Where Do I Find Hope after a Miscarriage?

Where do I find hope after a miscarriage? That's just one of the questions we'll be answering on our YouTube channel. Dr. Meyer, on this past Thursday, or it could be Friday, and it was a caller by the name of Ann, and Ann asked if same-sex married couples would be welcomed into a Christian church. The response from Pastor Adriel was that they would be welcomed, and he said that the same-sex married couple should become involved in the church. Then Pastor Sanchez said the goal of this was to show the same-sex married couple they were living in constant sin, and that in order to remove this sin, the married couple would discover they should no longer be a married couple.

I was kind of surprised by this. Is Pastor Sanchez actually saying that this married couple should divorce? If so, isn't divorce also a sin, except for very specific circumstances? So I would appreciate a little clarification on this.

Thank you very much. Hey Steve, thank you for listening to Core Christianity and for following up with the question. Hopefully I can provide some clarification for you. So first, what I would want to say is just to be clear, I think that the church is a place for all people. What I mean by that is the doors are open. I mean, Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 assumes that outsiders or non-believers are actually going to be present in some of these assemblies coming to hear to see what's going on. So in that sense, we ought to be welcoming to people who have different beliefs than we do, to people who maybe don't agree with the Christian sexual ethic. The church is a place where they can come to hear the gospel and to experience the love of the Christian community, to see they should be able to see the love that's on display within the body of Christ. In that way, as they come and as they see and as they experience that, they're participating in the life of the body. But I think in order to participate in the life of the body, sacramentally we might say, that is being baptized, partaking of the Lord's Supper, becoming a member of the church, they have to confess the things that the church confesses. They have to believe the things that the church believes related to the gospel, related to what it means to follow Jesus.

So I want to provide that clarification there. My thought is, yeah, the church should be a place where people, same-sex couples, can go to hear the gospel, to experience the love of the Christian community. And in the process, in the context of that taking place, as they're hearing the gospel and understanding what it means to follow Jesus, I think there would be this repentance, because the Bible speaks very clearly about homosexuality and gay and lesbian relationships, and it refers to them as sin. This is not something that God has condoned in his word.

Now, the question essentially sounds to me like, well, if they're married already, wouldn't it be a sin for them to separate, for them to divorce? One section of scripture that I think of, in hearing your question, is in the Old Testament, in the Book of Ezra, the people of God were being called to repentance. They're coming back from exile.

The temple has been rebuilt. But the people out of exile were continuing in sin. They actually entered into these marriages that God had strictly forbidden, marriages with the pagan peoples of the land. And so in Ezra chapter 10, you have this repentance, where the relationships are severed on the basis of what God had said, because God had clearly forbidden these kinds of relationships. That was an act of repentance, an act of faithfulness to follow the Lord. In a similar way, I think I would see this in a similar way, where you have something that has been clearly forbidden by the Lord in his word, related to gay and lesbian marriages. I think that there would be this severing, this call to repentance, this realization that we ought not to be, we can't be in a romantic relationship because of what the word of God says.

That's my view on this. I think in doing that, that wouldn't be adding sin to sin. That would actually be repentance from sin. I appreciate your question, your thoughtful question, Steven.

May the Lord bless you and be with you. Such a complicated issue in today's culture. Obviously, there are some churches and some denominations who have very different views than you just espoused. And so it's so critical for us to really know what the Bible has to say about the sexual ethic, correct? Absolutely. And this is one of the areas where our views as Christians are simply not going to be popular.

I mean, you think about where broader society is with regard to things like sexuality. And so this is an area where we can stand apart, where we can be distinct as the people of God and hold fast to what the Bible teaches with charity and all purity and for the good of our neighbors as well. Amen. You're listening to Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine or theology, give us a call right now. 1-833-843-2673. We'll be taking your calls for the next 15 minutes or so.

833-THE-CORE. Let's go to Brandon in Dixon, Tennessee. Brandon, what's your question for Pastor Adriel? Hey, Pastor Adriel. So in Acts chapter 8, Peter and John, they went to Samaria to already, you know, believers, people that already believed in Jesus Christ. So my question is, what was the significance in them having to go there and lay hands on them to receive the Spirit of God? I know there's certain camps that believe that they kind of build on the, you know, this is proof that we have to be laid hands on to receive the Spirit of God because we can be believers, but I have the fullness without, you know, you can't have the fullness without being laid hands on and receiving the Spirit of God. So what was the significance of that?

Yeah, Brandon, excellent, excellent question because you're right. There are some people who will go to this text and they'll say, well, this is prescriptive. It's not just descriptive as something that was happening in that time. It's prescriptive for believers. And we ought to lay hands on people so they might receive the Holy Spirit or be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And the question is, is that what the Word of God is trying to communicate to us here? Is that what Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, is trying to communicate to us here?

Actually, I mean, I love this scene because, I mean, remember what Jesus had said, you guys are going to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the uttermost parts of the earth. So this gospel is going to go out and we've known that from the very beginning of the book of Acts. But for a while, the disciples were stuck in Jerusalem until a great persecution broke out.

And we read about that in the beginning of chapter eight. And then in verse four, it says, those who were scattered, that is, as a result of the persecution, went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip. And when they heard him and saw the signs that he did for unclean spirits crying out with a loud voice came out of many who had them and many who were paralyzed or lame or healed.

So there was much joy in the city. And you have this great conversion, people receiving the word of God, as the text goes on in verse 14. And then verse 15, came down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. And you have the Holy Spirit fall on them through the laying on of hands. Of course, that's where you also have Simon the magician who wants to purchase the gift of the Holy Spirit. But what's the main point here? I think it's pretty simple. God is demonstrating that in the same way he gave the spirit to the Jews, to the people gathered together on the day of Pentecost for the festival, he's also giving the spirit to the Gentile people, to the people of Samaria.

He's putting it on display for everyone to see. And this would have been really important. You think about all the conflict in the first century church related to what we call the Gentile inclusion. Are the Gentiles non-Jews really included in the family of God now, even though they don't obey the law of Moses in the way that we have historically? And God is saying, yes, they are now a part of the covenant people, the promises to you and to your children and to all who are far off, the coastlands, the distant nations, as Peter said in his sermon in Acts chapter two. And so what really is being emphasized here is the fact that the gift of the Holy Spirit is not just for the Jews in Jerusalem, but for all people, including the people of Samaria and then the people of the uttermost parts of the earth. The gift of the Holy Spirit is for you and for me. God bless.

Amen. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez, and today we want to tell you about a brand new Bible study that we have just released, and it's one on how we are to live the Christian life. Yeah, it's a Bible study that I had the privilege of helping to put together to write on the book of Philippians. And I've said this before, Philippians was the first book I preached on as a minister of the gospel. In the book of Philippians, you have such a clear picture of the heart of the apostle Paul as a pastor. He says in Philippians chapter one how he yearns for the Philippian church with the affection of Christ.

Jesus Christ is affectionate for his people, for his church. And that's something that you see throughout the book of Philippians in terms of how we're called to live. And so we hope that you'll get ahold of this resource. It's great for individual study, also for group Bible studies, and you can get a copy for a donation of $20 or more. Such an excellent Bible study.

It really does focus on how to rejoice in all the blessings we have in Christ. You can pick up a copy by going to corechristianity.com forward slash new study. That's corechristianity.com forward slash new study, or you can call us for that offer or any one of our offers. 833-843-2673. Well, we do receive voicemails here at Core Christianity, and you can leave us a voicemail 24 hours a day. Here's one we received from one of our callers named Alyssa.

Hi there. Over the last four years, my husband and I have had seven miscarriages, and I've been dealing with a lot of fear and anxiety for the future. Children might be not in the Lord's will for us, but if anybody can help me with encouragement or truth or whatever it may be, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you so much. Well, sister, I mean, my heart just breaks for you in the sorrow that I know that you have. Sorrow upon sorrow, it sounds like. And with regard to things like this, there is no easy answer to the why question. We have what God has said about Himself in His Word, that He loves us, that He's good, that He's demonstrated His love for us in the sending of His Son, that He's sovereign, that He knows all things, that He knows all things, that there isn't anything that catches the Lord by surprise, and yet we still lament because of things like this.

And so a few things, I think, just in terms of what you said. You didn't ask the question why, but you said, is there any comfort for me? And I believe that there is, and that comfort is found in Christ. And the first thing I would want to say, I mean, I just think of what Jesus Himself did in the face of death. I'm thinking of that scene in John 11, where Mary and Martha are going to Jesus. Jesus has come to them.

They are mourning because of the death of their brother, Lazarus. And picking up in verse 28 of John 11, it says, when she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, the teacher is here and is calling for you. And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to Him.

Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met Him. And when the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. And when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved. He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled.

And He said, Where have you laid Him? And they said to Him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. So the Jews said, See how He loved Him. But some of them said, Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?

Now a couple of things that we see here, right? We see the compassion of Jesus for mourners. Jesus Himself mourned there as He saw the people weeping because of Lazarus' death. He wept. He was deeply moved.

The word that's used there is a very interesting word. It can mean to feel something strongly, even to be indignant, an expression of anger. And it's not that Jesus was angry at them. I think He was angry at death. You see, the Bible says that death is the greatest enemy, the last enemy to be conquered, if you will.

The apostle Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 15. So the first thing I would say to you is that Jesus knows the pain of death and loss. And He can sympathize with you in your sorrow.

And He is there for you. But He didn't just come to earth to feel our sorrows, to sympathize with us. We need more than that. We don't just need somebody who can sympathize with us.

We need someone who can save us, who can rescue us. And the same Jesus who felt death, who experienced death in His own body on the cross for our sins, did so so that He might conquer death for us and for our loved ones, for our children. So not only does Jesus love you and sympathize with you, He has also conquered death for you and for your seven children. And so we have the hope of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. And it's that hope that we cling to in the midst of sorrow.

Jesus knows you, He sympathizes with you, and He knows your children. I think about what the psalmist said in Psalm 139 verse 13. For you formed my inward parts. You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works. My soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. And so I would say those are two truths, I believe, that can comfort you, sister, Christ's compassion for you, for those who mourn, and the fact that He came to conquer that which causes our sorrow, sin, and death, and that we have the hope of the resurrection. And just one other thing that I would want to add, because it seems like you alluded to this, I don't think that you need to conclude from this, that God has just completely closed the door on having children. I would say continue to entrust yourself to Jesus, to the one who loves you, who knows you, who conquered death for His people, and to rest in His hands as you look into the future seeking His will. God be with you, and God bless you. Adriel, thanks for those comforting words.

Such a tough situation. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez, and we are always open to hearing your questions. In fact, you can email us anytime at questions at corechristianity.com. Let's go back to the phones. Diane is on the line from Missouri. Diane, what's your question for Pastor Adriel? Hi, Pastor Adriel.

Thank you for taking my call. I was wondering why the angel of God, I think it was Mary, he said that when the Holy Spirit came upon her, he said, and you shall name him Jesus, and then told Joseph you shall call him Emmanuel. I'm kind of wondering why the different names are. Yeah, well, what I can say to you is that this is not a contradiction, and what's being emphasized here are a couple of things about the identity of the Savior. Now, we know based on what John said in John chapter 1 verse 1 that he is God, the eternal Son of God. And when he assumed flesh from the womb of the Virgin Mary, as you said, the angel revealed that they would call his name Jesus. Luke chapter 1 verse 31, behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. That name sort of echoes in the Old Testament. You think of Joshua, and what did Joshua come to do? He came to lead the people into the land of rest, into the promised land. He was this great ruler, if you will, of the people of God, this leader of the people of God, bringing them home. And so in that sense, when Mary hears this, those images are probably coming into her mind, and this idea of this one like Joshua, this Savior, who is coming to lead the people home into rest. And that's precisely what's emphasized in the name of Jesus, and that's exactly what Jesus himself said he came to do. Matthew chapter 11, the end of the chapter, come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart. And so that's what's being emphasized with the name Jesus. Now, with regard to the name Immanuel, which was also revealed both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, the New Testament in Matthew chapter 1 verse 23, this is in fulfillment of what the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14, where he says the virgin is going to conceive and bear a son, you'll call his name Immanuel, which means God with us. And that is the one who came, who assumed humanity for us is no less than God himself, the second person of the Holy Trinity. This is the great wonder, the beauty of the incarnation, the mystery of the incarnation, what God would do to redeem sinners, sending his son into the world, this new Joshua, if you will, leading his people into the land of rest, God himself, God with us. And so there's no contradiction.

It's not, you know, they were arguing about really to name him, you know, there was this debate, that kind of a thing. No, it's just emphasizing these different aspects of who Jesus, the eternal word of the Father is for us. And so it really is quite beautiful when you think about it, when we meditate upon all that Christ was and is and did for his people.

You can't sum it up in one word, right? You need multiple words, multiple titles to describe it, and that's what we see in the Gospels. God bless. Diane, thanks so much for your question, and we appreciate you listening to Core Christianity. Let's go to Kevin, who's in Oklahoma City, Kansas, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, I'm sorry. Kevin, what's your question for Pastor Adriel?

Hello, thank you for taking my call. My question is, about six months ago, my wife left me and is currently with somebody else that I know. And we are still currently married, and I feel I should hold on to my marriage.

And I just, I'm just asking for advice. Kevin, I'm so sorry to hear about these circumstances, and I think that you have a decision that you have to make here. I mean, it sounds like she's left to be with this other man. You are still technically married, and I think, should the Lord soften her heart, bring her to repentance, restore the relationship, I think that could be a wonderful thing. I think the Scripture speaks to this, and I've seen those kinds of things happen.

I don't know all of the details here, and so it's really difficult to say, here is exactly what you need to do. And so what I would commend to you is one, prayer. I mean, obviously, I can't imagine the pain that you're experiencing right now, the sense of brokenness and loss, and so continually calling out to the Lord for yourself and for your wife. If it's the restoration and healing that you hope for, pray that God would do the work that only He can do in softening the heart.

And just one passage, we don't have a lot of time, but one passage of Scripture that I would recommend you look at is 1 Corinthians 7, where Paul addresses this a little bit. He has a little bit of a discussion here about what to do when your spouse leaves and whether or not you're obligated to stay in the relationship. I think you have freedom here to say, look, I want to fight for our marriage, and I think that's a noble thing.

I think that's a good thing. And so pray that God would be with you in that and that He would ultimately soften her heart. And so appreciate that question. May the Lord bless you and be with you, brother, and give you strength during this very difficult time of your life. Thank you for giving us a call here at CORE Christianity. as we explore the truth of God's Word together.