Why Try to Be Holy If God Alone Can Change My Heart?

Why should I try to be holy if God alone can change my heart? 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 Adriel 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 833-THE-CORE. That's 1-833-843-2673.

And you can email us with your question at questionsatcorechristianity.com. First up today, it's a world record for something you may have never heard of, but that sounds really yummy. A New Zealand charity broke a Guinness World Record when a team of chefs cooked up a giant chocolate lamingdon, which is a spongy layered dessert. Cook's Night Off combined 13,000 eggs, 1,400 pounds of sugar, and 1,100 pounds of flour into this giant spongy cake. It was then layered with chocolate and coconut to create the giant lamington. By the way, the world record coincided with World Lamington Day.

I didn't know there was such a thing. The dessert weighed in at over 6,000 pounds, and Adriel, I'm sure there was no shortage of volunteers to help dispose of the cake. No, no, Bill, I mean, you share good news stories every day, but I think that might be the best one ever. Because I mean, a cake that big is just the stuff of my dreams. I love it. That's an idea for your church next Sunday. You know, you could after your service, you could make a giant lamington. Yeah, I mean, I just I got time for that. So that's a great idea.

Yeah. Well, let's get to our first question of the day here on Core Christianity. Hi, my name is Rose.

I'm from LA. Is it okay for a Christian to get a prostate surgery? Thank you.

Hey, Rose, thank you for calling us. I mean, you know, the Bible doesn't specifically address this. I wouldn't personally bind someone's conscience on this as a minister. I'd probably just, if they were asking me, encourage them to consider, you know, why am I doing this? I mean, there are different kinds of obviously, plastic surgery.

So what is behind this? Am I discontent? Is this vanity? Am I consumed by my image and what other people think of me? I think that's where the conversation should go. We're called as followers of Jesus Christ to fix our eyes upon him and to pursue godliness. And I think we live in a culture in a society today that puts too much value on the externals, things that I'm wearing, on the way that I look. And that becomes the focus. And sadly, a lot of times we neglect our spiritual well-being.

You know, Paul said in 1 Timothy chapter 2, likewise, verse 9, women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness with good works. You see the focus there? It's not that beauty is bad.

No, not at all. But the question is, what is our focus? What's consuming us? In a culture and in a world where the focus tends to be how I look, how I'm presenting myself, and not that modesty, that self-control, that respectability, if you will. I think that should challenge us. And so I would just say to whoever was considering this, ask yourself those kinds of questions. It's not my job as a pastor to try to speak very clearly in places where the scriptures have not spoken very clearly. And there are some issues that are, I think, a matter of conscience.

And so you have to really determine for yourself by praying, by considering some of the things that I've said, whether or not this is a good idea, and whether or not it would be honoring to the Lord. And Rose, of course there are different reasons. For some people, it's just wanting to look a different way and feeling like if I do this, I'm going to be more beautiful. For other people, I mean, there are all sorts of reasons.

It could have been an accident that someone was in, and now there's some sort of reconstructive surgery or something like that. And so we really, I think, have to consider what's happening, why we're doing it, and whether or not we're honoring the Lord, prioritizing the things that He prioritizes as we're asking these questions. Rose, thank you so much for your question. We pray that you will make the right decision, or your friend, whoever is considering this. This is Core Christianity with pastor Adriel Sanchez.

Virginia posted this on our Twitter account. She says, I've always been told that Jesus was God, but some Jehovah's Witnesses showed me, Philippians 2, where it says that Jesus didn't consider Himself equal to God. Now I am doubting. How do I make sense of this passage? I think probably what's happening there is it sounds like whoever these Jehovah's Witnesses are actually taking Philippians 2 out of context, and in particular the verse that they're referring to. Let's start with verse 5. Paul says, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but He emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant. Being born in the likeness of men and being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Now a couple of things here that are really important. First, in the context, it's not that Jesus doesn't consider Himself to be equal with God. It's actually the opposite. It's being equal with God. He humbled Himself. He humbled Himself and assumed humanity. Now that doesn't mean that He stopped being equal with the Father. As the divine person, He's always equal in power and in glory.

He's one in essence with the Father. And yet, in the incarnation, He humbled Himself. He came to earth for us and for our salvation, and it's that humility that the Apostle Paul is referring to here, and that's why he says in verse 5, Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus. Our Savior humbled Himself by assuming humanity to the point of death, even death on a cross, and as a result, He was highly exalted, and at the name of Jesus, every tongue is going to confess that He is Lord, every knee is going to bow. You know what's so interesting about that is actually Paul there in Philippians 2 is quoting from the Old Testament. He's quoting from Isaiah chapter 45 verse 23. God says, By Myself I have sworn, from My mouth has gone out in righteousness, a word that shall not return. To Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.

I see what's happening here, Virginia. Actually, this passage does the exact opposite of what the Jehovah's Witnesses claim. Not only does it teach that Jesus is equal with the Father, but here Paul is quoting from Isaiah 45 where it says every knee is going to bow before God, the Lord Jehovah, and he's attributing that verse to Jesus. Now if Jesus was not God, that would be impossible, and if Paul didn't think that Jesus was God, he would never say that, and so that's what I would point out to your friend who's a Jehovah's Witness as you continue to have these discussions.

Thanks for your question. You know, Adriel, I think a lot of evangelical Christians don't feel adequately prepared when talking to a Jehovah's Witness or a Mormon. What would you recommend for all of us to be able to have those conversations and point them to the scriptures that truly apply to their beliefs?

Yeah, I remember there was a point, probably the first year I started walking with the Lord, and my faith really being challenged because Jehovah's Witnesses would come to my door, and of course I'm a newer Christian, so I'm excited to talk about the Bible, and they would do just what they did to Virginia right there. They would take a passage of scripture, and they would sort of twist it and misinterpret it, and of course they have their own Bible. It's called the New World Translation that does twist the scriptures, and in many places where the Bible clearly shows that Jesus is God, they've changed the wording here or there, or they've taken away a word or added a word to undermine, I think, the true interpretation of the scriptures. And so I was really struggling with this, and for me, at least personally, Bill, it was continuing to dig into the Word, to read the scriptures every day and to see how they testified to the divinity of Jesus Christ, and it really is everywhere in the Bible. You could prove the deity of Christ from the Old Testament and the New Testament from the Old Testament through these prophecies that we get. You think of Isaiah chapter 9, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. You have it right there, and read the Gospel of John over and over again, the deity of Christ is affirmed in the Gospel of John. But if you're looking for a resource that's going to help point you to specific passages, we have several over at corechristianity.com.

We actually have a four-week Bible study called Jesus is God, and that one is really going to take you to all the relevant Bible passages and highlight why it is that the Church for 2,000 years has embraced this doctrine. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez, and we want to help as many people as possible gain a clearer understanding of the Gospel, and we do that through this radio show, the questions we answer, the articles on our website, the different resources we produce. But you know, we can't do it without your help.

That's right, Bill. You know, we're a listener-supported program, and if you've benefited and been encouraged by the answers to the questions about the Christian faith that you hear on Core Christianity, we would like to ask you to please consider sending a gift now to help us continue. As a thank you for your gift of $20 or more, we'll send you our new resource, How to Read the Bible. This is a resource that shows you how to answer some of the most important questions you hear us answer on the show. Most importantly, this resource will help you answer questions about the Bible and how its grand message points to Jesus. The How to Read the Bible resource introduces you to the history of the Bible, key concepts that help tie the Old Testament and the New Testament together, and key ideas from the main sections of the Bible.

Each weekly lesson includes selected passages from the Bible, reflection questions, and explanations of the key themes every Christian should know about the Bible as a whole. You can also call us for that resource at 833-The-Core. That's 1-833-843-2673. And on behalf of everybody here at Core Radio, we really do thank you for your support.

Hi, this is Tyler from Montague, California. I had a question for Adriel. If God's love is unconditional, why does it seem that he gets so angry with Israel that he judges them by sending them into exile? I don't know. To me, that doesn't really seem like unconditional love. I'd love to get an answer for that. Thank you.

Hey, Tyler, thanks for your question. It's very clear throughout the Scriptures that when God set his love on Israel under the Old Covenant, that it really had nothing to do with anything that they did or would do. I mean, Deuteronomy 7, verse 7, God says to them, it wasn't because you were greater than any of the other nations or more numerous that I set my love upon you.

It wasn't that you were special. I think of Hosea, for example, when God paints this amazing picture of calling Israel to himself, and he describes her as struggling in her blood. I mean, just basically near death, there was nothing she had, nothing she contributed to God's call on her, and yet God came. And in his mercy, unconditionally set his love upon Israel. And so the question is, why does he judge her? Is that unconditional love? And what I would say is, maybe our definition of love here isn't entirely accurate. Actually, I would say that the exile was, in fact, a sign of God's love. Proverbs chapter 3, verse 11, God says, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. God's discipline of his people is a symbol, a sign of the reality of his love. The author of the Hebrews talked about this in Hebrews chapter 12.

Listen to what he says. Verse 3, consider him who endured from sin or such hostility against himself so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood, and you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons. My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him, for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son whom he receives.

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom the Father does not discipline?

But if you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Why does God judge Israel? Why does he discipline her? Well, it's his love.

It's his goodness, and it's the same for each and every one of us. You know, I think part of the problem, and this is just true in our broader society today, we have such a poor definition of love. It is assumed by so many, especially outside of the church in our culture, that love means just affirming me in whatever I want to do and sort of saying, cool, that's good for you, I love you, and go ahead and do whatever you want, that kind of a thing. Love doesn't challenge. Well, the fact of the matter is, is true love does challenge. I would be a horrible father if my children were going off and doing things that I knew was harmful for them, but I was unwilling to discipline them, and I just said, I'm going to let you do that because I love you and I don't want to intervene.

I'm just going to let you do whatever you want. No, that's not love. That's hatred. God loves his children, and when God judged Israel, it wasn't because he didn't have unconditional love for Israel and he didn't set his love on them just purely by his grace and goodness and mercy. It was because he was calling them back to himself. The chastisement, the discipline of the Lord is always meant to bring us to repentance, to lead us back to him, and it's a sign of his love. And so, Tyler, I would say God's love is totally unconditional. When he disciplines, when he chastises Israel, when he sends them into exile, that's not contradicting his love, actually. That's a part of how his love is established.

It's because he's a good father that he disciplines his wayward children. Thanks for your question. Thanks, Tyler. We appreciate so much you getting in touch with us. By the way, our number once again, if you've got a question, is 833-843-2673.

That's 833-THE-CORE. This is CORE Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. Adriel, Derek posted this on our Facebook account. He says, I keep hearing competing ideas about sanctification. One side says it's just like justification by grace alone through faith alone.

The other side says we need to pursue it. And even though it ultimately depends on the Spirit, we still contribute something to the process. But if I contribute something, isn't this salvation by works? But if I don't need to pursue holiness, it sounds like it's optional.

Can you help me sort all this out? Can we pursue sanctification in a way that isn't trying to earn it by works? Yeah.

Hey, thanks for your question, Derek. Well, there are similarities and differences between justification and sanctification. The similarity would be that they're both works of God. Now, differences are justification is a definitive act. It's something that happens in a moment. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we are justified and declared righteous. Our sins are forgiven. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is given to us, imputed to us. That's the sort of technical term that we sometimes use. And that's done.

That's a done deal. Now, the person who is justified by the grace of God in this act, if you will, of salvation, as God justifies us, is also going to be sanctified. And that's a process. That's not necessarily this definitive act that happens just at a moment in time. That's something that as Christians throughout our entire Christian life, we're growing in grace. We're being inwardly renewed and transformed more and more into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ by the grace of God.

It's not like it's something that I'm doing by pulling myself up by the bootstraps and I'm transforming myself. No, even this is a work of God and a work of the Holy Spirit. And so insofar as they're both works of God, works of the Holy Spirit, they're similar, but insofar as justification is a completed act done whereby I'm forgiven and receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and sanctification is this process over time of inward renewal. They're distinct.

They're different. So we don't want to confuse the two, even though they're both works of God or acts of God. Now, related to sanctification, you've asked, well, does that mean that we have to pursue it and strive after? And is there a contradiction there?

If I'm pursuing sanctification, is it working for my salvation? Well, I think the best place to go for this is in Philippians 2, verses 12 and 13. And Paul made it very clear there. He said, Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now not only in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Whoa. I mean, you hear that and you just think, okay, I better get to work. Work out my salvation with fear and trembling. But then listen to what he says in the very next verse. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. In other words, that pursuit of holiness that we're talking about, Derek, in sanctification, it's still, even though it's something that you're the subject of, you're pursuing holiness. We all are called to pursue holiness.

We're not called to be lazy in the Christian life. We're called to diligently seek after the Lord and pursue holiness together with the people of God. But even that, this is the marvelous thing, even that, Derek, is the work of God in you. The desire in you, the willing and the working for God's good pleasure, that's God working in you for his glory and grace. And so it's this beautiful picture of, yes, we're pursuing these things in sanctification, but we're totally dependent upon the Lord.

He's at work in us. And so this isn't salvation by works, me pulling myself up by the bootstraps. It's salvation by the work of God still. Now, again, our justification is not dependent upon our sanctification. You're not becoming more justified because you're growing in holiness.

No, you're justified by the righteousness of Christ that's given to you. But that day-to-day inward renewal, that sanctification, we're growing more and more into the image of Jesus. We're drawing near to the Lord. Every day, it's what God calls us to as believers, as followers of Jesus. As that happens, even that is a work of the Lord. So I would say to you, Derek, pursue holiness. It's just what the scriptures say.

You see that in Hebrews. Pursue holiness. Pursue those things that you know are right. Be in a good church. Study the scriptures. Pray. Seek to do good to all people, especially to those of the household of faith.

I mean, pursue this diligently. But know that it's the Lord who's working in you, giving you the desire even to will and to work for His good pleasure. And insofar as that's the case, this isn't something that you're doing on your own, working for your salvation. Pursue no, this is the work of God's Spirit in you. Thanks for your question. Great question. You're listening to Core Christianity with Pastor Adrian Sanchez, and you can email us with your question at questions at corechristianity.com.

That's exactly what Brad did. And he has a question about a specific passage of scripture. He says in Numbers 21, God sends down fiery serpents to bite the complaining Israelites. As I was reading this, I thought to myself, does God get frustrated? Is frustration a sin? There is no sin in God, and neither does He sin. I understand this, but how would one properly explain these passages in regard to His holiness? I see that Jesus uses the same story in regards to looking to Him for salvation.

Is this the reason the incident took place, just so Jesus could use it during His earthly ministry? Okay, this is such a big question, and I'm just going to say, Brad, we probably don't have the time to go into it really deep, as I would like to, so feel free to follow up with this if you want. But really, the answer to your question is no. God does not get frustrated. This is the doctrine of what's called divine impassibility. It's a part of our classic understanding of who God is. Impassable doesn't mean that God is the ultimate gold offender who cannot be scored on.

Passable here is from the Latin word passio, which means to suffer. God cannot suffer. He is not overwhelmed like we are by external circumstances. It's a doctrine that's a qualification on what we might call God's emotions, quote, unquote. God is not like us. He doesn't get overwhelmed.

And you know what? That should be a comfort to you and to me. There was a theologian who wrote a book, one book in particular called Rejoicing and Lament. It's his own struggle with incurable cancer as he thinks about his diagnosis, wrestling through that diagnosis. And he says when he was going through his chemotherapy treatment, it was this doctrine that was so comforting. We don't need a God who is like us, a God who is overwhelmed with problems and gets frustrated. We need a God who conquers the things that overwhelm us.

Jesus crucified to conquer our sin and the death that overwhelms us. Thanks for listening to Core Christianity. To request your copy of today's special offer, visit us at CoreChristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833-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.