Welcome to the For the Gospel podcast, where we're all about providing sound doctrine for everyday people. My name is Kosti Hinn and I'm your host. And on today's episode, I'm tackling some of the questions you've been sending in. I'll do several more of these in the coming weeks in an effort to trim down the list as we promise to do here throughout the year. I'm really thankful that you trust us with your questions. So keep sending them in either through DM on Instagram or you can email them to info at forthegospel.org. That's infotforthegospel.org. Our team adds them to the queue, and I hammer out about 10 to 20 in every listener QA episode. We've got upwards over a hundred right now still in the queue. So again, I promise to tackle those. And this episode will do that with a good number of those. Number one, what should our opinion be of people who claim to be Christian but have no interest in attending a local church? Should we be skeptical of their faith? First and foremost, really clear answer. Yes, we should be skeptical of their faith, mainly because you can't separate a love for God and a love for his church. Now, I would want to ask them questions like, why? Why don't you have any interest in attending the local church? If they said, Well, I've been abused by a pastor, or I'm just sick and tired of people being hypocrites, or man, I just really struggle with the way that that church does things, well, then you could have a conversation about those things. When those issues are tackled by Scripture, and somebody has a biblical answer to those questions, and they still have no interest in attending a local church, well, then that's why you'd be skeptical of their faith. They're separating love for God, claiming to be a Christian, and then a love for his church. Here's what I would argue the residence of the Holy Spirit in us, that's Ephesians 5.18 being filled, and 1 Corinthians 6.19 being the temple of the Holy Spirit, would mean that the Holy Spirit eventually convicts a true believer about being part of the body of Christ, like 1 Corinthians 12 talks about. If you weren't obeying Jesus and you were a blood-bought saint filled with the Spirit, you're going to be convicted. You won't live your life with no interest in attending the local church. You'll have an interest. You may not think the church is perfect. You may have struggles with people's behavior, but no interest is the mark of an unbeliever. Living out the one another would be a part of being a true Christian. There's over 50 one another's in the New Testament. They have to do with forgiving one another, loving one another, serving one another, bearing the burdens of one another. All of this is evidence of the Holy Spirit's residence in our lives. Someone who's a true believer wants to be accountable to qualified elders. They want to be taught by qualified elders. They want to serve, they want to give, they want to love, they want to forgive. Do we do that perfectly? No. If you find the perfect church, don't go there, you'll ruin it. Because you're a sinner and so am I. We're never going to be perfectly in unity with every single person. Maybe we have past issues with somebody. Maybe we have a history. Maybe there's scars that have been left by battles in the church. That is all true. That does happen. But a genuine believer they have interest in attending the local church. So we can be skeptical of someone who says I love Jesus, I just don't love his people. Number two, why was Rahab's lie justified? This is a great question. Joshua two, verses one to sixteen describes Rahab, she's hiding the spies, and then is asked, you know, where are they? And like a lot of kids' Bible cartoons, you get these scenes where they say, you know, where did they go? And you know, Rahab goes, They went that away, and she points away from where they are, and the soldiers go chasing them. Well, Hebrews 11 31 commends her faith that Rahab was kind. She hid the spies, she helped God's cause. Well, this is kind of a trick question. Why was Abrah why was Rahab's lie justified? It wasn't. Nowhere in the Bible does it commend her for lying. She actually breached the ninth commandment, period. Now did one lie send her to hell? No, no more than your one lie would. She was considered righteous for her faith in God, the God of Israel, and for receiving the spies in Hebrews 11 31. Like David, who's considered a hero of the faith, just because David is a hero doesn't make him perfect, his adultery wasn't justified, his murder, his sin was not justified. You know, the the story of Abraham lying about his wife being his sister, if you ever read that story. Nowhere in the Bible would it justify his lie, and yet Hebrews 11, the hall of faith, if you will, that whole chapter, reckons his obedience to him as righteousness. And so in that sense, what were the Old Testament heroes doing? They were the embodiment of faith in Yahweh. And that was credited to them as righteousness, the same way that we're saved now by having faith in God. And that faith is evidenced through an obedience. That would mean we actually want to follow this God. Well, Rahab helps God's cause and asks to be remembered, and they remember her. In that sense, she's commended. But nowhere in Scripture, friends, is Rahab's lie justified. The real storyline there is that God saved an outsider. There's definitely some foreshadowing going on of how he would eventually save Gentiles and choose to graph them in, but nowhere is her lie justified. Number three, and sort of in that same vein of the people of God. We know that God does not show partiality. How is it not partiality for God to only choose Israel in the Old Testament? It's a great question, but again, we need to dial it in a little more. First, you got the idea of God not showing partiality or not being a respecter of persons. Romans 2, 11 to 16, Peter in Acts 10 34 as well, across the board of Scripture, God is not a respecter of persons. This means that he's not making his decisions based on people's wealth or their social ranking. Next question. We know that God does not show partiality. How is it not partiality for God to only choose Israeli in the Old Testament? Well, it's a good question, but we need to dial it in a little bit more. First, Romans 2, verses 11 to 16 mentions the idea of God not being a respecter of persons or that he's not partial. Peter in Acts 10 34 as well says something similar. Basically, God is not a respecter of persons. This means he doesn't make decisions about people based on their wealth or their social rank, which is what most of human society did then, and if we're honest, what a lot of people do now. This is why James actually says that you're not supposed to show partiality to the rich in the church. You're supposed to care for all people because they are people. Well, the idea that God is not a respecter of persons actually doesn't contradict his nature at all, or the question being, how is it not partiality for God to only choose Israel? Well, he didn't choose Israel based on their wealth or their social rank. He just chose Israel because he chose Israel. He is not a respecter of persons. This is consistent. Israel was not more deserving than anyone, but he chose them anyways. Israel is not wealthier, more noble, more powerful than anyone, he chose them anyways. So it doesn't contradict God's nature that he chose Israel in the Old Testament, but here's where I say we've got to dial that question in a little more and be fully accurate. He did not only choose Israel in the Old Testament. Yes, they were a covenant people with God, but he also chose to save Nineveh and have mercy on them. In fact, Jonah was mad about it. And God said, Who are you basically? Am I not a god? I could show mercy to a God of mercy who can rescue these people who cannot even discern between their right and left hand. What about Rahab, who I just mentioned in the last question, or a very, very well known Moabite named Ruth, who ends up being in the lineage of Christ. See, God does choose Israel as a covenant people and yet still shows an impartial nature in that he grafts in these others who are not necessarily in the lineage of Israel. And if that wasn't enough for someone, if they really did think, well, it's still partial to choose a people. Psalm 115, verse 3 says, Our God is in the heavens, he does whatever he pleases. Well, since God is holy and perfect, even if he was partial in a decision, it's a righteous partiality. And since he's the definition of justice and righteousness in the perfect sense, well, he can do what he pleases. I hope that helps. Number four, what's a good way to start a conversation with a stranger and lead into telling them about the gospel? Well, I would just ask really clear questions. This is my personality, and I always want to be careful merging personality in because the introvert says, Well, my personality is not to talk a lot, yours is, so you must be the evangelist. No, we're all called to evangelize. I like to ask people questions. You know, hey, it's Pride Month right now. You've seen the news and there's a whole bunch going on. You know, where do you stand on all that kind of stuff? And, you know, God and faith and gender, and you know, you see all the arguments and the debates. People sure do get crazy during June on all sides. You know, are you more conservative? Or do you kind of have some opinions on all that? Where do you stand? And just open up conversation. Now you may say, whoa, that's like inviting an argument or controversy or debate. It doesn't have to. See, you could be an example of disagreeing agreeably and saying, Oh, thanks for sharing that. You know, I'd have a different view, but you know, I definitely respect yours, which is kind of refreshing in today's world because cancel culture is so prevalent that if you don't agree with someone or they don't agree with you, they almost expect you to say, well, forget it. You know, you're you're going to hell anyway, or I cancel that, or cancel you. Just be reasonable and then veer into, well, I'm a Christian. You know, here's what I believe, and here's why I believe that. And Jesus was really clear on these issues, and he wanted people to live in a way that is reflective of his father's will because that's the best way for people to live. It leads to blessing, it leads to joy. Um, that would be more of an approach with Pride Month or things like that. Other avenues, people go through trials. They got kids who are crazy or off the rails or prodigal. They go through depression, they go through a lot of different things. Just talk to them. Ask them how they're doing. Ask them if you could pray for them. Say, hey, I'm a person of faith. Could I just pray for you? I'm a Christian. I believe God answers prayer and can work powerfully powerfully through prayer. Ask to keep in touch with them. And then share what you believe and how it could help them too. Just go back to talking to people. It's really helpful and a great way to trigger gospel conversations. Number five, tips for praying with a wider perspective. This person's asking for tips for praying with a wider perspective. So, a formula that I want a mentor once shared with me change in place plus change in pace equals change in perspective. So I apply that to my prayer life. A change in place, a change in pace can equal a change in perspective. If you find your prayer life is getting a little stagnant, or you're just your life in general, your walk with the Lord, you know, change your positioning. If you're always driving and sort of rushing through prayer, wake up in the morning, don't grab the phone, get on your knees right away. Even posture like that can change our perspective. If you have a hard time with pride, getting on your knees can be an act of humility before God. When's the last time you got on your knees for anything? To clean the floors, to pick up a mess, even metaphorically, you know, bowing or submitting your opinion to someone else or your way or your thought to someone else. Getting on your knees before the Lord can be an incredibly humbling posture and help change your perspective. A quiet place can be helpful, a mountain walk. Other things would be using legal pads or a journal to write out your prayers or write out praises and prayers. If you're not a journal or you're not a writer, try that. It could change your perspective. I did this one time. I wrote out all the sins that I was wrestling with. And when you have them down on a legal pad, you want to burn the thing or shred it. But you got to face it. You go, Lord, that's the ugly. That's my heart. Would you please sanctify that? You just begin praying for each one in light of scripture. That can lead to a change in perspective. It's so easy to overlook your own sin, but when it's written down, you got to face it. That can be very helpful. I always think as well, ask questions. That may be a change in pace for you. Do you question yourself? Do you ask, who am I? Who do I want to be? Am I humble? You know, you take your biggest dreams and plans and ask, is Jesus involved in those? You ask yourself, how am I going to get there? Maybe you haven't asked yourself before, am I an entitled person? Am I a person that needs to do some learning? You might want to ask, am I going to end up like my parents? Do I like that? What don't I like that about that? How will I address my weaknesses? You know, you take all that to the Lord in prayer. It's very beyond the day-to-day. You know, your prayer, like, hey God, keep me safe on the way to work. Hey, God, bless me. Hey, God, give me more money. Hey, God, help my kids. Hey, God, protect us all and help me. You start getting really raw and honest in prayer. That will help you with a wider perspective. Last thing I would say, submit to God's will. Pray in your prayer life this way. Lord, here's what I'm asking you to do. Your will be done, even if it doesn't mean getting what I want. Now we're talking perspective. Number six, how do you continue through ministry with depression? What a question. Leaning on the Lord and leaning on others would be a two-part formula, no doubt that God has given us to cast all anxieties on him, 1 Peter 5.7, to bear the burdens of others and to live a Romans 9, uh, or sorry, Romans 12, 9 through 12 kind of ethic where we outdo one another in showing honor. We love others, we lean on one another. If you go over, I think in Romans 12 down to all the way to verse 15, you're going to get to a point where Paul says, Mour with those who mourn, rejoice with those who rejoice. I think there's a leaning on others that we can look to. I remember going through a season where I was kind of depressed, I was angry, I was crushed by the weight of things. It was early on in my conversion. I was in ministry. I felt frustrated, neglected, my rhythms were off. I didn't know where to start with things. All of it was just a big ball of emotion and frustration. And I remember my wife once just encouraging me and saying, Why don't you get out of your normal rhythms? And I didn't know what she was talking about because I couldn't see past my nose at that time. And there was a conference that came up. It was a pastor's conference. And she said, Why don't you go to that? Get out of the day-to-day, get some perspective. And I did. And I remember it was a huge weight that was lifted off my shoulders as I started to talk with older pastors. I met wiser pastors. I was ministered to, prayed for by others. I started meeting monthly with pastor friends that were outside of my local church. Not because my local church wasn't great at the time. It was. I'm so thankful for my church at that time. It was because I needed other perspectives. And then I was encouraged by my own pastor to seek out wise counsel from other places. The idea that, you know, our church has it all and you don't need to go anywhere for anything is very short-sighted. I also began exercising. I wasn't exercising very much at that time. And I began praying for longer stretches in the morning. That helped me. It's a daily fight for some people. That season passed. I don't fight those emotions anymore in that way, and I don't go through seasons like that. I can't remember the last time I have since those days, but other people, their entire ministry or life can feel like that. Well, you fight the daily fight. You need people. Don't isolate yourself. And then if it persists and you can't function, here's maybe a controversial point, but I think it's truer than true. Step out of ministry and get some help. Better to step away but be healthy than keep plowing and become hurtful. Hurting people are gonna hurt people. I don't know every detail about some of these pastors we we read in the news or hear about how they commit suicide and they were depressed for years. I don't know all the details. I'm sure they got help. I'm sure their churches were paying for counseling. I'm sure their churches and the elders said, Take a long time off. We'll still pay your bills. You can still have food on the table. I'm sure there were support systems. At the same time, I think that as pastors we can sometimes have God complexes or savior syndrome where we think we have to keep going, the old like blue collar, I don't call in, I crawl in, you know, I never call in sick, I don't take a day off, I don't this, I don't that. And that work ethic is really commendable in many aspects in today's culture because a lot of people can be lazier entitled. But brother, pastor, if you're wrestling with depression and you can't function in your ministry, and your wife and kids are taking the hit, and your home is under the crushing weight of your emotional issues, and you think it's noble to keep going, you're losing where it matters most. Get some help. Get out of ministry, get healthy, you'll be better off, and to be honest, you're not going to stand judged before the Lord because you faithfully addressed your issue and somebody else took the plow and kept going for the Lord's church. He doesn't need us, he can do it, he's fine, he can build it. You may need to get help. Next, does Second Peter 3 9 advocate against election? Well, there's a couple of ways to address this. First of all, in the context of that passage, Peter is saying God is patient and he is, quote, not slow about his promise as some count slowness, not wishing any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. That's the passage there in 2 Peter 3.9. Seems like God doesn't want anyone to go to hell, that he wants all to repent, and so he's just going to wait super long till everybody gets saved. And obviously that's not what Peter's saying. Ultimately, you could accept an interpretation of this passage to mean that the all is referring to the elect since he's writing to a group that even in 1 Peter chapter 1, he calls elect exiles, those whom God has predestined or chosen to be saved. And so if we're honest, no, 2 Peter 3 9 doesn't advocate against election or even contradict the doctrine of election. It just simply says that God is not slow as you might think he's slow to these suffering Christians that may be thinking, okay, can he come back yet? I want him to be back yet. And Peter's going, listen, he's not slow as you would count slowness. He doesn't want any of his elect, his called people to perish, but for all of them to come to repentance. And so, like John 10, I have more sheep, Jesus says I must bring them. So it doesn't contradict it. But I think it's helpful to add that passages like 1 Timothy 2.4 need to be reconciled, where Timothy is told by Paul that God wants, you know, kings prayed for, and others, he's going through this whole section about uh people being prayed for, and then he says God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. And you go, whoa, he wants everyone to be saved. So everyone's gonna be saved? Well, again, a more classic Reformed position would take this to mean that the all is referring to those whom God has elected to be saved. And so we want to pray for people to be saved, and that all who God has called will be. Another view that can be acceptable, and I think John Piper uh takes this position as well, is God's desire in Scripture is not always God's decree. Or you could say that God has a revealed will, it's what we know in Scripture, and a secret will, what He only knows. So what God desires is that all would be saved and all would be obedient, of course, sure, he's God, but not all do. And yet what God has decreed will come to pass in that he has chosen. Of people to be saved. As we mature in the faith and in age, no matter what doctrinal camp you're in, I believe that we begin to see the importance of arguing all of our positions from scripture. I think people get really emotional over doctrine. We understand that's attached to belief. But two people could disagree. The most important thing is that they're arguing properly from Scripture. You know, you'll see this with the doctrine of atonement and the idea of limited atonement. Maybe you've heard about four and a half point Calvinism or five-point Calvinism, the argument for decades over that. You have the four and a half point Calvinist who says that Christ's blood was sufficient for all. It was for all. And it is effective or buys the elect, and because they believe. That's four and a half point Calvinism, more or less. And you could slice and dice that a few different ways, but like everything, people will just take it a few different ways. Others argue that his blood was only for the elect, meaning it was not sufficient for all, it was only for the elect. His blood was shed in death for a people. That's it. And that would be five-point Calvinism. They would say, well, if the blood of Jesus was shed and then it doesn't work, it doesn't actually save someone, how in the world is that possible? Because his blood is spilled in death and it must accomplish exactly what it was purposed for. Jesus didn't shed his blood and then cross his fingers and hope that people would believe or hope that it would work. He paid the price and there it is. And even though it's a free gift, it's a free gift that will accomplish its purpose. It's free in that you don't have to work for your salvation, not free in that you can leave it on the table. If you are one of the called and chosen, his blood is going to buy you. You know, that'd be more of a five-point Calvinistic position. Limited atonement. Both argue from scripture. Now each one must land upon the most biblical position with integrity and logic and conviction, but I think it's so important when we're talking about the doctrine of election and things like limited atonement that we avoid immaturity. You get immature by making character assaults. Now you've entered into that realm in the midst of disagreement. I think we need to learn to disagree agreeably. Local churches are a great place to grow with people you tend to agree with more on doctrinal positions. And then outside of that, you may debate on certain things. Like a family, we should in our local churches know why we believe things. We should have strong convictions. But just because we do it differently doesn't mean we need to slander other families who are still in the bigger family of God. They just don't live in our local house, if you will. And they may land differently on the way they apply scripture. There's a vast difference between heretical or false churches and then ones we would differ with on nonessentials. Obviously, you can't mess with the gospel. Obviously, we've been clear as a ministry that Roman Catholicism is not Christianity, that the new apostolic reformation is not Christianity. Yeah. But you got to respect people who are in the true faith, who make their arguments from Scripture. If you're getting into the doctrine of election or aspects of what's soteriology, the doctrine of salvation, and you can't make a clear point from Scripture, but rather you attack Calvin or you attack the reformers or you attack the character and motives of people, you have failed to make a biblical case. It's so important that whenever you take a position, you take it from Scripture alone. That is being faithful to the text and to God's word. I promise to get to more of your questions in future episodes. I hope that was helpful for you and refreshing to your soul. Always, of course, I hope that I've pointed you back to Scripture in the answers that you've asked, or maybe you never thought about, but you're glad somebody else asked. Thanks for listening today to the For the Gospel podcast. To take full advantage of all of our free resources, subscribe to this podcast on your favorite platform. Subscribe on YouTube. There's totally different resources there that aren't just a repost of the podcast. They're topical videos on everything you can think of. And be sure to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. You can learn, you can grow, and you can share highly creative and theologically sound resources. We do all of this for free because of amazing and generous partners like you. And so thank you so much. Forthegospel.org has financial information of how we steward what you give and ways to support what we're doing. I'll be back next Monday with another episode. Keep on living for the gospel.