Are Christian Hearts Still “Deceitful above All Things”?

After being born again are our hearts still deceitful above all things. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition 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. Would love to hear from you in. Here's our phone number it's 833. The core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter account. You can watch a drill live in the studio right now on our YouTube channel and send us a message that wakes course you can always email us your question here is the email address its questions at core, Christianity.com first of today, and email.

We have from Justin and he says with so many well-established pastors teaching different doctrines in the Bible how my to discern the truth from the many different pastors and sermons I listen to on the radio.

How do I know who is right an excellent question that I know many people have in a question that I've had as well because were exposed to so many different kinds of pastors in teaching you go to YouTube you know you can go to podcast so you who do you trust. How do you know where to go in order to find the truth.

You know this is a question that is come up several times in the history of the church in the fifth century there was this man Vincent of Lorraine's and he came up with this with this statement. With this concept. If you will that I think is really helpful.

He said we should believe that which is in been embraced or believed everywhere, always and by all.

In other words, if you want to steer clear from false teaching and in heresy.

Don't believe the stuff that's on the fringe don't believe theological novelties embrace that which is been embraced by the whole church throughout the world there is this universality and antiquity. You know over the last 2000 years not not doctrines or systems of theology later that are brand-new. It if they are there is a high probability that they're just not true then so I think a part of protecting ourselves and exercising wisdom here is being familiar with the history of the church with the interpretation of the Bible over the last 2000 years and really aligning ourselves what we might refer to as the with what we might refer to as the Catholic faith. The universal faith of the Christian church that affirms those things which were affirmed and in the historic creeds of the church. The doctrine of the holy Trinity, the incarnation, the death of Jesus Christ for our sins. Holy baptism these things that the Christians have clung to, and proclaimed over the last 2000 years so so you're going to want to avoid theological novelty and encouragement for you is your wrestling with this is is be humble and prayerful as your is your reading the word is your studying things be humble, be willing to be corrected. The biblical be saturated in the Scriptures.

Whatever it is that your believing about God you want to make sure that it's coming from the word of God but also be accountable and it's that last piece that I think a lot of people are missing be accountable to the church, not just your local church and other which are not interpreting the Bible and isolation all by yourself, but you're in a community of believers together under the ministry of the word but but the whole church. The universal church over the last 2000 years. Listen to the voices of the past that have wrestled through the Scripture and proper Bible interpretation. If you're going to avoid you know theological heresy in an novelty and one last encouragement for you and this is something that we see in the book of first John and encouragement that John gives to his audience who were noted in danger of being deceived you. John talks a little bit later in first John chapter 4 about the spirit of the antichrist. It's in the world. The importance of testing the spirits, but in chapter 2 verse 28 he is is really interesting little children when he appears, we want to have confidence and not shrink in shame at his coming to the importance of having confidence in his word and what he said and just right before that.

Listen to what he says in verse 27 the anointing that you received from him abides in you and you have no need that anyone should teach you, but as his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and is no lie, just as it is taught you abide in him. Another was John substitute to Christians. You have the spirit of God living in you. What Jesus said in the Gospels in John chapter 16 that the spirit was going to guide his followers, his disciples into all truth and so be submitted to the spirit biblical saturated in the word and accountable to the church. That's how you exercise wisdom in this area and steer clear of novelty enough doctrines are just out there kind of on the fringe. Thanks Justin for that email. God bless you great advice. Thanks for that, a drill, this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez and if you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine, theology, or even what's going on in our world today, and how our Christian faith intersects with that.

We would love to hear from you.

Our phone lines will be open for the next 15 minutes or so and you can call us at 833-843-2673 if you want to spell that out.

It's 833. The core 833, the court, we would love to hear from you know there's a lot of uncertainty in our world today. So here core Christianity. We will offer you a very helpful book that we believe is really been written for times like these. That's right, Bill. You know, pain, conflict and uncertainty really dominate the headlines and news today in the world is often filled with too much information into little wisdom it's tempting to you want to hunker down in our bubbles with people who are just like us and be cynical about everything that's going on out in the world. This is not how God wants us to live.

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Jeremiah 17 verse nine the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick.

Who can understand a couple of things. Here's a first get understand the context of Jeremiah 17. Speaking of the sin of Judah God were rebuking as we would been but you know betraying his word going against him committing idolatry in the previous chapter in chapter 16 of verse 12 you have done worse than your fathers. For behold every one of you, follows his stubborn, evil will refusing to listen to me and said things have gotten pretty bad in Israel.

God is threatening judgment and that's the context in which we have Jeremiah 17's just speaking about the sin of God's people there now.

Sometimes we point to that verse in order to defend the doctrine of what what we call total depravity that is all mankind because because of sin. Sin entering into the world has fallen short of God's glory and sin affects every single part of us, our minds, our heart, our solar body. There is one piece of us that hasn't been touched.

If you will buy sin. That's why we need the grace of the gospel regeneration doesn't mean that work as bad as we could be of it.

Everyone is as bad as they could be just means that there isn't one part of us that hasn't been affected by sin, and I think that that's that's confirmed by Jan Jeremiah 79 the heart is deceitful above all things, desperately sick were sinners were broken but your question is, is that still true of us in the same way as the regenerate as those who have been redeemed by the Lord, and of course, in Ezekiel 36.

The passage that you bring up.

This is the promise of the new covenant in one of the things it's promise there is this new heart.

Verse 26 I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh, that you can even do a contrast in the book of Jeremiah itself John because it's interesting little bit later.

Again, you have the promise of the new covenant in Jeremiah chapter 31. Quoted also in the New Testament in Hebrews chapter 8 and again God is talking about this restoration of the heart. In verse 33 of Jeremiah 31 for this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord.

I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be my people, and so the position of the believer in Christ in the new covenant born-again regenerated by the Holy Spirit is different than then the position of the people there in Jeremiah 17. What that doesn't mean is that were not still sinful that we don't still have indwelling sin, sinful desires, but we have to factor in the fact that we are also new creations in Jesus Christ and that our heart has been transformed in the spirit of God is at work in us to put to death the sinful deeds of the body so that we might obey God's word obey God's law imperfectly as we do. None of us perfectly keep the law of God. That's what were not justified by our obedience. But now, having been justified by the free grace of God in Christ through the new covenant, the shed blood of Jesus we have the indwelling Holy Spirit who is bringing us closer and closer to the Lord in helping us to follow the Lord. And so, so I would say it you know there is a distinction there we we wouldn't want to save in our hearts are perfect and that were sinless. Certainly not were still in a struggle with sin, but were in this new position as as believers in the new covenant, and so factor in all those passages Jeremiah 17 Jeremiah 31 Ezekiel 36 and I think you see that quite clearly. John, thanks for in this into the text.

Hey John, thanks so much. Love the fact that so many of our listeners really dig into God's word and then they when they have questions they give us a call and I drill was more than happy to clear up any confusion for your most difficult passages so thank you John, this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Our phone lines are open. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Here's the number it's 833-843-2673. That's 833. The core let's go to Marie and St. Louis Missouri. Marie what your question for pastor. Israel I will tell you like I write every day and I am not idea that you feel guilty and when are you not getting get some time that you like me reminding me that there is no hope for me. I you know your Marie well III know that I can certainly identify with you and I'm sure that everyone listening right now over the air they that they would say oh yeah I know what that's like to know be walking with the Lord and Sam I'm saved I'm a Christian and yet I still struggle every day to struggle. The apostle Paul talked about in Romans chapter 7, and sometimes they struggle with the same sins. I want to blame. I am, I really forgiven.

I still struggle. How could God. How could God forgive me. Here's where we have to put our confidence not in the fact that we have overcome completely. The struggle against sin that we've perfectly repented. If that were if that were the requirement then then we would never know if we were forgiven because what we can continue to struggle with indwelling sin.

As believers, it is a fight. It is a battle your confidence has to be in what God has said in his word, not your feelings.

There are times where you will not feel forgiven, where you'll just feel you know not well crummy because of media because of sin, and that's where you have to look up to Jesus and to what God has said in his word. So one passage of Scripture that I think that you can go to.

It's one that I go to when I'm wrestling with this very question is what John said come back to the book of first John in first John chapter 1 he says in verse eight if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We say we have not sin, we make him a liar and his word is not in us that this gets to the second part of your question when when am I not forgiven well I would say when we reject the truth and we don't confess our sins to the Lord here. The opposite is is that when you confess your sins know this, you are forgiven. God is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you of all unrighteousness. That is when you go to the Lord, weighed down by your sins frustrated Lord I I'd I can't seem to be that I did it again. I I'm I'm so ashamed I feel this this weight of guilt and you say Lord have mercy. I confess to you that I have sinned God. It says look it's who I am to forgive. I am faithful and just not forgiving the repentant center sinner would go against Mike my very nature, what might might my very justice if you will is you can rest and that you rest in God's word and you may not when you cry it out to the Lord in that moment feel forgiven, but you know that you are on the basis of God's promise and what he said so that's that's where we really have to put our confidence are our trust.

It's in God's word and what he has said and so as you continue to seek the face of the Lord, confessing your sins every single day no on the basis of what God is said in his word. What Jesus has done for you Marie, you are forgiven you are a child of the living God, that you belong to him, and in light of that reality. The fact that he's cleansed, you honor the Lord with your life. Walk in newness of life.

I encourage you to meditate on that text in first John chapter 1 also meditate on what Paul said in Romans chapters 6 through eight where he talks about the battle against sin and also the fact that we are new creatures in Christ that we have this new identity through faith and baptism and were called you're called to walk in newness of life and to present yourself to God as one who is alive from the dead, no longer a slave to sin, but free to follow the Lord God bless Marie we actually have a great core guide that we think you'll find helpful.

It's called nine ways to know you are really a Christian.

It's absolutely free. You can find that at our website. Just go to core Christianity.com/free downloads that's core Christianity.com/free downloads and look for that core guide that we know will be helpful to you. Let's go back to the phones Mark is on the line from St. Louis, Missouri. Mark what your question for a drill discharge for about five years now and I just say that I don't agree with that one is that they talk about watching dirty stuff on TV like naked and afraid to say that to become endangered or happy all yeah so it's okay put my own heart I know that's not right.

So you should say that all you want. Yeah, I'm here, I'm listening to Mark and so I know I'm glad that you are taking the preaching of God's word seriously.

We should and we should listen to the things that are being said from the pulpit and ask ourselves is this is this what God calls a minister to proclaim, to preach know there's a lot of fluff in in churches out there, a lot of maybe stories and you know jokes and entertainment going on what we need is the pure preaching of God's word.

The law and the gospel. We need to be reminded of what Christ has done for us for our redemption. We need to be encouraged to grow in holiness and in our love for the Lord. Paul made this absolutely clear when he was writing to Timothy in second Timothy chapter 4 verse one he says to me this is a Psalm of the charges or to get in the New Testament. By the way, he says basis to Timothy. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus was to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing by his kingdom preach the word be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching for the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and they will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

As for you, always be sober minded endure suffering to the work of of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

We talk about a Psalm charge look, here's what you're called to do Timothy preach the word faithfully, rebuke, exhort, this is what God calls you to do were not were not preaching television shows were not preaching the news were not preaching politics were preaching God's word and in more specifically, were preaching Christ, his gospel into the hearts of people. Now if that's not happening in your church. If the word of God is not been faithfully taught then I would say yeah, you need to find a church board that's the priority where they have a passion for the word of God and they take God's word seriously with the pulpit. Time is not a time for entertainment and jokes and you know cultural analysis of your your favorite TV shows that that kind of thing that I don't know everything about your church and your past.

Try to know if this was a one-off comment, but he's generally a faithful minister one encouragement that I would have for you Mark is what what when these kinds of things happen and they concern you call your pastor up, grab coffee.

Have a meeting say hey the ump I'm struggling with this because it seems to me like you're saying these things that are encouraging people to two may be, you know, engage in behavior that is not becoming of Christians at Kennedy thought I would say I have an open conversation with him, be humble, be gracious, ask questions and prayerfully consider whether or not this is the right place for you and so Mark, thanks for the question again grateful to hear you passionate about the word of God and wanting that that word to be faithfully taught and may the Lord bless you as you seek to have that conversation with your pastor Mark we actually have special free resource that we think will be helpful to you if you feel like you need to find a new church. It's called how do I choose a church got some great biblical advice which really help you.

Be discerning on what church God might be calling you to and you can find that at our website. Core, Christianity.com/free downloads. Just look for how do I choose a church. Just a reminder we have that great book that we are offering this week as well is called all that's good.

Recovering the lost art of discernment. It's just perfect for these times and you can get that book and donation of any amount by going to core Christianity.com/offers literal here's a question that came in from one of our listeners.

This is from Chris emailed us and said did the Holy Spirit dwell in Jesus as he was fully man and fully God on earth, similar to the way that he lives in all Christians today in yeah but there there is also some some uniqueness here as well that the passage of Scripture that my mind goes to when I think about this is in John's Gospel in John chapter 3 really an interesting text in this is a description of of Christ I beginning in verse 31 he who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all, he bears witness to what he is seen and heard the lead people to know this, but what what John is doing there. He's identifying Jesus as the, the true prophet, the one who stood in the very counsel of the Lord bearing witness to what he is seen and heard is that the false prophets in the Old Testament in Jeremiah 2316 through 18 did not do this is what Jesus does. Yet John says no one receives his testimony. Whoever see the testimony set the seal on this, that God is true from he whom for who he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the spirit without measure. The father loves the son and has given all things into his hand the Lord Jesus has the spirit without measure and gives the spirit as well and so so yeah this is the a really great question. Just in terms of thinking about the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus is one of the reasons why Jesus rebuked the religious leaders who said that he was doing works by the evil by the evil one. You said you what you know what you're doing or blaspheming the Holy Spirit because the works that he did. He did according to the spirit of Almighty God and Jesus was filled with the spirit without measure ascended into heaven, conquering sin and death and gives his spirit to us. Now we as Christians in him by faith are filled with the Holy Spirit sealed the apostle Paul says the spirit of Almighty God. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer.

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