Did Paul Preach a Different Gospel?

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That's 833 the court with your question about the Christian faith did Paul preach a different gospel than the other disciples that 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. You can call us right now with your question.

Our phone lines are open for the next 25 minutes or so, so hop on the phone at 833. The core that's 1-833-843-2673 also post a question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch a drill live right now on our YouTube channel and message us that way course you can always email us a question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Mark in Cody Wyoming, Mark, what's your question for Pastor Israel. All you hey Mark, thanks for that question. Can the Holy Spirit flee you or I'm I'm assuming you're saying leave you in a course in the Old Testament have some examples where it looks like this happen.

You think of Saul.

For example, the first king of Israel were told that the spirit of God departed from him, what about for for Christians today. Living under the new covenant. Well, one of the things I think it's really important for us to recognize markets that under the new covenant. There's this there's this wonderful thing that happens all of the people of God through faith in Jesus Christ are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul talks about this in the book of Ephesians in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 13 he says this in him that is in Jesus Christ, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory that is the Holy Spirit is like this down payment if you will guarantee of of everything that we stand to receive in the future as well. The resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. And I don't believe that that's something that can be your will be taken away from a true believer, but I will say this.

Genuine Christians can grieve the Holy Spirit and there are times when we feel like the spirit of God is distant from us. Sometimes that could be you know, just because of lead of the circumstances of life may be physical suffering. Sometimes I think that's that's because of sin, and the things that we do in disobedience to God's word, and so we feel this this grieving of the spirit, if you will. God's hand is heavy upon us at the part of the discipline of the Lord.

And yet I don't think that that means that the spirit of God has abandoned us or left us for forever and so I would say no. The Holy Spirit does not leave the children of God, sealed by the Holy Spirit and born of the spirit, but we can grieve the spirit and we do experience that in our lives.

At times, as Christians marked. Does that answer your question rather a thank you so much for giving us your call. God bless Mark thanks so much for listening. Great to have a listener in Wyoming. What a beautiful state that is this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Quick question. Quick follow-up for you on that it will work. We were talking about this in my small group the other night we mentioned the know the difficulty the tragedy of of grieving the Holy Spirit through our sin. Someone else mentioned quenching the Holy Spirit you think that's the same thing.

I do think it went in. You know, in particular, I think.

There, there can be a similarity there oftentimes quenching the Spirit in our thinking in terms of quenching the work of the spirit through our deeds and so so yeah I think that there's something very similar. There were in a personal relationship with the true and the living God, and an end.

So there is this experience associated with the Christian life where when we sin you know we have that that sense of conviction. I think it's it's a sign of the spirits work in our lives.

And a lot of times I think sometimes that believers can assume when they experience that that quenching of the spirit, if you will are grieving. This political maybe God is abandoned me know because were sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption. And so that's that's one of the promises that is really meant to give us confidence at the spirit of God is not going to abandon us as those who are in Christ. Great comforting words there. Thanks so much for that. A drill this is core Christianity would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Let's go to Michael in Springfield, Missouri Michael what your question for a drill want to know about the people who were drowned in a flood whether there was ever any call for her and what happened to the soul, and with their for salvation of them and Michael thinks that question are two passages of Scripture that I think we can go to that that shed some light on this, and both written by Peter in first Peter and in second Peter and first Peter chapter 3 verse 18 we read for Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit in which he wind and proclaimed to the spirits in prison because they formerly did not obey when God's patience waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water know what was this preacher of righteousness in his day and so I imagine that, while the ark was being built. He was calling people to repentance to faith in the true and the living God, warning them, and we know that the Arctic White some time to build, but here it seems like it's clear that Noah and his family were spared, but the rest of the world face this judgment. You also see this in the second Peter chapter 2 and actually there in second Peter chapter 2 that the context is you know Peter is is saying, hey, there is a judgment coming on the unbelieving and on the ungodly and he uses Noah and the people in Noah's day.

As an example, he begins in verse four. If God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness, to be kept until the judgment and if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved no herald of righteousness. That's right get the idea that Noah was a preacher that he was preaching the truth he was preaching righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly, is one of the things you see in a leading up to the flood narrative is that things on earth were just getting progressively worse and worse. Mankind was going to be after the way of sin and and plunging headlong into sin has so that's why God brought this judgment now. Did God give these people.

Another opportunity after they had died, to repent, will know. I think that their opportunity was while they lived on earth, listening to no other herald of righteousness.

I don't believe that there is a second chance of salvation for people after they've died. Some people will read that first Peter text first Peter chapter 3 is indicating that but that's not how I read that passage and so those two tax Michael indicate that the the world that was then at that time in Noah's day that they had turned away from God and that's why they faced the judgment that they faced. Thank you for your question. You're listening to the core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. We want to tell you about a very special group of people who support this program on a regular basis. We call them our inner core and if you like to join the inner core.

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You can call her voicemail 24 hours a day at 833, the court hears a voice my receipt received from one of our callers earlier this week. My question, I would like to know if you can. Why are so many of the denomination. Following station at El Paso were operating and stand following Paul who was disciple that God deal with his spirit. Paul didn't need the man Jesus, but he did meet the resurrected spirit of life on the road to Damascus, so why isn't that being preached other than writing every Scripture in the Bible Without rightly dividing. I would like to hear. They have to do that question. Thank you so much okay well thank you for that for that voicemail that it sounds to me like you are you are suggesting that there is a stark difference between the gospel that the apostle Paul preached or received from Jesus from the eternal son of the father as he's on the road to Damascus and the gospel as it was preached by the other apostles you think of Peter and James and and so on and so forth. That is not true and that there are some people who try to to tread pit the apostles against Jesus or Paul against Jesus or the apostles against each other, but we shouldn't do that because they're preaching one gospel and I like you brought up the fact you we read all the Scripture together was meant to be read that way. This is God's revelation and it's not contradicting itself it's pointing us to the same reality.

Ultimately, redemption in Jesus Christ. Whether reading the Old Testament or the New Testament. The focus is on the redemptive work of God. Now where you go in the Bible to show that the apostles aren't preaching different Gospels from from one another, or that they have a different message from the message that Jesus gave to them one place and is is really simple as in Galatians chapter 2 Galatians chapter 2 where Paul says basically he describes him after his conversion going to Jerusalem to consult with the rest of the apostles in Jerusalem to make sure that they were on the same page with regard to the gospel.

He says in verse one after 14 years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas taking Titus along with me.

I went up because of a revelation and set before them the privately before those who seemed influential the gospel that I proclaimed among the Gentiles in order to make sure that I was not running or had not run in vain. I went to Jerusalem and I let them know about what it was that I was preaching to the Gentiles.

I wanted to make sure that I wasn't teaching something false that I wasn't serving the Lord in vain doing something that was wrong so they all get together and they have this discussion and then he goes on to say just just a little bit later in Galatians chapter 2 verse eight for he who work to Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised, that is, to the Jews, worked also through me for mind to the Gentiles, and when James and Cephas, and John Cephus being Peter who seemed to be pillars pillars in the church perceived the grace that was given to me. They gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me that we should go to the Gentiles, and date of the circumcised, only they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do and so you have this meeting of the disciples of the apostles and their shaken hands.

They're saying they were on the same page. Now let's divvy up this ministry. Paul you go over there to the Gentiles preach the gospel to them the same gospel that were preaching to the Jews and so do we need to realize that that there is one gospel proclaimed by the apostles that they received from Jesus.

It's the great deposit of faith, the faith once for all delivered to the saints's Jew talks about and friends. It's that gospel that we need to know today and think about this you know that game the race the relay race in a world where people are racing and they hand the baton off to the next racer and they do a lap and the hand appetite off to the next racer. That's how the gospel has progressed for the last 2000 years. Jesus gave the that the baton to the apostles and that but baton was the gospel that was to be preached.

They gave that baton to the churches that they planted and and you know Paul says to Timothy what we've given you in trust to faithful men working to be able to teach others also in a started to pass the baton we been passing the baton of the gospel for 2000 years, and that's where the power is it it's there in the gospel and so we hold fast to that message and then we continue to pass it on. Thank you for that question a man. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life question about theology or doctrine, or how our faith intersects with our culture. Give us a call right now. Here's the phone number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

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David was watching us earlier, and he says what is your position on communion open, closed or what yeah hey thanks for that question David and thanks for watching us on YouTube so in terms of the Lord's supper holy Communion who should be able to receive it and and how does a church go about this. My church in particular unit is sometimes what we call this fencing the table where where as were introducing the Lord's supper in the context of the worship service. I say this is a meal for Christians which is to say that that it's it's close in some sense it is been the, the reality for the history of the church infected you know that in the ancient church with a used to do when they would begin to take the Lord's supper is they would dismiss everyone who wasn't technically a member of the church and the deacon would shut out the doors. The doors to make sure that the doors were locked me. This was a very special thing that was taking place that was only for the quote unquote faithful talk about closed communion right but what will do is I'll say look this is a meal for Christians that is for those who have been baptized in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit that's that's the ordinance or sacrament of our entrance into the church and for those who believe the gospel, who have received Jesus Christ by faith you have in first Corinthians chapter 11. This call for communicants for those who were taking the Lord's supper to examine themselves.

In other words, we are you are as those taking the body and blood of Jesus by faith.

Call to examine yourself is what the apostle Paul gets into.

He begins in verse 20 and 11 verse 23 I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said this is my body which is for you.

Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way. Also he took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me for as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever therefore eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself, and that is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. In other words we think about how serious this meal is. This is a holy meal given to the church and Paul says one or some of you guys got sick in the last few weeks. Why some of you are are weak why some of even died. It's because they failed to judge the sin in their lives. That is, they come to the table irresponsibly clinging to their sin, not believing in Jesus, so this is a really serious thing. God cares brothers and sisters about how his worship and how we approach him ask Ananias and Sapphire in acts chapter 5 ask Nate add in a buy in Leviticus chapter 10. This is a serious thing was a serious thing under the old covenant and it's a serious thing still under the new covenant, and so we don't just let people come to the Lord's table willy-nilly, but at the same time.

Let me let me say this. Sometimes this is been true in the history of the church as well. People have been afraid to come to the Lord's table because they think, oh man, this is just such a somber event. You know that that is a mystery here. The power of the spirit. I don't feel worthy.

I don't think I should come well look, none of us are our worthy in it, in and of ourselves we come as humble sinners, to receive the grace that God offers to us in the table by faith. The love of Jesus, the work of Jesus for us and for our salvation, and so the Lord's supper is not for perfect people because there are none were not perfect.

We come as repentant sinners, and so if you are struggling you been struggling all week and you get to the Lord's table and you feel like man I'm just not worthy.

I could've done better this week. Hey, it's for you. You turn from your sins, you lift your eyes to Jesus and you say I need your grace. Feed me and and he feeds you, and it is for you but if you're coming to the Lord's table thinking yes send whatever I'm in the live however I want and I'm just gonna take this because I'm a member of this church or whatnot. Be careful, be careful, Paul says, because God disciplines his people and he was doing it for the Corinthians, and he still does it today and so we come to the Lord humbly thinks that question David great reminder. Thanks for that Pedro. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. You can leave us your question on voicemail 24 hours a day you can call us at 833. The core calls over the weekend if you want to leave us a message.

Maybe you're thinking about something that's come up during this program you want some further clarification on it, give us a buzz 1-833-843-2673 let's go to a voicemail question we received from one of our listeners named Robert. I have acquired. Why should I give you my church preacher has more money than ever body church to have the biggest house in the church. I don't think a preacher should have the big big dance to churches. Why should they spend the money on them when they could put the money back in the church just bothers me. I like you to give now that boy Robert, thank you for that question. You know, one of the qualifications that Paul gives in first Timothy chapter 3 for elders to be qualified is that they should not be. They cannot be a lover of money. Okay, so greed, love of money, lavish and in that regard that disqualifies a pastor from ministry. But he also says just a couple chapters later in chapter 5 of first Timothy verse 17. Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, it says you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain and the laborer deserves his wages, in other words, there the apostle Paul is encouraging that you know we should support our pastors. We should we should make sure that there cared for that.

They're able to provide for themselves and for their families. Now, does that mean that they need a jet and a limousine and some of those things that you see you know when you turn on the TV and you have these prosperity gospel preachers not know, and I think that brings reproach onto the church. It's a really bad witness and so that I think there are two dangers here.

One is yeah if if there seems to be something shady going on with the church's finances if the ministry of the church is not directed towards the advancement of the gospel helping missions to it to take place caring for the needs of the poor.

So on and so forth. There's there's a problem if with all the resources are going to unifying the pastor his mansion and making sure that he has the finest jewelry and that kind of thing that's an issue.

And yet at the same time.

Another issue is and and I'm sensitive to this as a minister of the gospel, we want to also make sure that were taking care of our pastors.

I read a statistic the other day that was shocking and sad. It said something like, only 10% of ministers who begin in the ministry actually retire from the ministry and part of that.

The challenge I think is a lot of people you know who are trying to faithfully serve the church or just having a hard time providing for their families and sometimes I think within the church there can even be this assumption that you know the pastor really should be poverty-stricken. That makes him more holy, more righteous before God and princesses not truly want to. If you have a faithful minister we want to take good care of them. That doesn't mean they they need to have the biggest house in the church or that kind of a thing that we want to we want to do what Paul says in in first Timothy chapter 5 not muzzle the ox and so really there. There are couple of dangers here, and I appreciate the fact Robert that you brought up the one that you did. We need it we stay away from that. We also need to make sure that were taking care of one another. In particular, by taking care of faithful pastors we need the world needs more faithful pastors were preach the word of God without fear, without shame, and if you have that man nature. You share your your love and appreciation without pastor. 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 bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673.

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