What Should We Pray After a Mass Shooting?

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Yeah yeah I mean III can't even imagine going that my kids are my oldest is 10 and so you know are beginning to see pictures of the victims and yeah II see my my kids there.

I see children who are just as this is horrible thing it has happened and I it's it's hard to even know what to say it in terms of processing but I know you have you have children as well and so I imagine that you I have been wrestling with this and praying to but just absolutely devastating and and we we need to pray, we need to do more than than just pray, but certainly my heart is been breaking. How do we pray in a situation like this one something so terrible happens of justice is so overwhelming. I think sometimes the words fail us. Yeah, well, well, you're right and I've seen already know people say more praying and and of course though the response is often well we we want more than prayers, and I mentioned just now we we do.

I think it as as Christians were called to pursue that which is good and just, were called to pursue justice recalled more than just bring what we certainly do also need to pray because we believe that God works through prayer and I think of just a couple of things that we should be praying right now one we should certainly be praying for the families of the victims and just asking God to pour out his Spirit comfort somehow through these horrific circumstances to cause the light of the gospel to shine through on that the church and the people of God really step up and in situations like these and and hopefully a minister to the families that are there. The families that are that are directly affected by this. And so we pray for for comfort. We also pray. I believe for justice that anytime we see evil in in society we we pray that God would give us wisdom about how to address it. But what we need to do as people and as the church specifically to respond. I go to the Psalms. So often when I don't have the words to pray and certainly throughout the Psalms.

You see prayers like this, especially the Psalms of lament where the psalmist is crying out to God because of something that's happened some some terrible thing sometimes that is taken place and in the Psalm that I was thinking of this morning is Psalm 94, when the psalmist prays, O Lord God of vengeance, O God of vengeance shine forth rise up, O judge of the earth repaid to the proud what they deserve.

O Lord, how long shall the wicked. How long shall the wicked exult, they pour out their arrogant words, all the evildoers post a crusher people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage. They kill the widow in the Sojourner and murder the fatherless and they say the Lord does not see the God of Jacob does not perceive, understand Odell list of the people.

When will you be wise he who planted the ear does he not here. He who form the ideas he not see God sees and and is one of things. A psalmist is very clearly.

But what's interesting is need of praying for justice pray for vengeance against those who hurt the vulnerable and come against the vulnerable mean they kill the widow in the Sojourner and murder the fatherless and God cares for the vulnerable. God cares for the children and and so we have to pursue justice and that which is right and exhibit that same care so that these kinds of things don't continue to happen and and so we pray for the wisdom that only God can, given in terms of what it looks like to to pursue that and we pray for comfort.

As I said Bill, thanks for that. Some great great counsel. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and our phone lines are open. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life doctrine theology would love to hear from you hurts the phone number it's 833. The core that's 1-833-843-2673 and we do receive emails. Here's one we received from a listener named Gregory there something in the Bible that got are there some things in the Bible that God did not put in.

I'm guessing you mean the things that God didn't intend for this to be in his word, but somehow it made its way in there. Maybe you know the scribe added it and Dan just we were stuck with it. Not well no I don't believe that that's the case you part of what's helpful here is understanding how we got our Bible and the many hundreds of manuscripts actually that textual critics will look at in terms of putting together the Scriptures, and that there are hundreds thousands of manuscripts, Old Testament and New Testament people looking at so that even if say some scribe somewhere along the way inserted something into a manuscript we can compare that with with hundreds of others. Often times and see okay this is this is a a scribal addition, the sum that wasn't meant to be there, doesn't fit, so we can have great confidence. Not only that God inspired his word, but that he providentially remove what we have before us is truly the word of God and we should receive it as such.

One of the big concerns that I have a people say well we don't really know you know what did Jesus really say is, is that was recorded in the Gospels are in their groups that if that have done this actually live. They tried to to differentiate between what they think Jesus really said and in the things that you know maybe he didn't actually say that the issue there is that makes us the judge of God's word instead of letting God's word function as it should, in our lives, which is is over us as as the judge over us. If you will, and so instead of submitting to the authority of Scripture.

When people say they know that there are things in the Bible that God didn't intend to be there for if not their way in there. All of a sudden you know you have an open door to just reject the parts of the Scriptures that you don't want to follow.

And that's a huge concern to me and so no I think it's it's clear to me at least what we have before us is the word of God.

In just one passage of Scripture. I think that you can go to that speaks of this is is what Paul told Timothy in second Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be completely equipped for every good work. It's want to receive the word of God. As such, as as sufficient for us and and profitable for us and for our growth in grace and godliness to the question. Good word about God's word. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life maybe how your Christian walk intersects with what's going on in today's culture that can be a real challenge at times our phone lines will be open for the next 15 minutes or so. So jump on the phone right now, here's the number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. By the way, we have a brand-new Bible study that would like to offer you they were really excited about this one, yet the Bible studies called the parables of King Jesus at the 10 week study going through the parables of of our Lord really focusing on the kingdom of Jesus and Jesus is King, who is bringing forth his kingdom. Not not just giving us teaching about the kingdom is really ushering the kingdom. It in through these parables, and there's a lot of confusion today about the parables as well.

You know people think of the parables were given just it to help people who didn't understand understand better Jesus illustrating a point, but that's not actually always the case you know Jesus is is in one sense, helping the disciples to understand what you think of the religious leaders, the scribes and the Pharisees.

They were further blinded through the parables and so we want to make sure that that doesn't happen us first and foremost I want to understand what Christ was teaching what he was doing to those parables, and so get a hold of this resource over core, Christianity.com for donation of $20 or more.

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The core let's go to voicemail that came in from one of our callers earlier this week hi so my question today is could you explain covenant theology. If you know any good resources are good books on explaining covenant theology. Anything you can share as I'm always looking to learn more. Yeah, thank you that question just right off the bat.

A good resource that I recommended many people folks my church as well is a book called sacred bond covenant theology explored this. I guess a second edition out out recently but that's that's a good introductory work on covenant theology so so to your to your question specifically what is covenant theology covenant theology is the framework I believe that the Bible gives us for understanding the whole story of redemption. The Bible is a covenantal document. If you will. Covenants were were needed. Things were popular in the ancient near East the resort like these. These sacred the no solemn binding promises relationships often times they would they would have threats or curses associated with them. People would enter into covenants with each other. Kings would enter into covenants with peoples.

I think we know one common thing that we do today.

One thing that we do today that did that in one sense helps to illustrate the idea of companies is that the marriage relationship. It's this it's this binding contractual relationship it's rooted ultimately and in love and goodwill because of the similarities there with covenant, but it's it's exactly we find in the Bible that God enters into covenant with people and with his people. Specifically, now in in Scripture. There typically different kinds of of covenants are some that are very works based. If you will work where this was also something actually see in the ancient near East were in it, an individual or group would enter into a covenant with with the people and then there were obligations that both parties had to fulfill in order for the terms of the covenant to be upheld and there were other kinds of covenants seem to be more grace focused you know promise a grant that was given by King to a people and so there different kinds of covenants. I think this is something that we see reflected in Scripture. But on the whole covenant. It is just the language of the Bible.

It's how God enters into relationship with his people and then we see these covenant sort of trace throughout the whole of Scripture as well. I believe that that from the very beginning there in the garden of Eden. God entered into a covenant with with mankind through Adam, where he commanded Adam to do good did not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to be fruitful and to multiply and and so on and so forth and all of us were in Adam being represented by Adam Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 5 and when Adam fell, we all fell in Adam as a sort of covenantal relationship that everyone every everything a person to born whether you would identify as a Christian or not is in were in this covenant with God through Adam and yet God and just leave us there. He gives us his promise. The promise of his grace. You see that piano right off right off the heels of that in Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 where God promises that the seed of the woman is and across the head of the serpent. So you have this this promise of grace.

This gracious covenant that God gives that we see throughout the pages of the Bible and ultimately fulfilled in Christ in his redemptive work and we are the recipients were told of the new covenant prophesied by the Jeremiah I read about it in Hebrews chapter 8 instituted by Jesus in the upper room. As he says he's giving his disciples the Lord's supper and so we relate to God through covenants and again this is just we see throughout the pages of the Bible in 11 other thing that all all all mention is typically when were talking about this.

What would so wonderful about this is helps us understand the whole story of God and how it all points to Christ really in it, and to God's plan of redemption.

Too often I think people when they look at the Bible they sort of, that they they piecemeal it apart. You know the devil God worked one way in the Old Testament now is no longer working that way and and and they don't see the unity of redemption throughout the whole story.

As promised, way back in Genesis chapter 3, and so focused on the one people of God. The unified plan of redemption through God's covenant promises and how he brings that about in our lives is I think at the heart of what covenant theology is and again if you want to go deeper and you certainly can go a lot deeper. I get a hold of that book that I mentioned called sacred bond.

God bless thanks for the explanation. A real great stuff this is core Christianity and by the way, you can always email us your questions. If you want to write him after the show is over. Here's our email address is questions at core, Christianity.com here's one from Clarice and she says I believe that we are justified by faith in Christ alone. However, why does James 222 to 24 I should say say otherwise.

Please help me understand this.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for that question James chapter 2. A lot of people think all it is is James here contradicting the apostle Paul.

Paul seems to suggest that were justified by faith alone, not of works, we read Romans chapter 4, but then you get to James chapter 2 beginning in verse 14 we read what good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works can that faith save him again. He goes on to say in verse 24 what you bring up you see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone give the example of Rahab, and in the same way that was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way as to what it was James getting at. Well, first I think we want we want to rule out this idea that James and Paul are contradicting each other on that they don't agree with each other that Paul is teaching justification by faith. And James is teaching justification by your efforts by your works. I think specifically what's happening in James chapter 2 is James is talking about what I would refer to as a historical faith or a false faith. He says again in verse 14. Can that faith save a person, that is, a person is as yet, I believe, but they believe, like the demons right they that are not genuinely trusting in Christ laying hold of his grace, laying hold of salvation because we know that if they did that trust would be exhibited through what through through the sink of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Certainly, acts of love acts of charity. Now none of us are perfect and that even as the justified and that's where justification can't be on the basis of our works. Paul makes absolutely clear and in Romans chapter 4, the God justifies the sinner the on godly until were in heaven to me everything that we do. Our works are to be tainted by sin still are not perfect and so it is in order to be justified by our works, we fall way short of that were justified by the works of Jesus Christ and his imputed righteousness for us, but the person who is justified works and the spirit of God begins to work in that individual so that we we bear fruit, and again Nina and that's that's imperfect this side of heaven went justified by those works, but I think that's what James is getting at their specifically in James chapter 2. Can the person says. I tell you have faith, but I don't have works will does that faith save that kind of faith, the sort of nominal faith, no, no, that's not true faith and so that's how I'd I'd parse out James chapter 2 appreciate your your question and may the Lord bless you outside.

I'm so glad we are not justified by works, because if we were on waterskiing on the lake of fire from us. That's one way of putting it bill but again we have to recognize and think about God's law.

God calls us to obedience and not just sort of you know, halfway obedience, but to a perfect obedience. So to say that were justified by works, we can be justified by our efforts by our righteousness is to suggest that somehow we perfectly. You know are fulfilling the law of God in our own righteousness but but the reality is we sinned and fall short of God's law. Romans chapter 7 of the battle that the apostle Paul talks about and so the hope for our justification can't be in our own inherent righteousness and are in our works. It has to be the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. That's not opposed to works not at all know the person who's justified freed from their sins loosed from their sins is set free to serve God and to love him and to love their neighbors a man so well said this is core Christianity, just a reminder we have a brand-new Bible study available. It's called the parables of King Jesus. You can find out more about that by going to core Christianity.com/studies by the way we are going to be recording a second episode of core Christianity today so if you were unable to call in the last 25 minutes or so, you can still call him for the next half hour 35 minutes, so feel free to give us a call. Here's the number again. It's 1-833-843-2673.

That's 833. The Corps will be taking calls for the next is at 35 minutes or so, let's go to Kenny in Minnesota Kenny what is your question for pastor atrial. Thank any question is simple or scriptural defense of Torah and how to answer people who say there are inherent problems with it such as one different Christian agree on major moral issues. Thank you. Great great question.

Can you let me just repeat that you cannot give a simple defense of the doctrine of Sola script Torah and then how do we respond to this is the sum of the issues you know we talk about them. The ultimate authority the Bible but but you know Christians disagree about their interpretation of Scripture and moral issues, theological issues and so then so do Sola script or a subtle settled that the issues that we have is it really the answer. First, I think I would just simply say what we mean by that Sola script is not is not that the Bible is the only authority in the Christian life is that it's the ultimate authority in the Christian life course there are other kinds of authority that we we have as Christians is even think of a local church called to submit to the authority there on the care of shepherds and pastors there in the local church, but that this full Scripture teaches that the Bible is the ultimate magisterial authority in the church so that we can contradict the Bible and me as a minister of the gospel. I have a sort of ministerial authority, pointing people to the teachings of Scripture, but I don't get to make things up as I go.

Might my teachings are based on the Bible. Whatever those traditions might be don't carry the same authority I think about what what Jesus said to the religious teachers in his day in Mark chapter 7 verse eight where he said to them, you leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men, and he said to them, you have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition for Moses that honor your father and your mother, and whoever reviles father mother must surely die. What you say. If a man tells his father, mother, whatever you would've gained for me is carbon that is given to God than you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down in many such things. You do so. There are traditions that we have in the church hopefully traditions that are in line with Scripture, but one of the dangers that we face. I think as the body of Christ.

Kenny is it is when we begin to put things on the same level the same authority of Scripture. Scripture is we say self authenticating. It's the voice of God himself to his people. It's clear it's for speak US. It's meant to be received by us as the word of God than you need anything outside of it to validated that the Protestant reformers were were clear on this needed to say that God needs the church. For example, to give the stamp of approval to his voice to his word is is just while God is revealing himself to us, giving us his word, and so we receive his word. As such, as the ultimate authority and and that's what should shape our churches, our communities, our faith or morals everything and and and it trumps any other secondary authority really that that's out there. When those authorities contradict. But the reality is that we realize like you said well that there are differences that people have related to the Bible's interpretation, there are moral issues and I think that just a part of the reality that we have to live with in a sinful fallen world, and the fact of the matter is that I don't think the those issues are solved by other Christian traditions that reject Sola script or an and rely on the authority say of the pope or another ecclesiastical leader there just as many divisions often times in those same communions as well. And so the answer I was is going back to the Scriptures and receiving them as the ultimate authority in our lives.

Thanks Kenny for giving us a call. God bless. 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