What is the Biblical Definition of Apostasy?

What is the biblical definition of apostasy matches one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hire Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel centrist. We pray you had a great weekend. 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 for the next 25 minutes or so at this number 833, the court, we'd love to get your question.

That's 1-833-843-2673 90 can also post your question on one of our social media sites that we have a YouTube channel. You can watch a drill live in the studio right now on YouTube and send him your question that way course you can always email us at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Scott who's calling in for Michigan sky watcher question for a drill drill bill. My question was if our soul and body are separated, was Adam's body and soul together as one. Prior to him sending sky think that question no I don't think it is so super one person and you know in terms of the elements that make us up is as people human beings. I you do have the soul and the body and our souls are separated from our bodies that appointment when we dine our bodies go down into the ground, our souls, the souls of believers at least are made perfect in holiness in the presence of the Lord it what we call the intermediate state and so yeah debt is the result of sin, but I don't think that prior to the entrance of sin in the world that you know Adam wasn't soul and body are that they were sort of melded together and in some sense, and so here's my answer to your question, yet it sin doesn't cause us at least at least right now me when we sin we send in insole and in body. Now many sin affects every part of us. And so, so it's important understand is part of getting into the doctrine of total depravity. Not that the work is sinful is is we can be. But that sin is corrupted. Every part of of our nature. Human human being and so some helpful distinctions there but but Adam was even prior to the fall soul and body. There I experienced my own total depravity. Last night my my wife made the brownies for some of our guests tonight had three of them yet. LOL you're terrible just three backlit that sounds like self-control to me that's the Holy Spirit, not rabid because I guy my problem is when will the brownies come out is that this is the whole tray quit Dragon bill, they should do for the rest of us, this is Cora Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Give us a call right now. The phone lines are open 833. The core is the number that's 833-843-2673 let's go to a voicemail that came in from one of our callers last week that I really was.

I felt I tell people who believe in the belief that power right now alien.

Thank you for that question. So in terms of genuine faith, no, I don't think that there is belief without salvation. Sometimes we can we can talk about faith in different ways. Sometimes you hear people talk about what was called a historical faith, meaning not really trusting in Jesus, but just start having having the facts in your mind you know that this sense of belief but it's not biblical faith, at least from how we define it based on on the New Testament. So when it when it comes to saving faith truly understand the gospel laying hold of it personally.

Trusting in Christ that you don't you don't have that apart from salvation because faith is what lays hold of salvation Jesus Christ and his benefits.

Now you are talking about it. A separate experience you had your born-again you believed in Jesus, but a separate expense you had in the Christian life that that you felt like gave you power victory over the sin in your life and sometimes you know in some churches and Christian traditions will talk about a baptism of the Holy Spirit second baptism if you will not with water but where you you know you have hands laid on you and you pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and that the Spirit of God comes upon you powerfully to to put to death the sin in your life and and so on and so forth, and that the argument is, is made from acts chapter 2 and the day of Pentecost in the spirit of God falling on people but I would see that experience as being the same as the born-again experience I were always sealed with the Holy Spirit as Christians.

This is what Paul says in Ephesians chapter 1, but we can be more or less filled with the Holy Spirit if if the spirit is not controlling our our lives. If were not being influenced, led by the spirit as Paul talks about in places like Galatians 5 in the book of Ephesians will then yeah sin can can really become a serious issue we can get into these patterns if you will, of sin grieving the Holy Spirit bringing the discipline of the Lord and that's what were called to walk in the spirit Galatians chapter 5 again and so II don't know that there's a separate experience that we need to look for in the Christian life of if you're born again you have the spirit now you're called were all called to walk in the spirit and insight. I praise the Lord that that the spirit of God is been at work in your life and giving you strength and an even victory over some of those those struggles with sin and may God help all of us to walk in the Spirit and by the Spirit to put to death.

As Paul says in Romans chapter 8 the sinful deeds of the body.

May the Lord bless you and thanks for reaching out.

Leanne just a follow-up question for you a drill when James talks about the fact that even the demons believe he's doing on the context of faith and works, and he saying they tremble, they believe, but it's it's that in their case belief doesn't do anything for them.

So how does that apply to us and give getting back to her question about belief versus fully trusting Christ yeah will go there again and that that passage in James chapter 2 where James gets into faith and works, he says it what what does it profit a sum he says I have faith that they don't have any works can that faith save him. What I think is talking about a specific kind of faith we might call it demonic faith right just this sort of assent to the truth of our understanding and knowledge of these facts biblical faith saving faith is more than just knowledge. It's more than just dissent. It's it's trust it's that personal. I am trusting in Christ for my own forgiveness is not enough to just believe that that God is forgiving. The question is has Jesus forgiven your sins are you trusting in him if he turned to him and repented of your sins. And so, so, yeah. I mean, when James talks about me and even the demons believing in trouble he's highlighting with the fact that there's this kind of demonic definition if you will. If he did this fate. That is not genuine biblical faith, but just that. What I mentioned earlier historical faith in you having information but not truly trusting Christ which is what we each need to do great explanation. Thanks for that. This Cora Christianity with pastor Gabriel Sanchez. Let's go to Don who is calling in from Kansas. Don what's your question for a drill look to verse nine and it talks about the angel of the Lord at the birth of Christ. When that was preached yesterday in church. It never occurred. He never clicked in my mind I always thought the angel of the Lord was a representation of Christ. Will that be right.

That's great in a not I think I think that that is right, often times in the Old Testament where you have this figure, the angel of the Lord appearing throughout the book of Genesis is specifically empty and I preached in Genesis and in you have the angel of the Lord there in various places and and usually this figure is is associated with God himself.

And so that's why many people say this is this is a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is this is God revealing himself in this in this special way in this unique minute and I think that that's true but that's not always the case, necessarily that we have to see Christ there because as you bring up. In Luke chapter 2 where you have you know that the angel, the Angels appearing to the shepherds.

We read in verse eight in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them in the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear as I think you can distinguish between the angel of the Lord has this figure who appears throughout the Old Testament and in many places and then an angel of the Lord. That is one of God's messengers that he sends out due to accomplish his purposes in the world. So note no contradiction there, and I do think that you know when were looking at the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament times what we are seeing a picture of Christ, so thank you, Don. Thanks much for your question and for listening to Cora Christianity. We receive a lot of questions on this program about worship, such as what exactly is worship and what should worship look like in its full sense will today would like to offer you a free resource on this topic. Yet, at the topic of worship is one that I'm I'm passionate about bill you know is as a pastor, something we thought through a lot at our church. We can often feel confused as to why we do the things that we do in worship and sometimes things go on and worship services. It it church that were not totally comfortable with. It's it's really important for us to understand biblical worship. What what what is worship according to the Bible. What we what we should we be devoting ourselves to as the people of God.

So that's what we've created this resource again nine things everyone should know about worship. It's a free downloadable resource at core, Christianity.com enter some great questions. Who should we worship, how should we worship we love to get that in your hands, you can go to Cora Christianity.com/offers to downloaded nine things everyone should know about worship. You can also call us for that resource or any one of our resources. Here's the number it's 833-843-2673. That's 833. The core let's go to a voicemail that came in from one of our listeners a couple days ago Dan and my question is in the Bible how streets people came to me and eventually left the faith are they going to heaven or being rejected the faith, are they not think yeah no apostates are not going to has, in fact, I think that they they are going to experience an even more severe judgment because one of the one of the things with apostasy is think they know the truth, they have an intimate knowledge of the truth, and yet they they turn from it. They trample Christ underfoot. There are number of passages in Scripture that speak of apostasy. I think I think one of the books that you could go to.

It has been a number of warnings with regard to false teachers and apostates is second Peter second Peter chapter 2, specifically in here's how Peter describes these these apostate teachers.

In particular, these false teachers a seat. He says in verse 17. These are waterless springs and myths driven by a storm for them. The gloom of utter darkness has been reserved for speaking loud boasts of folly.

They entice by sensual passions of the flesh. Those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption.

For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved for if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them, then the first for it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness, and having known it or after knowing it did turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

There is your answer.

Peter says it would it would have been better for them never to actually have known the way of righteousness to begin with them if they had it they knew it. There was his intimate knowledge of the truth. But then the committed apostasy. They turned away from Christ. They trampled him underfoot now know that the other question that comes up. It was his mean that they lost their salvation. And I think the answer is is no you can have an intimate knowledge of the truth, and the things of God without ever truly embracing those things by faith. This is what John is getting at. I believe in places like first John chapter 2, where he talks again about a group of people who would abandon the church there was the schism among the Christians to whom John was writing a division in the church and some of them had left abandoned the faith and he says in first John chapter 2 verse 19 they went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us, but they went out that it might become plain that they all are not of us. And so that there is your there's your answer isn't that neither they, they accepted Jesus into their heart and then they totally turn away, but because they said a prayer one day. Another good to be welcomed into heaven know they knew the truth. They knew about Jesus.

They had built the holy commandment delivered to them but then they totally rejected it and there can be judged for that. And so the warning for us is it is not just enough to hear the truth of God's word.

What you do with attribute you believe it you embrace it. Are you resting in the gospel or are you rejecting it is score Christianity with pastor Adria Sanchez.

Our phone lines are open. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. The numbers 833.

The core let's go to David calling in from Albuquerque, New Mexico. David what your question for Israel. Israel is about the omnipresence of God. We know that God is omnipresent and the daily Jesus was God.

I was wondering how does that work out after his incarnation when he was on earth would he still be omnipresent in is there any evidence that that shows us this as well as when he goes back to heaven that he is still hot body would the second person of the Trinity still be considered omnipresent David what excellent questions are getting into some Christology here in this is this particular question is one that is been debated by different Christian traditions. But one thing I think that we can say this is goes way back to the church fathers and I think it's faithful to the teaching of Scripture in their talk about the incarnation is this great mystery that did this one who was at the breasts of the Virgin Mary, you know being nourished.

If you will, is still simultaneously nourishing all creation circumscribed and in one sense regularly them confined to come he can find himself by assuming humanity and yet in his divinity somehow still upholding all things and so there's this great mystery here. But when we talk about the incarnation of the word and the relationship between the that the two natures, one divine person to nature's it's important that we that we don't that we don't talk about that the incarnation is you know all of a sudden Jesus is no longer truly assuming he's got the sort of like God flesh. I know he's a true human just like us, so that he could represent us and is true God. I don't like using the language of hundred percent God hundred percent committed as it is confusing. I think that is better just a true God and true man. One divine person and in his humanity in his flesh. He is he is.

He's in in a particular place right leg while he was on her. It's not that his body his physical body was everywhere present and yet simultaneously as God, the creator of all things. He's he's the Lord and he's upholding everything and so we can talk about his omnipresence in that sense. But we wouldn't say that his flesh is omnipresent right now even even after the. The ascension that we do have communion with Jesus is true body and blood.

How, by the grace of the Holy Spirit in its the spirit who unites us to Jesus in his body and blood, where he is at the right hand of God the father and so and so again this is something that the Christians have have debated about in there.

There is I think certainly mystery here when were talking about the incarnation and what what theologians refer to as the hypostatic union. The relationship between the two natures in one person, but we don't want to suggest that somehow Jesus is humanity is is changed so that is not truly a human, and he's got this omnipresent body because that would call into question his true humanity and so appreciate that question really getting into some deep Christology there, but limit Lily to say this, and often times I've had conversations with people about the hypostatic union unit were talking about the two natures of Christ are legal boy, white, white we got it go down into the weeds here. What's the big deal will it really relates to our salvation. If Jesus isn't truly man will then he can't be our representative or mediator, but if if the word right is not the divine person truly God he couldn't atone for the sins of the entire world into this with Jesus is the perfect mediator in his humanity in his divinity for us to redeem us from our sins. And that's why these these questions are so important, so practical. This is why I think early on in the in the history of the church. Some of these debates that were had about about Christ, about whether he was divine about his relationship to us.

Why why the evil one was trying so so hard, especially that early stage in in church history to corrupt the doctrine of Christ is because it has to do with our our salvation, and so again appreciate your question and thank you for giving us a call by statement. Appreciate you this is score Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to Abby who is calling in from Georgia, Abby, what your question for a drill question. I have a family member who recently told us that he is transitioning into a woman and I either need to change the name and all the thing and that I'm just looking for some guidance about whether we use the new name. Also I don't currently feel like lying, wondering how we love, but not a firm. Thank you Abby so difficult and so look III agree with you and II feel you in terms of just not wanting to not wanting to participate in something you feel this is just not this is not true. There is a great deception here. And indeed, there is only think about these these discussions that are happening around transgender is him and and indeed this idea that we can just decide what our sex is right. This is this is obvious enough biblical comments. The result of this sort of cultural movements that's been going on for hundreds of years asserted the way we think about personhood the way we think about sex and gender there. There's been so many shifts in society and the way we view ourselves that have that have led to where we are right now but they're not rooted in truth they're not rooted in. In reality they're not rooted in what God says in his word, and so so I also feel that tension of just not wanting to to affirm that while at the same time, you love your family member and you see that they are caught up in this in this deception and so was his prey get on your knees and pray and say Lord, give me wisdom and give this family member, a soft heart eyes to see where Dave Dave bought into this lie. That is just so easy to bind to, because what you're hearing everywhere in the media. The people around us. Social media as well, but open this person's heart to see that they are created in your image, but broken and fallen.

That's all of us right in need of your grace, and so I think if you can have a maybe just a candid, very open conversation and and say look I love you man I love you so much, but I'm concerned because I feel like I'm what were seeing around us right now is not good is not healthy and I see that you're embracing this and I don't think that this is the best thing for you then having having those conversations is unit candidly and praying that the Lord would give you wisdom and again.

Also, just that that soft heart for for your family member and not not ending the conversation there, but continuing to have have interaction, then maybe just things I don't feel comfortable saying this work or calling you by you know these pronouns that you want to be called by because I feel like it's it's not true and if you like.

It goes against my convictions.

That does not mean that I don't love you, and so can we still have interaction and and and be in each other's lives because I want to have that, and I think whether we should, we don't want to just we don't meet me sadly attic. A lot of times people will will when we don't go with them in this so discs are cut aside or less.

That's not what you want and so pray and stand firm in your convictions and pray that the Lord opens this family member's heart to hear you and ultimately to receive the grace of Christ and to experience the grace of Christ in their life.

Father would you be with Abby and would you be with his family member. We ask that you would fill her with your Holy Spirit that you would give her wisdom and I pray for fruitful conversations between her and and in this family member were that they would be able to to still be involved in each other's lives, and that your light and your gospel will shine through.

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