Why Did God Choose Saul to Be King?

This is core Christianity were answering your questions about the Christian life Monday through Friday. Your hosts are author and seminary professor Dr. Michael Horton and Pastor atrial Sanchez call right now with your question. At 1833. The core that's 1-833-843-2673 and now here's atrial Sanchez and welcome back to corporate entity will answer your questions about the faith.

I am with Prof. Michael Horton and I'm Pastor atrial Sanchez I just read this really heartbreaking and also frustrating article coming out of relevant magazine quote Tommy Calloway has been arrested and charged with the misdemeanor sexual battery.

Callaway was recently running a race in Savannah Georgia when he smacked a reporter named Alex was RGN on the backside while she was broadcasting. I do see that I didn't. Well, it's totally heartbreaking that a guy one would disrespect a woman like this, but to its invigorating because the guy apparently was a youth pastor know and so that came out and so want another one of those things that just part of you the serious yeah she's broadcasting live, a race that being a people are running and she's doing this guy slaps her on the behind. As a youth pastor or one is hopefully yeah will now. That's right.

And you know just one of those things he can you hear so many people say things today. I don't want to go to church. You guys are all hypocrites of people see this and they just think the that's confirmation and so really I think as Christians we have to take a strong stance against these kinds of things and and as you said my coming that there are situations where it's like okay it's probably not qualify another line or I was a sales to you what were here answering your questions about the faith we want to dig into the Scriptures and let's begin with the first call that we receive less listening Israel from the Missouri question what it says in the Bible that Horton be judged for the deeds that we do in the body either good or bad. I don't know. Does that mean we can lose our salvation, from playing defensive but like there's no condemnation in Christ God, I don't know why but just that that verse has me a bit puzzled bothered that we get judge for the deeds, whether good or bad in the body after this life, and I this was one of you can expound on that please. Thank you for your time. Have a blessed day by by Israel. Thank you for that question. First of all, it's normal for believers to worry about the final judgment we read these passages I think any believer unbelievers won't.

But if you are a believer. You'll be worried to be a little anxious. By reading these passages. It's a big deal, right facing God's judgment. Now, regardless of of how we feel, though, it's the objective facts that matter so fact one you will be judged fact to you will either be found in Christ, dressed in his righteousness with him as your defense lawyer or you're going to stand on your own words and represent yourself in court and I take it from your question is role that you trust in Jesus Christ. There is no condemnation. Christ, it's exactly right so you trust in Christ, he is your righteousness, you will be able to stand in God's judgment on that day because you're not representing yourself. You are in Christ.

Fact three. You won't be justified.

That means declared righteous on that day by what you've done.

Romans 310 tells us there is no one righteous, no not one. Paul goes on in that same chapter to say no one will be justified according to God's law for God's law condemns everybody okay so anyone who thinks he can be cleared in court by his own obedience is in for a really big shock fact for Jesus, was sentenced in your place, he bore that sentence for you, and he won your justification on the last day. Justification is is basically like being handed the verdict before the court actually sits in session on the last day you've already received the court's verdict. The judge has already rendered his verdict not guilty and in fact not just not guilty but perfectly obedient in perfect conformity with the long righteous because Christ righteousness is imputed to you last fact.

Fact five. This means that you already have heard that verdict, Israel, and you hear it again and again whenever the gospel is preached and when it's ratified by your participation in the Lord's supper. Just as Jesus says in John 524 truly, truly, I say to you, anything that he was real.

Truly, truly, I say to you, Israel, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life has possesses now already eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. That's key and Mike touching on that idea of the fact that justification as is declared effective God that verdict of the final judgment already. Now God declaring us righteous. I think a lot of people don't realize that that the that the verdict is already been given you justified in Christ and actually that the text that you're referring to about you know being judged for the deeds done in the body from second Corinthians chapter 5 and a little bit later and Mike touched on this week we talked about being in Christ a little bit later in second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 Paul said therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation the old has passed away. Behold, the new has come.

And that was the new creation is already here.

It's here now, all this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation that is in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. That's that's the hope is that we stand before the Lord on the day of judgment. He's not can account our trespasses against us because we have Christ because were in Christ. And so I don't think that you're being defensive. I think that you, I think that you understand you know what what the Gospels were justified now and so praise God for that is an email we received from Danny, why did God recommend Benjamin Knight Saul for King when the scepter shall not depart from Judah, I think this is a great question so that I think we went back I mentioned before, my family just finished going through first and second Samuel, so we been thinking a lot about Saul and his kingship and it's a thoughtful question Danny. Other verse you're quoting is Genesis 4910 the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Now the context here is Jacob blessing his sons before his death, and what's interesting about these patriarchal blessings that is that there sort like prophecies, and Jacob, by the power of the Holy Spirit is able to see that Judah's line is going to be the kingly line so if that's the case, here is a really good question, why wasn't Saul from Judah will when we go to first Samuel we get to that scene where the children of Israel request a king for themselves, and God is grieved by this because in asking for a king. What they were essentially doing was rejecting God. God warned them about the kind of king they would get the people wouldn't have any of it. So by the time Saul is introduced were already set up for a bad situation. First Samuel chapter 9 begins there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of a Beale, the son of zero or the son of baccarat, the scent of coffee, Benjamin Knight, a man of wealth and he had a son whose name was Saul that I think in a sense, Saul was the king that the people deserved they had rejected God casting aside his warnings asked for a king so that they could be like all of the nations around them, but the fact that Saul was from Benjamin is already a hint that his reign as it cannot last forever, and if you know Saul's life you know that it was a complete tragedy.

So why did God give them Saul if the ultimate ruler was to be from Judah while in one sense I think it was a judgment on the people who'd rejected him.

You know, there's a simple lesson for us. I think in this as well. Be careful what you ask for in the people of first Samuel traded in God is there king for Saul from the tribe of Benjamin and what that's what people do today and Paul said that the Gentile world. Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened claiming to be wise, they became fools in exchange the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Romans 121 through 23 we have the glorious and immortal God as our king, and yet we settle so often for our little idols.

And that's essentially what the people of God were doing there in first Samuel, so God said okay here find here Saul and his kingship was a complete tragedy and that's why God ultimately sent Jesus, who, unlike Saul was obedient and was from the tribe of Judah so interesting that the gospel writers make sure to bring that me think of Jesus's genealogy in Luke chapter 3 verses 31 to 34. He talks about Jesus being a descendent of Judah, so I don't think that that the words of Jacob to Judah there meant that there wasn't to be any other king from another tribe. Just it really helps us to see when we get the Saul story. Hey, this is in canopy, the ultimate king.

This is and can be the king satisfies the people of God know God is innocent as a king who we don't deserve whose obedient and who cares for his people.

He rules over us. Well that's and that's Jesus. So thank you for your question. You're listening to Christianity and were were going to the Scriptures together answering your questions about the Bible. If you have a question.

As you been reading through Scripture that gives the call number is 1-833-843-2673.

That's 1833 the core. You can also email us at questions at core, Christianity.com and make sure you check out our YouTube channel.

We also have a YouTube channel where we have some helpful clips and Mike were excited to offer Bibles and a lot of people are talking about right now. We just read some hot off the press right you share a little bit more about how you have walked into the office today and stacks and stacks and stacks of these things everywhere white because people are eating them up the gospel of John, Bible study, it's a hard copy and it's also PDF download. It is amazing and it looks nice to 10 week study that's available now if you just go to court Christianly.com/offers and is terrific way to learn about the life and ministry of Jesus with a group of friends or by yourself. This is really been helpful in Bible studies and family worship, and so forth. So head on over to court, Christianity.com/offers to get your copy of her new Bible study on the gospel. John, you can also get all that by calling us at 1-833-843-2673.

Another question now I am and I was wondering what does it mean to be a biblical church. Terrific question Anthony will know church advertises itself as the un-biblical church you're right to ask what it means to be a book biblical church.

One place to go. Here is the great commission in Matthew 28 verses 18 through 20 and Jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you. And behold I am with you always, to the end of the age. So Jesus gives us here are three essential marks of a true church, a church, fulfilling the great commission. First of all, the word, especially the gospel proclaimed baptism and the Lord's supper. He only mentions baptism here, but the Lord's supper is certainly included from other passages and discipline that is pastors and elders to look after the spiritual health of the flock. Paul even tells Timothy that elders must be appointed in every church. So we find these three marks elsewhere in the New Testament, but it's nuclear to the great commission. So the first of all, pre-short of God, especially the gospel. That's how the Holy Spirit saves people and spreads the church of Christ. The church grows wherever the word is preached. The church comes into being.

God speaks the church into being by his word, and so wherever that word goes, there is a church.

If that message is abandoned or badly garbled. Regardless of what a church calls itself Christ doesn't recognize it as a true congregation and a baptism of the Lord's supper aren't administered according to our Lord's institution, then we have no reason to believe that Christ and his spirit artwork there because he works through those means.

And finally, a true church has to have at least some order and accountability. If there's no membership if there's no elders. Everyone does what's right in his own eyes, then the ministry of Christ as King is not being exercised so Christ, the head of the church exercises his threefold office of profit by preaching priest. The diaconate will ministry caring for the saints, and their physical needs, and as King for the elders and that threefold office corresponds to these three marks of the church being a biblical church has to be more than a slogan like I just stop you right there is the question we received at our church.

Time and time again, what is diaconate will ministry who are the deacons. It's a biblical word. Can you expand on that. Sure, it's just an adjective describing a ministry in the church. The New Testament gives us three offices office of pastor the office of elders who rule the church which is interesting laypeople not pastors actually rule the church pastors servant by preaching and teaching elders serve it by their ministry of spiritual leadership, and then the deacons look after the physical needs of the people in the congregation is not just souls were bodies, and Christ cares for us in all three of those ways and Mike, would you say to somebody who's listening right now and they're looking at their church and or say okay well I've never heard of elders being in my church are deacons you know that's not something unfamiliar with.

Even church membership and other a lot of churches today that don't practice church membership.

How should we navigate that as Christians, as we learn more about our own churches wrestling through these things, yet you know this is the third mark is the hardest. If the gospel wasn't being preached or it's being so confused that people are not really getting a clear picture of Christ and the gospel that is not a church that's easy to set and then if the church has abandoned the New Testament sacraments of baptism and the Lord supper or twisted them badly beyond scriptural recognition. It's not a church discipline is a little harder. Paul writes to Timothy you know is basically a disciplinary letter.

The church in Corinth. It was a mess and yet he addresses them as saints chosen and called in Jesus Christ and holy. He addresses them as sanctified in Christ there objectively sanctified, even though their lives subjectively are not reflecting that sanctification. So a church can be really a mess and still be a church. He stills the gospel is being preached there. Yep, he addresses them as the church of Corinth, but it was a mess. So I think that you can have churches that that really really have trouble with this issue of discipline there still a church. However, if there is no accountability at all, then eventually that church will not be able to operate with Christ as its king because everyone will be doing what's right in his own eyes. Here's a question we received from Facebook is Mary hi Dr. Horn, my question is concerning how to share the gospel with my family and Revelation 316 it says so because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold. I will spit you out of my mouth. Normally I hear this depicted nominal Christians and I fear this might very well describe my siblings and parents. Even though they say that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. They seem disinterested in anything to do with the faith how I view my family in the scenario.

Well first of all, I know what you're talking about here. Mary having very close relatives in my own life exactly the same position they don't go to church. They don't really show any interest in the things of the Lord, but they would say yeah. Jesus is my Savior and Lord. Two things I would say first.

We have to be careful about informally excommunicating people judging people as unbelievers even if they profess faith in Christ and are members in good standing of a church in my case, you know, with close relatives that I have, they don't go to church so I can't say they aren't members in good standing of any church. Visible church of Christ, they are not visible professing Christians. Therefore, to be united to Christ, the head is to be united to the rest of his body, and they've chosen not to be Mike.

I think that statement they just made is can it be a shocker for some of our listeners kiss many Christians today don't view it as necessary to be a part of the church in order to be a Christian medley in my personal relations that arise. I have faith in Jesus. I'm saved by grace through faith, why do I need to be a part of the church will because you're saved by Christ by grace through faith that faith unites you to Jesus Christ.

But the thing is, Jesus has a body is not just ahead he's ahead with a body and so if you're united to Christ as your head. That means that if your finger your part of a hand, if your toe, your part of the feet you have been united to Christ and to be united to Christ is simultaneously to be part of his body. A lot of people say will be out that the spiritual sort of Platonic idea know it's a concrete, visible profession of faith that involves submitting to membership in a local expression of the body of Christ. Now, if a person is a member in good standing of a church. I have no right to say they're not a Christian I might question that I might want to exhort them to maybe think about whether they are living branches of the vine.

However, I can't informally excommunicate them on the other hand, I think we can say person who isn't walking with the Lord. That is, isn't part of a visible expression of Christ Church to consider them not part of the body of Christ. If they aren't members in good standing of the local church.

We may be wrong, we may be judging wrongly, but we are judging on the basis of what Scripture itself tells us, Mary, for you if your family members who profess faith in Christ are members in good standing of the church will be careful not to immediately jump to the conclusion that they're not Christians because they don't seem as interested in the fate this may be we are like what we say encouraging your family if they profess faith in Christ you enjoying yourself to a church. Think about these wonderful doctrines that God has showered upon us the promise of the forgiveness of sins, and that should move us.

That should encourage us to live our lives in a way that is honoring to the Lord anybody who really belongs to Christ as one of going to want to hear Jesus as my sheep you're my voice, and they follow me water you saying, salvation by church membership rather than salvation by grace alone. No, not at all, but I am saying this when Christ unites us to himself, is that grace, corsets, grace, salvation by grace means that Christ himself by his gospel in spirit gives us faith and unites us to himself. But Jesus is not just ahead floating around, and so if we are united to Christ by grace alone through faith alone. We are also united to all of the other parts of the body that are not the head, let's go to our next call on job in Corona, California communicate the importance of good doctrine, especially to move forward toward well John I'm trying to do it right now my wife and I all four of our kids are in high school right now and I'll be honest, it takes work.

One of the things I found helpful. My wife and I found helpful is Dorothy Sayers lost tools of learning to an essay that she wrote she was the first woman I believe to get a degree from Oxford in the 1920s and one of the things that she pointed out was that there are basically three stages in learning. The first stage is the grammar stage. You know how kids just like the parent everything that you say anything that mom and dad tell them they swallow it hook line and sinker and they just love to do the ABC's this the grammar stage then you have the logic stage were now they're beginning to think for themselves. Okay will this idea over here relates to this over here this this means if I believe that I have to live in this kind of a way they're beginning to make their own connections.

A lot of us and in our churches use what's called a catechism that simply a book that summarizes for children, especially what the Bible teaches, and so everybody learns the same grammar of the Christian faith.

But then when they get to the logic stage, you can't take them back and just have them fall back on their rote memorization now you want them to own it.

You want them to make the connections you want, when you asked them what is the gospel want them to be able to respond, not by parroting the catechism, but in their own words. Now third stage is rhetoric, where you can express it in your own terms. Here's the problem. I think that a lot of times we don't do a very good job necessarily in churches and in homes of instilling the grammar. A lot of young people don't even know enough to apostatized properly when they go to college. They just kind of fall away because I never really understood the grammar, but when they get to that logic stage.

This really argue with you.

This is really testing.

This is really want to know why and this is where we have to call only patiently help them not just answer their questions, but help them find the answers to those questions. They can only faith themselves. Thanks for listening to court Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at court, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673 that's a 33, the court 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