What does Christianity Have to Offer the World?

How is Christianity different from every other religion.

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 Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question. At 833.

The core that's 1-833-843-2673 and you can email us with your questions. Here's the email address its questions@corechristianity.com first up this morning we got a good news story to share with you and I will have this one Israel turning 12 years old during home isolation orders doesn't make for a very exciting birthday but for one Houston boy's birthday turned out to be more memorable than anybody would've expected Brandon Smith had his 12th birthday coming up and his dad Jodi wanted to find an alternative to help them celebrate while still obeying stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus. Brandon loves maps so his dad turned to twitter with a simple request reply to a picture of Brandon holding his hand drawn map of the world and tell him where you are, so we could market down. Well responses came in by the thousands. Pictures of ocean side views from Trinidad and Tobago shots of downtown Rio and Brazil. Nighttime scenes from Istanbul. Even businesses like BMW sent Brandon a birthday greeting all the way from Munich, Germany. How is that for birthday. Oh, that sounds pretty neat but it also sounds like a lot of work for poor Brandon said he's in a be marking down all these places on his map will get something to do during the stay-at-home order, there you go. I was just hoping that BMW would send them a free car, but that yeah all right, well let's go to our first call of the day and this one is from Barbara I would like to be baptized in water to banking and have. Thank you Barbara. The short answer is no, and I think it sounds like there are really two questions here one has to do with the mode of baptism to be completely submerged.

Although any collider and no one is just about the nature of baptism Barbara right what what does baptism do a first regarding the mode. I believe on the basis of Scripture that it isn't so much whether you're dunked or sprinkled but that water is used in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit in the desert of different practices are as old as the Gospels, there's this ancient writing known as the decade probably written around the time of the Gospels and has asked you this this section is written by believers and there's a section and it talks about how to baptize and as you ordinarily want to baptize, you know, in a stream or something like that cold water but if you don't have enough water to get dunked.

Well, you could sprinkle her poor seems like there were different modes throughout the history of the church that were viewed as acceptable, but it doesn't matter if the ancient church did this or how ancient a certain practice is the question is, is it biblical and that something I always want you to ask yourself if you think about questions that you have an answer. Stephen that we give on this program is that it biblical answer will.

Sometimes the word baptism in Scripture. The word buck teeth so is used to depict sprinkling or pouring. For example, Jesus said that his disciples would be baptized in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and then what happened in the book of acts were told that the Holy Spirit was poured out on them. The word baptize is also used by Jesus to describe the ceremonial handwashing that the Pharisees would do.

And it's also used to describe the essence of what baptism accomplishes someone to be one verse Hebrews chapter 10 verse 22.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water interplay there with sprinkling and washing the sort of baptismal imagery baptism, though by itself doesn't save anyone. God's grace is promises his lover, all exhibited in baptism, but apart from faith. No one will be saved. Last thing Barbara.

Having said that, let me just say I think is the general rule. Many of our churches take baptism too lightly. We treated is in an empty sign or a symbol is primarily seen as something I am doing for God instead of God's gracious washing his gift to his people is first and foremost about what God has done in the gospel, not about you. God saves us by washing away our sins and baptism shows us this promise tangibly, and it extends it to us and so you don't have to be completely submerged in order to be one truly baptize.

I would say in faith is what saves us is not baptism by itself. Baptism is the sign of that salvation that God gives to us by faith Ray response bedroom. Let's go to an email question that came in from John, why are there so many interpretations of how to take communion and the essential meaning of communion. If God really wrote the Bible wouldn't be very clear that there was one way to take communion and the essential meaning would be very clear yeah I will first let me just say with you John, this is a tragedy, isn't it. I mean, communion is the ordinance of our unity is God's people. Paul said in first 20 is chapter 10 verse 17 there is one bread, and we who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread, but you're absolutely right. Throughout the history of the church.

This issue is been one of the most dividing issues for Christians, especially since the time of the Reformation and I think you know that there might be two reasons for this one. Sometimes it isn't. The Bible is unclear is that we as sinners are not clear yet. The factor in the reality of human sin. Sometimes we just have a hard time understanding what God has clearly said because were blinded by our own sins, and I think that's true. Sin affects our mind.

The way we think there's another thing were also talking about a great mystery of the faith your ugly at having this is a sacrament of the church that I sometimes throw that word sacrament around and it might be unfamiliar to you, but it really just means mystery baptism and the Lord's supper are the mysteries of our faith. There ways that the spirit of God is powerfully working mysteriously in our midst, in our churches. Now let me be vulnerable with you for a minute right now.

I mean I miss communion. It's been so many weeks now since we've celebrated the Lord supper together as a body because of the coronavirus and is one of the things that I long for that. I miss the most in the midst of everything going on that might sound a little weird to you and a lot of churches take communion less frequently. Maybe once every several months but in the Lord's supper. We have a special kind of fellowship with Jesus and Paul said again, going back to that passage in first Corinthians 10. In verse 16.

He said the cup of blessing that we bless is it not a participation in the blood of Christ, the bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ. It doesn't get any more clear than that and I want to say something to you in many of our evangelical churches.

We have downplayed the importance of baptism and communion. We treated them as empty signs take him or leave him went through them. God wants to bless us with his presence.

They are gifts in John you're right. Sadly, we often fight over God's gifts or we just neglect them. I am a night had think about my kids bill. I'm sure you can think about your kids in this regard to your sometimes I'll buy them something and they'll have fun with it for a while until it becomes a source of contention in the start instead of enjoying it.

You know fighting over it and hurting each other all buy them a toy and I find it gathering dust under the bed.

A few weeks later, we do the same thing.

We fight over God's gifts or we neglect them we should do is embrace Jesus and his work through them. That's what baptism and communion exhibit to us. Jesus so got I might. My heart breaks because of this as well, but I think the Bible is clear in the Lord's supper. We have a special communion with Jesus and we should cherish it right response a drill in John, thank you so much for your question. Your listing the core Christianity and would love to get your question you can call us at 833 the core by the way, you can call us 24 hours a day.

We have a special voicemail set up or you can go to our website at core, Christianity.com/radio and you'll see a little microphone there were. You can leave your question. You can also email us at questions at core, Christianity.com and let's go to our next call bar them from my cool and not question asked me what I think Christianity has offered a wild online thinking that was what does Christianity have to offer that everything is not and I just find it here way that hey Lauren, thank you for your question or for your friends question and what I was say is Christianity is the revelation of how God has conquered our biggest problem sin and death and maybe your friend doesn't think sin is a problem. A lot of people in our world today. Don't think sin is a problem, but everyone is aware of the problem of death, especially in these days we don't turn on the news today without hearing how many people have died in our city and our state in our country millions of dollars are spent every year by Silicon Valley companies looking for ways to extend human life where in the fight against death as humanity. There's this atheist writer. He's a professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He wrote a book called Homo days in the whole book.

I read it at a couple years back, but it's about how were in this sort of fight against death and work were seeking to win in the fight against death through technology through science through medicine we recognize as people death is a huge problem. Mortality is an issue that we all face and in the gospel, God confronted death.

Nowhere else do we have the solution to this problem, but in Jesus and in the gospel.

I just preached on Mark chapter 5 when Jesus feels the woman with the flow of blood. It's a really wonderful and encouraging story and in her story is sandwiched in between another story. The story of gyrus is a rich synagogue official who goes to Jesus to have Jesus heal his 12-year-old daughter who is about to die with so interesting about that passage as I was preaching on that that text thinking about it throughout the week. As you have two people who were part of it opposite ends of society, you have this rich synagogue ruler gyrus would have been a pillar in that society. And then you have this poor woman who isn't even named in the text would've been a pariah in the society mean she's unclean. The text tells us she has this flow of blood this hemorrhage for 12 years and you know what unites them. The problem of mortality, death. She's afraid she's gonna die. The rich man has his daughter who is about to die is sort of interesting in the text. She's had her issue for 12 years and the rich man's daughter is 12 years old. It seems like you know God's providence were being shown that they both despite all their differences have this problem. This 12-year-old problem that only Jesus can fix Christianity doesn't promise us riches per se, or an easy life.

It promises us the resurrection of our bodies, and eternal life, and more than that. This is where the good news gets even better.

Through Jesus promises us a new creation and I bet Lauren that your friend is willing to say that the world is broken there's disease, death, famine, war, God sees all of that and you know what he's promised to deal with it isn't just saving our spirits.

He's ushering in a new creation whereby he makes every wrong right what does Jesus offer the world what what is offered to the world that Christianity has that no other religion has its new creation is no longer being tainted by sin and death. I mention how we often downplay baptism and the Lord's supper. We also downplay the gospel. The gospel is unique to Christianity won't find anywhere else because nowhere else has God conquered sin in Jesus, you'll find that in Islam, you don't find that in Buddhism you don't find an answer to those greatest problems is what I would tell your friend is Christianity has everything to offer to the world. It offers the world new creation. Beautiful response a drill and Lauren. Hopefully you can share that with your friend you're listening to core Christianity handle Meyer with pastor Adm. Sanchez and we have a special offer. This month it's a wonderful Bible study on the book of Romans and her to tell us more about that is our good friend Dr. Michael Horton as we reflect on the difficulties families, churches, businesses, our nation and basically all people around the world right now are facing having a sure confidence in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and his resurrection on our behalf is absolutely critical.

We aim to answer the hard unsettling questions of our times with both skeptics and committed Christians in mind when I give answers that not only show why Christianity is true but also why it's good and beautiful. Your support alongside the work of our team is making a real difference in people's lives. A difference in helping others to live with hope, joy and confidence and that difference is eternal so please consider sending a gift right now to help us continue as a thank you gift for $20 or more will send you our brand-new core Christianity Bible study on Paul's letter to the Romans to make a gift and receive the study on Paul's letter to the Romans, head on over to core Christianity.com that's core Christianity.com on behalf of the entire team at core radio. Thanks for your support yeah home and I am so excited about this study in the book of Romans nine of the studies have been beneficial to many people, even people in my own church and one of the things we want to see here at core Christianity is you grow in your knowledge of the Scriptures, and that's what it's all about the Scriptures lead us to Jesus strengthening our faith that Paul said in the book of Romans chapter 10.

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That's 833 the poor, or just go to our website and that is core Christianity.com/radio we have an email that came in from Carl Israel. And Carl says with all the things that have been happening in our world. I'm really looking forward to Jesus's return, but I'm also really struggling with falling into a feeling of pessimism about things.

I'm wondering if maybe I'm falling off the side of the horse here. Thank you for your show. It's been a continual source of encouragement for me and Carlino will be honest with you, like the times or I get discouraged to but what gives me hope you know what keeps me on the horse and cast even though I really ever ride horses but is that Jesus is still building his church.

Despite everything that's a promise that you can take to the bank in a society may crumble, but the gates of hell will never prevail against the church. I can't say the same thing about earthly societies because you are a citizen of Christ's kingdom, though, even though were discouraged, we don't have to be despairing. I'll tell you one thing that's really encouraging me right now in the midst of everything going on is connecting with people who are hearing the gospel for the first time.

People who maybe never go to church but who, for whatever reason, have decided to tune into the countless lifestream services are Bible teachings that are taking place now is is churches are trying to get creative, to think about how to get the word of God out. One of the things that this does it just reminds me of how God in his providence in his mercy and use difficult situations like the one that were in to reveal Jesus to people to bring the gospel to those who need hope and so Carl, I think that you know it.

Are there a lot of discouraging things around us.

Yes. Are we at MMI. You know tired of this or to stay at home orders man totally.

I want to go outside to the beach and hang out with friends and and family, but there are also things that we can lay hold of to give us hope, namely Jesus. The promise that he gives to us in his word that his kingdom is still going to keep advancing in the fact that that is happening everywhere around us.

So I would say every time you know you have that sense of pessimism. Ask yourself where my placing my hope right now in my placing it in this earthly society that we live in in our government and I think of Psalm 118. It's better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in men.

And that's true it was true then it's it's true now want to pray for our governing officials you want to pray for our country that the Lord would be merciful to us but want to place our hope in God and his kingdom.

Carl, I think as we do that it keeps a stable, no Israel, one of the things you mentioned the Carl was how beautiful it is that people are turning into some of these online services. The churches are offering right now and I was thinking what a great opportunity for us to lead our our non-Christian friends and relatives know hey my church has this online a streaming service every Sunday and they're talking about the coronavirus and how you know God is involved in our lives. And maybe what a great opportunity for us than to say 110 amp somebody who may never darken the door of the church might be willing to sit there in their kitchen on a computer and for the first time they be here about God's love for them. Oh, you're right and and I've seen it happen.

I encourage the people in my church and say hey you know share the teaching that you're going to be hearing right now not assertive to your own horn you know that's not what it's about. It's about getting the word of the gospel out and it's just true that in times like this people are more open to listening to answers from God's word because they're looking for answers they want to know what what hope can I have in the midst of a time like this. Just like Carl was thinking, and so yeah what an opportunity you have follower of Jesus to point people to the hope that we have in Christ in the gospel. What an opportunity this is core Christianity hi Bill Meyer with pastor Adm. Sanchez and Pedro we have a really great group of people who support this program on a regular basis. We are listener supported and they help keep the program on the air and let us continue to answer some of these difficult questions you want to explain what the inner core is. Oh yeah, I'd love to infer some you to say thank you to all of you who have joined the inner core. What a blessing it is for us to be able to partner together with you to get the word of the gospel out and to help instill core Christianity in the hearts and minds of people that really is just so important were missing that I think today as the society many churches have forgotten the core tenets of the Christian faith. So help us to spread that word if this program has been a blessing to you were listener supported, and that you can join the inner core with the gift of $25 or more monthly admit it really isn't much and have a huge impact on the people around us who need to hear these precious truths of the gospel. Boy, these trees that are so comforting, especially the time like this. So thank you to those of you who have joined the inner core and and please if if you're encouraged by this program want to ask you to consider joining as well. You can find out more by going to core Christianity.com/radio or phone number if you like to connect is 833 the core that's 833-843-2673 and we have a question from Armando questioning the person so were small were told that God is omnipresent is everywhere, which I thoroughly believe all but my question is more so also should you child of been told that the devil is everywhere ready to devour us like a lion does at the site is omnipresent to have trouble believing that he is ours.

God does or is it more demanding that the devil and his minions are everywhere please. I'd certainly appreciate it. But hey, thank you, Armando. Let me sounds like you're on the right track brother and I'm glad you asked this question because this is one of those things that I think a lot of people just assume you know that the devil is always watching me. He's always waiting to trip me up but the devil is a created being. We can never forget that. You know he's not omnipresent or all-knowing.

Now he does have henchmen as you say, but they too are created beings.

Their finite they're not all powerful. And that's one of the first things we need to recognize and we think about the sort of spiritual warfare that were all in the devil is not all-powerful. I think there are two problems we can have when thinking about the devil and his minions one we can give them too much credit and everything is spiritual warfare. Finding Satan beneath every problem in your life you know you get a cold, and you think it's demonic attack or something like that and I think sometimes there are some Christian traditions that that can fall into this trap and what it ends up doing is in some odd way. I think it takes the attention off of Jesus and the gospel, and it gets us focused on the devil that sounds to me like there's nothing more that he would like than that right. I mean it what he wants to do with the spirit of the antichrist is doing in the world today. John tells us in first John is these confusing people about Jesus. He wants to take our eyes off of Jesus and the gospel and he will use anything he can in order to do that even things that are seemingly good. Whatever you can use to take our eyes off of Jesus. The other thing is we can not take it seriously at all. We can just think all you know there's no such thing as the devil, that's just the hocus-pocus that I don't think about those things will that's not true either.

Listen to what the Bible says in Armand. You quoted this text in first Peter chapter 5 will begin in verse six is is humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you as that's a good word for us right now in the midst of the coronavirus testing all of our anxieties upon them because he cares for us so we don't want to give the devil too much credit.

We also don't want to pretend like he doesn't exist.

Like there isn't this reality of spiritual warfare and then Peter says be sober minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of sufferings are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

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