“Questions About Forgiveness, Holidays, and Church Buildings” (Today With Jesus S4E15)

November 30, 2021

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Hosts: Dan Winkler and Robert Hatfield | Released Tuesday, November 30, 2021

On this, the season finale of Today With Jesus, Dan and Robert address three questions:

1. “Several times prior to the establishment of the New Covenant via the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the cross, the Scriptures give examples of sins being forgiven. For example, in Leviticus, Moses repeats several times something along the lines of “and they shall be forgiven” or “and he will be forgiven” (Lev. 4, 5, 6, 19). When Isaiah had his great vision of God in His throne room in heaven, an angel flew to him with a burning coal and touched Isaiah’s lips and said “… your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:6-7) Furthermore, when John the Immerser was preparing the way for the Messiah, he proclaimed “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (Luke 3:3) My question is: When were these sins forgiven? Were they “rolled forward” to the cross (like I’ve heard my entire life) or were they forgiven at that very moment when the condition for forgiveness was met?”
2. “Can you elaborate and explore holidays? I grew up in the church and we never celebrated Halloween, Christmas etc.”
3. “My question is one that I’ve had for a couple years that goes back to a good Bible class where we were discussing examples vs. expediencies. What would Jesus say about the church owning the buildings where we gather to worship? Tangentially, what do you think Jesus would say about our tendency to have a building-based focus in what we do today? It isn’t fair to say I’m struggling with church ownership of buildings / properties, but I do struggle with our consistency with the motto of “speaking where the Bible speaks, and being silent where the Bible is silent”. I think the building/property ownership may be speaking where the Bible is silent and would love your thoughts and opinions on the matter. Please let me know if I can add additional clarification or elaboration to my question above. I appreciate the Ministry that you have built with this (and the other Light Network) podcasts. You are doing a great work in continuing to push us towards Jesus as revealed in the Bible.”