How Can You Detect When Someone is Being Self-Righteous?

How can you detect when someone is being self-righteous is just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi and happy Friday 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. 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 course you can always email us at questions at core, Christianity.com and Israel before we get to the phone today. I want to play you a nice voicemail message that we received from one of our listeners this week. There are a lot of people who are really blessed by your pastoral approach to answering people's questions and this comment is from one of our listeners named David. I don't have a question, of factly. I just have a comment I want to make, but I am so impressed that masquerade grills and chairs will pray with the caller to call him when there is a need for that. I don't know any other Christian program that does that, but just care that he shows those who call in not only pointing them to the Lord to read the Scriptures, but also taking time to pray with them that communicates volumes to me and I just wanted to thank Christianity for that. God bless you by while God bless you brother coming up.

All I can say so often written were confronted with challenges, difficulties in life. All we have is prayer calling on the name of the Lord and so oftentimes on the broadcast will get a question.

Is okay. There's not a simple answer for this. We just need Jesus. We need his wisdom.

We need his intervention and so are you to keep praying for you and appreciate your encouragement so nice David to call him with that that sweet compliments of thank you so much and we all feel the same way about Pastor Israel will if you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine theology. Maybe you have some doubts about the Christian faith. Maybe you practice a different religion you're wondering about this whole Christianity thing. They were open to your questions right now at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. There's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Russell what brought my job at all.

I'll be all that they Russell, thank you for that question will here's the thing. Jesus calls us to follow him and that looks like prioritizing him that looks like putting him before everything else me this is what it means to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus. Remember what Jesus said throughout the Gospels, Matthew chapter 16 verse 24, Jesus told his disciples if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul, but what shall a man give in return for his soul as this is the call of Christ on each and every person is the call to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus to prioritize him and his kingdom above everything else. Now does that mean you need to quit your job and moved to some foreign place where you're going to become a missionary and preach the gospel, not in less the Lord calls you to do that and I think that's where where the problem comes in is sometimes pastors do preach these texts and make it sound like you all need to just you know stop, you know, working in and doing your thing is easy to go you know God is sending you to go be missionaries will some people are called to the mission field. But God calls you is this what I think I calls each of us to be faithful in the jobs that he's given to us to work hard to to honor the Lord in all things in the that the work that you can do me think of what the apostle Paul said in first Thessalonians chapter 4 this is that it is really just that you know and an interesting text script or that we oftentimes don't don't look at the first Thessalonians chapter 4 beginning in verse nine is concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia, but we urge you, brothers.

To do this more and more and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one but what is a look work hard in in the job that God is given to you. Be committed to loving the saints, the people of God, the church, Jesus does call you Russell for your Christian to be a part of the church. So if if work gets in the way of church I think you need asked yourself some questions.

July what's what's the priority I need to prioritize worshiping with the people of God, loving the people of God, the church, the bride of Christ, while also you know being serious about the things that got calls me to whatever might whatever my job is in honoring him in that and so it's not that you need to pack your bags and and move somewhere far away. But Jesus does call you to to follow him and following him looks like denying ourselves in the things that we prioritize about ourselves, our own life and and putting Christ and his word, his law before that and and so ended, here's here's why we ought to do that. What we can do that because brother what is the gospel. The gospel is the. The good news of how God the son, the eternal King of all, if you will came down and considered the needs of his people as more important, if you will then his own naïvely leave the God who left heaven took the form of a servant is what Paul says in Philippians chapter 2 so that we might be united to him restored rescued saved you have a God.

This is this is this is Jesus who has demonstrated his love for you in these in these ways, and so were called in light of that to follow him to take up our cross and and pursue him and to love each other as the recipients of God's great love and forgiveness and so I hope that you've experienced that Russell and that that just drives you to love him and to to be committed to him no matter what no matter what he calls you to bless great advice for all of us.

Thanks for that intro. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

We receive a lot of calls from listeners on this program who ask about the assurance of salvation.

They're concerned that perhaps they lost their salvation or they've committed the unpardonable sin and we actually have a free resource on that topic would like to make available to you today. Yet it's called nine ways to know that you're really a Christian is talk to someone in our team earlier who said this. This is really one of the resources that it has been most popular and I think it's because so many believers wrestle with the question of assurance and so if that's if that's you or if you know somebody who struggles to know to have confidence that they truly are a believer get a hold of this resource. It's free to download and so it's something you can get over your website core, Christianity.com and had told nine ways to know you are really a Christian. Such a solid resource would love to get that in your hands, you can go to core Christianity.com/download to find that you can call us for that resource for anyone of our resources at 833-843-2673 let's go back to the phones.

Connie is on the line from Independence, Missouri, Connie, what's your question for Pastor Israel. I love your ministry my question and I have been experiencing extreme pain for years and my doctor the other day told me to try to call the other doctor and get a medical marijuana card and I am very leery of this, the doctor swears up and down. You do not get high from that. He claims that it's just a natural herbal remedy that will help ease the pain and I don't know what to believe the Bible is not specific on that until I just want to know your opinion.

Thank you.

First I want to pray for you and then thank you for your encouragement, but just want to pray for you sister with with the chronic pain that you have Lord we lift Connie up to you. We ask that you would give her wisdom. Thank you for the doctor said she has in her life. We we just pray that you would give them wisdom as well and in helping her to find a good treatment plan. Lord, that will just assisting in coping with the pain we pray for your healing in her life.

And Lord, that through this trial that she's going through that by the grace of your Holy Spirit, you would continue to sanctify her and draw her closer to you. Give her. I pray Jesus a sense of your love for her. The fact that you know her need to know her pain and that you have not abandoned her and Lord, we do ask for relief and healing in Jesus name, amen me to say that you, Connie, that that the Lord does know your pain that he doesn't abandon us in it and that his love is exhibited to you in his son Jesus at the cross for our sins and and just how important is for us to cling to that, especially the those moments of trial and difficulty in an chronic pain as herein now with regard to this question. More specifically I'm not. I'm not a doctor. I think that there there are ways in which you note, we can look at these things and say was this is is inherently evil as it is sinful in and of itself. For me there are all sorts of questions that are raised here in a liquid. Would this be better than a narcotic pain relief or or something like this just what you're going to have to exercise wisdom and pray, and I was they continue to consult your doctor and other doctors. We do know is we do know according to scripted that drunkenness is a sin that would be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Paul says is very clear in in the book of Ephesians and so substances that cause us to lose control and and argues that that's that's a serious issue, but but again there are very different approaches this in his row so you need you need to speak with your doctor and and remember what the apostle Paul said, I think just pray that the Lord give you guidance, wisdom, and just just clarity in your own conscience because the apostle Paul did say in Romans chapter 14 verse 23 whatever is not from faith is sin. And so this is something that makes you uncomfortable that you just think of if I'm doing this I'm cynical it with and don't don't do it because it's a matter of conscience. But if, as you have these conversations with your doctor in your thinking about different treatment plastic to cope with this and and you have a sense of okay well you know I'm not trying to get high am not trying to lose control and try to deal with this with this pain I think that's that's an okay thing to want to deal with. There's nothing there's nothing wrong with that and are there different approaches and so may the Lord give you wisdom and grace. And again, just appreciate your your encouragement and may the Lord bless you as you as you seek him in this. Connie thanks so much for your call. Appreciate you be praying for you and your chronic pain. We just know how difficult that is to deal with this is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez. Our phone lines are open. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. You can call us for the next 10 minutes or so, here's the number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. By the way, we also have several social media sites you can always post your question on social media and here's one was on our Instagram page from Laurel and she says how do you address self-righteousness and a fellow believer, especially leader to leader. Now, well, is it is interesting you put it that way.

Leader to leader.

I would say that self-righteousness in a leader in particular can a Christian leader would be made if it if it seriously. This is this is the kind of thing that I think disqualifies us from leadership in the church, trusting in ourselves self-righteousness, finding our our source of righteousness in something that we do there. There's a serious issue there and what you'll find is when when you confront this kind of sin. In particular, you oftentimes have to be ready for you know, for the fangs to come out for the clause to come out because when when were struggling with or have just embraced a self-righteous attitude or say you know what my confidence really is and in Christ and his work in, you know, humbly, relying upon him but but I'm I'm confident in myself and my skills in my sacrifice whatever it is when you challenge that it can become very quickly. Just an explosion because you know what those things were finding our our righteousness and if you will. We often oftentimes will protect them tooth and nail, and so you think about Jesus and his interaction with the self-righteous religious leaders throughout the Gospels. He confronts them straight up because it is special for leaders and again you mentioned you with somebody who's in leadership. This is a real serious thing leader should know better. Christian leaders should know better.

We should be people who lead by helping people to trust in and rely upon the strength of alertness with the apostle Paul said when he's when he's pleading with God to take away his thorn in the flesh with this.

What does the Lord say to him.

In response, my grace is sufficient for you, my strength is perfected in weakness is also not a boast of my weaknesses, so that the, the strength, the power of Christ may be manifested in me. That's the attitude that we want from Christian leaders is where were finding all of our righteousness in Jesus were pointing people to Jesus not to ourselves not to what we think were good at know that the focus is on Christ and exalting him, even at the expense of our own weaknesses and so I would say you know if there's a serious issue with leadership in your church or somebody work with one pray pray that the Lord would give this individual humility and the ability to see that there finding their righteousness in something that they do not, in what Christ has done for them and as a result there robbing glory from God first week we can't do that but but but what what I'm saying is that there there there taking something that belongs to the Lord and and at the end of the day we can't have any righteousness in and of ourselves that we put our hope that's that's devastating and so pray for this individual may be begin by asking some some pointed questions I had to try to get to the root of whatever the issue is different. People find sources of righteousness if you will and in different things and so I think I think asking questions. Hopefully something that this individual can begin to see you know what I really have been trusting in myself and it's made me arrogant.

It's made me look down upon others, and that's not honoring to the Lord so God can really do work in this individual's life. But if that's not the case of if a person just grows in this arrogant, self-righteous attitude will maybe it's it's time to call others into to address the issue I mean is this is something that needs to be confronted and it's certainly the example that we see from our Lord in the Gospels with the religious leaders with the scribes and the Pharisees affecting its two-point symptoms.

Use of the say whoa and Vanessa Jesus says to them right.

He pronounces woe on on the scribes and the Pharisees. Why, because of their self-righteous hypocrisy. And so this is this is an important thing, and I may God give you wisdom and ultimately may God bring this other leader to repentance and grant them humility grant all of us the humility and the grace not defined our righteousness and in the things we do. But in what Christ is done for us such a temptation for all of us and of course something that Jesus spoke, probably most harshly about in the Gospels when he confronted the Pharisees on that issue. So thanks for that.

This core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go back to the phones. Joey is on the line calling in from Missouri. Joey what's your question for atrial call with the doctrine of election and specifically with a 29 what foreknowledge of God to do what role it plays in electing who God chooses salvation. Excellent question. Joey now can I just follow up with you really quickly, so are you asking specifically does God choose us on the basis of the fact that he has foreknowledge that we are can embrace him and and believe in him great wonderful yeah it is also her talk about that that the doctrine of election to God chooses people for salvation predestination eat me here. The biblical words gave mom. It was also so these are words we see in Scripture Ephesians chapter 1 Romans 89 and in the verse you mention Romans 829 for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers will there's there's different ways of looking at this and all and I'll share my view Joey that one way is saying. Well, God chooses us on the basis of foreseen faith.

In other words, the reason God chose use because he looked on the corridors of time, and he saw that you were going to choose him into an in that sense he elected you now course, I mean really, and in that construction.

God just sees that working to choose him. And so that's why were quote on quote chosen is not that God is taking the initiative presages that that he's piecing into the future.

I don't think that that's the best approach biblically exegetical in terms of understanding that Ward foreknowledge in the Bible, we have to recognize that the words right like the word to know that we often think of that as of this cognitive knowledge so foreknowledge means. I know something beforehand but but in Scripture, the word to know carries with it a lot more meaning there's a sense of intimacy you think about how it's used even in the early chapters of Genesis, Adam, knowing Eve his wife. There's this intimacy that's associated with the word and end so you think about how it's used in in other places of Scripture, like in Jeremiah chapter 1 verse five where God is speaking to the prophet Jeremiah. He says before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you, I appointed you a prophet to the nation's starting at this the sort of particular love. This particular knowledge or think about how God spoke to his people in Amos chapter 3, verse two, you only have I known of all the families of the earth.

You only have I not that the God that had to know that these other families existed. This is the sort of cognitive knowledge was about this particular love is so the doctrine of divine foreknowledge is not that God looks down the corridors of time and see Susanna choose, and that's you know the base from which he chooses us.

It's talking about God's perfect particular love is redemptive love that he sets upon his people. It's a word that carries with it the sense of this intimate knowledge. This intimacy of relationship and so and so that's how I would understand it, not not that you know the Lord is looking down the corridors of time and then choosing people who choose him know it it's it's all there. And in Romans chapter 8 verse 29 talking about God's particular love set upon his people, just as the Lord set his love on Israel under the old covenant. He does that. Now to his people to you and Atticus. What Paul gets out elsewhere and in Ephesians chapter 1 in love he predestined us for adoption as sons and so there there there is never this is something that's debated.

As you know what I about that the doctrine of God's sovereignty.

Joey loses there to be differences of opinion.

That's okay were were brothers in Christ are brothers and sisters in Christ, and we can we can differ on these things, but I was at least at least based on my understanding that that that's how we want to understand foreknowledge there.

In Romans chapter 8 verse 29 Douglas thanks for the explanation and Rufus are great.

This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez were going to be recording a second episode of core Christianity today after our live program ends. You won't hear it on the air, but you will actually be able to call us for the next 35 minutes or so. Here's the phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to email question that came in from one of our listeners. This is from Kami and she says what is the beatific vision I did in this in some some deep theology here. The beatific vision or the vision of God is what sometimes need a theological talk about this at the experience we have when we enter into the presence of the Lord seeing the Lord and being transformed by this vision of the divine is not diagnosing God with our physical eyeballs. If you will. It's a spiritual experience is this grace of the Holy Spirit. I think I think it is spoken of in Scripture in places like first John and so is a I guess is it that's as far as I would want to go with regard to that question is the hope. The hope that we have asked the people of God, and in one thing that I will say associated with this is that when we experience a true vision of God, seeing him where transformed by that vision. I mentioned that this is what what we see in first John, for example, that that will know him, see him as he is, that the that transforms us and so appreciate your your question brother I've had a I think of the that Kami and I think that the difficulty that sometimes people have that they will are we gonna see God with our physical eyeballs isn't God invisible. I thought God can be seen in a even impossible to see God as he is himself were talking about this the spiritual reality disgrace that God gives to all of the redeemed to experience his glory, to see by the by the grace of the spirit of the trying got be transformed by that vision. 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