How Are We Disciplined By God Today?

What does the Bible mean when it speaks of God disciplining those he loves? That's just one of the questions we'll be answering on today's edition of Core Christianity. Hi, this is Bill Meyer, along with Pastor Adrian 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 eight three, three the core. That's one eight three. Three eight. Four. Three. Twenty six. Seventy three. And you can e-mail us with your question at questions at core Christianity dot com. So, Adrian, last weekend you had a bit of a wilderness adventure with your family. Tell us what you did.

Yeah. Well, it's funny because people who know me well know I'm not very much of a of a wilderness guy.

We told some friends that we were gonna try out camping. They looked at us like we will pray for you. Like almost the look of concern, you know, an ad. But we took a little road trip to Zion National Park. It was a wonderful experience. I mean, I'd never seen anything like that was absolutely beautiful. It was neat to just spend time with family and enjoy God's creation. I mean, really so beautiful. I don't know if you've been out there. Right.

Bill Gates is spectacular. All the national parks are just amazing. And I know you actually went out in investments. A lot of camping gear, including one of those self inflating air mattresses.

Yeah. Well, let me tell you about that. We thought we had to because I had nothing in terms of camping gear. I mean, basically, we had to buy everything. At the outset. But it's cool because now we have it all. Well, we didn't know what we were doing, really. And so we got these mats to sleep on at night.

And first night was just absolutely terrible. I mean, I woke up a ton of times in the middle of the night thinking, like, am I on my matter? Am I just on the floor? Because I couldn't I didn't feel any different. And I think to myself, I'm on the floor, but I would actually be on my Mac do anything. And we woke up in the morning, both my wife and I, you know, it's just boy, that was a rough night of sleep. And she said, well, you know, they said that they were self inflating. We had just opened them up and sort of laid them out on the floor. But I think self inflating means you're supposed to inflate it, like with your mouth, you know, like, well, we didn't do that.

So basically, you know, we looked at it a little bit closer and realized, hey, there's like this little blowhole right here. Maybe you were supposed to and we inflated it. And I'll tell you what, the other night that we stayed, it was a little better.

Basically, it actually worked. The mat actually worked when you were beads inflated yourself. That's what. Yeah. Yeah. That's right.

It may have felt like sleeping on those jagged stones. And so I was saying earlier, you know, when emerging from the tent that first morning, you know, you feel like a like a baby chick bursting out of its egg for the first time into the cold world. And we could hardly walk and everything was aching. I felt like I was one hundred and 12 years old. So don't call with your camping questions because I'm not going to be able to give you really any. You've probably going to end up worse if you get advice from me on camping. But do call us with your questions about the Bible.

We should post a photo of you and your family on our show notes page so people can see what it was like up there.

Absolutely beautiful. I will put some pictures up there on the show notes for today's episode so people can look if they want to check it out.

Just go to core Christianity, dot com slash radio and then look for the show notes and you'll find a picture of Adrian and his beautiful family in the beauty of Utah. Well, let's get to our first question of the day. And a lady named Mrs. Bryant e-mailed us with this question. She says, since the start of the covered pandemic, my husband and I have not attended church. He has health issues, which makes him high risk. And I don't want to bring this disease home to him. I still support my church with my ties and offerings. And I'm listening to services and Bible studies on the radio. But I'm fearful of bringing this disease home and hurting my family. And I fear my not going to church is showing a lack of faith. I love the Lord and I'm doing what I can to stay in the ward and in prayer. My heart is grieved over this, and I'd appreciate your insight.

Thank you for reaching out to us, Mrs. Bryant.

And let me just begin by praying for you and your family, father. I lift the Bryant family up to you with everything going on with the pandemic. And Lord, I know that many people are struggling with fear right now with anxiety. I asked God that you would lift the Bryant family, that their eyes would be directed to your son, Jesus father, that you would protect them, grant them that peace that passes all understanding what for Mrs. Bryant? I do ask Lord that you would comfort her and Lord that you would give her and her family fellowship with your people in a way that is safe, in a way that allows her to worship you or family to worship you without fear, without hindrance, Lord and God, that you would continually draw her close to you. Strengthen her faith now. And God, I pray also for all of those. Who are listening? We've been wrestling with anxiety and fear because of the corona virus, Lord Jesus, would you grant them peace? Would you help us, Lord, to grow in our faith in you? To make wise decisions, Lord, in the face of this pandemic, but to have ultimately our hope in you and our rest in you, Lord. Granted, this gracious father in the name of your son, Jesus, I pray a my man.

Well, first, there's the element of wisdom. You know, you don't want to test the Lord. I think of that scene in the Gospels where Satan sought to test and tempt our Lord Jesus in the gospel of Luke. Chapter four in verse nine. What Satan said to our Lord Jesus. He said he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, If you are the son of God, throw yourself down from here for it is written. Then he quotes Scripture. You will command his angels concerning you to guard you and on their hands they will bear you up lest you strike your foot against a stone. And Jesus answered him. It is said you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

I think that there is a way in which we can test God right now, and we don't want to test it. We don't want to make foolish decisions as Christians in the face of this pandemic and just say why. I'm a believer in Jesus Christ. You know, sickness can't touch me. Nothing is going to harm me. Well, that's precisely the way in which the devil sought to tempt our Lord Jesus.

And Jesus said, no, don't test God. And so you have to make wise decisions, especially you, because you live with your husband who is high risk and you want to be careful.

But secondly, I would say that we also have to understand it as believers, that the church really is essential, if you will. We have numerous exhortations in scripture about not forsaking the fellowship. And you're probably realizing right now how much we as followers of Jesus need that kind of fellowship, bodily communion with other people, other believers through Jesus Christ. The author of The Hebrews said in Hebrews ten, twenty five, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. So there's this balance that we have to strike. We're trying to make wise decisions guided by the best of what science and others have to say about these kinds of things, but also faithful to the Lord in this very difficult time. And so I guess one question I would have for you is, are there safe options for a church, for you, maybe meeting outdoors, socially distance? You know, people wearing masks, that kind of thing.

I know a lot of churches have really been trying to find ways to continue to worship the Lord, including our church out here in San Diego, you know, to continue to worship the Lord in ways that are in line with what the state and the CDC have said in order to create an environment, circumstances of worship that are going to hopefully keep people from getting sick, from contracting this illness. But I know that there's still a risk involved. There's a risk involved. We go out of our house to buy groceries, those kinds of things. And so you have to weigh that risk.

Let me add one thing. You know, with all of this balanced, you know, hope, confidence that Jesus Christ has conquered death, we need that. Another passage in the book of Hebrews Hebrews two, 14 and 15 says, since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise partook of the same things that through death, you might destroy the one who has the power of death that is the devil and deliver all those who, through fear of death, were subject to lifelong slavery. So I think as Christians, we need to sort of weigh the risks with these things, we want to be faithful to serve the Lord. We want to be respectful to governing authorities. But we also want to make sure that we're not so crippled by the fear of death that we're not clinging fast to the hope that we have in Jesus.

That hope that Jesus, the eternal son of God, assumes humanity, bore our sins in his body, died on the cross so that we might have the hope of the resurrection of the dead in the life of the world to come through his rising again from the dead.

I think that there's a hope there that we can cling to and have in the midst of this time so that that fear, that crippling anxiety. You know what? We're trying to do everything that we can to avoid death. The fact of the matter is, this is something that a lot of people need to realize. Death is a sure thing. We are going to die. Our loved ones are going to die. But we have the hope that Jesus has conquered death. Now, I'm not saying make foolish decisions. Again, we don't want to test the Lord. But I think we want to ask ourselves, is the fear so crippling me that I'm not really understanding the implications of the gospel of Jesus in that great victory over death that he's had? And that's what I want to encourage you in. Pray make wise decisions, but rest in Jesus and in the fact that he has conquered death and that no matter what happens, you know, that he is in control, that not one sparrow falls to the ground apart from God's will, that the very hairs of your head are numbered. He knows everything and you can rest in him because he's conquered death. Jesus has conquered death for you. God bless you.

Some great council ADRO. And you know, I'm struck by how many Christians right now are really living in fear because of the Koban situation. And certainly being cautious is wise, as you pointed out. But if we have trusted in Jesus Christ as our savior and we know that eternity waits for us, we should have a little more confidence, I think, in the fact that, yes, we are going to die. As you point out, we're all gonna die. But but we have a confidence that other people don't have. And we should live in that confidence now.

Absolutely. I mean, I think of the words of Jesus to Martha when Lazarus had died, you know, in Jesus as your brother is going to rise again. Jesus, I know he's going to rise again on the last day. She didn't know that Jesus was about to raise him again from the dead right there in John, Chapter 11 and in John, Chapter 11, verse 25. Jesus responded to Martha and he said, I am the resurrection and the life. If you believe in me, even even if you die, you're going to live. I mean, that's the hope that we have now. There's another piece to this puzzle, Bill, and it's the fact that we want to be sensitive to the fact that there are people around us as well who are afraid and who are more susceptible to this virus, to this disease. And so we want to make wise decisions not only for ourselves, but also decisions that exhibit a love for neighbor, too.

Great point. You're listening to Core Christianity with Pastor Errol Sanchez. And Errol, this question came in from Sophie who posted on our Instagram account. She says, in Matthew Twelve and Luke eleven, Jesus says that Satan cannot cast out Satan. And Matthew ten. Jesus sends out the 12 disciples to heal and cast out demons. How do we reconcile that with Judas Iscariot apparently casting out demons when the Bible says he was predestined to be the son of perdition and was even called a devil by Jesus? Please help me understand this better.

Yes, it seems like your question here. Sophia's is this a Bible contradiction? You know, because Jesus makes it clear in places, as you mentioned, like Matthew twelve and Luke eleven that Satan's kingdom can't be divided. You know, if Satan casts out Satan, his kingdom is divided, in his kingdom is going to fall. But Judas is among the twelve, presumably, you know, working miracles and casting out demons. Are you think also of what Jesus said in Matthew seven about the false prophets? You know, they're gonna say, Lord, Lord, didn't we perform many wonders in your name? And even in the Old Testament? Under the Old Covenant, God spoke about false prophets who would perform these signs and wonders. You see even examples of that in the Old Testament. And so is this a contradiction? Well, no. I think Jesus is giving us basically a general principle there in Matthew Twelve. And in Luke eleven. And that's that is Satan's kingdom. If it was truly divided, if Satan was fighting against Satan, well, that would make no sense at all. His kingdom would fall. Now, his kingdom did fall because of what Jesus has done on the cross. He's the one who bound the strong man, Satan, and his plundering his kingdom. That's Jesus, the king of kings and Lord of Lords. But you know what? There are these deceptive wonder workers in the world today, and some of them, even by the power of Satan, perform great wonders and miracles. Think of the Book of Acts where you have this girl who's possessed by a spirit of divination, and she brings her masters much fortune by fortune telling. And she has a demon cast out of her in an urn. The people she worked for were upset because she no longer had this sort of supernatural power. Well, there there are, Sophie, powerful spiritual forces at work in the world today. Even evil ones and Satan will use those to deceive people. Now, at the end of the day, for him, it contributes to that great deception that he's trying to bring about. And so. Not that his kingdom is divided in any way, but his kingdom has been plundered by Jesus. And that's the hope that we have. And so, no, there's no contradiction between Matthew 12 and the fact that Judas is casting out demons or the false prophets in Matthew seven are said to do great. Signs and wonders. It's a part of that deception that Satan wants to bring about that lying deception.

And we know ultimately that the kingdom of Satan, although it isn't divided, as Jesus said, is destroyed by the cross of Jesus and the gates of hell are never going to prevail against the church. That's a hope that we have.

You're listening to Core Christianity with Bill Meyer and Pastor Ariel Sanchez. And we often receive questions about the role of the church in our lives. We had one a few minutes ago and we have a great resource on that topic that we'd like to tell you about.

Yeah. I cannot stress enough. Brothers and sisters, the importance of being a part of a good church. I mean, even with the question we received earlier about about fellowshipping and the longing that we have for community, we need good churches where the gospel is being faithfully taught. Where there's a community, there's fellowship. Where the ordinances that Jesus gave to us are being administered according to his word. And that's what we have this resource over core Christianity. Acom called eight things everyone should know about church and core Christianity. We love the church and want to encourage everyone to worship and serve in a healthy church. This resource is going to help you understand what that kind of church looks like and how to best honor God through your participation in the local church. So head over to core Christianity. Dot com forward slash offers to download eight things everyone should know about church.

There are no Lone Ranger Christians or there shouldn't be. And we'd love to have you get this resource. You can call us for it at eight three three eight four three twenty six. 73, in fact, called to get any one of our resources at eight three. Three the core. And let's get back to another question here at core, Christianity.

Yeah, hi, my name is Derek, and I'm calling from Martinez, California. My question is, if you have cat TEUs, is that looked down on in this day and age that we live in? Just just trying to find out that answer. Thank you.

Hey, Derek. Yeah. Thanks for your question. Well, I guess it depends on who you ask. Right. By some people it might be and by some people it isn't. I mean, where I live here in Southern California, it seems like the majority of people have tt's. Bill, I know you have several right now that you can see.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Well, just keep those to yourself. OK. So I guess it just depends, Derek, on on who you ask.

You know, sometimes people will appeal to passages of scripture to forbid tattoos, passages like Leviticus 19, 28, to talk about, you know, not having any cuttings or markings for the flesh.

That that's taken out of context, though, and I don't think it's applicable to people getting tattoos today. You know, when they want to get the heart with mom in the middle, that kind of thing. I think no big deal. And then I've heard a response from other people that say, well, Jesus has that name written on his thigh, you know, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, even the son of God himself has a tattoo. And I think that also is taken out of context. It's not at all with those passengers are meant to be communicating, you know, whether you can get tattoos or not get tattoos.

Let me just say this, though, Derek. Here are the marks you want on your body, the brand marks of Jesus. What I mean by that? Paul at the very end of the book of Galatians in Galatians Chapter six year 17. This is really interesting line that he gives. He says this From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

It's a really interesting verse you see throughout the book of Galatians. Paul has been arguing against this group of agitators that we're trying to leave the Galatians astray. They were trying to have the Galatians circumcised and embrace the law of Moses. They were boasting in the flesh of the Galatians, if you will, trying to get them circumcised, something that Paul says right there in that same context in Galatians Chapter six.

And it's almost as if he's responding and he's saying, you know what? What marks I boast in not trying to get you gentiles circumcised. That's not what the gospel is about. The gospel is about the free grace of God and Jesus Christ. I boast in the fact that my body bears the marks of Jesus and what he's probably referring to there are the persecutions that he had experienced, men being beaten, lashed, stoned, shipwrecked and hungry at times in very difficult situations.

Paul, as I imagine he was probably a guy who walked with a limp because of all the suffering that he experienced. He's saying, look at my body bears the marks of having followed Jesus.

We're not going to experience and we don't experience that same kind of persecution today. But, boy. Let's use our bodies to follow the Lord Jesus. Let's present our bodies as instruments of righteousness like the apostle Paul talks about in Romans six through eight. Those are the marks we want to have on our bodies. The marks of following after our Lord Jesus.

Now, I'm not saying that tattoos are a bad thing or an evil thing or wrong. You know, I just don't think that scripture speaks to that specifically. It's a matter of personal conscience. Like I said here where I'm at and in Southern California. I don't think that people care too much, but there are other places where people might have more sensitivity to this.

But the reality is, for each of us, the focus we want to have as followers of Jesus is bearing the marks of Jesus ultimately love and the fruit of the spirit that the apostle Paul spoke of earlier in the Book of Galatians. And that comes through the gospel of Jesus, through knowing Jesus, through abiding in Jesus. Pursue that, Derrick, and you can't go wrong.

Derrick, thanks so much for your question. Thank you so much for listening. In California as well. Here's a question that came in from Angela on our Facebook page. And she says, What does the Bible mean in Hebrews 12 six when it speaks of God disciplining those he loves? How does God discipline us today, Angela?

I'm a really important question because we will experience the discipline of the Lord if we're his children. And that is uncomfortable, has the book of Hebrews says, but we endure it because we know it's a sign of God's love. And it produces in us that long suffering, that righteousness, that that God in his discipline wants to create in us.

And there are different ways, I think, in scripture examples of what God's discipline looks like. I think, one, that just that sense of spiritual drought feeling distant from the Lord when we sin. Isn't that the case where you do something, you know, you're not supposed to do it. And immediately you feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit and you feel that just that dryness settling in your bones. I think of what the Psalmist said, what David said in some 32 beginning in verse one. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity. And in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long for day and night.

Your hand was heavy upon me. My strength was dried up as by the heat of summer I acknowledged my sin to you and I did not cover my iniquity. I said I will confess my transgression to the Lord. And you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

But you see there that that sense of dryness that David speaks about. When I didn't confess my sin, when I hadn't confessed it to board, it was as if I was drying up, like up like a dried plant out there under the summer heat.

Your hand was heavy upon me.

You also have examples in scripture of God disciplining his children through physical suffering that Paul says in First Corinthians, chapter 11, verse thirty, that when we come together to take the Lord's Supper, if we come in a way that is not pleasing to the Lord, clinging to our sins and not truly turning from them, not judging the Senate, our life, Paul says this is one of the reasons why many speaking to the Corinthians by many of you are sick and weak and some have even died. If we would judge ourselves, that is judge the sin in our own lives. God would not need to judge us. That is to discipline us. And so there you have this example of the discipline of the Lord being physical weakness, sickness.

You think even of James as prayer for healing in James, chapter five, verse 16, where he says, therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Know how he ties together their prayer for healing and confession of sin. I think there are times where the discipline of the Lord can be sickness.

Now we have to be careful with this one because there are some people that attribute all suffering and sickness to sin. And that's also wrong. You think of Jobe. Think of Timothy. You know that that stomach ailment that he had with Paul tells him, take a little bit of wine every day to help settle your stomach. He doesn't say, what secret sin do you have in your life? So we have to be careful, even though sometimes the discipline of the Lord is physical sickness. It's not always because of sin that we're sick. Sometimes it's just God's providence. And there's one other one that I would mention. It is a sort of demonic attack that we can experience. First Corinthians, chapter five, verse five, talks about excommunication, essentially. Repulses. You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved. And the day of the Lord, in other words, hurts another form of discipline. The devil attacks the children of God. God says, okay, on I'm going to let you have your way. And there's this discipline that takes place. Why? So that ultimately we turn to the Lord. Here's what you need an evangelist.

The discipline of God is always rooted in the love of God, and it's meant to bring us closer to Jesus to see the heinousness of our sins, but the goodness of our God and his love in disciplining us and keeping us when we go astray.

Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer, visit us at core Christianity dot.com and click on offers in the menubar or call us at one eight three three eight four three two six seven three. That's eight three three. The core. When you contact us, please let us know how you've been encouraged by this podcast. And be sure to join us next time as we explore the truth of God's word. Together.