another thing that that some scholars have noted is that really we don't wear where that the children of Israel are attacking it the will were not thinking in particular about you know cities filled with women and children.

These were military outposts that the children of Israel were attacking an end. So I think taking all of those things into account and and realizing one this isn't you know the strong nation of Israel attacking weaker nations driving them out know it's it's the. The children of the living God coming out of slavery driving out these abusive pagan nations who were doing all sorts of terrible things and it ultimately is a sign of God's final judgment. It's a picture of the final judgment one day when Jesus returns.

He's going to judge the whole world, and in one since you have an intrusion of that judgment there in the land of Canaan. So thank you for that question I and I know this is one that comes up often times and so I appreciate you you asking. I call it the God is a meaning objection comes up a lot know they look at the Old Testament that God is a meeting why what I believe in him and the corsets of misunderstanding of, as you said, God's justice because he is a just God and he requires justice when there's injustice yeah and and certainly these were nations that were filled with injustice with abuse of the week and the vulnerable and so really God is using his people here to come in and to bring judgment and so there there is nothing unjust about it. You're listening to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life we'd love to hear from you. Our phone lines are open right now for the next 15 minutes or so, so hop on your phone and here's the number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Here's a voicemail we received from one of our listeners named Patrick, my brother-in-law says he believes it's unfair that all the people who died before Jesus was born didn't have a chance for salvation.

I know there's lots of people Old Testament were in heaven, but I don't. I don't know how to how to answer them. Or maybe explain how that can be the case. Would love an answer.

Thank you yeah is a great question and I used to really struggle with this art is a new newer believer.

I remember thinking about the Old Testament and New Testament. The will.

The Old Testament people were saved by obeying the law, and by you know the sacrificial system in doing these things was sort of a works based religion and that in the New Testament. It was gray space.

You know were saved by faith in Jesus Christ.

But that's really actually a confusion of what the Bible actually teaches. Because Scripture makes it very clear that Old Testament believers were saved in the same way were saved today.

In fact, the apostle Paul talking about Abraham in Romans chapter 4 makes it absolutely clear that Abraham the patriarch was saved by faith Abel Romans chapter 4 verse one what shall we say, was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh forth. Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift as what is due to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly's faith is counted as righteousness. Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin, and so Paul brings up these two examples of Abraham and David Singh looked they were saved by faith. Just like were saved by faith. Today there justified by faith will faith in what faith in the promise of God that they actually had the gospel proclaimed to them if you will do the types and shadows of the Old Testament you think of the sacrificial system. This picture of the need for the forgiveness of sins, the need for sacrificial blood, the temple, the priesthood, all of these things were signs pointing us forward to Jesus insofar as the children of Israel were looking forward to that gospel to these types and shadows by faith. They were saved in the same way that we are in so there there's nothing unfair about it yet again talking about God's fairness here know they were justified by faith. And so I think could point it did this text in Romans chapter 4. You could also point to a really neat text. I think in Galatians chapter 3. Listen what it says there Galatians chapter 3 verse seven know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham and the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, and you shall all the nations be blessed. So, than those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Again, just the emphasis on faith and salvation, justification by faith being something that even the Old Testament saints experienced and so they weren't left out from this. Thanks for that question right answer their Israel, thanks for that.

You're listening to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. We would love to hear from you. It's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

By the way, you can also email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com.

Well, there's many fish stories in the Bible and perhaps the biggest fish story is about a man named Jonah.

We actually have a brand-new Bible study that Pedro wrote himself on the book of Jonah. Yet the 10 week study through the book of Jonah and we want to get into your hands for a donation of $20 or more. It really is just a wonderful book to study.

It's not a very long book coming you can sit down and read the entire book of Jonah in just a few minutes but it it packs such a powerful punch as we think about the grace of God towards people who don't deserve it.

Towards the Ninevites towards us and so get a hold of this resource. Again, it's yours for donation of $20 or more 10 week study through the book of Jonah. You can find it by going to core Christianity.com/offers that's core Christianity.com/offers. Look for the Bible study on the book of Jonah. Let's go to Don calling in from Kansas on what your question for Pastor Israel nearly back and he done so started but the love the Passover right but then when when Christ has Alaska. There is no mention of the Lamb there at all is is that we are referring to the fact that he is the Passover lamb and there was only bread and wine, meaning union, it is just not mention that the Lamb was also served done well I think it's it's just not mention but the reality is we think about the Passover.

The Old Testament instituted in Exodus chapter 12 that meal this this memorial day as it's called in Exodus chapter 12 verse 14. That is a day of remembrance to look back on God's deliverance from Egypt. The Passover lamb is a just talking about the types and shadows of the Old Testament, the Passover lamb is a picture of the atoning work of Jesus Christ you think of of what what Moses commanded in verse 22 of Exodus 12 take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin and touch the lintel and the two doorpost with the blood that is in the basin as this is picture of the blood of the Lamb.

If you will, delivering the people of God from death and we look at the New Testament right will you have in in the beginning of John's Gospel. John the Baptist is behold, he sees Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. You also have the word of the apostle Paul in first Corinthians chapter 5. Listen what he says there he says in verse seven.

Cleanse out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven the leaven of malice and evil with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth and so I think you're 100% on the right path in terms of identifying Jesus as the Passover lamb is our Passover lamb, and that sexy. One of the things that week we celebrated the church. Every time we take the Lord's supper. This is our quote unquote Passover meal as we remember the deliverance that God has wrought for us through the blood of his son Jesus Christ his son. He said take drink this cup is the new covenant in my blood and it really is beautiful how when we open up the Scriptures from from Genesis to Revelation. It's all pointing to this great reality, the forgiveness of sins through Jesus, the eternal son of God, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.

Thanks for your question done in man.

This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to James who's calling from Florida. James, what your question all want to explain the main Caribbean 739 with the wife is bound by the law as long as there is liberty American home. She will only in the Lord and what God take on and will be meriting the porcelain a brother think this question that a similar question earlier this week, so the first thing is right. According to Jesus and also I think Paul in first Corinthians chapter 7 a little bit earlier, there are some legitimate grounds for divorce. One being adultery. The adulterous affair can dissolve a legitimate marriage covenant does mean people have to get divorced if there's a situation of adultery, but that is according to Jesus, a grounds for divorce. Also earlier in first 20 and seven. It seems to me like abandonment if one spouse abandons the other neglects their duties. If you will bite by just completely abusing abandoning their spouse me think of what Paul told Timothy if if a man doesn't care for his his household for his own.

He's denied the faith. He's worse than an unbeliever, so there are there are things that do dissolve a marriage but then there are also people who just be you know want to get a divorce for for any reason you think of the sort of no-fault divorce idea and that's not right. According to the Scriptures. These people are still actually married and that's what the possible is getting out there in verse 3090 singlet you're still bound. If if you're still major still bound together as as long as your husband is alive but once your husband is dead, well below the marriage. The marriage bond has been broken.

You're no longer married. You're free to be married then only in the Lord so it just depends on what was the situation in terms of an individual who is divorced and is is wanting to get remarried I depends on on on the situation. What what was the. The reason for their having been divorced.

Were they abandoned by their husband where they cheated on that kind of a thing if that was the case till then I would say yes there there freed to be remarried, but if it was just as a situation where two people are are married before God legitimately but then their thinking to know about this.

You know well know their call to to stick together and to continue to be faithful to that marriage covenant.

James and so you know in our society today.

It it's tragic but there just is a really low view of marriage, even within the church, and I think one of the things we need to recover is the beauty the sacredness if if you will, of this marriage covenant that God is given to us in Scripture, we need to have a high view of marriage for the sake of our witness to the world around us and so appreciate your question and I think that's what the apostle Paul is getting out there in first Corinthians 7 verse 39. James thanks so much for your call and for listening to the core Christianity. We really do appreciate it.

By the way, we are to be taking calls for the next half hour or so after we finish our live program.

Today were going to be recording an extra episode of core Christianity. So if you haven't able to get through with your question. Feel free to give us a call here in the next 30 minutes or so and again the number 833. The core 1-833-843-2673.

You can also send us an email question at questions at core, Christianity.com there's one from one of our listeners named Andrew he says is the makeup of man a dualism of body and soul, or are the body and soul one and the same.

I ask this question because I'd like to know how to best help my dad who has various mental illness is diagnosed by his doctor has PTSD bipolar disorder and OCD. Should my dad just take his medication or does he need to repent, or both. What's the relationship between his body or mind, and his spiritual side.

Maybe the reason for his mental illness is sin. I just want to know how to best help him. Great question. And I deftly want to get your your thoughts on this as well. Bill first. You know, usually use that word dualism were thinking of two things that are opposed to each other, sort of dualistic view of of the world and of the body. Never people in the ancient world, and even today who had this sort of view that the body is bad. Physical is bad spirit is good.

You can even see this in the church to some extent, but that's not true at all that the body and the soul are not opposed to each other and they are we with a distinct talk about the exact same thing when we die our bodies go down into the ground and our spirits if you will, are in the presence of the Lord, we refer to that is the in the intermediate state, but the body is good. That's why Christ assumed humanity to redeem our bodies because God loves creation what he made the body even in so even a raise our bodies from the dead, but it does highlight the fact that that we were thinking about sin and even things like mental illness.

This is really complex sin has affected every part of us, not just our our our our bodies but also our minds and so you were thinking about things like mental illness, we need to take that very seriously and I would say that medication is very much piano can be just a common grace thing that is good that is helpful. Now there are, I think. Also, abuses were people will may be just sort of say there's nothing sinful about what I doing about the decisions that I that I make.

I'm just forced to do this the kind of thing to be maybe blame shifting in terms of pointing to some sort of mental struggle that an individual has. But I think it we have to balance or we can we can't minimize the reality of mental health and and the need for taking care of ourselves. As far as that's concerned. The reality of mental illness, but we also have to take ownership of our sins. When you say Bill, I think you're right on target there.

I mean, the fall has affected us both ways. It's a spiritually you know were bankrupt, but the same time it's affected our bodies and our brains and certain individuals are are going to be struggling with it, whether it's no diabetes or or cancer or mental illness. And yet, as you said, God does hold us responsible for our behavior, at least what were capable of understanding. I know in some situations with mental illness.

You have a person who let's say schizophrenic and they don't seem to really even be aware of what they're doing but I think and you talked about this before Israel how God holds us responsible based on what we are capable of understanding and I think that's a really key point yeah and so interact. I think just again piggybacking is it sort of a both and right like to pursue the best of what's out there in terms of medicine and doctors and wisdom from from people who know a lot about mental illness and mental health issues but also make sure that your year filled with the word of Christ that you're drawing near to the Lord that you're plugged into Christian community.

We need we need all of that and so that's what I would recommend for for your father. In particular, may the Lord bless the two of you. Thanks Andrew for your email.

You're listening to core Christianity with pastor Gabriel Sanchez. Let's go to Marbella who is calling in from Rhode Island hello what your question for pastor.

Israel will believe are currently separated are still a separate body and about the tell of an unbeliever. My next time you know I think about that that story that Jesus told in Luke chapter 16 you have this this story of Lazarus and he's died and where is he. He is in this place of torment. Now, now it I would say ready Scripture we know we sometimes bring up that the idea of the intermediate state, we know the believers are in the presence of the Lord so I'm I'm glad you asked this question is are the the opposite side of this right. What about what about nonbelievers and I think based on what we read in Luke 16 there is this place of judgment. This place of perdition, which actually still is in the final judgment all people are going to be raised, some to eternal life, some to eternal destruction, but there is this this place of torment of darkness if you will. This intermediate state even for those who reject the gospel of grace and so I think you could look at a place like Luke 16 and and gather that and there there other places in the New Testament as well, but appreciate that question is sometimes death in the New Testament is referred to as sleep Paul.

Paul uses that line which Jesus himself uses that language is a people say well it just maybe it's just the sort of unconscious existence as if you were sleeping but but I don't think that that's the case at all. It seems like there's an awareness for the believer and for the nonbeliever and there's also this anticipation of the final judgment and the final resurrection to life or to death. Thank you for your question. This is core Christianity. One more quick email question for you Andrew. This is from Jason. He says what you think of UFOs.

I think that if they are real they could be some sort of demonic activity. What's your opinion yet will having been abducted a couple of times assist. There's a lot of talk these days it seems about about UFOs and look I think we have to be careful that we don't get so sucked into this and in speculation. What we can say very definitively and clearly is that everything everything that exists in the universe was created by God, the Bible makes it absolutely clear in Genesis 1 in John one all things that came into being, came into being through the Lord through Jesus as we know that God is the ultimate creator. We also know that there's an unseen realm out there. The angelic realm, so could this be demonic. Maybe I'm not sure but I think let's focus on the Scriptures and what we know to be true, according to God's word that he is the sovereign creator of all things is, let's put our eyes on him. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer.

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