There Is A First Time For Everything!

Hello All,

I might have labeled this post: An Inconvenient Biologic! I don't think that that makes much sense, but that closely describes what occurred over the weekend.

It began Friday with a very hoarse voice. Not necessarily a problem most weekends, except that this weekend, I would have a wedding Saturday and the speaking on Sunday! Most unfortunate timing for my VOICE to give out!

The wedding happened Saturday at the Mitten Building in Redlands. The couple that I was marrying, Jeff and Jessica (now Dillon!), had survived my rigorous pre-marital screening and now I was going to stand to endorse them as a couple that I believe has a chance to make it! Unfortunately, people had to listen to the voice of the GODFATHER going through the ceremony! Just imagine if you will:

"Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife Bodanza! (Hand sweeping the cheek) will you love her, honor her, keep her as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Good answer!" (Soft slap on the cheek of the groom and a pinch for pride!)

For the many weddings I have done, I have never had to do them sounding like Vito Corleone!

But, I do always feel that strange sensation that I am a peculiar minority! NOT BECAUSE I'M MEXICAN!!! (Actually, that makes me the majority in California you know!) No, I am a peculiar minority because of my beliefs in the sanctity of marriage and the biblical basis for it's success. When I go to these weddings, I become acutely aware that 90% of the people that I am addressing (NOT including the bride and groom, who I will only consent to marry based on their understanding and acquiescence to biblical guidlines) do not believe a word I am saying! And, they hope that I get done quickly, so that they can party! It's a grievous position to be in most of the time.

That being said, I am happy for Jeff and Jessica, who have demonstrated to me, that they have considered all the Biblical counsel that God offers and both, being committed to Him and each other, have a very bright future ahead of them. I wish them the very best and thank them for giving me the honor of presenting them.

After the wedding, I had a few short hours to rehab my voice. Having 3 children under the age of 6 makes that difficult!

Sunday Morning. Things were not much better in the voice department, so I decided to try some voice routines that I learned while in choir. I spent 45 minutes "warming up my voice" and actually got a small percentage of it back! I probably looked real funny on the freeway, but hey, it's 6:30 in the morning! Who doesn't look a little funny!?

With Pastor Chris Norman on vacation, I received the opportunity to present the teaching for our Sunday Service today. It's always an honor to be asked to speak and this is my second time before the congregation of Calvary Laguna. I have been excited about presenting this particular message for some time now, seeing that I developed it while in my car during my commute! Much of what I presented came from a desire to see our body become passionate about the Gospel and passionately articulate in it's delivery. That is how "The Nature Of The Gospel" came about. You can view the notes here. I might post the audio...but then again...

So, I was coming out onto the stage when I felt a rush of liquid in my nose. At first, I thought it was just a little runny nose, but when I put my finger up to the entrance of my nostril, (how does one write this!) I realized that it was blood! I quickly turned back into the green room and shoved a piece of kleenex up my nose and walked back out! This has never happened before! I looked like Rocky Balboa after a good fight with Clubber Lang! I delivered the whole message with that piece of kleenex up my nose, wondering if it would get soaked and bleed through! Thankfully, it did not and despite the circumstances, the message came out pretty good, if one can measure any kind of success by the response of the congregation afterward. Even with that, I hope that my NOSE behaves itself from now on!

Have a great week everyone!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Media Does Theology Again, Pt. 3 Of 3

Hello All,

I know: This is the last post on the subject of Hell! I wanted to wait to examine ABC's feature on the subject on Friday's 20/20 episode anchored by Bill Weir. No surprise here, but they again refused to look at claims that were made with any kind of scholarship. I was particularly interested in hearing that the preacher who refuted the concept of Hell was able to do so because of examining the ancient Hebrew and Greek texts. Of course, nobody cared to even present what such "evidence" might have been, and no other scholar was asked to participate in discussing the particular Greek and Hebrew passages.

In the end, I know that I cannot ever trust the media to cover these topics with any kind of intellectual honesty. I don't really know why it irks me to see such programming, except that there are many who are deceived into thinking that there is a truly intellectual debate on whether or not hell exists!

There is no debate!

First, if one appeals to the languages of the Bible, one will be surprised to find a ridiculous amount of support for the concept of a real, eternal, place of torment for those that prefer autonomy in this life! Tartarus, Gehenna, Sheol, etc. are all words in the original languages that bespeak a literal place. Jesus talked about a man in Luke 16 in a fixed position of torment! I would view Jesus Christ, God in the Flesh, as a fairly STRONG WITNESS!! Sorry, no help for the "No Hell" contingency there!

Much of the rest of the program had to do with sympathetic arguments regarding people who had gone through "hellish" experiences. One might look at what they had gone through, such as a woman who was raped and tortured or the man who witnessed the Holocaust, and consider their experience a "living hell." Truly, they experienced the evils that no man or woman should ever endure on this earth. My heart was saddened at their treatment, but this is not biblical Hell! Hell is a place of punishment that one will experience after death, after refusing Christ as Savior in this life. If anything, Hell is a comfort, in that I know that the men and women who defraud, debase, abuse and mistreat believers, will be dealt with by God. My prayer is that they would repent and receive forgiveness for their rebellion against God, before it's too late!

The final insult though, is this concept that is especially post-modern in it's basis. We presume to be able to judge God and find Him acceptable, only if He conforms with our belief about Him. In this age, God is on trial and we, our culture presumes to be his judge and jury. This preacher exhibited a very post-modern stance. The preacher said, in essence, that he could not believe in a God that was loving, if He allowed a place of eternal torment for those who did not believe in Christ. What's wrong with this statement? First, God is not ONLY LOVE! He is perfect love, yes and amen! But God is also perfectly just, always doing what is right, with perfect motive! God is a God of perfect love and perfect wrath! Second, I must conform my belief in God with that which He has chosen to reveal. As a Christian, and this is really important, so I will write it in bold, I CANNOT PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT I BELIEVE ABOUT GOD, EXCLUDING WHAT DISPLEASES ME!

This is the ultimate test of our belief about God. Do I accept what has been revealed, even if I don't fully understand or agree methodologically? I don't fully understand grace. I don't particularly like the concept of Hell. I don't fully understand election. These are very clearly expressed teachings in the Bible. I believe in God, trust in His Son Jesus Christ, and receive the power of the Holy Spirit, despite my lack of understanding.

God has revealed that He is a God who loves and draws all men to Himself. His Spirit will not always strive with men and there will come a time when men's choices will lead to life or damnation. At that point, God is a God of Judgment, who will dole out reward for the choices made about Christ in this life! There is a real Heaven and there is a real Hell and real people will fill these places for a really long time!

I pray that you and all of yours will be found with Christ, robed in His righteousness and destined for Heaven.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Media Does Theology Again, Pt. 2

Hello All,

Here is a guy that represents the biblical teaching on Hell quite extensively! Check out this audio file. If for any reason you cannot get this, and you want to get it, please feel free to email me.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Media Does Theology Again!

Hello All,

It always interests me when people don't believe in something that Jesus Christ Himself believed in and taught in greater proportion than His teachings on heaven. I'll leave the video up and then, before the ABC special comes on, I hope to review some thoughts on this subject.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

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