How Can I Glorify God in the Face of Death?

How can I glorify God in the face of death. 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 Gabriel Sanchez. 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 and our phone lines are open right now and that will be taking calls for the next 25 minutes or so.

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The core 833.core. Also post your question on one of our social media sites and you're always welcome to email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com. Today let's go to Martin calling in from St. Louis, Missouri, Martin, what your question for pastor. Israel I will be so much of what you bless you to Martin, I appreciate just got a question, your thoughts on Catholicism and the Catholic Church.

Hey, thanks for giving us a call. My thoughts on the Roman Catholic Church. Well I was I was six.

He brought up nominally Roman Catholic, I never I never went through my confirmation and first Communion. I was originally baptized in the Roman Catholic Church. I never member going to to mass as a little boy. And you know that that unit show up sort of felt cold and cavernous. I didn't really understand what was what was going on. It wasn't until later when I was in high school that someone shared the gospel with me and I came into understanding of what Christianity was about the fact that I was a sinner. The fact that I needed the grace of God, then the fact that grace was found in Jesus Christ. You'll hear that. Hopefully in the Roman Catholic Church, but I I never did.

At least the time that I spent there and as I continued to grow in my faith in my understanding of Scripture going to college and then and in that in seminary, I think you know III came to realize more and more that I didn't and don't believe that the Roman Catholic Church teaches in line with what what the Scriptures teach and so I'm about a minister of the gospel, not in the Roman Catholic Church and there are number of issues that I think of the developments that happened over time in the Roman Catholic Church that that led the church further and further away from the faithful teaching of Scripture. And so I think we need to get back to the Bible. This is actually what Martin the Protestant Reformation was all about going back to the Scriptures and letting God speak to us through the Scriptures. First and foremost and submitting to their authority to do what they say to us about God, about salvation, about the church in about the authority of the church and so I think that there are soup some significant issues in the Roman theological issues in the Roman Catholic Church related to their understanding of the sacraments. Those ordinances that Jesus gave to the church that their understanding of salvation the doctrine of justification, repentance and idea of penance even even the understanding of heaven. You need to get things like purgatory and and whatnot sought. You know that that's that's my view, were grateful that we have many people in Roman Catholic churches who listen to core Christianity. I love anybody wants to dig in the Scriptures.

I'm I'm down to do that and so let's go to the word of God and ultimately that's the primary authority for us as Christians and so those are my thoughts. I just really quickly. Martin and may the Lord bless you and Martin, thanks so much for your call and for being a regular listener here to core Christianity. We do appreciate you and your question. You have a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine, theology, or what's going on in our world and how your Christian faith intersects with that. We would love to hear from you. Here's our phone number it's 833-843-2673. That's 833 the core by the way, if you have kids or grandkids.

We have a wonderful book available that will help them understand the richness of God's creation, particularly how he made each of us as human beings unique and special yeah it's it's a beautiful book. It's called creative God colorful us and it it really gets into some important issues for us to talk about his Christians and first talk about with our children as well just just earlier today.

Actually, some of my churches asked me for good apologetic resources for our children.

Things that that will help them understand the faith. This is less about defending the faith but but but it is about knowing the faith, knowing how God has made us what he's done for us and how God calls us to love each other with all the bold all the differences that we have and so I want to get a hold of this research is called creative God colorful us by truly a new bell you can get a hold of it over it. Core, Christianity.com for donation of any amount really is a fantastic resources that will help parents and kids learn about how God created human beings. It's called creative God colorful us by truly a new bell you can find it by going to core Christianity.com/offers that's core Christianity.com/offers we do receive emails here at the core and later list. One comes from Carol and it's it's a difficult one, but I want to share this with you. She says I have an incurable cancer and I would like to know how I can be sure that I will endure dying in a way that glorifies the Lord a sister may the Lord be with you and and bless you and grant you faith and perseverance in this time.

You know this is this the same thing that the apostle Paul wanted he wanted to glorify the Lord with his life and even with his death. He says in Philippians chapter 1 verse 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage. Now, as always Christ will be honored in my body whether by life or by death. And then he goes on to say forward to me to live is Christ and to die is gain that the release of the Di's canisters. He knows I'm to be in the presence of the Lord I'm to be in the presence of Jesus. When I die, and that's the hope you have sister that the souls of believers are immediately went. When we die immediately made perfect in holiness were in the presence of the Lord worshiping God together with the angels around the throne of God, then that doesn't mean that we should just say, oh man, I don't want to live anymore. That kind of thing, but that there is a hope that we have that you have that's rooted. Jesus is done for you, and in the meantime, we want to be able to say for me to live is Christ. Now what does that look like it looks like trusting in the Lord in the midst of whatever adversities we face loving him and loving the people around him, clinging to him and knowing in a situation like this sister that the Lord himself is clinging to you holding on to you.

I think that's so important for you to understand in this time.

I'm also reminded about the words of the apostle Paul what he says in second Corinthians chapter 4. Listen closely to what he said there verse seven we have this treasure in jars of clay to show the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed, always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body sets we want even through our suffering, even through your suffering for the life of Christ to be manifested in and through you, for he says we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus's sake of the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh so that death is at work in us, but life in you. Paul says since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what has been written, I believe, and so I spoke. We also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring this with him with you into his presence, for it is for. It is all for your sake, so that his grace extends to more and more people. It may increase thanksgiving to the glory of God. And then he closes with these words so we do not lose heart.

Though our outer self is wasting away our inner self is being renewed day by day for this light. Momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen sister. You continue to cling to the Lord know that he is clinging to you and look to the things that are unseen and God is at work in you manifesting the life of Jesus, by the grace of the Spirit through your life and so I would say you know continuing to trust in the Lord to rest in the Lord to cling to that hope that you have and in all things.

In the midst of your suffering to seek to please the Lord and to honor him in May God grant you strength sense of his presence and a sense of his love, even as is our outer selves are wasting away, knowing that he is renewing you inwardly that he is with you. God bless you sister Carolyn will be praying for you and we actually have a resource that might be helpful to you or any of our listeners that are going through difficult times.

It's called, how can God use all things for good.

You can find that by going to our website. Core, Christianity.com/free downloads again.

It's called, how can God use all things for good. Let's go back to the phones Ryan is on the line from St. Louis, Missouri Ryan, what's your question for pastor atrial deity. I was with you a DayStar ministry program recently and have your bow today with Jesse Duplantis was showing a video of a sermon. He's given like humanity. While the garden of Eden. Yet, but here's what he said that the guard would be exist in a different dimension and that would adamantly walk the garden of Eden that the garden of Eden moved along with the I mean, the Bible says in Hosea 46 my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge and I don't understand why people believe that kind of heresy will descend. Thank you for Fort was usually Ryan, thank you for that for that question. Really, the question says a white why is it that people believe these kinds of things well that the sad reality is is just a lot of biblical literacy out there in the world isn't there, and so people you are looking to pastors to help them. And when you have false teachers out there and and you know I don't have high view of ministers like Jesse Duplantis and others who I think are peddling the word of God in ways that are unfaithful for for profit and for gain of and this is a serious issue and so brother what what what I would say is yeah you're you're totally right. I mean what what was said there about the garden of Eden was incorrect.

That's not true there's no indication in Scripture that the garden of Eden followed Adam and Eve's late as they just sort of walked around I think about what the apostle Paul said to Timothy in second Timothy chapter 2 verse 22 flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Having nothing to do with the foolish ignorant controversies you know that they breed quarrels and the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind everyone able to teach patiently enduring evil correcting his opponents with gentleness God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. There are ministers out there who need to be corrected who were were not faithfully teaching the word of God that we ought to do that with wisdom with gentleness is, as Paul says there but but at the end of the day were talking about God's word, and so part of the issue is many people out there who identify themselves as Christians are not studying the word of God or not in the word of God and so they are easily led astray. The pastor comes along someone who says they've studied and they've they've me know learned these things and they begin to teach weird theories about the Bible and people just buy it hook line and sinker. We need to be Maria and brothers and sisters, that means we need to test the things that we hear on the basis of what the Bible teaches and in order to do that you need to know the Bible and so this is a challenge for all of you for all of us to know the Scriptures to draw near to God through the word of God it in seeking to gain understanding so that when we hear these kinds of things Ryan. We won't be easily led astray. God bless you brother hey Ryan, thanks for your call and for reading being discerning in his federal said being a brand and really searching God's word. When you hear stuff that's out there.

And that certainly would qualify. This is core Christianity with pastor atrial Sanchez would love to hear from you.

If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Our phone lines will be open for the next 10 minutes or so is the number 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 a message from Ethan who is in Hamilton, Illinois. He passed this along. He said some people in my church are curious about the biblical definition for deacon qualifications. Particularly, is this a role just for males.

Hey Ethan, thank you for that question. This is something that is debated. My view is that yes the diaconate is 00 role reserved for males, but I have a lot of friends and people that I respect you take a different view's is not one of the issues that I think we need to to divide overseas that one of those core Christian doctrines.

If you will, and so yeah but at about one thing I do is I go to acts chapter 6, for example, I think you have the institution of the diaconate says in these days when the disciples were increasing in number complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews, because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution in the 12 some in the full number the disciples and said it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the spirit of wisdom, whom we will appointed this duty, but we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word and citizens like that leap the role, the elder, the office of the ministers it's devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word. I think that's key that's that's really important here. You have these individuals were chosen to care for the physical needs of the church as those physical needs, you know, came to came to be here and in particular in acts six.

It's it's caring for widows in this daily distribution of food. And then of course you have the qualifications for deacons given in first Timothy chapter 3 verse eight deacons likewise must be dignified, not double tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain they make must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience and let them also be tested first, then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless their wives like my somewhat likewise must be dignified, not slanderous but sober minded, faithful in all things let deacons each be the husband of one wife managing their children and their own household well for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus, so there's a couple passages that I go to in any I note with regard to that first Timothy 31 there some questions there about the translation of their wives in verse 11. It could that be a reference to women who are serving as deacons is that as I said there is debate. That's my view and hopefully that that helps bring you some clarity and may the Lord bless you even think so much for your question. We appreciate that this is core Christianity and if you just joined us.

We are offering a wonderful book today. It has to do with how God created us as human beings and the beautiful gift that he has given us, and that is the fact that were made in his image and that there so much diversity and wonder in the human being and we would love to offer this book to you. It's called creative God colorful us.

It's actually a book that parents and grandparents can read to their kids. You can find that for a gift of any amount by going to our website and it's our core, Christianity.com/offers.

Again, look for creative God colorful us by truly a new belt go back to the phones. Greg is on the line from Wichita, Kansas Greg, what's your question for pastor atrial so you divorce and neither party committed adultery is possible to remarry and be in God's will. Greg, thank you for that question. You know a really cautious and we hand when we answer these kinds of questions on the air, especially because I know there so often times are so personal so sensitive and and we don't know.

I don't know personally. All of the circumstances related to the situation. Typically, we know we talk about to biblical rationales that are given for divorce, one being adultery and Jesus talks about that in Matthew chapter 19. So what were you do have adultery in the relationship infidelity then that that is biblical grounds for divorce does it mean that an individual has to get divorced but there are grounds for divorce there and that individual who sinned against could freely with a clear conscience go and get married another one that we sometimes go to in first Corinthians 7. Is this idea of abandonment, where the apostle Paul talks about a believer who is married to a nonbeliever. And if the nonbeliever leaves abandons the believer and the relation will there's there's no you not bound to that person you're free to be married only in the Lord.

Paul goes on to say in first Corinthians, and so those are you note to the visit to that we go to now I know as a pastor that when you get into issues of sin and difficulty in marriage and divorce, you know, it just things are things are complex. Would someone who was divorced wasn't on the community to work with. There were no biblical grounds for divorce. Could they later repent know you what one thing Paul says in first Corinthian's chapter 7, you know, if two people are separated instead of getting divorced. That kind of a thing if if if there is an issue that they ought to be reconciled.

So one thing I think about couple could pursue his reconciliation but down the line.

Could they potentially marry someone else in a blue and I mean there are there many couples like this were married and in churches today. Does that mean that they're cut off from the grace of God, not II don't think so. I think there can still be genuine repentance in those circumstances later on. But again it it's very complex and so without knowing your situation. Your story in depth in and for the history thereof, be very cautious to give you any advice one way or another ceased stick by merely with those to two reasons that are given in in the Scriptures, and may the Lord give you wisdom. Rather, thank you. Grave: this is core Christianity with pastor atrial Sanchez we always receive emails here on a daily basis and you can email us with your question about the Bible or the Christian life at questions at core, Christianity.com. Nathaniel has this email question for you have a drill. He says what advice or guidance would you give someone who feels a calling to ministry of some kind. After attending a ministry conference.

I feel I may be called to some sort of ministry but I'm not sure what kind the elders of my church are praying over this call, but I'm just looking for some additional guidance. Yeah why think that the Lord over time.

You know, guides us providentially. I know for me when I first became a Christian I felt a sense of call to do some sort of ministry that will maybe the Lord is calling me to be a missionary but in overtime as I continued to to pursue the Lord to walk with the Lord to be a faithful member of the church that I was at I think more and more.

I had this desire to teach and preach the word of God and others in the church began to affirm that and say hey we we feel like you're gifted in this area.

We want to encourage you to pursue this as well and so you have this sense of call internally. This this feeling this this desire or aspiration towards ministry towards serving the church as an elder or a pastor and overseer and that's can confirmed by others around you who are in your local church to know you. They know your character. They know your gifts and and how God is using those gifts and they say hey wait, we agree with this and so I think I dig up you know that there also to things that we look to look to just the circumstances.

God's providence opening up opportunities for you to serve, and in certain ways. The people that God has placed in your life giving you wisdom and advice and encouragement your own personal sense of call that that desire that you have found that you you have that desire and let that continue to grow and over time, especially as your serving in the local church and and I think that's key. A call to the ministry doesn't have it happen.

Apart from the churches of the prison to something on your own it's it's as you are serving the body of Christ and growing together with the believers there and and working with with your pastor and love to hear that they're praying for you about this.

Things will become clearer. I believe and you'll you'll have more of a sense of direction over time. And of course you look at the qualifications in first Timothy three and Titus chapter 1 is not just that the calling that needs to be in place and it sounds like that's that's what you're feeling out right now but also the qualifications of of character you know you someone who walks with the Lord who is humble who is exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit are you someone who is competent in the word of God. There a lot of people was talking about this early on the broadcast today right. Who was Abba pastor I'm called to be a pastor but then instead of rightly handling the word of God. They mishandled the word of God. They say weird things about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

All sorts of other things as I was talking about earlier and ends and so having that competency in the Scriptures.

Being a student of the word of God studying, as Paul said to show yourself approved that a minister rightly dividing handling the word of truth. Those are all the things that you're going to be wanting to to think through and may God give you wisdom. And remember that the warning that James gives in James chapter 3 verse one let not many of you become teachers, my brothers, knowing that will receive a stricter judgment at such a wonderful thing.

When an individual feels called to the ministry and I hope I hope that you do not take that seriously, and take God's word seriously. It's the word of the true true and living God in us the work in which we have eternal life. And so we wanted to be extra careful with. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer.

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