Can Pastors Require Their Churches to Keep Rules Not Found in the Bible?

The following is a prerecorded version of core Christianity will be back alive again on Monday. Can pastors require church members to keep rules that aren't in the Bible that is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Gabriel Sanchez so nice of you to join us. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day and would love to hear from you as our phone number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 you can always leave a voicemail on that numbers well and you can post your question on one of our social media sites or email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com burst up today let's go to Stella in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma solo what your question for pastor.

Israel appreciated question about what the Bible might say in a situation like that and failed here more aware of the truth of God. What the Bible is telling us now thinking family member I been told in Scripture, Lichtenstein, the bank I guess I don't know how I'm supposed to speak a look like you like it a little impatient. I guess I wish everyone would know what level I am now in my spiritual life. I don't know how my supposed to speak and I think patient patient comes in mind that I like to hear from Scripture not getting there quickly enough how to speak to the love that I'm trying to think they have a big press my heart.

Time is running out. Don't know the time will come and go between my parents, brother, sister children, so I feel a little impatient and intolerant right now. I kind God bless you sister in the seal that you have share the face with the people around you. I think that that is so commendable.

May God put that fire in each of our hearts wanting others to know the truth and sometimes you especially when were growing in her face and you know it's like a light bulb is turned on were beginning to see all these amazing things in Scripture, we can we can get really excited, that's a good thing but we want to be careful that we communicate in ways that are honoring to the Lord and certainly in the New Testament. The apostle Peter the apostle Paul. They talked about speaking the truth in a manner that was respectful in a manner that was gracious is repeated in in various places you see in second Timothy chapter 2 verse 25 correcting opponents with gentleness God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth and so right there it's it's recognizing that God is the one who grants repentance. And he's the one who has to work in your family. Sometimes I think we can get impatient because when we look at an individual we say why just get this. It's so clear what's wrong with you but we don't realize that they people just like we were are blinded by sin and insight and it's only by the grace of God and by the mercy of God spirit that the PIs are open that that the scales fall off and so maybe focusing on the need of the Holy Spirit and the fact that God is the one who opens the heart and as you communicate, trusting in God to do the work in communicating with grace and compassion.

You certainly aren't alone in in having that zeal I think of the apostle Paul in Romans chapter 9 who is he's writing about his his brothers, his kinsman, his his quote unquote family. According to the flesh, that the Hebrew people is is full of anguish because they had not turned to Christ. He says I am speaking the truth in Christ. I'm not lying, my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart for I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers. My kinsman according to the flesh is minute if I could. Maybe I would even be occur so that they might know the truth and he's eased grieving about this and it is Romans nine continues, he sets his eyes on the Lord and on God's greatness is his sovereignty and says look I trust God, he continues his ministry to the Jews to his family members preaching the gospel sharing no compelling them with with me to the truth of Scripture.

But in a manner that's that's honoring to the Lord and ultimately trusting in God. So for you sister.

I would say keep pursuing them. Keep praying for them because it is the work of God spirit be characterized by the fruit of your by the fruit of the spirit and in your speech, love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, self-control me and that's how you want to speak and and rest in the fact that the Lord is is in control that he sees you and hears your prayers for your family members and that you can trust him even in this and so God bless you and thank you for giving us a call like you think back to when I first accepted Christ and role in how I was kinda hard-core in trying to evangelize my parents and it didn't go over what can I tell you story Bill. I remember when I was at a new believer in high school and if need. I thought I was like John the Baptist in the wilderness walk out of my big King James Bible talking to people and sharing faith, and I was very very zealous not always very gracious and therefore sometimes you have conversations with with with other students in in the high school if they if they were just get a router rejected the message.

I would walk away.

Note kinda kick the dust off my feet like Jesus is in the Gospels, which I was reading everything extremely literally at the time he had done that yet, but the Lord has helped knock off some of the edge and and I think that's that's a good thing but yet we can we can have that week. We want to make sure that the way in which were communicating the truth of the gospel is is helpful you know is is done in open in a manner that God calls us to write. God cares about even. How were speaking and so I think it's really important appreciated her question so much. I love what you said about the Holy Spirit and depending on him to work the most people's hearts. So thank you for that.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and Easter is coming up here in just a few weeks. We want to tell you about a wonderful free resource that we have available for you yeah and a brand-new Easter devotional that we want to offer our listeners called meeting the risen Christ and Easter can unfortunately be a time where we can be tempted to water down our faith with sentimentalism here sings about how we can roll away the stones of our life. That sort of thing.

Good luck with that right. We need to recover a view of Easter review of the resurrection. Like the apostle Paul had. He said if Christ is not been raised, your faith is futile.

This devotional does written by Pastor Jonathan Landry cruise meeting the risen Christ contains five Scripture readings and reflections surrounding Christ's post-resurrection appearances and we hope as you reflect on the familiar passion narrative this season. You'll remember where it's all headed to an empty tomb and a risen Savior who still meets and speaks with his people, assuring us that will soon share in his victory over Satan, sin and death. Seeing this devotional for free over core, Christianity.com to be a great devotional to focus on. Between now and Easter and to get this free resource. Just go to core Christianity.com/Easter. Again, that's core Christianity.com/Easter. You can also call us for that resource or any one of our resources at 833.

The core let's go back to the phones. Kathy is on the line calling from Indiana Kathy, what's your question for pastor. Israel will make your uncle or in the gay lifestyle or committing adultery knee or steering whatever because I know where that drunkards are sexually immoral, etc. will not inherit the kingdom of God. People are asking for forgiveness now going right back and doing the same thing over again. Yes, thank you for that question. Well, I think that there are a couple of ways that we could look at this first, that the text of Scripture that you were referring to his first Corinthians chapter 16 Paul gives a list sometimes referred to as of a vice list of these sins you know that out there in in society out there in the world and he says look. Don't be deceived. Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor filers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God and such were some of you also to the Corinthians.

You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God, that you read the book of first Corinthians, and it's clear that even though the Corinthians were washed and justified, sanctified, they still had a lot of struggles throughout the book of first Corinthians euro polis is addressing divisions that they had problems of sexual immorality.

Even within the church. They were pursuing each other in in the image of the church with a lot of issues and so that it's it's clear right.

That having been washed to justify doesn't mean that working to be sinless, working to continue to struggle with sin and and that's right. I think the key distinction for the believer.

There is a struggle.

There are some people I think, who claim to be Christians and don't have any struggle as I do whatever I want to live how yet. Maybe II asked for forgiveness. When I go to church. You know occasionally that kind of thing. But the reality is that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not shaped my life in any significant way. You know, I really don't even have an awareness of my sin. I think there are people who are deceived other Kathy and I think that's why pulses don't be deceived. You know that an individual who who persists in this who lives like this unrepentant but even if they they mouth the words. Dear God please forgive me that they're knocking inherit the kingdom of God. If I Jesus himself said in Matthew chapter 7. Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven rather there a lot of people who say, Lord, Lord, right but but don't know Jesus and in fact Jesus and in that context says I Dominus it and I never knew you immediately.

We could say my name. I never had a relationship with you.

Never had a relationship with me at the same time getting want to speak to the individual who is a Christian real believer still struggles with the same sins and and they hate those sins, they wonder, am I am I truly saved you know it is the battle that II think Paul talked about in Romans chapter 7 where he did talking or discussing of the things that I don't want to do I do and the things that I do want to do it.

I don't do the way that I want to do them wretched man that I am at this is something that we can identify with. As Christians and in when we go to the Lord in genuine repentance asking for forgiveness, even if it's the same sin that we committed yesterday and you know that God is gracious and that he does forgive, think about what our Lord said to Peter in Matthew chapter 18 Matthew 18 verse 21 Peter came up to him and said to him, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him as many as seven times and of course, maybe you've heard you know Peter here thinks he's being generous seven times in full grace. Jesus seven times and Jesus said to him I do not say to you seven times, but 77 times.

If God calls us to forgive like that, then certainly we we know that God is that forgiving that gracious 7×70 times and we go to the Lord broken contrite of spirit sing Lord II just I I failed I've sinned. Again, you need to know that sometimes that's that's experience we have as believers and I want you know the grace of God is still for you.

That does mean you're not a Christian because you have that struggle. The difference is for the believer is that struggle for the person is deceived is not a believer.

There is no struggle, there is no awareness of sin.

Conviction of the Holy Spirit. There's there's maybe a nominal profession of faith but but not a real grasping of the gospel of grace by faith, and so there's your answer. Kathy thank you for your question. God bless Israel am so thankful you mentioned that passage in Romans chapter 7.

I know it's something that is really help me through the years. And then of course we get to Romans chapter 8 impulses. There is there, therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. What an incredible promise yeah absolutely the one that's I think oftentimes hard for us to really grasp because we look at our lives. I think man I feel I feel condemned to me.

You know why I still struggle I'm not. I know I I have these sins that I have not fully with the death of the spirit hasn't fully mortified in me yet, but we we do have that hope in Christ and through the word. It's repeated all over the place in Romans chapter 8 specifically us such a good text for us to go to in those moments to remind ourselves of the great mercy of God and man. The score Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez you can call us and leave a voicemail 24 hours a day. We do our best list of those voicemails each day.

Here's the phone number is 833-843-2673 or you can spell it out on your phone, 833 the core there's a voicemail from one of our call, our listeners named Galena. Is it wrong for chicks to set forth rules for its leadership.

Basically anyone in ministry that are rules that go above what the Bible teaches us.

So for example, not drinking alcohol is that legalism is a in the churches proper authority to set those rules for its local congregation.

Yeah, just wondering if we may think really what the Bible teaches us going to thank you for that question know this happens a lot, doesn't it be in in in churches and ministries as they want to say, okay you know if your income of this church.

You got obey God's love.

We have a couple of the rules for you to obey you mentioned, you know you're not allowed to drink alcohol are not allowed to.

Who knows you, and that the list can go on no dancing can't answer member when I was in college, a small Christian college and that was one of the rules right you view there's no dancing. Certainly no drinking and no rock 'n' roll music. Actually the third one I think was okay but it is.

This is something that happens and it concerns me.

It really does. And I'll tell you why it's a problem, not just when we detract from God's law, but also when we add to God's law is the children of Israel were coming into the promised land. The early chapters of the book of Deuteronomy of God's is giving them his law in he says to them in Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse two you shall not add to the words that I command you nor take away from it that you make. Keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you is is repeated throughout the book. Actually, in the very next chapter in Deuteronomy chapter 5 in verse 22 these words, the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain of the that the mountain at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire at the cloud in the thick darkness with a loud voice, and he added no more business is really important. See God saying is not just a problem to detract from God's law to minimize God's law when we start creating our own rules and regulations for people to follow and put them on the same level as God's law were were were making a mistake. I think it is in the issue. Is it it's a failure to understand the authority of the Minister or the Christian ministry versus the authority of God's word. God's word. We would say has magisterial authority in our lives were always called to submit to it ministers of the gospel, pastors, Christian ministries have a ministerial authority. We point people to the word we are ministers of the word of God and we hold people accountable on the basis of that word. But we don't have the right add to it even if you know Emily my failed, but that seems like a wise rule yet but will we turn it into God's law are put on that level we can really easily slip into legalism and and frankly, God says, just don't do that don't don't add your own laws to my law and and certainly things like that you mentioned gams bringing duck as you mentioned to things like alcohol.

Your Bible says alcohol in and of itself is an sinful. There's nothing in Scripture that indicates that it's sinful in and of itself. It's the abuse of alcohol is a drunkenness that is forbidden in Scripture's of ever. If they do ministry you want to forbid that great right leg, or if if people are engaging in that.

That's not okay. And there's gonna be you know that working a deal with that but but going further in this oftentimes what we want to do. I think it is a problem on the basis of what the text says. And so we want to let God's law speak for itself. Want to submit to God's law and and recognize that it's the ultimate authority want to be careful not to add to God's law. When we start doing that. I think we we get into trouble and so thank you for that question Galena in May the Lord bless you Bill appreciate this drill a denomination.

I was once involved in had an old manual which I said the circuses were sinful and I know circuses are near and dear to your heart. Are you serious building that if I think there was the soap for those of you who don't know my dad in Mexico owns a circus.

So yes, circuses are near and dear to my back.

I took my family to a circus. It was here in San Diego just a few weeks ago we had a great time and there was no sinning presence… It was just a sweet time with the family, but yeah so circuses are okay… It was based on the old circuses maybe from the 1800s which mother had a few suspect the list, return email question we received from one of our listeners. By the way, here's our email address its questions at core, Christianity.com questions at core, Christianity.com, this one from Abigail. She says hi Pastor Sanchez I'm a college student and at my school. There was a girl who claims to have prophetic abilities. I'm quite sure that isn't true, but I know a lot of people are turned off from Christianity because of her. I'm really worried about this because I feel like a lot of people been hurt and I'm starting to think that something needs to be done you have any tips for addressing this problem in a loving manner. God bless you element you want to go to the Scriptures that talk about the gift of prophecy. First Corinthians 12 through 14 and even there in first Corinthians 14 slip might my view sisters that God doesn't give the gift of prophecy today that that's not ordinarily how God is working that we have the Scriptures… Let's assume that this individual that they believe that God does give the gift of prophecy. Today I will. How did it work in the New Testament in first grade. This chapter 14, you know all talks about the person is prophesying, doing so in the context of the. The gathering of the believers there under the authority of the elders in the church. It was just a sort of a rogue prophet going around telling people what they needed to do and how they need to live what Mike asserted this gets at the previous question is people who claim to speak on God's behalf. Whether that's a group that says they were in add to God's law and if you want to be a Christian. I need to follow these commitments just need to do these things that are part of our own church tradition or somebody was, as I have the direct line to God, I'm a prophet, and God is telling me you need to do XYZ man. Both of those that's scary. That is terrifying. We we don't want to miss represent God. There is a stricter judgment for those who claim to speak on God's behalf. James chapter 3 verse one and so I think coming alongside of this sister this individual and may be opening up the word of God together and looking at those passages in in first print is 12 to 14 what we oftentimes say what I often say is revelation in the New Testament was tied together with the accomplishing of redemption. The dude you did have new prophets and miracles and all these things taking place throughout redemptive history record in the Bible and in oftentimes associated with new new redemption that was being accomplished with the coming of Jesus Christ is incarnation his earthly ministry his resurrection.

You know that the growth of the church early on.

You did have a lot of miracles, a lot of prophetic utterances there and and they accompanied the advancement of the gospel in and you don't redemption being accomplished what redemption is finished. There is no new redemption that needs to be accomplished.

Jesus has once for all accomplished redemption so we don't need new prophets, and you know the people out there is art of giving us new inspired Scripture it's been done now we go back to the word, and that's another one of my concerns is often times with with some of these groups and I met want to paint with a broadbrush book, but I've seen this with some of these groups that are really into meal prophecy for today.

There can be an emphasis on the miraculous and the signs and wonders and what are you doing for Jesus not a lot of emphasis on doctrine and being rooted in the word and the truth of Scripture in the faith once for all delivered to the scenes were always looking for something exciting.

They know move of God's spirit, but that can only last so long.

We need to go back to the text and I hope Abigail that that's something you can do now and and maybe this person is not in a solid church invite them to the church you go to a movie. Hopefully you're in a solid church as well.

That's that's so important, but so often these things.

Another just untethered from the church's an individual doing, doing their own thing and and as you said, it can lead a lot of people away from the Lord. It can be discouraging or they can say things are just not true. And so if that's happening what you want to correct it on the basis of Scripture and may God give you wisdom as you do that.

God bless you.

Abigail, 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.

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