How Do We Know When the Old Testament Foreshadows Christ and When It Doesn’t?

You know when the Old Testament is foreshadowing Christ, and when it's not. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi, 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. Would love to hear from you on this trial. Here is our phone number 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 or four months or be open for the next 25 minutes or so. So jump on the phone right now. You can also post your question on one of our social media sites you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today.

Here's a voicemail we received from one of our listeners earlier this week I why now, without a gallery. I finally spy and this has led to a lot of sexual perversion in my life.

I recently told about MSS traveling land and he was like okay with that and not hurting anybody but I know that God wants the marriage to be sure. I tried opening a few members of my church I feel judged. They just they just pray about it. I don't know how to be free. I want God to get me over to the then I'm just struggling and wanted to know how to be set free.

I take away the desires I sister my heart goes out to you and there's there's a lot to unpack there. It sounds to me like you are longing for deliverance like you're being open with your husband.

Even with people in your church confessing your sin and just know that when we confess our sins to the Lord.

Sincerely he does forgive us and definitively through Christ, having been justified by faith in a real sense positionally. You have been set free through the blood of Jesus Christ. This is the point that the apostle Paul makes in Romans chapter 6 you and I we have the these new identities. If you will in Jesus Christ and it's it's something God calls us to them in terms of living.

In light of those new identities. Romans chapter 6 verse 12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life in your members to God as instruments for righteousness, for sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under the law but under grace. As of the first thing I want to say to you is that through the gospel through the blood of Jesus Christ, you are no longer under the law. Your under the grace of God and you are called as a daughter of the true and the living God to not let sin have dominion over you know this is a real struggle that policy to get into in Romans chapter 7 there's a couple of things I want to say first, with regard to what you're what your husband said sometimes we try to justify our sins by saying why I'm I'm doing this, I feel guilty about it, but it's not hurting anyone else with the reality is is that that's not how we should think about sin, because first and foremost we belong to God. Our bodies belong to God, especially as the children of God, and in a unique way our bodies belong to the Lord.

This is the point of the apostle Paul in Rome. First Corinthians chapter 6 in in verse 17 he says he was joined the Lord becomes one spirit with him flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin. A person commits is outside of the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body were sitting against ourselves here or do not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, you are not your own.

You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body, but sister based on what you said there's there's another component here and you talked about the trauma that you experienced as a young girl and I think a part of addressing this is getting the help that you need the support that you need, especially with things like like sexual addiction. I think that therapy can be really really helpful in getting a good therapist who who you know believes in God's word, and not always the case. You can find someone like that but but I think it just a good therapist is in respect to Christian beliefs and also going to help you untangle a me some of the history of their almost deconstructed. If you will, because those things that that we experience those traumas that we experience do impact us, wound us, if you will shape and mold us in certain ways that can lead to destructive behavior and it's not a way of you know, I'm not trying to to minimize or justify you know sin when we are sinning against the Lord with the reality is because were sinned against as well. You know, we have these habits that are created in it. I think it's really important to get the help that you need to get beneath the surface of some of that and why were drawn to her. You're drawn to these particular things and so I would really recommend seeing a therapist who specializes in in sexual addiction and and processing some of these things and working through them and then doing that alongside of the help of the church.

Now I'm I'm sorry this sounds like you opened up the know people to sit will I guess you know you need to pray about it or I'll pray for you. I think what the church can do is they can provide accountability.

In particular, the leadership in the church of the something that you and your husband talk with the leadership in the church about that. The pastor the the some of the elders there get accountability. Sometimes there's there's that one thing that can be helpful. This is Internet monitoring software, you know, having an accountability partner just it is a way of you doesn't address the hard issue, but it's a way of creating distance between you and this particular habit that's been created that's that's become a really serious struggle because you're setting up roadblocks for yourself and that is wisdom. Jesus is of your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off them is part of taking his commandment very seriously very seriously there and so I think you're going to need the help of the church. The support of your husband, and again this is not just okay, because you're not hurting anybody. This is a sin that hurts you. It it it hurts your marriage as well and so there needs to be genuine repentance there but also getting getting the help of a trained counselor or therapist who's going to help you process through some of these things and and work on healing and getting the healing that you need and I want to pray for you and that again I could tell just in your voice that this is something that you long to be delivered from and we know that we have the promise of God's word, the spirit of God is at work in us putting to death the sinful deeds of the body. Romans chapter 8 someone to pray for you that God would work in you and encourage you father one of lift my sister up to right now who is crying out for help crying out for your help. Lord I pray that you would see her, and that you would minister to her by the grace of your Holy Spirit, God, that you would one fix her eyes on Christ crucified for her salvation for the forgiveness of her sins that she would believe the promise of the gospel for her that there is no sin, no struggle that is beyond your grace that you are able to blot out to wash away all of our sins and so she comes to you, Lord, weighed down with the struggle would you give her a sense of your love and your forgiveness as she confesses her sin to you and would you Lord surround her with support. The support that she needs from her husband from her church would you open the doors for her to get to get support in terms of a good therapist. Lord someone who can help her to work through these things, but would you minister to our sister encourage her strengthen her, and as you promise in your word Jesus sanctify her, by the grace of your spirit day by day working in her to bring her closer to you to give her strength in this fight Lord leaning not on her own strength on the strength that you give in the grace that you give to all who turn to you. We pray in Jesus name, amen. Thanks for that Andrew will continue to pray for her here at core Christianity by the way, if you have a question for a drill about the Bible, the Christian life, theology, doctrine, we would love to hear from your phone lines are open right now and you can call us for the next 15 minutes or so, here's the number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to a Sarah who was calling from Connecticut, Sarah. What's your question for a drill. Thank you for taking my call. Background I am a single mother in my mid-30s I grew up in a Pentecostal church because of my father does not make contact but the other day I got upset with him because of something he did and I let them know how I felt about it and because of that the attacks telling me I need to ask God for forgiveness for the sake of me and my sons safety. So my question is, and I will God allow competitive calamity and punishment towards the because he felt I wanted him I had low that they can't allow a calamity to happen. I came across 2029, when it needs to validate and think you Sarah, thank you for reaching out to us that I am concerned with the text that he sent you, it comes off to me as manipulative. You know you will. You need to do this. Otherwise, you're in trouble and and even your son is in trouble. Is this a threat there and almost wielding God and his judgment against some I do know the disagreement was but but I either one that's this is not the proper way to go about it. Disagreement and and certainly threatening God's judgment because of the disagreement. Yes, we are called to honor our parents is the is the fifth commandment.

And yes there is a blessing associated with it.

Certainly, and I think there are times we say things were upset we get frustrated week. We can say okay I'm sorry please forgive me as his relationships right with with the people in our lives. Even with our parents. As we confess. We asked for forgiveness. If indeed we've sinned that I don't even know if if that's the case though. I mean it could have been that there was there was frustration. You guys are going back and forth. Maybe your frustrations were legitimate and you express that and he was bothered and so he came back and responded by threatening the judgment of God and and I just think one that's not proper that's not right. If if you have sinned in some way. If you've dishonored your father in some when you're convicted about that will than you did.

You confess it to the Lord and you go to him and you say, look, I'm sorry for speaking to you in that way, or for for mocking or whatever it was, and know that you are forgiven, but but wielding you know these threats in Scripture around her waving them around and threatening people, especially the people that we love them and that in my mind this is a real red flag that is a a problem and so and so if if you're convicted spirit of God is convicting.

You will then confess your sin if you haven't done if you're searching your heart and your praying and it's clearly what you know we had a disagreement, but I didn't sin against my father will than you don't need to to confess your sin, and that in that situation, and in my hope would be that you guys could could resolve it in and as father and daughter but but also as believers in Christ find peace and restoration in in the relationship and so surmount my heart goes out to you as well. I was raised by single mother. I know how difficult that can be. You need the encouragement of the Lord and and that the knowledge of the fact that Christ loves you is with you and is for you in in the work that you're doing raising this this child, and so may the Lord bless you and give you a sense of his spirit and give you wisdom and and again if if you send confess that sin and no that Jesus forgives you and cares for you and loves you and and may the Lord also be with your dad because as I said that that there is something really troubling about the way in which he responded to you that's not how we use Scripture and so may the Lord be with you guys. Answer: so well said and really talk before of this program about spiritual abuse and unfortunately in some cases people do wield the Bible wield God's judgment because of their own particular no opinions or anger. And that's as you said not appropriate.

Also, Sarah will be praying for you. That's a tough one half Christianity. While I was just gonna say Bill because you you you named their right and I don't know all of the details with Sarah situation, but there is such a thing as spiritual abuse were people will use God's word as a tool to manipulate others, whether it's their children or the people in their church somebody in their life and will try to control them through that through fear but that's that's that's using the word of God in a way that is unhelpful, destructive and dishonoring to God and so we have to we have to call it what it is and and address it and so I'm I'm I'm glad that you said that bill because it is such a serious problem in the church today your listener core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and if you are a parent or grandparent you know that the school year is just around the corner for many kids and we actually have a wonderful resource wanted to but it's a free resource from core Christianity. That's just perfect for this time of year that bill as as fall is now fast approaching and kids are getting ready to go back to school. We have this resources Bill said it's a free resource to help parents and grandparents bolster the faith of their kids. It's called six ways to help your kids as they go back to school and so that we really got up got to help our children and to prepare our children as they as they go to school. The conversations there can be happy at having the pressures that they're going to feel both to succeed and to do really well and also to to please their peers are to be popular you know it's it's important that were talking to them about what the Bible has to say about some of these things and so head over to core Christianity.com and get a hold of this free resource.

Six ways to help your kids as they go back to school but to get that to you this weekend.

Here is the email or the web address again. Core, Christianity.com/offers that's core Christianity.com/offers look for six ways to help your kids as they go back to school we do receive voicemails here at core and you know what, if you have a question that you are unable to call in the live program. You can call anytime this weekend and leave us a voicemail message. The number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. There's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Danny and had holed up in arms battle and hired to examine how to put arms or him and embolic as Jesus on the cross cannot catfish a program yet. Thank you for that question will you thinking about Exodus chapter 17. This is battle with the Amalekites and Moses is holding up his arms and as he does the children of Israel are prevailing in the battle but when he lowers his arms. They begin to be defeated and so he needs help holding up his arms and he gets that help and as a result, the children of Israel defeat the Amalekites and that I've heard Pastor say you know you got Moses there with his arms stretched out it's a picture of Jesus on the cross for us that you died, either you can draw some some lines of analogy, the you know, taking a step back Moses as the mediator of the old covenant, the one who gave the law a profit in many respects is as were told in Deuteronomy. There are a lot of ties we can draw to Jesus and that you see in the New Testament, so it's not it's not like this for an idea that Moses is a picture of or a type of Christ in some ways over and over again in the New Testament that's made absolutely clear and so sometimes I think I they were reading the Old Testament we look for Jesus and the gospel in the in the minutia you and the little stories. These this or that, whereas I think it's better to take a step back and think about Moses in his office of of profit mediator of the old covenant and and and really to think about Christ. There through those bigger the you know 30 picture things now it's interesting because earlier in Exodus 17 you have that that scene where Moses brings water for the rock from the rock for the children of Israel as their complaining grumbling because they don't have anything to drink, and in first Corinthians chapter 10 the apostle Paul says the rock that was there was Jesus Christ and so you do have these very specific examples of Christ being present there even in that chapter for the people being the water of life for the children of Israelites through the wilderness and for us as we traveled through the wilderness of life and so one of the things it's highlighted here, I think, is just that the centrality of Christ in all of Scripture, you know, sometimes I think people can go about finding Jesus in the Old Testament that the wrong way may be overly allegorical or or something like that.

But the fact of the matter is Jesus himself said all Scripture testifies of him. Moses wrote about him. And so for not getting to Christ and the gospel through the Old Testament were not properly understanding the Old Testament as I would say yeah I think I think Moses there in Exodus 17, both with with the water from the rock and then also as he standing and interceding for the children of Israel is a picture of Jesus. What he does for us as our great high priest who ever lives to make intercession for us. Thank you for that question your listener core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and we do receive emails here. In fact, you can email us anytime 24 hours a day questions at core, Christianity.com and here's one from Leticia. Interesting question about baptism. She says if someone realizes there are false convert and was baptized before realizing they truly converted should they get baptized again when they truly repent and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

I thank you for that question and in the know this is something that the weave we talked about on the broadcast before the people can debate about course, there's disagreement between Baptists. Those who believe that you need to make a profession of faith before you are baptized, and that the legitimacy of your baptism is dependent upon that on the legitimacy of your faith, then there are those they will know baptism is rooted primarily in God's word and promise and so and so if that's the case then whether your baptizer. It is an infant or not right like it if God is extend this promise to objectively do his word then then the reality is you been baptized, and you might come to faith later in life or come to truly understand the gospel later in life and lay hold of the.

The real objective promises that were exhibited to you in your baptism at an earlier point, the grace of baptism isn't necessarily tied to the moment it's administered to you but but but I wouldn't say that you know what an individual has to get rebaptized night again, this is this is kinda sticky and complex. If if somebody had no intention of being baptized another. There they know they're not a believer in and maybe they're going through this ritual and it's it's a big joke for them and and and there's no no no sense of what's taking place will admit I think we can have a discussion about that. Another concern that I have is that there are so many people who date there. They're looking for that moment when I really feel like I will. I was saved in the sale. Well, I had this conversion experience and then I fell away for a long time and then I came back and it really felt like I was truly walking with Jesus. Should I be baptized again. But the reality is that we can see God working in our lives throughout our lives are in there. There are times we can sense his call and we are pushing him away. There times where we embrace the truth will be believe and then we go through a season of doubt and struggle and and so one concern that I have is that people just you know that they go through this. This sort of roller coaster where their questioning and they feel like every time they have this renewed moment with Jesus. They need to go and get baptized that I've actually seen this before know what we should do is rest on God's word and the promise he gives to us through his word and through the ordinances of grace like baptism so that if it were questioning you for wondering.

I'm not sure will look back to that that promise exhibited to us in baptism and cling to it lay hold of it as surely as we are washed with water, through faith in Jesus Christ all our sins are forgiven.

This is why the apostle Paul in Romans chapter 6 is writing to a group of Christians who are struggling another there there there in that battle that fight with sin, but he reminds them of their baptisms and he says, in light of your baptism. You hug it.

Now can we, who have died to sin, live any longer and that you have a new identity in Jesus Christ. I'm going to keep on trend of trying to get baptized if you will, but just embrace that identity that God is given to you and walk according to it, see friends. God is God's given us all these these wonderful gifts in the gospel and what he's done in his son. He calls us to live in light of those gifts to live in light of the fact that we have been forgiven. 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