Why Should Christians Study Other Religions?

Why should Christians study other religions is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi there, I'm Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question here is her phone number 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 also post your question on one of our social media sites and you can email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com. Today let's go to Matthew calling in from St. Louis, Missouri. Matthew what your question for Israel question about Jewish prayers back, correspond to be chosen and really… The apostle about the most. I think learning the old Jewish prayer that would've been banker at the daylight.

But some are even morning prayers or evening tires.

I grew up in the church never heard of these before in and out. There was a point in our church history where we popularly putting emphasis on those urges altogether everything I could be really enriching totally the I think they are. And thanks for your encouragement is really interesting in acts chapter 2, verse 42, it says the early disciples devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread the bread I think is better translation and the prayers and the prayers. There probably and in reference to some of those prayers that your your thinking about and of course in the book of acts and and elsewhere give examples of the disciples going to the synagogue at the hour of prayer. I'm gathering at certain points specifically to pray.

It's as if they were setting apart time to pray which I think that you know it's it's it and part of that is that there is a soul sort of tradition built into Hebrew piety. Of course you know daily, they would they would say a Pisces would say the Shema Deuteronomy 64 was almost like a confession of faith, like a creed hero, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And then there would be prayers in the mornings and in the evening, sort of aligning yourself with the rhythms of the of the temple and the sacrifice of their morning and evening sacrifices made in many of those prayers are written prayers that that an individual or family would would do and again you decent you see that also.

I think in the New Testament and some people have said this is sort of the background for what people have called the liturgy of ours you know that this sort of different times throughout the day and throughout the week were approaching God and setting apart time for prayer. Specifically, it is a good thing in and historically throughout the Christian church is something that has also been done in morning and evening prayer admin all all sorts of different traditions or other also helpful me in a little prayer books even that you could get that. Think of sneer. This Puritan prayers and there's different that there's different things. Again, you have the time of the Reformation that were meant to be aids in helping people to pray in helping people to pray daily, I suspect, and enters the old boy you know brought up in the church.

I want to hear about these things.

It just seems like any pray whenever you feel like a kind of the thing. I suspect that we wouldn't win many of us think about prayer today. We think it will just has to be spontaneous and for so many of us that's that's what it seems you don't real spiritual prayer, just as it arises that your heart is a you pray when you feel like it, but how often is it the case if we just Unity Sedona praying you don't feel like praying for his ears is so easily distracted, so I think it's helpful to to Salem part sometime in the morning and the evening just it just to pray what you used to use the Lord's prayer, Jesus taught his disciples had for use use the Psalms man there so many rich all the Psalms are rich prayers and we can use this we can make them our own. Even the creeds of the Christian faith that that something historically that missions have done throughout church history is confessed, the Nicene Creed or the apostles Creed every day waking up in a single Lord's prayer saying the apostles Creed or the Nicene Creed and reading the Psalm you know that kind of a thing, not not to be legalistic not to burn yourself down, which is to serve as set your eyes on God and calling upon his name day after day as Jesus taught us to do in our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Give us this day our daily bread. He was on the say-so so you know I think in in in North American Christianity, and in the way we thought about worship in the way we thought about prayer we weave. Sort of. I think minimize the goodness the blessing of some of those written prayers and even that even setting apart time to pray because which is so spontaneous. I think that could be part of the issue, but I I would say men if if you're wanting to to pray in the mornings in the evenings and you're looking for resources to help you with housing use the Scriptures use the Psalms use the Lord's prayer and it really is something that seems like that the early church didn't was done throughout the history of the church and even something as I as I mentioned, that was rooted in and the pride of the Old Testament and in the people there who were I'm saying the Shema every day in and you know gathering for morning prayers or evening prayers and so God bless you as you as you seek the praying and draw near to the Lord. Thank you for your question.

Love your advice to pray the Psalms. What a beautiful thing to do, but should we pray, the imprecatory Psalms of really mad at somebody that's probably not if you're really mad at someone I would say no don't just be a weapon out the imprecatory Psalms. When somebody cuts you off with gotten that question before bill on broadcast. As you know is I want to get into that right now but I'll just say don't just pray him against the they know that the cashier it in a McDonald's slow so I will probably a promise. This is Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. We have a wonderful resource you want to offer you that actually talks about something. We get a lot of calls about and that is heaven. So many people call what is having to be really like or how I know I'm going to get to heaven and so we want to offer this resource to you today for free resources called seven things you need to know about heaven and his Bill said it's completely free and it's it's one of those topics that we do indeed get a lot of questions about that as people think about their lives and in the hope that we have as Christians you and wonder what is what is heaven going to be like boy there there there are several scriptures I think that we can go to and answering that question that we tried to do with this resource.

Seven things you need to know about heaven is big into the word and give you a biblical understanding of heaven and and ultimately the resurrection of the dead, and in the life of the world to come. The new creation that were looking forward to us as the people of God and so please get a hold of this free resource over core, Christianity.com. We'd love to have you get this in your hands. Maybe this weekend if you're a parent, maybe even read this to your kids and go talk to them about what heaven is all about having them look for that beautiful promise that we have from God's word again.

It's called seven things you need to know about heaven. You can find it by going to court, Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers. Let's go back to the phones. Joshua is on the line calling in from Nashville, Tennessee. Beautiful city, Joshua, what's your question for pastor. Israel call three Revelation 260 on earth for the Nicollet attend and how do we avoid their practices yeah well that they're not talked about a lot in Scripture. You do have me in Revelation chapter 2 and by the way, let me to say I was not too long ago in Nashville and you guys have the best hot chicken we don't have chicken that you guys have here in San Diego. So God bless you man I hope I hope you to get into that, but the Nicollet it's it's okay. Revelation chapter 2 verse six. Jesus yet yet this site this you have is easy.

Speaking to the church at Ephesus that you hate the works of the Nicollet attends, which I also hate. Okay so let's try to gather some information. Your one. Whatever it is what they do.

Jesus does not like he hates it.

More clarity is given to us in just that that the verses that come in verse 15 action beginning about in verse 14.

This is Jesus speaking the church at Pergamum he says I have a few things against you, you have some there who hold to the teaching of bail him who taught Bay look to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality, morality, so also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicollet attends. Therefore repent now there that the teaching of the Nicollet tenses is associated with this false prophet in the in the Old Testament was putting a stumbling block before the people of God leading them astray into sin into sexual immorality into idolatry and so II think whatever is happening with the neglect is again were were were sort of sort working our way backwards to understand what they're teaching wasn't and what I think maybe there's this syncretism may be mixing together the true faith with with some of these pagan practices or potentially justifying sinful behavior in only those who who but a stumbling block before the people of God committing sexual immorality. Seems like that's what's taking place in the context here and so some of said these are probably a group of people who were who were lawless in their behavior. Maybe they had a neato claim to Christ, and he accepted Christ, but they were also mingling that the teachings of Christ with some pagan practices with sexual immorality and and here Jesus calls the church is to repent is no this is not okay and so how do we avoid the, the, the teaching of the neglect as well. The good news is you know that group in particular that there aren't a lot of Nicollet didn't churches out there anymore.

Specifically, but I think insofar as is still work were tempted to compromise as Christians with the culture with with sin, with false worship right like we have to be on guard against that.

And that certainly is something that we see unit and is still in the church. It is prevalent in something that we have to avoid and repent of when when we as Christians are. When churches begin to fall into this this pattern of compromise. This pattern of sinful behavior and justifying our sinful behavior in in whatever way that we we we can that's that's what I think Jesus says to us as as the church and as Christians repent them and what what you're doing this sort of mingling of the true faith with false religion, or that the true faith with with immorality and lawlessness.

I hate that. That's hypocrisy.

And so I and there is an application for us here in a very clear that the Jesus wants his church to be pure not to be full of hypocrisy not to be full of immorality and that when when she is those things that she calls her to repent. She calls us that he calls us to repent blessed we bless our churches or shutter to meet and that's that's one of the things that he gets at there and in Revelation 2 and three's and look I mama to remove your lampstand him to come against you if you don't deal with these things so often. That's what happened is in in churches begin to compromise it theologically or morally, and it just gets worse and worse and worse until until the spirit of God is no longer work there because the word of God is not being taught in and people are not been called to repentance and faith and so that that I think that's the best we can say we are speculating a little bit about the Nicollet things but but sexual immorality, idolatry does seem to be wrapped up in some of those things. Thanks, Joshua and hot chicken. They ate a lot of hot let's not say that now there's nothing in the text that would indicate that they had a life for hot chicken business core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, just a follow-up to what you just said a drill. How should we as believers respond when we are interacting with. Let's say a friend or relative who is involved in a church that is synchronistic like the Unitarian church or churches that say all roads lead to heaven the night they bring in elements of Christianity, but then they bring in a variety of other elements that are completely contrary to the gospel. Yeah why mean that there I think there's a spectrum right so like there are there are some places that aren't even churches in and may not be gathering them. I have religious teaching, but I'm it's so out there that they've drifted so far away from from the gospel from the teachings of Jesus that yeah they might come together and sing songs and and have moral lessons but but actually the spirit of God is not work that you know in that place at all that the lampstand has been removed. If you will, and if you have a friend or family member is going to church like that. I would say you you warn them you plead with them about what what the church is and what the church is supposed to be and how ultimately you know what what we go to church to do or to hear is is the gospel and God's word to us and if were not getting that wound, and then whatever were getting. This is not can it help us spiritually then so I think that it's important for us to have conversation now, but now there are some people who maybe go to church that are different than the church where in and there neato seeking to be faithful to Jesus and to God's word. We have some some theological disagreements are thinking to go to that person in act as if you know will boy from unity or churches in your church as apostate. That kind of a thing, though I may not. I think you can be charitable and you can search the Scriptures as I hear some of the differences. Here's why I believe what I believe.

Biblically speaking ultimately want to grow together in the Scriptures and and follow Jesus. According to his word, and so II would Satan have conversations talk about these things dig into the Scriptures, but it in in all of that me know do so with charity and and prayerfully as well, asking the spirit would guide you and those conversations great counsel. Thanks for that Israel. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez, just a reminder, you can email us over the weekend. If you have a question we didn't get to today I here's our email address its questions at core, Christianity.com and you can leave us a voicemail over the weekend as well. Here's the number 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. There's a voicemail from one of our listeners named on the people at outright Bible when I believe in the Bible reaches creation to be struggling with is when people ask why Christianity is right and other religions or if they speak to me about. I really don't know the least another I need in order to Christianity, but I don't know that I read a lot about that are not mine and sell believe I need to learn about each other, or if you have against you help me yes thank you and I'm just so encouraged to hear how you you want to represent Jesus well and you want to you want to also understand what other people you see you can talk with them in intelligent manner and share the gospel in a way that's going to be compelling. I really speak to the questions that someone else has. I would say focus on knowing the truth. First and foremost be consumed with God's word with with prayer with your local church.

You know like like focus on those things. And if God bring someone into your life. Listen, God brings when your life was that MM there practicing Muslim or or some other other religion and you're able to have conversations or site will it in that situation. I think it's wise to to learn more so that way is as you're talking you can ask good questions, you can get to the heart of of what it is that they believe what the differences are having so many people when they think about religions today. They think they're all basically the same or day that's often what I hear, even from people who practice of the religions of the old man that's great that you believe what you believe.

I sort of associate with with this a little bit better and and basically the end of the day were all saying just just love each other and be a good person right well on the Lasix, not what what were all saying it's it is important to understand what it is that were saying and what others are saying so that as you're having conversations. As I said you can do so thoughtfully.

It's not helpful when we just pretend like we know what somebody else believes in the week. We make statements and and it's it's clear that were ignorant about what were talking about LA as I don't think that reflects positively on us in it and so I think if you want to engage your neighbors well you have to understand what it is that they worship who it is that they worship whether there there neato youth. Another religion, whether it's it's just even the sort of religion of atheism of secularism right that everybody has God's. Everybody is worshiping something and understanding what the quote unquote gods are of your neighbors is really helpful in terms of the conversations that you have with them in and being able to apply the gospel and the teachings of Jesus to their situation.

Particularly, and I think this is exactly what you see in the New Testament that your question reminded me of of Paul in acts 17 in the area Areopagus what we read in verse 22 Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said men of Athens, I perceive in every way that you are very religious for as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship.

I found also an altar with this inscription to the unknown God.

What therefore you worship is unknown.

This I proclaim to you and then and then he begins to share the gospel with them. Another way to easy using their quote unquote religions their pagan religions as as a as an inroad to talk about the true religion.

The true faith.

The gospel on the God that they that they worship is unknown, that you you don't know them yet but I'm a present to you Paul says, and so I think that's we want to do and in terms of understanding of the religious want to be able to soak. How can how can I have a conversation with this individual ultimately for the purpose of sharing Christ in the truth of the gospel with them. Let me just say let's not be ashamed about that read a statistic the other day that was saying something like most people in them. Younger people younger generation a particular think that it's wrong to try and convert another person to your religious don't do that you shouldn't do that. No, actually sharing Jesus with people is a good thing. And the disciples are and I think there are ways we can go about it that are that are not helpful, but ultimately were called as Christians to be lights in this world.

The church is called to make disciples preaching the gospel calling all people everywhere to submit to Jesus the King to receive his grace and his mercy because there is salvation and no other name. There is no other name given under heaven by which men must be saved.

And so God is given us this glorious good news this disgrace this gospel, not so that we would need to look at the people rising in whatever you believe is fine as is what I believe know if if we really understand the gospel.

But our sins are forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ and the blood of Jesus alone on this message we want to share. May God help us to want to share it as well that we work in our hearts so that so that week we communicated is as we ought were not ashamed of the gospel. As Paul said in Romans chapter 1. I'm not ashamed of the gospel and of the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes in, so sister God bless you in wanting to share that gospel and and wanting to do so in a way that's charitable. That's thoughtful, intelligent bit that takes into consideration what other people actually believe.

So you can engage with them honestly and may God bless you as you do that and may God grant you favor and open the hearts of those who you who you speak to a male you are giving a great example to all of us for sharing with those in our lives who may have different religious beliefs. So thank you for your for your passion for sharing the gospel and wanted to learn more about them in their lives what they believe, before launching into to a discussion about the Gospels that's that's a great example of this is core Christianity with pastor Adria Sanchez. We do receive emails here and here's one from Austin. He says last year my wife was involved in a car accident that resulted in an injury of the other person there was a chance this will go beyond our policy limit. Given what Jesus says in Matthew 540. Should I not disputed. If it carries into a lawsuit in the how this is this is a really complex question first.

I'm just sorry Austin to hear about the situation and this person who is been injured. Sounds like a like a very like a very sticky thing.

I don't know that I can.

I can give you a clear answer in terms of what what you should or or shouldn't do MEI. I think obviously if if you're responsible for this then then then yeah you you need to figure out a way I think to to address the problem to take responsibility again II don't know you know how it I know there's fifth 2 billion investigation it's associated with these things and so I think you submit. I think you submit to that, and if if somebody is been injured and there there needs to be payment then then yeah I don't I don't know why I think it may be the right approach would be to two not disputed, but again I don't know your situation entirely and so I want to be careful.

I would encourage you.

I hope that you're in a church where we have a pastor who knows your situation better and you can go to them and go to and wise people in in your life and your family around you who can speak to to this as well.

But what I want to do just is is pray for wisdom for you for healing for this other person and that God would resolve the situation with his good friend once a father, I lift Austin up to you and Lord, we pray for him. Pray for his family. Pray that you would give them wisdom from you to know how to act in and in the manner that would be most honoring to you and faithful to your word faithful to your law so that if he needs take responsibility here, Lord, that he would do so and that you would provide for him.

Pray for this other person is well gracious God, that you would bring healing that there wouldn't be further complications from from injury Lord in that this would come to a peaceful resolution gracious God, we look to you, pray for this situation and ask for your blessing in Jesus name, amen. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in 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