Does the Bible Have Anything to Say for Those with PTSD?

Does the Bible have anything to say? And also want to wish a special thank you to all of our veterans and those who are currently serving in the armed forces. You can call us right now with your question. Here's our phone number. It's 833-THE-CORE.

That's 1-833-843-2673. Of course, you can also post your question on one of our social media sites. And you're always welcome to email us your question at questions at corechristianity.com. First up today, let's go to Sam calling in from Kansas. Sam, what's your question for Adriel? Good afternoon. Hey, good afternoon. I got in my car and I turned on the radio and I heard Wayne asking a question.

He was from Kansas too, I guess. And I heard it was a good answer. But it seemed like he was asking something a little different. I could be wrong, but the verses that he pointed out in Genesis 3, and he brought up the wife and the husband, it seemed like he was after, why is there such a problem at the core of a woman or a wife and a husband's relationship, or why can there be?

And it seems like that verse in chapter 3 really explains, as part of the curse, that a woman will have a passion to control her husband and her husband will have an overbearing attitude sometimes and not listen to her, be more controlling than he should, and so on. So I just wanted to call and it's part of the answer that is plainly there in chapter 3. Also, just hearing the commercial, that there's some talk about PTSD later on, I'm happy for that. I do suffer from that myself, so it might be good to listen to. Anyway, that was my comment.

Basically, that men and women, the relationship was damaged in the fall, that a woman will have a passion to control her husband and that the man will have a tendency to be overbearing and cruel to the wife. Yeah. Sam, thank you for calling, for following up.

Love when people listen to previous episodes and want to follow up and get some clarification on something. And Wayne was talking about those verses. And you guys are both in Kansas, so maybe you guys can link up and have a discussion about this passage.

I don't know. But that is one. What you mentioned there is one interpretation of Genesis chapter 3, in particular verse 16, where God says, to the woman, your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you. Now, there's a lot of debate about how to interpret those words. I mean, is desire there speaking of like a contrary desire, a negative desire towards your husband, sexual desire? The word is used in the book of Song of Songs to describe sexual desire. And so some people think, is that what's being referred to?

And then in terms of the rule, what kind of rule is this? Is this a power struggle? Yeah, that is one way that this passage has been taken. There are other ways that this text has been taken.

So there's quite a debate, if you will, about the proper way to interpret this. And maybe it's not adversarial desire, could potentially be a promise of returning to the husband your desire. You're turning back towards your husband and him ruling over you. In other words, a restoration of the relationship. And there are indicators in the text that that could also be a promise of returning to the husband. There are indicators in the text that that could also potentially be the case. But we do know, generally speaking, that the reason that we have problems in our relationships today and in marriage in particular is because of sin.

And when did sin enter into the world? Well, certainly at the fall. And so there are different ways, a few different ways that people have taken it. One, I think, concern that I have, if we just say, look, the woman just has this ungodly desire that's innate to her, that's just a part of who she just desires to dominate. I think that we've got to be careful there that we don't just impute that to every single woman, generally speaking. I think that could actually be a problem. And so as we're approaching issues, especially marital issues, one concern is that if that's the interpretation that people take, then right off the bat, they're just assuming, well, you're a woman, so you just naturally have this ungodly desire because of who you are to dominate and to rule and to control.

That's not the best way to just approach these kinds of issues. Just as a pastor and having dealt with and administered to couples now for almost a decade, believe it or not, today's the nine-year anniversary of my ordination. Hey, congratulations.

Yeah, somebody buy me a cake or something. But we just want to be careful with that. So what I would do is say, yes, there is just the reality of the effects of sin on our relationships and in particular on our marriages, but there are various ways that people have taken this version. It may not necessarily be indicating this sort of innate negative desire per se, but this turning back towards the husband, this restoration. And again, throughout this pathogen is one of the things I was saying to Wayne in his call in the previous episode is you have both the sort of challenges and curses that are coming as a result of the fall, but also the promise of hope and restoration and of the gospel.

And so we want to hold those two things together. Thanks, Sam, for giving us a call. You're listening to Core Christianity with Pastor Adrian Sanchez. Let's go to Jacob calling in from Charles City, Iowa. Jacob, what's your question for Adrian? Hello, thank you. I'm very grateful that you're going to be talking about PTSD.

I have a close friend that is suffering with that from right now. My question is, Jesus as the Son of God, the all-knowing God, why would he pick Judas Iscariot as a disciple, knowing that he would later betray him, bringing him to his prophecies to death? But just why would Christ pick somebody like that? Yeah, excellent question, Jacob. Well, one, I actually think one, I was recently having a conversation about, actually in some ways similar questions, but he's asking the question about fallen angels and why God even allows them to exist.

Why, when Satan fell, when the angels turned away, when they rebelled, why didn't God just, you know, strike them dead right there, if you will, or eradicate them? And in some ways, right, there's similarities here with your question in terms of thinking about what is Jesus, if Jesus knows all things, why has he picked, chosen Judas Iscariot to be one of his disciples? Matthew chapter 26 verse 24, Jesus says, the Son of Man goes as it is written of him. In other words, this is something that was prophesied. You have prophecies related to Judas throughout the Old Testament, in the Psalms in particular, I'm thinking, but Jesus says, woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would have been better for that man if he had not been born. Judas, who would betray him, answered, is it I, Rabbi?

And he said to him, you have said so. And here we're holding together, I think, you know, one, the sovereign hand of God and orchestrating all of the events related to the crucifixion of our Lord, and this is something that we see in scripture, but also the freedom and responsibility that people have, including Judas. You know, so some people will say, well, was Judas, you know, forced or coerced to do these things?

No, he was free. He freely betrayed the Lord and he suffered the consequences of those things, and his betrayal, tragically, right, I mean, what did it lead to? It led to the crucifixion of the eternal Son of God.

Now, that's horrible. And yet, somehow, through these terrible events, God is still at work and actually at work in a very powerful way, bringing about redemption for humanity. So while Judas is judged and justly condemned through his sinful acts, God is somehow working together good for good for his people through the death of Jesus, through the self-offering of Jesus. And this is precisely what we see in the scriptures. I think of two places in the book of Acts. In Acts chapter two, through Peter's Pentecost sermon, he preaches the gospel, he talks about Jesus, and he says to the Jews who were there on Pentecost, this Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, right, there it is, definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by.

But you see, you have those two things there, Jacob. You have the sovereignty of God, the fact that he knows all things, his sovereign foreknowledge, his definite plan, but you also have the responsibility of the people who were there crucifying him. You sinful men crucified him. You see the same thing in Acts chapter four in a prayer that the disciples make for boldness. In Acts chapter four verse 27 it says, for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. There you see it again. This is happening, even the stuff with Judas, it's happening according to what the scriptures had foretold, what God's hand had orchestrated, what had been predestined before the foundation of the world, and yet somehow these people, these individuals are still responsible.

They have to give an account. Judas is going to have to give an account because he freely chose to betray the Lord. And so, you know, to your question, why did Jesus pick Judas to be one of his disciples?

Well, Jesus is extending his gratuitous love and grace, and yet through Judas's betrayal he's going to the cross so that we might have salvation. And that's how I'd respond to your question. Thank you for that call, brethren. May the Lord bless you. Hey, thanks, Jacob. Appreciate you being a regular listener to CORE Christianity. Appreciate you. Well, we've got email questions coming in right and left, and if you have an email for us, here's the email address. It's questions at corechristianity.com. Again, questions at corechristianity.com.

Here's one from Lawrence. He says, I'm a Vietnam combat veteran and a 10-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. To this day, I struggle with memories. I'm involved in therapy with the VA.

It's been 52 years since I returned home and I still struggle. I've been a Christian since early 1974. Many of us struggle with healing and making the connection and distinction between the healing available that comes from God and the healing we receive through the various therapies the VA offers.

Can you help explain some of these connections and differences? I have a pastor who once labeled Vietnam veterans as crybabies. He's a sound preacher, but he makes it difficult for me to have any patience with him. Boy, I'm so sorry to hear that that pastor said that. You have experienced serious trauma in your life, and that affects us. That affects our minds.

It affects our bodies, our memories. These wounds, essentially, that we experience, and you do need healing. There's healing in Christ, and there's healing in the general common wisdom. I'm glad that you're getting help through the VA and hopefully some counseling therapy. Bill, I definitely want you to chime in here with your expertise thinking about PTSD, but I would just say as a pastor, when I'm talking with someone who has experienced serious trauma, I think there's a process whereby you need to get the encouragement and help of the church. Obviously, the ministry of the church, the ministry of the gospel, the hope that we have in Jesus for full and final healing, especially on the last day, the restoration of all things, of our minds and of our bodies. I also think it's important to process those things with professional help, and I think that that can be positive.

As you say, it can be years and years and years of still battling and clinging to the grace of God and getting the support that you need. Bill, just in terms of maybe a good way forward for someone who's wrestling with PTSD as a Christian and wanting to incorporate the spiritual component, but also thinking through how to deal with trauma, what would your advice be? Well, I think God can certainly use secular therapists, secular psychologists, and psychiatrists and medication to help people, as long as they understand the person's spiritual viewpoint, that their faith is very important to them and that they don't in any way, shape, or form try to undermine their faith. I think that can be a real problem. So you go into the situation saying, hey, here are my beliefs.

Are you comfortable working with me and my Christian faith? And for the most part, I would say a good therapist would say certainly. And with PTSD, we do know that there are serious changes that go on to memories and portions of the brain. And there are also some newer therapies, Adriel, that have helped a lot of people. And I know the VA is using those therapies. So I'm really glad that he's getting some help there. And I think the VA has helped a lot of people.

We know there's been some problems with the VA in the past and there's been waiting lists and things like that, but I think they're finally moving forward with some positive changes. So I'm so thankful that he's receiving help there. But yes, I think God can certainly use those people in the healing process. As a Christian, Bill, and with your background in all of this, what can the Church do for brothers and sisters who are struggling with PTSD or have PTSD because of some traumatic experience or experiences in their lives? Where can the Church step in and what is our obligation to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ?

Great question. Well, the Bible talks very clearly about our responsibility to encourage one another, to bear one another's burdens. And I think we, in all forms of mental and emotional problems, if we can be doing that on a regular basis in the body of Christ, I really feel bad that this pastor said that to this gentleman. I mean, that is just tragic and he's wrong. And Pastor, if you served in Vietnam, you would not be saying that.

So let me just point that out. But yeah, I think the Church needs to do probably a better job of not sweeping things under the rug and being able to say to somebody, I know you're hurting. How can I encourage you? How can I come alongside you? How can I pray for you? Let's have you over for dinner and talk about what happened in Vietnam.

I think those things are critical. Years ago, our Church had an organization come to provide training for our congregation on matters of abuse within the Church, specifically sexual abuse and how to protect against that. It's an organization called GRACE. It stands for Godly Response to Abuse in a Christian Environment. Really heavy stuff.

And obviously, when people who've experienced, we're talking about something separate now, but people who've experienced abuse like this often have, this is a serious trauma, and often have PTSD. And one of the things that this organization did when they came is they showed a picture. There's a PowerPoint presentation. They showed a picture of a tree that grew up and then growing up vertically and then was sort of bent over to the side and then went back up again. And it was this sort of object lesson. The person who was leading the discussion said, you know, why is the tree growing this way? And apparently, when the tree was much smaller, another tree had fallen on top of it and began to grow crooked.

And then the other tree eventually fell off and then it sort of straightened out again. But the point that this individual was making was how the traumas that we experience in our lives have a real effect on us that lasts for a long time. They leave their mark, their scars. And it's so important for us in the Church not to minimize that reality, not to downplay it, as you say, Bill, and also not to be hopeless, but to realize that there is true healing and grace for people and restoration that can happen.

But it requires, I think, hard work and care and the whole body of Christ, as you said, you think of all the one anothers in the New Testament, the commands to bear each other's burden, as you said, Bill, but also other avenues as well that can be helpful. And so appreciate your insights. And let me just stop right now.

You know, it's amazing. We launched this program today talking about, you know, the thing Bill said, we're going to talk about PTSD. And then two people said, I'm so glad because I struggle with this and another person, you know, somebody else I know close to me struggles with this. And so you may be listening right now, and this is a real battle for you or for someone close to you. And so I want to just stop and pray for this need. Father, God, I want to lift up to you all those listening right now who have PTSD for whatever reason, Lord, and are haunted by it and need your grace, need support. Jesus, I pray that by the power of your Holy Spirit, that you would bring healing, comfort, Lord, hope, the hope of your gospel, the hope of the promise of restoration that one day every tear will be wiped away. All our pain will be restored. God, that's a hope that we have, Jesus, in you.

But right now, we still experience that pain and those memories. And so I pray for my brothers and sisters listening right now for whom that's a reality or someone near to them. We just ask, God, that you would help them, that you would care for them, that you would get them the encouragement that they need from the body of Christ and maybe even beyond with professional help as well. But just lift their spirits even now, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. Well, here we are, summer vacation just around the corner for many school kids, and we are actually excited to offer a very special resource for families that they can use this summer.

That's right, Bill. You know, as we plan trips and activities to make the most of the good weather, what we want to do here at Core Christianity is help you receive and reflect on the Word of God. So we've made a brand new resource, 10 Verses to Memorize as a Family This Summer. It's a free resource that not only gives your family scriptures to memorize, but it also gives further explanation of the depth and beauty of the verses like, the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Remember that Paul says to Timothy, his sincere faith first dwelt with his grandmother.

How amazing is that? You know, God planted the seed of faith in Timothy through the faithful labors of his grandmother and mother. And this is how God works in our lives as we come together as families studying the scriptures and memorizing those passages. We want to encourage you to do that this summer. So get a hold of this free resource over at corechristianity.com. We'd love to get that to you for your family this summer. Again, it's called 10 Verses to Memorize as a Family This Summer, and you can find it by going to corechristianity.com slash offers. Again, corechristianity.com forward slash offers. Well, let's go to Carl, who's on the phone from Missouri. And Carl, you've been holding for a long time.

Thanks so much. What's your question for Pastor Adriel? Yeah. Hi, Pastor Adriel. My question is, is the Seventh-day Adventist, is that a cult? That's my question. Thank you for your ministry.

Hey, Carl, thank you for giving us a call and holding on the line. So one, I've known different kinds of Seventh-day Adventists, if you will. I mean, I think that there are some who can operate more cult-like.

I don't know that I would put it in the same category as the Mormon Church, which I would identify as a cult or Jehovah's Witnesses, but there are some serious problems with the theology of the Seventh-day Adventists. I think issues that really are important and do strike at vital Christian doctrines related to the identity of Christ, related to the law of God specifically. From the earliest days, I mean, it's stuff related to the law of God so often that the church got wrong and needed help with. You think of Paul's letter to the Galatians specifically. And there, in particular, him saying, you guys are turning from the Gospel. You're putting yourselves back under the old covenant with its rules and regulations, thinking that you're justified by works of law, by your obedience to these ceremonial laws, to any of these other laws as well. And I'm concerned, when I think about Seventh-day Adventists, that there is some of that in there too with regard to going back to and being under these old covenant regulations.

That's a serious problem. That's a serious error in the church, serious enough, I think, for Paul to address in places like the book of Galatians. And so there are churches that I have and movements that I have great disagreement with, and I think there are people there who can have true faith in Jesus Christ. They read the Bible, and Christ works faith in their hearts, and they're God's children. But that doesn't mean that the church situation that they're in is good. And I would certainly say, hey, get into a church that's faithful to the Scriptures, that preaches the Bible, and does so week in and week out. That's what we all need, that continual reminder of the Gospel. And be sure to join us next time as we explore the truth of God's Word together.