If God Hates Divorce, Why Did He Command it in Ezra 10?

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. If God hates divorce.

Why did he commanded in Ezra chapter 10 specialist one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will 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. Here's our phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673, as always, you can post your question on our Facebook twitter or Instagram accounts and you can email us with your question at questions@corechristianity.com first up today let's go to a voicemail received from one of our listeners.

This is from Scott for a drilling bill question is the apostles Creed. It refers to Jesus, having ascended into hell is this a reference to him being separated from God.

I just wonder that or feel thank you, thank you for that question. Look up a lot of people are actually unfamiliar with the apostles Creed citing the first thing that I want to do is just read the apostles Creed and by the way, when we say the apostles Creed. Another some people that will was this written by the apostles themselves.

Probably not, but it but it does contain the apostolic doctrine that the church clung to me continues to cling to. To this day. And so the apostles Creed goes like this. I believe in God the father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell. That's the closet you're talking about the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God the father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen. Just one brief comment on that word Catholic there sometimes will they will talk about the Roman Catholic Church well know were talking about that Catholic is in the universal Christian church spread throughout the whole world. All those who confess Jesus by faith.

Now what about that closet is that the most controversial statement in the creaturely someone that gives a lot of people pause, he descended into hell no, it does not mean that Jesus was separated from the father were talking about the persons of the holy Trinity, always in perfect love and communion. So Jesus can't be, and was not separated from the father and in some sense where we are. The doctrine of the Trinity is called into question. Some people understood that phrase to be referring to the sufferings that Jesus endured on the cross others to just the experiencing death in his humanity that the time in the tomb others to this. Where Christ went and proclaimed victory over the grave and so that there are different ways in which this is been read. But one thing I can say to you is that it's not teaching or suggesting that Jesus was separated from the father and let me just say this, you know, one of the reasons we talk about creeds and confessions is because it's a part of what I would say core Christianity and what is the essence of the Christian faith that the, the, the Col., if you will. The main thing. Well it's summarized in these creeds that we have the apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed take the teaching of Scripture and helpfully summarize it for us in a way that gets us to the heart of the matter, and so appreciate that question and may the Lord bless you your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and we would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life Christian doctrine or theology or even the intersection of faith and culture. Here's our phone number is 833. The core our phone lines will be open for the next 20 minutes or so.

So jump on the phone right now. 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 go to a question we received from one of our listeners named Laverne Wyatt wanted to have all enjoyed it. Some answer that way. In the Old Testament did God command the Israelite to devote their lives way in the Old Testament did not command the Israelite people and why I did that command, it evoked a wise reconcile with Godhead hating devil Malachi 216. Laverne love that you're digging into the Scriptures so you referring to a scene in the book of Ezra in Ezra chapters 9 and 10 and there. The people of God were called in particular, the priests were called to leave their spouses that they had taken their wives they taken from the surrounding nations. It was there and they were these mixed marriages religiously mixed marriages and in in in reality Ezra chapter 9 verse one after these things had been done. The officials approached me and said the people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations go down to verse 10 and now owe our God, what shall we say after this, for we have forsaken your commandments which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying the land that you are entering to take possession of it is a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands with their abominations that have filled it to the end that there filled it end-to-end with their uncleanness. Therefore, do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons and never seek their peace or prosperity that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever. What what it happened is the priests, the Levites, the people of God had turned away from the commandment of the Lord, the very clear command not to marry with the pagan nations. Why, because when you do that they're going to turn your heart away from the true and the living God, they're getting there going to turn your heart to other gods and that's precisely what happened throughout the history of God's people in the Old Testament, and so the reason you have now in Ezra chapters 9 and 10. Those who were guilty of intermarriage leaving there their marriages because it was an act of repentance. It was saying, look, we need to we need to do what the Lord commanded us to do and be careful that our hearts are not drawn away by these pagan marriages so that that's I would say that the reason that God called his people to that there not one really interesting thing is when you look at the New Testament, it seems like when Paul wrote to the Corinthians. This was a question that the Corinthians had because there were believers in Jesus Christ, who were married who had families but their spouses weren't walking with the Lord didn't know Jesus didn't confess faith in Christ. And Paul says this in first Corinthians chapter 7. By the way, this is just a really you know relevant situation for so many people today would you know you're Christian but you're married to someone or you're with someone who is not a believer maybe you were converted after you guys got married. Will Paul says to the married I give this charge. First Corinthians 7 verse 10 not I but the Lord, the wife should not separate from her husband. But if she does, she should remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband and the husband should not divorce his wife to the rest I say I not the Lord that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever and she consents to live with him he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever and he consents to live with her she should not divorce him for the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy and so you have this great shift under the new covenant this this wonderful shift with the people there in Corinth were probably wondering hate I'm married to this person.

We have a family, but they're not a believer.

They worship the pagan gods.

What should I do married Ezra chapters 9 and 10.

It seems like they left those marriages is Paul says no don't do that God could very well may very well use you to have a positive impact for Christ on your unbelieving spouse.

And so it so you have that clear shift there under the new covenant, and so there's no there's no contradiction is just the way in which God is operating governing his people throughout redemptive history in distinct ways. Thanks that question Laverne and God bless you, great! Thank you for that Israel. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez will Halloween coming up in just a couple of weeks and we have a fascinating resource.

We like to make available to you right now and it ties in with the spiritual warfare that's going on that we don't necessarily see yeah the resources CS Lewis's book the Screwtape letters, and I just recently read through this book again.

Actually, we were on a on a long road trip and we had the audiobook and and so we listen to and man. This book is just so good. This is probably the best book on spiritual warfare, which is kind of a strange thing because it's this it's this story if you will, of this this correspondence between these two demons were trying to get a Christian to stumble, to turn away from Christ. But it's just rich there so much wisdom here. It's encouraging it's convicting as I want to get a hand hold of this resource. CS Lewis's classic book the Screwtape letters and you can get a hold of that over it. Core, Christianity.com for a donation of any amount is what you do go to core Christianity.com/offers and look for the Screwtape letters, by CS Lewis again. Core, Christianity.com/offers. Of course you can call us for that, or any one of our offers at 833 the court let's go to Michelle in St. Louis Missouri is Michelle what your question for pastor. Israel had been in discussion with friends to faith necessary to be baptized, and I know I'm Peter and in the New Testament, Jesus says that you must repent and believe, and the apostles talk about baptism, we can be baptized in the literal ladder or is Christ referring to his living lottery baptized in his living liner's I think that question you see baptism all over the place in the New Testament and people were baptized in water, you think about, you know. Acts chapter 2 when Peter preaches on the day of Pentecost and the people here and they know they say you know what what should we do and in verse 38 of acts chapter 2 Peter said to them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself and with many other words he bore witness and continue to exhort them sing, save yourselves from this crooked generation, so those who received his word were baptized there were added that day about 3000 souls is that's that's a literal baptism in water and it is something that is commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. It's it's the command that he gave to his disciples, and in the great commission going to all the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you. I think sometimes we can minimize Michelle. The significance of baptism because it was it was only important that we believe in Jesus were only saved by faith in Jesus Christ. And that's true.

The realistic Christ commanded this and that baptism is the sign and seal of that salvation.

It's this visible depiction of the gospel of God's gift coming to since we don't want that we want to minimize that we want to spurn that this is a means of grace, a means of God working by the power of his Spirit in the lives of his people and so anyone who says that it's not a big deal. I believe in designer need to be baptized. I think I think that's not the there the right approach. I think we should view this as a gift, a gospel gift that God gives to us that depicts his promises, his goodness, his love, his salvation for his people and were called to lay hold of that gift by faith and so yeah that that's where I put Michelle have you been baptized thinking about the cross. When Jesus says they'll be with me in paradise. And he had a chance to be baptized in literal ladder. Yeah, absolutely. But what I wouldn't say is that baptism in and of itself is what saves were saved by faith. There were people who believed in Jesus, we just read the book of acts they believe in Jesus there, filled with the Holy Spirit and then there baptized that I think that they veto they would've died in between the moment that they believed in. When they were actually dumped in the water that they would be eternally condemned because it weren't able to get into the water and so right that there are extraordinary circumstances like that the circumstance of the thief on the cross was certainly in the presence of the Lord because as I said it's not it's not baptism in and of itself, apart from faith apart from the working of the Holy Spirit that saves us and yet we know that God gives us this gift as a means of his grace, a means of his working in our lives a means of his sealing his promises and his love to his people and so I think we have to have we have to have a high view of the work of the Holy Spirit of the necessity of faith. That's were saved but were justified by the instrument of faith. Faith alone, and yet and yet we also have these commands in Scripture and baptism is this beautiful picture the sign and seal of what God does for his people and so grateful to hear that you been baptized and made the Lord continue to bless you Michelle, thank you for giving us a call. In literal you've talked about this before, there are some churches that take a baptism fairly lightly and they may just have a large worship service where they spontaneously asked people how you want to be baptized right now. Come on up. I'm curious as a pastor what you're feeling is about that because my perspective is that we should be taking it very seriously and wished.

First of all know that person actually has trusted Christ as their Savior before we offer them baptism.

Yeah, this is this is a complex thing. I mean, obviously, when you read the book of acts you have people were baptized fairly quickly. After believing in Jesus Christ and then we ate out throughout the history of the church early on there began to be this period of training, of catechesis, we might say where individuals who wanted to join the church were instructed in the doctrine of the church, believing ultimately in in the courtrooms of the Christian faith were talking about the apostles Creed earlier in a many people think of those creeds create like the apostles Creed's the creeds like the apostles Creed were initially used for people to instruct people who wanted to be baptized with this is what you gotta believe what you have to know if you're an adult who's converting to the faith. If if if you want to be a part of the church.

So I think it is important that we work with people that we have that we help them to understand the significance of what it is that's taking place because it is so important and it is so so beautiful. And when you read in the New Testament about baptism in the significance of baptism is this this mark that God gives to us of this new identity in Jesus Christ denied identity with identifying with him in his death and resurrection that's that's a something that we we don't want to minimize your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Now is the time to call our phone lines will be open for the next five minutes or so, let's go to ceiling in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Selah what your question for pastor. Israel think you call my question it is I'm learning more than the past couple of years I knew about this color before got divorced and marriage and things like that that all fall into play with those who are living together and Mary walking out the door and abandoning the family and kids are involved would not be considered or when they're really not married one wanting to do right and make it right under God's night one leave and will not be divorced if they be wrong about client so they were seen increasingly as well right so so couples who maybe have children.

They live together, but they're not married, they don't intend to be married.

Part of it is just not not understanding that the significance of marriage before God. Is this covenant between two people in and before witnesses and before the true and the living God, whereby God unites these two people together and and you know that the relationships of you if you to be with someone. If you intend to live with them. If you have a family you you need to be married. I would say that that's what the church and Christ himself calls people to and so I would say in a situation like that if if you had two people and they were claiming to be Christians there living in that a family that they they they need to be married. They need to get married because if if they're not married and essentially there living in sin there living fornication, and so really is is you said something that that is happening all over the place now, especially with the downplaying of the significance of marriage the traditional family and so it's a huge problem. We need to recover the biblical understanding of marriage in the high view that the word of God places on marriage. You see this all over the place. I think of what we read in the book of Hebrews the author. The Hebrew says in Hebrews chapter 13 verse four. Let marriage be held in honor among all and let the marriage bed be undefiled for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous but but just just that first statement there. Let marriage be held in honor among all it means to to treasure this all in our culture today. Marriage is not very treasured people just think that I don't I don't need. What's the big deal, but in God's word is this treasure this gift that God gives to us and so I would say those those people need to get married if they intend to honor the Lord and to walk with the Lord in accordance with his word great directs. Well said let's go to another Facebook question. This is from Beth who says I was baptized as an infant in the Catholic Church. Must I get rebaptized now that I'm going to a church in a different denomination a bet. This is a question that we received before and I'm glad that you're asking it so my answer to this question is no, and another that might come as a shock to some people because there may people disassemble baptism is first and foremost, something that we do. It's an outward sign of mine would faith, which by the way, is not a Bible verse is just something that people have repeated over and over and over again. But that's that's not the core of what baptism is. Baptism is first and foremost an act of God for who first sinners for the helpless, for those who cannot help themselves like infants and we come before the Lord, all of us broken and in need of his mercy and that the big question is does God include the children of believers in that promise in the these covenant promises that he gives to his people promises that are that are depicted in in places like baptism and I would say the answer is yes we we talk a little bit about first Corinthians chapter 7 earlier with regard to marriage and not leaving a spouse even if they're on an unbeliever in Paul's argument.

There is you know you can have a positive positive influence on on your spouse how you know that they're not going to turn to the Lord and then he goes on to say.

And in verse 14.

I think it is that that the children of believers are holy.

What you mean by that is either saved did do you know if you have a child in your Christian that that child is automatically a Christian to know that's that's not what he means. The word holy means this is cultic term it means to be set apart that the recipient of God's covenant promises otherwise they would be unclean. While in the Old Testament the unclean were those were outside of the community of faith to clean the holy were those who were part of the community of faith is a policy with your children are part of the community of faith. Recipients of these promises and so if you were baptized even that as an infant, I would say that that promise is sure it comes from God.

It's God's pledge of his goodness of his gospel to us to his people.

We lay hold of those promises you a hold of those promises. Beth, by faith. So, now having turned to Jesus believing in him. Those those same promises that that you received even long ago as an infant right arm are made efficacious.

If you will. Your your embracing them, you're experiencing the work of God's Spirit in your life it's I was in no you don't. Don't go in.

Try to get baptized already. God is Artie made that pledge and promised to you and and sealed you with that reality in your baptism. Even as a small child. So thank you for that question. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

Here's an email question that came in for you Israel. This is from Janet and she says to people of the Old Testament go to hell, like Ananias and Sapphire order they go to Hades and have an opportunity to believe in Christ, the Messiah, that I don't think that for those who died in the Old Testament that there was like this. This second opportunity for salvation in Hades and just think about the story that Jesus tells about Lazarus and in the Gospels right where you were. You have essentially this this fate that has been sealed even though you know that you we wants another chance but but another thing that I will say here is you want to be very careful that we don't just assume that we know who is going to be in heaven who isn't going to be in heaven. I was reading something just just recently as I've been preaching through the book of Genesis. Just just preached through the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in your member lots wife. She turns around and she turns into a pillar of salt is this great judgment on her, but you know commentators are are split on what does this mean that she was eternally condemned that she was doomed forever or was this just sort of a temporal judgment. Maybe we'll see her in heaven so why be careful that we don't just just assume, well, there this person is and how that person is in heaven. We we put that in the hands of the Lord and we trust him and we rest in what the gospel says in the Scriptures teach and after we direct our focus. 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 or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together. Thanks for listening to today's episode of core Christianity, Israel, and I love our podcast audience, and we'd love to take your questions, give us a call Monday through Friday at 11:30 AM Pacific time at 833-843-2673. That's 833.

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