What Does It Look Like to Repent of Homosexuality?

Someone actually repent of their sexuality is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition 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. We would love to hear from you and our phone lines are open right now we taking calls for the next 25 minutes or so. So give us a call at 833-843-2673. That's 833 the core. You can also post your question on her Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts.

You can watch a drill live right now on YouTube and send us a message through our YouTube channel course you can always email us your question at questions@corechristianity.com first up today. Here's an email. It really came in from one of our listeners named Evan. He says this is something I've been struggling with for a while and I was wondering what you think before Jesus left he gave us the great commission go spreading the gospel and make disciples. I can do that what my question is because Jesus doesn't tell us exactly how to share the gospel. He just tells us to do it.

Can we share the gospel. However, we want to do it or do we have to do it in a certain way will I guess there are different ways to spread the gospel right we can do it do things like tracks, you know, handing handing out pieces of literature or relationships. Building building relationships with others, and in getting opportunities to talk about Christ what looks like to follow him to believe in him. I think it first.

EEP mentioned the great commission.

When Jesus said to go tell the world preaching the gospel making disciples. What will we read in the book of acts what that looked like throughout the book of acts we have the preaching of the apostles the disciples and and certainly their preaching was characterized by few things we typically when they shared the gospel. It wasn't their story was about their story story. First and foremost was about God's story oftentimes it would give up an entire history of redemption. You know how guided acted in in days past delivering his people and how he acted in Christ to deliver us from our sins and so I think that one. One clue that we get from the apostolic preaching is that the focus has to be on God and what he's done in history for the redemption of sinners.

Too often I think when we when we talk about sharing the gospel we mean is registered of sharing our own personal stories and our own personal experiences how Jesus changed my life.

But we actually don't get into the core of what the gospel is who he is and what he accomplished in in history calling all people everywhere to repent it because there's no other name given to heaven by which men and women must be saved. This is what the Bible says in X chapter 4 it so I would say we do get some some tips if you will, on what that preaching look like throughout the book of acts, but we are called. I think to apply the gospel and in specific contexts. Sometimes this is referred to as contextualization and that the text people will go to, and in discussing this is first Corinthians chapter 9 beginning in verse 19, Paul said, for though I am free from all I have made myself a servant to all that I might win more of them to the Jews.

I became as a Jew in order to win Jews to those under the law I became as one under the law, though not being myself under the law, that I might win those under the law to those outside the law I became as one outside the law not being outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ that I might win those outside the law to the week. I became weak that I might win the week I have become all things to all people that, by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, but I may share with them in its blessings, the words you know Louise not sharing his own special gospel that he invented. We don't we don't share different Gospels. There's one gospel that we share, but we seek to apply it. You know, in particular contexts so that it so that it's understandable so that people can grasp it and so I think I think maybe that's where that where there some different you know we think about the strategy with regard to preaching the gospel and in specific context but that that gospel is the one message of what God has accomplished for us in Christ. And so we have to keep that central and and may the Lord help you to do that. Evan is as you think about the work of Christ in your life and what God is accomplished in history and you want to share that with others Less right to counsel their drilling out there a lot of people who share the gospel by saying here's what Jesus has done for me, which is not a bad thing, but you're saying get back to the centrality of what Christ has done for all of us and what he calls us to. Yeah. And of course you have examples of you know people sharing their testimonies quote "me think of of Paulina talking about how the Lord brought him to faith in you have is story repeated and in the book of acts, but I just think you know for for many people. We think about sharing Jesus out, but a lot of it is me sort of just telling people about my own personal experience and that the issue with that is, it can be highly subjective. You know people here that and they think that's great for you. It's great. It's great help me know. Jesus changed your life that just not for me and especially in a context like our own. That's very pluralistic with regard to religion every just to says oh you know what you believe is good for you what I believe this is good for me.

Let's just let bygones be bygones and in but the reality is is near the preaching of the gospel is more than just something that's that's good for you are good for me. It's for all people. The gospel is for all people because it's something that God actually did in history we need to get back to that message that reality of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and what it means for the people around us because it it has bearing on their lives. So I think we should speak as though that's the case because it is a man you're listening to core Christianity and our phone lines are open. If you have a question for pastor a drill about the gospel about the Christian life about doctrine or theology, give us a call right now, here's the number it's 833. The core 833-843-2673 know one of the things that we get a lot of calls about on this program is the whole issue of repentance and today were offering a free resource that really focuses on repentance.

Yeah it's over core, Christianity.com. It's a free download. It's called seven things everyone should know about repentance. This is going to help you define what repentance is. You know there are a lot of Christians who struggle with the idea of repentance, wondering if I really repented of my sins, especially if I still struggle with them. You know that the same set of confessed it, but I still seem to struggle with this particular cenobite really repented well will. It's important that we understand what repentance is biblically and so this resource will help you gain that understanding against all seven things everyone should know about repentance and it's yours for free over core, Christianity.com would love to get that in your hands. And here's how you do it, go to core Christianity.com/offers that's core Christianity.com/offers look for seven things everyone should know about repentance. Let's listen to a voicemail from one of our callers. This came in earlier this week.

It's from Sabrina Holland on fiery hell I need Sabrina thank you for for your question.

It well that the very simple answer is no, I mean we repent we turn to the Lord away from our sins. You know God, God forgives us and we come to him. Jesus is no one who comes to me.

Blight will I cast out, and if so, you know, if you go to the Lord way down convicted by sin by things that you've done it in your past know that that the Lord welcomes you with open arms in the you come to him like we all do.

Needing God's grace needing needing his mercy asking for forgiveness and in he does forgive us and we have the promise in first John chapter 1 that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The first thing I want you to know Sabrina is that you have not Vito committed the unpardonable sin. It's not like the you know this sin in particular is the just the sin that so bad that God won't forgive it.

No, not at all. There is forgiveness for you and that forgiveness is found in the blood of Jesus Christ, which is sufficient to cleanse you of all your sins no matter what they are and so when you go to the Lord confessing your sin know that you're forgiven and rest and receive you know God's God's grace so important that we understand this.

I think sometimes you know in the church. We can talk about some cinching a particular since as though you know that that's that the sin of all sins. When Jesus did talk about the unpardonable sin in the Gospels, the sin that can never be forgiven, but that's the he wasn't referring to homosexuality there. He was referring to unbelief and in the persistent hardhearted refusal of the gospel, a denial of the fact that Jesus is the Christ the Savior of the world's estimate. Sabrina like like that's not at all what what you think like you desperately want Jesus in his grace and to know that you're forgiven so I can I can say to you sister that if you confess your sin to the Lord sincerely know that he hears you, and that he does forgive you and not only does he forgive you but he fills you with his spirit so that you might grow in grace and continue to walk in, in a manner that's pleasing to the Lord.

That doesn't mean that you that you are instilled in a struggle with with the feelings, with desires and you continue to confess those is as you have them and know that when you do, the Lord is merciful to you so God bless you and thank you for your question Sabrina, thanks so much for being a listener of core Christianity.

We actually have a free download that we think you'll find helpful. It's a core guide and it's called 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality. If you go to our website at core, Christianity.com/downloads you can find that that be helpful for anyone who maybe are struggling with their sexuality, their gender identity, and or for a family member, so check that out at a website core, Christianity.com/downloads go back to the phones. Susan is on the line from St. Louis, Missouri Susan what your question for pastor. Israel want to say thank you for your program and I learned a lot from the question-and-answer. My question is I ran and also heard some devotion that I'm going to my prayer and I'm not coming out sometime get an answer and I was wondering in reality what is that exactly mean I feel like my going to God is undecided or I need to be with that sissy not the only one who struggles.

I think with prayer and a many, many who I know you're listening right now probably hearing you and say yeah I could do a better job, and in regard to my prayer life.

And this is one of the reasons I think that the disciples of our Lord Jesus ask him specifically teach us how to pray mean they saw him going off to be by himself praying to the father and that this was is that a consistent pattern in the life of our Lord Jesus. And so it's something that that we all, I think need to grow and and and want to growing now that statement you don't go into your prayer closet, and don't leave until you get an answer. I don't I don't know yet where your hearing that I don't know how helpful that is. It seems like you know to be furtive like trying to force God you know to to answer us in the way we want to be answered. The reality is, is it me that I wouldn't put it that that way but I think that we can consider Jesus's words in Luke chapter 18 where he talked about the importance of persistence in prayer and listen what he said. There he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said in a certain city. There was a judge who neither feared God and a respected man and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying give me justice against my adversary for while he refused for a while.

He refused. But afterward he said to himself, though I neither fear God nor respect man yet because this widow keeps bothering me. I will give her justice so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming and the Lord said here what the unrighteous judge says, and will not, God give justice to his elect who cried to him day and night will he delay long over them.

I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily were encouraged when it comes to prayer not to give up to be persistent and I don't know that that means you need to lock yourself in a room and not leave until God speaks to you from heaven again that that seems sort of presumptuous, but I do think we ought to be encouraged to continually pursue the Lord obviously for those things that are in accordance with his will and I think this is where it's so important for us to understand the Scriptures to make sure that were rooted in the teaching of the Bible so that were praying things that God wants us to pray for that are in line with his will and John says in the book of first John that we ask anything according to the will of God.

We know that he hears us and that he's can answer those prayers and so I think if if you're crying out to the Lord that God might help you to grow in holiness that God might give you at a deeper understanding of his love for you in Jesus that God might provide for you me think about the Lord's prayer how Jesus himself taught us to pray.

You can pray those things with confidence and there may come times in your life where you feel like it.

I don't see that these prayers being answered and natural. We need to go to Luke 18 and and be encouraged by Jesus himself to continue to be persistent so I don't think that that means you have to lock yourself in a room until God gives you what you're asking for know. It just means pray according to the will of the Lord and don't lose heart as you do even when you don't see the answer to your prayer right away continue to seek the face of the Lord and know that God hears you, and I just want to encourage you and that Susan may God bless you and fill you with his spirit and give you his grace to continue to approach his throne boldly through Jesus some great counsel. Thank you so much for that Israel.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Our phone lines are open and were taking your calls about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine or theology or maybe how your your Christian walk is intersecting with what's going on in today's culture are open to questions about that as well and we always welcome calls from people who have doubts or may even consider themselves an atheist or agnostic can really have a challenging question about Christianity. Feel free to give us a call. There's the number it's 833-843-2673. That's 833.

The Corps will be taking calls for another seven or eight minutes or so, so hop on the phone right now let's go to Terry calling in from Nebraska. Terry what your question for pastor. Israel and I think that when the lady said I only touch the hem of man will be healed.

Why is he necessarily need to know and make her say make a scene so don't touch his garment when he's an all-knowing God's Terry, thank you for your question that the passage of Scripture. Your fridge is not in the old Testaments in the New Testament it's in the Gospel of Mark in Mark chapter 5 I Jesus healing this woman who has this problem that she's had for many years. She's got this this hemorrhage she's bleeding which would have meant all sorts of things for her socially and that day and she would have been ceremonially unclean. She would not have been permitted into the courts of the temple to worship the Lord because she's in this this state of uncleanness if you will, and so she would've been, and in one sense, sort of an outcast in society and the text in Mark chapter 5 says that she can or should done everything that she could to try to get better and she only grew worse and worse and so should that she hears about Jesus. This healer and she believes in him and she's desperate. She just is is longing for healing and so you know this is this is the sort of context to read some of that passage. Verse 27 said she had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment, for she said if I touch even his garments. I will be made well and immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease and Jesus perceiving himself that power had gone out from him immediately turned about in the crowd and said, who touched my garments now just with regard to that question that he asked. Because seems like this is what we are curious about is will why would he need to ask that question. If he is God. If he is omniscient in people of asked the same the same kind of question with regard to the early chapters of of Genesis where God speaks to you know Adam and Eve after they have sinned thing to where where are you is not that he didn't know where they were. It's it's an invitation actually to confession. It's an invitation to to humble oneself before the Lord who touched my garments and his disciples said to him you see the crowd pressing around you and yet you say who touched me, and he looked around to see who had done it with the woman knowing what it happened to her came in fear and trembling, and fell down before him and told him the whole truth, and he said to her daughter, your faith has made you well.

Go in peace, and be healed of your disease.

So really what what you have here I think is is an invitation to confession he he says who touched me and she knows it.

It's her misuse try to get away with it without saying anything without without raising any commotion. She's she's probably embarrassed and ashamed.

She knows this issue that she's had that she would've been ceremonially unclean that she shouldn't be in there. You know in the crowd touching people and yet Jesus shows her compassion.

Now one of the thing that's highlighted here that a lot of people don't know Terry is what what's what's being revealed to us here is that Jesus is the great high priest of his people, of all people, you know, through through his work in the book of Ezekiel and Ezekiel 44 verse 19 is an interesting comment about the garments of the high priest we read when they go out into the outer court to the people they shall put off the garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers and they shall put on other garments, lest they transmit holiness to the people with their garments. The robe of the high priestly garments of the priestly they were supposed to wear them outside of that, the temple precincts if you if you will, lest they transmit holiness to the believer. Holy garments, and here you have Jesus, the true high priest of the people of God walking about this woman touches those garments and it's as if that holiness that the grace of Christ is transmitted to her and so Mark is really depicting Jesus here in these early chapters of his gospel as the great high priest of his people.

That's one of the things we pick up on their in there and in Mark chapter 5 Gary thank you for your question.

God bless. While that is so powerful.

Thank you for that.

It really thing a lot of us didn't realize so that tie in with Ezekiel and that particular verse. So thanks for clarifying that your listing to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez just reminder we have this great free resource available to you. It's called seven things everyone should know about repentance and you can find it by going to core Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers. It's absolutely free. Would love to get that in your hands for you or for somebody you know again seven things everyone should know about repentance go to the phones Barney is on the line from Stillwater, Oklahoma Barney, what's your question for pastor. Israel will neglect all been a Christian should not.

This is in James for a girl not a God, don't you change sinners, and purify your arch double mud.

I just want to get your take on this is think like the more we put into drawing close to God. After we her slightly pursues us tremendously to get the site but you know to go a day or two days a week without you know, communing with the Lord is just you feel empty and it's almost like for me I have to put the effort into it.

In order to feel close to the Lord is coming on to say is that if we don't put effort into it to see pursues us until we fall into. Sandy pursues us to get us right again.

But it's so important that they be communing with the Lord. I guess all the credits I have found that to be true. Yeah Barney. I certainly have found that to be true in my own life. I mean we we have to continually pursue the Lord seeking him drawing near to him and and so of course you know that the context there in James chapter 4 is really a call to repentance. James is rebuking the Christians to whom he's writing because of their friendship with the world because of the ways in which their living in is he's calling them to humble themselves, he says in verse six he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hand, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you a couple promises there. I think that we can that we can really hold fast to one that when you draw near to God, he does draw near to you as well. What what does it look like for us to draw near to God, we come to God through his son Jesus Christ. That's the only way that any of us can draw near to God. It's always through Jesus.

He's the great mediator of the people of God. It's through him that we have the forgiveness of sins and open access to the father so that we can come to him in prayer and that's one of the ways we draw near, is through prayer through meditating upon Scripture to fellowship with other believers.

Being a part of a local church were under the ministry of the word were being cared for by pastors and elders and deacons and were were fellow shipping with other believers with these of these are the ways I think ordinarily that we heed that command turning away from her since you know those things in our lives that we know at this pleasing to the Lord that that you know grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and we we confess those things we repent of those things. And again that's what James is getting at in James chapter 4 and so your experience I think is is the experience of so many believers certainly my experience that if we just totally neglect the means of grace. If we totally neglect prayer and reading Scripture. All of those things that's going to have an effect on us working to be spiritually malnourished.

You know were going to drift in the book of Hebrews. It talks about the importance of extorting each other, day by day less were hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. So we need constantly and continually to be drawing near to the Lord. But one thing I will say and hopefully this is an encouragement for you and for all those who are listening is that even when we fail in these areas.

In and of course we all do at times. You know sometimes we go through seasons where it seems upward and really well and in our pursuit of God and in other times just were struggling know this, God does not let go of you. He will never leave or forsake his people and he invites all of us.

He invites you to draw near to him and when you do. Rest assured, he draws near to you as well. 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