Did the Roman Catholic Church Change the Day of the Sabbath?

The Roman Catholic Church change the day of the Sabbath rest is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity, why, and happy Friday. 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. Our phone lines are open right now and you are feel free feel free to call us and ask us your question at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 course you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today we have an email from one of her listeners named Ethan and a drill. Ethan wants to know how much focus should be put on evangelism in the life of a believer. Ethan, I think that's an excellent question. I have seen for some Christian you know that there are some we just feel really guilty because they they don't share the gospel like they they want to and they can they can even be crushed by a sense of of man. I just feel condemned, like III fail in this area.

I think all of us. This is prayer. I would say is one of them, but also when it comes evangelism is another area where I think many of us feel like we couldn't we could do better. We could grow it.

So I think you don't not been crushed by that sense of condemnation but really cultivating our own lives a love of Christ and the gospel such that we want to share it with others. I think about what the apostle Paul said in Romans chapter 1 verse 16 we said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel wise and the ashamed of the gospel because he knows it's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes you think that we need to to recover instead of instead of thinking. First, informative, and I have to do this. I really needed you know share the gospel more week we got to be sharing the gospel. I think really understanding the gospel. First and foremost is key so that way were enabled to share it with others and excited about sharing with others because we really believe as Paul really believed that it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who embraces it. Who believes in the gospel. That's good news is writing the first thing we need to focus on. It is worth thinking about evangelism and sharing the gospel is do we know the gospel are we able to articulate it clearly as good news for many people I've talked to Christians even who have been walking with the Lord for many years and you said, what's the good news of the Christian faith and they respond by saying something like, well, you know love God and we would love each other and want to be good and do good things and and those things are all true. That's right, that's not the gospel. The gospel is what God has done for us in his son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. It's a fact that none of us know we get merit salvation justification know we can't and so God sent his son into the world to die for our sins so that we might be forgiven and experience his grace and his love that's that's good news. That's good news for sinners is a way to understand that and I think as we grow in that there is this desire to to share with others and and that should be something that I think were intentional about praying that the Lord would give us opportunities to share our faith with our neighbors with coworkers with the people that is brought into our lives, then just asking the Lord to guide us in that and so really appreciate that question just one other verse and think of what Peter said in first Peter chapter 3 verse 15 in your hearts honor Christ as Lord as holy.

The Lord is holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you do it with gentleness and respect.

In other words a minute. Peter is his writing their first Peter three nieces look. People are going to be able to see they ought to be able to see that hope that we have, even in the midst of difficulties and we get to share the reason for the hope. What is it to the gospel and so we want to live in such a way that that I think even invites those kinds of questions. Thank you so much for that question. Just a follow-up question for you Israel. I wonder how much of this fear of evangelism or not feeling confident about evangelism is that in the past, we kinda had these these formulaic ways of sharing the gospel. You know the old four spiritual laws, tracks, and this is the this is the formula you need to go through.

And yet we live in a different world today where you know a postmodern world were so many people don't even know the Bible believe the Bible. It seems like we have to have a different starting place.

Yeah, I'm definitely people have have presuppositions today worldview today that maybe you know hundred years ago 200 years ago, but do different views on the world, whereas you know been in the medieval. Everyone just to believe in God and God is judge. Now we served change things around. Now we judge embrace God anymore but so many people claim to be atheist or just agnostic and so so there are different questions.

I think that are being asked and that need to be answered but but I would just say this, the powers and the word of God and so as we share the gospel. If you for using Scripture for talking about what God is done according to his word. I think that's what the Spirit uses to bring people to life to truly to work in their hearts, and so I think the focus needs to be on that on on obviously responding some of these questions, but making sure they were bringing Scripture in the gospel in into the equation because that's what God uses to grant spiritual life. By the way, we have a greater core question on this topic available on our website. It's called, how can I share my faith. You can go that go to that by going to core Christianity.com/downloads core Christianity.com/downloads look for that question on sharing your faith let's go to the phones. Debbie is on the line from Nashville, Tennessee. Debbie what is your question for atrial line that I drink, and enjoy relaxing and wondered affect my foundation. I don't think that in going in for 11 question here. My curiosity great Debbie, thanks for calling. No drinking lien moderation does not affect your salvation doesn't come you put your salvation in jeopardy.

That kind of the thing of courses as you say, drunkenness is a sin and that's for been throughout Scripture you know Paul says in Ephesians, don't be drunk with wine, but be filled with the spirit. The idea there is you know what is it that controls us. Are we controlled by our passions. Are we controlled by alcohol be controlled by food in me what it all sorts of things we can be controlled by under the influence of work to be controlled by the spirit and so there's there's nothing Roman. Obviously, in Scripture there.

There are times in the Gospels that were Jesus himself wedding cane. It wedding at Cana in Galilee in John chapter 2, where he turns out water into wine for for a wedding feast and asked Jesus himself was accused of being a wind arrives. He never got drunk because he never sinned, but just having a glass of wine is not is not sin. It's not something that you need to feel guilty about. Now there are some people I think who who really struggle with alcoholism and and for them know would be a wise thing to do drink at all you first. For some people. Just you and II can't stop once I have one drink I just have to have another one and then another one and then another one.

So this is where we have to exercise wisdom and I think the apostle Paul does speak to this some and in particular in places like his letter to the Romans, but but there is freedom to have a glass of wine and you don't have to feel guilty about that.

Thanks Debbie for your question. By the way meeting of what Paul told Timothy.

Timothy was having some some stomach issues in Baltimore may have a little bit of wine to settle your stomach so we don't want to view it as inherently evil.

It's just like with so many things. You know it's it's a good gift that God gives. But but we can abuse it and and it can become sinful, depending on how it's used. Same thing with food the sin of gluttony. Is this where this is where were called to exercise wisdom and discernment and to do not be given to you. No drinking too much or eating too much, but to be controlled by the spirit of God. God bless about good Mexican food and you have too much of that is my struggle Bill.

I mean, I'm telling you, put some good tacos in front of me and it's hard to stop. It really is and so yeah you can have too much I do. I do know that and but that too is is a gift to moderate Lord gives is next. This really I think a true gift you. This is core Christianity with Pastor atrial Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Maybe you have some doubts about the Christian faith.

Maybe you consider yourself to be an agnostic or an atheist and you're gonna believe this Christianity stuff.

Hey, it will be more than happy to talk to you. Here's the phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673, one of the major concerns in our society right now is depression, particularly among young people and depression affect stricter Christians to not just non-Christians and there's I think some misunderstanding about that in the church today we want to offer you a brand-new free resource on the topic of depression. Have you been listening to core Christianity for a while.

You know that we try not to shy away from from difficult subjects, even heavy subjects and can we do talk about depression from time to time on the broadcast because we think it's a serious issue that it's not just something that people outside. You know the church struggle with people who don't know Jesus Christ, and that even believers, faithful believers, people been walking with the Lord. For many many years can struggle with and so we want to encourage you in your walk with the Lord and in your fights with depression so we have this resource. It's called three biblical ways to fight depression.

It's his guide that that really impacts. I think some of some of the Scripture on on this. In particular, and of course, is more than just addressing with the Bible. We believe that there are other resources just common grace resources that God gives to us, but we definitely want to give some biblical insight as well as a get a hold of this biblical resource on depression three biblical ways to fight depression. You can get it core, Christianity.com such an important resource in today's world we want to get that in your hands for you or someone you might know who is struggling with depression. Here's the phone number to call 833-843-2673 and you can find it by going to our website at core, Christianity.com/offers again core Christianity.com/offers only to receive voicemails here at the core and we received one earlier this week from one of our listeners named Mary. Mary, I would like to know what church changed letter dated Monday. Why do we go to church on Saturday as the Lord directed. I think that question. It is just not true that the Roman Catholic Church changed the day of worship to Sunday as opposed to Saturday that the reality is the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ were already beginning to gather on the first day of the week to worship the Lord.

This is something we see in the book of acts. It's something that we see in first Corinthians chapter 16 verses one into their gathering together on the first day of the week. That is Sunday back chapter 20 verse seven on the first day of the week when we were gathered together to break bread. Think back to acts chapter 2, verse 42 where were the early churches gathering together devoted to the apostles teaching the breaking of the bread the fellowship the prayers. This is a worship assembly gathered together to break bread when on the first day of the week. Paul talked with them intending to part of the next day any prolonged his speech until midnight along sermon so well probably to him right until midnight but but here's the point is the Roman Catholic Church that said okay were to start worshiping God on Sunday.

Now note this is Paul the apostle lease of the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation chapter 1 verse 10 John has his vision when on the Lord's day this picture of worship and the worship is taking place in heaven that that's one of the themes in the book of Revelation and so and so it is just it is not true that you know gathering together on Sunday was something that became much later through the infant to the Roman Catholic Church know this is apostolic now why did this shift happen but happen because the first day of the week Sundays when Jesus Christ rose again from the dead and gathering together on Sunday were commemorating the resurrection didn't just happen once a year on Easter every Sunday is resurrection Sunday were remembering that Jesus rose from the dead, and we are entering into the true Sabbath rest Jesus through worship and of course Jesus himself made that clear. He said come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The true rest that the people of God long for is only found in Jesus Christ. And so we gather together on Sundays in in. You know, after the example, the apostles themselves on the Lord's day to worship the risen Christ as I hope it that you all do that. We talk about this on the broadcast all the time.

It's important for us to be in solid churches where we are doing that we were coming together on the Lord's day to worship the Lord answer that question we have another one of those great core questions on that topic available on our website. Why did the Sabbath change to Sunday and really unpacks this issue is a real just described. You could find that it core, Christianity.com/questions while our phone lines are open.

If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life may be how your Christian faith intersects with today's culture. Here's the number to call its 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Miriam in Indiana very much a question for Pastor Israel here in the garden and became a distinct little animal but in the wilderness knows that all day in hell that the standard that had the symbol of the snake and if they look to that they were healed and ended symbol is also found in the medical profession. Help me to get this despicable snake all correlated there. Yeah, great, great question.

So, numbers chapter 21. Did the children of Israel had been plagued by snakes because of sin, and the Lord said to Moses, verse eight. Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten when he sees it shall live.

So Moses made a bronze serpent set on a pole and if a serpent bit anyone he would look at the bronze serpent and live another sleep. People have been plagued by these serpent bites. This is a judgment that came from the Lord. But God has provided healing through that the bronze serpent that was lifted up there in the wilderness, and so that it's not that that the serpent Meno became a good thing if you will. It is etiquette is a picture of sin and the bite of sin and the fact that Jesus Christ. He who knew no sin as as Paul says, became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God's and Corinthian chapter 5, and in fact in the New Testament we see this scene. Numbers 21 spoken of in John chapter 3 where where were we read that you know even as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness of the Son of Man would be lifted up. Why so that everyone who believes in him who looks to Jesus might experience healing healing from what from from sin, the forgiveness of sins and so and so is again it's not that that the serpent is going from being bad and negative in the early chapters of Genesis.

This this picture of the evil one and then the bronze serpent is you know now it now it's transformed into it.

In one sense it is transformed into this instrument if of healing but it's not that the serpent and of itself is a good thing. It is like the cross of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. What was it.

It was an instrument of shame of death of punishment and yet when Jesus hung on it.

He transformed it into this instrument of life and salvation, redemption and so that those who look to Christ experience healing and forgiveness of their sins. That's that's the focus there. Miriam, thank you for that question. By the way, I know it is used by medical professionals today and I did a lot of it was, it will do that must come from Numbers 21 might actually be from then and I think that this is this is right as it's known as the rot of the slip is it sexy from pagan mythology. Essentially this this image of the snake on a pole brings healing but but either way that the focus is at least in Scripture. Number 21 John three that Christ is the one who removes our sins. Douglas, there are no good snakes. Yeah, there is the other is no not one. I think process.

There are no good snakes yet so jobs they scare me. I was on a hike in the rattler almost got me so ever since then, no thank you Lord.

With this core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

Here's our phone number if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life. It's 833. The core let's go to Christian calling in from Oklahoma City Christian what your question for Israel and why? She revolves around the issue same-sex marriage and my question is why do we as believers think we get to dictate laws based on our beliefs and try to force them on other people's lobby, I can't. I can't speak for everyone, and why some believers do certain things. I think we do have is we have God's law and what is revealed to us both through natural revelation and through holy Scripture and God's law is good and everyone is held accountable to God's law etiquette at as believers right.

We recognize that we can't force people to believe in Jesus Christ, that it's the work of the Holy Spirit, and so we long for people to embrace the gospel and to submit freely to God's law.

Now does that mean that we shouldn't be in favor of a just society of laws that are good and reflect. I think you know love for neighbor.

I think the dignity of humanity know we we should we should want those things we should want.

I think you know laws that that that highlight the, the, the, the goodness of the Lord, and in what he's revealed in in his word and course are not depending on those things in order to bring about the salvation of others percentages bridges. We believe that this is what society ought to look like it as as reflected, I think, and what God has revealed in his words, I think there's a couple of ways to approach this one we know as Christians that we can't coerce anyone to embrace the gospel that it is the work of the Holy Spirit.

So if we think that imposing certain laws upon them is going to transform their horses. That's just not true. But as I said, that doesn't mean that that we don't have opinions about these things that we shouldn't. I think be against certain things in society in the world think of things like abortion or you think of a lot of the confusion with regard to the sexuality out in the world as well that that does have an impact on broader society a negative impact that was say and so it's not that were trying to force people to embrace Jesus through the law.

If you will miss that.

We believe that the world is made a certain way and and that's good and it reflects something good about how God has made the world and ultimately we want to see the world come to faith in Christ, not can happen through legislation. It's can have the faithful proclamation of the gospel and in believers. I think serving their neighbors with the gospel in word and indeed if I think we should we should focus on that and also care about you know that the way our society looks in and whether or not you know will loving our neighbors. Even through the laws that that are put in place and so is out for Christian. Thanks for your for your question and end up less and onto star reminded we have agreed to research resource on the topic of homosexuality that might be helpful to Christian or anyone else who has a question about that. It's called 10 things you need to know about the Bible and homosexuality.

It's one of our core guides and you can find that at our website which is core Christianity.com/downloads look for that core guide on the Bible and homosexuality really important topic in today's culture. Let's go back to the phone call and is on the line from Missouri, and what your question for atrial question is a believer, but the Holy Spirit is possible to lose salvation. I: really, really big question. I don't think that someone who truly has been born again and is filled with the Holy Spirit will or can lose their salvation.

I think that they persevere in their preserved by God. Jesus is he doesn't lose any of his sheep.

No one can snatch us out of the hands of the true and the living God of Christ is something that he says and in John chapter 10 I to the Ephesians. He said if he is 113 in him you also, when you heard the word of truth.

This is Paul, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory now know when I can lose the Holy Spirit but through sin, we can grieve the Holy Spirit and that something that Paul goes on to say later in Ephesians, but I would say that know someone who is truly born again regenerated by the Holy Spirit cannot lose their salvation but they can grieve the Holy Spirit and bring about the discipline of the Lord in their lives.

Thanks: for question. Well said before we go today were just quick email question for you a drill from one of our listeners. Matthew 1618 says the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. What is meant by the gates of hell just just the kingdom of darkness. It's this figurative way of speaking about Satan in his kingdom, and it's the promise that Jesus gives to us that that the kingdom of the evil one is not going to prevail against the church. So I great hope we have. You know it's easy to look at things around us, and in society sometimes and to feel really discouraged and to say man, it seems like the church is losing her. The gospel is in advancing like it should be brothers and sisters, we have the promise of the King of Kings and Lord of lords that his kingdom is going to continue to advance that he is going to be glorified in the whole world that his spirit is at work through the proclamation of the gospel, so we should be encouraged to share that gospel even as we open up the broadcast that question of how important is evangelism well it's it's important because it's due that word of the gospel of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ advances today.

The gates of hell are toppled down, praise God.

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