Is Alcoholism a Generational Curse?

What does it mean to take up your cross is just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity will welcome it is so great to have you join us for core Christianity. This is the place where we answer your questions about the Christian life every day. I'm Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and you can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 and Israel. We should mention right at the top that you and I are both practicing good social distancing. Today I'm in my home here in Minneapolis and you were in your church office in San Diego. That's right it be good to be together in person I'm really missing contact with other human beings or some with my family at home, but it would be nice to see your face will have to remain 6 feet apart.

Yes that's right.

How is your family been faring during the whole California lockdown, a girl, you know, praise God were doing well. I mean a little bit of cabin fever. We have the four kids in the home was taken a few walks around the block, but most of the. The parks and beaches here in San Diego are closed.

So that's been rough.

I didn't go for a run yesterday which I think was much needed. After all, the quarantine time and eating a lot of good food. Mostly day so that was nice but were doing well thanks for asking. Are you guys doing weird and great and I actually been getting on bicycling. We have some bike trails here in the samples area and their open and so I'm in getting in my 20 mile rides and trying to burn off some of the calories myself 20 miles okay yeah well good for you that you could do about it. I know a good hey one of the things we hope to do here on core Christianity is to share a few good news stories during the coronavirus crisis and Israel. Here is one that brought a smile to my face a teenage trumpet player held a private concert for an elderly couple who was in isolation in Pennsylvania due to the coronavirus, 14-year-old Aiden Peterson played the song 5 foot two eyes of blue for this couple and he also delivered dinner them work their 89-year-old Joe Coppola and his wife Barbara who is 85 and it is so sweet, Israel. He's standing outside their screen door or the glass door there separated definitely by 6 feet.

He's playing the trumpet, and they are singing along.

Oh that is so when we talk about loving your neighbor's and he even made dinner. It's this one that I know that what world will do will post a video of Aiden playing his trumpet for his elderly neighbors on our show page so if you just check us out at our core, Christianity website you can get the show notes and find that very sweet impromptu concert from Aiden and later let's jump into some of our listener questions for today and here's one from Julie. She posted this on our Instagram page. What do you do with Jesus call to take up our cross. It seems to me that Jesus is saying that a person should be willing to die for their faith. How would you encourage someone like me that still struggles with the same sins. I don't feel like I can honestly say that I'd be willing to take up my cross because I can't even deal with the same sins I keep going back to wow what are your thoughts on Julie's question I Julie, thank you so much for your question. I've been meditating on the on the cross of Jesus lately just because we know recently celebrated Good Friday thinking about the death of our Lord.

And then there is really no message like the message of the cross of the apostle Paul said that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those are being saved it is the power of God.

It no message has I think the same time driven people away from Christianity and at the same time drawn them in in a have to imagine that when Jesus was telling his disciples.

They need to take up their cross to follow him how that would've sounded the cross was an instrument of death, and so I don't think so that you need to be discouraged to be one of the ways that I'd want to comfort you. Julie is just by saying, look at Jesus, his own disciples in the Gospels when Jesus went to the cross. They all abandoned him. They they fell short, the reality is even genuine followers of Jesus, right we we fail we say we mess up and I think I Julie that that's something that really Scripture teaches us so that we can be comforted knowing that look. God doesn't call perfect people he calls sinners to himself and this is what we have to distinguish between the cross that were called to take up in the cross of Jesus took for us. You're not saved Julie by how well you bear the cross. How will you take up your cross.

That's discipleship and it's a day-to-day thing that were saved by is the cross of Jesus Christ. He's the one that bore our sins for us. That's the first thing I think that you need to understand that the I just is as you're fighting your sins Julie that really is what it looks like to take up your cross and follow Jesus.

Jesus said in Luke 923 if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, get this daily and follow me.

So it's not just this.

This willingness to die for Jesus and I think all of us. You know, we think about it, that's a really scary thought. It's day by day, saying, Lord, I want to follow you in when we fall short when when we let go of the cross. It's turning around, repenting and saying, Lord, help me. I think that's exactly what you're doing great answer. Israel and Julie reported that offers you some comfort in your current situation. By the way, if you have a question for us. You can call us your core Christianity. The number is 1-833-843-2673.

That's 833 the core and we have a question from Ed who called in cancers and my question revolves around Jesus taught – but disciples alternate was supposed to forgive his brother was seven times and Jesus responded, 70×7.

If he asked for forgiveness and that parables Jesus also spoke of some fallen diversity just to put it where the people that were wholeheartedly for God stuff and then because of the temptations of the world. They fell away and then and Hebrews 6 start in verse four Paul explains that it's your basically been born again Christian and you fall away you cannot root repent and come back because that would be the same as crucifying Christ lives and I was trying to get some kind of a clarification on that because I am one of those backsliders failed temptation and if I can't repent and come back to the Lord dominant heck of a mess. Appreciate your thoughts on this thank you's and God bless you, you know, I can sympathize with you. I remember as a new Christian reading Hebrews chapter 6 and being absolutely terrified me and I think us as believers. You know were aware of the sin in our lives and we read a text like that. We think am I doomed.

Satan would love nothing more than for us to believe that the situation for us is hopeless because when when were hopeless and we think that there's there's no grace left for us were paralyzed or paralyzed with fear.

We don't continue to seek the Lord to serve the Lord because we just think it's is no reason to do so. What was really helpful for me think this is your question, how can I have comfort knowing that I am forgiven. Even though I fail over and over again was understanding the context of the book of Hebrews. It's so important that when we look at these verses like Hebrews chapter 6 verse six we understand the context and who is the book of Hebrews written to it's written to Jewish converts to Christianity for being tempted to abandon Jesus altogether and put their trust in the Old Testament sacrificial system that there are essentially apostatized and that's a big word for completely leaving Jesus behind infecting Hebrews chapter 10 the author to the Hebrews talks about them trampling the son of God underfoot, they want nothing to do with Jesus and add it sounds to me like you want you want to do with Jesus you want to know Jesus and his forgiveness and so in my mind that in and of itself is a sign of the fact that you have not fallen away in the sense that Hebrews is talking about. Hebrews is talking about not believing in Jesus at all trusting in ourselves what you need to do is look to Jesus what we failed when we fallen, instead of looking inside, we have to look outside to Christ, the one who is saved is the one who's accomplished project redemption on our behalf. And so my encouragement to you brother is look if you're if you're wrestling with this right now.

If you're wondering is there mercy and grace for me. Look up look up to Jesus and know that there is mercy and grace for you 70×7 SSU refer to that passage, and Jesus is talking to his disciples.

That's how much grace there is for people who fall short, go to the Lord by faith and repentance and he'll always receive you. Ed a drill that is such a wonderful answer to Red's question and thank you so much for calling and we appreciate that your grappling with this issue.

Many of us are and as you drill as you pointed out. Satan is indeed the great accuser and Ed is feeling accused any day he doesn't need to be because he can rest and in God's grace.

Maybe I can just pray really quickly for Ed heavenly father Lord we want to pray for our brother Ed right now and and for all those who are wrestling with this question of assurance who failed who send in some way and are wondering is there still grace for me, Lord, would you fill Ed with your mercy with the sense of your forgiveness.

Would you draw him to yourself.

Raise him up Lord to serve you to follow you and to know. Above all, the love of Jesus Christ for him in the midst of the situation. We pray these things in Jesus name, amen and amen. You're listening to core Christianity with Bill Meyer and Pastor Israel Sanchez and you can email us with your questions.

Here's the email address its questions at core, Christianity.com you can always contact us through our website at core, Christianity.com or go to our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts and post your question there. Now Israel Danielle posted on our Instagram page and she said hey guys, how should I rightly understand the sermon on the Mount, or better yet, what's the wrong way to take it while that's a great question and it's a really good question. The sermon on our thinking of family be go to place like the Gospel of Matthew Matthew chapter 5 begins with the Beatitudes and then you have all these laws, it seems like that Jesus gives when you think of someone Danielle who is giving God's law from a mountain who you think about go back to the Old Testament. Does Moses think of that the 10 Commandments, being delivered by Moses from the Lord to the people of God off of Mount Sinai will Jesus is here depicted as a greater Mose.

This is a new and better Moses, who gives the law of God to his people with Sony about the sermon on the Mount is Jesus says you have heard it said that he refers to one of the commandments of the Old Testament but I say unto you, in other words, he's not just like Moses. He's he's greater. This is the Lord who gives the law and so this is actually one of those great passages that we can go to when we want to defend the deity of Jesus Christ. He is the divine lawgiver. Now here so we don't want to take the sermon on the Mount don't read it as this is the gospel in the sense that I'm to be saved by keeping these commandments if you could, you would, but the reality is you can when you read the sermon on the mount right were just overwhelmed with the sense of why I fall short. I've talked to so many people Danielle who who say you should attend commitments with them and they say what I think I I'm pretty good at that and I've never but at least not recently haven't stolen anything I five certainly never killed anyone, never murdered faithful to my wife. I've never committed adultery. Jesus takes this commitments.

He says you know what you murder someone when you look at them with hatred in your home and adultery is when when you look at someone of the opposite sex of the same sex with the lustful intent adultery as you think about that and everyone who was listening to Jesus there on that day had to be saying we've never heard the lawn this way all of us stand condemned before God, and that's one of the things that the law doesn't so you don't want to read the sermon on the mount as okay if I can do these things, God will save me, because the reality is we all fall short. What it should do is drive us to the one who can save us to Jesus to our need of mercy and and forgiveness that should humble us, and that's the sermon on the Mount does for me. I'm sure it does it for you to Danielle is as you read it, it leads us to Jesus by way of the strength and the purity of God's law. What a great response drill. Thanks so much for that you are listing the core Christianity. I'm Bill Meyer with Pastor Israel Sanchez and Israel. We should mention we have a brand-new offer for our listeners today and it has to do with the book of Romans. In the New Testament. I'm so excited about this offer. It's a brand-new study as you sent me hot off the press on the book of Romans. 10 week study.

A great way to grow in your knowledge of Paul's letter to the church in Rome affect Rome is been one of my favorite books for for many many years and it's a book that has changed so many people's lives one guy in particular who you may have heard of the Protestant reformer named Martin Luther it was, as he was reading the book of Romans that his life was transformed. He says when he got to that statement that Paul quotes in Romans the just shall live by faith. Listen to what Luther said.

He said when I discovered that I was born again of the Holy Ghost and the doors of paradise swung open and I walked through them is that that dispute about talk about transformation you want to get your hands on this study on the book of Romans. It's yours for a donation of $20 or more and so head over to core Christianity.com/offers to get your copy of our new Bible study on Romans. You can also call us for that.

The numbers 833-843-2673 by way this could be a great resource to send to your pastor or your small group leader as they plan for their next book study. Well, let's go to the phones and we have a Luke on the line with a question for you Andrew Lola. Click here to show the encouragement to bring everybody at a question about the doctrine of soul sleep got a friend who believes that our soul essentially fall asleep on death and don'ts.

The nature of conscious existence until the resurrection of the dead and not try to take them to different passages like in Philippians 1 or second Corinthians 4, and five where Paul seems to be talking about a conscious experience of Christ after death, but he keeps trying to tell me that these are just talking about the resurrection are not talking about the time in between death and resurrection. I was wondering what you have, what your thoughts are on that.

Thanks. Hey Luke, I think you're going to all the right passages mean Philippians 1 second Corinthians chapter 5. Those are the passages of Scripture that I would go to and it really just is understanding them correctly now were thinking about the doctrine of what's called the intermediate state element is define what the intermediate state is a skill after we die our bodies go down into the ground and are in our spirits are in the presence of the Lord, we go to heaven. It's this wonderful experience and it is what Paul talks about in in Philippians chapter 1, second Corinthians 5 were waiting for the completion, the consummation of our salvation. If you will, when were resurrected from the dead, and that really is our ultimate hope as believers, but the time in between our death and the final resurrection resurrection of the body is the intermediate state. It sounds like your friend is saying during that time. It's like were sleeping so were not experiencing any joy, or the presence of Jesus, and in any way specifically, but I would say that's not what Paul says in Philippians chapter 1, we have to understand its context, which look at Philippians chapter 1 verse 21. Let's start there. Paul says for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain such a beautiful verse he goes on to say in verse 22. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. It which I shall choose I cannot tell I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and to be with Christ, for that is far better. Note the parallel there is look for me effeminate if I continue to live that it's it's Christ I'm serving Christ serving the church being a blessing to the world around me, and in so far as I'm doing that.

It's my life is Christ. Christ is in me, but if I'm to die. That's gain. Think about that. To die is gain. And that's parallel with this idea of departing to be with Christ in Paul's mind when he dies, he's going to go and be with Christ and that's far better than the present existence and I think if he was referring to some kind of soul sleep. He couldn't say that he knows that when he dies he can experience the presence of Jesus in this overwhelming way in a way that he's never experienced before. And that's far better than anything we've ever encountered here will were on earth, but here's that the great news is even more than that. It's not just that were going to be in the presence of the Lord after we die in the spirit is that were also going to anticipate the full redemption of our bodies, even such a wonderful doctrine and let me just say Luke. A lot of times Christians today. They think salvation is just about going to heaven when I die, being in the presence of the Lord in the spirit, the intermediate state. We don't realize it so often when the Bible is is referring to our salvation. It's setting our eyes on the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come on the restoration of all creation really is more than just the redemption of my spirit. Yeah, that's gonna happen were working to be in the presence of the Lord. We die, but it's also the redemption of my body and the whole creation. Paul says in Romans chapter 8, so we have a lot to look forward to brother and I hope that that encourages you and I would you say you're going to the right passages. It's understanding them in their context and hopefully that helps your friend out as well. There am so glad you talked about the resurrection of the body and how we will have a new body.

Think about just see the Easter message were Jesus you know appears to his disciples and he says I'm not a ghost. And then he asked for a piece of broiled fish. You know he has a new body and we will have that new body.

Someday it'll be a perfected body will be no more tears, no more sorrow no more death no more coronavirus. Yeah what a great thing to look forward to. Oh you're so ripe I'm in the hope that we have right now is in that restored body through Jesus Christ and and I love that you pointed to, you know that that seen in the Gospel of John were Jesus's cooking fish for his disciples yet. I just over Easter preached on the account with Thomas doubting Thomas and how Jesus shows up and he says hi Thomas, look at my hand they don't feel right there. The nail marks and put your hand here in my side, but it seems like the gospel writers really want to get this Jesus wasn't some phantom spirit who rose again just of lives on in our hearts. Note he bodily rose from the dead, and this is our hope that our bodies are to be raised to that no matter what happens God is going to restore everything and we know that because Jesus rose from the dead, the great promise for all of us.

Your listing the core Christianity and we would love to hear from you. If you have a question for us 833-843-2673. You can also email us questions at core, Christianity.com and it really have a question from Jeff who called in. I just listen to you talk about generational sin that we don't have those curses anymore and I was just curious. Is there a distinction between what were talking about with generational curses. That is how your affected physically is because of the spiritual condition versus generational sin is in your propensity for particular sin coming to you through your family line. For example somebody that has a propensity for alcoholism. There's other things to if you've been a product of a broken home.

Is there something to be said for some of those things being handed down by nature by nurture by spirit, I'm just really curious your thoughts on that as a distinction from generational curse hey Jess, thank you for that question and I think that you're right on there. There is a distinction that we can draw first, why do we say or why did we make the statement that there are no more generally generational curses today for us as believers under the new covenant what you think of what the prophet Jeremiah said in Jeremiah chapter 31 is 20 go there really quickly, to begin in verse 29. In those days they shall no longer say the fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge, but everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes. His teeth will be set on edge and then he goes right into this prophecy. This promise of the new covenant, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel with the house of Judah. Not like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke.

I was there. Husband declares the Lord, for this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put my law within them and I will write it on their hearts. This is that that the new covenant this is that the error that were living in so there are no more generational curses, but I think you're right. We can make a distinction between a generational curse in the certain predispositions that we might have toward a particular sin, you know, you think of certain predispositions that an individual might have just by virtue of the fact one that were all born in sin and I think that we do have the sort of natural propensities if you will, because of the fall to sin in particular ways, but you also think about nurture and I think that has a lot to do with it.

As children we see certain behavior in our home and it gets programmed into us and reinforced some of those habits.

This attitude, so sin patterns can be really hard to break, so I have to be sensitive to this that I think it's one of the things that we want to be aware of, not just for ourselves in order. What are the ways in which having my history has led me in certain ways that I have to be careful you let me just say we all want to live the victorious Christian life but sometimes being a Christian. Looks like walking with a limp falling down and getting up again picking up the cross we dropped yesterday so we were talking and earlier in the program with the good news of the gospel is this, despite our imperfections, despite the fact that we sin and have been sinned against in many different ways. We have all these weaknesses. This pain that we bear Jesus Christ is our hope and our salvation in an even were limping. Even were falling 70×7. To him, that's what gives us hope. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer.

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