What Does it Mean to “Make Disciples of All Nations”?

What does it mean to make disciples of all nations.

That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will handle Meyer along with pastor Gabriel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answered your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. Here's our phone number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 if you get a busy signal. You can always leave a voicemail that number and here's our email address as well.

If you'd like to shoot us an email. It's questions at core, Christianity.com burst up today. Here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Becky sorry return to his father.

How he also father and pray for and against both you so my question is if he had not lined God would give up on. Is there a timeline where God gives up on center.

You know that that question is one a terrifying one when you think about it, really, because you know, for God to give up on so it is absolutely hopeless, then God is our only hope when it comes to our sins and we can wash our own sins away.

We need the Lord and I think that there are a lot of believers and maybe Becky think this is something you're wrestling with yourself and there a lot of genuine Christians who feel like a man of sending in in some way. I wonder if God is just can give up on me and I still II struggle with the same sin even over and over again.

I hate it. I pray for forgiveness, but I'm but I'm almost growing tired of asking for forgiveness for the same thing because I feel like this is there a real struggle that I face is God getting give up on me and NTU to that person. I would say no. There is an ocean of mercy for you and the father is always calling us back home, back to repentance. And so that's that's the good news.

I think I think you know when we come to Jesus. Jesus is in John six, when it comes to me I will in no ways cast out, but he doesn't turn us away we go to him broken and contrite of of spirit, saying, Lord, have mercy upon me, even if before asking for forgiveness for the same thing we struggle with all week all month all year. We go to him in faith.

Does forgive us that's a promise that we have in the word now. Are there some individuals who the Lord just just gives up bonhomie and I think about the false teachers in the Gospels that the scribes and the Pharisees.

Jesus talked about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, or in Romans in the early chapters of Romans where it talks about this hardening that Takes Pl. in God giving people up to their own sinful desires. Think there are examples of that in Scripture, but that individual has no interest in God has no desire to serve Jesus or to know Jesus. In fact, when they hear you know the voice of the Spirit through Scripture, convicting them of sin and calling them home. They shut their ears, they turn and run. They shake their fist and and that person who continues to do that they harden their hearts against the Lord and in I think that there are individuals that okay will are just as you've made your decision, but we don't know who that is and and you know what we do when that has taken place and so I think I think for our part, were always praying that individuals would turn to the Lord and experience his grace and in even those individuals with a boy that person is so far gone they must be so hardened that God is given up on them.

We think us all in.

In the New Testament Saul of Tarsus persecuting the church, dragging men, women and children to prison persecuting them for their faith in Jesus Christ, you look at that guy there when Stephen was being stoned martyred in the book of acts, and he he's there helping out with you know Stephen's execution that's somebody who boy the Lord is probably given up on that guy. That guy's heart is so hard and yet the gospel was able to turn his heart of stone into a heart of flesh, and he came to repentance by the grace of the Holy Spirit. So you never know what God is going to do and so I would say we don't give up on people week we trusted the Lord is able to bring people to himself and that whenever anyone turns to the Lord there's there's hope. God bless and follow-up.

Sometimes it's easy for us as believers to want to give up on someone you know they just seem like there so far from God or completely rejecting him thumbing their nose at him and we just want to say you know off with her head quickly dismissed them, and yet know the like you say with Paul. What if those early believers had just you know just thrown him to the wolves know he God reached out to him in a powerful way and he came to repentance. So yes, it's possible for anyone right amen yeah and it's only possible by the grace of God.

And so, so we do, we continue to pray. We continue to have hope. I mean, that's� That's that's a key and I priest of the bring this up because I think it's it's easy for us to look at people they know sinners out there who sin in ways differently than we do and I think boy guy just just bring your judgment on those people already can't you know can't stand what they're doing to society into the culture and whatnot all that's that's our mission field, brothers and sisters those of the people who God is welcoming in middle back home. The prodigal's if you will, through the gospel and so were called were called to have hope and not just to have hope, but did to preach the gospel to share the love of Christ with with the people that that oftentimes we look at. We think all men hopeless situation. Let us move on. No, there is no family were talking about the power the Holy Spirit here and so we have great reason for confidence and and should be encouraged. Anytime we share the gospel with someone else. Remember, this is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez.

Let's go to Dawn and so Beth Arkansas Don, what's your question for a drill hole on the injuries were about to separate the spirit of the sharp sword. It talks about fair, but it also talks about the rich man who was going will live and be merry and and God chose to write your soul required is the sole I understand there's a difference a little bit difference between soul and spirit, but is the sole kind of a not a protective entity of God, but you understand what I'm saying.

This question is it's it's it's called the trichotomous view of man or the dichotomous view of of man will and in other words, what one of the constituent parts of the human person. We made up of a body soul and spirit. Three parts. The trichotomous view or body and soul/spirit. In other words, soul and spirit being interchangeable and sometimes in the test menu to have all three mentioned in first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 23, for example, Paul says now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes the whole person is is referred to is just body and soul. You see this in Matthew chapter 10 verse 28 or body and spirit. First Corinthians chapter 7 verse 23. Those in the intermediate state that is those who have died and gone to be in the presence of the Lord are sometimes called souls, and then there sometimes referred to as spirits. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 23 Revelation chapter 6 verse nine.

So I'm of the opinion about it, soul and spirit can be used interchangeably and that we have the whole person is his body and so that would help. One of the issues here and I having think the key thing to recognize is that there's more to us than than meets the eye. If you were made in the image of God.

The whole person, body and soul in our and our bodies just as much as our souls are are good and are the objects of redemption of it is why we believe in the resurrection of the body in the new creation is not like the body is bad and and unspiritual if you will, and spirit is good and God in salvation is delivering us from our corrupt bodies. Knowing salvation God is restoring everything and and ultimately on the last day going to transform everything including our bodies, and so it that's this a great hope that we have and I would see those passages, the ones that I just mentioned as suggesting that spirit and soul can be used interchangeably in the Scripture. Thank you for your question on a non-thanks for calling and thanks for of listing the core. Christianity is a Facebook question that came in from one of our listeners named Michael he says I believe I become an alcoholic. I struggle every night to refrain from drinking. Paul says drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. What should I do. Let's first take a moment to pray for Michael who is shared this with us. Dear heavenly father, I want to live Michael up to you right now and ask Lord for your grace, your spirit to fill his life. Sounds like he's in the midst of a very serious battle maybe maybe maybe struggling also with feelings of guilt and shame going back to this idol really Lord and not having victory and so I pray Lord Jesus that you would strengthen him.

I pray Lord Jesus that you would help him to know your grace to know the forgiveness of sins and also Lord to know the sweetness of Christian community fellowship to get accountability in the help that he needs in this fight that he wouldn't be alone, but that there would be others brothers who he can lean on and who could encourage him and walk with him in the midst of this, this difficulty, and so would you please be with Michael right now and would you please strengthen him, restore him and deliver him Lord from from this addiction.

We pray in Jesus name, amen. I mean this is obviously you know very seriously.

You mentioned what what the apostle Paul says we know according to Scripture that drunkenness is indeed a sin and engaging in drunkenness and being consumed with drunkenness may Paul says in Ephesians 5. Don't be drunk with wine, but be filled with the spirit. It sounds to me like you're at the point right now or you feel like I'm not being led by the spirit in my life. Instead of being controlled by this this other substance by alcohol, so I thank you for opening up about that and and even confessing it. If you will use the first thing you need to do is confess it as a sin before the Lord I if you've done that right to receive the forgiveness it's for you even if you're struggling and it's a battle and you feel this temptation.

If you go and take this to Jesus and say God help forgive me. He does forgive you but you also need more than just asking for forgiveness of sin in a situation like this, you do need help. You need people around you who you can be honest with organ hold you accountable you Jesus that if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off if if this is something where you just don't have control self-control then you need to be wise in not putting yourself in situations where this is going to be a serious temptation when there are there are very practical steps you take any.

Confess your sins, you receive the forgiveness of God. Now you are called to follow the Lord and Paul says in Romans six through eight don't know present the members of your bodies as instruments for sin to disobey God, but present your yourself and that the members of your bodies as instruments for righteousness brother your your body is a temple of the true and the living God and with your body want to glorify the Lord and so this is an area where where where you see that you haven't been doing that and I want you to know that the grace of Christ in the forgiveness of crisis for you and you can receive that when you go to him sincerely and please, you know, get get the help that you need whether that's checking into a rehab facility getting involved in something like Alcoholics Anonymous.

Certainly the help of the local church as well. I think is key and if you're not in a in a church, a Christian community that were your we remember your you know your good mirror there. Then you need that is certainly 100% because you know your brothers and sisters. There can also encourage you in this fight were not alone were not meant to live the Christian life and isolation and so that something that you need as well and a bill.

I know that you've worked with with people who struggle with addictions.

I do know what you would add it in in encouragement to Michael and Arthur. The only other thing I would add is there's a wonderful ministry called celebrate recovery. Most most major cities have celebrate recovery groups which meet at local churches and Michael can go online to the celebrate recovery website and find one of those groups. It's basically like an AA with the Christian emphasis so that's the other thing I think that is worth pursuing. So will continue to pray for Michael, thank you for again your your honesty and for making that confession score Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. We want to say thank you to a very special group of people we call them our inner core where we are very grateful for your support in the inner core is is a group that supports of the monthly donation of $25 or more people who believe in the work that were doing and I want to invite you to partner with us as well. If you're if you're someone's been listening the broadcast for a while and you're encouraged by you know the time that we spent together, opening up the Scriptures people calling in with their questions. I'd I do ask that you would prayerfully consider joining the inner core partnering with us not just with your prayers but with resources that help busted to keep doing what were doing.

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To learn more about joining that very special group of people. We do receive emails here core Christianity hears our email address. If you have a question for pastor. Israel it's questions at core, Christianity.com Terry wrote it and says I'm wondering what it looks like to carry out the great commission and make disciples of all nations. I've heard some friends say that the great commission is something that only pastors do and not the average Christian what you think the average Christian does participate in the work of the great commission.

This is something that will all called to, but we have different roles now and I'm guessing that the person that you heard who said he only pastors participate in the great commission. Maybe, maybe they're thinking, well Jesus when he gave the great commission is speaking to his is you know that the inner core. His is disciples there and as of this is just for the pastors that church planters, the teachers, it's not for everybody but the reality is, each and every one of us is gifted uniquely to serve the Lord for the good of the body of Christ for the building up the edification of the body of Christ.

It doesn't get any more clear than the words of the apostle Paul in first Corinthians chapter 12 where he talks about that the church not do this analogy of the body, and he said looking at some people are handsome people. Her feet eyes you know knows years we all play a different part but every single part of the body is vitally important enough there. If there is no ear, where would we hearing be if there is no I where would the seeing be.

I have a role to play as a minister of the gospel in the local church, but the health of the church right it is not just on my shoulder and we got to preach the word of God faithfully, but it's as the body works together with what every joint supplies. Paul says in in Ephesians chapter 4 that the body is built up in love and so let me just say this and I've Artie mentioned again in this something we like to talk about on the broadcast is the importance of the local church if you're saved if you believe in Jesus Christ are united to him by faith are not just joined to Jesus are also joined to his body, and you have a part to play in that body you receive the ministry of the word. The encouragement of other Christians with the gifts that they give, but you also contribute your own gifts fruit for the building up of the body in love and so that that's so important, and that's what discipleship looks like. Discipleship happens when together as the body of Christ were using the gifts that God is given to us to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ and following Jesus and everything that he's commanded when Jesus gave the great commission is going all the world and and make disciples of all nations, baptizing, preaching, teaching to observe everything that I have commanded you.

And and so you might not be a teacher in the church, a pastor, but that doesn't mean that you don't have a very important role to play some time ago I was talking to a friend says years ago now and he and he was saying that that time and in the church that I was a part of.

We had this discipleship plan of you know you're being discipled by someone who is spiritually mature, at least more more mature than you are spiritually speaking in your discipling someone else you know little lower on the totem pole sort of interesting how I don't I do know how we thought this up, but everybody is being discipled and discipling someone else in an discipleship in that context look like you know you grab coffee at Starbucks and you're going to a book of the Bible.

Your studying some Christian material and this friend said I just I have such a hard time with this because I'm I am not really good at teaching sitting down somebody else and trying to lead them through a curriculum that kind of thing that that's is not my gift.

I knew this guy and he was right, that was not his gift. His gift was the gift of Carney Asada that was like he could barbecue like no one else and he and his wife were so hospitable and they would open up their home and it would be full of neighbors and people from the church and and there were a lot of discipleship moments there at his house. He was the one teaching. He was just opening up his home. He was using his gift for the good of the church for the advancement of the gospel for the work of the great commission, even in and it wasn't that he had to teach and preach know he was using his gift of hospitality in each and every one of us are gifted in different ways. God calls us to use those gifts for the good of the body as we do together as a church that the gospel continues to advance and of the mission of the church that Jesus gave to her is accomplished. I would love to go over to his house and get discipled. Could you encourage that the Son of Man I was so sanctified in those days I will, and also little bit heavier so it was that now that meaning it's so wonderful to see that the gifts within the body of Christ being used by love that and so yeah, amen. My mouth is watering think of Connor thought arrived that Mrs. Gore Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez by the way, you can leave us a voicemail 24 hours a day on this number 833.

The core can call over the weekend as well 833-843-2673 and leave your question for us. We try to review our voicemails. Once each day.

Here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Christie when children my grand daughter, he or she is now 21 I had no great recognize I like to do about transitioning their sex. I began my children attended church with me. Yes, I just don't know what to think. There's nowhere and addresses this. Please help Christie. I'm so sorry to hear about the situation when there is a strong delusion, that is out there in society today in media in culture and there's so much confusion about gender about sexuality, about the core of our identity as people today people are rooting their identity in their sexuality, not in the fact that were men and women made in the image of God.

And so the issue is weak. We've gone so far astray. I think from what God says about us as persons and what he calls us to.

And we've imbibed over the last several hundred years. These these new ideologies that that have basically paved the way for for this this belief that you know yeah your you you have you know all the biology of of a man or a woman, but if you just feel differently right a day in your mind will then you can just change your your jam it is just as simple as that and in and at the end of the day that me that this is this is false. That is not true then and there probably you know not just pretend that the same issues but deeper I think psychological issues, and I think Bill you could you could probably speak to that.

At the same time. I think that there really are sicknesses in a mental illnesses gender dysphoria. Those kinds of things that we have the that we have to recognize and and deal with.

I think that's that's rarer than what we see today. I think today is the influence of media and social media, and sometimes as people crying out for help.

Sometimes people crying out for attention and so we need to exercise wisdom we need to to cling to the teaching of the Bible, not just me and I will obviously wait on the truth of the gospel, the forgiveness of sins. But even these are things related to to the human person. The doctrine of man of humanity is about. I just want give you a moment also to chime in because I know of is something you're passionate about, to I think you really nailed it in the past.

Certainly we have had incidents of gender identity disorder gender dysphoria. We still have that and it used to be considered a a rare mental disorder and now you have a a society or culture than in many ways is is celebrating, especially young people's confusion about gender, so much so that we have people you know, opting for sex change. So it's a real troubling issue.

Social dry wood. I would just say, holding fast to the truth. Praying for your family members and having conversations about finding their identity and worth in Jesus and what he's done that blessing. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together