Will There Be Different Cultures in Heaven?

Will there be different cultures in heaven, or will we all be the same? 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. That's 1-833-843-2673. Now's the time to call.

Our phone lines will be open for the next 25 minutes or so. You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts. You can watch us on YouTube, and you can email us with your question at questionsatcorechristianity.com. First up today, let's go to Dee in Bakersfield, California. Dee, welcome to the program.

Thank you. I have a question. How can we combat what's happening today in America? Is there something we can learn from the Israelites, and biblically speaking, even scripture I could refer to to rescue our nation?

Hey, Dee, thank you so much for that question. I know that a lot of people right now are struggling and concerned, have deep concerns about things that are happening. I really, first and foremost, like to point people to the hope that we have in the gospel and the confidence that you can have, that we can have as Christians in the fact that Christ is going to continue to build his kingdom no matter what. I go back to the words of Jesus to Peter, that promise that he made to Peter in Matthew 16 verse 18. Jesus said, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against her. That's a promise that we have from the lips of our Lord Jesus. Now, we don't know whether the gates of hell will prevail against the earthly nations of this world, but we do know that the gates of hell will never prevail against the kingdom of God, which he is advancing in every nation of this world.

That's something, I think, Dee, that we should first and foremost be comforted by. Our citizenship is primarily in heaven. Paul talks about this in Philippians chapter 3, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't not care about the things that are happening around us. So I would say, one, you can rest your hope in Christ and in what he's doing, advancing the gospel here and throughout the world, but you also want to pray.

Pray for the governing authorities here in this country. Paul made that absolutely clear in 1 Timothy chapter 2. He said, first of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now, there was ungodly leadership there in Paul's day, in the days of the apostles. They were persecuted for their faith, for preaching Jesus and the gospel, and yet they're continually encouraged to pray for those ungodly leaders. It doesn't matter whether or not we agree with a person's party or political positions, we should pray for them and pray ultimately that God would pour out his grace in their lives so that they might come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. That's precisely what Paul told Timothy there in 1 Timothy chapter 2. I think you want to have hope. I think you want to pray with confidence to the Lord for this country and for the leaders here in this country. That's something I would say, and this is something that we often don't think about. I would say be loving and hospitable to your neighbors. You want to see some change around you?

I think that's key. Listen to what Peter said in 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 7. He says, the end of all things is at hand. In other words, things are pretty bad out there. The end of all things is at hand.

4. Here's how we should live as Christians in light of this. Be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins.

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. I love that exhortation there, not to grumble. It's so easy for us as believers to get frustrated with the way things are going, to begin to grumble, to be upset. Peter here says, look, things are difficult, but let's love one another. Let's be sober-minded, vigilant, prayerful, hospitable, sharing the love of Christ that we have with the people around us, with our neighbors. That's what we're called to do. And so we have hope, we pray for this country, for the governing authorities, and we extend the love of Jesus to our neighbors. That's what we're called to do.

Thank you for your question. You know, Adriel, one of the translations of that verse that I love is love one another deeply from the heart. And boy, isn't that a great calling, first of all, for our fellow believers in the body of Christ, but then also, as you mentioned, for our neighbors. Yeah, for all people. I mean, we're called to love people regardless of what their viewpoints on politics are or, you know, their cultural background, whatever it is.

This is what we're called to. You think about the parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus gave. One of the ways that God exhibited his love to us so clearly is in loving his enemies, in those who weren't friendly toward him, if you will. That's each and every one of us prior to our salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul made that absolutely clear in Romans chapter five. God demonstrates his love for us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And if God loved us that way, we ought to love one another.

Amen. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. Here's the number to call if you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

It's 833-THE-CORE. We're waiting to hear from you right now. 1-833-843-2673. We should also mention that our program airs on a delay on some radio stations, so you might hear it at a different time of day. But if you want to call and talk to Pastor Adriel live, here are the times to call. You want to call at 1130 Pacific time, 1230 Mountain, 1230 Central, or 230 Eastern time.

During that half hour period, we take your calls live, or you can, of course, leave a message on our voicemail at 833-THE-CORE. Here's a voicemail we received yesterday from one of our listeners about turning the other cheek. Here's a question. When Jesus tells you to turn the other cheek, if someone hits you to turn the other cheek, does he mean turn the other cheek and let them hit you again, or does he mean like turn the other cheek, meaning like get out the way duck? Thank you.

I love you. Hey, thanks for that question. I used to take boxing classes. I don't think Jesus is teaching boxing classes here.

He's not, you know, doing the bob and weave thing, you know, if somebody tries to hit you, turn the, you know, duck, move out of the way. No, that's not what he's saying. I mean, he's talking again, and we were just speaking about this with the previous question, what it looks like for us as believers to love our enemies, even those who persecute us. Now, the language here might be a little bit hyperbolic, exaggerated, we might say, you know, as Jesus is really saying, if somebody punches you in the face, make sure that you turn the other cheek so that they get a good hit on the other side of your face as well.

I don't know that that's the case. Earlier in this same sermon that Jesus gave, we're talking about the Sermon on the Mount here, when Jesus was talking about lust, he says, you've heard that it was said you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. And then he goes on to say if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

And I don't think Jesus is saying you literally need to amputate your hand there. I think he's using powerful language to express how serious we need to take sin. We need to wage war against the sin that's in our own hearts.

And so that's what's happening here. And I think with this language about retaliation in Matthew chapter five, beginning in verse 38, Jesus is again using powerful language to express how it is that we should treat our enemies as followers of Jesus Christ. I'll read the passage. You've heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

Give to the one who begs from you and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. I love the words of Jesus here. I'm going to just continue in verse 43 says you have heard that it was said you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your father who is in heaven, for he makes his son rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. Jesus is saying, look, if you just love the people who love you, your friends, the folks that are easy to love, you get along, no real tension there.

Well, everyone does that. The sinners do that. What should be distinct about my followers is they don't just love the people that are easy to love, they love even their enemies. And that's what Jesus is encouraging there in this passage of scripture. And what an encouragement for us today.

We desperately need to hear this. I think it's so easy for us when we feel persecuted, when we feel like someone has done something to harm us, to retaliate, to say an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. It just feels so natural, feels so right, it feels just. And Jesus says, don't do that. When you're being persecuted, especially for what you believe, for faith in my name, no, no, don't do that. Love your enemy.

Pray for those who persecute you. And isn't that precisely what Jesus did with his enemies, including us? He prayed for us, he redeemed us, he extended his grace and forgiveness to us. And so what an encouragement. Again, this isn't Jesus teaching us how to do the bob and weave. This is his encouragement to us to love our enemies. Amen. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez.

Let's go to Val calling in from Oklahoma City. Val, what's your question for Pastor Adriel? Hello, Pastor Adriel. I'd like to know if there are any scriptures that talk about our purpose here on God's plan for us.

Yeah, well, there are. You know, broadly speaking, I would say even just looking at the early chapters of Genesis, where it talks about humanity, mankind made in the image of God, male and female. Now with that, there's this sort of sense of, you know, we're responsible human beings, you know, we're able to relate to God, we have a will, you know, emotions, all of these things. But even beyond that, there's this sense of calling. God called Adam and Eve there in the garden of Eden to represent him.

They're sort of like his royal representatives. And in that, they're called to procreate, actually, in Genesis chapter one, and also to take dominion over the creation. Now, the way that that's sort of parsed out in the New Testament is as the word of God advanced in the book of Acts, you know, the church was fruitful and multiplied, if you will. So as the gospel advances in the world, the kingdom of God advances in the world, and that's what we're all called to, to participate in our own lives and our own vocations and in different ways with however God has called us to serve and to honor him. But we're called, rather, to imitate God, to glorify him. That's the chief end of man, to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. That's what we're called to, I would say specifically, and we can do that in all sorts of different things.

You don't have to be a pastor or a missionary to go and do that. In our normal day-to-day jobs, we're called to reflect the goodness and glory of God by serving as unto the Lord in whatever it is that God called us to do or to be, whether you're a stay-at-home mom or whether you're doing a nine-to-five in construction, that kind of a thing. Whatever it is that we're doing, we're able to glorify God and to enjoy him.

Broadly speaking, that's what I would say. More specifically, God has given us his word, his law, ultimately, his revealed will to guide us so that we might know how to live. Sometimes people are saying, what's the will of God for me specifically in my life? Does God want me to make this decision or that decision? A lot of times, we just have to exercise wisdom as we study the Scriptures, as we're guided by the Spirit. We exercise wisdom with those day-to-day decisions, but we allow the Word of God to lead us, ultimately, because he reveals there what his will is for our lives. Ultimately, it's to love him.

It's to love our neighbors. If we're doing that, I would say we're walking in the will of the Lord. That's how I'd approach this question.

Was there something, Val, are you thinking more specifically? How can I know specifically what God's will is for this particular situation? No, you really answered it very, very clearly. I was always confused by, what is our real purpose here?

What should we do? You answered it very well. Hey, thanks, Val.

Appreciate that. Just view your purpose as I exist to glorify God, to know him and to enjoy him. That's what God calls us all to. Whatever it is that you're doing, that's what God calls us to. Thank you, brother, for your call, and may the Lord bless you and enable you to do that day by day. Thank you. Val, thanks so much for your call and for being a regular listener of Core Christianity. We really do appreciate it. Well, we have a brand new Bible study we want to tell you about.

It's very cool. It's on a book that actually trips a lot of people up. It's on the final book of the Bible, Revelation. I am so excited about this new Bible study that we're offering to you on the book of Revelation. This was written for Bible study groups, Sunday school classes and minds, but you can really go through it in a more informal gathering or even on your own by yourself. Questions like, how should Christians discern the signs of the times? Why hasn't Jesus Christ returned yet?

Who is the antichrist, and what's going to happen at the final judgment? Really, really important questions that it's important for us to find answers to. Written by actually a professor that I had in seminary, a man named Dennis Johnson. I just loved him as a professor. It was really a privilege to be able to learn from him. I'm really excited about this research. Let me just say one thing about Dr. Johnson, the man who wrote this booklet, this offer. One of the professors that I had in seminary, when he would talk about Jesus as he was lecturing, tears would just well up in his eyes because he just had a love for the Lord.

That's the kind of guy he is. I really want you to get ahold of this resource. It's available for a gift of $20 or more.

It's gifts like that that help us to stay on the air. Get ahold of this Revelation study. All you have to do to request it is go to our website, corechristianity.com forward slash revelation, or you can call us at 833-843-2673. Again, corechristianity.com forward slash revelation, or call us at 833-the-core.

Let's go to a voicemail that we received yesterday about what's going to happen in heaven. Yes. Is there a difference between the Book of Life and the Lamb's Book of Life? If you could expand on that, I would appreciate it.

I'll just be really quick with this. I don't think that there's a difference between the Book of Life and the Lamb's Book of Life. You have them referred to in various places in the Book of Revelation. Talk about the Lamb's Book of Life in Revelation 21 verse 27, in Revelation 13 verse 8, and then the Book of Life, just called that in Revelation 20 verse 15 and Revelation 17 verse 8. What's being emphasized there is that the Book of Life is this one book, but it belongs to both the Father and the Son, if you will.

There's this oneness. The Lamb's Book of Life, the Book of Life. What's so interesting is you look at the Book of Revelation, and over and over again, Jesus shares not just the Book of Life, if you will, with the Father, but even the throne of God to him who sits on the throne and unto the Lamb.

The people are praising Jesus and the Father. It's the throne of God and of the Lamb, we're told, Revelation 22 verse 3. The language there with the Book of Life, the Lamb's Book of Life, just highlights the fact that Jesus has the authority, unity, power together with the Father. That's one thing I would take from that.

I guess that little distinction, but there's no difference, I would say, between the Lamb's Book of Life and the Book of Life. Thanks. You're listening to Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez. We'd love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life, you can call us at 833-THE-CORE. That's 1-833-843-2673. Let's go to Kim in Omaha, Nebraska. Kim, what's your question for Pastor Adriel?

Yes, sir. I happen to have been one of the people in Texas who went through the storm. I was in a pretty small town. It is by the grace of God that the Army National Guard found me and took me to safety. I'm so sorry to get emotional. Through it all, I ran. I'm just so thankful that I have my life. Now there's this issue with the electricity. I was without, and I like so many others, now they're gouging.

We're talking hundreds of dollars. They won't send me the information I need for that month, and I feel in my heart I know why, but I am so angry with them. I feel a hatred in my heart, and I'm not supposed to. What they're doing is so wrong. Kim, one, I do thank the Lord for His grace. You said it's only by the grace of God, and I thank the Lord for His grace in your life, for protecting you, for preserving you. When things like this happen, first being able to say, Lord, thank you for your mercy, but now being taken advantage of, those kinds of injustices, they're horrible.

I'm so sorry. There can be this bitterness, this hatred that begins to brew up in our hearts. Of course, we know as Christians we're called to forgive. I was just reading those passages of Scripture earlier in Matthew's Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus talks about forgiving, even those who harm us, even those who persecute us. Now that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pursue justice here, the right thing, but I don't want that bitterness and that hatred to brew in you and be harmful for you.

So I think the pathway is saying, okay, how can I pursue justice here, the right course, while also not allowing the bitterness and the anger to control me? And ultimately, we just need more of the grace of God. And so, Kim, again, I'm so thankful that you called, and I just want to take this opportunity to pray for you right now and for everyone who's listening right now to pray with me for you. First, Lord, we thank you for preserving Kim's life, and we thank you, Lord, for your hand of grace and hand of protection that is on her. We pray for wisdom for her, Lord, as she navigates how to deal with this situation, the bills, the electric bills, those kinds of things that she's been receiving. Lord, would you provide for each and every one of her needs, and would you fill her heart even right now, Lord Jesus, with your peace, with your love, with the sense of the fact that you are Lord, that you control all things, that you see her right where she is, right here, right now, that you love her, Lord, and that you will never leave her or forsake her. Lord, we ask for wisdom for her. We ask for your provision again and for your continued peace. Thank you for her, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Thanks so much, Kim, and we will continue to pray for you in your situation. This is Core Christianity with Pastor Adriel Sanchez.

One of the ways you can ask a question is by leaving a voicemail at 833-THE-CORE, and here's a voicemail that came in yesterday. Yes, so my question would be about the passage and revelation about every tribe, tongue, and nation coming together and worshipping our Lord together. My question about that would be, what's going on with that? Does that mean that we retain a part of our culture? How much of our unique individual cultures do we collectively retain and how much we don't? Yeah, so if you could kind of elaborate on what that is and what that means, that would be awesome.

Thank you so much. Yeah, I mean, it does seem like when you read that text in Revelation chapter 7, there is a part of our individual culture that is retained, if you will. I mean, John, as he has this vision of heaven, of worship around the throne of God, he says, standing before the throne of God and of the Lamb, clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. And so John is able to discern these different cultures there in heaven, nations, languages, tribes, tongues, all of these things.

And I think it's this really just beautiful picture. Ultimately, even what we should strive for here on earth, I mean, this kind of unity in diversity around what? Not our political affiliation, you know, not what kind of food we like, that kind of a thing, but around the throne of God and of the Lamb.

God, his salvation, his mercy should bring together sinners from all different tribes, tongues and nations who have experienced the forgiveness, the mercy, the goodness of God. And so now to what extent, you know, what percentage of our culture, you know, like what's going to be brought in? I don't know. I don't think we have a clear answer. I certainly hope that Mexican food is a part of the new creation and not just Mexican food, but I mean, all of it, because it's just so good. And so we don't really know.

But we do know that those things aren't necessarily erased. We're around God's throne, worshipping him forever. And what a joy it's going to be. 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 program and be sure to join us next time as we explore the truth of God's word together.