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January 20, 2022 4:39 pm
Episode 885 | Adriel Sanchez and Bill Maier answer caller questions.
Questions in this Episode
1. My roommates in college find it weird when I have quiet time and read the Bible. Sometimes I feel insecure about their remarks and some of their questions, which makes me think that the Bible can’t really stand up to their scrutiny. I know that’s not right, but I’m not sure how to respond when that happens.
2. How do we respond to atheist critics who say that, “because Jesus said he was going to return 2,000 years ago, and he did not, it’s safe to say that he will not be returning”?
3. In 2 Timothy 2:8, it refers to Jesus as being the offspring of David. But Joseph was from David’s line, how he is the b
4. What does 2 Peter 2:10-11 mean? Will there ever be a time when we God has had enough with the the world and turn his back on us?
5. A pastor at a new church in town keeps trying to recruit my husband for his worship team. I feel very uncomfortable with that. I love my current church. Is it right that that other pastor keeps trying to recruit my husband, knowing very well that he belongs to another already?
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Jesus is coming again soon what's taking so long. That's just 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. You can call us right now with your question. At 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 way, and you can also email us at questions at core, Christianity.com earlier this week, we mentioned that it was our first anniversary of going live on this program.
Core, Christianity has been on the air for about three years but we one year ago we started taking live calls and I did a little calculation and found out that if a drill answers about five questions a day, five days a week, but 50 weeks a year. That's about 1200 questions answered here yes yeah we've got quite the vault of answers that were that were building up so it's it's pretty awesome. That is pretty awesome.
We love hearing from you and our phone lines are open now if you got a question. We also wanted to mention that we had this a Facebook question coming from one of our younger listeners named Bailey. She says my roommates in college find it weird when I have a quiet time or read the Bible. Sometimes I feel insecure about their remarks and some of their questions which makes me think that the Bible can't really stand up to their scrutiny. I know that's not right, but I'm not sure how to respond when that happens, yeah hey Bailey, God bless you for seeking to follow Jesus and being committed to Jesus you know even even though you're surrounded by people who don't understand and in and don't support you, and that it sounds like I I don't know who said it, but I remember one time hearing somebody quote somebody who said the Bible is sort of like a lion in a cage you don't, you don't need to defend the line you just need a little line out of the cage that kind of the thing and I that's true. There are many people who have sought to disprove the Bible who have studied the Scripture annexed to become Christian to think of men like Lee Strobel, a great apologist now or even Rosario Butterfield.
She has a number of books talk about you know she was very critical of the Christian faith, and then began to read the Scriptures and all of a sudden she was. She was just struck by the truth of God's word and God's word is powerful in the spirit of God works together with the word of God. And so to open hearts and so my encouragement to you would be a couple things. One, the word of God, the Bible does stand up to scrutiny. And if you need resources in terms of defending what the Bible teaches defending that the validity of Scripture, there are few one of the ones we've offered before is called more than a carpenter, a great great little resource short research. You could probably find it on our website with a lot of the answers to questions that people have we mentioned the story of reality. That's another one by Greg Koegel defending the Christian faith. Another another great resource to get your hands on but I want to read a section of first Peter chapter 4 to you because it is I was listening to your questions is what I was reminded of it's it's Peter encouraging the Christians that he's writing to.
And he says I want you to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions for the will of God. Verse three for the time that is passed suffices for doing with the Gentiles want to do living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry with respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery and they malign you. They will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. In other words the Christians to whom Peter was writing they experience that maligning that that you know being mocked, being mistreated for their faith in Jesus for following Jesus because they didn't want to do the things that the rest of the world was doing it were not interested in the in the drinking parties and the idolatry in the debauchery and end. People look them adjusted because her weird Peter says look were all going to stand before the Lord. They're going to have to give an account to the God was ready to judge the willing. The living and the dead, and so Bailey what I would say to you is be committed to Jesus first and foremost to following him and continuing to read the Scriptures have conversations with with your with your roommates be a godly influence there. I would encourage you in that and continue to grow in your understanding of the word so that you might be able to defend the faith when they have questions. And may the Lord bless you as as you do that and so God bless you again. Bailey and thank you for that question you're listening to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez and Bailey would love to send you one of our free resources.
This is available to all of our listeners. It's a new resource that we have and it's called tough questions answered and it really gets into a lot of these tough questions that we receive on a daily basis and that maybe you have to answer when you're talking to a non-Christian friend or relative. Yeah, I'm glad we can we can get that into Bailey's hand, it's also about 50 pages long and it will really help you to defend your faith answers questions like doesn't science make religion unnecessary.
Why is Christianity so exclusive. What about other religions like Buddhism and Islam is the Bible just a bunch of fairytales, Mitzie, and of that kind of thing. What about the Bible's view of sexuality and gender is an overly restrictive.
We answer those questions in this in the short booklet and so get a hold of this resource and it's yours for free over core, Christianity.com. It is really a fantastic resource and as a rule set. It covers science, faith, sexuality, different religions, the whole gamut and really gets into those difficult questions that sometimes as Christians we get stumped by all you have to do is go to our website at core, Christianity.com/offers and look for tough questions answered again core Christianity.com/offers and look for tough questions answered will I drill here is voicemail question we received earlier this week from one of our listeners named Lauren how will you assign you yesterday is going to be returning as a leadership out that card at a maritime really clich will write you guys is an irony. I think he's initiation of the grassy faith. Yeah so responding to critics like Peter does a lot of this that is mentioned first Peter chapter 4 and I think Peter actually addresses your question specifically as well. In second Peter and so you go to to second Peter and he says that these are the kinds of questions that people are going to have there to be people mocking scoffing at this idea that Jesus is coming back. He says in second Peter chapter 3 verse two. You should remember the predictions of the holy prophets in the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.
Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days would scoffing following their own sinful desires, they will say where is the promise of his coming. Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation. Another words like nothing is changed. Where's Jesus, where is the promise of his coming. Peter says this, they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and that the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God and that by means of these the world that then existed was day lose with water and perished by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly, but don't overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a 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, not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance. Why hasn't Jesus come back yet. Peter says what's because he's patient toward you. This world is being kept if you will, reserved for judgment there since this. Right now of grace.
Where God is calling all people to himself turned to Christ to receive his mercy and his forgiveness and he is long-suffering toward sinful humanity. He's calling us to faith in Jesus. There is coming a day where those calls. It is the final judgment when when God does bring that debt destruction on the ungodly.
As Peter said in second Peter chapter 3 verse seven, but right now he's patient toward us is calling us to repentance. And so when when scoffers arise and say will Jesus hasn't come back. It seems like he's taking his time, I think we should respond assimilate a S this is no laughing matter.
Don't scoff about that. The reason he's taking his time is for you so that you might turn to him and know him and experience his grace because there is coming a day when he will judge the whole world in righteousness.
God bless. While that is a great way to respond to someone who has that question.
So thank you grow very, very good answer based with both grace and truth.
That's the way we should respond to anyone who has doubts or questions about the Christian faith let's go to the phones. Here's the phone number if you have a question for a drill and will be taking calls for the next 1213 minutes or so, so hop on the phone right now if you have a question about the Christian faith or your your faith walk and how it intersects with today's culture may be about doctrine or theology. We are open to all questions. 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 go to Joanne calling in from Rogers Arkansas Joanne what your question for Pastor Israel hi Kenneth E to Christ and if he can get a bag and I think I'm poking biologically here because daddy Dave being an ancestor that learning rented and Mary so I didn't know if it's because we are Abraham's children, all others and apply like there's something else yeah hello you look at the genealogies in the Gospels and it's clear that even the gospel writers are setting Jesus up as being in the line if you will the lineage of King David and one of the reasons that this is important is because the Messiah the Jewish Messiah was supposed to be a king you think of the Davidic promise that was made in second Samuel chapter 7 God's promise to King David that one of his offspring would would would continually be on the throne you think of other places like Psalm chapter 2 where it talks about the reign of the Davidic king being over the whole world. This was this is what the people of God were looking forward to it precisely what our Lord Jesus fulfilled and so again you look at some of these genealogies in places like Matthew chapter 1. The book of the genealogy Jean genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham and any traces all of that. In particular there, and so this is just one of the things that Paul is highlighting is he's writing to Timothy, this is central to the gospel. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel is preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal of the word of God is not valid. And so Jesus is the rightful heir to the Davidic throne the ruler over the whole world as prophesied in places again like Psalm chapter 2 Eddie's ruling right now.
Joanna according to verse 20 is chapter 15 until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. Jesus is at the right hand of the father raining in throne. You see this actually in the beginning of the book of acts as well is is is Jesus fulfilling one of his offices. This is the office of the king and what does Jesus do is King he rules over and defends his people. He subdues the nations to himself by his word and spirit through the preaching of the gospel. Jesus is is doing that right now. And we ought to be comforted by that reality.
And so Joanne just gone back to right now what was that what was that what you are thinking specifically or was it was a different concern that you had there in second Timothy 28 on understand all of our C I'm thinking biological, and since just biologically not the father of Jesus. That's where I'm I my husband like it doesn't matter understand why the word may be different trains like sharing that that I don't know maybe I'm just now looking at something thinking yeah yeah I'm in a manner that we have to make too much of the word of the word season.
This is this is mean that it has to be biological that Joseph had to be Jesus's biological father.
That kind of the theme and were thinking here in particular of this sort of lineage. This kingly lineage, which was properly Jesus's and so that's something that's clear and seems like that the New Testament writers felt that way as well him and that they identify Jesus as such in and even in the Gospels, Jesus was identified as such as the son of David when he himself marches into Jerusalem on a donkey, yet this great King as this great ruler, as prophesied again in the Old Testament. He setting himself up as the Davidic king, if you will, as this great ruler, and so I don't think that we have to take it in that way that that Joseph was no physical biologically the father of Jesus and Mary was a virgin on the basis of what Scripture says in the Gospel of Luke and elsewhere, and so I think that's the best way to understand that, but appreciate the question. Hopefully I do know if that'll convince her husband but tell him if he wants he can give me a call so God bless Mrs. Gore Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to John in St. Louis, Missouri. John what your question for a drill shoulder all the work for ablative or mental slander, celestial beings, that the allegorical God will fail Like you a lot. There's no hope for mankind to return toward lifelong and you don't believe in. Ill believe that believe in Jesus for salvation and grace and bacteremia when it comes that men will be both vertical, blasting the celestial angels were much stronger than them all know, and not on the counter and become computable order.
The timeline is always that of is Jesus coming back in our thing is all. Although things are going on at well now all why did the devil has more increase in the world event. I guess you know with all the crime and hate faithfulness that that part of you know the client.
All you'll grab Christ coming back or there will be increasing evil be more more in our family are here court on your answer. Actually, John hey, thanks for that question for those questions.
It sounds like there were quite a few that another passage of Scripture that you are referring to in the first part of your questions in second Peter chapter 2 and second Peter Boulevard been there little bit read chapter 3 was talk about the coming of the Lord in chapter 2.
Specifically, Peter is warning against false teachers with which he says are going to be in the church today. He begins raising false prophets also arose among the people. Just as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them and he begins to talk about this are the characteristics of these false teachers, sensuality, hatred of authority greed. He goes down this list me. Second Peter chapter 2 is pretty pretty vivid in terms of the description of these false teachers and they been around since since the days of Peter them and they're still around today. Throughout the history of the church is just a reality that work and have to wrestle with is why it's so important for us to understand the Scriptures to know the Bible well to be plugged into solid Christian communities because of there's a lot of weird stuff out there.
There's a lot of weird stuff out there in churches in media, radio, television, we have to be discerning. We have to go back to the word of God back to the Scriptures and and understand the word of God. According to its context. According to the history of interpretation and so on and so forth and so this is a warning that Peter's giving of course you do have in other places like get you Paul's letter to the Thessalonians. Assertive talk of this great deception. The strong delusion, that would be coming so it seems like associated with the end times. There is this this final apostasy.
This great falling away if you will, Timothy Wright and Paul writing to Timothy's is in the latter days. Many will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons, so it is right there in the text that I could say yeah, that is, that is a part of of the end times. What I will say that maybe the foot hopefully this is a comfort to you. As you know, I think every society that you don't week.
We tend to think ours is the worst time in history to be let me things have never been this bad. Look at how horrible things are you just think about the days in which the disciples leave the apostles of Nero. He would set Christians up in his garden on fire. I mean this is this. These are the kinds of rulers that they had back then it was pretty bad and it's been pretty bad at various times in the history of the world in human history. And yet, here's the encouraging thing the church of Jesus Christ is continued to stand, and it will continue to stand because it has the promise of Jesus himself.
I am to build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
And so our eyes as Christians need to be fixed on Christ. We need to be grounded in the word of God growing in charity for each other within the church and for all men as as God calls us to love all people sharing the love of Christ with them through hospitality. Not panicking, you know, Peter, again I think that would fit in in the.
The letters of Peter quite a bit today. He says in first Peter chapter 4 verse seven. Listen closely what he says the end of all things is at hand. Therefore be self-controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling as each is received a gift use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's very grace and he goes on there and in first Peter 47 and following. But the point is this is at the end of all things that hand were living in the end times ratings or things are pretty bad so what what should we do what we should we be focused on as followers of Jesus. He says be self-controlled, be sober minded be committed to prayer be committed to hospitality be committed to loving your neighbor and continuing to serve Jesus.
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and that's what I want to say to you as well.
John is with you, but things are happening around us as as we have concerns about the things that are taking place in the world.
We know that you mentioned early on the program today. Jesus is King is raining right now he's ruling and defending his people. He subduing the nations to himself through the preaching of the gospel through his word. We know the end of the story. So we have comfort.
God bless some right words. Thank you for that April.
This is core Christianity with pastor a real Sanchez just a reminder we have that free resource available to you which would be really great at helping you answer some of those tough questions that might be posed to you by a friend or relative who may be doubts the Christian faith.
Maybe somebody you know who's an agnostic or an atheist, and there always, peppering you with questions. It's called tough questions answered and you can get that by going to our website. Core, Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers and look for that particular wonderful offer. Let's go to the email question.
This is from Annette and Annette says a new church opened up recently and we know the pastors and most of the members.
They know that my husband sings on our churches worship team with the pastor at that new church keeps trying to recruit my husband for his worship team.
I feel very uncomfortable with that. I love my current church we went without a church for many years until God finally led us to the one you're at now. Is it right that the other pastor keeps trying to recruit my husband, knowing very well that he belongs to another church already trying to steal away the worship pastor you must be pretty good at leading worship. If the churches in the neighborhood are trying to get them to go there a couple of things one Annette just really glad to hear that you found a good church, and that your plugged in and that you love being there. I mean I that's that's all I love hearing those stories is something that we want for all of our listeners that there plugged into good solid churches and here's here's what I think is a pastor as churches. Our goal should not be how can we siphon members away from other local churches in our area that are preaching the gospel well. But how can we disciple the people that we have here and engage our neighbors who aren't going to church so that they might come to church and maybe some of them are pretty gifted musicians and so that I don't I don't I don't know that you know what I would say that that that that shouldn't be were refocusing as estrogen. I do know that there are situations where an individual's as you know, I think this is in a be a better set up for me and maybe that's what this pastor thinks is is hey I think you fit better here that kind of thing but I really don't think it's that appropriate for us is ministry leaders to be trying to do that II really would love to see the church should of the Lord Jesus Christ in the United States, focusing on engaging the lost. Too often the growth that we see in our churches adjuster to transfer growth and again that's not always. That's not always necessarily a bad thing.
I'm not saying that that you know when members from one church transfer to your church that the abatis notes. It's good to get plugged into good churches especially are leaving one trip for a good reason, as opposed to a bad reason but we really need to think about the mission that Jesus gave us to go into all the world and make disciples. Baptizing in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching the nations to observe everything that Jesus commanded in his word, and so I guess you'll be encouraged that your husband is a coveted worship leader and state. That church where you're at, what you love the Fellowship and and may the Lord continue to bless you guys as are there and be with you in your service. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu bar 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