Does the Bible Teach That We Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Sickness or Death?

Does the Bible teach that we shouldn't be afraid of sickness or death best is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity 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. On this Friday.

We would love to hear from you, and you can call us right now with your question. For the next 25 minutes or so. Here's our phone number it's 1-833-843-2673 if you want to spell it out. It's 833, the core might want to make note about 833.core. Also post your question on one of our social media sites you can watch a drill live in the studio right now on YouTube and send us a message through our YouTube channel course you can always email us your question at questions@4christianity.com first up today let's go to Chris calling in from Lebanon, Tennessee. Chris what your question for a drill audio lane with the parable about strong through an old garment and also blunt about not be important only absolutely Chris so were talking right now about Luke chapter 5 were talking about Luke, chapter 5, and it's in verse 33 exit a question it comes to Jesus from the Pharisees. They said to him, the disciples of John fast often and offer prayers and so to the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.

And Jesus said to them, can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast in those days he also told them a parable no one tears it piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does he will tear the new in the piece from the new will not match the old and no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst, and the skins will be the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.

But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and no one after drinking old wine desires new free, says the old is good here.

I think it's it's Jesus is highlighting the new covenant in the inauguration of God's kingdom, the new wine of the new covenant if you will, in the setting aside the abrogation. In one sense of the old covenant deity.

He's essentially highlighting the fact that he's he's knocking to be caught within the that the trappings of of the Judaism of the time with the religious leaders were trying to impose upon him, and this promise of the new wine, the new covenant was gonna burst through all of that and so you really have a contrast here with the old and the new covenant and Jesus highlighting that through do this parable there there wanting to impose these regulations upon Jesus and Jesus is letting his disciples no know I've come to bring the new wine. The wine of the new covenant, and of course that's exactly what what Jesus did you think about him instituting to the supper later in the gospel of Luke where he takes a couple lines as this cup is the new covenant in my blood shed for the forgiveness of many do this in remembrance of me and so and so work getting here at this stage in the gospel based on the questions that Jesus is receiving a picture of the kingdom that he's that he's bringing in. So thank you for that question and I love getting into the Gospels right off right off the bat for today's broadcast hey Chris, thanks so much for your call. Appreciate that just me ask you a drill just can we apply that at all to today's world for those who would try to add to the gospel and say well in order to be.

Let's say obedient to God. You need to do this this this and this to kind of earn God's favor. Yeah well I'm I think the application really is. You see this in places like the book of Galatians, trying to go back under the law, putting people under the old covenant with its rules and regulations� This was the problem that the agitators were bringing up in in Galatia, and Paul addresses it by by talking about the new covenant and the work of Jesus Christ and and so yeah there there is application for the church today, especially in those contexts where Christians are being placed back under the law, black back under Moses if you will and in Jesus's.

That's a huge issue and that's that's hinted at here in Luke chapter 5. I do not want to go back under Moses. Thank you very much. This is Cook this is Gord Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine, theology, or what's going on in our culture and how your Christian faith intersects with that get us a call at 833-843-2673.

That's 833 the core. By the way, we know that a lot of our listeners decided to start tackling the Bible in 2022. Maybe that was one of your New Year's resolutions to start reading the Bible on a regular basis and if you've never done that before. You might find a little bit intimidating so we have developed a special Bible study just for you. You know Bill I think that's one of the reasons why so many people unity start reading the Bible and then they stop halfway through Genesis you know once they get to Leviticus that kind of thing and in the issue is that you think I don't understand this.

I don't see how this is relevant for me.

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What, let's go to voicemail. We received from one of our listeners. This is from Randy in regards to the second 17 new King James version, God is not given the spirit of prayer power and wallow in a sound mind. I understand that I don't have a hard time struggling with all not sure how or if it applies to the world in which we live in today pertaining to: I understand we need to be cautious of unviable our environment and our exposure to other people. I guess then when you read this verse it says God did not given us a spirit of fair are low, sound mind, I'm I'm just not sure. Thank you everyone get ready.

Thank you for that question and I am encouraged to hear that you, your thinking about these things seriously and how how relevant right thinking about the fear of death. What the Scripture says about that and it's especially what we've seen all around us today and and how there really is is this great fear. In recognition of the fact that were were you no mortal.

That would that that it is put before us every day, especially with with the pandemic and so how do we apply a verse like second Timothy chapter 1 verse seven God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind or of self-control, but the first thing to know is that in the context here Paul is talking to Timothy about not being afraid of suffering for the sake of the gospel that is in the persecution that these believers there were experiencing for their faith in Jesus and for sharing that faith with others. The very next verse you know Paul says do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace and CC right there that really what he is concerned with.

This is not just the sort of general fear of death, but he doesn't want young Timothy to be afraid of the kinds of things he's going to experience as a minister of the gospel preaching the truth and experiencing persecution for the sake of Christ and essays in God is not giving you a spirit of fear when it comes to that, but of power and self-control.

But what Scripture does speak about the fear of death and and our relationship to death as believers. The passage of Scripture that I would want to take you to is found in the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 2 beginning in verse 14. Listen to what it says. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood.

Jesus himself likewise partook of the same things that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. In other words, through Christ we are delivered from that enslavement to the fear of death.

Why, because in Christ death has been conquered by Jesus by his resurrection from the dead and and so we have to factor this in. As we think about the world as as as believers in Jesus Christ and II think there are two errors that we want to avoid. The first is you know what we want to recognize that for for the believer.

Our relationship with death has been transformed. Jesus said the one who believes to me, believes in me will never die. The idea there is that that for us. Death is in entering into life if you will.

You see this especially in in John's Gospel in the book of Revelation.

It death has been transformed for the believer and so we don't have to be enslaved to a fear of death anymore so that that's something we want to avoid that. That sort of that net that deep irrational just you know consumed by the fear of death as if Jesus didn't concrete but the other thing we want to avoid is the sort of willy-nilly, you know, will I die just, you know, who cares kind of a thing were not having regard for each other, taking care of ourselves taking care of the people around us is as you brought up because I think sometimes exit well, you know death is been conquered.

What is everybody worrying about you know and and and so I'd I think we also need to avoid that and be gracious to one another Jesus through his life, death and resurrection has freed us so that we have the hope of eternal life and and we want to encourage the people around us. With that hope and and we wanted to realize. Also, you know we want to be sensitive. The fact that there are people who don't understand the gospel, who were still gripped by that fear and we want to minister to those people and so I appreciate that your that your wanting to be cautious and careful and and also that that you you're doing that, but that you want to make sure that you have a proper understanding of what your view of death should be as as a Christian. Paul says in first Corinthians chapter 15 that death is the last enemy to be destroyed. It's it's that's what death is it's it's the enemy that Jesus came to conquer.

And so that's how we need to view it but it's an enemy that we don't have to to shrink in fear away from because of what Jesus has done. God bless some great comforting words federal thank you for that. This is core Christianity with pastor Averill Sanchez and if you have a question about the Bible of the Christian life would love to hear from you. Our phone lines will be open for the next 10 minutes or so you can hop on the phone and call us at 833-843-2673.

That's 833. The core Linda who's calling in from Iowa. Linda what's your question for atrial. I don't have any Scripture references are there anything but my whole life I've been taught that in the end time when Jesus comes back some of our family will go to heaven and some of our family will go to hell. I've also been taught my whole life that when you get to heaven there will be no more sadness and no more tears. I don't understand how those two things go together yeah well so so a couple of things when when the Lord does come back.

There is going to be a great judgment to great separation. You know, you think about what Jesus talked about that. The sheep go judgment you think about all the things that we see in in the book of Revelation is also your question is will how can how can I have joy in heaven.

If I have family members and loved ones who aren't there with me and that is a great question. We do know like like you said that the Bible teaches that in heaven know all of our tears are going to be wiped away. It is is quoting really a prophecy in the book of Isaiah, but Revelation chapter 21 beginning in verse one.

John said I saw a new heaven and new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God get this is worse for so beautiful. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. I don't know how it's all going to to work out exactly Linda but I know that the Bible says that in the presence of God.

We are going to experience perfect joy in perfect peace and God himself foretold here in Revelation 21 four is going to wipe away our tears. I don't think that means that you know we just we just you lose all of our memory of of the pastor something like that so that you know we don't have to think about that. The things that happen before the people who are in with the second of them. I'm not sure what that's gonna be like, but I know that in the presence of Almighty God the perfect judge the righteous one, the one who is gracious, who commands all people everywhere right now to repent and and says that to us and to our family members but we lament that that they don't but I think in the presence of God.

Everything is going to be so eclipsed by his glory that there is gonna be no more sorrow. Somehow this cliff to be no more pain, no more tears because we are in the presence of our creator and experiencing partaking of his glory is a somehow that that weight of glory if you will is is so much greater than anything we've ever experienced here on earth that it it's going to be what causes us to have that perfect joy in perfect peace and that that's the way I II see it. And so, thank you so much Linda for for your question and may the Lord, you know, encourage all of us to be in prayer for our family members right now as as the Lord calls them to himself, that we would be good witnesses and examples of the work of the Lord in our lives with the gospel on our lips. God bless you. Thank you Linda for calling in great challenge for everyone of us with our family members and close friends to make sure that we are willing to share the truth. The good news of Christ with them.

This is core Christianity, just a reminder we have this wonderful Bible study available for you if you started reading the Bible for the very first time. Or maybe you're a regular Bible reader, but you got some questions.

It's called how to read the Bible. It's available for it's a 10 week of Bible study that's available for you for a donation of $20 or more. Just go to core Christianity.com/Bible core, Christianity.com/Bible to find that let's go to Darren who's calling in from Missouri.

During what your question for pastor atrial right are you doing doing well Darren thank you I got a couple of verses little of that I'm struggling with my wife and I've been married for seven years and she had left about 1314 months ago and tried and tried to see if we could work together were both Christians to resolve a marriage that she is wanting the divorce, so I've got to think I I'm struggling with the first ones first Corinthians 715 and said that the unbelieving partner. But if the unbelieving partner separates.

Let it be so, and I'm trying to see how what that means to me by my wife and is a Christian, but I also view that she's not believing in the Christian bowels of marriage from what I know there is no biblical reason for divorce and I cannot closure to this so why she wants it and will not try and resolve a marriage with me that so I just wanted your take and then I have one more verse after that. Okay well just just with regard to that, you know, the apostle Paul is saying that when you know two people are married. One is a Christian. The other is in the Christian and the non-Christian spouse abandons the marriage they they they run away. They neglect their spouse. Paul says that that the Christian in that in that situation isn't necessarily bound to the marriage that that this other person has left there's there's really nothing you could do earlier, you know, he says in verse into the married I give this charge not I but the Lord that the wife should not separate from her husband. But if she does, she should remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband and it sounds to me like that's what you're what you're desiring and and what you want and so you� I think that continuing tip to praying, but I don't know during the. The details of your situation, so we try to be very careful on the broadcast on to give people specific advice related to marriage and divorce because I know that there's so much to to each of the stories but yeah that in terms of the verse that you were bringing up that that's talking about an unbelieving spouse who abandons the marriage did you say you had a follow-up thereto. When you are you saying there are not a Christian man that what he can to get the unbelieving partner separates that's that's right that that that's that that's specifically what Paul is saying, usually in the context of the church right this is where you're at your church and hopefully you guys are a part of the church members of a church where the church would step in and seek to walk alongside of you and your wife and and call you know your your wife to live in line with what Scripture teaches. That's where I was going to go next. You know we both belong to the same denomination but I've been really struggling this last year with the why she won't try to resolve the marriage, but breaking the other one is Matthew 18 verse 15 if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you gained your brother.

But if I don't listen bring to other witnesses. How does that apply to me that's really never been done in this situation. This is why it's so important that were in good churches and good churches that they practiced church discipline to hold the people in the church to the fate that they confess. And so, in a situation like this.

Ordinarily, what supposed to have alleges let's just say again, not knowing all the intricate details of your situation. Let's just say you have a couple and the one you know the wife claims to be a Christian, but for no reason.

You know, no biblical reasons I'm just I'm leaving this marriage. I want to get a divorce will not situation the church should step in and come alongside and say hey you know that there there isn't a biblical rationale for your you're not walking in line with what the Scripture says in a situation like this. And there's encouragement.

There's counseling. There's working together there's prayer they're shepherding there's others. All of those things and that should be up a part of the process and it could be that an individual just as I I don't hear my guy I thought. I believe that I don't have anything to do with this and want anything to do with Jesus. I just can one do my my own thing and then you do you have that the process of church discipline described in places like Matthew chapter 18 described in places like first Corinthians chapter 5 and so the hope would be that your church would be pursuing you and your wife in caring for you in this time and calling you both to live in line with what the Scriptures teach and again that that doesn't always happen. Sadly, and so brother III it sounds like you're in a very difficult situation. I can tell that you want there to be restoration, reconciliation, so I just want to take a moment for you right now Darren to pray for you and to ask for God's wisdom and for his grace to be poured up out on you and and your wife. Lord I lift Darren up to you. Lord we don't know all the details of his situation, but you do you know Lord where there needs to be repentance where there needs to be forgiveness where the bullet where there is healing that is needed and God you were the one who gives those things and we ask for those things look for for Darren for his marriage for his wife.

Lord I pray for the church that he's a part of Lord that they would be able to get involved in and engage in a loving way with Darren and his family, Jesus, and that you would begin to draw both Darren and his wife, closer to you into your word and that you would give them both wisdom the grace of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the spirit Lord is the interact with each other but would you do, Lord, what only you can do and that is bring healing in this situation, and restoration. Lord, if indeed it is what's called for here. So please, Lord be with Darren be with his wife and be with their church. In Jesus name, amen.

I meant we got time for one more quick question. Let's go to heaven. In Kansas City, Missouri Evan, what's your question for pastor. Israel church more friends that are now formed theology. What the different theology, traditional helical. Thank you Kevin, thank you for asking that question only have about 20 seconds to answer that before that, before the show ends, but let me just say typically in reformed theology you haven't, an emphasis upon God's sovereignty in salvation high view of sin, a high view of God's sovereignty, but there really is so much more high view of the local church a high view of the ordinances Jesus gave in. So I'm it we can open up tomorrow show with that.

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