Where Should Christians Draw the Line with Charismatic Worship?

Where should Christians draw the line with charismatic worship. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi, I'm Bill Meyer with Pastor Israel Sanchez and 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's our phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. Our phone lines of the open for the next 25 minutes. So now is the time to call with your question. You can also post your question on one of our social media sites, Israel is live right now on our YouTube channel so you can watch them in the studio as he does the program and send them a question through our YouTube channel and of course you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com burst up today let's go to Tricia who called in earlier this week. The Old Testament people obeyed God really obeyed him and it was very close to him. They were blessed in the New Testament when you obey the Lord try to be very close to him. The world hates you, and you get persecuted and understand and went from being blessed to being persecuted.

Thank you. Yeah thinking that you're referring to Matthew chapter 5 or Jesus gives the Beatitudes. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you actually mean this is something we see the early church doing in particular the book of acts. The disciples are beat up and they begin to praise God that he had counted them worthy to suffer for the name of Christ will what gives, why is it that under the new covenant in the New Testament you have these believers who are obeying God serving God and yet their suffering being persecuted whereas under the old covenant. It seems like there were there were these blessings for obedience right curses for disobedience, certainly, but blessings like wealth and land and land and power that well first we have to understand right that there under the old covenant.

Do you have these types and shadows. These pictures of a greater reality that would come under the new covenant in the land there under the old covenant was just a picture of the new creation, a type of the new creation if you will. And so what we receive through faith in Jesus Christ is the reality the true spiritual reality and the reason we can rejoice when were persecuted is because the spirit of God rests upon us because we are identified with Jesus, both in his sufferings and also in his resurrection. Now I will say to you sister that there there are blessings associated with obedience to God and to his lobbing the Scriptures are absolutely clear that we reap what we sow and so that there is righteous the blessedness of the life of obedience and faithfulness to God doing that which is right right there. There are just general benefits and blessings that come with that. So it's not all you know or just curse, but the reality is, as those who desire to live godly lives in Jesus Christ, we will suffer persecution.

People will you know disagree with us, and even ridicule us. Why because we believe in Christ embrace and embrace the exclusivity of the gospel, but we have it better because we have the reality that the saints under the old committing of the reality were looking forward to the promise we have the reality in Christ and in the hope of the new creation the resurrection of the of the dead and the life of the world to come in so let us rejoice brothers and sisters in so far as we are identified with Jesus and get to walk with him and even when others ridicule us for that week. We can rejoice because the spirit of God rests upon us. Thank you for that question.

So, just a follow-up question for you about God's blessings.

I heard this TV preacher say that if I tithe directly to him that I would get a new BMW God would bless me with the new BMW what would you think about that.

Yeah, I think you need to stop watching TV preachers, but what, but certainly I mean that's just will. That's is false and we really got we were laughing about it, but what a tragedy because there are so many people on television quote unquote pastors will make those kinds of claims will say if you just you know so you're seeing your your gift in my ministry God is going to give you this habit often there there pointing to. You know you're gonna be delivered from your debts and you're going to be healed of your cancer and all these things that make people these promises that they just don't have any authority to make eye and oftentimes they're rooted in and what we see under the old covenant of this idea that if you do this God is as good a reward you. And they'll appeal to those passages and this is why it's so important that we rightly divide the word of truth that we understand where we are in the history of redemption that we understand the context of Scripture because we don't people can twist it and lead us astray and so glad Bill that you have me in your life to let them know I just cannot get that BMW yeah you may be good counsel for different this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and if you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life, or even God's blessings. We hope to hear from you. Here's the phone number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Edward who is calling in from St. Louis, Missouri Edward, what's your question for pastor.

Israel dollars and all the time usually have a question today.

The church were attending preformed gay marriages and they embrace gay society. We don't believe it's biblical so change in churches so on an orchard vocal viewpoint is on the thank you for your encouragement and I'm sorry to hear that this is something that's that's going on in the church that you've been a part of.

I would say that the when when things like that start to happen. It's definitely time to find a new church. Why because the church has to be faithful to the Scriptures we have to have a high view of the word of God, the false prophets and false teachers throughout the Bible were characterized by something really interesting. They often said peace peace where there was no peace see this throughout the book of Jeremiah were these false prophets is false teachers. You know they're going to Israel and they're saying everything is fine. You know God, God isn't going to judge you for your sin. It's all good just just you know live however you want that kind of thing in Indian prophets like Jeremiah God raise them up to Satan. No, actually that's not the case and and this isn't just okay. It's not just finding that the, the, the fact that there are churches who are saying yeah believe whatever you want with regard to sexual ethics, you know, go ahead and you know be with whoever you want to be with you know embracing these kinds of things and there is a serious issue here. It's a rejection of the word of God and it's right in line with the false teachers and the false prophets throughout Scripture have always done minimized Satan minimized it saying it's not a big deal. God is again the judge you because of it. Do whatever you want and then God says no that's that's just the opposite. In fact, we need to have a high view of sin. What I mean by that is me to take it seriously because it's deadly, but we need to also have a high view of the gospel that there's no sin that can't be forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ at this and we accept sin or embrace it or celebrated God for bid. We celebrate the cross, the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, the hope that we have in him and so you need to go to church. I think that that is going to be faithful to the Scriptures on this point and where the gospel of Christ is going to be magnified so that people from all walks of life who are hearing the gospel and experiencing the forgiveness of Christ are finding fellowship together as sinners under the word of God under the authority of Christ and under the forgiveness that Jesus gives to us and so again I and I'm I'm sorry to hear that this is going on but I do think it's time to find a new church that were thanks so much for your call. Thanks for listing the core Christianity will be praying for you as you make that that decision and oil boy tough situation. By the way, we have a core guide that relates to this topic. It's called 10 things you need to know about the homosexuality about homosexuality and the Bible.

You can find that by going to core Christianity.com/downloads again.

Core, Christianity.com/downloads 10 things you need to know about homosexuality and the Bible. A great resource for you there. We also want to tell you about a resource that is just perfect for back-to-school. If you're a parent or a grandparent. This is something you want to get to help your kids as they get ready for the school year, yet a great thing about this resource is free to so it's called six ways to help your kids as they go back to school, get a hold of this as Bill said if you're a parent you got your young children are getting ready go back to school or even grandchildren who are getting ready to go back to school. There are so many pressures that young children are facing today in school, peer pressure. The pressure of you needing to perform to do really well in school and this resource dives into both of those things and and and give some biblical insight and some encouragement for you, for your family and so we do hope you get a hold of this resource again is called six ways to help your kids as they go back to school for free at core, Christianity.com love to have you get that in your hands for your family or from your family that you know who has the school-age kids can go to core Christianity.com/offers to find that we do receive emails here at core Christianity. You can email us anytime 24 hours a day. We try to get to our emails as often as we can.

Here's the email address its questions at core, Christianity.com questions at core, Christianity.com here's a question that came in from Matthew drill. He says in 2019. My wife and I left the church that began getting into more charismatic manifestations of what they said was the Holy Spirit. There were manifestations such as holy laughter. Is it blasphemy against the spirit to see such manifestations as being drunk in the spirit slain in the spirit holy laughter and things we don't see in Scriptures and then to reject it. I really struggled with this and while I was at church. I raised my concerns biblically with my pastor, which didn't end well. People that either left or question the church or the practices were treated black outsiders and okay he mean this gets it. This gets worship and right worship before the Lord and what is what is permissible what which what we should be looking for and worship night and I think you you made the right decision of the surest Army I had I had some strange experiences going to different churches growing up manner. One time in high school, went to a Bible study report we were singing some of these things happen amendment him probably a newer believer.

At this point and go to this Bible study expecting to open up the Scriptures into study descriptors, but there was this guy was visiting was about to leave the study and instead, he led the people in this kind of charismatic holy laughter sort of thing. I was just coming at. I was concerned I was exit kind of afraid, not knowing what was going on outside what the focus was not on Jesus or his word. It was on these sort of strange ecstatic experiences in and nobody I think was being drawn closer to Christ or to conformity to the word of God side that we have to be discerning. We have to be wise. I would say it's not the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit for you to to, you know, distance yourself from this. On the contrary, in fact, the blessed me. The Holy Spirit is when when you know that the religious leaders were attributing the miracles of Christ. As he's delivering people from sickness and from Satan that the religious leaders retrieving that to the work of the devil okay and so look when we believe in Jesus. When we embrace him by faith that we can't commit the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit because the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is is him believe it's the rejection of Christ and saying Christ is essentially Satan.

That's of the religious leaders are doing with the stubborn and hard heart. What you're trying to do is be faithful to Jesus.

According to his word and to follow him. And so when you see things that are not in line with his word.

They concern you and they should concern all of us.

Now Paul actually has a discussion that I think sort of fits with this in first Corinthians chapter 14 because he's he's writing to the Corinthians who were having these these you know charismatic experiences in their worship services, speaking in tongues and and and and whatnot and he he writes to them, saying, look, here's what you should should pursue first and foremost first printing is 13.

You need to pursue love.

I know you're eager for these manifestations of the spirit.

But the true sign of the spirit of God living in us in the church is love the fruit of the spirit. Love Joy peace patient so on and so forth as a disease is pursue love and with everything that you do in the church's first Corinthian chapter 14 verse 39 so my brothers earnestly desire to prophesy.

Do not permit speaking times, but he says but all things should be done decently and in order, and I wonder if and in many churches.

You know were reheating that command from the apostle Paul. All things done decently and in order and it sounds to me like you know that was not taking place where you were and so corruptions in worship are serious things we need to be in places where the word of God is being faithfully taught or were drawing near to Jesus by faith through the Scriptures. There are enough distractions that we have in our lives. We don't need to be distracted away from Christ and his word in the context of Christian worship and so brother I just I just, you know, I'm sorry that you know after you left, you were, you know, treated like outsiders and whatnot but I may be with just for the better.

Find a church with the word of God is and to be taught faithfully and were you guys can grow together in Scripture and in in in your obedience to Christ by faith.

God bless you Matthew this is the core Christianity program and by the way after our live show ends today will be recording a second program so if you weren't able to get through on our phone lines. You can feel free to call for the next 40 minutes or so.

Here's the phone number it's 833 the core and were open to questions about the Bible Christian life doctrine theology, you name it we'd love to hear from you.

833 the core which translates into 833-843-2673 you can call us for the next 40 minutes or so, let's go to James calling in from Eldon Missouri. James what your question for pastor atrial might appreciate your showing Roy do it. It's very informative and I really enjoy. Thank you James. My question is about faith. I've read any Annie Romans 12 verse three where it talks about a measure of play and then you read in Ephesians chapter 2 verses eight through 10 were for by grace are ye saved through faith, is there a difference between the measure of faith and saving faith's ethics the question so do Romans chapter 12 verse three. For by the grace given to me. I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God is assigned for as in one body we have many members and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. If prophecy, in proportion to our faith. If service, in our serving the one who teaches, in his teaching, the one who exhorts, in his exhortation, the one who contributes, in generosity, the one who leads, with zeal, the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. I do think that when we look at Romans chapter 12 and then Ephesians chapter 2 Moreno pulses by by grace you've been saved through faith heading.

I think I think there's a different idea here in these in these text. The focus in Romans chapter 12 is the different gifts within the body of Christ.

How work gifted in different ways and each of us contributes to the building up of the body through the gifts that God gives Paul had another discussion about that a more extended discussion in first Corinthians chapter 12 is I don't I don't think is talking about for faith per se here in Romans chapter 12 in the same sense that he's talking about it in Ephesians 2 the context it is that this is so key. Sometimes you have the exact same word used in the New Testament, but it has a broader range of meaning or the way that it's used in different context and that's why the context is always key in helping us to understand how a particular word is being used in in whatever context it's in, and so there in Romans chapter 12, you have the focus on the diversity of gifts according to the faith that God gives the gifts that God gives and and yet how are all united together in one body through the various gifts that God gives in Ephesians chapter 2 I think that the focus is on faith as the instrument of our salvation. It's that empty hand that receives the grace of God through the gospel, faith in Jesus Christ. It's not a work in in in the sense of you know, like a righteous work that we do to earn something from God.

It system gift that God gives, and again that's what's stressed in Ephesians chapter 2, through which we receive the mercy and grace of the Lord.

In Christ, and so so yeah little bit of a different emphasis in each of those passages but both I think it in both text you have the reality that these are gifts that God gives to us, and there therefore are good and for the good of the body as well. God bless you James, thanks for that question.

Your listing the core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and once again we have this wonderful resource for you. If you are a parent or a grandparent.

It's six ways to help you help your kids as they go back to school this fall. You can find that by going to core Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers. It's absolutely free. Six ways to help your kids as they go back to school. Let's go to Robert who was on the line from Wichita, Kansas, Robert, what's your question for atrial all injured in a work-related accident and it totally not use water more than one body will I have that hey thank you for that question, I believe that the answer is yes. I believe that the resurrection were to be fully restored. Now some people might point to that text in Matthew chapter 18 were Jesus talks to you and if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out be better to enter into life maimed, then having you know two hands or two eyes to be cast into hell. There are there that think that the focus in Jesus speaking hyperbolic Lee about how serious we need to take sin in our lives. We need to cut it out if you will note, not not giving any opportunity for the flesh, to fulfill our sinful desires. But you know what we were thinking about that the doctrine of the resurrection and the restoration of all things, including our our body. And that's that that's the focus there. I do believe that you know if if you've lost a limb or you've you know I had that cohabited whatever whatever whatever it is I might my senses. I believe that we are going to get that back that working to be created, re-created, newly created whole and perfect in Christ glorified with these glorified bodies, and so I do think that that's a hope that we have and hope specifically that you have Robert through the resurrection of Jesus Christ different. This is why the doctrine of the resurrection is so important, I think it's oftentimes minimize and we talk about salvation for for many of us.

We sort of grew up with this idea that Christianity is about going to heaven when I die, and accepting Jesus into my heart is my way of getting to live in heaven for all eternity and all in all my eye, to be released from this body of mine that you know gets sick and has all these issues and and you know is you know that tempted can succumb to temptation and I can't wait to be freed from this body and just be in heaven with Jesus floating around for all eternity with the hope of the Christian faith is more than that.

Yes we die our bodies go down into the ground and we enter into the presence of the Lord into heaven in the spirit and are with him, worshiping him, but will looking forward to even more were looking forward to the resurrection of our bodies, their full and final restoration their glorification through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and not only that, the resurrection and transformation of our bodies, but of the whole creation. Paul says in in Romans chapter 8 that's we look forward to the God who made our bodies in the physical world doesn't just recast them aside but that they too amended that the created world is the object of God's redemptive working on the last day working at working to be restored to be a new creation. That's that's the great hope that we have in the Christian faith, we can't minimize that. So for you who are struggling right now with sickness, with weakness in your body. No, that in Christ we have hope you have hope. It's not always going to be like this may be here on earth. You know, we experienced this leading to death. Yes, even though the inward man as Paul told the Corinthians is being renewed day by day, but will looking forward to the glorious restoration and resurrection of the body, and you have that hope Robert through Jesus Christ, God bless know it or we often talk about what we can learn from the thief on the cross that it was a great example there. Here's a man who's been crucified. Yet Jesus says today, you'll be with me in paradise and we can just assume that that man's going to be fully restored because of his trust in Christ. He's not can it be walking with a limp.

In the new creation, you know, and that again that's that's the hope that we have every tear wiped away all of our sorrows and in brothers and sisters, you know, this is the gospel that we proclaim we live in a world that is fallen and broken in people, even non-Christians can see the effects of that brokenness, and so we have this great hope that God is going to restore all things through the blood of his son Jesus Christ is let's share that message with the people around us to give them hope to. 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