How Can I Be Sure I Won't Fall Away?

How can I be sure I'm a genuine Christian.

That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and 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 course you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com later in many states around the country are starting to ease their coronavirus restrictions and in California where your church is located. Things are starting to open up a little bit and I know you got some plans maybe to meet as a church this coming weekend.

Yeah, believe it or not. Well, technically speaking in a churches aren't supposed to be meeting in person, but the state and the County of San Diego have okayed drive in services. I mean, one of the difficulties though is that there aren't a lot of parking lots in a big open field here in San Diego so but we've been looking for a space the church to potentially have a driving service and you know it's going to be different unit are people used it being and in the pews and singing from a hymnal and and all that good stuff. But the reality is church happens when the people of God are gathered under the word, the preaching of the word to be encouraged by the fellowship of the saints weathering the pews or in a parking lot you know Jesus is present with us there so I'm really excited about the potential it's a neat way to be able to meet in a manner that is safe, that is okay with county and state ordinances and so I think it's a way for us to continue to love our neighbors, but also to honor the Lord. Bill I know you feel the same way I long to be gathered again with the people of God, communing with each other.

I mean it's just something that I hope everyone who's listening right now, they've missed that they long for that as well because I think it's one of the things that we as believers need mean the author of Hebrews says in Hebrews chapter 3 that we need to be encouraging each other, day by day.

While it is called today less were hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

So we been trying to do that is the church and work hopeful to potentially I in the upcoming weeks will be able to together in this way, with the driving service be so cool singing praises to God in your Subaru right yet in the minivan. You know whatever it is you have just praising the Lord so probably the seats will be more comfortable in the pews. We have so that's a plus.

While I pray that you're able to find a spot to me that would be so cool and will keep our listeners updated on whether or not that actually is able to happen. Let's get to our first question, one of our listeners email this one and it says based on Isaiah 54 five I've heard people say we are married to Christ or that Jesus is my husband. Is this accurate to say we are the bride of Christ but them. I also married to Christ.

Okay let me read Isaiah 54 verse five it says for your maker is your husband the Lord of hosts is his name, the holy one of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth.

He is called, and so the question is can we as individual Christians say God is my husband, or is that supposed to be taken more corporately.

That is to say if it the church as a whole.

That is to be viewed as the bride of Christ or we as individuals call ourselves the bride of Christ was so interesting is that in the Old Testament God was the bridegroom of Israel, the people of God. The marriage ceremony was actually God taking the people to himself and the Mosaic covenant over and over again in the Old Testament, especially in the prophets. This is referred to in places like Hosea to 14 through 15 Jeremiah chapter 212 12 Ezekiel chapter 16 verse eight and over and over again in the profit you get this idea that God took Israel to himself as his bride will you know what happened. Israel committed spiritual adultery. She began to worship other gods and end throughout the Old Testament.

This is described as well. And there's this hope you see it in particular in places like the book of Isaiah that one day God was going to restore his wayward bride. This is where it's so amazing when you get to the New Testament because you get to the New Testament in the Gospels, in particular in the Gospel of John and Jesus is depicted as the bridegroom of God's people. Remember that scene in John chapter 3 where John the Baptist disciples that they are upset because everybody's going to Jesus and in his disciples to be baptized in their leaving John the Baptist and John the Baptist response to his disciples by saying he who has the bride is the bridegroom I'm just a friend of the bridegroom, so it's so amazing about just this language is that it reveals to us that Jesus is the Lord he's God he's the bridegroom of God's people and typically in the New Testament bride is the church corporately as a whole. The church is the bride of Christ. You see this in places like the book of Ephesians, but the marriage bride bridegroom imagery shows us something. I think of the intimacy that God wants to have with these people and this is teased out in places like first Corinthians chapter 6 verses 15 through 70. Let me just turn the really quickly. First Corinthians chapter 6 verses 15 through 17.

This is what the apostle Paul said this is in the context of exhorting the Corinthians not to commit sexual immorality, and he says to them do not know that your bodies are members of Christ. Shall I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute never or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her for as it is written, the two will become one flesh, but he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him flee from sexual immorality.

Every other sin. A person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body of the reason I bring up that verses because I think there is something to this imagery that Scripture gives us that we as individual Christians are supposed to take right, there's this intimate relationship that God wants with his people that should cause us to flee from all sin and idolatry. We have this personal, intimate relationship with the Lord but I think were talking about this idea of being the bride of Christ. It's better for us to understand that corporately.

That is the church as a whole, like Israel in the Old Testament is the bride of God, the bride of Christ. We as believers are part of that body. No Israel, there are some Christian authors or Christian worship leaders who actually talk about a romantic relationship with Jesus. Or, Jesus is my boyfriend and I'm wondering if that that analogy a little bit too far. Okay so Bill, I'm glad you brought that up because I think that it can you do see that it in worship music, sometimes today were it's very sort of Jesus is my boyfriend you know a lot of people wonder how come it seems like men are having a hard time worshiping God in the church must be honest I've seen this over and over again. I've heard this over and over again. It seems like the church in praise and worship just such a feminine thing.

Women really want to be a part of it mentor you know I want to stay home and I don't want anything to do with that. Will I wonder sometimes this whole Jesus is my boyfriend sort of mentality relationship to God hasn't put off a lot of people a lot of men who really want to draw near to the Lord, but they go to church and they kind of experiences and they just think what I don't really feel comfortable with this. I think we have to be careful that we understand passages like this in their context and as I said in Scripture. The church is the bride of Christ, and were united to Christ as a part of the church by faith in Jesus, but we want to be careful that we don't have this kind of weird sort of Jesus is my boyfriend type thing going on because I think that actually can do damage right to food for thought.

Israel let's go to our first call came in.

By the way our phone number is 833-843-2673 or you can call us at 833. The core mind often going from you and him and I have a question about just how many apostle Sarah seemed to like election 21 better on 12 apostles and check in such a axle team but whole team they had to: Bonomo circle. But then AMONG the 12 so I was wondering how do we reconcile the two different sets of numbers. Thank you, and how to refute. I hey Alastair good to hear from you.

Thank you for your question will New Testament the word apostate outline means to send the word apostle is referring to one who is sent out. Strictly speaking, that's what apostles were actually Jesus is referred to as our apostle and high priest in Hebrews chapter 3 verse one wise Jesus our apostle because he was sent by the father into the world to accomplish redemption so we could say Jesus is the chief apostle but that you also have the 12 in these 12 consisted of those who had seen Jesus they experienced his earthly ministry and were witnesses of his resurrection from the dead, you know what happened amongst the apostles after Judas's death in acts chapter 1 your member Peter called everyone together so we defined basically a replacement for Judas so that we can have 12 again and you read there in acts chapter 1 verse 21. So one of the men who have accompanied us is Peter speaking during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until this day he was taken up from us. One of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.

One of the prerequisites for being one of the 12 apostles had to be witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ know why the number 12 wise it's so significant that there are 12 apostles.

What you think.

In the Old Testament there were 12 tribes of Israel. Jesus calling 12 apostles to himself is a picture of the restoration of Israel and that's what the Messiah was always going to do that was the hope that the people had in the Messiah who was to come, that he was going to restore the people of God.

And so Jesus and calling 12 apostles is in essence saying this is what I'm doing. I'm restoring Israel, God's people is such a beautiful picture, but those 12 who were witnesses of the resurrection with there are no apostles like that anymore. No more broadly speaking in the New Testament the word can just refer to someone who is sent out by the Lord by the church and that that's what you get in places like acts chapter 14 the passage that you're referring to, but strictly speaking, the apostles, we think of them were thinking of the 12 the witnesses of the resurrection editing a broader question here Alastair that you might be thinking of this well is are there apostles today and generally speaking I say no I'm not were thinking specifically about the way in which apostles are talked about in the New Testament as those would witness the resurrection. You know Paul said in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 20 that the church is built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles that they are foundational to the church and so you know sometimes you hear people today say well I am an apostle or something like that and I think typically that kind of language is unhelpful because it can be confusing. Although it is true that the word strictly speaking can also just refer to someone who is sent out. Thank you for that question and Alastair thank you for recalling information to kingdom so wonderful to hear from you.

There we hear from people all over the world. Here core Christianity and you can actually record your question by going to core Christianity.com/radio look for the little microphone on the right-hand side of the page, you can record your question right there. Later will you know as we reflect on some of the things that the families and churches and businesses much our entire country that are facing right now. Having that sure confidence in the work of Jesus on the cross on our behalf is really so critical especially at this time, you're absolutely right, Bill, and you know that's one of the reasons why here core Christianity were were aiming to answer the hard, the unsettling questions of our times for both skeptics and committed Christians. People who have been walking with Jesus for years.

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Thank you so much for your support. Let's go to another one of our questions. This is an email that came in from Dionysius, and she says recently, I've been learning a lot about doctrines like election that I wasn't aware of before and I'm having difficulty understanding. I hear a lot of people talk about how there are professing Christians who aren't true Christians and how they are self deceived if so many people are self deceived. How can anyone be certain of salvation.

If a person can go years in the faith, and then fall away. How do I know that I will persevere.

One of my missing that the confident Christian possesses. I'm really uncertain of my salvation and I'm feeling hopeless. Thank you for all you do for people like me that Aisha thank you for your question and let me just begin by praying for you heavenly father. I lifted Aisha to you right now and I asked the Lord that you would comfort her with your grace with confidence. Lord in your word and the word of your gospel. I ask God bit as she sets her eyes upon your son Jesus that her doubts, her fears would melt away. What is she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt, he gave himself for her in the gospel that she can trust in you and receive all of your goodness all of your salvation through Jesus Christ.

Look for all those who are wrestling with this question, we know that there are so many we pray for your comfort now is we look to your word.

In Jesus name, amen bodacious I I so appreciate your question and as I said, I know that there are many who have the exact same question because we get this question over and over again on this program and we never want to stop answering it because it's it's so important for us to understand how is it that I can be confident before the Lord, not be consumed by guilt by fear by that sense of condemnation and let me just also encourage and say I really am grateful for the fact that you're growing in your understanding of the word that you're digging into doctrine and a lot of people are scared of that word doctrine. But as we understand more of the Scriptures we come into it a deeper knowledge of the things of the Lord what they should lead us to is is more of a love for Jesus, more confidence, so that really is wonderful to hear. And God wants you to be confident in your salvation you can have confidence to the promise of the gospel. Look, there are three primary sources of assurance that I think the New Testament gives us think of it like a three legged stool in one of the things I like to say is two of the legs on the stool are a little bit shaky. You know that there are more subjective.

One of those legs. This sturdy, and it can't be shaken as I want to talk about the three legs of the stool of assurance that we find in Scripture one we often point to this is the one we typically go to when were questioning our salvation is our fruit do I produce good works, you know, you think of what Paul said in second Corinthians chapter 13 verse five examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith test yourselves or do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you fail to meet the test so one of the testis. We examine ourselves as there been a genuine change in my life since having come to know the Lord. I think of the book of first John over and over again in first John, you know, John writes me some writing these things to you who believe in the name of the fun. I got that you would know that you have eternal life to God wants you to have that assurance that confidence but that he talks about how those who know the Lord love the Lord is one of the things that God works in us, and if we've been justified God's skin also sanctifies that the process and it's not perfect and that's why so often we look inside toward our works. We don't feel very confident. So yes, Scripture does say we can you know look at the sort of fruit is there evidence there of the fact that God is done a work in us that that's one of the legs of the stools.

It's shaky because you know sometimes we feel like were doing really well. Sometimes we think, oh man, I failed again while here's another leg.

This one is given to us in Romans chapter 8 verse 16 the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

In other words, when we are the children of God, born again, the Spirit of God lives in us. And Paul says the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit like this internal testimony that you belong to Jesus, you know, there might be times in your life or that feels really strong with the voice of the Spirit in your life is just overpowering and you just know I belong to the Lord's spirit bears witness with my spirit that I am a child of God. But then there are times where maybe you failing and you question you sale boy, do I really belong to Jesus. That sounds they select the questions that you're having. And that's why this third leg in the stool is so important.

This is the one I think that gives us the most confidence where we should go whenever were questioning and it's this.

The objective promise of the gospel, the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, God's word that can never be shaken and here's a verse that I want you to verses that I want you to just meditate on Hebrews chapter 6 verses 17 through 20. Listen to what it says when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf have been become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. There's a lot going on there. Let me just impact us a little bit. The author, the Hebrews says you know what the anchor of your soul is Stacia. It isn't my good works.

It's not the subjective feelings I have that I belong to Jesus. It's Jesus and his promise.

That's what anchors our soul is the promise of the gospel that is unshakable.

God cannot lie and so we go to God and the promise uses to all who look to me who turn to my son there sins are forgiven and we cling to that promise and rest in it. How interesting that the author, the Hebrew says that the anchor of our soul isn't something inside of us. It's not in me, it's outside of me in Jesus and what he's accomplished. It's in God's word and were questioning what were wrestling with these things. That's what we have to go look outside of ourselves to Jesus, the anchor of our souls, and as we look to Jesus were comforted and that's what anchor does is now an anchor. He keeps us grounded from drifting from falling off of the waterfall of our own sins and anxieties well we'd all drift like that if it wasn't for the anchor of our soul. Jesus, that's the hope that you have Dacia score Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and you can call us right now with your question.

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And isn't that exactly what Jesus said on the cross. It is finished.

And if you're wondering, have I done enough to earn God's salvation to experience his free grace in my life. The answer is always no we couldn't do enough, the law requires a level of obedience, perfect obedience, that none of us can supply that's why it's all of grace. If we think that salvation is this exchange, my religious obedience for God's love and mercy. We are going to be exhausted were never going to feel like we've done enough because were going know deep down inside I just can't measure up. That's why we say, oh God, have mercy upon me, and God in Jesus Christ forgives us. That's the good news of the gospel and that's where we fully were wondering when were feeling like, oh Lord, I failed again. We can admit we can confess Lord I don't do enough.

I know, forgive me, and boy were washed in the blood of the Lamb, and we experience his grace and his mercy and the beautiful thing about that bill is as we experience that grace and mercy more in our lives. You know it does makes us want to serve the Lord not out of fear or sense of obligation out of a sense law. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us@corechristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673 that's a 33 core when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this podcast and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together