How Should We Apply Paul’s Teaching on Excommunication in 1 Corinthians 5?

How should we apply Paul's teaching on excommunication in first Corinthians 5. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity by Abdul Mira Loma, Pastor Israel Sanchez this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day and we would love to hear from you. Here's our phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 taking calls for the next 25 minutes or so.

You can also post your question on one of our social media sites you can shoot us a message through our YouTube channel course you can always email us your question at questions@corechristianity.com and Israel.

Today here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Judith no Bible friend to the end and the one taken one taken to learn that left behind in my heard a pastor said people would be surprised that if the background and however he went on to say that the pastoral building church Sunday and it was empty and to contradict that move a Christian movement of the church. Thank you bye-bye thank you for that question and the passage of Scripture that you're referring to is Matthew chapter 24 where Jesus is talking about the time of the final judgment.

His second coming and then in in that context, what we read is verse 38 for as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man, then two men will be in the field. One will be taken and one left.

Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken and one left.

Therefore, stay awake for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

I think sometimes you know people read this passage and they take verse 40 out of context. So two men will be in in the field.

One will be taken one left in the mythical.

This is the third idea being left behind, the rapture, the Christian is to be taken and the non-Christian is good to be left behind, but will we do we know if we go that route is were just reading a bunch of things into this text is talking about judgment. Specifically, in my view is in the context of the will, the one who's taken is the one who's judged you think of just what was said in in the previous verse in verse 39 hour talks about the people during the flood they were unaware until the flood came and swept them away.

They were taken they were taken out actually and so it's his picture of judgment there.

The other people that will will debate about you is that the Christian of the non-Christian statement, but that's not even that the focus of Jesus here in Matthew 24.

The focuses on the fact that when the Lord comes.

There is can it be this sharp distinction between those who belong to him and those who don't, that this separation you think just in the very next chapter in Matthew chapter 25 were Jesus talks about that the final judgment in verse 31 following and you have the separation between the sheep and the goats right there right it's this picture of separation distinction and that's what's being emphasized in Matthew 24 and so that's the best way to understand that that text. Specifically, thanks for that explanation will appreciate that this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez Easter coming up here like less than two weeks away. It's hard to believe and we have a wonderful Easter devotional for you. It's absolutely free. Would love to offer you this.

It's called meeting the risen Christ. Yeah by the way it especially because this time of the year in a year of your friends and neighbors might be more open to visiting church with you.

Great opportunity for you to invite them to church and this is something that maybe you can give to them. Share with them that we want for ourselves and for the people around us to to meet with the risen Christ to know him and to have a relationship with him. And so this resource contains five Scripture readings and reflection surrounding the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ to help you reflect on the Scriptures on what they mean and on what what the resurrection of Jesus is all about and so get a hold of this free resource over core, Christianity.com.

Once again it's called meeting the risen Christ in this resource really gets to the heart of why we do what we do here core Christianity as we said it's absolutely free.

You can find it by going to core Christianity.com/Easter again. Core, Christianity.com/Easter.

You can also call us for that resource or anyone of our resources and you can call us right now with the question about the Bible or the Christian life. Our phone lines are open and here's the number it's 833 the core that's 833-843-2673 let's go to John in St. Louis, Missouri John, what's your question for Pastor Israel appreciate your guys all your soul, usually are lighting and the health of their popular narrator. There are about the dude about how people in the last days will be gone both Thursday and was just we just reject the Lord altogether or reject outdoor MLB blasphemers don't even condemn even opened the. Although slander even angelic beings. So I was wondering about that last time only in that. Now what people just posting anything. You know they can say whatever you want to with their illegal hearts and are they are when they say slander of God's creation event will going to cause people all over it all ate your people don't believe in order matters of people that already heard the Lord of God and how they reject the Lord of all excellent questions and to so it's a couple of things and shoot and also second Peter if you read second Peter. There are a lot of parallels between second Peter and in Jude and and in second Peter chapter 2. Specifically, Peter gives this the stern warnings as 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 bring upon themselves swift destruction. So these are I would state nonbelievers, Inc. in second Peter and also in Jude. I think that there individuals who had had a real knowledge of the things of God. If you will and and rejected that and in fact that's what Peterson iguana saying in chapter 2 of the second Peter in the day.

They basically write that they may turn from the knowledge of the truth, after having received it in. They abandoned the holy commandment that was given to them in and that there's a similar group.

I think it's been described there in in the epistle to the epistle of Jude and so, so I would say that that's part of that the issue there and mean of the question of are we living in in those days now and I would say yes I I oftentimes appoint people to first genre talks about the fact that the spirit of the antichrist is already at work in the world. The great apostasy that the Scriptures talk about it. It's something that we we have been seeing. I think continue to see today people turning away from the truth. Abandoning God's God's good word good and holy word, and so that's that's also was happening there in Jude verse eight. Yet, in like manner. These people also relying on their dreams defile the flesh reject authority and blaspheme the glorious ones that one of the one of the themes that you have in both second Peter and Jude. With these false teachers is a life of sensuality, a life of greed and a rejection of all authority, so you have pride and arrogance there as well and so it's helpful I think for us to look at those passages and and consider some of the characteristics that are mentioned by Peter and Jude so that we can be on the lookout and we can be discerning and John, it sounds like that's precisely what you're wanting to do and so God bless thank you for giving us a call. Thanks John appreciate you listening to core Christianity would love to get your question if maybe got some doubts about the Christian faith. Maybe you consider yourself to be an agnostic or an atheist, were open to your calls as well.

Here's the number it's 833-843-2673. That's 833 the core there's a voicemail that came in from one of our callers earlier this week.

I like sound that is not my napkin, using Scripture in chapter Pancras 9 to 1300 mark when dealing with apparent engineering involved in our minds and our children crying openly now I'm a Christian and Mike Meehan engineering I painted cotton deeply and I found one that I'm a true believer, child, parent, and again in a cult child and she cut off contact with.

And, if so not violate description access to honor your money if it dies violate section earning human and contact Highway one: about having a spouse who is Annie must cut off contact because it went prescribing.

Yes, thank you for that question. Very practical question first know that and I got the guy I can say that definitively to you first printing chapter 5 does not mean it that the you know your to cut off your parent in. In this situation. Everything chapter 5 is referring to severing relationships with people who profess to be believers in here in the context for screening. These are these are members of the church into they been baptized. They've confessed faith in Jesus Christ there. They've been through the new members class if you will, and there that been a part of the community and yet in the midst of that church community among the quotable people of God. This so-called brother continues to live in ways that are totally contrary to the word on that situation. Paul says, yet you judge this person needed you needed to help them recognize that their living out of accord with with the truth of God's word is I don't even eat with that person. Paul says in in first Corinthians chapter 5 but but then he makes very clear you look, I'm not telling you not to associate with the sexually immoral people meeting the sexually immoral of of this world. Verse nine, or the greedy or swindlers or idolaters since then you would need to go out of the world is your student have relationships with with nonbelievers including nonbelieving family members and parents in and just because an individual says. I pray that and maybe they even say that I believe in Jesus but I think that that the situation first contains five is is more than that it's it's an individual or individuals are members of the church were part of the church community that are being spoken of. I would say in this situation, what you're gonna wanted do or what with this individual wanted to discontinued it to have a relationship. A good relationship with with your parents, one that that honors them as as you said, and ultimately is a good witness of of Christ and his love, his grace, his goodness, not abandoning them effect. That's one of the things that Jesus rebuked that the Pharisees for the religious leaders in his days that they they basically justified abandoning their parents not caring for their parents and they they blamed it on God for what will you know everything I have is devoted to God's I don't I don't really need to focus on your pay attention to your provide for your needs and Jesus is actually what you're doing is is going against God's law. Your ear invalidating the law of God with your traditions you you religious hypocrites and so you in this situation. I don't think there's a justification for cutting the maglev. Now I know that you know that there people who say what well you know that they're not the best influence, we might say on on my children and maybe it's is hard for whatever reason, the relationship is strained.

If I think it's okay at times to to have Barry's behavior that you're thinking about raising your kids but but you want to continue to love and honor and and respect dear your parents and and to point them to Christ and to his goodness and and pray that the Lord would open their hearts so that they would truly come to faith and and it apprehend the grace and mercy of God for them through to the testimony of of Ewert or that the children in this case, and so thank you for that question and God bless this core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. We would encourage you to let your friends at church know about this program.

If they've never discovered before and we are live on the air every day at 11:30 AM Pacific time. 1230 central 130. I'm sorry 1230 Mountain 130 central and 230 Eastern time. You can also catch our program online@corechristianity.com we do receive emails if you'd like to email us.

The question here is our address its questions at core, Christianity.com. This one came in from Rhonda and she says, how should I respond when a person says that Gnostic books were left out of the Bible so the Christians could make it say what they wanted to. Why were those books left out of the Bible. That's a great question.

This is an argument that people are making quite a bit. I feel like not to me several years ago now went with the da Vinci code that that book that came out that was creating quite a quite a stir in their people or single boy there there these other gospels in and they were left out of the Bible and boy if they would have been included. They should have been included in that we just changed everything. But what people don't understand is that those those Gnostic Gospels Gospels, like the quotable Gospel of Thomas really have no bearing or similarity on the inspired word with the inspired word of God we find in in in the New Testament.

They were written later that after the fact there almost incoherent immediately. Read them alongside of the actual Gospels and just think, okay, that was the needed two different things in the very very strange. In fact, it just pulled up that the end of the Gospel of Thomas is a just listen to this is that the ending of the quotable Gospel of Thomas Simon Peter said to them. Mary should leave us, because women aren't worthy of life. Jesus said look at my to make her a man so that look at my to make her man so that she may become a living spirit to she's equal to human because every woman who makes her self Manley will enter the kingdom of heaven is like the work was going on here it there is no there is no similarity to the unit a little leave me is not the gospel try to quote Jesus but you did your reading just like this is this is not the Jesus of the Bible. And so when it comes to the New Testament books you know oftentimes what we say is that that they were not so much chosen by the church, but that the church receive them on the basis of a number of things there. Their relationship to the apostles apostolate city is one of the things we sometimes referred to as written by an apostle or someone associated with the apostles antiquity meeting date they were there were ancient documents and that that the the Gnostic Gospels were written later than or after the original Gospels were written catholicity. We sometimes refer to it just means to which bridges means that these are books at the entire church received for the most part so wasn't like there was no churches in one region that were embracing these as Scripture in the churches and other other regions weren't, but that the entire church was saying yes this is the inspired word of God are receiving this idea even if he is in the New Testament. Any Peter can refer to the writings of the apostle Paul as Scripture and so so people who you say you know that the church was assertive willy-nilly picking what they wanted to pick to be in the canon of Scripture don't understand that the way in which the history unfolded and they also don't realize or or grasp just how how different these these other gospels are from from the real deal from from the original and so that's why we reject them and and frankly didn't Jesus himself say that there were going to be many people who rose up after them false teachers, false prophets, others you say what would come and say I'm I am he, you know I'm not.

I'm Jesus, I'm on the Savior of the Messiah in seeking to lead people astray and I think that's precisely what you had with some of these movements with some of these other writings as it really is a distortion of the truth and and so we always have to be. I mentioned this earlier on the broadcast we always have to be vigilant in the best way to be vigilant friends is to know the real deal to study the Scriptures to familiarize yourself with with God's voice speaking to you by the power of the Holy Spirit through his word, because as as you know and hear that voice you're able to discern the counterfeits that are out there and there are many Jesus said there would be and that's that's what this is. We have to be seekers of the truth and be bring in all that we do in searching God's word and not listening those counterfeit voices so great great counsel there. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Our phone lines are open for the next five minutes or so. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. The numbers 833-843-2673. That's 833 the core and a reminder we have that great free devotional for Easter available to you and if you go to core Christianity.com/Easter. You will find that it's called meeting the risen Christ. Let's go to voicemail from one of our callers. This is from Alexandra prayer and I'm getting for that I am going and having pending, the Lord, and thinking how can you link here and Heidi trying to find out that any and all I know he will never leave me or forsake me. Thank you, thank you for giving us a call system. Sorry to hear about these the struggles that your that you're going through right now so I just first. Maybe one open up and invite others also depict how to pray for you and invite others to pray for you right now, Lord, we lift the sister up to you right now, especially with that question. Lord wondering you know can I be forgiven long to repent, longing to to walk with you and to honor you Jesus I pray that you would be with her. I pray that you would give her a sense of your presence in her life and God that you would help her to embrace with all of her heart. The promises in your word that instead of looking inside Lord, to herself for for hope that she would be able to look up to you and in your sure word of the word you give us in the gospel that all who believe their sins are forgiven you. Wash away all of our sins. Would you give her that. Not sure knowledge that her sins are washed away to faith in Jesus's name and Lord I just asked that you would comfort her and encourage her and surround her Lord with with brothers and sisters who can be an encouragement to her as well.

We pray in Jesus name, amen. One thing I want to say is it a couple of things you mentioned there is that I'm struggling I'm trying to repent of these things like fear, anxiety, that there there is a kind of anxiety. I think that we need to repent of it. Times were, which is not trusting God and were consumed with the cares of this world, but then you know there are real anxiety disorders and their their fears that we don't need to repentance. I just want you to be careful here because I think we want we want to make sure that you're not. You're not seeking forgiveness or asking for forgiveness for things you don't need to be forgiven of you know that were not talking about sin will when were talking about fear anxiety in every instance, even even struggling with prayer. You know, I think. I think everyone is listening to the broadcast. Right now could say you know what yeah I'm with you, I'd I don't pray as much as I should. I wish that I prayed more and so II just want you to be encouraged in in knowing that one. You're not alone to that ultimately what you can sink your teeth into is the promise of God. This is one of the things that I think is important for all of us to understand is Christians a note. Often we base so much of our spiritual life and on our feelings on how we feel that the way we feel is significant and important, but I think God wants us to stand not on our feelings, but on his word on what he has said so that when were struggling and when were questioning and wondering can you do you forgive me instead of basing our forgiveness on how we feel in and often times we don't feel very good and so we think maybe I'm not forgiven. Note go to the word sister go to the promises that you see in Scripture promises like the one that we read in first John that if you confess your sins, God is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you of all unrighteousness. John doesn't say you know. If you feel like you're cleansed is as though the if you confess truly before the Lord, you come performance and God have mercy upon me, a sinner for the sins that you actually have committed that God is merciful and gracious, and that he does forgive you and so all of us. We need to make sure that were standing upon the word of God and in oftentimes we find in life, isn't this the case that when when we do the right thing, we pursue the Lord the way were supposed to, who were clinging to his promises instead of our feelings. Over time, as as we continued it to embrace grasp those promises of the gospel. The feelings will follow.

Not always, but but oftentimes I think that's that's what we find. We do the things that we know God is calling us to even we don't feel like it when we bow before the Lord in prayer and pursue him it's it's there that we begin to experience the presence of God more and more, and so sister if you trusted in Jesus Christ. If you if you've turned to him, you are forgiven and may the Lord give you strength then and assistance help from others as well in your community, church community, maybe even therapy counselors and God be with you. 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 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