Do We Need Theology If We Have the Bible?

Hey pastor, a drill here and we want to hear from our podcast audience specifically, it was a call at 1130 Pacific time 833-843-2673. That's 833 the court with your question about the Christian faith, why do we need theology if we have the Bible vest is 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. We would love to hear from you, and you can call us right now for the next 25 minutes or so.

Here's the phone number 833. The core that's 1-833-843-2673 course you can always post your question on one of our social media accounts you can watch a drill right now live on YouTube and messages through our YouTube channel and you can email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Alexis in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Alexis what your question for Pastor Israel question, no I was on arch – on their way out was trying to symbolize the great question and something I back she was thinking about not too long ago as I was preaching to the book of Genesis, really. It's this picture of re-creation some of the language that we see in Genesis chapter 8 it echoes we see in the very first chapter of the book of Genesis, another with what I'm saying is, it reminds us of what was said earlier so in Genesis chapter 1 we read verse one in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

The spirit of God there over the waters hovering almost, almost like a bird. This sort of aviary imagery. Well that's what you see.

Also here in Genesis chapter 8. The chapter begins in verse one God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark and God made a wind blow over the earth. Now that word wind is the same Hebrew word for spirit rule and so you have that that that language that similar language being used, but then you also have this picture of this dove over the waters and so I think what you have here in terms of the symbolism is your asking Alexis in Genesis chapter 8 is this picture of re-creation the world had gone astray for and covered the earth and so God brought this judgment through the waters, and this re-creation. One of the beautiful things as we look at the New Testament the flood here recorded in in the early chapters of Genesis is a picture of baptism, which is this image also of re-creation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and so I think you have those themes there and I as we carefully read the Scriptures. That's what we find. Thank you for your question Alexis.

Interesting question.

This is core Christianity and you have a question for Pastor Israel jump on your phone right now, here's the number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Now we do receive voicemails here and you can leave us a voicemail anytime 24 hours a day at 833, the court hears a voicemail we received from one of our listeners named Joshua theology while God word. All I hear the garbage theology Jeff, thank you for that. That question, and our that comment. You know I it's something that I really want to address because there is this idea out there brothers and sisters that there is a tension between a conflict between the Bible and Bible teaching and theology.

Now what is theology. It is the study of God. The fact of the matter is, all of us. If you open up the Scriptures and begin reading the Bible, you are engaging in theology. The question is, as you study the Scriptures and as you talk about the Bible. Are you a good theologian or are you a bad theologian. There is no conflict between theology and God's word and less were twisting the word of God.

But the fact of the matter is we need good theology that is the right synthesizing of the Scriptures that were looking at in order to come to the conclusion that God wants us to come to week wheat we really have to to get this against the sometimes will pick theology against the Bible or love against theology, but there there not to be pitted against each other. I think of what Paul said in in the book of Philippians as he was praying for the Philippians he says to them, God is my witness is Philippians chapter 1 verse eight how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus, and it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more get this with knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

In other words, all of these things come together brothers and sisters. Our love our piety are our faithfulness to Jesus Christ grows in that true knowledge of who he is or is that true knowledge comes in come from it comes from the holy Scriptures as were studying them as were growing in them in the right understanding. That is the right theology of the Scriptures and so you know, if you listen to core Christianity you know that we spend the majority of of the broadcast. Each broadcast flipping through the pages of the Bible saying you know what what is God have to say about this particular issue and and that's organ to continue to do.

And as we do that as we bring Scripture together were engaging in theology. Is it good theology or bad theology.

That's the big question, and of course we want to be faithful to the Scriptures we want to have a good theology, and so thank you so much you know for that question.

I remember when I was interested in and going to seminary when I was younger and older brother in the Lord say to me, don't go to seminary a seminary cemetery. That's where people go in their faith shrivels up and dies as they get into all this theology and maybe for some people that's the case, but what what I found is that the more I've studied the word of God in theology and the history of the church, the more I just marvel at who the Lord is and how amazing he is. As I go deeper and deeper and I think that that that ought to be the case for for all of us as were studying the word of God in theology, and so that's what I have to say about that in one of the arguments I often hear from some Christians is that while the Bible is the word of God.

Theology is the ideas of man, I'm curious, how would you respond to that. Yeah I'm at with this. Like I said whenever were read reading the Scriptures and making observations were engaging in theology and the fact that matters is is something that that Christians are recognized throughout the history of the church is even false teachers quote the Bible Satan himself when he was attempting Jesus in the early chapters of the gospel. What we do.

He quotes Scripture so we have to go beyond just quoting Scripture to the right understanding of what the Scriptures teach and when we do that when we were digging in work when were bringing Scripture together in its context were engaging in the work of theology and so that's what I would. I would say it's too simplistic, as it will just quote the Bible Satan does that heretics do that we need to quote the Bible as its rightly understood, and, and that requires work study theology that I was you good this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible or about theology or Christian doctrine. You can call us anytime.

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Many inner gospel presentation lately, insert their particular view of creation, whether it's young earth or something else and they make that part of their presentation is a flask that gets on excellent question. I will immediately my mileage act 17 Ripoll is sharing the gospel with a group of people who don't believe that he does in that context.

Talk about creation to give people some some background, some history, but is not a debate about young earth creationism work or the day age theory are that kind of a thing.

He just says and in act, 17 verse 24 that God who made the world and everything in it being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life breath and everything is okay. Keep talks about create creation as a as a sort of preamble to what is in a go on to St. in talking about the gospel. But the point is not getting into debates about creation but just think this is the Lord of the universe that were talking about so I think for you to talk about it. We can talk about it in that way I don't think it's helpful to attach to our presentation of the gospel are particular view on the age of the earth really that I think that that really steers the conversation. I would say in in the wrong direction we want to focus on what Christ has done and who he is.

That's the gospel Jesus his life. His death his resurrection from the dead, and so my encouragement to do people is there sharing the gospel to focus on that too often there are these sort of smokescreens and people even bring them up the site, what about the Crusades or what about you know what you think about science or this that and the other and we can talk about those things but let's focus on the main thing let's let's get to the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. The good news of salvation and and so I would say focusing on that, and if it if you're talking about creation then just just talking about really the main point I think that we can glean from the creation of the world God in the early chapters of Genesis, which is that he's the king, the Lord of everything that there isn't anything that exists that exists apart from him. His creative brilliance and that means that he's he's sovereign he's Lord and as Lord he commands all people everywhere to repent and he sent his son into the world so that we might receive forgiveness, focus on that. God bless Tom great advice. And yes, we can get caught up in and majoring in the minors, and that you mention sometimes an agnostic or an atheist will lead us down that path and we get stock and we need to get right back to the heart of the matter who is Jesus Christ and what has he done for us that that is so keep this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Selah in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Selah what your question for Israel and my have a question, and curiosity. I Got the going to be like engine and where it talks about Adam and Eve in the park and being committed in God immediately injected us from the garden of Eden. I'm curious if we could ever find that gardener leaning on her and is it somewhere in a different dimension.

What do you know about what it is about where that actually is yes. Selah Southern California San Diego where here I'm here now asking.

I don't think so. Genesis chapter 2 right there's been debate about this because in Genesis chapter 2 you have some some markers there in verse 10 a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden and there it divided. It became four rivers. The name of the first is the P Sean. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of how phyla where there is gold and the gold of that land is good at bdellium and onyx stone are there in the name of the second river is the key. Hahn is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush and the name of the third river is the Tigris which flows east of Assyria. You have these these markers. These geographical markers, but the fact of the matter is the garden that was there as it was, is no longer what it was today, wherever this was me that it is a real place where God was present with his people in a special way but but that that time has come and gone, so I don't think that were going to be of potentially but I do think that working to be able to go back and find it even if we did it wouldn't make that much of a difference made it ultimately is a picture of the type of the new creation that were looking forward to and in the new creation through the work of Jesus Christ.

The whole world is good to become better than Eden this this new garden that and when you look at that the picture of the new heavens and the new earth that the new Jerusalem in Revelation chapter 22. You have a lot of this Edenic garden imagery so the good news is where you get back to that that that better than what it was through what Christ is accomplished and so no need to go looking for you know the old garden of Eden.

It's just not there anymore. Thank you for your question. Smell parking lot in Turkey on orange very well may know where is well. The Tigris River was in there somewhere that has right. This is core Christianity with Pastor a drill Sanchez by the way, Pastor Israel has been exploring the book of Genesis during a sermon series at his own church.

So you really been engaging with a lot of the questions that are coming in or are actually based accountable on what you're teaching right now your own congregation right yeah thank you all for taking it easy on me and just asking questions about base is what I'm when I'm preaching through but nice been a delight to Genesis. So let's get back to the phones and we have Melvin from Archie Missouri on the phone. Melvin what your question for Pastor Israel program stuff on Facebook to get people interested and maybe open up the word of God. However, I don't want check it out on deck so I went reading on second Peter chapter 3 verse eight okay yeah will second Peter chapter 3 verse.

It was a question specifically Melvin about that that verse well you know 1000 years here on earth is like a day with the Lord. So, would that be like €500 would be like 1/2 a day's 250 years, six hours so on a bed of mass Melvin.

This is why I never got it, but what I can say about that. In particular, is what is the point to me lately as you said, let's put this in its context.

Peter is talking about the day of the Lord, and in particular second Peter is is written is this warning against false teachers who are coming into the church and are gonna face judgment and peers as one of the things that there date.

They do is a scoff at this idea of the fact that Christ is coming back.

They sale bought you a look at all the time that's that's elapsed already. Everything is continuing as it was before the day of the Lord. What's the big deal not going to happen and Peter is encouraging his audience by saying hey don't forget this you know it might seem like a lot of time has gone by, but don't overlook this one fact verse eight. Beloved, that with the Lord one day is the thousand years and a thousand years as one day the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you now wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance and at what you might feel like God is taking his time, but look in in the eyes of the Lord of heaven and earth right it's it's like you know just a couple hours of gone by in a couple days that kind of a thing and so don't overlook that fact.

Why is he tearing he says God is being patient toward you, he's not willing that any should perish is calling people to repentance and faith. That's the point of you know what what Peter is getting at. There is God's patience towards sinners and calling them to repentance and and really this encouragement to delay hold of the gospel meant to believe in Jesus Christ because there is a day coming when the Lord is get a return like a thief in the night and the judgment is good to be here and we need be ready that's that's Peter's point, so your question.

Thanks Melvin and thanks for digging into God's word. We always appreciate that when listeners are in the Bible on a regular basis.

This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to June and strum like Iowa June what is your question for a drill program because of the nation on biblical insight that we have a around 26 family member that we followed in 2032 planning your wedding with this homosexual partner in just a couple weeks and gone through the traditional wedding preparation sector in the Allied sweaty guy and I we have decided after prayer and studying the word, that we cannot expand family members say that we are not being loving and supportive family wrong in his decision. And secondly, we want to send them out to this young man will to explain the dilemma welcome to our home at any time, but we cannot support. I really cannot attend this we think what we can do a recap without being judgmental. Thank you for your help. June difficult situation.

If I could assess one. One follow-up question with regard to your nephew is your nephew profess faith in Jesus Christ that I'm aware of, but he grew up in the church so I don't know where he thinks he is situation well. With regard to the first part of your question I don't I don't think necessarily the youth you've made the wrong decision.

The main part of you know attending a wedding is celebrating with with the couple and even affirming what what's taking place.

If you knew a couple and it was a very abusive relationship and you knew that the relationship was can lead to pain and hurt and you.I just can't support this.

I can't go to the wedding because it's can it it's can it be that a bad situation. You would be wrong for you not to go in the situation where you know clearly when when Scripture talks about marriage and the covenant of marriage. It's between a man and a woman and I know that in our culture.

There a lot of people who have taken it a different view, but according to what God's word says you know this is this is something that is is clear and so you don't want to. You don't want to. You don't want to affirm what it is that is taking place. And yet at the same time I really appreciate your hard June I thinks that the right attitude to say hey we can still love you and want you to be a part of our lives and want you in our home up. Of course, of the challenges. Often times when when we say I'm not going to support this decision that you made.

People don't want that, but I think it's still appropriate to write this letter and in doing so, I think you can you can focus on the love of Christ on the fact that all of us are made in the image of God, that each of us are deserving of respect of dignity of honor by virtue of the fact were made in the image of God and this is true of of your nephew and that that soap so that your dear decision was not to to deny those things, but that you just didn't agree with with his particular choice to trip you know engage in this in this Meritor or go through with this marriage and so I would say I use it as an opportunity to express your love and and maybe do it to try to keep the door open with your nephew because you do want to have that that relationship still. Even if you're not going to go to the wedding and and it be interesting to find out more in terms of his own faith background. You know you the apostle Paul uses what have we to do with judging outsiders and for strength in chapter 5, another with people who deny the faith don't believe in Jesus want a part of the church were not called to know cut them out of our lives that doesn't mean that we have to affirm everything that they do, but I think were still called to have relationships with them to express the love of Christ to them to encourage them in ways but for for professing Christians who are living in ways that are contrary to the Scripture will and in those situations we do take a step back and and in one sense you know pulses only meet with with such a person. And so there are a lot of factors here but I think June that it sounds to me like your your exercising wisdom for studying the Scriptures you're prayerfully considering what to do and how to how to how to love your nephew. Still, even while disagreeing with him and so may God continue to give you confidence in the decision that you've made and wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit and may he bless you as you write this letter and I pray that that that your nephew's heart would would remain open to still having that relationship familial relationship with you and maybe that something of the little used down the line. This is core Christianity were coming to the end of our broadcast today but you know what were going to keep keep recording some phone calls and some questions. So if you want to call in now is your time to do it will be taking calls for another half hour or so for a future episode of our program. The number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 one. Take a quick second to have a real say thank you to some very special people.

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