How Do We Hear the Voice of God?

How do we hear the voice of God?

That's just one of the questions we'll be answering on today's edition of Core Christianity. Hi, it's Bill Meyer along with Pastor Adriel Sanchez, and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. We would love to hear from you. Our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so. You can call us with your question. Here's our phone number. It's 833-THE-CORE. That's 1-833-843-2673.

Of course, you can always email us your question at questionsatcorechristianity.com. First up today, let's go to Tim in Lincoln, Nebraska. Tim, what's your question for Adriel? Hello, Adriel. Hey, Tim. Thanks for giving us a call. What's your question? Yeah, so thank you. A lot of times I hear questions that I would like to ask, so I don't even have to call in, so it's great. Oh, wonderful. Love your program.

Thank you. But I know that the bodies of the believers on Resurrection Day or being caught up with the church will be with our soul and spirit, with the Lord Jesus. But what about the ones that go to hell? Will their bodies—will they have bodies, or will it just be their soul and spirit in the lake of fire?

Great question. It seems to me like the clear teaching of Scripture is that even the wicked are raised, and they're raised to judgment. And so right now, you know, those who die, we refer to it as the intermediate state. The souls of believers are perfected in holiness. The souls of the wicked go to a place of judgment, I believe, but even the wicked are going to be raised again. So a couple of passages that you can look at that confirm this in Daniel chapter 12.

This is a great Old Testament proof text for the doctrine of the resurrection. Daniel chapter 12, verse 2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

And so you have this dual judgment here. You also see this confirmed in John chapter 5, in verse 28. Do not marvel at this, Jesus said, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. And so it seems to me that even the wicked are going to be raised to judgment. At the very end of the book of Revelation, you have that final judgment, the second death, the lake of fire.

And so that's what the scriptures teach, brother. Thank you for that question and thank you for your encouragement. Tim, thanks so much for calling and for listening to Core Christianity. Our phone lines are open if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life, maybe something going on at your church that concerns you or something in your own Christian walk that you could use prayer for. Here's our number, 833-THE-CORE-1-833-843-2673.

Let's go to Steve in Oklahoma. Steve, what's your question for Adriel? Hi, good afternoon, Adriel. How are you guys? We're doing well. Thanks for asking. Hope you're doing well too, Steve. Thanks for giving us a call. What's your question, brother?

Great. My question is concerning Communion, the Lord's Supper. And I know in Acts 20, verse 7, the Living Bible says, On Sunday we gathered for a communion service with Paul preaching, and since he was leaving the next day he talked until midnight. Then Acts 20 and verse 7 in the King James Version, it reads, And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. And my question, Adriel, is why is there confusion throughout many churches about many churches about taking the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week, which would be Sunday? Yeah.

Now, can I just follow up? When you say confusion, you mean churches aren't doing it every Sunday, or some churches are doing it on other days of the week? There are a lot of churches that don't take Communion every Sunday, and I think some believers only take Communion, like, on Easter or maybe Easter and Christmas.

And I was wondering if you might clarify that. Yeah, well, so I think, and I love this question, I think two things here. One, I think for one of the reasons that many churches, I think, have stopped taking the Lord's Supper with frequency is that, you know, in a lot of churches, we just have a really low view of those ordinances that Jesus gave to us, baptism and the Lord's Supper. We don't think that God is really doing anything in and through these means of grace. We view them as just these sort of empty symbols or, you know, old dead rituals. I've heard Christians talk like that, and it's tragic because these are gifts which Jesus instituted for the church. And so if we minimize their importance, I think churches will begin to say, well, you know, we don't have to do this, you know, really that frequently.

It's not that big of a deal whether we do or we don't. Additionally, throughout the history of the church, there were many times where Christians wouldn't take the Lord's Supper for kind of an opposite reason. They felt like, well, we just aren't worthy. We're terrified when we think about taking the Lord's Supper because it seems like such a holy ritual that we just can't do it. And so there was infrequent communion at various points of church history for that reason. And so, you know, whatever the reason is, I grieve because I think we need to have a high view of the means of grace and to recognize that, man, God wants to bless us in and through these things that Jesus instituted.

And you're right. There in Acts chapter 20, it's clear that as the disciples, as the followers of our Lord Jesus, were gathering together there in the early church, one of the things that we're doing was taking the Lord's Supper, taking communion. And so, I mean, we have the biblical basis for this. Actually, it's interesting, earlier in Acts, in Acts chapter 2, verse 42, a passage that's well known, oftentimes quoted, Luke writes, they devoted themselves, this is the early church, they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread. And you could translate that verse there, the breaking of the bread.

We're talking about a particular bread here, probably a reference to the Lord's Supper. The breaking of the bread and the prayers and awe came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles and all who believed were together and had all things in common. So the early church devoted themselves to these things and yet so many churches today are setting aside the preaching of the Word of God, the apostles' doctrine, the means of grace, baptism, and the Lord's Supper, minimizing them. And it's a part of, you know, the tragedy of the days, why you have so much biblical illiteracy. And so I think we really need to recover the Bible's teaching on these things and going to texts like Acts chapter 2, verse 42 and following, or Acts chapter 20, verses 7 and following, will help us to do that. And let me just say, you know, additionally, I think if we just view the Lord's Supper, and I think this is part of the problem, I remember having a professor in seminary who made this point and I thought it was such a good point, he said, look, if we just view the Lord's Supper as a time for us to remember, you know, with with somberness, the death of Jesus. And that's really all it is.

It's a funeral service, essentially. Well, that's, you know, that's kind of heavy every single week, and that's how a lot of people view communion. It's just my time to really think about the fact that Jesus was crucified for me. Well, listen, you can do that anytime.

Anytime. I mean, we ought to do that. We have to meditate upon the cross always. But the Lord's Supper is more than just a time for me to remember that Jesus died for my sins. It's actually a means of grace, which is to say that God is using these things, bread and wine, to communicate His grace, His Spirit, His power to His people. So it's not just about remembering, it's about receiving something substantial by faith, namely the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We have a special communion, Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, with the body and blood of Jesus in the Lord's Supper. And if we lose sight of that, well, then it makes sense why churches would say, yeah, like, you know, I don't really need to just, I don't need it.

And so I think that's part of the problem. We need to recover a high view of the means of grace and the fact that God wants to meet us and minister to us through the preached word, through baptism, through the Lord's Supper, that God has attached His promises to these things, and we should come eager to receive and owe that we did and owe that churches were committed to that, just as the church was there in Acts chapter 2, verses 42 and following. Thanks, Steve. God bless you. Steve, thanks so much for listening to Core Christianity. Appreciate Steve's commitment to really digging into God's word and then applying it to his life and to the life of his church.

I think that's great. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. We have our phone open right now. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life, we'll be taking calls for the next 15 minutes or so. Here's the number. It's 833-THE-CORE.

That's 1-833-843-2673. Let's go to Marjorie in Kansas. Marjorie, what's your question for Adriel? I'm in Hebrews, the sixth chapter. In the 18th verse, it talks about two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie.

I wondered what those two unchangeable things mean. And in the 20th verse, 620, what is the order of Melchizedek? Well, he's going to get into the order of Melchizedek there in chapter 7, talking about this priestly figure that appears in the book of Genesis and focusing on the everlasting priesthood, not like the Levitical priesthood, which was done away with, but Jesus coming as this high priest in the order of Melchizedek. That's what the author of the Hebrews is getting at. But I love your question about these unchangeable things and God's promise to his people. We have to remember, Marjorie, that the book of Hebrews was written to a group of Christians who were drifting away from the Gospel. They were being tempted to go back to the Old Covenant and the rituals and rites of the Old Testament in order to find justification before God. So the author of the Hebrews repeatedly is saying, look, the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin. The once-for-all sacrifice Jesus Christ has been accomplished, that's what he says in chapter 10.

You need to sink your teeth into that reality, that Gospel reality, and it's sure. It's sure because God has promised this to you, and that's what he's saying in chapter 6. Let me just begin in verse 13 to give some more of the context. For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, Surely I will bless you and multiply you. And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes, an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise, the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath. So God has given us an oath, a promise. He didn't need to, but he did for our sakes, so that we would we would cling to his word. So that, verse 18, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie. This is why God doesn't even need to make an oath, because he can't lie.

He's God. We, he says, who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. And so, look, here's the amazing news for you listening right now. The promise of the Gospel, of eternal life in Jesus Christ, is sure.

It's concrete. These covenant promises that God have, that God has given to his people, he's confirmed them. He's sworn by himself. It's impossible for God to lie. Now, we, what we ought to do is take God's promises and rest in them, receive them, receive them as, you know, these sure concrete realities. God can't lie, and yet he's condescended to us, and he said, look, let me make an oath with you. Let me let me enter into this covenant with you, so that you might be confident that your sins are forgiven, that you have a hope fixed in heaven, where Jesus has ascended at the right hand of the Father, now to live as our great high priest who ever, ever lives to make intercession for us, as the author of the Hebrew says elsewhere. And so, he's really seeking to encourage these Christians who are drifting away from the Gospel, who are losing their hope, we might say, in these great truths, and he's saying, no, cling to God's promise. Receive it, embrace it, and rest in it, and that's that's a good word for each of us today as well.

So well said. Thanks for that, Adriel. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. By the way, we have a YouTube channel.

You can watch Adriel on YouTube every day at 11 30 a.m. Pacific time. You can also send him your question through our YouTube channel, so check that out. We also have a podcast. If you're a regular podcast listener, we'd appreciate you giving us a review and maybe a five-star endorsement, because once that happens, more people hear about Core Christianity.

So check that out on your favorite podcast app. Well, we do want to mention a resource that we have here this week. It's something that we get a lot of calls from people who are concerned or confused about the differences between Protestant theology and Catholic theology. So we've put together a resource that really helps you understand the differences.

Yeah, the resource is 70 or so pages. It's called What Still Divides Us, and it's a wonderful little booklet that will get into some of those key differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants, and especially with our broad audience, I know that we have folks listening from all different backgrounds and perspectives. Some of you may be Roman Catholic.

We're really grateful for your support and encouragement and your phone calls as well. Get a hold of this resource. It's just a good introduction to some of the key differences, and it'll help you to grow in your faith as well. You can find that by going to corechristianity.com forward slash radio.

Just look for What Still Divides Us. And while you're at our website, check out some of our other great resources, many of them absolutely free, all things that are designed to help you grow in your faith. Again, the website is corechristianity.com. You can also leave us a voicemail here at the Core, 24 hours a day. Call and leave a voicemail question on our system.

Here's a voicemail that came in from one of our listeners named Garrett. My question is, how do we hear the voice of God? Because I've heard some people say it's just the Bible, while I've heard other people say God speaks through more than just the Bible.

Thanks. Yeah, in some extraordinary circumstances, God can guide us and speak to us providentially, but too many people, I think, are looking for a kind of still small voice or a booming voice from heaven, and they've set aside where God has so clearly spoken to us, which is in his word. Now, we do talk about God speaking to us in different ways. We talk about God speaking to us through creation. We refer to that as general or natural revelation, and so you think of, you know, that sense of awe that you get when you look up at the sky during a starry night and you just, you feel so small, you know there's something big greater than you out there.

The sense of God that all creatures have, really, God speaks through his creation. You know, the psalmist says in Psalm 19, the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork day unto day utters speech. So that's one of the ways that God is talking to us. That's not, you know, a voice that we hear per se, but it's something that we experience in our conscience, in our very, in our very being, and what it reveals to us is that God is powerful, all powerful, that he's creator, that he's sovereign.

That reality is oftentimes what we do. What the world does, and this is what Paul says in Romans chapter 1, is that they suppress that knowledge of God that they receive through natural revelation and unrighteousness, and so God speaks to us in other ways, and in particular he's given us his special revelation, his word, and that's where we need to go. We want to hear the voice of God. If you want to understand who the Lord is, this is where he's revealed himself to us so clearly, and where he's continuing to speak even today by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit takes the word of God that we have in front of us, that I'm holding right here in my hand, the Holy Bible, and the Spirit of God illuminates that word for us. I think what the author of the Hebrews said in Hebrews chapter 3 verse 7, therefore as the Holy Spirit says, and then he quotes from the book of Psalms is really an amazing thing here, today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.

And then he goes on to say in verse 12, take care brothers lest there be in any of you an evil unbelieving heart leading you to fall away from the living God. In other words, the author of the Hebrews believed that God was speaking, that we were hearing God's voice through God's word. This is why it's so important for us to take up the word, to read it, to study it, to meditate upon it, and to obey it, to follow it. Now, none of us do that perfectly, but we're called to obey the word of God, and God by the the power and the grace of the Holy Spirit guides us, leads us. And so I love this question because so many people are longing to hear God speak. They want a voice from God. Sometimes we're looking in the wrong places, we're looking for that that booming voice from heaven, and we're disappointed because we're not getting it. Could it be that God wants you to dig into his word, to approach his word prayerfully and say, Lord, speak to me.

Give me ears to hear, a heart that's ready to receive and understand. And I think when we come to the word with that kind of humility, especially on a Sunday morning, I mean, that's why we go to church, to hear God speak to us from heaven through his word. And so we need to listen to these exhortations that are given to us in scripture.

Today if you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts. And so God speaks through his special revelation, his word, and that's really where we need to focus as the people of God. You know, I'm always stunned when people say, you know, I heard from God and he told me this. Now, I know it's not what's in the Bible, or I know it's different from what he might say in the Bible, but I know that for me this is what he wants me to do. Yeah, I mean, it's a part of our own sinful foolishness, isn't it, Bill, that we want God to make exceptions for us, whatever it is, and we want to find justifications oftentimes for our sin, or for a decision that we're not confident in.

And so there's a real problem there. When God has spoken clearly in his word, and we say, oh, I'm going to look for something else. I'm still searching for a word from God, and God's like, I've actually already given you a word.

That's really dangerous, that's really foolish. And so that's a sad thing, and maybe there's someone listening right now, and that's what you're doing. You know what God is calling you to do. You know how God is calling you to live, but you're looking for something.

You're looking for a loophole, or you're saying, God, give me a different answer, and you're not getting it, and you're upset about the fact that you're not getting it. Let me just say, friend, go to the word. Listen to the voice of God speaking to you in scripture. Humble yourself and receive that word.

That's for your good. God is for our good. As creatures, as his children in particular, God is for our good, and you'll never be disappointed. You'll never be disappointed putting your trust in his word and following him. Amen. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. Let's go to Patty in Missouri. Patty, we've just got about a minute left. What's your question?

Hi. Today in my women's Bible study, we talked about Hebrews 4-12, and it read, for the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit. I was just wondering, what's the difference between soul and spirit? I use them interchangeably, so that's my question.

Great question, Patty. And, you know, throughout much of the New Testament, soul and spirit are used interchangeably. Now, there are some who do try to draw a sharper distinction and distinguish between soul and spirit.

I don't think we need to. I think that, you know, in the Gospels, in the Book of Revelation, in the Epistles, oftentimes the whole person is treated as body and soul or body and spirit, and so soul and spirit are used interchangeably. The point there in Hebrews 4 is just talking about how the word of God goes deep down and exposes us. God's word, we're under it, we're judged by it, and that's, I think, such an important point. You know, God is aware of everything, everything in our hearts, in our minds. The word of God searches us deeply, and that's a scary thought for many of us, and indeed it should be, because we can't hide anything from the Lord. And I think that's, again, a part of what's happening there in Hebrews 4, verses 11 and following. But the hope is that the God who knows everything about us, the God before whom we're exposed and held accountable by the word, has sent his Son into the world. And then verse 14 says, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. So we're exposed by the word, but the Son of God brings us forgiveness and grace and hope so that we can trust in him and follow him. Thank you.