How Do You Know Which Parts of the Bible Apply to Life Today and Which Don't?

How do you know which parts of the Bible apply to life today and which don't. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity will hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is a radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. Our phone lines are open right now and you can call us for the next 25 minutes or so with this number 833 the core, you might want to make note of that 833. The core or 1-833-843-2673.

We also have some social media site, you can post your question there Facebook, Instagram or twitter and you can walk drill right now on our YouTube channel seam in the studio and shoot him a message or question that way course, you're always welcome to email us at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to a voicemail that came in from one of our listeners named Toby. I know that I'm on a plane. Toby, thank you for giving us a call. What a question, and for you to say you and I know that I'm unsaved.

What do I need to do to be saved will first let me to say again, thank you, thank you for giving us a call here at the core. I wish that I had you right here in front of me so that I couldn't. I could speak with you personally, but I just want to dress you, praying that you praying that you hear this, and that when you hear these words, you don't just hear my words, but you hear the word of Almighty God speaking to you, the promise of his gospel gospel means good news for you as someone who is separated from God. I'm not I'm not saved by all of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. We can't save ourselves is not pull yourself up by your bootstraps, you know, if you do enough good works, then you can become saved. It's actually turning away from yourself and laying hold of Jesus Christ as he is offered to you in the good news of the gospel.

What he did for you. Toby came into the world for our sins so that believing in him trusting in him we might be forgiven and have the promise of eternal life, and there was actually an instance in the book of acts acts right after the Gospels in the New Testament.

It basically giving us that the story of the advancement of the gospel through the apostles in the early church.

After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ and at one point Paul is in prison and he gets out miraculously in the jailer there in prison is concerned for his life because as the jailer. He was accountable for the people that were in his prison if they got out they escaped. He could be put to death.

And so he's terrified he's actually about to harm himself. Paul cried out to him with a loud voice. This is the book of acts chapter 16 verse 28 do not harm yourself, were all here. Paul said in the jailer called for lights and rushed in and trembling with fear. He fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved. That's interesting Toby. I'm not saved. I know that I'm not saved. What do I need to do to be saved and they said believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved you and your you and your household. Now what does it mean for you to believe in Jesus, Toby, such as I think he existed like Abraham Lincoln existed or George Washington existed. I just I affirm that he existed right, you and II think is a pretty good guide know it's trusting in him personally for the forgiveness of your sins, trusting in him as as the Lord as God turning to him, trusting in him and receiving forgiveness and I pray that wherever you are.

Right now Toby that you would look to him, trusting him and confess your sins to him and receive the forgiveness that he offers to you through his perfect life of obedience that he lived in the place of his people, his suffering, the punishment that we deserve on the cross for our sins and rising again from the dead for our salvation, trust in Jesus, Toby, God bless you, MM, just a follow-up question for you drill.

There are so many Americans today who would say hey I'm a good person. I try to obey the law and he makes mistakes but basically I'm pretty good so I'm thinking you know God's can honor them to go to heaven to respond to them. I would say to that person, you don't know the law of think about Jesus is preaching in the sermon on the mount. If you look at a woman to lust after her.

You've already committed adultery in your heart if you have hatred you know with with your with your brother without a cause. It's as if you've already committed murder.

God is looking at our hearts is not just a sort of external actions of obedience. I'm a pretty good citizen were talking about the, the, the judgment seat of God standing before him, the God who knows every thought that you've ever had.

Every everything that you've done in the motives behind the things you've done, even even those things that you don't seemingly at least externally look good, but that we did for selfish reasons for the applause of others for the praise of others, God sees all of that is a when it comes to the judgment seat of God. None of us are able to stand in our own goodness.

So we have to flee to the cross we would go to Christ.

That's that's our only hope.

And so I would say to that person. You know when we really think about what God calls us to in his word. We quickly realize that we are undone that we need the mercy of Jesus Christ and so do not trust in the fact that I'm a good citizen. You and I go to church here in there I try my best. No, don't trusting yourself.

Trust in Christ, receive his grace and his forgiveness and then live a life of obedience to the law of God. Good works, you know, following him, not in order to be saved, with the hope that you might be saved, because you're doing these things, but as one who is receive the mercy of God freely in Christ.

And so that that's what I would say Bill and I think that's a conversation that we do have to have frequently right especially have kinda more of a cultural Christianity, we might say people who they will I'm I'm up. I'm a Christian because my my parents were Christian. I go to church sometimes and I I said a prayer at some point, but I really I really don't have a personal relationship with Christ.

I'm not trusting in him is is really important subject so well said, and as you mentioned, it's a free gift of salvation is God's gift to us.

All we have to do is accept it so that is the beauty of the beauty of the gospel. Thanks so much for letting drill. This is core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

Our phone lines are open. If you have a question about the Bible of the Christian life. Maybe you have some doubts about the Christian faith. But you consider yourself to be an agnostic or an atheist would love to hear from you were always open to those questions. Here's the phone number is 833. The core 833 Valcourt or 833-843-2673 we receive a lot of questions on this program about worship, such as what exactly is worship and what should worship look like, or it looks different in my church than some other churches today we want to offer you a free resource on this topic yet. Let me say something that maybe you've never heard before, but God cares about how he's worship not just that he's worshiped as we think, so long as it is, as you are worshiping God sincerely however you want to do it and that's fine.

But God doesn't just care that he's worshiped he cares about the how how we worship and how we approach him and I don't think that that stated enough in churches, but frankly it's something we see throughout the Bible. I mean, God struck down Nate ab in a buy who in Leviticus chapter 10 for offering strange fire to the Lord as a one worship God is is Hebrews 12 says with reverence and awe. We need to know about worship and how God wants to be worshiped.

And that's that's some of what we unpack in this resource called nine things everyone should know about worship. It's a free download over core, Christianity.com love to get this to you will answer questions you might have. Or maybe someone you know has about worshiping God go to core Christianity.com/offers. Again, that's core Christianity.com/offers look for nine things everyone should know about worship we do receive voicemails here at the court. You can call us 24 hours a day and leave your question on our voicemail system. We do our best to review those once a day. Here's the number 833-843-2670 3833 the core and here's a voicemail that came in from one of our listeners named Michael I was wondering when you learn to follow certain commands and not others. Ample know we talk about men being pastors only in Scripture. But then we don't do any covering or anything like that. I'm paying our cultural thing or when you know which following what's relevant to us now � excellent question, and I think I think the first thing I would want to say is the entire Bible is relevant to us. Now we have to determine whether or not were reading in Scripture is prescript is meeting it's binding for us at all times released today it at this time in redemptive history or is it just descriptiveness are we reading a description of something that God did an earlier point for a particular church or for our particular people that we can glean from but were not supposed to emulate.

And so for example you think about the the holy wars there.

The cleansing of Canaan.

In the Old Testament is God was bringing his people into the land. We can read that and see how God was governing his people there under the old covenant and how this is a type if you will a picture of a greater reality, but we as the church are not called to do that and I think I think this is work context is key, where it so important for us understand the context of the passages that were looking at where we are in the flow of redemptive history is this you know old covenant deal God speaking to Israel under the Mosaic covenant is it new covenant New Testament God speaking to his church today and how he governs his people today, but again, I would just want to say that we need to make sure that we recognize that all Scripture is relevant for us today were drawing out lines of application if you will. This is what the apostle Paul said so clearly in second Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 when he wrote to Timothy, all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be completely equipped for every good work and so what I what I think it's so important for us to understand this is not like him and avoid you know, the book of Leviticus, because that was really relevant for the people then but it's not relevant for us today. I preached Leviticus a few years ago and it's very relevant for us today in so far as were learning about Christ it through these types and shadows of the of the Old Testament system of worship and so so all of it is is relevant for us today and we approach the word of God with humility, with with the with the spirit of God, give me understanding and help me to understand. In light of the context and so that's I think that I think central to the answer to your question, how do we know whether or not this is for us today or this was Beano for the Corinthian church there in the first century week we have to say will will the context what was going on there and that's how we answer the questions.

What support for us to have solid Bible teachers who can help us to do unpack some of those things as we approach Scripture the historical background and so forth and so thank you for that question and that God bless no follow-up for you. We hear people talk about issues like well, homosexuality and shellfish and they tried to come. You know, kind of conflate those to you when they're dealing with her current cultural issues. Can you explain once again, just briefly, could you talk about this before.

The difference between moral law and civil law that applied to Israel. Yeah, I think I actually have an article over core Christianity.com. Something is called White why you don't have to obey all the rules in the Bible or something like that sort of a catchy title but we need understanding of these laws that were given laws related to Israel's worship under the old covenant, or that the political body of Israel and of the civil government of Israel there under the old covenant or is it just a part of the moral law, and so you know there are some laws that were associated to Israel as a political body or is as a worshiping community there in the temple that do not apply today because Christ fulfilled those laws through his sacrificial life, death and resurrection. Think about some of the food loss on what we see we see those fulfilled in the new covenant through Christ, and so the context is key. Understanding where we are in the flow of her debit history is key and and that's that's what we need to do for and interpret the Bible well great counsel.

Thanks for that intro. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez were still taking your calls if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Maybe there's something in your own life. That's really kind of come up against the wall with what's happening in our culture right now when you're struggling in some way and you could use some encouragement. We would love to hear from you.

833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Joshua calling in from Memphis, Tennessee. Joshua what your question for Israel is about approaching a family member well with the gospel.

You discern to be law, they never pray to never speak the name of Jesus I never read a Bible to never go to church yet they tell you I have my own relationship with God now worship him in my own ways in no such thing as a system is such a difficult situation that I I've I know what you're talking about and have had these conversations with friends who their they're offended right that you would challenge them because I got I have my own way of worshiping God how how dare you say that I need to be doing it this way.

And so it can be. It feels almost like walking on egg shells and you you want to address this issue because you can see that there is maybe more of a assertive cultural Christianity like were talking about earlier on the broadcast, but not a real understanding of the gospel. I don't need the church.

I just have my own personal relationship with Jesus will, I think I think one thing that so many people miss today is that the church was not man's idea.

The church is God's idea, it's, it's God's plan for redemption for extending his kingdom in the world today is only say you know I I just do my own thing with Jesus week we unpack that a little bit and realized that were missing when we say that apart from the church were missing so much of what Jesus himself said, remember what what he said to Peter in Matthew chapter 16 I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16 verse 18 and so Jesus is building his church. He's at work in and through the church through faithful Bible teachers and so if we want to experience. I think truly really the presence of Christ in our lives. We week.

We can't do that, apart from the body of Christ that is Christian community. And so I think you pray Joshua that the Lord would help you to communicate this in a way that is gracious in a way that doesn't to shut down the conversation because again I think I think especially with people who are close to us family members.

You know you start you start raising these issues and that they will will you who are you to say anything and how dare you judge me, and so on and so forth and and so we don't want. We don't want them to to recoil it up there to drop back or to draw when we want to just plead lovingly and say it's more than just what what you make it out to be the gospel ultimately missed what you want to get to his is the gospel is the greatest news ever that God has made a way for us sinners to have communion with him to experience grace and forgiveness.

You're not going to get the forgiveness of your sins anywhere else. You can't find it anywhere else. Yeah with her pop psychology can can brush your sins under the rug and you can try to justify them, and so on and so forth.

But that burden of sin that we all feel that we all know that were trying to get rid of men. It can only be dealt with in one place and that's at the cross of Jesus Christ and the love of God and so it's it's communicating that great news that that great news of the gospel with clarity and then the reality of the fact that God has called us to be a part of his church is people to learn from him through his word, and so may the Lord bless you and these conversations Joshua and grant you much grace and and wisdom, and let's just take a brief moment right now to pray for Josh, when you pray for this family member I and for all of our our friends and family members.

You know who this is true of you know that they day. You know they have their own sort of invented personal relationship with Jesus but but don't really understand who he is. Through his word father be with our brother Joshua Lord, thank you for his heart that he cares for his family members that he wants to see them know you truly and Lord rejoice in the good news of the gospel, would you fill my brother with your Holy Spirit. Would you give him wisdom and communicating your truth Lord respectfully with love with conviction as well and would you open the heart of this particular family member, Lord, for all those Lord we think about right now in our minds, our own friends and family members who desperately need your grace. Maybe they think they understand what we know Lord that that that that they don't that they're missing it that they don't understand the gospel. Would you equip us, Lord, and enable us to speak your truth and love to them and which will open their hearts as well be with us in this Lord we pray in Jesus name, amen. Man and Joshua if you hang on the line. Would love to send you a complimentary copy of Dr. Michael Horton's book, core Christianity, which will help you as you having these conversations with this family member about what a relationship with Jesus truly looks like this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Jimmy who is calling in from Arkansas. Jimmy what your question for Israel long ago that there were certain walls that were done away with and consider that Jesus Christ said the only thing that I come to do away with the law but to fulfill it. How are you doing away with the law and I know you also fill them both when when you fulfill something you do.

That's how you fulfill it. But do it. Just wondering what Scripture if you're going to say that these also been done away with. Yeah Jimmy thank you for calling and following up with that with the previous question that we received in given me an opportunity to clarify. So think about the fact that there are different kinds of laws that we see in Scripture Jimmy Lycan in the Old Testament there were laws related to worship in the temple. Think of the sacrificial system I mentioned earlier on the broadcast related to worship you, how God struck Nate ab in a buy who down for offering strange fire to him in worship fire that he had not prescribed commanded right.

Those are ceremonial laws related to Israel under the old covenant were no longer bound by those laws. Why because Jesus, the Lamb of God has borne our sins, he is taken away that the sins of the world if you will.

So hazard does that make sense to me that that at least were talking here about letting some of the ceremonial laws are not talking about like the 10 Commandments, the moral law of God were talking about those laws related to worship or build allows good distinction between moral and civil walls and ceremonial laws are all God's law.

So EL and NJ neo-whoever does the right the least of these laws will start art usually teaches you to break the least of these altered Lord will delete all should complete least in the kingdom of yeah. Not that I appreciate I appreciate that, but I do think that there is a distinct if there was no distinction within the church would still be bound to performing things like the ceremonial law right we would say we would say well you have these laws and in places like Leviticus or Exodus week. We need to still be doing this when used to be offering incense, having sacrifices so is over with wheat. We know that when Christ came he abolished that system of worship. This is this is one of the biggest tensions between the old covenant and the new covenant so it's not that were were trying to do away with the law of God is in the moral law of God. What what God calls each and every person to but these types and shadows related to Israel under the old covenant, they are no longer binding on us as Christians today. One of the big problems. I think that that the churches has wrestled with throughout the centuries is people who were trying to put put the trip back under those laws.

Me this is one of the issues that the apostle Paul had when he was writing to the Galatians right that the Galatian Christians were being tempted to go back to the law of Moses, and in particular, you know that the ceremonial law.

Some of the food laws and pulses know that that would actually be compromising the gospel because Christ the reality has come, and this is why Paul can say in Colossians chapter 2.

Let no one pass judgment on you and questions of food and drink are with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come with the substance belongs to Christ one.

One other passage of Scripture that I think I would I would bring up for you brother and for your consideration is what Peter and James say in acts chapter 15 in the Jerusalem Council work where there are some of the Pharisees were saying it is necessary to circumcise converts and order them to keep the law of Moses and what did the disciples respond what what they say verse, a God who knows the heart bore witness to the Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.

Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing the yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear. We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus just as they will so we distinguish her from so important for us to distinguish it as we do, we realize that there that there are differences that we need to be aware of.

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