What is the Christian Response to the Overturning of Roe v Wade?

What is the Christian response to the overturning of Roe V Wade, well that's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity by Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

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A major decision was handed down by the US Supreme Court just a couple of hours ago and it's causing a lot of turmoil in our country. Those of us who are pro-life are really overjoyed with that decision. But for many, they are not, and I'm wondering Israel. What would you say is the proper response for Christians in the face of this decision. Yeah, Bill well I mean when I when I found out this morning I was thankful to the Lord, rejoicing truly and I do believe for Christians and yes what what is the proper response to the any time that government enacts just laws. It does things the right way justly that something that we should rejoice over that we should give thanks to God.

This is a part of the job of civil government if you will. There there called to carry out justice and justice isn't defined by them.

Whatever we wanted to be something that's rooted in in God's word ultimately and in in the way the Lord created the world. Proverbs chapter 21 verse 15 says when justice is done. It is a joy to the righteous, and so I think you about one week. We can we can celebrate we can be thankful we can we can be thankful for the hard work that many people have put in not pursuing justice men and ultimately were were thanking God for for this and other there's a difference between rejoicing and gloating. I think too much discourse around these kinds of things you know political discourse around these discussions are happy to do just don't want to argue and in argumentative Lyons our political opponents, the people with whom we disagree. That's not our goal. First and foremost or at all. As Christians we want to advance the cause of Jesus Christ and there are many people who are upset with this decision want to help them to see the goodness the truth, and the beauty behind protecting the lives of the vulnerable and so I think I think we we pray we have discussions, conversations I got into a conversation with the family and remind recently who asked me Perry bluntly what is your Church's stance on these things, and in it at some point the conversation got heated but really focusing on what's good and right and true according to the Scripture and God's holy law, and we also want to pray bit. People come to repentance and faith is, as I said there are many people were very angry very upset about this.

We read in second Corinthians chapter 4 verses three and four. Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing in their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ was the image of God. We need to pray that that veil is lifted that people will see the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. By the grace of the Holy Spirit and ending seeing that that they would rejoice in that which is good and true as well.

We also I think will need to consider how the church we Christians can support pregnant women pursue the thriving of life in all of its stages think this is important for us and this is this is a good thing. This is a positive thing and we want to be pro-life but it does.

As I said, bearing in all of the state is what is a part of it that the six command you were called not to murder but positively were called to pursue all of those things which lead to the thriving of life for ourselves and for our neighbors and so there there's a lot for us to consider their intent to pray about in and really to be active in and the last thing I'll say is that we need to pray that we pray for our churches. Pray for pregnancy care clinic that I know if you seen Bill but there there been acts of violence in recent days toward these pregnancy click care clinics. It really provide a wonderful service in in the community as a way to pray for peace for safety and pray for the hearts of those who are filled with anger right now over this decision and pray that the Lord would raise up many children many many children who know and love Jesus and so this is another thing I've been thinking about lease at least this morning, so maybe right now acts would be a good opportunity to pray for some of those things and so would you join me brothers and sisters and just going before the Lord right now.

Father, we do thank you Lord God, and we rejoice, Lord, and in many respects it is this of a bright a bright day something that were were thankful for Lord and we thank you for the way this decision has gone. We ask Lord God that you would give us wisdom as your people to care for those who are in need to come alongside of those who are blind in unbelief in sin, to bring in the truth of the gospel. The truth of your law Lord will the goodness of your law.

The goodness of what you call us to ultimately the love of of you and the love of our neighbors so we pray that you would help us to that end as well. We pray for the peace of all of your churches. We pray Lord for your protection over these these pregnancy care clinics that are out there. We pray Lord God that you would change the hearts of of those who are who are grieved and angered even by this decision, Lord God, that you would draw people to yourself. I pray also Lord for those who have had abortions and or some of them date they take pride in in that others Lord I know that there are many women who are grieved by the trauma of that by the sin of that. I do pray Lord for all of them. Lord, that they would experience the forgiveness and grace of Jesus Christ the light and love that you give. When we turn to you, Lord and father again be with us and be with this nation Lord in helping us in all things to pursue Lord God of you in Jesus name, amen, amen, thanks for that Andrew and I love your comment about making sure that while we celebrate this victory.

We don't gloat over and I would encourage all Christians to be really careful what you post on social media over the next few days because you're going to see a lot of sweeps that a lot of angry people a lot of really negative comments about this decision. Let's just answer as Jesus would have us respond to those things. This score Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez and our 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. Here's our phone number. It 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Eric in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Eric what your question for Pastor Israel. Israel about baptism, church I go to the church mainly, but also adult and I recently Pastor of baptism. She'll go live for how that works better than your faith believe never question I have one my friend once told me that that should be only after you become a Christian should have it done so I wonder about that through that right. So my question two questions there with the second one should just be for those who who believe that is those who have made a profession of faith repented of their sins and are now coming to the waters of baptism we see so many examples of this in the New Testament. Of course you have the early preaching of the apostles the disciples and their making converts and anytime someone adult is concerned converted to the faith date date. They are called to be baptized, and this is what Jesus commanded in. In Matthew chapter 28 with regard to making disciples. And so in that sense everyone, even those who believe in the baptism of infants like I believe believes also that adults need to be baptized. Those were outside of the church.

The church community, but then come to faith in Jesus Christ from from the outside. Other welcomed in on the basis of their profession of faith and turning to Christ and they receive the sign and the seal of holy baptism. The question is what about our children see throughout the Bible.

Under the old covenant. I was very clear that God included the children of believers as a part of the worshiping community. He commanded Abraham in Genesis chapter 17 to give his infant sons. A sign of circumcision, the sign of the covenant, which was this entryway sign if you will, into the visible community of of Israel marking them off as the holy people of God as of the question is you know it is that is that reality, the reality that God includes children and in particular the children of believers in the worshiping community is a part of the quote unquote holy or set apart people is that reality still under the new covenant. Well, it seems to me like like it is a me Paul says in first Corinthians chapter 7 that that the children of even one believer that you have a unity of a couple and only one of the parents as a believer is those children are considered holy to the Lord. Otherwise, they would be unclean. The language that he uses.

There is the language of the covenant community.

The holy are those that belong to the Lord doesn't mean that there there there saved, if you will born St. it means that they're a part of the covenant community. The worshiping community and as such the proper recipients of the sign of the covenant for us as Christians living under the new covenant, that sign is baptism. Circumcision in the Old Testament was her like this. This type of baptism if you will that the covenant side of sign of entry into the community of faith and so for the children of believers. I would to that there there the proper recipients of baptism, even infants and for those who were converted later in life from outside of the church.

Then there there to receive the sign of holy baptism. Now what does baptism do does baptism make someone saved, if you will does it infuse us with faith and hope and love. That's the position of of some churches is position of the Roman Catholic Church.

For example, in those who believe in what's called baptismal regeneration, that is, through the washing of water in baptism, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Every person who is baptized is undoubtedly regenerated so that that is the position of of some Christians is not my position. I believe that baptism is this covenant sign and seal of the promises of God it. It's where the promises of God very gospel are exhibited to us their tokens of God's goodwill and love toward his people, and it could very well be that a child is baptized is born again of minutes that the spirit of God ultimately that works. Jesus is in John three, the wind blows where it wishes you and you hear the sound of it, but you don't know where it's going. God's Spirit is absolutely sovereign. He can do whatever he wants, but it could be also that a child is baptized doesn't come to faith if you will listen regenerated until much later in life and so that doesn't invalidate their baptism. The promises of baptism, the promises of the gospel are just as sure and real even in that circumstance, and so the grace of of baptism if if you will, is it necessarily tied to the moment of its administration and I think that's a key point to bring in look the other a couple.

I would say of of ditches to reckon here.

I think that there are those who just look at baptism and of itself, just Google washing with water so yes you be baptized. That means you are undoubtedly born again and you're going to be in heaven, and of course that's not necessarily even with the Roman Catholic Church believes also. Yet you can be regenerated, but you can fall out of a state of grace you can you can become a child of God. In baptism, but then be condemned along with the devil and and all those who follow him. If you fall away from your your baptism if you will. Then there are on the other side.

Those who just minimize.

I think the significance of baptism and the fact that God uses these holy signs and seals that he gives us in his word, but to communicate his grace to his people is his gospel promises and so is so it is not the baptism is meaningless if it doesn't do anything know it's this it's this real means of grace in the promises of God in the gospel that are exhibited in our baptism are received by faith alone and so that's that that's I think the best way to understand this and I think it makes sense of many of the passages in the New Testament. Specifically, the talk about the power of baptism, the efficacy of baptism if you will focus so often in places like Romans chapter 6 Paul points believers to their baptism, to remind them of their union with Jesus Christ in their identity as the baptized, as those who belong to God as a baptism is a real gift that God gives us that reminds us of who we are in Jesus, the old man has is died. If you will been buried and we are alive from the dead in Christ. We were we were crucified with him if you will, in baptism, and so we follow him and live for him in life. Thank you for your questions brother greater! Controversial issue. Thank you so much for that federal this is core Christianity. Our phone lines are open.

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I tried to do what was best for my child that the government they take our children or we can only get our kids tied at a certain age when were alive in all this. Say thank you for calling in and your sharing with us for being vulnerable there and I realize you know the complexity of these these situations now course immediately. One of the tragedies I think is is in a we are looking at life. Now we know so much more than we did in in years prior and you can you can do genetic tests on your children and determine all sorts of things that you do it in the past we would've been able to determine and is it is it right that in those situations for us to say. Well my my child is going to be severely handicapped or have some sort of disability you know I I think I need to and the child's life will will know. I don't think that that's that's the right thing.

I do believe as you said that there is forgiveness. I know that there is forgiveness for those who had abortions and call upon the name of the Lord and I know that the there.

There is not just that the sin of abortion, but there's also the trauma associated with it and it sounds to me like Munich based on what you were saying related to what being of the that the thinker your husband was saying at the time as well that that this was a very tense and difficult situation.

But again, I would say fundamentally when we think about life, the lives of the vulnerable to the lives of those even who are sick and incapacitated by what we would say that still a genuine human life a gift from God and any gift that we should cherish and want to cherish and and that that that life should be cultivated and cared for and nourished and yet we see in our culture today and in society just to significant minimizing of life, not just not just you know children who you know what we can determine that they are going to have disabilities.

But just made up for it for the sake of in our own convenience me this we have by and large in society today. And so it's it's very much the opposite. I think of the vision that God gives us in his word. With regard to church, cherishing life cultivating life caring for life. And so what is what is the good the good is that when we call upon the name of the Lord even weaved when we've done these things in the Bible. The Bible says these are sins of any, yes there there there complex issues at play here.

But there's also right and wrong and that the reality is that we come before the Lord and we come before the Lord.

Each of us in need of his grace desperately in the hope that we have is, no matter help out how bad our sins are that Christ's blood is sufficient to cleanse us from our sins and to remove all of the disdain of those sins. I think of what the psalmist said in Psalm 103 verse 12. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. So I think that there is healing there is hope, there is forgiveness in the gospel of Jesus Christ and we cling to that and we and we lament and and mourn the difficulty where the complexity of many of these is we know that we know right it's not always as as simple as is sometimes mean a week we talk about it as an end so but realizing that they think themes sister like like this was a really Compex a very difficult thing a heartbreaking tragedy but just know that there is grace and mercy and forgiveness and healing in Christ. And so again thank you for for calling me.

The Lord be with you and with many other many others who are wrestling with these things as well.

Right now this is core Christianity with pastor atrial Sanchez. Our phone lines are still open. In fact going to be recording a second episode of core Christianity after our live program ends today so you still have time to call and will be taking your calls for the next 35 minutes or so might want to drop this phone number down.

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The core 833. The core 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Andrea who is calling in from Missouri every what your question for pastor atrial reading through Joshua and the Lord commands Joshua to put to devote to distraction all these other nations, including like women and children and I understand that God can elect whoever he chooses to any allowed take-up in Hades but did he hate all of these children, like the entire other nation. How do we heartily rationalize that with knowing that God loves us and Mike loves our children and leaving families how to lay piece on that together. Jackson question Andrea when that was received on the broadcast before, just a quick resource for you to consider because we don't have a ton of time, but I think that this book does a really good job going deeper into this question in particular the boat and the cortical holy wars that we see in the Old Testament. It's called the skeletons in God's closet by Joshua Ryan Butler and he highlights many of the this or the circumstances surrounding Israel's invasion if you will of Canaan in in some of the misconceptions just was. It was clear that God called his people to settle in the land of Canaan, and in part with the Canaanites were doing. We would just been talking about abortion. One of the things that they were doing was sacrificing their children to the pagan gods that guided given the and of the people there in the land, the Canaanites, the Moabites on and so forth time to repent. Time to turn from their wicked ways. Hundreds of years. Actually, when we read this in the book of Genesis.

Specifically, and yet there came a point where God said, okay, enough is enough and his people coming out of slavery in Egypt. They weren't there were colonizers in the sense we sometimes think of them. You just destroying weaker people. They were coming to execute God's judgment on these wicked nations. In one sense it was a picture of the intrusion of the final judgment. That is one day going to come and that is what we call all people everywhere right now to turn to Jesus to experience his grace and mercy because today is the day of salvation, but there is coming a day of judgment. So we cling to the mercy of the Lord.

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