Do We Really Have Guardian Angels?

This is core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Gabriel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

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You can also post your question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts course you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com bill you had a lot of a lot of gusto coming out of the gate and left that I try to have a lot of energy today. I thought we go to a voicemail that came in from one of our listeners earlier this week, this is Nathaniel. I was there all all know were way right. I'm not saying a sale thank you for that question is for those who are not familiar with.

With this discussion were talking about the last things, and in particular that the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Did Christ already come that the full prioress view was his view that basically all the prophecies you have in the Gospels in the book of Revelation have already been been fulfilled and that they were fulfilled specifically at 70 A.D. the destruction of the temple. Now it is clear to me. In Matthew 24 that that is one of the things is being discussed. The destruction of the temple because the disciples were looking at the temple, marveling at the temple and Jesus said to them in Matthew 24 verse two.

Truly I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down as he said the Mount of olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, tell us, when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the eighth I think there's two things that are being talked about in Matthew 24 one. That the destruction of the Temple and Jesus prophesies about it. 70 A.D. it's coming it's gonna be terrible thing to be this this terrible about persecution and tribulation, but also the second coming which is which I believe is is still yet to come and and at that time, God is going to judge the whole world.

That's what were to enter into the eternal state.

If you will, the resurrection of the dead life of the world comes with those things have not happened and that's one of the things that that I think is is really problematic with the full credit risk view. Now this is this is a question is coming up in the days of the New Testament, there were some people that that were saying. The resurrection is already happened or Christ is already come to think of what Paul said in second Thessalonians chapter 2. Listen closely to this now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed either by a spirit or a spoken word or letter seeming to be from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way for that they will not come unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God, do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things so that this is when Paul's writing the Thessalonians, but by I bring that text up to highlight that that this was a question that people had even in those days people were saying the day the Lord is Artie happened. The resurrection is Artie happened. Christ is Artie come back in and pulses, no when that happens, you'll know it had to get sick. The case for us as well is so Matthew 24 does talk about that a number of things that have already happened were fulfilled in 70 A.D., but there's more to come. Namely, that the final judgment, the resurrection, the second coming, the bodily second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We look forward to.

We actually have a great Bible study on the book of Revelation, and if you want to check that out. You can go to core Christianity.com/Revelation and I picked that up. It's a really great study and that it helps us clear up some of the confusion about that very important book in the last book of the New Testament.

Let's go to James calling in from Nashville, Tennessee. James what your question for Pastor Israel.

A lot of the Bible is the Lord for the list in the book of Mark is arrested.

It speaks of a young man was set upon by the crowd and they grabbed him many runs away naked, leaving his robe behind it. Does the role or the young man appear again versus just kind of a mess. My question okay now you referring to Mark chapter 14 is that right. Verse 51 yeah okay yeah so this is the betrayal and arrest of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 51, and a young man followed him with nothing but a linen cloth about his body and they seized him, but he left a linen cloth and ran away naked so this really happened right with this is this is a historical account and in fighting. One of things Mark is doing just be just recording the events as as he knew them happened as he knew that they happened but was adjusting as you said you asked the question, is this guy appear again. There are some people who say he does at the end of the gospel. In Mark chapter 16 in verse five all start verse for me this is the resurrection of Jesus, looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back. He was very large and entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe and they were alarmed that are some people who say that this is sort of baptismal imagery embedded in the gospel of Mark here where you have this guy during that the persecution the suffering of Jesus as he is in in the garden being betrayed and he flees and he's naked. If this is this moment of darkness of fear and then potential. You know that this character appears again at the resurrection clothing in a white robe after the resurrection of Jesus are some people that will will point to that connection there. I think we could just say right this is just the more the Gospels there historical accounts but if you want to go little bit deeper. I think I take it you can take it that way is a sort of nakedness prior to the resurrection, the death and resurrection of Jesus and then being clothed in the white robe after the resurrection of Jesus. And so hate answer that question, James. One of the one of those really sort of interesting scenes in the Gospels that a lot of people wonder about James, thanks so much for listening to core Christianity. We want to mention that we have a wonderful resource on the issue of repentance that a lot of people: on this program on a regular basis and they say have I really repented. What do I need to do to repent. When is repentance really look like it just is my repentance, genuine, and this particular resource will help clear some of those things up for you. Yeah brothers and sisters, we are all called to live lives of repentance every single day.

When we sin against God and thought, word, and indeed, and we need to turn to the Lord every single day repenting of our sins, drawing near to him and so as you do that we've we've made this resource. Seven things everyone should know about repentance.

It will help you continue to draw near to the Lord to understand what repentance is a minute the biblical word and and so it's important for us to understand what the Bible is talking about when it talks about repentance for our own good, and so get a hold of this resource is the perfect resource to help ground your faith in the working love Christ, it's absolutely free. It's a download. You can find it on our website. Core, Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers course you can always call us for any one of our offers at 833 the core that's also the number to call us if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life and will be taking your calls for the next 15 minutes or so at 833, the court hears a voicemail that came in from one of our listeners named Katie Barbagallo on our own K-12 essays, no guardian angels are not friends or loved ones who have passed on friends who have passed on in Christ are in the presence of the Lord worshiping him I get this picture in the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 12 that the church triumphant as we sometimes refer to it. There's one church right there's a church militant here on earth were were serving the Lord were seeking the Lord were were fighting our sin if you will, proclaiming the gospel and then there are brothers and sisters who come before us were now in the presence of the Lord trusted in Jesus Christ and there and there in heaven around the throne of God, of God worshiping him and that's why loved ones who know who know Christ are. And so, so guardian angels are not in family members but but there are angels angelic beings that God created who I think do keep watch over and guard God's people and there are number of passages that we can point to for the sum exit breach right out of the book of Genesis and be preaching on that that scene. Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18 and 19. It is really interesting to see a couple angels that go to lot and and basically rescue him from Sodom he's there. The destruction is coming, he started tearing doesn't want to leave and the angels basely grabbed him by the by the collar and drag him out.

I think that's a great example of a guardian angel, but you also have the words of our Lord Jesus in Matthew chapter 18 verse 10 listen what he said there see that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my father, that isn't that beautiful here Jesus is talking about caring for even the littlest among us, and he talks about the angels who watch over them.

Now another passenger script to the look at in terms of understanding the role of angels today is in Hebrews chapter 1 there, in particular the author to the Hebrews. This is explaining how Christ is superior to the angels he's the eternal son of God, the angels of God worship him, and yet the other leaders also says when he when he talks about the role of angels in Hebrews chapter 1 verse 14 are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation. So there are angels that keep watch over God's people that serve the people of God, but for the sake of those who can inherit salvation and I think that there are passages like it once and I mentioned we could point to to make that case, I don't know that that every person has one guardian angel that the you know they're there stuck with for life. That kind of a thing of the Bible. Isn't that clear on that specifically. But we do know that angels do servant guard at times, the people of God, thank you for that question and how many angels can dance and the head of a pin. If you ever get better. The biblical answer 17. I think you really have to dig deep into the Hebrew there to get that answer, but I hope I have no idea.

This is core Christianity with Esther Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question maybe a question about theology, doctrine, church, life of something happening.

Maybe in the culture. We'd love to hear from you. Here's the number 833 the core. You can also join us on YouTube live. You can watch a drill as he does the program every day in the studio and you can message us through our YouTube and we have a question for Mrs. P who's watching on YouTube and she wants to know our gospel tracts biblical. Yet the gospel tracts right like the little booklets that sometimes people will hand out. I guess I guess the answer that the real answer to that question is what is that the content of the gospel tracts if it's biblical content then then yeah I've I've heard someone say this every who said it, but they said look, that the that the best kind of evangelism is whatever kind you're actually doing because I think a lot of us know we can we can critique the different forms of evangelism is a that's just it's it's better to do it this way and and frankly, I do think in terms of efficacy.

I think that the best way to share the love of Jesus is to build relationships with people and to serve the neighbors around us and ending to get into real conversations about Christ, his death, the resurrection of the dead them with wit within the context of relationship, but I don't think that there's anything wrong with with gospel tracts so long as they are biblical and proclaiming the gospel if they're not biblical. If the content is not helpful if it's all law and condemnation and never gospel, the forgiveness of our sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and I would say yet not so helpful. I remember boy when I was just probably a freshman in high school or maybe even younger hanging out some friends and and a man walking up to us and handing all of us that a gospel track and I I read it at will. Later that day, and I remember being convicted now. At that time I didn't give my life to Jesus, but I just that that memory has never left me and so I don't think there's anything wrong with that so long as the content is good, but I think as believers we should really strive also to build relationships with our non-Christian friend so that we might share the love Jesus with them so thank you that question, you knowing that the comment you made about content is so critical because there are groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses who will leave little tracts on your doorstep and you start reading that. And if you're not the biblically informed. You might start to believe some of what they Britain there so you want to make sure as you said, it's always solid biblical material that absolutely this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Let's go to a voicemail that came in from Jim correctly. You explained that the church would go through the tribulation, and if I'm wrong on that please correct me that if if that's your feeling then could you please explain why Christ would do that to his bride were told over and over in Scripture were the bride of Christ is the church and I find it hard to believe he would put his church to the judgments of the tribulation.

Thank you Bubba thank you for that question. Of course we want to be biblical so we need to say what does the Scripture say about tribulation and the church experiencing tribulation. I think the words of our Lord Jesus in his upper room discourse was talking to his disciples and he says look is John chapter 16 verse 33 in this world you will have tribulation is talking to the the church if you will, the bride of Christ and in he's letting her know that there is persecution there is suffering, there is tribulation that you are going to experience in this world at the hands of the wicked at the hands of sinners, take heart, because I have overcome the world. Now, God is the one who sovereignly in control of of our suffering even that that's something that we can be comforted by I think of that the language that we see in Daniel chapter 7.

This is a prophecy that was given at and it's given about essentially that that the suffering that the churches can experience John in the book of Revelation.

Also picks up this language throughout the book of Revelation we just begin in Daniel chapter 7 verse 10 as for the 10 horns out of this kingdom 10 kings shall arise and another shall arise after them, he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.

He shall speak words against the most high, and shall wear out the saints of the most high, and shall think to change the times in the law and they shall be given into his hand. That is the saints for a time, times and half a time, but the court shall sit in judgment and his dominion shall be taken away to be consumed and destroyed to the end in the kingdom and dominion, and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high is kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him with.

There's a time that Daniel sees that that the saints are given into the hands of wicked rulers if you will love of the wicked. There's this period of tribulation.

I think you do see this also. Throughout the book of Revelation in the saints of God are gathered together after that time of tribulation. That's we see in the gospel of Matthew in Matthew chapter 24 I believe it's verse 29 that's that's the saints being gathered together God's elect gathered together from the. The four corners of the earth. After this great tribulation and end the question of what why would God allow his people to suffer like that is God being cruel is is God you know does he not love his bride. That kind of thing will will no not at all, as the bride of Christ we follow in the footsteps of Christ. It's one of the things that you see throughout the book of Revelation is Christ conquered through his suffering and death.

That death was transformed by him. It's now coming into life if you will. John talks about this throughout his writings and in the church following in the footsteps of Christ taking upper cross experiences, tribulation and suffering as well for a period of time. Now I think that that the times that are listed in places like the book of Revelation, and even here in Daniel this time, times and half a time or in the book of Revelation.

It's it sometimes referred to as a period of 3 1/2 years, or 42 months that that's that's really symbolic you think of that.

The 3 1/2 years of Christ's earthly ministry. While he was on earth, suffering at the hands of of sinners again work were following in his footsteps in the church on earth today experiences great tribulation. I was reading a statistic. I think it was from open doors USA. This is every day 13 or so Christians are martyred. And that's that's probably a really low number because we don't know about what's taking place in countries like North Korea and other sort of war-torn countries were more many believers are put to death, and nobody ever hears about it. Nobody knows about the church, brothers and sisters is still today facing great tribulation and suffering just like our Savior did, just like our Savior did were called to follow him faithfully to walk with him and we have the hope that he is conquered death, and that in him we have eternal life, and that even death for the believer is in entering in to life and so I really appreciate your question.

Of those are some of the reasons I think I think as I do not pertain to the church experiencing suffering tribulation in this world today and so hopefully that helps you and may the Lord bless you your listing to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez's are number if you have a question is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

By the way, you can always leave a voicemail question.

Of that number, 24 hours a day. We do our best to check our voicemails every day so give us a call paper later in the day or overnight 833 the core with your question. Let's go to Heath in the Florida heat what your question for pastor atrial yes or I my question is, is that said, I moved down to Florida 12 years ago. I've been trying to find a church to go to that really Morrison believes in the power of the full power of the Holy Ghost and every church have been to is like they mostly they mostly want to discuss about the love of God, but they never mention about the healing power of the Holy Ghost and I have a question towards the church world is all they are they downplaying you know the firepower of of God.

The third part of the Godhead. My question is, is that it was Simon Peter. He was approached by man if he was asked to purchase his gift of healing and he told the man they said I am on an as yet uneducated man and the only way that people are healed is when the Holy Ghost comes up on me and then through the Holy Ghost. There are healed and my question towards the church world is are they forgetting about that because when I go to church.

I don't see anybody coming forward to be healed than I thought it best thank you for that question in your I referred to a couple of passages in the book of acts is the passage next chapter 4, I think it is where where they do healed a lame beggar outside of the temple, but then also in acts chapter 8, you have Simon who wanted to purchase the power of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit from the disciples and the disciples I hate year in the gall of iniquity. Your your your loss. You need to repent. You can buy the gift of the Holy Spirit and answer this is a really a bit important question. I think because of you say one thing I do think that today we minimize the power of the Holy Spirit. And I think part of the way we do it is to build a different than what you're getting at, because I think yes I think that we can have a low view of the power of the spirit to the power of God today to do extraordinary things like heal someone, but the reality is as is I feel like too often today what we do is we focus on that being the primary work of the spirit. And so we minimize all the other ways of the spirit guide.

It is working in our midst.

The primary job of the Holy Spirit. Today is to reveal Christ to people and to apply the benefits of what Christ is accomplished. You know, for us to us the spirit of God, who unites us to Jesus Christ and its through the spirit that we grow in our understanding of Christ, the spirit of God is bearing fruit in our lives.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit describing places like Galatians chapter 5.

That's not to minimize the fact that the spirit can work in extraordinary ways. But there just that there extraordinary there and they're not what we experience every single day of the Christian life there there miraculous and in the reality is, and in the book of activism as we can read the book of acts and think this is just the ordinary Christian life were supposed to be looking at.

We have to distinguish between what's descriptive in the book of acts and what's prescriptive. The book of acts describing the acts of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the early church as the gospel was getting kicked off if you will, into the world. It was spreading like wildfire there early on and so you had these these redemptive historical events like the day of Pentecost were all these miracles are taking place in those are descriptions of what was taking place in the early church but but I don't think that they're all prescriptive. For the ordinary Christian day-to-day life. And then we realize that you know the true growth in grace. Is it always like this explosive experience. It's growing closer to Jesus through his word through Christian community through repenting of our sins through prayer. Are there moments of you know, supernatural joy, excitement, even healing together can be because God is able to do all things.

He's the God of the impossible. So we wanted minimize that we don't want to minimize the other ways the spirit is working today to the main ways, revealing Jesus to us the gospel to us in applying the work of Christ to our lives.

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