What Does It Look Like to Entrust Our Kids to the Lord in a Secular World?

What is it look like to entrust our kids to the Lord in a secular world that's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity high on 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 do get some difficult ones. At times you can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on one of our social media sites you can watch Israel live in the studio right now on our YouTube channel and send us a message through YouTube, and of course you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today. Here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Glenda saying that once saved always say I seen in my family that people want to get a they believe they can do whatever they want and they'll be saved are not anti-norming and you could be passed or elaborate on this false teaching. Once saved always saved. Thank you Pastor I still enjoy your radio show they going to thank you for that question yet is truly a tragedy when you have individuals who say all you know III believe in Jesus and a prayer you know when up for the altar call or raise my hand when the pastor said would you like to accept Jesus into your heart and and they did write the did this prayer went through these motions, but continue to live as an enemy of God. Frankly rejecting his word, rejecting his truth, rejecting his law. Now that's what what antinomianism is anti-know me and that he refers to lawlessness, that is a rejection of God's law and of course any Christian who says that that the law of God, not doesn't matter today that were not called to obey God's law. The moral of the serious issues there and with regard to the question of once saved always saved them and I think I think is another issue. There is as well. It sounds to me like like this individual is is may be appealing to that phrase in order to give themselves comfort. I do believe that once an individual is born again regenerated by the Holy Spirit that there By the gut bite by the Lord that they'll persevere in faith and that God is gonna sanctify them by his spirit. But there is there is false teaching out there with regard to the one passage of Scripture that I think you might share with this family member with friends who who seem to be living this way Paul says in Romans chapter 6 and really after. After talking about the gospel for for a couple of chapters the salvation that we've received. He says in Romans chapter 6 beginning in verse one, what shall we say then are we to continue in sin that grace may abound you preach the gospel is that God forgives sinners freely solely on the on the merits of Christ. He was a well well if that's the case will then I can just go on sinning. Living. However, I want you not God forgives me and and I'm just gonna go and continue to do what I want to do and and Paul says no you missed it is should we go on sinning continue in sin so that God's grace may abound even more by no means, he says, how can we who died to sin still live in it. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, we too might walk in newness of life. If you believe in Jesus Christ you been sealed by the Holy Spirit is, as Paul says in Ephesians chapter 1. Your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit and you are called we are called as Christians by faith in love took to follow the Lord to fulfill. Paul goes on to say in Romans chapter 8 the righteous requirements of the law through Christ by faith and so brothers and sisters. This is this is a serious thing that I would encourage you and and maybe this family member to dig into Romans chapters 6 through eight, and to really see if he is just you know I accepted Jesus in my heart now living. You know, however, I want to really see just just the deception them.

In this individual is deceived and not understanding the grace of God. It seems like not understanding that the severity of sin and what God calls us to in repentance and so really important that we get this right and appreciate Glenda that you called in with this question. Glenda, thanks so much for your question for listening to core Christianity. Our phone lines are open. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. The number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Steve calling in from Orangeburg, Missouri Steve what your question for Israel.

Well Roy for her Jesus referred to God that I was wondering why that is.

Now why is Jesus in the Gospels, referred to as sometimes the Son of Man, sometimes he's referred to as the son of God. 011 passage of Scripture. I think that highlights what's going on there is found in the gospel of John in John chapter 10 a really interesting back and forth between Jesus and the religious leaders I would begin in verse 31 of John chapter 10 the Jews picked up stones again to stone Jesus and Jesus answered them, I have shown you many good works from the father, for which of them are you going to stone me. The Jews answered him, it is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy because you being a man make yourself God that why why why are they thinking this will in part it's because Jesus was referring to himself as the son of God. And so again he goes down in in verse 34 Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law.

I said you are gods if he called them gods, to whom the word of God came in Scripture cannot be broken.

Do you say of him whom the father consecrated and sent into the world.

You are blaspheming because I said I am the son of God. If I am not doing the works of my father than do not believe me but if I do them. Even though you do not believe me, believe the works believe the works that you may know and understand that the father is in me and I am in the father is so pure in in in one sense when one of the things we get really clearly. Here is a claim to deity.

Jesus saying I am the son of God, equal with the father and this gets into the doctrine of the holy Trinity as well Steve, we believe that God the father is unbegotten, eternally unbegotten, if you will, the origin, the source that Jesus is the eternal son of God, begotten of the father before all worlds. That is not in time but but eternally.

Jesus didn't begin to be the son of God at his at his birth.

During the time of the incarnation. He's always been.

According to holy Scripture, the son of the father and the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally. We believe from the father and the son. And so it's a wonder getting the doctrine of the Trinity, but to an end. Just based on that that passage that I read to you there in John chapter 10 Jesus referring to himself as the son of God, highlighting the fact that he is so much more than just a good teacher, a moral example of spiritual Guru too often today.

That's what people assume that Jesus was a Jesus was a great religious teacher.

I like the teachings of Jesus will know Jesus claim to be so much more in the people that lived in Jesus's day the religious leaders who heard them speaking realized that he claimed to be so much more and that's one of the reasons they picked up stones to kill him there in John chapter 10, or to try to kill him there and so Steve, thanks for your question. This core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to a voicemail that we received from one of our callers earlier this week, I was just wondering if you have any persons of encouragement for parents nowadays just with all the things our kids are facing I got little kids and I worry a lot about their future and what I'll be exposed to.

I protect them as much as I can but that you know they have to also be in the world and with all the ideologies I feel very overwhelmed as a parent, so I'm just something of comfort some kind of verses that I can hold onto as a mom, obviously. I pray for my kids but I would just love. Biceps higher now feel encouraged when there's so many overwhelming things going on and he'll be well you're not alone. I mean, I have similar concerns for my own children as well. And so the first thing I want to do is pray for you and also pray for all those who who are in the same boat and we want to see our kids know and love Jesus and walk with Jesus in in the midst of of the world that we live in and with all the challenges I think that that young people face today that our kids face and are going to face as they get older and so let's let's respray father, thank you that you love us. Thank you that you love our children. Thank you God that you care for them even more than we do board them is sometimes so hard for us to to understand and to grasp that Lord but that you love us to love our children. I pray father for for all the parents who are wrestling with this question that you would help them. Lord first to entrust their children to you and and to trust God in you. And secondly, Lord to be diligent to fervor. All of us Lord to be diligent to instruct our children to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord to be godly examples in the home, bringing our children to church and teaching them the doctrines of our holy religion Lord week we we know that it's only by the grace of your Holy Spirit, that they believe and are saved. And so, Lord I buy. I pray that you would do that work Lord is as is, we do what you call us to do that you would work in the hearts of our children sealing them by your glorious Holy Spirit and bringing all of your promises or the promises in your word to fruition for us and for our children is as you say, and so we look to God. In Jesus name, amen sister that the passage of Scripture that I think I would go to is just just in terms of a comfort is in second Timothy chapter 1 this oversight. I just really love it's Paul writing to Timothy and he says to Timothy, beginning in verse three.

I think God whom I serve as did my ancestors with a clear conscience. As I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears. I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy and I am reminded of your sincere faith of faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother, you Nice and now I am sure dwells in you as well is easy this this sort of idea of passing the faith on if you I am reminded of the fact pulses that that this fate that is in you was first in your grandmother and in your mother will how did how did it get into to Timothy as well. I think that there's a clue in chapter 3 in verse 15, Paul says to Timothy how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred Scriptures with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. And that's our job as as parent sister to expose our children to the word of God.

Yes, there are so many voices that they hear that we here in in in society and culture that are out there and in many of those voices are lying to our children about what's valuable about what's true about who God is about their their worth and where they get worth and that's why it's so important for us as Christian parents to expose our children to the truth of God's word to take our children to church every week to hear the preaching of the word to have conversations about the Lord in the home to pray together, to serve together that should be a part of our our lives of our of our family should be normal to talk about Jesus, to talk about Scripture to seeing to pray in the end that's how Montgomery Paul says faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ in Romans chapter 10 and so we are are called as parents to expose one another in our children to the word of Christ and so often through that word.

God creates faith in the hearts of his people, and in the hearts of our children and so that's that's a comfort for us knowing what we wondered okay this is God is the one who's in control and he uses his word, and so my encouragement to you would would be to be rooted in the word as a family and to to to grow together and to know that it's that word that stabilizes us that anchors us in the midst of a society or culture that's going all over the place and so God bless you and be with you in in the work that you're doing as as a mother and are so grateful for you sister relisting the core Christianity and we actually have an offer that ties in with that last question, and it's our new faith and family collection from core Christianity yeah Bill, this is a great offer that were really excited about sharing with our listeners and families can be a training ground. As I just said no. And with that with that previous questions like worker. She had we created new resource on faith and family available over at our website website for gift of any amount. It's a collection that includes questions and answers from the show articles and bonus materials about marriage, parenting, sexuality and dating relationships how to answer the questions that our children have even as they're asking questions about the Bible and theology, and so head over to core Christianity.com to get a hold of this this resource.

Again, a resource we believe is very important in light of of the fact that we need to be talking about these things with our children were grateful for your support. By the way, you can find that by going to core Christianity.com/family that's core Christianity.com/family to look for our new faith and family collection from core Christianity. While phone lines are open. If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine theology, you name it we would love to hear from you will be taking calls for the next eight minutes or so, so now's the time to jump on the phone. It's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Eric who was calling in from Iowa Falls air Iowa Eric, what's your question for Israel.

I hope that I can hear you Eric? I go to church recently� And what person from another from Mr. church and Senate and insurers tell me that she had concern about the Lutheran Church Mr. Stark saying that she thought as to conservative and then she also said that she thought they talk too much about Martin Luther, God took the man of God. I haven't had that experience myself to talk real man and are not a lot of people say that liturgical worship is not not boring. I just want to get your feedback on those persons on about church thinks that question is the last when they as a people say that liturgical worship is is is boring that one gets me right in the heart because in our church and the church that I pastor is every church has a liturgy but I think what you mean by that is in a liturgical worship with more structure, more order, the singing of Psalms and and hymns and Scripture readings and Old Testament reading New Testament reading prayers written prayers often times that's very much, what with the service looks like in the church that I pastor as well and some people did nothing to do so. Wasn't that just dry boring. That kind of Athena we we like the spontaneity the spirit filled worship but but the reality is is liturgy were talking to God's word here. These these rituals pursue biblical rituals. Rituals we see in Scripture. Baptism, the Lord's supper. The preaching of the word. The reading of holy Scripture rituals aren't dead.

Worship isn't dead. Quote unquote people are dead or alive with the issue so often is is the heart in the Old Testament God had prescribed very clearly how he wanted to be worshiped. There were a lot of rituals involved in sure people could go through the motions, and God often rebuked them when they did Isaiah chapter 1 is a good example. God says to them when you raise your hands to me.

I'm not can it hear your prayers. Your hands are full of blood and so and so that that that the cruises with regard to the worship style right there. Different people have different preferences but we want to make sure first and foremost that were worshiping God, according to his word that the gospel is central to the word of God is central, that Christ crucified is being preached, and I think that's I think that that's key.

That's the most important thing and so you people might say I don't really like that are deemed boring to me but at the end of the day. That's what God calls us to focus on and worship is Jesus the gospel the cross Scripture and your faithfulness to holy Scripture with regard to you know that the theology of the church and you know how concerned I did get the just depends on where this friend is coming from you and what what they believe about Scripture what they believe about the core tenets of the Christian faith as far as I know. And of course I'm I'm I'm not Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Presbyterian minister, but as far as I know you have friends who are part of that church reported that that denomination in and I think that seems to have a high view of Scripture high view of God's word.

A high view of the core doctrines of the Christian faith. All things that I would. I would really just say amen to Dan and we know that today in our society. There are many people who are rejecting the authority of Scripture. The centrality of the gospel and so if if this friend is coming from that perspective may be a minimizing of holy Scripture woman that something that I think needs to be graciously and lovingly challenged and then with regard to emphasizing one man over another you a certain theologian. This is can be a valid criticism all of us can fall into this trap and it was something that was happening in the days of the apostles. I think of what Paul says in in first Corinthians chapter 1 in verse 10 where he said to the Corinthian church. I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind in the same judgment. It is been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers, what I mean is that each one of you says. I follow Paul or I follow Apollo's or I follow Cephas or I follow Christ is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you. Were you baptized in the name of Paul is easy singlet. Let's not have that kind of sectarian attitude regional all my guys is this individual know we want to focus on the word of God and that doesn't. We don't benefit from, and then aren't blessed by these wonderful theologians men that God is used mightily in the history of the church. Men like Martin Luther. I think I think that's good. We should we should read these guys and and and benefit from them but we don't worship them and you know Luther didn't die on the cross for my sins. And of course he wouldn't he would never make any kind of suggestion like they would say. Fix your eyes on Christ and him crucified. And so that's were called to do in the church.

Eric appreciate your question. May the Lord bless you as you continue to seek Eric, thanks so much for being a regular listener to core Christianity.

We do appreciate you all.

Nancy called in from Missouri. She has this question.

She says my daughter is now going to a Greek Orthodox Church. It seems very doctrinally different to me should I be concerned about that. Hey Nancy, thank you for that for that question.

Well okay so were thinking about the Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox church. Here, there, there are some significant theological differences and certainly with with Protestantism generally mean that differences with regard to church government differences with regard to the doctrine of salvation. That is how were saved.

You know in Protestant theology coming out of the Reformation.

There was a really strong emphasis on the doctrine of justification, the fact that were declared righteous, not on the basis of anything that we've done, but solely through the merits of Christ. The imputation we say of his righteousness to us by faith. And that's not something that you really find talked about as much in Orthodox Church is the difference with regard to how they understand salvation are similarities. Thankfully, with regard to need of some core beliefs, and thinking about the stuff related to the. The doctrine of the Trinity, but even even there.

There are some some some differences stuff related to the deity of Jesus Christ. I'm so as I think that there are things we can celebrate in terms similar to but there are there are significant differences. And you know what one book that I might recommend to you. Actually, you were oftentimes recommending Dr. Michael Horton's book core Christianity here that that could be a good book to share, but he also contributed to a book some some years ago on Eastern orthodoxy and I think it's a it's a three views book on Eastern orthodoxy with with different contributors were the credit going back and forth with with some of the similarity some of the differences and if I would say look up that book, Dr. Michael Horton three views on Eastern orthodoxy. I think I think that's the title.

I think that will be helpful as you as you consider this question more and you want to bring information to your daughter and so may the Lord bless you Nancy and encourage you in those discussions in and be with your family think through?

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