Enduring Word: Recent Episodes
David Guzik
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When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:4-5)
Simon Peter and several of the other disciples had fished all night without success. In the morning, Jesus wanted to use their boat as a makeshift pulpit. So many people crowded to hear Jesus at the shore of the lake that it was best for the Savior to sit in the boat and teach.
Then Jesus told Simon Peter, launch out into the deep and let down your nets. After Jesus had finished teaching, He wanted to do something good for Simon, who had lent Him the use of the boat. Peter could not give something to Jesus without Jesus giving even more back to him.
As far as we can tell, Jesus was in the boat as He directed them. Jesus was in the boat in verse 3, so it seems He was also in the boat in verse 4. His presence gave the disciples confidence. Jesus was right there with His disciples as He told them to row out and give it another try.
With the greatest respect and using the title Master, Simon Peter explained to Jesus that it didn’t make much sense to fish during the day when the sunlight on the water drove the fish deeper. They had toiled all night and not caught anything, there wasn’t much reason to expect they would catch anything in the brightness of day.
Then Simon Peter said something wonderful: nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net. Even though it didn’t make a lot of sense, Peter would try. I like to imagine the excuses Simon Peter could have made.
“I worked all night and I’m tired.”
“I know a lot more about fishing than a carpenter does.”
“The best fishing is at night, not in the daytime.”
“All these crowds and loud teaching have scared the fish away.”
“We already washed our nets.”
“Jesus may know religion, but He doesn’t know fishing.”
Instead, Simon Peter said: at Your word I will let down the net. This was Peter’s great statement of faith, and trust in the word of Jesus. Peter’s faith was rewarded, and he pulled in a huge catch of fish.
God’s people throughout all ages have lived and gone forth with this confidence in the word of Jesus. We can all say to Jesus:
At Your word, there was light.
At Your word, the sun, moon, stars, and planets were created.
At Your word life came to this earth.
At Your word creation is held together and sustained.
At Your word empires rise and fall; history unfolds His great plan.
It’s frustrating to work with no results. When you are in the place, trust the word of Jesus and let Him direct your service.
Click here for David’s commentary on Luke 5
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/Romans13.mp3This is the 22th message of an audio-only series through the book of Romans, taught by pastor David Guzik.
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So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way. (Luke 4:28-30)
Over the years, I’ve preached hundreds of sermons in many different places and situations. After preaching, I have had various responses. Sometimes people are grateful, sometimes indifferent, and occasionally disappointed.
In all my years of preaching, I’ve never had a congregation try to murder me after the sermon, but that is what happened to Jesus when He preached in His hometown, Nazareth.
Luke 4 explains that when Jesus came to the synagogue in Nazareth, He read from Isaiah 61:1-2. Jesus used that beautiful passage to explain His ministry. Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to give recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty the oppressed. Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1-2, and He said so.
You might think that this would make the people of Jesus’ hometown happy and proud. Strangely, they became angry and demanded Jesus do some of the spectacular miracles He had done in other places. Jesus reminded them that God was free to do His work how, where, and among whom it pleased Him.
In response, the people of Nazareth were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city. This was quite a response to a sermon. They were angry to be told that there was something wrong with them, that their request for a miracle was denied, and that Jesus reminded that God was also free to show His love to Gentiles.
They did more than kick Jesus out of town, they also tried to throw Him down over the cliff. Pushing someone off a small cliff was often the first step in the practice of stoning. Once the victim fell, they were showered with rocks until dead.
How did Jesus get out of this? Jesus simply went His way and did so passing through the midst of them. They wanted a miracle, and Jesus did an unexpected one right in front of them, escaping miraculously. In this situation, Jesus could have backed off the cliff and been rescued by angels – as Satan suggested in the third temptation (Luke 4:9-13). Instead, Jesus chose a more normal miracle, if there is such a thing.
In all this, we see that Jesus didn’t primarily seek to please His audience, and He didn’t use their approval as the measure of His success. Luke here set the tone for the whole story of Jesus’ life. Jesus came, sinless, speaking the truth, and doing nothing but good for everyone – and they wanted to kill Him.
Don’t reject Jesus just because He tells you things you would rather not hear.
Click here for David’s commentary on Luke 4
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What Is Driving The Resurgence Of Antisemitism In Our Modern World?What is driving the resurgence in antisemitism in our world today? Is antisemitism equivalent to racism, or is it different somehow?
First of all, we believe that the Jewish people, as understood biblically, exist today. Do you realize there are more and more people who believe they don’t even exist and that they’ve been wiped out as a people? That’s wrong. Secondly, we believe that the Jewish people have a continuing role and purpose in God’s unfolding plan of the ages. God has appointed for them to remain as a people until the return of Jesus Christ in glory. Jesus said this to Jerusalem, “You will see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Matthew 23:39). I don’t think the population of Jerusalem was saying that in 70 A.D. That would be Preterism, which is an eschatological view that considers all biblical prophecies as having already been fulfilled, primarily with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
Matthew 23:39 tells us that not only will the Jewish people exist as a people until the very end times, but that there will be a national revival, and they will welcome Jesus. Paul recounts the same idea Romans 11. These Scriptures teach us that God has determined that the Jewish people will survive and that He has chosen for the Jewish people to have an important role in His unfolding plan of the ages. That makes them targets for the hatred of Satan, which I believe is the best explanation for the illogical and pathological Jew hatred. I prefer that term to antisemitism. It is a demonically orchestrated conspiracy to hate what God has said He loves and will preserve for His good purpose. We seem to see a very definite role for national Israel. When Christ returns, He comes to reign on the throne of David, over His geopolitical regathering of the people into the land.
Is Jew hatred satanic? I believe it is, at its root. When the Church was carrying out pogroms, persecutions, executions, and aspects of Jew hatred throughout its history, I don’t think they were consciously operating in Satan’s service. But just like Peter was the spokesman of Satan when he told Jesus to not go to the cross, although he wasn’t aware of it, so a person can be unwittingly used as a tool in Satan’s hand. I think that the Jew hatred and the justification of it plays into a satanic purpose.
It’s tragic to see the resurgence of this hatred against the Jews. It’s absolutely true that the world, especially the western world, had a lot of pity and compassion on the Jews after the Second World War, and that effected a great change. Part of the post war consensus was that it’s bad to murder the Jewish people, that we feel sorry for the Jewish people, and that they should survive as a people. That was the general consensus following World War II.
It’s disturbing to think that such thinking in the period after the Second World War might be coming to an end in the thinking of many people in the West. If that change of heart was simply an aberration, and we’re going to go back to the more established history of Jew hatred, it would be tragic.
Q&A for September 25, 2025
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How Do We Bless & Not Curse ‘Israel’?My friend and I are studying Revelation with a Precept Bible study. We are in the study of the fullness of the Gentiles and Romans 11 – “Has God cast away Israel?” Tucker Carlson has been ranting about the nation of Israel and some believers’ foolishness and wrong understanding of Abraham’s calling and blessing. It seems clear that there would be a remnant of Jews who love and follow God and others who would not. How do we bless and not curse Israel? Is that even in play anymore? And if not, when did that end?
I’m so happy for your question. I want to talk about the idea of blessing and not cursing Israel, and whether it’s something that applies to us at all today. I’m grateful for the question, because there has been some talk about this lately, and I think a lot of it has been wrong. Let me get to the point. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Senator Ted Cruz gave what I thought was an awkward and clumsy answer to this question, “What does it mean bless Israel or to curse Israel?” He used it as a justification for American foreign policy. Additionally, in a recently released video, Kirk Cameron hoped to refute the idea that this promise in Genesis 12:3 has anything to do with the modern Jewish people, or with any Jewish people after the time of the New Testament. I think that Tucker Carlson’s perspective was wrong. I don’t at all like the way Ted Cruz explained it. And I think Kirk Cameron is wrong on it.
Let me spell out some very important biblical points.
Genesis 12:1-3 – Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Here’s the critical line here in verse three: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” In this covenant, God promised Abraham three things: a land, a nation and a blessing. The land is largely what we call the land of Israel today. There was a time in history when it was largely known as Palestine, but the biblical name for this area was first the land of Canaan and then the land of Israel. That’s the land part of the covenant. The nation is the people of Israel, the Jewish people, including the relatively free proselytes who have joined themselves to Israel, both in the times of the Bible and since. That’s the nation part of the covenant.
Finally, the promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Not only was Abraham promised blessing, but God also promised to make him a blessing, even to the point where all the families of the earth would be blessed in Abraham. This amazing promise was fulfilled in the Messiah who came from Abram’s lineage.
God’s blessing to Abraham was not for his own sake, or even just for the sake of the Jewish nation to come, but it was for the whole world, for all the families of the earth through Jesus Christ. This is clearly explained in Galatians 3:8-9 – And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
In addition to the promises of a land, nation and blessing, God also made Abraham this remarkable promise that, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you.” God promised that He would bless those who blessed Abraham and curse those who cursed Abraham. That promise was inherited by the covenant descendants of Abram, the Jewish people. I believe it remains true today, and it’s a root reason for the decline and death of many empires.
If you talk about history, you’re always going to get different opinions. I’ve heard some people say. “No, when people have turned against the Jewish people, they’ve been blessed as nations.” But to that I would quote Donald Grey Barnhouse in his commentary on Genesis, which says “When the Greeks overran Palestine and desecrated the altar and Jewish temple, they were soon conquered by Rome. When Rome killed Paul and many others and destroyed Jerusalem under Titus, Rome soon fell. Spain was reduced to a fifth-rate nation after the Inquisition against the Jews. Poland fell after the pogroms, Hitler’s Germany went down after its origins of antisemitism. Britain lost her Empire when she broke her faith with Israel.”
I understand that people will dispute some of those claims historically, but I believe you can see it to be true in history, and I think you can especially see it to be true in the church. For many centuries, the worst enemies that the Jewish people had were people who called themselves Christians, or claimed to act in the name of Christianity, carrying out a lot of violence and discrimination against the Jewish people.
Now, the whole question Kirk Cameron and other people bring up is, “Did that promise of blessing and cursing end with Abraham? And is it only inherited by those who are related to Abraham by faith, not by lineage?” I would say absolutely not. We understand that there are two ways to relate to Abraham. We relate to Abraham by faith, by having the same faith he had: the faith that leads to righteousness. Genesis 15:6 – “And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” But there’s also a way that people are related to Abraham by blood and by covenant.
Okay, so if the promise to “bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you,” concerned only Abraham and Genesis 12:3, then maybe we could say it was only for him, or that the promise wasn’t about Abraham’s literal descendants.
But here’s the problem with that. Most of the people who say that God’s promise to “bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you” doesn’t apply to the Jewish people today don’t reckon with the promise regarding blessing and cursing being clearly applied to Abraham’s literal descendants, the Jewish people. This is seen in at least two further passages that don’t get enough attention.
Genesis 27:29 – “Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!” This is part of Isaac’s blessing on Jacob. That is a clear echo of the promise which God made to Abraham. Abraham passed that covenant down to Isaac, and Isaac is now passing it on to Jacob. Again, it’s a thing of lineage. It was given to Isaac from Abraham, and then to Jacob from Isaac. Isaac and Jacob were literal and covenantal descendants of Abraham.
Now, I say literal and covenantal descendants, because Abraham had other descendants that were not part of the covenant: Ishmael and the sons he had through Keturah. Don’t forget about them. He had other literal sons who weren’t part of the covenant. But the sons through Isaac and Jacob were the covenant children of Israel.
This promise is repeated a further time, and has even more impact, because this happened some 400 years after Isaac said that to Jacob. This is what the Lord said through a weird prophet, Balaam, over Israel:
Numbers 24:9b – “Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.”
This is a clear echo of the promise in Genesis 12:1-3. And it’s important to see that this takes place while much of the generation of Israel who came out of Egypt were still living. In other words, they were the ones we would call “the generation of unbelief.” There is a sense in which that generation was not finished until the plague of Peor ended in Numbers 25. But despite all the weaknesses of that generation of unbelief, they still receive the promise, “Blessed is he who blesses you and cursed is he who curses you.” By this we understand that this is a covenant that God made with Israel. It’s a promise He made to Israel that doesn’t depend on their obedience, because it was echoed again to them while they were largely disobedient.
So, this promise was not made just once to Abraham. It was promised again to Isaac and then to Jacob. It was passed on to the sons of Jacob, the children of Israel. It was true of Israel in the wilderness, as reflected in Numbers 24:9.
What does it mean to bless and not curse Israel?
I’m going to say what it means, and then what it does not mean. In a positive sense, what does it mean to bless and not curse Israel? First, it means to desire and promote the survival of the Jewish people, and to not kill or persecute them. It cannot be denied that at many times throughout history the Jews have been unbelievably persecuted and often murdered by Christians. To bless Israel means promoting the survival of the Jewish people. I don’t want to kill them.
Secondly, it means to recognize the nation of Israel’s right to exist as a nation, including the right to defend themselves. If they’re a nation, they have the right to defend themselves. Third, it means to not rejoice in the death or downfall of Israel or the Jewish people. Fourth, it means to make the Jewish people welcome in our nations and communities. I think that blessing Israel and not cursing them means that you say to the Jewish people, “You’re welcome in our nation.” Finally, it also means to pray that the Jewish people will be blessed in the greatest way of all, which is by coming to faith in their Messiah, Jesus Christ, who was sent to the lost sheep of Israel.
Here is what blessing Israel does not mean.
This is important. First, it does not mean that everything the Israeli government does is good, right, or worthy of support. I don’t know where some people get the idea to say unreservedly that everything the Israeli government is always right in every circumstance. To bless Israel does not mean that everything the Israeli government does is right. When they do wrong, or when they operate unjustly, it’s okay to call them out on it. In the Old Testament, Israel was often wrong and needed to be corrected, and God did it. Why should it surprise us if it’s the same case today? So, we’re not saying that everything the Israeli government does is right.
Secondly, it does not mean that Christians are obligated to be happy over the death and destruction that comes from war, even if those wars are fought for a just purpose. Now, I know people debate that, especially with Israel’s war in Gaza against Hamas. However, Christians are not obligated to be happy over the destruction brought by war. If we can be peacemakers, to bring peace with justice, then we should be all for it.
Third, it does not mean that God is fundamentally against the Arab or Palestinian people. We don’t have to be against them in order to be for Israel. Now we might be against particular leaders or groups who we sincerely believe are acting contrary to the benefit and purpose of the Palestinian people, such as Hamas. But we’re not against the Arab or Palestinian people. We want good for them and blessing for them. Part of the good we desire is better leaders for them and their movement.
I think we have a very secure biblical basis for saying that God’s promise to “bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you” applies to the Jewish people and Israel today. But it’s important to note that it does not mean that the modern state of Israel should be insulated from all criticism or examination when it does wrong. Israel should be called out on it by the nations of the world.
There are so many voices speaking into right now this conflict in Gaza. There does seem to be a mentality on the part of some believers that supporting Israel in this conflict means being adversarial towards the Palestinian people. And I think you’ve made a very important distinction there. There are Palestinian Christians in the Gaza Strip. They are fewer in number now, but a generation ago, there were a lot more. Many have fled because of the intense violence, both from Israel and even more so from their fellow Arabs who are Muslims. We can be supportive of Israel, but don’t delight in war or the death and destruction that’s happening there.
To the Israeli who says, “You can’t love me without hating the Palestinians,” I disagree. But to the Palestinian who says, “You can’t love me without hating the Israelis,” I also disagree. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and He gives us the ability to love. This is important as Christians. Jesus loves all people, and so should we.
Q&A for September 25, 2025
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/Romans12_3-21.mp3This is the 21th message of an audio-only series through the book of Romans, taught by pastor David Guzik.
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When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22)
John invited the Jewish people to prepare for the coming of the Messiah by public repentance, demonstrated by baptism. There was a remarkable response to John’s preaching, and thousands of people came to repent and ready themselves for the Messiah.
Then, the Messiah showed up at John’s baptism service and asked to be baptized. It wasn’t because He had any sin to repent of, but because He wanted to identify Himself as completely as possible with sinful humanity. In His baptism, Jesus said to all of us: “I have come as one of you and will identify with you.”
Can you picture Jesus in the water of the Jordan River? As He went under the water and then came up again, He prayed. Often in the Gospel of Luke we see that Jesus prayed. Other gospel writers describe this occasion, but only Luke points out that it happened while He prayed.
As Jesus prayed, two significant things happened. First, the Holy Spirit descended. The Holy Spirit came in bodily form like a dove. There was some visible, tangible evidence that the Holy Spirit had come upon Jesus. It doesn’t say that the Holy Spirit became a dove but descended on Jesus like a dove. Similar visible evidence happened with outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, with something like tongues of fire appeared over the gathered followers of Jesus.
Second, a voice came from heaven that all could hear, and the voice said: You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased. The voice from heaven left no doubt. This wasn’t just another sinner being baptized; this was the sinless, Eternal Son of God, pleasing the Father by His identification with sinful man. God the Father could not keep this to Himself; He proclaimed to all present who Jesus was (My beloved Son) and that He was the sinless Son of God (I am well pleased).
Both statements look back to the Hebrew Scriptures. You are My beloved Son is an echo of Psalm 2:7, a glorious Messianic Psalm. In You I am well pleased is an echo of Isaiah 42:1, marking Jesus as the suffering Servant spoken of in that broader passage.
Jesus began His earthly ministry with the blessing of the Father and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus, believers can have the same things.
– In Jesus (and only in Jesus), we can hear the Father say to us, This is My beloved son, in you I am well pleased.
– In Jesus (and only in Jesus), the Holy Spirit can come upon us for empowering and blessing.
Trusting in Jesus, receive these today.
Click here for David’s commentary on Luke 3
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How Do We Bless & Not Curse ‘Israel’? LIVE Q&A for September 25, 2025https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SINOu-BA_S4
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How Should A Christian Wife Treat An Unbelieving Husband?My husband is hateful of me becoming God’s child since I have been saved. How do I deal with him? I’m married for 30 years, and I am with him until I die. It is quite difficult for me. I find it hard to deeply feel love for him after I became truly saved. But now I am having trouble with this problem, as I am becoming a new person in how I think and act, and he is not accepting of this.
Pastor David Guzik: I feel very bad for you. This is a challenge that the earliest Christians faced. That’s why Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 7 and Peter addresses it in 1 Peter 3. This problem was experienced predominantly by female believers in the early church. So, I want you to know that God knows your struggle.
The main emphasis of the response that God gave through Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 and through Peter in 1 Peter 3 was to love your unbelieving husband, endure with him, and pray for him. When you’re praying for your husband, pray for yourself as well, that God would remind you of the good things in your husband, that you can respect him and love him. There will be a temptation, which comes in some sense from the devil. I think that the devil would want you to lose all respect for your husband and to begin to despise him. That’s not what God wants you to do. God wants you to be real about your husband’s failings, but to fundamentally respect him for the good that is in him as a man and a husband, or, if nothing else, for the good that you saw in him in the past.
Pray that God guards your heart so that you don’t lose all respect for your husband, but rather continue to respect him, to honor him as a husband, and especially to pray that God would change his heart and his life.
Pastor Lance Ralston: In our ministry, we have seen many times over the years where a woman who is married will come to faith in Christ, while her husband remains unsaved and doesn’t come to church. Struggles arise in their marriage, and the husband doesn’t like the changes that are taking place in his wife. We have seen the wife get ahold of this respect for him and become very active in it. Because of that respect, we’ve seen many men in our churches who are saved, worshiping God, hands in the air, and involved in ministry because they were won by the faithful love and respect of their wives towards their husbands when they didn’t deserve it. And sometimes it has taken a long time. Don’t lose hope.
Q&A for September 18, 2025
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How Can I Disciple a Student Who Doesn’t Like Anybody in Youth Group?One of my youth kids is growing in the Lord, but he overtly doesn’t like anyone in our youth group. He makes them uncomfortable. Any advice?
I would take this on as a challenge of personal discipleship with him. Find time to spend with him. Pour into him as a young disciple. I’m excited to hear that he’s growing. We’d assume that as this young man continues to grow in the Lord, he’ll come across those passages in the Bible that say we should love one another. It might be a matter of adjusting your expectations for this guy. Maybe loving one person is going to be a big breakthrough for him, and it’ll be a while till he loves everybody in the group. But I would take this as a challenge of personal discipleship to him.
I’ll tell you what not to do. Don’t teach studies to the whole group on loving one another when you really only have this one individual in mind. It’s better for you to speak to him individually. Now, if you’re going through a book and it speaks to that, that’s great, cover it. But don’t teach something that’s really just for him, while pretending you’re teaching it to the whole group. Look for some one-on-one time with this guy.
Q&A for September 18, 2025
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When Is It Right to Speak Out Against Sinful Ideologies In the Workplace?Charlie’s death impacted me so much that I spoke against my workplace’s ideology, and I think that was impulsive. I have a meeting tomorrow about my misconduct. How can I stand for my faith wisely? Do you think this fire that Charlie’s death has caused in Christians is good or potentially harmful?
You know so much more about your situation than I do. Maybe you spoke the truth, but at an inappropriate time and occasion. That could be possible. If you felt that’s the case, then it’s okay for you to apologize for it and to say that it was wrong. If you want to make a distinction, you can say, “I want you to know that I believe what I said was true, but I understand that that was not the appropriate time or place to say it.” If that’s the case, it’s okay for you to say that, apologize, and appeal to your manager or boss on that basis. Not knowing the details of the situation, I want to allow for that possibility.
Otherwise, if you are confident that it was the time, it was the place, and what you said was true, then as tough as it might be, you might just have to take your lumps and trust that God has something for you in this. From the way that you phrased your question, it leads me to sense that maybe you think you said something true, but maybe not at the right time place. You can look your manager in the eye and say, “I want you to know that’s what I believe, but I agree with you that it wasn’t the time and place to share it.” We agree that there can be inappropriate times and places even to say what’s true.
You’re going to have to be the one who gets down on your knees before God and tries to sort that out. If it is a case where you legitimately were making an appropriate stand for Jesus Christ, and you get fired, I just want you to join with me in trusting God that He’s going to bring good out of it for you. Even if it were to mean losing your job, which I know in some sense is a catastrophe for anybody, God can still work it for good.
Remember something that Christ said, “Be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves.” I think that’s an application here. Of course, there is a right time and a right place, using a measure of tact and wisdom. Charlie was very, very good at this in campus settings, where people with great hostility would come with arguments, and he would be very disarming in the way he treated people.
Q&A for September 18, 2025
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What Is A Healthy Way To Mourn The Loss Of Charlie Kirk?What would you say is a healthy way of mourning Charlie Kirk’s death? It is really consuming the hearts and minds of people.
It’s okay to feel sad. When grieving the death of a loved one or a person who was important to you, you shouldn’t feel like you have to move on right away and make yourself feel happy. But I do think that there can be a healthy path forward. Allow yourself some time to mourn and then, if need be, put an expiration date on your mourning. You can decide, “By this date, I’m going to recognize I’ve given myself enough time for mourning. Now I’m going to rejoice in the fact that this loved one is in heaven.”
I know people can’t say this in regard to every loved one who is lost, but regarding someone who is in heaven, such as Charlie Kirk, we can say that God will use this terrible crime for His glory, and that God is going to be glorified in it. We sorrow, but in light of the resurrection, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, we don’t sorrow as those who have no hope.
It’s okay to feel sorrow. As Christians, we shouldn’t feel that we have to deny our sadness or mourning when people dear to us or near to us go home to heaven, but we should always come back to our overwhelming confidence in the resurrection and in God’s greater work.
We’ve done a number of memorial services, and they’re always difficult. One of the things I’ve found to be the greatest comfort to people is the reminder that the grief and sorrow we’re experiencing at their passing is for our loss, not theirs. They’re a person who has died in faith. It really is comforting for the grieving to remember that the believer who has died is more alive now in the presence of Christ than they were ever on Earth. That really does seem to be a comfort. When we’re grieving, we are able to say, “I’m grieving for my loss, not theirs.”
In considering the manifestation of evil, we’re back to Psalm 73 and praying, “God, make things right.” When we see the prosperity of evil people, and they’re seeming to get away with it, there is a righteous anger that wells up within us.
In Psalm 73:17-18, it says when he went to the house of the Lord, he understood that the Lord had put his enemies in slippery places. The prosperity and the happiness of the wicked is really an illusion. It might be real in the moment, but it’s transitory, as in a dream.
Q&A for September 18, 2025
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In Daniel 12, What Do the Numbers 1,290 And 1,335 Mean? Are They Related to Revelation 12?Daniel 12:11-12 – And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
Revelation 12:6 – Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Pastor David Guzik: The book of Daniel talks about a marking point at 1,290 days, and then another marking point at the 1,335 days, leaving a 45-day gap in between. What happens in that gap? It obviously has to do with the End Times, the final judgment, and the end of the age.
I don’t know exactly what happens during those 45 days, but I’ll give you the best explanation I’ve found. I believe that after Jesus returns in glory, what follows will be the judgment of the nations which Jesus described in Matthew 25. I believe that the judgment of the nations is for the purpose of determining who is allowed to enter into the Millennial Earth. I believe that this judgment happens during those 45 days. It’s a difficult passage, and that’s the best explanation I can offer.
Pastor Lance Ralston: The three and a half years works out to 1,260 days. Daniel refers to 1,290 days and then 1,335 days. I think that the 1,260 days will mark the actual return of Christ, and that the 1,290-day mark is the regathering of the Jews back to the land under His reign. Once He is seated and they’re all under His reign, He then judges the nations. Why? Because His people, the Jews, have been brought back to the land. I believe that the judgment of the nations will take place on day 1,335, which would also mark the commencement of the Millennium.
Pastor David Guzik: There are all sorts of wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ who would hear us describe that outworking the end times, and think, “You’re crazy; all of that has already happened,” or “It’s just symbolic.” We’re just going to agree to disagree. We agree that you’re wrong. We understand the Christians have different perspectives. My understanding of the end times or eschatology is premillennial and pre-Tribulation; I believe that the catching away the church will happen before the Tribulation. But I don’t believe in those positions because I think there are absolutely no problems with them scripturally.
I think there are problems or difficulties with every eschatological construct. But I prefer the problems in my camp. When I take it in whole, I think that the difficulties in the post-millennial and the amillennial camps are even greater. The pre-tribulation view seems to have the least amount of problems left to be resolved.
Pastor Lance Ralston: Another argument from those camps is, “It’s all symbolic.” I would answer that by simply asking, “Symbolic of what?” It can’t be symbolic of nothing. I think this view that we hold – pre-tribulational and premillennial – is the most straightforward taking of the text. It’s taking the text as literally as the text can be taken in our estimation.
Pastor David Guzik: Yes, it’s applying the same principles of biblical understanding to those passages as we would apply to other passages.
Q&A for September 18, 2025
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Should A Church Focus More On Structured Meetings Or Spirit-Led Gifts?I wrestle with how church leans on structure and pastor-led teaching versus the Spirit’s simplicity and shared gifts in Acts. How do we honor gathering while guarding faithfulness and true participation?
I have seen the kind of fellowship structure that you’re talking about most effectively carried out in smaller groups. A smaller group could be a Sunday school class meeting at church, or a home group that meets at a certain time during the week, or even a house church. If you have a group of even 80 people that are meeting together, let alone 800, there is no way that everybody’s going to be able to contribute. But if you have eight people together in a room, they can.
The Christian world has seen and noted this limitation of large group gatherings. In response, many churches have built up a small group ministry in some form, whether it be a Sunday school class, home group, house church, or whatever it would be. I just say, God bless it. That’s a great arena for the sharing of gifts and contributions of each member of the group.
It’s important to notice that Jesus exercised both kinds of ministries. Jesus had ministry to the multitudes, and He also had ministry to what you would call His small group, his twelve disciples. The two don’t contradict each other; in fact, they can be very complementary towards one another. If this is something you’re hungering for, then I would encourage you to find a way to get it into your life. Join something already happening within your church, or start your own home group or small group, if you need to, and build it along these lines that are on your heart.
I think that the mix of a larger church gathering and various smaller group gatherings is very important. In Acts 2, we see that the believers met for the apostle’s doctrine in the temple courts, and they also met from house to house to share bread, pray, and fellowship.
We’ve both been in pastoral ministry a long time. We know what it’s like to be the pastor or leader of a small group, or house church. We know what it’s like to be pastor of a small church. We know what it’s like to be the pastor of a medium-sized church, and we know what it’s like to be the pastor of a larger church. In my experience of all these different-sized gatherings, I don’t think that any one of them is inherently better than the other. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages, and we have to be real about that. Instead of bemoaning the disadvantages of your particular group, I encourage you to lean into the advantages and rejoice in them.
Q&A for September 18, 2025
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How Do We Respond to Evil Statements About Charlie Kirk’s Murder?My husband isn’t saved and said some cruel things about Charlie’s murder. How do I even get through life with someone so evil?
I’m going to give as compassionate answer towards your husband that I can. Look, we all say stupid things in the heat of moments that are exaggerations of what we really believe. We all say things sometimes that we wish we could take back. I don’t know your husband; you know your husband a lot better than I do.
I would first ask you to consider whether maybe this remark was out of character for him, and it doesn’t reflect the normal status of his heart. You would know better than I on that. If that’s the case, then you need to extend generosity of heart toward him, forgive him, and forget about it.
Or maybe you would regretfully say that a statement like that does reflect who he is, or that sometimes he’s even worse. If that’s the case, receive counsel from 1 Peter 3:1-2, and live with your husband, love him, pray for him, and ask God to work some miracle through your godliness towards him. It might be the cause of your husband’s conversion. Don’t feel that it’s your responsibility as a wife to correct him or fix him, but pray for him, love him, and let God do that work.
There have been a number of accusations about things which Charlie supposedly said, and at first, the reaction of people was, I think, a bit of disbelief. Some time has passed now, and people have gone back to look at those quotes that have been attributed to him in their context. You can find material online now that, I think, would disabuse people of the assumption that that Charlie was racist, a transphobe, or a homophobe. Mike Winger did about a 40-minute-long investigation into some of the chief charges. His conclusion was that if you look at these remarks in their context, Charlie Kirk was not merely stating an opinion; it’s actually based in statistics, facts, and research. Once that’s understood, some of these charges being made against him really disappear.
But if a person is only taking the statements of people online who say he was a racist, giving quotes without any context, it’s understandable why they would see him as an evil person for the things that he said. It’s important to look at the context of those statements and find out what they’re based on. You’ll likely come to a completely different conclusion.
There must be thousands of hours of videos of Charlie’s question and answer times where he is speaking off the cuff. If he were to say something untoward, I would put it in the context of his entire life. I’m very suspicious of anybody who’s looking to pull out “gotcha” quotes from off-the-cuff videos, to try to write off a man because of something that could be taken out of context or simply doesn’t reflect who he was in his entirety as a person.
Q&A for September 18, 2025
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Was Charlie Kirk A Martyr?Some say Charlie was a martyr. Pastor David, what are your thoughts on that? Would you consider him a martyr?
I do think you could call him that. Charlie Kirk’s most controversial positions were not primarily political. You could call them cultural, but if you really want to get technical, you could say they were anthropological. They concerned the nature of man, especially concerning sexuality, gender identification, and sexual practices. His positions and his own conscience before God were very much based on his Christian faith. And he died as a result of those things. He was murdered, assassinated because he was such an effective spokesman for those things. Much of the world called his viewpoints “hate.” I don’t see that at all.
In the earliest days of Christianity, Christians were accused of being haters of mankind. That was one of the libels or slanders focused against Christians in the early days, simply because they didn’t approve of everything that the world did. They were called haters of mankind. In that same spirit, Charlie Kirk was called a hater of mankind because of what he stood for in his Christian faith.
Could you point to people in history who were more dramatic or obvious martyrs than Charlie Kirk? Yes, I think you could. But because Charlie Kirk died directly because of his Christian faith, I don’t have a problem at all saying that he was a martyr.
Q&A for September 18, 2025
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How Should Believers Respond to Charlie Kirk’s Assassination?Making Sense of Evil – Psalm 73Psalm 73:1-3: The contradiction between the goodness of God and the prosperity of the wicked.
Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
My steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
[3] For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked: This was another truth that seemed to contradict what Asaph knew of God as declared in the first verse. He knew that God was [1] good to Israel and to the pure in heart, but it also seemed that God was good to the boastful and to the wicked. It all seemed so unfair to Asaph, and this made him [2] almost stumble and slip.
What do we do? We resist evil. One big way we do this in a representative democracy is by electing and supporting leaders who are committed to the rule of law and the administration of justice.
When Jesus said, I tell you not to resist an evil person in Matthew 5:39, it was in the context of the evil of a personal insult.
When a person insults us (slaps you on the right cheek), we want to give them back what they gave to us, plus more. Jesus said we should patiently bear such insults and offenses, and not resist an evil person who insults us this way. Instead, we trust God to defend us. France points out that ancient Jewish writings say that striking someone with the back of the hand – a severe insult – was punishable by a very heavy fine, according to Mishnah BK 8:6. When we think how Jesus Himself was insulted and spoken against (as a glutton, a drunk, an illegitimate child, a blasphemer, a madman, and so forth) we see how He lived this principle Himself.
It is wrong to think Jesus means evil should never be resisted. Jesus demonstrated with His life that evil should and must be resisted, such as when He confronted and rebuked the leaders of the religious establishment of His day, and when Jesus turned tables in the temple.
Psalm 73:16-17 – The power of a new perspective.
[16] When I thought how to understand this,
It was too painful for me—[17] Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their end.
[16] When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me: Asaph was caught in a trap. He could not deny the evidence that said that the wicked and ungodly often have good lives. He could not deny that his own life was often hard, leaving him feeling plagued and chastened by God. He felt all this to be true, but he also felt he could not talk about it because it would be untrue to others. Therefore, it was all too painful for him.
[17] Until I went into the sanctuary of God: The crisis seemed to build and build for Asaph, until he went into the house of the Lord. There he gained a perspective on his problem that he did not have before. There he was able to see things from an eternal viewpoint, and he then understood their end.
What did going to the house of God do for Asaph? There, he could gain understanding in several ways.
- By prayer and worship in the sanctuary, he understood that God was at the center of all things, and he gained a fresh appreciation of both God and eternity.
- By hearing the word of God in the sanctuary, he understood that there was a truth that went beyond what he saw and experienced in everyday life.
- By observing sacrifice at the sanctuary, he understood that God takes sin so seriously that it must be judged and atoned for, even if it is by an innocent victim who stands in the place of the guilty by faith.For Asaph, this was the sanctuary of God. It was the temple in Jerusalem, or the tabernacle that existed before the temple. For us, it is the place where we meet with God’s people for worship and fellowship and hearing the word of God.When Asaph went to the sanctuary of God, he received understanding. It wasn’t only a place to impact the senses and the feelings, but the understanding of a man. Asaph didn’t remark on how he felt their end or even experienced their end; he understood their end. It isn’t a bad thing to feel and experience the right things in the house of God, but there must also be understanding – the communication of truth in ways that can be received.
Psalm 73:28 – A Confident Declaration, Living Out One’s Faith
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
That I may declare all Your works.
He saw the great benefit in drawing near to God, which he doubted before (Psalm 73:13). In times of trouble and distress, what do people draw near to? Their alcohol? Their distractions? Their uncleanness? Asaph knew, is good for me to draw near to God.
He saw the value of putting his trust in God, now understanding that God was reliable and could be trusted.
iii. He had a passion to declare God’s works. He would become a messenger of God’s goodness and of the eternal perspective he gained in the house of the Lord.
Q&A for September 18, 2025
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But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. (Mark 14:4-5)
A few days before Jesus would be crucified, He ate dinner in Bethany. While they were eating, a woman came and broke a precious, expensive bottle of perfumed oil and poured it on the head of Jesus.
When this happened, there were some who were indignant. John 12:1-8 tells us that it was specifically Judas who was indignant about the expense. His indignation was entirely self-serving. John 12:6 says, this he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
Judas may have started the criticism, but he wasn’t alone for long. Mark made it clear that they criticized her sharply. Each one looked at the oil on Jesus’ head and considered it wasted. It’s easy to criticize those who show more love to Jesus than we do. We sometimes want to define a fanatic as someone who is more devoted to Jesus than we are. Mary probably started to wonder if she did something wrong.
In his criticism, Judas noted that the value of the perfumed oil was worth more than three hundred denarii – that’s worth a year’s wages of a working man. At this point of the story, we should thank Judas for this sharp word. If he hadn’t said this, we would have never known the value of the gift the woman gave to Jesus. Now we know – that alabaster bottle filled with perfumed oil was worth a lot of money!
The disciples thought that this extravagant anointing with oil was a waste, but Jesus told them “Leave her alone,” and He received it as a good work (Mark 14:6). With her simple love and devotion to Jesus, Mary understood what the disciples did not – that Jesus was about to die, and she intended this gift as a preparation for his burial (Mark 14:8).
In the following verses, Jesus gave this woman a high compliment, saying she has done what she could (Mark 14:8). God expects no more from us than what we can do; but beware of setting your sights so low that you believe that doing nothing is doing what you can.
The disciples (especially Judas) criticized the woman, saying she wasted the perfumed oil, but she didn’t waste it at all. She did the best thing someone could: she gave it to Jesus. The same word translated wasted in Mark 14:4 is translated perdition in John 17:12 – and is used to describe Judas as the son of perdition.
What the woman gave was not wasted, not at all – but Judas, the self-superior critic – he was a complete waste.
Don’t let your life be a waste – give it to Jesus every day.
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Why Are Faith And Works Both Important?In James 2:26, we read that faith without works is dead, but in Ephesians 2:8–9 we read that salvation is by grace through faith and not of works. How do these passages fit together? What exactly are works?
James 2:26 – For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Works are our appropriate response to the great things that God has done for us. As believers, we energetically serve, honor, and obey Jesus. We serve God and we serve our neighbor, but we don’t do it to achieve a right standing with God. We do it because we’ve been placed in a right standing with God through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, especially what He did on the cross and His resurrection. Works are the necessary and natural response of the believer in gratitude for all God has done.
James’s concern was that people were professing faith in Christ, but weren’t following through on a saved lifestyle, which would produce works. When he’s talking about works, he’s not saying that we are justified in terms of being saved by works. Works do not justify us. But works show our claim to faith to be valid. James isn’t saying, “You’re saved by works.” No, he’s saying, “Your faith is proven by works.”
The whole letter of James addresses people who are professing faith but not living their lives accordingly. The genuineness of your faith is demonstrated by how you live. Apart from that demonstration, your faith can just be an intellectual abstraction, or just an idea in your head, but it’s not something you really believe and lean on. So, James isn’t saying that we are justified by works, but that our faith is demonstrated by works.
Q&A for September 11, 2025
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Has God Allowed Attacks On Israel In Order To Bring Them To Repentance?First of all, I really enjoyed the Blue Letter Bible study guide. I have been studying for years with you. I just finished Deuteronomy, and I was wondering how you think all of the current events going on in Israel, from 2023 to the present, correlate to what is said in Deuteronomy? It seems to me that God is perhaps removing His hand of protection in order to allow Hamas to strike Israel and bring them back to a collective repentance. It’s so troubling how horrific all the events are, but I wondered what your thoughts were on this idea. I haven’t heard anybody say out loud recently that Israel has strayed far away from God, and that warfare and physical suffering at the hands of their enemies, though brutal and undesirable, in a sense could be a way to bring them back to repentance.
The Bible says that there will be great opposition, persecution, and tribulation that comes against the Jewish people. We’re talking about eschatology. Believers who love the Lord and take the Bible seriously have different ways in which they organize God’s unfolding plan, so I’ll answer from my view.
I believe that there will be a future period of time which Jesus called the Great Tribulation. It wasn’t fulfilled in A.D. 70. I believe the Old Testament refers to this time as well, such as the phrase, “The time of Jacob’s trouble.” I don’t think we are in that time right now, but I think that some of the suffering and difficulty of the Jewish people that we see right now can be a foreshadowing or “labor pains” before the culmination of it.
On many levels, I think God is trying to get the attention of the Jewish people and get them to repent and put their trust in Jesus Christ. Their present difficulties are one aspect of that. The Bible also says that, in the future, all Israel will be saved. It’s not going to be an easy road, but it’ll end up in a glorious result. Is this a fulfillment of the blessings and cursings listed in Deuteronomy? Yes, God promised that the cursings would ultimately drive Israel to repentance and restoration.
Q&A for September 11, 2025
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Does Romans 11:25–32 Teach That Israel Will Be Saved Apart From Seeking Jesus?Concerning Romans 11:25-32, I’m confused with the idea that there is a time when God will turn to save or deliver Israel as a special case, if it’s meant as a universalized or collective redemption for a mass of people. What about all those past generations who, then, are unincluded? Listening to this passage makes it sound like the Jews are very special, and that they don’t necessarily need to seek Jesus, as they instead are being sought, and are thus, in some sense, predestined for mass salvation. So then, what about the concept of “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female if you are one in Christ” from Galatians 3:28 and 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16?
In Romans 11, this idea that all Israel will be saved is a mystery. It’s not an obvious fact. It’s something that we wouldn’t have deduced unless God revealed it to us that all Israel would be saved. This is one of the clearest and plainest statements in the Bible telling us that God does have an ongoing role for the people of Israel, for the Jewish people. In Romans 11, where it says that all Israel will be saved, in my mind there is no way that that can be referring to spiritual Israel. It’s referring to Israel after the flesh.
Now, there are places in the New Testament where the Bible does use the concept of spiritual Israel. But that’s not here. Predominantly, I would say that when Israel is mentioned in Romans, it is talking about Israel after the flesh. Occasionally it refers to spiritual Israel, but mostly it’s a literal Israel.
So, how is this event going to happen? Listen, it says it’s a mystery. But it’s going to happen. All Israel will be saved. It’s not going to happen because God’s going to grant them some kind of salvation apart from faith in Jesus Christ, but through a divine work of the Spirit of God, they will be led to faith in Jesus Christ. We would also say that that doesn’t necessarily mean that every last person of Jewish descent in the world at that time will put their trust in Jesus. But overwhelmingly, the Jewish people will become a Christ-accepting people instead of the Christ-rejecting people that we would say they are today.
I know it’s a radical promise. Paul knew it was a radical promise. But it is God’s promise, nevertheless, all the way from the Old Testament into the New Testament.
In Romans 9-11, is Paul addressing the relationship between Israel as the people of God and the church as the people of God? Yes, but it’s not the central question. I think the central question in Romans 9-11 is, “What happened to the Jewish people?” We have this triumphant conclusion at the end of Romans 8, which we all love to teach: “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.”
Romans 9 takes the position of, “Well, hey, Paul, it sure looks like the Jewish people are separated from the love of God. What about them? And if it could happen to them, how do I know it couldn’t happen to us? What about the Jewish people? Why are they in the state they are in right now?” Largely, Paul would say they are Messiah-rejecting instead of Messiah-accepting.
In two ways, Paul answers the question of “Why is Israel in the state of having rejected their Messiah?” First, he says it happened because it’s God’s plan, and he spells that out. Secondly, I find a place in Romans 10, where it seems to me that Paul almost turns on a dime, and he says, “Israel is in this condition because they chose it, because they continued in their unbelief, because they were unbelieving.” I think that Paul sets both answers side by side without seeing them as contradictory.
But it’s complementary: it’s part of God’s ordained plan, and Israel is completely responsible for their own rejections. But Romans 11 ends with Paul saying, “Don’t worry about it. God is going to resolve it in the end.” I love that. God will bring the people of Israel to faith before the time of the end, to fulfill what Jesus said in Matthew 23:39 – “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!‘” When the Lord Jesus Christ returns in triumph to the earth, it will not be to a Christ-rejecting Israel, but to a Christ-embracing and Christ-receiving Israel.
Q&A for September 11, 2025
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Can Jews Be Saved Apart From Faith In Jesus?Can Jews be righteous or heaven-bound outside of Christ? Does this path to salvation or justification still exist to any Jewish people after Christ, including the Jewish people of today?
I have heard it taught that while Christ absolutely is the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through him, there are many Jewish non-Christians who will be in heaven on account of their righteousness through some approximation or application of the Old Covenant. We know this is true to some extent for pre-Christian Jewish men of righteousness described in the Old Testament. Does this path to quote salvation or justification still exist to any Jewish person after Christ, including the Jewish people of 2025, who are sometimes also referred to, both broadly and specifically, as Israel today?
Can someone be saved apart from Christ? The answer is no. What about those who have never heard of Jesus? I can imagine a hypothetical Jewish person who has never been presented with who Jesus is and what is the gospel of Jesus Christ. How will that person be judged? They will be judged on the basis of what they did with God, with what God didreveal to them, what they’ve heard through creation and conscience. For a Jewish person, they’d be held to account for what they’ve heard through the word of God, because they’ve had the word of God in the form of the Old Testament, which they call the Tanakh.
This is what we know with absolute certainty. No person who rejects Jesus as Messiah is right with God. Jesus said that He is the only way to God, and if you reject Him, you reject the Father. There’s no doubt about it; no person can be justified by the Old Covenant apart from Jesus Christ. And if they put their trust in Jesus, they’re no longer under the Old Covenant. They’re in the New Covenant that Jesus established by His person and His work.
In theological terms, I am what people call a dispensationalist. In other words, I believe that there is a difference between the church and Israel. I believe that, in His unfolding plan of the ages, God has a continuing purpose for the Jewish people, who are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In some measure, that makes me a dispensationalist. I’ve listened to a lot of opponents of dispensationalism, usually from the Covenant Theology perspective, who like to talk about the dispensationalist position. They assume that dispensationalists believe that there are two peoples of God. But that’s not accurate. We don’t believe that there are two ways to God, as if you could come to God through Jesus, or through the institution of Judaism apart from Jesus? No, I don’t believe that. I don’t know any dispensationalist who believes that. There are not two peoples of God in the sense of two ways to come into right relationship with God. No, not at all.
I do believe that the church, the people of God who are in right relationship with God under the New Covenant, through the person and work of Jesus Christ, are a people of God. Absolutely. Nobody disputes that. But I also believe that the Jewish people are a people of God in a sense. Not in the sense that they’re in right relationship with God because of their Judaism, but they are a people of God in the sense that they have a continuing role in God’s unfolding plan of the ages. God has not rejected them or divorced them from that role.
There are not two peoples of God in any salvific sense. But that doesn’t mean that God has abandoned His promises to the Jewish people, the people of Israel. God said that they will have a continuing role in His unfolding plan of the ages, and I would say even till the end of the age. That’s how I would make the distinction.
Q&A for September 11, 2025
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When Was Satan Kicked Out Of Heaven?I am going through your Genesis teaching series, and I have a few questions, so I’m going to try to break this down one at a time. You mentioned that you were not a believer in the Gap Theory. Could you help me with a brief timeline of when Satan was kicked out of heaven and sent down to earth in relation to the order of creation?
Some people believe that the beginning of God’s entire creative work happened when it says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” I don’t believe so. I believe that angelic beings were created and later fell, all before God created the heavens and the earth. I understand this is somewhat speculative, so it’s not like I can prove it, but I think what I believe is consistent with what the Bible says.
When the Bible describes the heavens and the earth, it’s describing creation as we know it: the starry sky, the blue sky, and the earth that we know. Maybe there were other galaxies or solar systems, or maybe Genesis describes the creation of our solar system. I don’t know exactly. But I don’t think that before Genesis 1:1, there was nothing that was created. I think that as part of that “pre-creation” period, angelic beings were created and had their fall. There is a lot to it that we don’t know, but I would just place that all before Genesis 1:1.
The Gap Theory postulates that there was a gap between the time God created the heavens and the earth, and when it fell into a position where all things were void and without form, after which God sort of recreated. He brought order out of the chaos that was created by Satan and the fall. I can’t say that’s impossible, but I just don’t think it’s a likely or necessary biblical understanding. I could be wrong on this. To my understanding, the Gap Theory was popular at one time because people thought it gave them a way to explain the age of the earth, the dinosaurs, and so on. I just don’t think that the Gap Theory is necessary to explain those things.
Because of my interest in geology, I did a lot of study on this. There was a time when I believed in the Gap Theory, and it seemed to make sense. It was also being taught by my pastor. The problem arose when I began to do my own study on Genesis. It says first, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” and next, “And the earth was without form and void.” Well, proponents of the Gap Theory change it to say, “The earth became formless and void,” as though there was a change of state. They’d say this happened, and as a result of it, rebellion happened. So, they’d say that God had to kind of recreate everything. The Gap Theory was presented as a way to explain the apparent age of the earth. That’s when I began to do my own study, and it’s clear that you just can’t stick “it became” in there. It’s not viable; it’s a very forced translation. It really helped me to look at what the text actually says.
Q&A for September 4, 2025
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When Is It Appropriate To Leave A Church?Should I stay at a trendy but chaotically led church where I am not growing but I am asked to serve? Am I helping to perpetuate a broken system, or am I providing a voice of reason in the chaos?
Here’s the biggest factor in my mind. Is there a clearly better church that you could commit yourself to? When it comes to figuring out what church is best for you and your family, there’s a part of me that gets very practical. Practically speaking, a good church is one that is within a reasonable distance from me, and the service times are such that I can really commit myself to it. I’m going to find the best church in the area that fits that description. We’re not necessarily looking for a perfect church, but for a better church. I would not leave your church unless you knew there was a better church that you could go to.
The fact that you serve at this church is good, but I don’t think service opportunity should override the fact that it’s just not a good, healthy church on other fronts. In that case, you should probably have your eye out, your heart open, and certainly be praying that God would lead you to a better, healthier congregation.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit may want us to stay in a place to be a witness and a testimony, and to help others. At other times, for your own sake, you need to leave. Who can answer that but the Holy Spirit Himself? This is an area where there has to be some measure of discernment from the Holy Spirit. But as a matter of practical wisdom, I would say, don’t leave this church until you have found a church that you have good reason to believe will be better.
I’ve known people who have attended a church that was heretical in terms of their theology, but they knew that they were called by the Lord to stay there, to be a voice for Him and for the genuine gospel. They were part of a pseudo-Christian group, and they loved the Lord. They were genuine believers. The fruit of the Spirit was all over this couple. I asked them, “Why are you going to that church?” And they said, “It’s our mission.” So, I think somebody could potentially stay at an unhealthy church with a clear sense of mission, but there would be a lot of wisdom factors involved, such as children.
Q&A for September 4, 2025
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Can a Christian Be Pro-Choice?I know Christians who say that they’re personally pro-life, but politically pro-choice, claiming it’s not our place to legislate morality. Can someone hold that position and still be faithful to God’s word?
No, I think the two would be mutually contradictory to approve of death. Let’s not sugarcoat it, abortion is murder, deliberate killing. The law, both biblically and otherwise, makes all different sort of categories defining killing and manslaughter and murder. But at the very least, the deliberate killing of a child in the womb is not compatible with biblical morality, except someone might say in the case of self-defense. So no, it’s not biblically compatible.
Now, a Christian can be in error on any number of things, but they’re in error. They’re a Christian who’s wrong. They’re a Christian who is mistaken. It’s true that laws against abortion are a legislation of morality, but every law is a legislation of morality. A law against murdering a 20-year-old is a legislation of morality. Biblical law, the law of conscience, and natural law all give us this idea that abortion is a deliberate killing. I would say that a pro-life, pro-choice person does not have a compatible application of biblical truth to their responsibility as a voter. Pro-choice is a euphemistic phrase to describe a pro-abortion standpoint. I don’t think that’s compatible with biblical morality at all. Again, it could be compatible with someone who is a Christian, but that person would be a Christian who is in error.
As a believer, I think Christians can be in error about a lot of things yet still be believers. They’re wrong about the things that they’re wrong about. But it takes more than being wrong about some specific issues to disqualify somebody as a Christian.
As we grow in Christ, we’re hopefully going to have our views changed about a number of things. That’s part of the process in Romans 12:1-2, which says, “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” That happens over the rest of your life. There may be times when, by a work of God’s Spirit, my mind is suddenly changed. We praise the Lord for that. But usually, it’s by a steady growth in grace.
In every culture, there are things that are typically considered taboo for a believer, and a person who’s not saved would have no problem with those things. They get saved, and immediately they know that they should avoid that thing. When I was a youngster, Christians didn’t smoke. It didn’t go well if you were a smoker and you professed to be a Christian. I think that has changed, at least somewhat.
Here’s the problem: a person who sees smoking as offensive to a faithful walk with God might have a problem with greed and not really recognize how deep-seated that is. Let’s say they hear a message on greed, or they’re doing their devotions, and they confront their greed problem, the Holy Spirit starts convicting them, and they realize that greed is biblically a much worse sin than smoking.
There is a definite growth in grace for believers, and sometimes this even relates to a person’s conversion. The Surgeon General during Ronald Reagan’s presidency was a man named C. Everett Koop. He was a believer, who described his conversion along these lines: “Well, I can’t tell you a time and a place where I know I was born again. But at one point in time, I started going to church with my wife. When I first started going to that church, I sat next to my wife and I listened to the preacher, and I said, ‘I don’t agree with anything that guy’s saying.’ But at some point five years later, I sat next my wife, and I realized, ‘I agree with everything that man’s saying.’ I couldn’t tell you the exact time and place that took place, but I just realized it had happened.” Some people will experience a gradual growth in grace. A dramatic testimony can be awesome, but it doesn’t always happen that way. For plenty of people, it may take them a while to experience that renewing of the mind.
Q&A for September 4, 2025
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What is Pastor David Guzik’s Hot Take on Christian Nationalism?What is the connection between Christian nationalism and their concept of the Kingdom of God / Heaven?
We hear a lot these days from popular media on Christian nationalism, and it’s almost always in a negative sense. What is the connection between Christian nationalists and their idea of the kingdom of Heaven?
From what I have seen of those in the Christian nationalist environment, I don’t see much focus on the kingdom of Heaven. What they really want to focus on is the transformation of society, right here and right now. To that, I would say Amen; I’d love to see our society transformed. I’d love to see a more Christian nation. Absolutely.
What I don’t agree with is the position that there should be some kind of marriage between the church and the state, as has been seen oftentimes in Christian history. I don’t think that is beneficial for Christianity. On some occasions, for some period of time, it has worked, but it’s like saying that the milk in your fridge is good. Milk in the fridge is good for a time, but it will eventually become sour and spoil. That has been the inevitable progress of church-state unions: they spoil over time.
One of the great blessings I believe about Christianity in the United States is that we’ve never really been burdened by a State Church the way that European Christians have. I think that’s one reason for the relative vibrancy and health of Christianity in America, compared to many of our European neighbors. We’ve never really had the State Church system as they have had in Europe.
Do we want a more Christian nation? Absolutely. But let me say one more thing about the idea of Christian nationalism. If there are believers who really feel that we should have a Christian nation governed on Christian principles, and believe that it would be good for everybody, not just good for people who share our theological perspectives, then I would say, “Okay, great. Show me. Show me a Christian city and how awesome it is. Show me that it’s not oppressive, and that freedom and the economy and society is flourishing in this Christian city. Next, show me a Christian County, or a Christian State. I’d love to see that. What a blessing that would be. I’ll be the first one to applaud a Christian nation. If we’re talking about the United States, and all of those things have been demonstrated to be both possible and awesome, then nobody would argue against having a Christian nation.
However, I’m a little bit skeptical to turning over the keys of the whole country to someone without having proven that it can work, even on a small scale. It seems that, for a number of people who are advocating for this philosophy, the extent of their Christian nationalism is the office in which they write their books, or the camera on which they speak their views.
LIVE Q&A for August 28, 2025
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How Do You Explain the Kingdom of God?Could you please explain the Kingdom of God? I keep hearing more and more about bringing the Kingdom of God to this earth. Thank you.
The kingdom of God is a broad concept in the Scriptures. Here is one of the better definitions I’ve adopted for it. The kingdom of God is manifested wherever the reign of Jesus Christ is recognized, and the benefits of His reign are enjoyed.
It sounds like you might be hearing from some people who are filled with hype, who like to get worked up about the Kingdom, and try to talk themselves into great things happening and great things being done. The kingdom of God is at work in the world today, sometimes in dramatic, wonderful ways, but oftentimes in subtle, almost boring, regular ways that we can recognize as Christians. If you are faithful, servant-minded, and walking in the love of God in your community, then God is doing the work of His kingdom through you.
The kingdom of God can’t be boiled down to any one aspect. People who try to drum up an enthusiasm or fervor for some immediate manifestation of the kingdom of God should generally be treated with suspicion. They’re trying to hype something into existence, rather than just realizing that God does the work of His kingdom in ways that are both obvious and subtle.
What does Jesus mean when He directs us to pray, “Your kingdom come, and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”? As we earlier defined, we want to see the reign of Jesus recognized and the benefits of that reign all around us. This prayer does not mean that it is God’s intention for everything on Earth right now to be as it will ultimately be one day in heaven. Some people have sort of driven that fervor, though. There are books by fellows like Bill Johnson from Bethel in Redding, California, that speak to this idea. But it’s inaccurate.
God does not intend for everything in the world right now to be exactly as it will be in heaven. For example, I’m absolutely certain that God wants me to be married and to be a faithful husband. In heaven, the people of God are neither married nor given in marriage. That’s part of the ultimate state. There is the promise of glorification in the age to come. But I’m not glorified right now.
There are aspects of what God will ultimately do in the age to come that are not yet manifest here. To pray, “May Your kingdom come, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is to say, “God, I want Your way. I want Your kingdom to be extended throughout this world, according to Your will and Your work.” I think it’s that simple.
LIVE Q&A for August 28, 2025
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When Does God Consider A Marriage To Be Dissolved?I think we need to make a distinction between what God and human courts consider to be a real divorce. A human court may declare a marriage dissolved, but God may not consider it to be so.
A true divorce can happen in two general categories. First, a divorce can be made on the grounds of sexual immorality. It’s important to note that the act of sexual immorality does not automatically create divorce, but rather, it is used on behalf of a spouse who cannot find grounds for reconciliation with their partner, and maybe for good reason. Maybe the sin has been egregious, or maybe there’s been no repentance; regardless, the offended spouse can’t get past that. God says that is grounds for divorce in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Moses, Jesus, and Paul all refer to that as grounds for divorce.
Secondly, a divorce can be made because of abandonment by an unbelieving spouse, as noted specifically by Paul there in 1 Corinthians 7. This can get a little bit complicated, because what constitutes abandonment? Does chronic drug abuse constitute abandonment? Maybe. Does abuse in some forms constitute abandonment? Probably, yes. We can see that. That’s why we have biblical principles. Then it’s up to wise, compassionate pastors to help apply those principles in the lives of their congregants.
We often receive questions where people want us to make some kind of determination on their behalf. We can give them the principles from the Bible, and we are happy to do that. But let’s be honest, to “roll up your sleeves” in a real ministry sense, to get into the business of a person’s life, to compassionately hear them out, ask questions, and go through the situation with them, or maybe even to call them out on some things can give you a different picture. The principles are there to help provide discernment.
When God gave permission for divorce on the basis of sexual immorality and/or abandonment, He meant it. If a marriage is dissolved, that person is no longer under obligation to a marriage vow. That’s what divorce is. The Bible itself makes a distinction between divorce and separation. A divorce is a marriage that’s over.
God does not look down from heaven and see three categories: single, married, and divorced. In God’s view, you’re either under obligation to a marriage vow or you’re not. If a person is not, because they’ve had a divorce on biblical grounds, then they are free to remarry, and it’s not considered adultery. There is a hard rule in the Christian world that is creating so much heartache. I dealt with it extensively in a video we put out a few years ago. The application of this rule has done tremendous damage in the body of Christ. I’ve had people come to me saying, “People have told my husband that unless he divorces me and leaves me and my three kids, he’s going to hell.” Why? Because it was a second marriage. Even though the first marriage was dissolved on biblical grounds, these likely well-meaning people come along and say, “No, if you are remarried, it means you’re in adultery and you’re going to hell.” That is an incorrect, dangerous, damaging doctrine which needs the light of God’s Word and truth to shine upon it.
Other people might argue that if you are married and you divorce for any reason at all, any future marriages are okay. These folks are taking one or two verses that speak about the issue of marriage and divorce but ignoring what other passages of Scripture say. That is a failure to rightly divide the Word of truth. You can’t just take a subject in Scripture, take a couple of verses about it as your doctrine, while you cross out the other verses that deal with it. I don’t mind corresponding with people who disagree with me. But each of us needs to take the whole of biblical truth into account.
LIVE Q&A for August 28, 2025
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Should A Believer Marry A Nonbeliever?My son is talking about getting engaged. His girlfriend is into New Age; she pretended to be saved for a short time. Do I give advice to him or them on being equally yoked, and if so, how? (He is having a hard time remaining celibate)
2 Corinthians 6:14 – Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
In context, this passage about being unequally yoked is not specifically addressing marriage and a marriage partner. It’s talking about partnership with unbelievers in a broad way. But it certainly has application to marriage, because there’s no closer personal partnership than being married. That’s the ultimate partnership. So, even though this command to not be unequally yoked is not specifically about marriage, it certainly applies to it.
I can say this: your son is going to have difficulty if he marries an unbeliever. I say that carefully, because people who are not yet Christians are by no means automatically horrible, immoral people and unfit companions in a marriage. That’s not true. I would also say that not everybody who makes a valid profession of faith in Jesus Christ is automatically marriage material. We should not oversimplify it to say that every unbeliever is bad, and every believer is good when it comes to a fit marriage partner.
However, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, and you are born again by God’s Spirit, the focus of your life will be to follow Jesus Christ and give glory to Him. That’s what life should be about for a believer. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me.” That’s what it is to be a Christian.
By marrying somebody who does not share that same central focus and purpose of life, you have two people living for different purposes, and there can’t help but be some conflict with that. I’m not trying to say that anybody who marries an unbeliever is automatically going to have a wretched, horrible life, but there will be trouble, and probably unexpected trouble and difficulty, that you’re bringing into your life.
I would also warn about a false profession of faith. Many years ago, a man whom we knew was interested in a woman romantically, and she was interested in him. He was a believer, and she was not, but she knew that he would not marry her unless she was a believer. So, one day, she told him, “I’m a Christian now. I put my trust in Christ,” and she went to church a few times. They got married. But almost as soon as they got married, she just turned her back on Jesus. It was clearly a false, superficial thing done simply to get the guy to marry her. This man ended up having a lot of trouble in that marriage. To marry an unbeliever is to walk down a path that is not wise.
LIVE Q&A for August 28, 2025
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But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. (Mark 13:9-10)
This comes from what Christians have long called the Olivet Discourse, because it was a teaching Jesus gave to His disciples on the Mount of Olives, overlooking Jerusalem and the temple mount.
One purpose Jesus had in the Olivet Discourse was to prepare His disciples to endure persecution. Those who heard him utter these words would be persecuted, and only one of them would die a natural death.
Therefore, Jesus told them – and all His future disciples – watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. Jesus told His disciples to be prepared for the persecution that would come against them before the end. This persecution was not the sign of the end but simply should be expected. They could expect to be persecuted both by the religious (you will be beaten in the synagogues) and by the government (rulers and kings). In such difficult times, the believer should not despair because they suffer for the sake of Jesus, and as a testimony to their persecutors.
It is easy for those of us who live in the Western world to underestimate how difficult a time of persecution can be. While few Christians in the Western world face persecution, Christians in other parts of the world often face these trials.
– If I came from an orthodox Jewish family, they might consider me a blasphemer and account me as dead for choosing Jesus.
– If I came from a strict Muslim family, I might be rejected by my family and be literally killed for choosing Jesus.
– If I came from a Hindu family in India, I could be rejected and martyred for choosing Jesus.
– In China, I might be allowed to practice Christianity only in the state-sponsored church. My church might be one of the thousands destroyed since the year 2000.
– In Nigeria, I might be killed or maimed in the bombings and attacks common around Christmas and Easter.
It’s easy for Western Christians to almost romanticize persecution. It’s true that God works miracles in and through His people in such times, but they are extremely trying and stressful for believers. Of course, those who directly suffer the persecution must trust God for endurance, but so do believers who simply live under the threat of persecution. That is a great burden to bear, greater than most people realize.
While times of persecution are difficult, God works through them. I remember the testimony of a pastor I met in Erbil, Iraq. He told them that God was moving so mightily in their midst, that despite the difficulty of the persecution, they had stopped asking God to take it away. Now their prayer was for God to do great things for His sake, and as a lasting testimony.
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Is Apostolic Succession Valid?I’ve heard Roman Catholics and even Anglicans trace their clergy back to the earliest apostles or disciples. Is this a biblical concept or necessary function? The idea seems to resonate with many believers.
Here’s something from the Westminster Dictionary of Church History:
“The concept of uninterrupted transmission of spiritual authority in the ministry through the episcopate from the apostles who were commissioned by Christ. Validity of holy orders is said to depend upon this unbroken succession. Clement of Rome in the 1st century emphasized the fact of the succession of the ministry from the apostles.”
There was some argument to be made for the concept of apostolic succession in the first few generations of Christianity, when a person’s influences and mentors could be traced back to the apostles. Beyond that, it seems to me to be a vain concept – that real apostolic succession is not accomplished by the laying on of hands, but by faithfulness to biblical truth.
Spurgeon said this:
“Now, it was no doubt the custom to lay on hands at the ordination of Christian ministers by the apostles, and there was an excellent reason for it, for gifts were thereby conveyed to the ordained, and when we can find anybody who can thereby confer some spiritual gift upon us, we shall be glad to have their hands laid on our heads; but empty hands we care not for…. empty hands it seems to me are fitly laid on empty heads, and to submit to an empty ceremony is the idlest of all idle waste of time.”
(From his sermon, Our Gifts, and How to Use Them, on 2 Timothy 1:6)
2 Timothy 2:2: True Apostolic Succession
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
- The things that you have heard from me among many witnesses: Paul reminded Timothy of the body of truth that he had heard from the Apostle in the presence of many others. Certainly, Timothy heard many Bible studies from Paul and shared much time with the Apostle in personal discipleship.
- It may be that Paul reminded Timothy of a special message he presented at Timothy’s ordination service among many witnesses.
- Commit these to faithful men: God gave ministry to Timothy, not for him to keep to himself, but for him to pass on to others. An essential part of his work as a pastor was to pour into others what God had committed to him.
- One may say that everything that a pastor does in his ministry he should train others to do. There are no duties of a pastor so holy or so secret that he should keep them all to himself. He should always seek to spread ministry about to others, and to train others to do the work of the ministry.
- Timothy was not to teach others his own particular ideas or theories, but simple apostolic doctrine and example (the things that you have heard from me). What Paul poured into him he was responsible to pour into others.
iii. The job of training leaders is simply part of a pastor’s job description. He should not only train leaders when the need for a leader is obvious; nor should he only train leaders for the needs of his congregation alone. He should train leaders for the Kingdom of God in general, whether they are used in ministry at the particular pastor’s congregation or not.
- To faithful men: When Timothy looked for those whom he could pour apostolic doctrine and practice into, he was to look for the quality of faithfulness. He didn’t need to find smart men, popular men, strong men, easy men, perfect men, or good-looking men; Paul told him to look for faithful men.
- Through the history of Christianity, some have held to the idea of apostolic succession. This is the idea that you can know who a true minister of the gospel is because Peter ordained someone to succeed him, and that one ordained someone to succeed him, and the next one ordained someone to succeed him, so forth and so on down the line. However, this verse reveals the real apostolic succession – the succession of faithful men, who take the teachings of the apostles and pass them on.
- Without faithfulness to the teaching and example of the apostles, the idea of apostolic succession is nothing more than the laying of empty hands upon empty heads. “Where is the uninterrupted apostolic succession? Who can tell? Probably it does not exist on the face of the world. All the pretensions to it by certain Churches are as stupid as they are idle and futile” (Clarke).
LIVE Q&A for August 28, 2025
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/Romans11_1-24.mp3This is the 18th message of an audio-only series through the book of Romans, taught by pastor David Guzik.
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Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” (Mark 12:24-25)
On the Tuesday before He went to the cross, Jesus debated the religious authorities on the temple mount in Jerusalem. One of the groups to challenge Jesus were the Sadducees, who hoped to trap Jesus with a complicated question meant to make the truth of the resurrection look ridiculous and therefore false.
Jesus responded to the Sadducees by telling them they were twice mistaken. They did not know the Scriptures and they did not know the power of God. Because they didn’t know God’s word, and they didn’t know and trust the power of God, they doubted the truth of God’s promise of a life after this one – the resurrection.
The Sadducees thought that if there was a resurrection, it was just this same life lived forever. With the principle when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, Jesus showed that in the age to come life will be lived on a completely different principle and in a dimension we can’t imagine.
Many people make the same mistake as the Sadducees in thinking about heaven – that it is just a longer and better version of earth. Some Native American thought of heaven as the happy hunting ground. Some Vikings thought of heaven as Valhalla, where they fought as warriors all day, but at day’s end the dead and wounded rose whole again, celebrating all night at a banquet, drinking wine from the skulls of their enemies. These ideas mistake heaven for simply a better earth. Heaven’s life is of a different order all together.
In heaven, God’s people neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Therefore, we can’t take our present relationships and suppose they will be the same in heaven. On earth, human relationships are largely a matter of time and place – a man can be a son, then an adult, then a husband, then a father, and so on. In heaven, all this changes.
From everything we know, angels don’t have babies. In that respect, we will be just like the angels. We know it won’t be the same as what we know on earth, but we can’t say for sure what it will be like in heaven – other than to know that we won’t be disappointed.
Knowing that the resurrection of the dead is true doesn’t answer all our questions. There are mysteries that remain, but they don’t take away from the basic truth of the resurrection.
Don’t make the same two mistakes the Sadducees did. When we don’t know the Scriptures, we don’t have an anchor for truth and belief. When we don’t know the power of God, we doubt God’s ability to fulfill what He has promised in the Scriptures.
Click here for David’s commentary on Mark 12
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis37.mp3Welcome to part 41 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, teaching here through chapter 37. The narrative of Genesis shifts to the powerful story of Joseph, starting with his tragic betrayal by his brothers.
Throughout this series, Pastor David expounds and examines a full chapter of scripture with you – verse by verse, point by point. Applying these timeless lessons to today’s world, he concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. (Genesis 39:2-3)
When you think of all that Joseph endured before he was 25 years old, it was more than enough to last a lifetime. Rejected and abused by his own family, Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave to a foreign people. Sold again in the slave markets of Egypt, Joseph was purchased by captain of Pharaoh’s guard and began to serve in his house.
Joseph’s ordeal was probably worse than any of us have gone through. Yet, the LORD was with Joseph. God did not abandon Joseph, even in the smallest way. Believers often complain to God that He put them in a terrible or difficult place. Yet, in general, God’s will is for His people to trust Him to bless them and make them successful (as He measures success) wherever they are.
Some people think they can’t be blessed unless they are in authority, in charge of things. Jesus lived and taught a better way – a life as a servant.
– Jesus said, If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, learn to be the servant of all. (Matthew 20:26)
– Jesus said and lived this principle: For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. (Matthew 20:28)
– There are many wonderful titles for Jesus the Messiah, but one of the most meaningful is Servant of the Lord (Matthew 12:18, Isaiah 42:1). Yes, He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and the King of Kings – yet Jesus is also a servant, the ultimate servant.
Believers can and must learn the blessing of being a servant; if it isn’t forced upon a believer, then they can choose it.
Even at this early point when it seemed Joseph had no control over circumstances – and indeed he had none – God overruled the evil or unpredictable choices of man to accomplish His eternal purpose. The LORD made Joseph a successful man.
By his trust in God, diligent work, and blessing from God, Joseph showed Potiphar that God was real, and that the LORD was with Joseph. Followers of Jesus should live out the same principle today; others should see the difference Jesus makes in the life of believers by the way they work.
It is a great blessing to say of anyone, the LORD was with him. Think of the contrast between Joseph and his brothers. The brothers were not sold as slaves and they slept in their own beds among their own families. At the same time, Joseph was a slave, but free because the LORD was with him. The brothers were free, but slaves to secrets, shame, and guilt.
In Jesus Christ, the Servant of the LORD, it is true: the LORD is with you.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 39
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How Are Dogs & Cats Depicted in the Bible? – Weekly Q&A for November 7, 2024How Are Dogs & Cats Depicted in the Bible? From Smitha – Dogs are very loyal, innocent, and unconditionally loving. We have a lot to learn from them. But the Bible teaches otherwise. And there is no mention of beautifully created cats in the Bible. Why is it so?
A recent video I watched, where a man was arguing against the inerrancy of the Bible.
His position was, “the Bible makes lots of mistakes,” and this was one of his arguments.
The Bible generally presents dogs in a negative light:
Isaiah 56:10-11
His watchmen are blind,
They are all ignorant;
They are all dumb dogs,
They cannot bark;
Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Yes, they are greedy dogs
Which never have enough.
Psalm 22:16
For dogs have surrounded Me;
Matthew 7:6
Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine,
Philippians 3:2
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!
Revelation 22:15
But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
But the argument, “this proves the Bible is filled with errors, because we know that dogs are awesome, and the Bible says (or implies) they aren’t” – that argument is nuts.
- If this is the kind of argument you’re making against the infallibility of the Bible, your arguments are really weak.
We understand and interpret the Bible in light of its original languages, its geographical setting, its historical setting, and its cultural setting.
In the cultures the Bible came from, dogs were – in general – rightly perceived as dangerous, threatening scavengers. So, Smitha, the Bible’s presentation of dogs makes perfect sense in consideration of its historic and cultural setting.
As for why the Bible doesn’t mention cats – there’s really no good answer to this. There are lots of animals the Bible doesn’t mention, so nothing should be read into the fact that domestic cats are not mentioned in the Bible (of course, lions and leopards are mentioned).
How do we react to false teachers who refuse to repent? The Bible says to have nothing to do with them, but are they considered our enemies whom we are called to love?I think you’re putting your finger on something here. Obviously, we are not supposed to do evil against unbelievers. We’re not supposed to slash their tires or play pranks upon them or troll them in some way. No, no; we are to display love to them.
So, what does the Bible mean when it says, “Have nothing to do with them”? I think it means, first, to do nothing to support them in their sin. This was especially the case in the ancient world of the New Testament. False prophets would travel around and hope to be lodged in someone’s house. Within the New Testament context, the biblical response would be, “Don’t let them stay at your house. If you do, you’re supporting their work. You’re giving them the wherewithal to spread their false doctrine in your area for another day. Send them on. Have nothing to do with them.”
A second aspect of “having nothing to do with” regards Christian fellowship. In other words, it needs to be very plain in your own heart, to your own Christian community, and to the unbelievers, “We do not regard these people as believers. We’re not going to regard them as brothers or sisters. No, they are in deep error, and we’re not going to consider them to be among us.”
There are many problems in Christian churches today where people tend to pretend that severe doctrinal problems just don’t exist, as if they’re not present. Their attitude is, “Well, who cares? You can have this great area of compromise, either in your doctrine or maybe in your manner of living, and we’ll just look the other way and pretend it’s not there.” You know, the New Testament church of Corinth was doing that. They harbored a notorious sinner in their midst, and Paul rebuked them. He said, “You need to put that man out of the circle of fellowship.” Happily, when the Corinthians followed these instructions of the apostle Paul, the man repented. That is the goal. By refusing to play a game of “let’s pretend you really are a believer,” that person is motivated toward repentance.
That’s the idea in this concept. We are still to love them in the normal, customary things, but we also recognize that they are, in fact, unbelievers. We are not to be against them, but we are not to support them and help them in their work in any way, and we are definitely not to pretend that they are really okay and right with God.
How do you know if you have a gift?I’m going to assume that you mean a spiritual gift of some kind. The Bible describes spiritual gifts that God distributes to His people, such as gifts of mercy, gifts of helps, gifts of teaching, gifts of administration, gifts of leadership, gifts of generosity, and so on.
I would say that if you have a gift, you will see and notice the blessing of God on you as you practice or carry out that gift. Not only will you see or notice the blessing of God upon you, but you will also see and notice what I might call the pleasure of God upon it.
For example, I believe that one of the spiritual gifts that God has given me is the gift of teaching and preaching. I believe it’s part of a pastoral gift that God has given me, because one of the fundamental responsibilities of a pastor is to preach and teach God’s people. It’s not the only responsibility by any means, but it is one of the chief ones.
How did I know that I had the gift of teaching? Well, when I taught, there seemed to be some measure of blessing upon it. I don’t want to exaggerate, especially about the early years. It’s not like I was some kind of “boy wonder” preaching. Nevertheless, when I would exercise that gift, there seemed to be some sense of blessing upon it. That’s one way to know that you have a gift.
But it wasn’t only that. It was also because something in me resonated with it and was excited about the exercise of that gift. I felt God’s pleasure when I taught His Word, even though I want to teach it better, and I worked at teaching it better, and I still do. I could sense God’s pleasure in it. So, those are two ways to recognize a gifting in your life: you’ll have at least a small sense of God’s blessing on it, and a sense of God’s pleasure.
A third way to know is that other people will see or sense something as well. I’m not trying to say for a moment that it has to be dramatic. If you have the gift of helps or administration or mercy or whatever it is, it doesn’t have to be that someone remarks, “Oh, my heavens. I’ve never seen anybody do it like that ever before.” It doesn’t have to be like that. Maybe not everybody, but at least some other people will notice there’s something in the way that the Lord is using a person.
In practical terms, how does a wife submit to her husband?God bless you for your desire to obey what God says. Friends, there is no doubt that Colossians, Ephesians, and other passages in the New Testament teach the special responsibility of a wife to submit to her husband. Ephesians 5:22 says, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” The word submit means “to come under the order or authority of” someone. It means to recognize that God has given your household a head. Now, I’m not thinking about the general headship of Jesus Christ, which of course, is true. But the Bible specifically says that the husband is the head of the wife, and by extrapolation, I’ll say the head of the home, because he is the head over the children as well. The husband is the head of the home, and you need to make a choice to come under that headship, under that authority.
I think it’s very important to point out that proper submission on the part of a Christian wife does not mean silence. Submission does not equal silence! But it does mean coming under the authority of the head. If I were to say to my wife that I believe it’s best for us to do this or that or the other thing and she disagrees, I want to hear her disagreement. Maybe she sees something in the whole situation that I don’t see. Maybe she has considered something that I have not considered. Well, I want to see it. I want to hear it. I want to know it. This can be very helpful to me. So, a wife shouldn’t feel that submission means silence.
Obviously, we are called to do it respectfully. This applies to how we speak to all people that are in God’s family, period. We should always speak respectfully to other people. So as a wife, you respectfully speak to your husband, telling him what you see and what you think, and then you say, “But, dear husband, I’ll leave the decision up with you. I trust you to decide what’s best for us.”
Now, you didn’t ask a question about the husband’s headship, but if I were to talk about the husband’s headship, this is what I would emphasize. The husband’s responsibility is not to decide what’s best for himself, and it’s not to decide what’s best for his wife. The husband’s responsibility is to decide what’s best for them as a couple, what’s best for us. With the input and the support of his wife, he is well able to do that. So really, it means letting your husband take the lead. You can say, “What do you think, dear husband of mine? I trust you to decide what’s best for us in this matter. This is what I think. Now, what’s your decision?” And this can be done without usurping his position.
This word for submission is a military term, where someone is in a superior rank. It doesn’t mean necessarily that they’re a better person, but that they have a higher rank. In the same way, you need to come under rank of your husband and recognize and trust him and let him lead.
Now, let me add one more thing. I think that the commands given to a Christian wife for submission in marriage are very broad. I think that they require a lot from a Christian wife. I think that if a Christian wife is truly going to submit to her husband, there is going to be a true measure of dying to self in there, just as if a husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church, is going to be a measure of dying to himself. Each of them has to die to self, they just do it in slightly different ways.
It is important to add that, even though the command given to the wife to submit to her husband is strong, nobody should think that it’s absolute submission. On a human level, a horizontal level between people, God never commands absolute submission. God commands me to submit to My employer, but not if my employer tells me to sin, and not if my employer abuses me. God commands me to submit to My government, but not if my government tells me to sin, and not if my government abuses me. God commands a child to submit to their parent, but not if the parent tells the child to sin, and not if the parent abuses the child. I want to make it very clear that the command to a Christian wife to submit to her husband is strong and challenging. In some way or another, she’s going to have to die to self in order to fulfill it. But God never commands absolute submission. On a human or horizontal level, we always obey God before man.
Why does God sometimes repeat a person’s name in the Bible?Is this a Hebraic technique for emphasis? I looked up this double name usage & found nothing. What are your thoughts here? And did I miss any? Best to you!
Genesis 22:11 – “Abraham, Abraham!”
Exodus 3:4 – “Moses, Moses!”
1 Samuel 3:10 – “Samuel! Samuel!”
Luke 10:41 – “Martha, Martha,…”
Acts 9:4, 22:7, 26:14 – “Saul, Saul,…”
I don’t think those are the only double uses of a name in Scripture, but those are the ones that come to mind immediately. Your intuition is correct; this is a Hebraic technique for emphasis. In Hebrew literature, emphasis is expressed by repetition. They didn’t have bigger, bolder fonts or typesets, so one of the ways they could express emphasis in biblical Hebrew literature was by repetition.
Here is what I say in my commentary: When God repeats a name twice, it is to display deep emotion, but not necessarily anger. In Luke 10:41, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha.” He wasn’t angry with her, but He was deeply moved. In Matthew 23:37, Jesus said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem,” which again expresses more of a depth of emotion than anger. When God cried out to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads,” I don’t think that was an announcement of God’s anger against Saul, even though obviously God was not pleased. But more than it being an expression of anger, God was deeply moved on Saul’s behalf. So yes, it’s a means of communicating emphasis. It’s indicating deep emotion on the part of God.
Is there a point where you shouldn’t pray for someone’s salvation? Is it possible to come back to God if you’re an apostate?I would say to pray for someone until you have an inner illumination from the Holy Spirit that you should no longer pray for them. The Bible does talk about ceasing to pray for people, but I think that point would be prompted by a genuine inner illumination that would lead somebody to say, “No, this just isn’t something I should pray for anymore. God, would release me from the responsibility to pray for this person’s salvation?”
Is it possible to come back to God if you’re an apostate? Well, yes, but once you come back to God, you’re no longer an apostate. Apostasy is demonstrated in the refusal to come back. Some people would argue, “Well, if you come back, you were never apostate to begin with.” Whatever you want to say, a person who is considered an apostate today can come back to the faith. They can come back to the Lord.
Friends, if that’s you, come back to Jesus. I wonder if there is somebody listening right now who has turned their back on Jesus Christ. You used to walk with Him. You used to believe. You used to count yourself among believers. Now you’ve turned your back on God. Maybe you’d say you’ve deconstructed. Maybe you say you’ve apostatized. Maybe you say you’ve become an atheist. You can turn back. God will receive you with open arms. But don’t presume. If you sense anything inside of you right now saying that you should do this, follow up on it immediately, because you may not always feel that way.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis36.mp3Welcome to part 40 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, teaching here through chapter 36. As Esau’s family departs to the lands south of Canaan, their lineage is detailed and recorded – preserving the past and future of the Edomites.
Throughout this series, Pastor David expounds and examines a full chapter of scripture with you – verse by verse, point by point. Applying these timeless lessons to today’s world, he concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again. (Genesis 38:26)
One of the truly remarkable things about the Bible is how honestly it presents the people of God, even heroes among them.
Noah, the great man of faith and action – drunk and in disgrace.
Abraham, the father of the faithful – hiding behind his wife and behind lies.
Isaac, the chosen son – ignoring God’s word and caring only for the material.
Jacob, the father of Israel – deceives others to his own advantage.
Moses, the great lawgiver – misrepresented God in a notable way.
David, the man after God’s heart – a murderer and adulterer.
Genesis 38 is an honest chapter, telling a story from the life of Judah, the son of Jacob and father of one of the great tribes of Israel. Judah’s sons failed to provide descendants to Tamar, the widow of Judah’s oldest son.
Judah refused to do rightly by Tamar, and he compounded that sin by unwittingly hiring her as a prostitute. As a result, Tamar became pregnant, and Judah commanded she be put to death. Tamar then shrewdly revealed the father of the child in her womb: Judah himself.
In the end, Judah confessed that Tamar had acted more righteous than he had, because he didn’t do what was proper and customary in that culture – direct his youngest son to marry Tamar and provide descendants to her who would carry on the name of Judah’s oldest, deceased son.
The unpleasant and unflattering story of Judah and Tamar demonstrates how the corruption of the Canaanites had a bad effect on the sons of Israel and their families. The longer they stayed in Canaan, the more they would become like the Canaanites.
This was a family destined for corruption and assimilation among the depraved Canaanite culture. On the track displayed in Genesis 38, in a few generations there would be no more family of “Israel” – just another family absorbed into a lager people group, and a people group that was severely compromised morally.
What would rescue Israel from the path of doom? God worked in two main ways. First, Joseph and the great injustices done against him. Second, a great famine that afflicted the whole region.
Through Joseph, God would carry out a plan to take this family from Canaan, put them in a culture that would isolate them, and allow them to grow from a large family to a significant nation over many generations. Genesis 38 is more evidence that God’s plan was necessary for Israel’s survival as God’s covenant people.
As believers, we face seasons of difficulty and crisis. Our weaknesses and failings sometimes seem to ruin everything. We often must face consequences from our sin, but despite it all – God is working out His plan. Our failures don’t surprise Him or necessarily ruin His plans for us. God is in control even when things are getting worse.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 38
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Was the Split Caused by the Reformation Ultimately for Better or Worse? – LIVE Q&A for October 31, 2024Was the Split Caused by the Reformation Ultimately for Better or Worse?507 years ago, October 31, 1514, Martin Luther (probably) nailed a list of 95 complaints against the Roman Catholic practice of selling indulgences.
The Protestant Reformation has many characters, and in a real sense it didn’t begin with Martin Luther. John Hus and John Wycliff had their own important contributions.
But, what Luther did was – in a historical sense – irreplaceable.
Coming out of the Reformation in Germany – which spread from there all over Europe – the church was profoundly split. Was that for better or worse?
Worse
- Brutal religious wars (such as the 30 Years War).
- 45,000 Christian denominations (a bogus figure, but I don’t think that different denominations are in and of themselves a bad thing).
Remember Ephesians 4:3: endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- A sense of disunity, competition, conflict.
Better
- A return to the Scriptures – sola scriptura
- Rejection of papal domination.
What Luther said was true:
I believe in neither pope nor councils alone; for it is perfectly well established that they have frequently erred, as well as contradicted themselves. Unless then I shall be convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason, I must be bound by those Scriptures which have been brought forward by me; yes, my conscience has been taken captive by these words of God.
- The Counter-Reformation – which was really good for Roman Catholicism.
I don’t mean this theologically. In some ways, Roman Catholicism became worse theologically in their response to Protestantism (such as the anathemas of the Council of Trent). But I think that it is undeniably that in a moral and organizational sense, the Protestant Reformation forced the Roman Catholics to get their act together. A lot of the moral corruption was cleared up.
- A remarkable revival of Christianity, especially among the radical reformers.
What a blessing it would have been in Luther’s time if the reformation had been carried out completely! Great as the work was, it was, in some points, a very superficial thing, and left deadly errors untouched. (Charles Spurgeon 1872)
All in all, I would say that the Protestant Reformation was for the better – much better!
As believers, what things from our lives should be submitted to our pastor?As believers, what things from our lives should be submitted to our pastor?
I would say you should bring theological and biblical questions to your pastor. That’s a great thing for you to do. I would say you can bring major life choices to your pastor and things where you feel that you need direction.
Now, there are Christian circles that exert high levels of control. Years ago, they would call that the “shepherding movement.” In movements like this, you were under such bondage to the pastor and elders who were over you that you couldn’t buy a car, change jobs, enroll in school, leave school, or go on a date without your pastor’s permission. I think those are inherently controlling and abusive approaches which really should be rejected.
Let’s say you really don’t know what to do in a specific situation. It’s a good thing to bring it to your pastor and say, “I’m wondering if I should take this job. Would you please pray with me?”
However, I want to caution every believer about the desire to have your pastor tell you what to do. We don’t approach our pastor saying, “I don’t know what job to take, pastor. Tell me what to do. Pastor, I don’t know what city to live in. Tell me what to do.” I’m not saying that it’s wrong to get your pastor’s advice if you want your pastor’s advice, but we need to beware of the unhealthy attitude that basically says, “I don’t want to be responsible for my own decision, so I’m going to make the pastor responsible for it.” That’s not good, and it’s not healthy. Even when you do ask for guidance or advice on things that you’re confused about, make sure that you’re not putting on your pastor an undue measure of responsibility for your own life.
What is the biblical response to “declaring and decreeing” prayer?What is the biblical response to “declaring” praying? I was in false teaching for over 20 years, and we used to declare and decree when we were praying.
One biblical response to “declaring” praying that I would give you is this: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Oftentimes there is an enormous amount of pride associated with what people call “declaring” prayer. It becomes self-focused and not Christ-focused at all. It’s focused on how awesome I am. There is an air of arrogance and self-focus and pride that is often evident in those movements.
Friends, if you want a great life verse for your Christian life, let me give it to you right now. James 4:6 – God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. If you can live your life in light of that, you’ll receive so much grace from God.
Another helpful passage is 1 John 5:14 – Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. The problem with a lot of declaring prayer is that it presumes to know more about the will of God than it does. There is not a humility about what they know to be God’s will. They’re often arrogant in their estimation of what the will of God is.
For example, I don’t know how many times I’ve heard somebody pronouncing in prayer that somebody is healed, but later on, that person dies of cancer. What are they going to do with that? Oftentimes there is no apology and no recognition that they were wrong. They don’t admit, “I declared your husband healed and he died of cancer.” There’s no humility. There’s a lot wrapped up in declaring prayer that is proud and arrogant and presumptuous about knowing the will of God. But we can take comfort that God gives grace to the humble, and that He hears us when we ask in prayer according to His will.
Can people respond to God’s salvation on their own, or do they need God’s grace? If so, does God give this grace to everyone or only to the elect?I’m learning about total depravity. Can people respond to God’s salvation on their own, or do they need God’s grace? If so, does God give this grace to everyone or only to the elect?
These are critical questions about things that are dividing lines between some aspects of Reformed theology and those who don’t believe in Reformed theology. I do believe that the Scriptures say that nobody can put their faith in Jesus Christ unless God does a prior work in them. Absolutely left to ourselves, we won’t seek after God. But if God does a prior work in somebody, then that person may believe.
Christians debate about the nature of that work and the resistibility of that work. I’m comfortable agreeing with what Jesus said in John 6:44 – “No man comes to me except the Father draws him.” There’s a work that God does. There’s a work that the Holy Spirit does in bringing men to Christ. I don’t have any problem saying that God does a prior work in anybody who believes.
Now, does God give this grace to everyone? Well, not everybody has the same opportunities for salvation. There are people who have lived their whole life without ever hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ. That person does not have the same opportunity of salvation as the person who grew up in a Christian home and attended a faithful church.
I don’t have any problem saying that not everybody receives the same opportunity, and in the end, it’s true that it’s ultimately God’s elect who respond. But you know what, we don’t know who the elect are until they believe. So, there are a lot of forces at work here.
Jesus is God and God is so holy, how was He able to be around sinners, walking and eating with them?Sometimes Christians explain things wrongly. I’ve heard pastors say something like, “God is so holy that He cannot allow anything sinful in His presence.” Okay, that’s not really true. The Bible tells us, for example, in the book of Job, that God gave an audience to Satan in heaven. The Bible also talks about there being evil spirit or wicked spirits around God in heaven, or at least somewhere near Him.
I would say that the idea that the holiness of God means that He is absolutely unable to have anything unholy in His presence is a wrong conception. If we throw out that wrong conception, I don’t think there’s any problem with saying and understanding that Jesus could not only be in the presence of sinners, but could also receive great title given to Him in the gospels: the friend of sinners. Aren’t you glad that Jesus Christ is the friend of sinners? That gives me hope, because I know that Jesus can be my friend and I can be His friend.
Is the parable in Matthew 22:11-14 about someone being sent out of Heaven into Hell?In Matthew 22:11-14, who is the man who made it to the wedding feast (heaven) and wasn’t dressed correctly and was cast out (to hell)?
We need to be careful about assigning great theological significance to every detail of a parable. The point of parables is to make a point, not to spell out a whole theological system. Now I will say that there are some parables, such as the parable of the sower, otherwise known as the parable the soils, where Jesus does identify each element of the parable in some detail. But it is explained in the parable or directly following the parable.
Apart from those kind of explanations in the Scriptures themselves, we need to be careful in assigning meaning. I don’t think we should take the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22 to indicate that there will be people who make it into Heaven who are then kicked out of Heaven and sent to Hell. The whole point of this parable was not to give a detailed explanation of the mechanics of heaven, but to warn the religious leaders of Jesus’ day – who felt so confident that they were right in every way – that they needed a righteousness provided by Jesus Christ. They need a righteousness that is given by God.
It seems that you may be wondering, “Does this mean that there are some people who go to heaven, but then they get kicked out of heaven because they don’t have the right garment on?” No, Jesus was warning the religious leaders (and by extension, warning the population of His time) of the great danger that was before them by just assuming that they were good enough on their own. That’s how I would explain it.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis35.mp3Welcome to part 39 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, teaching through chapter 35. As Jacob’s family returns to Bethel, an altar is consecrated and a number of important deaths are commemorated.
Throughout this series, Pastor David expounds and examines a full chapter of scripture with you – verse by verse, point by point. Applying these timeless lessons to today’s world, he concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. (Genesis 37:3-4)
The story of Joseph begins with a description of his messed-up, dysfunctional family. Jacob (Israel) was father over a troubled household, with much rivalry and competition. Jacob made it worse by having a clear favorite – Joseph, who was the son of his old age.
We all have ideas and dreams about what a perfect family should be. By anyone’s measure, Joseph’s family had a lot of problems.
As a young man, his father Jacob tried to trick his grandfather Isaac into giving him the family fortune instead of his older twin brother. The plan fell apart, and Joseph’s father Jacob had to run for his life when his twin brother vowed to murder him.
Jacob went away, more than 200 miles (320 km) on foot. He did not see his father Isaac for more than twenty years, only meeting again when Isaac was almost dead. There is no record that Jacob ever saw his mother again.
Among his mother’s relatives, Jacob’s uncle cheated him and treated him like a slave. Jacob married two of his cousins and took two more concubines (something like formally recognized mistresses).
Between them all, they had twelve sons and one daughter. There was constant rivalry and conflict among all many children and the four mothers, centering on the rivalry between the sisters Rachel and Leah.
It was one great big messed-up family; still, it brought forth Joseph, and furthered God’s great plan of the ages.
It can be helpful to remember that as a man, Jesus Himself came from difficult family circumstances. By God’s miracle, His mom became pregnant well before the wedding.
His mom and dad were quickly married, far ahead of their announced wedding date. When Jesus was just a young child, they had to escape as refugees, fleeing for their lives.
They made a home back in Nazareth, where everyone knew about the strange pregnancy and the hurried wedding. Jesus Himself never got married – regarded as unusual and maybe even scandalous for a 30-year-old rabbi.
We don’t know what happened to His adoptive father Joseph, and His mother Mary seemed a little pushy. His own brothers didn’t believe in Him and called Him crazy. Jesus said that being in God’s family was more important to Him than His biological family. Jesus put His mom into the care of one of His disciples, not one of His brothers.
God’s word to everyone is this: Your messed-up family – past, present, or future – does not mean God has forsaken you or that some cloud has come over you that will never pass. We may trust that God works in and through difficult and messed-up families. Don’t lose hope!
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 37
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis34.mp3Welcome to part 38 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, teaching through chapter 34. As Jacob’s family encounters neighboring peoples of a different morality & cultural practice, a tragedy bears an even more heinous tragedy.
Throughout this series, Pastor David expounds and examines a full chapter of scripture with you – verse by verse, point by point. Applying these timeless lessons to today’s world, he concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. (Genesis 36:9)
Genesis 36 is a chapter filled with names, recording the notable men among the descendants of Esau, the father of the Edomites, who became an important neighbor nation to Israel. Edom and the Edomites are mentioned some 130 times in the Bible.
When the Israelites came through the wilderness to the promised land in the time of Moses, the Edomites refused them passage through their land (Numbers 20:21). This was a source of great discouragement for Israel (Numbers 21:4).
Even so, God commanded special regard for the Edomites among Israel: You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother (Deuteronomy 23:7).
In the days of Saul, Edom was made subject to Israel (1 Samuel 14:47), and David established garrisons there (2 Samuel 8:14). But later, in the days of Joram, the son of Ahab, the Edomites became independent of Israel (2 Kings 8:16-22).
Several of the prophets spoke about and against Edom, including Jeremiah (Jeremiah 49:17-18), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 25:12-14). From the time Islam conquered the Middle East, the region was mostly unoccupied, except for a few Bedouins and military outposts. It has been brought to nothing, as Obadiah had prophesied. The entire book of Obadiah records an extended prophecy against Edom.
So, what happened to the Edomites? They were judged by God, as the prophets said would happen (such as Obadiah and Jeremiah). The Edomites were conquered by the Nabatean Arabs, perhaps as early as 500 b.c. Many of the surviving Edomites went to the area of southern Judea (the land on the western side of the Dead Sea) these became known as Idumeans, also mixed the with people already living in that that area.
By the end of spring, AD 68, the Romans had laid waste to Idumaea. This was effectively the end of the Edomite people, who had been in decline and mixing with neighboring peoples for a long time. As a genetic people, the descendants of Esau are lost to history. Of course, their DNA lives on in some sense, but they are so intermixed with other peoples that there is no definable genetic group of “Edomites” today.
It is a strange and sobering thought. The Edomites were a people so numerous and prominent that God devoted an entire chapter in the first Book of Moses to listing the names of their chiefs and notable men.
Yet, because of their many sins – including the sin of rejoicing and offering no help when their cousin-nation Israel was attacked – God brought upon them a severe judgment, so severe that they no longer exist as a people.
It is also significant that God has preserved the people of Israel, when they could have ended up as Edom. It shows a basic truth: How good it is to be in God’s favor (by the grace of Jesus Christ), and how terrible it is to be the target of His judgment.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 36
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis33.mp3Part 37 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, teaching through chapter 33. As Jacob returns to the land of Canaan, this chapter records the encounter between Jacob and his brother Esau.
Pastor David expounds and examines the chapter verse by verse, and concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. (Genesis 35:16-18)
Jacob and his family were back in Canaan, and by this time had 12 children – 11 sons and one daughter. Previously, the birth of a son to Jacob was seen as a victory for the wife who bore the son, winning over her sister. Each son was a cause for rejoicing and victory in the competition with her rival.
Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, gave birth to their twelfth son in the land of Canaan, and the birth was difficult as she labored in childbirth. Weak and near death, she called out the name of her last son, and she called his name Ben-Oni, meaning “son of my sorrow.”However, Jacob wouldn’t let this stand. He called him Benjamin. Jacob wisely changed the name of the child to Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand.” Perhaps he rightly sensed the special place God had for this child, or perhaps he simply prized Benjamin so greatly because he was the final link between him and Rachel, the woman he most loved.
The name “Son of My Right Hand” (Benjamin) was special because the right side was associated with greater strength and honor because most people are right-handed. “Son of My Right Hand” has the idea of “son of my strength” or “son of my honor.”
This idea is expressed in passages like Exodus 15:6: Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
The Lord is our strength and honor, as in Psalm 16:8: I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Wonderfully, God’s strength and honor are for His people: My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me (Psalm 63:8). Though I walk in the midst of trouble…Your right hand will save me (Psalm 138:7).
When it came to our rescue, our salvation, our redemption, God would never do the work half-way or with only part of His strength. If His hand would rescue us, it would be His right hand, representing all God’s skill and strength. Today, you can thank God that He didn’t go half-way when it came to saving you.
Best of all, we know that Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, the position of strength and honor, and believers sit there with Him: If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1).
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 35
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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Are Even EVIL Governments Appointed by God? – LIVE Q&A for October 10, 2024Are Even Evil Governments Appointed by God?A question from Sherpa70:
Romans 13:1-2 tells us that there is no authority except from God… appointed by God. But Hosea 8:4 says that the people set up kings, but not by God. We know of many evil kings in the Bible, and government leaders today who have done much evil (Hitler, etc.). Even some leaders in the United States currently promote abortion, LGBTQ, transgenderism and more.
Are all authorities from God? Or… does God “allow” some authorities to be in office as a judgment against a people?
Romans 13:1
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
- Subject to the governing authorities: The connection between Romans 12 and Romans 13 is clear. If the Christian is not to seek personal vengeance, it does not take away the government’s authority to punish wrongdoers.
- Every soul: This certainly includes Christians. Paul simply says that we should be subject to the governing authorities. This was in contrast to groups of zealous Jews in that day who recognized no king but God and paid taxes to no one but God.
- For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God: We subject ourselves to governing authorities because they are appointed by God and serve a purpose in His plan.
We remember that Paul wrote this during the reign of the Roman Empire. It was no democracy, and no special friend to Christians – yet he still saw their legitimate authority.
Because the authorities that exist are appointed by God, Paul wrote this in Romans 13:2: whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God. Since governments have authority from God, we are bound to obey them – unless, of course, they order us to do something in contradiction to God’s law. Then, we are commanded to obey God before man (as in Acts 4:19).
So, the principle stands in Romans 13:1: No authority except from God. If God wanted a nation to have different leaders, He would work so as to change the leader.
- Maybe the leader is voted out, and a new leader is voted in.
- Maybe the leader dies or becomes disabled.
- Maybe the nation’s citizens overthrow the leader.
- Maybe another nation removes the leader by conquest.
Sherpa70 was correct: God appoints a nation’s leaders, but not always to bless the people. Sometimes it is to judge the people or to ripen the nation for judgment.
One last thing: In a democracy (or in a democratic republic), the people have a share in the governing authority. It is a small share, but it is something. If you live in a democracy, are you fulfilling the role God has given you as a part of that democracy?
- Does the government promote abortion? Enough voters allow this.
- Does the government promote a homosexual and transgender agenda? Enough voters allow this.
- If we say, “God is going to judge our unrighteous government,” don’t forget that in a democracy, in some way, the voters are part of that government.
This is the sense of the other verse that Sherpa70 mentioned, Hosea 8:4:
Hosea 8:4a
They set up kings, but not by Me;
They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.
Ancient Israel was not a democracy, but there were still people who had a role in choosing and supporting and legitimizing kings and rulers. When the people chose and supported wicked leaders, or the more wicked leaders, it was a sin that God would hold them responsible for. It was a sin like idolatry is also a sin, as the full verse explains:
Hosea 8:4
They set up kings, but not by Me;
They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.
From their silver and gold
They made idols for themselves—
That they might be cut off.
So, when wicked or incompetent leaders come to power, it’s not like God took the day off. At the very least, God could have stopped such a thing, and did not – yet those who supported the leader will have their responsibility before God.
According to some recent surveys, there are 41 million self-identified Christians in the United States who do not plan to vote in the upcoming election. That’s wrong – it’s a poor use of the share we have in the governing authority. I understand that the candidates are both unattractive and have plenty of flaws.
- Yes, choose the candidate that is less bad. Politics is complicated, but voting is not. You have a choice, and in the USA that is almost always among two candidates.
- Or, choose the part that represents the less bad political party.
- Or, choose a third-party candidate.
- Or, write in a candidate.
- Or, leave the presidential box unchecked and vote in the other elections.
- In my opinion, the worst and most irresponsible option is to not vote at all.
In the USA, I think (can’t prove, but I think) that most Christians who don’t vote don’t do it out of some principled declaration, but they fail to vote out of discouragement and laziness. In my opinion, those aren’t good enough reasons to fail to vote.
At what point in time does God give grace to the unbeliever?At what point in time does God give grace to the unbeliever? My belief is that grace and faith were given to the unbeliever before the foundation of the world (i.e., when God foreknew us. Your thoughts?
First of all, it depends how you define grace, and what kind of grace you’re talking about. There is such a thing that we call common grace. God gives common grace to believers and unbelievers all the time. The sunshine in the sky is a manifestation of God’s common grace. Every pleasant meal is a manifestation of God’s common grace. So, God is giving grace to an unbeliever all the time. But if your question is, “When did God give the grace that would act towards a person’s salvation?”, I would say that God did not give that grace until it actually happened. It was in His heart and mind to give it before the foundation of the world. But it’s hard for me to see how God can give grace to a person who does not yet exist. I did not exist before the foundation of the world, but God knew I would exist. It was in His heart and mind that a man, David Guzik, would exist in the United States of America, in Southern California, in the 20th and 21st centuries. God knew that He was going to pour out His favor and His goodness upon me before the foundation of the world. But I have a hard time logically considering how God could actually do that until I existed.
Here’s the way I would say it: it is in God’s heart and mind to give grace before the foundation of the world, but it does not actually happen until I exist. That’s the way it makes the most sense to me.
What does it mean when a person is referred to as being “anointed”?Pastor Guzik, can you explain what a person means when they refer to another person as being “anointed”? We hear this often at our church and would like to understand this.
I love this question. It reveals one of the weaknesses in our Christian world, which is that we often use “Christianese” or church-specific terminology that may not be understood by everybody. If you hear people at your church referring to “anointed this” or “anointed that,” it’s very fair to ask what it means.
The term “anointed” originates in the Old Testament and generally has the idea of being blessed by and specifically equipped by the Holy Spirit to do something. In the Old Testament, to anoint somebody meant to apply some kind of oil or lotion or medicine to them. That’s simply what the word anoint means. In the Old Testament, God would anoint kings, prophets, and other specific individuals, and that anointing would be symbolic of the Holy Spirit coming upon them. In the Bible, oil is a very interesting symbol or picture of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit. There are a lot of reasons for that, which I won’t go into right now. But when a person was anointed with oil, it was to demonstrate that they were gifted and equipped by the Holy Spirit to do their job as a king or a priest or whatever their role would be.
In modern Christian lingo, or “Christianese,” when we say that a person is anointed, we mean that there is a presence and a gifting of the Holy Spirit with them to do whatever work they have been given to do. So, if somebody says, “That’s an anointed preacher,” they mean that the Holy Spirit is upon that preacher to equip them to do their work. If they say, “That’s an anointed worship leader,” they mean that the Holy Spirit is upon that person to equip them to do their work. It signifies the equipping and the presence of the Holy Spirit upon a person for that ministry.
Do lukewarm “Christians” spend eternity apart from God?Do lukewarm “Christians” spend eternity apart from God? I think so many get the meaning of Revelation 3:16 wrong.
Revelation 3:15-16 – “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
You are right to be concerned about lukewarm Christians. “Lukewarm” describes a temperature state that’s kind of in the middle and is neither cold nor hot. In Revelation 3:16, Jesus rebuked the church of Laodicea because they were lukewarm. They didn’t have passion one way or the other. What is really fascinating is that Jesus said in verse 15 [paraphrased], “I wish you were one extreme or the other.” It’s almost as if Jesus is saying, “I wish you were wholeheartedly against Me or wholeheartedly for Me.” It’s the apathetic middle by which Jesus was so revolted in men.
It’s strange that Jesus would say, “I wish you were wholeheartedly against Me. I wish you were cold.” But we get the idea that Jesus was rebuking their apathy in very vivid and somewhat poetic terms. Jesus was dead set against apathy. So, you are very valid in your concern about lukewarmness. Charles Spurgeon, that great preacher of Victorian England, is one of my favorite preachers. He preached a sermon about lukewarmness. I think the title of the sermon was, “An Earnest Warning Against Lukewarmness,” and it was based on this text from Revelation 3:16. Spurgeon described the lukewarm church very vividly. He said things like [paraphrase], “Lukewarm churches have prayer meetings, but there’s hardly anybody present at them. People would rather spend their evenings at home. When people come to the prayer meetings, they’re dull, because nobody wants to get too excited about coming before God in prayer. Such lukewarm churches are very content to have things done decently and in order, but with no life, with no zeal. Such churches may have Bible classes and preaching and schools and all sorts of other operations, but they might as well not have them, because no real good comes from them and no energy goes forth from them.” Spurgeon goes on very eloquently about this.
Let me read you a quote from this sermon by Charles Spurgeon. He says the following about the lukewarm church: “They are neither hot for the truth nor cold; nor hot for conversions, nor hot for holiness. They are not fiery enough to burn the stubble of sin, nor zealous enough to make Satan angry, nor fervent enough to make a living sacrifice of themselves upon the altar of their God. They are neither cold nor hot.”
You are right to be concerned about lukewarmness. However, your question is, does a lukewarm Christian spend eternity apart from God? I suppose you’re basing that question on the warning Jesus gave between Revelation 3:16, where He said, “I will vomit you out of my mouth. I’ll expel you from Me.” Ultimately, you’re either in the kingdom or you’re out. There’s not a middle ground. Now, I say ultimately, because some people appear to be in a middle ground, but they cannot ultimately remain there. Ultimately, we’re either in God’s kingdom or not. Wherever the line is between so lukewarm that you’re actually cold and you’re not hot for God at all, I don’t know. I would think that maybe it’s impossible to tell from the outside. But I would say this, a lukewarm Christian should have no sense of security. I don’t want to come to a lukewarm or compromising Christian and pat him on the back and say, “Don’t sweat it, bro. Once saved, always saved.” No, those would not be my words.
Now, I may speak very similar words to a struggling saint who did love the Lord, but because of their frailties and weaknesses, they wondered if they were really saved. To that dear saint, I may put my arm around them or pat them on the back and say, “Don’t worry, dear brother or sister, you’re secure in Christ’s salvation.”
I may give a similar assurance to somebody in different circumstances, but to the lukewarm Christian or the apathetic believer, I would not be rich with assurance for them. I want to challenge them to burn hot for God. It has been said that the job of a good preacher is to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. I think there’s some truth to that. That’s a wise pastoral application of these principles. How lukewarm can a person be before they’re cold and destined for real trouble in eternity? I don’t know, but someone who is in that zone should take no assurance in their position. They should be zealous to get things right with the Lord.
In 1 Peter 1:6-7, we are told that trials come upon us for the proof of our faith. Is that to prove our faith to ourselves or others?1 Peter 1:6-7 – In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
What a great question. First, we can be sure that our faith is not being proved to God. God knows our level of faith, so it’s not like God needs a trial in our life for it to be revealed. But who doesn’t know? Well, we may not know the level of our faith, but other people may also not know. So, I would say it’s primarily for ourselves, but it is true that in a secondary sense, it demonstrates the genuineness of our faith to other people. I would say it’s primarily to prove it to ourselves, but both are true at the same time.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis32.mp3Part 36 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, teaching through chapter 32. As Jacob returns to the land of Canaan, this chapter records an near encounter between Jacob and his brother Esau – and a powerful feat of combat and endurance between Jacob and “a Man,” which resonates on many levels of analysis to this very day.
Pastor David expounds and examines the chapter verse by verse, and concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.” (Genesis 34:30)
Genesis 34 tells of one of the most violent and shameful incidents in Genesis. Outraged that a Canaanite prince had raped their sister, Simeon and Levi used deception, treachery, and grotesque violence to massacre a whole city of Canaanites.
They did all this without their father Jacob’s permission or knowledge. When Jacob found out, he confronted Simeon and Levi, but weakly. He said, You have troubled me by making me obnoxious. In response to the terrible massacre and plundering of Shechem, Jacob seemed to only be concerned with himself and the danger of retribution against his small family (his complaint was, I am few in number). Jacob showed no concern for right and wrong, for God’s righteousness, or for the death and plunder of innocents.
Barnhouse noted that the deception of Simeon and Levi grew in the soil of Jacob’s own poor witness and compromise. They saw their father compromise and deceive other people when it suited him, so they followed his pattern. Barnhouse said that Jacob should “Talk to God about your own sin before talking to these boys about theirs.”
Simeon and Levi were correctly outraged that their sister Dinah had been abused and degraded. Yet none of that justified their evil deeds of mass murder, enslaving women and children, and theft through plunder.
When Jacob was about to die, he prophesied over his 12 sons. This is what he said about Simeon and Levi: Simeon and Levi are brothers; instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place…. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel (Genesis 49:5, 7). He saw Simeon and Levi for who they were, but he rebuked them far too late.
That prophetic word of God through Jacob proved true. God did in fact both divide the tribes of Simeon and Levi and scatter them among Israel. Yet significantly, the way this happened for each tribe was different.
The tribe of Simeon, because of their lack of faithfulness, was effectively dissolved as a tribe, and was absorbed into the tribal area of Judah.
The tribe of Levi was also scattered, but because of the faithfulness of this tribe during the rebellion of the golden calf (Exodus 32:26-28), the tribe was scattered as a blessing throughout the whole nation of Israel.
Both were scattered, but one as a blessing and the other as a curse.
When God brings His correction to our life, we can receive it either as a blessing or a curse. If you faithfully humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, His discipline can be a blessing.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 34
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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Is The Gift of Prophecy Still Valid Today? Q&A for October 3, 2024Is the Gift of Prophecy Still Valid Today?From Jennafer –
Can you clarify if you believe that there are prophets today? I think you mentioned that people are unable to correctly communicate God’s word now. At what point did this become the case?
There are really two questions brought up by this that I would like to address.
- Is the gift of prophecy still valid today?
- Are there people who should be recognized as prophets today?
Is the Gift of Prophecy Still Valid Today?
Yes, the gift of prophecy is still valid for today. I don’t believe that our cessationist brothers and sisters are correct. I admire their zeal in promoting the supremacy of the Scriptures, and I applaud them when they expose the freaks and frauds of the hyper Pentecostal and Charismatic world, but I believe that the gifts of the Spirit as described by the New Testament are for today – that God never withdrew them.
There is one “gift” (so to speak) of the Holy Spirit that I believe God does no longer give. I say, “so to speak,” because it isn’t really listed as a spiritual gift, though in some sense it is listed as an office. But the gift to perfectly receive and transmit the word of God with universal authority is a gift no longer given. That gift was fulfilled in the completion of the New Testament.
Ephesians 2:20 speaks of the church as having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
Ephesians 2:20
…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone
So, if you want to say that in that sense, I am a cessationist, fine – I’ll wear that. I don’t believe that God is raising up anyone with the apostolic authority that Paul, Peter, John, and the other New Testament authors had.
But our cessationist brothers and sisters make a huge mistake when they claim that the exercise of the gift of prophecy in the New Testament produced words that were always equal to Scripture. Instead, we see that the gift of prophecy was exercised in the New Testament church apart from authoritative declarations for all God’s people in all times.
When believers spoke through the gift of prophecy in Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:5, 14:29-31), in Rome (Romans 12:6), when Philip’s four daughters prophesied (Acts 21:9), and the prophesies of Agabus (Acts 21:10) were all legitimate prophetic words in New Testament times that were not recorded or regarded as Scripture.
When believers spoke through the prophetic word in the New Testament church, it was to be carefully judged (1 Corinthians 14:29-33, 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). This was not a practice followed for the authoritative words of the apostles.
Our cessationist brothers and sisters claim a good motive for why they want to deny the current exercise of the gift of prophecy – they claim it takes away from the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. But that isn’t true. Scripture is Scripture and the spontaneous gift of prophecy is of a different category all together and should be judged as such.
Are There People Who Should be Recognized as Prophets Today?
I can’t see any good that comes from recognizing people as prophets today, even if it is understood that they function in a lesser sense, not equal to the Bible.
I think it is undeniable that things just get weird when it is “prophet this” and “prophet that.” In an ideal world, it wouldn’t be like that – and sometimes believers think and act very idealistically. But real harm comes from recognizing people as prophets today. Either the person gets weird, or others get weird towards him.
For me, I am most comfortable with seeing that the gift of prophecy continues, but today it does more harm than good to recognize people with the title of prophet. I won’t deny that some good could come from it, but the harm far outweighs it.
Will the level of persecution we face as Christians be based on the maturity of our faith, on individual circumstances, or both?I think there are two ways to look at this. Of course, we look at what persecution God will allow in His sovereign wisdom. Now, God does not persecute His own people, but nothing can happen without God allowing it, so God has wisdom in what He allows, to whom He allows it to happen, and to what degree of intensity He allows it to happen. Maybe from God’s perspective, He grades whatever persecution He might allow to come to a believer so that it only fits and corresponds to their particular level of maturity. That would make some sense, in my perspective of what God might allow and not allow.
But from the perspective of the persecutors in general, I would say they don’t care one way or another. They don’t care if they’re persecuting a mature believer or an immature believer. All they know is that person is a Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ, and they don’t fit into what the persecutor wants for society or culture. So, from God’s perspective, I think that God may regulate or allow persecution in some level based on a believer’s maturity, up to a point. However, from the perspective of the persecutors, I don’t think they care about it one bit at all.
How do you explain when people say, “God spoke to me”?Thank you for that question. I think it is often problematic when people say, “God spoke to me this” or “God spoke to me that.” Here are some reasons why I see that way of speaking as problematic. First, when people casually say that it gives the impression that people heard from God with an audible voice from heaven. Now, most of the time, the people who say it don’t mean it like that, but when they say, “God spoke to me,” you can’t blame others for wondering if God actually spoke to those people in an audible voice. So, no, that’s normally not the case. When people say God spoke to me, they are trying to say they believe that God communicated to them through the thoughts and impressions of their heart or spirit, or through some inward sense of a thought or an impression. They believe God was communicating to them through that. But I think there’s something problematic with the terminology.
We should make it clear that we don’t expect for God to speak to us with an audible voice. God is God, and there are a few instances in the Bible where God did speak with an audible voice which other people could hear. I’m not saying it’s beyond possibility, but it would be extremely rare, and I would be extremely suspicious of anybody who claimed that God spoke to them audibly in a regular occurrence.
Secondly, when people say, “God spoke to me,” it gives the impression that they have some hotline to God. “God speaks to me. What, doesn’t He speak to you?” Now, friends, I believe that God speaks to every one of His children. God has spoken to the whole world in and through His Word. I say it to people all the time: if you want a word from God, open up your Bible. I say that as someone who does believe that God can and does communicate to people, both believers and sometimes to unbelievers, outside of His word. But the Bible is the true, reliable, certain, trustworthy way that we can know God is speaking to us.
If you believe that God has communicated to you through some inward impression, or a voice in your head, or an impression in your heart or your spirit, you have to discern whether that is from the Holy Spirit or not. Sometimes it’s easy to discern, and sometimes it’s not. You know what’s not hard to discern whether or not it is the word of God? It’s what God has given us in the Hebrew Scriptures and the Greek Scriptures, what we commonly call the Old Testament and the New Testament. This is the Word of God that we can seek.
Now, I believe that God has communicated to me. Sometimes it has been through what I would regard as prophetic words spoken by other brothers or sisters. Sometimes, it’s been through the voice of the Spirit as He’s taken Scripture and very specifically and exactly applied it to me and my life. I do believe that there are times when God has more spontaneously spoken to me, but I think that it’s not good or healthy for believers to walk around saying, “God told me this, God told me that.”
Years ago, there was a dear and beloved sister, who got so casual about saying God spoke to her that one day, literally, she said, “God spoke to me about what laundry detergent I should use when I’m washing my clothes.” Friends, I don’t know. First of all, I highly doubt whether or not God communicated to her about that. But you know what, even if He did, why don’t you just keep that one to yourself? You’re doing more harm from good by taking such a casual approach to the idea of God communicating to His people.
What signs or indicators of reliability should we look for in a modern-day prophet?The prophets I’ve heard today speak no more specifically than reading a horoscope in the paper. It would take a lot to convince me they’re legit. What signs or indicators of reliability should we look for?
God bless you. I don’t doubt what you say at all. There are a lot of phonies, fakes, and frauds out there who claim to be prophets. A person can gain status and develop a following by claiming to be a prophet. It’s right for you to have your discernment antenna on alert when you hear people talking like this.
What signs or indicators of reliability should we look for? I am suspicious of anybody who either takes or receives the title of “prophet.” That puts me on a suspicious footing with them immediately. Now, let’s say somebody were to come to me and say, “David, I feel that God has given me a word for you.” This has happened to me on a few occasions. Sometimes people have come to me with that, and it’s been nowhere near the mark. There have also been a few occasions where I think it was remarkably demonstrated to be the work of the Holy Spirit in and through that person.
So, I would just say: Judge the prophets and judge the prophecies. It’s really that simple, and we can approach it that way. Judge them first and foremost by the word of God. If what they say contradicts the Word of God, then it’s not to be regarded. Secondly, judge them by the discernment of the elders. Now, these don’t necessarily need to be people who have the title of elder, but usually in any Christian group or gathering, there are people who have greater spiritual maturity and leadership. Any so-called prophetic word should be brought to them, and they should pray about it. They should compare it to the Scriptures, and they should think about it and discern whether or not it’s really from God. Maybe that can be determined on a scriptural basis, or maybe it could be determined on a basis of supernatural discernment. But I think that such judging of a prophecy is not only permitted, it’s commanded in Scripture. Thirdly, if there is a predictive element in their prophecy, does it come to pass? If it doesn’t come to pass, then don’t regard that person as a prophet. You’re absolutely right, a lot of the garbage that goes out under the name of prophecy is obscure, and like you say, it’s no more specific than reading a horoscope in the paper. Such things can and should be disregarded.
Is it wrong for a man to cover his head while praying or prophesying?What an interesting question. I don’t know if I’ve ever been asked that question directly before. Now, if you’ve never heard me speak on the idea of the head covering, I will summarize my thoughts very quickly. This isn’t intended to be a full examination of the issue, but here is my quick take.
The principle behind the head covering as commanded by God universally is the recognition of the leadership, of qualified men in the congregation. As a recognition of that, the women in the congregation in New Testament times would cover their heads. In that culture, covering the head expressed, “I’m under authority.”
People might ask, “Why don’t women cover their heads today?” First of all, they have the freedom in Christ to cover their heads if they want to; there is certainly no prohibition against it. But I don’t think that the command serves the same place today, because there is no cultural association with the covering of the head and being under authority. That association just doesn’t match anymore. In the first century, when you saw a woman with her head covered, you would say, “Oh, that’s a woman who’s under authority.” When we see a woman with a head covering today, we say, “Oh, that’s a nice hat,” or, “Oh, what’s that doing on her head?” We don’t have the same association.
In the same way, at least four times in the Scriptures are commanded to greet one another with a holy kiss, but I don’t see people enforcing that. Why? Because they rightly understand that it’s the heart behind it. It’s the principle behind it, of giving one another a warm greeting. In that culture, that was done with a kiss of greeting. In our cultures, not so much. Maybe sometimes, but not so much.
So, yes, I would say that if there was an environment where the women should wear a head covering to recognize the leadership of qualified men in the midst of the congregation, then in that same context, it would be wrong for a man to cover his head while praying or prophesying, as Paul gave instructions in 1 Corinthians. That’s pretty much what Paul says himself. But if this more has to do with the recognition of the principle and not necessarily the way that the principle is illustrated, then it wouldn’t matter so much in our modern culture today.
Can you explain spiritual warfare and the armor of God?The Bible says that we don’t struggle against flesh and blood. We struggle against spiritual beings, principalities, and powers of darkness in the heavenly places. We also struggle against spiritual principles or dynamics, such as my own sinful flesh or the world system around me. Spiritual warfare is a way to describe the struggle that we experience against what is evil and sinful in the world, and our efforts to live godly lives and to proclaim a godly standard in the midst of all of that. We live in a wicked world that wants to form us into its image. Spiritual warfare describes our struggle against the wickedness all around us that wants to shape us and mold us into its image.
The armor of God, found in Ephesians 6, describes aspects of equipment, spiritually speaking, that God has given. God has given us righteousness, that’s like a breastplate. God has given us His Word, which is like a mighty sword. God has given us faith, which is like a shield. God has given us salvation, which is like a helmet. Again, these are just illustrations of true, actual spiritual things that God has given to us. So, we rely on the righteousness that Jesus Christ has given us like a breastplate. We make use of the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We find protection in the salvation that God has given us as a helmet. These are things that equip us to struggle against the spiritual forces in this world that would oppose not only just ourselves personally, but the work of God’s Kingdom in this world.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis31.mp3Part 35 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, detailing chapter 31. This chapter records the flight of Jacob from his uncle Laban, and a game of hide and seek for pagan idols.
Pastor David expounds and examines the chapter verse by verse, and concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” (Genesis 33:8-9)
When Jacob was last in the presence of his brother Esau, he heard his twin vow to kill him at his earliest opportunity. That was more than enough to make Jacob run as far as he could to the east, until he met and married into his mother’s family.
Now, after 20 years, Jacob was returning to Canaan and knew he would meet Esau. Jacob was terrified, remembering Esau’s threats and knowing his brother was the kind of rough man who could fulfill every violent promise.
Jacob hoped to calm Esau’s temper with gifts. According to Genesis 32:13-20, Jacob’s gift included 220 goats, 60 camels, 40 cows, 10 bulls, and 30 donkeys. After receiving the gift, Esau finally met Jacob and first said to him, What do you mean by all this company which I met? Jacob’s generous gifts confused Esau. He did not expect them, showing that he had no sense of superiority over Jacob or did not have a strong sense that Jacob owed him.
The true beauty of Esau’s character is found in the phrase he used to reply to Jacob: I have enough. He initially refused his brother’s generous gift because was content with what he had. Esau wasn’t dominated by the itch to have more and more. He had enough.
It’s a great thing for every believer to say: I have enough. It communicates the heart of what Paul described in 1 Timothy 6:6: Godliness with contentment is great gain. This godly contentment is essential, yet difficult for many reasons.
– Saying I have enough is only truly possible when the heart is rooted in eternal things; and contentment is essential because it shows we are living with an eternal perspective, not only trying to feather an earthly nest.
– Saying I have enough is difficult, because modern consumer culture feeds our lack of contentment, by rewarding us when we are discontent, and with advertising that tries to make us feel discontent without buying a certain item or experience.
– Saying I have enough is difficult, because we almost always desire far more than we need.
It’s easy for many Christians to say they have this contentment; but whether they have it or not is often more truthfully known by looking at their spending and shopping habits. How much of a place does shopping and buying have in your life? How does the loss of material things affect your happiness? How happy do you get from having some material thing?
Esau’s peace and contentment showed him to be a remarkably blessed man, though he did not receive the promise of the Abrahamic covenant as he had hoped.
May you receive the great gift of being able to say, I have enough.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 33
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis30.mp3Part 34 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through chapter 30. This chapter details the complicated, blossoming family tree of Jacob, branching off between his two wives Leah and Rachel, and their surrogate-maids.
Pastor David expounds and examines the chapter verse by verse, and concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’” (Genesis 32:9-12)
Someone once said, “you can’t go home again,” meaning that we can’t really return to our exact past. But Jacob tried to go home after being gone 20 years, remembering that brother Esau had vowed to kill him, so Jacob ran for his life. However, he could not stay away from the Promised Land forever, so in Genesis 32 Jacob came back to Canaan to face both his past and his future.
Jacob didn’t first respond well to the pressure of coming home. He reacted in fear and unbelief. Then Jacob did something right, going to the LORD and praying with faith, thanksgiving, and God’s word.
First, notice Jacob’s prayer had God’s word: the LORD who said to me, “Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will deal well with you” (what God said in Genesis 31:3); For You said, “I will surely treat you well…” (what God said in Genesis 28:13-15). Praying the words of God’s word is important, and many prayers fall short because God’s word is not in them. Often, there is often none of God’s word in our prayers because there is so little of God’s word in us. Jacob did well to remember what God said.
Second, Jacob’s prayer had thanksgiving. He said, I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies. Jacob understood he was not worthy of what God had done, or what he was asking God to do. Instead, he relied on what God promised.
Finally, Jacob’s prayer had faith. He prayed, deliver me, I pray. Jacob boldly asked God to do something based on God’s own promise.
No matter how great Jacob’s prayer seemed to be, the true quality of his prayer would be seen after he prayed. Real prayer, great prayer, changes us. We can leave our prayer and face our situation with a different mind. George Mueller, a great man of faith and prayer, once was asked, “What is the most important part of prayer?” He replied: “The fifteen minutes after I have said ‘Amen.’”
Today, pray according to God’s word, pray with thanksgiving, and pray with faith. Most of all, stay firm in faith after you’re done praying.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 32
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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What Is Required to Be Saved? Live Q&A for September 19, 2024What Is Required to Be Saved?I am a seminary student and in efforts to research pastors that I follow, I was hoping to get Pastor Guzik’s opinion/stance on the question, “What is required to be saved?” Does an unbeliever have to be a disciple (surrender all to Jesus) to be saved? Or can they just simply repent about sin/Jesus and believe the Gospel of Jesus?
Quick Answer:
Faith and repentance are the entry path into the Christian life. “Repent and believe” is the consistent call of the Christian life.
Mark 1:14-15
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
- Repent: to turn, to have a change of mind and action.
- Believe: to trust in, rely on, and cling to (not mere mental agreement).
That is the beginning of the walk of a disciple of Jesus Christ – but just the beginning. That same repentance and faith will be lived out in life as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Luke 14:25-27
Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Christianity is an evangelistic faith. We want people to come to Jesus. We invite all to come to Jesus. We speak to them all – rich and poor, young and old, people of all kinds in all places – you can repent and believe upon Jesus Christ.
With that in mind, isn’t it strange when it seems that Jesus is pushing people away from Him? When Jesus might say to someone who followed Him – or at least went with Him – “You – you cannot be My disciple.”
[26] He cannot be My disciple: Jesus clearly spoke about the kind of person who could not be His disciple. The word disciple simply means “learner.” A disciple is someone who is a student, a learner of Jesus.
Previously, Jesus said that coming to God was like accepting an invitation (Luke 14:16-24). Jesus was careful to add that there is more to being His follower than simply accepting an invitation.
[26] If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple: Jesus boldly said that the true disciple comes to Him without reservation, setting Jesus first. Other relationships are definitely of lower priority than faithfulness and obedience to Jesus. Without apology, Jesus demanded to have top place in our life. This was an audacious demand.
- [26] And does not hate: Repeatedly in the Bible we see that Jesus founded a way of love, not hate. Yet Jesus used the strong word hate to show how great the difference must be between our allegiance to Jesus and our allegiance to everyone and everything else.
- “It is only in a comparative sense, and not literally, that the term can possibly be used; and to make this very clear, Christ said that we are to hate our own life.” (Spurgeon)
- Normally, being a follower of Jesus makes someone a better and more beloved family member; being a follower of Jesus doesn’t automatically divide families. Yet it certainly sometimes divides, and more so among non-Christian or anti-Christian cultures.
iii. The greatest danger of idolatry comes not from what is bad, but from what is good – such as love in family relationships. The greatest threat to the best often comes from second best.
- [27] Bear his cross and come after Me: Here Jesus said to the great multitudes something very similar to what He said privately to all His disciples in Luke 9:23 – that being a follower of Jesus is something like bearing a cross.
- This probably horrified His listeners. In the Roman world, before a man died on a cross, he had to carry his cross (or at least the horizontal beam of the cross) to the place of execution. When the Romans crucified a criminal, they didn’t just hang them on a cross. They first hung a cross on him.
- Carrying a cross always led to death on a cross. No one carried a cross for fun. The first hearers of Jesus didn’t need an explanation of the cross; they knew it was an unrelenting instrument of torture, death, and humiliation. If someone took up his cross, he never came back. It was a one-way journey.
- [27] Cannot be My disciple: Jesus made it clear that only cross-bearers can be His disciples. Therefore we sometimes may understate the demands of Jesus when we present the gospel. We can give them the impression that coming to Jesus is only to believe some facts instead of to yield a life.
We don’t “add” discipleship to our initial repentance and faith. Discipleship is simply the living out of that initial repentance and faith.
- (28-33) Carefully measuring the cost of following Jesus.
[28] “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it; [29] lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, [30] saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ [31] Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? [32] Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. [33] So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
- [28] Sit down first and count the cost: In the parable of the tower Jesus said, “Sit down and see if you can afford to follow Me.”
- God is looking for a logical, reasonable decision. He says, “Come now, let us reason together.”
- [31] Sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand: In the parable of the king Jesus said, “Sit down and see if you can afford to refuse My demands.”
- Jesus perhaps alluded to the idea that the work of His kingdom was like building and battle. Each of these are usually more costly than one thinks before beginning.
- [33] Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple: We have a difficult challenge in understanding and communicating the gospel here; there are two extremes to avoid.
- We can never give people the impression that they have to clean up their lives before the come to Jesus; that is like washing up before you take a bath.
- Yet likewise we can never give people the impression that Jesus won’t want to clean up their lives with their cooperation after they come to Him.
iii. It is important for every potential disciple – those of the great multitudes that followed and heard Jesus (Luke 14:25) – to consider the cost of being a disciple of Jesus. Yet those who choose to reject and resist God should count that cost as well. What possible good can come from opposing God? It costs something to be the disciple of Jesus; it costs more to reject Him.
- [33] Forsake all that he has: This ancient Greek phrase had the idea, “To say goodbye to.” Jesus told us to say goodbye to everything we have, entrusting it to Jesus.
- (34-35) Given the demands of discipleship, don’t be a lukewarm follower of Jesus.
“Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
- [34] If the salt has lost its flavor: Salt that loses its “saltiness” is of no use. A professed believer who through corruption or assimilation loses distinctiveness, flavor, or preservative value is of no use as a follower of Jesus.
- [35] It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill: Salt is only useful when it has the nature of salt. A Christian is only useful when he or she has the nature of Christ.
- (15:1) The reaction of the multitude to the strong call of allegiance to Jesus.
Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
- [15:1] Then all the tax collectors and the sinners: Among the great multitude described in Luke 14:25, the most notoriously sinful drew near to Jesus in response to His strong words about discipleship.
- The strong call to discipleship was consistent with the love of Jesus; it was the result of His love.
- [1] Drew near to Him to hear Him: They did not necessarily give Jesus their trusting love and allegiance immediately; but they did want to hear more. Sinners and outcasts saw the love prompting the bold call to discipleship, and they responded.
- People respond to a challenging gospel if the truth is spoken in love. We do a great disservice when we appear to soften the demands of the gospel, either for others or for ourselves.
We want something big to live for, something important.
Many years ago, a famous Arctic explorer put an advertisement in a London newspaper. This is what it said:
“Men wanted for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.”
Thousands of men responded to the ad. They were willing to give their lives to a big mission if a great leader called them.
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Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.” And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. (Genesis 31:1-2)
The last verse of Genesis 30 explains that under God’s blessing, Jacob became a prosperous, wealthy man. Sometimes when people become prosperous, other people become envious of them. This what happened in Jacob’s case. When he grew wealthy, the sons of his father-in-law Laban became jealous.
Under the influence of envy, the sons of Laban lied about Jacob and the reason for his prosperity. They said, Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. In truth, Jacob had not taken anything that belonged to Laban. Rather, it was that Jacob’s wealth was increasing faster than Laban’s wealth. The problem wasn’t that Jacob stole; it was that Laban’s sons were filled with envy.
Envy is a deep and dangerous sin, and it will distort the truth. Jacob had not taken anything of Laban’s, but envy will make people lie. Therefore, Laban’s sons said, Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s.
Worse, the envy of Laban’s sons began to poison the heart of Laban against his son-in-law Jacob. Over time, the countenance of Laban…was not favorable toward Jacob anymore. Previously, Laban was pleased with his agreement with Jacob (Genesis 30:34). Now, because of the poison of envy, Laban was no longer happy with their arrangement.
Envy is bad not only on its own, but also for the company it keeps. According to 1 Corinthians 3:3, envy is often accompanied by strive, divisions, and unspiritual living. Self-seeking, confusion, and evil things go envy (James 3:16). In contrast, love does not envy (1 Corinthians 13:4), and God wants to deliver His people from envy, considering it part of the believer’s past, not their present (Titus 3:3).
Envy is no small sin. In a sense, envy sent Jesus to the cross. When the religious leaders brought Jesus to Pontius Pilate for the death penalty, Pilate knew that they had handed Him over because of envy (Matthew 27:18).
Dear brother or sister in Christ, can you examine your life for the sin of envy? Do you resent it when others seemed blessed or prosperous? Do you often wish you had what belongs to others? Do you dread the success of other people? Do you take pleasure in the failure of others?
Envy is not a sin to take lightly, or to indulge in any way. Knowing the destructive power of envy, we must ask God’s Spirit to help us deal strictly with this sin. Living free from envy is true freedom – able to rejoice in the success and prosperity of others, and also able to deal with our own seasons of struggle.
Make it your prayer: “Lord, search my heart, and keep me free from the dangerous sin of envy.”
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 31
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Did Jesus Preach a Prosperity Gospel or a Poverty Gospel? – Live Q&A for September 12, 2024Did Jesus Preach a Prosperity Gospel or a Poverty Gospel?From Vishal…
David, what is your view on the prosperity gospel versus the poverty gospel? Some preach the prosperity gospel by point to Abraham, David, and Solomon. Some preach the poverty gospel pointing to Jesus and His apostles. Please give your view.
Let’s define some terms:
- Prosperity Gospel: Materially speaking, God wants all His people to be rich under His blessing, and the rich are more in God’s will and God’s favor than the poor are.
- Poverty Gospel: Materially speaking, God wants all His people to be poor, because if they have material wealth they should give it away, and the poor are more in God’s will and God’s favor than the rich are.
The Prosperity Gospel people point to the many rich and godly people in the Bible: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, David, Solomon, Joseph of Arimathea, Lydia, and so forth.
The Poverty Gospel people point to the many, many places in the Bible where God expresses care and sympathy for the poor and rebukes the selfish and greedy among the rich. They point to where Jesus spoke to the rich young ruler and told him to sell all he had, give it to the poor, and then follow Jesus.
I think that both the Prosperity Gospel and the Poverty Gospel are right in part and are wrong in part. We need to understand both aspects.
First, God commanded that His people show no partiality between rich and poor.
Exodus 23:3
You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute.
No partiality was to be shown to a poor man; the poor were not to be favored just because they were poor, any more than the rich should be favored because they are rich. The facts of a case and the principles of justice should decide a dispute, not the high or low standing or perceived victim status of those involved.
Leviticus 19:15
You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
- You shall do no injustice in judgment: This was a command to judges and magistrates. Exodus 21-23 gives many principles to the judges of ancient Israel for making their legal decisions. Yet all was based on the fundamental responsibility to do no injustice in judgment.
- Jesus repeated this foundational principle: Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (John 7:24)
- You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: To give preference to a person just because they are poor, or just because they are mighty, is to do injustice in judgment. It should not be done.
- This command speaks against any approach that divides humanity into two categories: those who are oppressors and those who are victims, with the judgment that all who are mighty are oppressors, and all who are poor are victims – and that judicial preference should always be given to the poor whom they understand to be victims. This goes against what God commands; this is to do injustice in judgment.
- Certainly it is more common to honor the person of the mighty than it is to be partial to the poor. But they are both sins; they both are an injustice. Things should be judged according to truth and evidence of the truth, not according to class theories. As God says: In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
The bottom line is this:
- There are righteous rich people and righteous poor people.
- There are wicked rich people and wicked poor people.
Second, it’s true that riches are a real obstacle to the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:24
How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!
Riches are a problem because they tend to make us satisfied with this life, instead of longing for the age to come. As well, sometimes riches are sought at the expense of seeking God.
- Clearly Jesus said that riches are an obstacle to the kingdom of God. We usually only think of poverty as a problem. Jesus told us that riches may present a much more serious problem.
- We often excuse ourselves from what Jesus said here because we don’t consider ourselves rich. Yet very few among us would not be considered richer than this rich young ruler was.
Luke 18:22-23
So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
- When Jesus heard these things, He said to him: Jesus spoke the following to this one man, in light of who the man was and what he said. This was a specific word for a specific man, yet in principle it has application for all.
- Mark’s account adds something here. Mark wrote: Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him (Mark 10:21). The response of Jesus to this man was said in love – no doubt, because Jesus perceived that he was misguided and empty. One might say that this man had climbed to the top of the ladder of success, only to find his ladder leaned against the wrong building.
- In saying, “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me,” Jesus challenged the man to love God more than money and material things. The man failed this challenge. Essentially, this man was an idolater: he loved money and material things more than God.
- Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me: The call to forsake everything and follow Jesus is a call to put God first in all things. It is full obedience to the first table of the law, which dealt with a man’s relation to God.
- We may make two mistakes here. The one is to believe this applies to everyone, when Jesus never made this a general command to all who would follow Him, but especially to this one rich man whose riches were clearly an obstacle to his discipleship. Instead, many rich people can do more good in the world by continuing to make money and using those resources for the glory of God and the good of others. The second mistake is to believe this applies to no one, when there are clearly those today for whom the best thing they could do for themselves spiritually is to radically forsake the materialism that is ruining them. Francis of Assisi was a notable one who heard Jesus speak these words to him, and gave away all he had to follow Jesus.
- Yet we notice that Jesus simply called this man to be His disciple, in saying, “Follow Me.” He used similar language in calling many of His disciples (Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; Mark 2:14). Jesus simply called this man to be His follower; but for this man it meant leaving behind the riches he had set his heart upon.
Conclusion
- Jesus didn’t preach a prosperity gospel.
- Jesus didn’t preach a poverty gospel.
- Jesus preached a follow Me gospel – and there are followers of Jesus who are poor and who are rich.
Let me conclude with three principles regarding money from John Wesley:
- Gain all you can
- Save all you can
- Give all you can
- He became very sorrowful, for he was very rich: The other gospels note that the man went away (Matthew 19:22, Mark 10:22). Luke noticed his expression, his emotional response: very sorrowful. When he heard Jesus’ radical call to discipleship he said, I can’t do that. I can’t make that sacrifice. I guess I’m going to hell.
- Very sorrowful and very rich is a tragic combination, yet common enough in those who make an idol out of riches.
- The principle remains: God may challenge and require an individual to give something up for the sake of His kingdom that He still allows to someone else. There are many who perish because they will not forsake what God tells them to.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
- Jesus lived His earthly life as a poor man. We should not exaggerate the poverty of Jesus; after all, He was not a destitute beggar.
- Yet, He could say of Himself, Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. (Matthew 8:20)
Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? (James 2:5-7)
Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom. Though it is easy for man to favor the rich, God doesn’t. There’s a sense in which God has chosen the poor of this world.
They are chosen to be rich in faith because the poor have more opportunities to trust God. They may be richer in faith than the rich man. There’s a sense in which the rich may trust God, but the poor must trust God.
They are chosen to be heirs of the kingdom because Jesus said that being rich made it harder to enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:24). The poor more readily respond to God in faith, having fewer obstacles to the kingdom.
God chose the poor when He added humanity to His deity and came to earth (2 Corinthians 8:9). Many people dread poverty and will do anything to escape it. The Son of God chose poverty. He chose to be born into a family and a life of humble resources.
James taught why Christians should not be biased against the poor: Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?James reminded his readers that the rich often sin against them because the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). For this reason alone, the rich are not worthy of the favoritism often shown them.
Of course, God has not only chosen the poor. We may say that He has chosen the poor first in the sense Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 1:26: For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
We should remind ourselves that God also never calls for partiality against the rich. If one must judge in a dispute between a rich man and a poor man, they should let the law and the facts of the case decide the judgment, instead of the economic class of those in the dispute.
When we choose people by what we see on the surface – rich or poor – then we miss the mind of God. Judas appeared to be much better leadership material than Peter. If one is poor in this world, let them regard it as an opportunity to be rich in heaven (and improve their lot on earth).
If one is rich in this world, let them remember that this is no promise of riches in eternity, and they must handle what God gives them rightly.
What does it mean that God holds His word above His name (Psalm 138:2)?Psalm 138:2 – I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
This is a stunning and remarkable statement. It shows us the incredible regard that God has for His own word. When it says that God magnifies His word above all His name, keep in mind that the name of a person in the ancient Near East was often held to be a representation of their character. So, this is not just referring to the name of God, but also associated with that idea in biblical thinking is the character of God. God says He’ll magnify His word above even His name and His character. God holds His word in greater esteem than His very character.
I don’t think these two things are opposed to each other at all. Think of a man guarding his name. I don’t want my name to be associated with foolishness or wickedness. A man guards his name yet, yet God says, “I’ll guard My word.I’ll honor My word. I’ll exalt My word.”
Concerning this verse, James Montgomery Boyce wrote that it would be as if God was saying, “I value My integrity above everything else. Above everything else, I want to be believed.” This verse does not mean that God’s other qualities are moved to second place. God has given us His word, and He wants us to believe it. He magnifies His word above His very name. It’s a wonderful and radical statement showing us how much God regards the value of His word. Dear believer, if you consider yourself a follower of Jesus Christ and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, then you need to love and honor the word of God, because God loves and honors His word. God has such high esteem for His word that He says He’ll magnify His word above His very name. This is a beautiful and powerful statement of God.
How can a person remain hungry and zealous for spiritual things during depression, without losing interest in them?This is a difficult question, because if a person is in a season of depression, they often lack sustained interest in just about anything. From that place, how can a person keep an interest in the Lord and in spiritual things?
I’ll give you one thing that can help. It’s just using a variety of things. Reading your Bible is very, very good. It’s something that is part of a foundation for a healthy Christian life. But if you feel like you’re in a funk, can’t get out of this mentality, and it’s very hard for you to read God’s word and give attention to it, here’s something you can do. Listen to God’s word. Go online or get one of these programs that reads the Bible to you. Listen to the Bible being read (for example, on the Bible app). Think about it as it’s being read to you. Let the Bible be like an audiobook for you. Read the Bible out loud. If you’re having trouble praying, go out for a walk and pray.
I’m just saying, find different ways to do the familiar practices of the Christian life. These familiar practices of the Christian life are very important: prayer, worship, reading our Bible, connecting with other believers. These things are basic foundations and provide a way for us to intentionally serve God. These are important foundations for a healthy Christian life. We just need to find ways to keep doing them as much as we can. I know that sometimes, because of certain life circumstances, people can’t do some or all of these things, but to whatever extent we can, I think God will bless us and help us to grow and thrive spiritually as we do them.
Is it okay for believers to read or use self-help books?I’m not big on telling people not to read things. If somebody came to me waving a self-help book and said, “Hey, I want to read this. What do you think?” I’d probably say, “Read it, but use a lot of discernment. Read it but measure it against your Bible.” That’s my general take. Now, could there be some self-help books that I would tell you to not even bother reading, because it’s so wicked, so corrupt, so unbiblical, or so unhelpful. I could conceivably do that. But in general, I’d tell you to read it if you want, but learn how to read things with discernment.
Hebrews 5:14 – But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
In this verse, the author of Hebrews talks about having our senses trained for discernment by reason of use. In other words, our discernment is sort of like a muscle that gets stronger the more we use it. So, I would challenge believers out there that if you want to read something, read it, but use biblical discernment. Get to know your Bible well. If someone knows their Bible well and knows how to discerningly read, I don’t care what they read. In fact, to be very straightforward, I wouldn’t be afraid to read it. Maybe I’d come to think it’s a waste of time, but I wouldn’t be afraid to read it.
I’m not afraid to read literature by the Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I’m not afraid to read things from atheists. I’m not afraid to read things from skeptics. Just this morning, I was reading something from atheists who were railing against intelligence. I’m not afraid to read that stuff. But listen, I know my Bible and I hope that I know some discernment. If a person is very biblically ignorant and has no discernment, I might say, “Don’t read it. Spend more time with your Bible first.” But in general, we don’t have to fear reading things like self-help books if we are grounded in biblical discernment.
Who are “the elect”?What a great question. In one sense, the elect are the ones whom God has chosen. When you see this idea of the elect or chosen in the Bible, you have to ask yourself the question, “Chosen for what?” Some people are chosen in the sense that God chose them to be His children in a unique sense, beyond the sense that all humanity are children of God. They’ve been chosen to be sons and daughters of God by adoption in a unique sense. So, you can say that some people are chosen to be the people of God in that sense. Some people are chosen in the sense that they’re going to be brought into right relationship with God through the person and work of Jesus Christ. They’re chosen for eternal life. They’re chosen for heaven. They’re chosen for their gifts and callings and God’s plan. All those things are aspects of being chosen.
But in the Bible, there are also those who are chosen for the purpose of having a role in God’s unfolding plan of the ages. I earnestly believe that the Jewish people, the covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Jewish people, are a chosen people. This does not mean that they’re all chosen for salvation, no; although the Bible promises that salvation will eventually come to Israel. The Bible makes it very clear that the choosing God had for Israel was not a choosing primarily unto salvation, but it was a chosen role in His unfolding plan. I believe that that the Jewish people have a continuing role in the unfolding plan of God that will not be fulfilled until the glorious return of Jesus Christ and will carry on into His remarkable reign here on planet Earth.
Here’s another way you could define chosen. If a person is chosen by God for salvation, for heaven, for eternal life, then they’ll believe. You could say that the elect are believers, and you can say that believers are elect. When I say believers, I don’t mean people who just believe that Jesus lived, or that Jesus existed, even that Jesus died on a cross. I am talking about those who trust in, rely on, and cling to the person and work of Jesus Christ, especially who He is and what He did, as seen through His work on the cross and in His glorious resurrection.
So I’m referring to true believers, and everything that it really means to be a believer. Believers are the elect. Believers are chosen. The chosen are believers. You might ask, “Well, which is it? Are they believers or the chosen?” The answer that question is “Yes.”
The term elect can be used in a broader sense than just the special, heaven-bound people of God who are bound for heaven because they are in right relationship with God by faith in Jesus Christ. But the key is that believers are elect, and the elect are believers. You won’t find any of God’s elect who don’t believe. You won’t find any believers who aren’t among God’s elect. You could use them interchangeably in some sense.
When Paul speaks of the day of the coming of Jesus in 2 Thessalonians, is he speaking of Jesus being revealed to the individual?2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 – Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
Is Paul speaking of Jesus being revealed to the individual? No, not really. The context of 2 Thessalonians 2 is the demonstrated return of Jesus Christ. It’s kind of interesting how he phrased it. Is this the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together with Him? There’s debate in Christian circles. I would hold those to be two different aspects of the same event. Both of them are connected to the idea of the coming of Jesus. But there are two different aspects. One is that Jesus is coming for His people and gathering them together for Him, and the other is the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is some dispute concerning interpretations of these events, but I’m answering the question here, so I would say they are different aspects of the same grand event.
So, it’s really not referring to a private revelation or communication of God to a person. This is the very direct way in which God deals with His people, by gathering them together, and then by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s not that God is being revealed in an individualistic sense, or that Jesus is revealing Himself to a person in some kind of secret or unknown way that other people couldn’t notice.
Is it wrong for successful Christians to enjoy luxury?As Christians, are we allowed luxury, or do we need to maintain a “reasonable” or plain standard living to be able to give more to the poor? Some accuse successful Christians that they are too rich.
Good question. I don’t think that being a faithful, generous Christian means depriving oneself of any comfort or luxury in life. As with anything we do, it just has to be honoring to God. I don’t think I know anybody who has a private jet. Maybe I do, and don’t know about it. I live in a place where there are some well-to-do people. But let’s say somebody has a private jet, and people look at it and think, “How wasteful, how ungodly.” Well, you may not have any awareness of how generous they may be with what they have. I don’t know how any of these things are priced, so I’m just speaking freely. But let’s say they have a private jet that’s worth a million dollars, but they give away ten million every year. In light of how generous they are with other things, I don’t think I would begrudge them having that luxury, especially because there’s probably some legitimate use for it. I do think that the more people have, the more responsibility they have to be generous. If a person has much more than they need, they should give even more than ten percent; they should just be generous.
But when a person is generous, I don’t think that they need to deprive themselves of comforts or luxuries of life. Sure, that can be excessive in some cases. It requires living a life led by the Spirit and being sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Here’s an interesting principle that I’ve heard attributed to rabbis. It does not come from Scripture, so it’s not on the level of Scripture. Here’s the statement: “God will hold us accountable for every legitimate pleasure that we did not enjoy.” God has filled this world with blessings and good things. It’s not inherently ungodly to enjoy those blessings and good things. Could it be? Yes, it could be. I could paint all kinds of scenarios where it’s wrong and ungodly. But in and of themselves, it’s not wrong to enjoy the good things that God has placed in this world. If you can do so responsibly, while being plenty generous with other things, go to some wonderful place in the world where you can see wonderful things and see a beautiful, tropical sunset, or whatever it might be. I don’t think there’s something wrong with that. It’s something to think about: “God will hold us to account for every legitimate pleasure and comfort that He gave to this world that we do not enjoy.”
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis29.mp3Part 33 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through chapter 29. This chapter details the blindsiding of the “supplanter” Jacob, after he lays eyes on the beautiful Rachel, and ends with the births of Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. Pastor David expounds and examines the chapter verse by verse, and concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys. (Genesis 30:43)
The man was Jacob, who left his home with no money, traveled far to the east to the land of his mother’s family, and who by hard work earned a double dowry for marriage. After cheating his brother and his father, Jacob was cheated by his uncle.
Despite it all, Jacob became exceedingly prosperous. According to Leupold, the Hebrew original of this phrase is, “The man burst out exceedingly exceedingly.” Jacob was so prosperous, so blessed by God, that his excess had excess! This was evident in the way wealth was held by most people in his time and place: large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys. All this meant that Jacob, who left home without any money, because a very wealthy man.
This wealth was one expression of God’s blessing in Jacob’s life. God blessed Jacob, but it was not because Jacob was especially good. It was because of the promises God made to Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15) and the covenant made to Abraham.
In a similar way, blessing comes from the LORD to His people not because they are great or good, but because of the covenant God has made with them through Jesus and the promises He has given in His word.
Still, we can learn a few principles for prosperity from Jacob.
Don’t make wealth your goal. Genesis 30:25-26 explains that Jacob would have been content to simply leave Laban and take his family back to Canaan. His original goal wasn’t to become rich, and he escaped the dangerous temptation and trap that comes to those who desire to be rich (1 Timothy 6:9).
Don’t be afraid to work for others and to increase their wealth before or as you work to increase your own wealth. In Genesis 30:27, Jacob’s employer (his father-in-law Laban) declared that God had blessed him because of Jacob’s faithfulness and hard work.
Work hard, dedicating yourself to your employer’s success. Genesis 30:26 and 31:38-42 tell us that Jacob’s path to wealth began by faithfully working for his father-in-law. Jacob could have been dishonorable and focused only on himself and his success. Instead, he also worked to be a blessing to his employer, even when it wasn’t easy.
Trust God. Genesis 30:31-33 describes a strange plan Jacob proposed to separate the herds and the offspring that belonged to him and to Laban. It’s hard to tell if the plan was Jacob’s idea or given by the LORD, but either way Jacob had to trust God – and God blessed Jacob with great prosperity.
God never promises that His people will all be rich in material things in all seasons of life. Yet these are good, everlasting principles. Don’t make wealth your goal. Don’t be afraid to benefit others. Work hard, and trust God. Doing these things honors God and puts us in the place to receive all He wants us to have.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 30
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Why Does “Morning Star” Refer To Both Jesus & Satan? – Live Q&A for September 5, 2024Why Does “Morning Star” Refer to Both Jesus and Lucifer?This week, Pastor David’s lead question comes from a user named “Find the Truth Answer” who asks: Why Does “Morning Star” refer to both Jesus AND Lucifer?
This question deals with two main passages, one referring to Lucifer and one referring to Jesus.
Here’s the “Lucifer” passage:
Isaiah 14:12 (NKJV)
How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
Here’s the “Jesus” passage:
Revelation 22:16 (NKJV)
I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.
Let’s speak briefly first about the passage that speaks of Jesus, Revelation 22:16.
Bright and Morning Star: This is another Messianic title from the Old Testament (Numbers 24:17) and the New Testament (Revelation 2:28). Just as the Morning Star (generally held to be the planet Venus) shines and welcomes the new day, so does Jesus.
Now, the passage that refers to Lucifer – Numbers 14:12:
Isaiah 14:12 (NKJV)
How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
- How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning: Here, the prophet identified the king of Babylon as Lucifer, son of the morning. Some debate if Lucifer is a name or a title; the word means light bearer or bright one, referring to a brightly shining object in the heavens. So, we get some other translations:
Isaiah 14:12 (NLT)
How you are fallen from heaven,
O shining star, son of the morning!
Isaiah 14:12 (LSB)
How you have fallen from heaven,
O star of the morning, son of the dawn!
Isaiah 14:12 (ESV)
How you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star, son of Dawn!
- Son of the morning: This is a title of glory, beauty, and honor, which fit Lucifer well before his fall. The morning is glorious, and in Hebrew thinking, the son of “x” is characterized by “x.” So, before his fall, Lucifer was characterized by the glory of the morning.
So, the specific title “Morning Star” isn’t used of the power behind the king of Babylon here in Isaiah 14, but the idea or concept is used.
Jesus Himself is called the Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). Satan, though a created being, had some of these glorious qualities in himself. No wonder that Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), deceiving many with his apparent glory, beauty, and goodness.
In Isaiah 14:12, whether “Lucifer” is a title or a name makes little difference; this once brightly shining king of Babylon is now fallen from heaven.
Spurgeon on Satan as the Morning Star:
“In Isaiah, where we read of ‘Lucifer, son of the morning,’ it is the name of the fallen one, the chief of the apostate angels, who was once a glorious creature. But now, like the morning star that has lost its light and brightness, he is a fallen angel, and his glory has vanished.”
Spurgeon on the contrast between Jesus and Satan:
“Both the Savior and Satan are called the morning star; yet the contrast between them is vast. The one is the bearer of light and life; the other, the harbinger of darkness and death. The morning star of Satan has set in eternal night, while the morning star of Jesus shines forever with the light of salvation.”
In the prophetic habit of speaking to both a near and a distant fulfillment, the prophet will sometimes speak more to the near or more to the distant. Here is a good example of Isaiah speaking more to the distant, ultimate fulfillment. It is true that the king of literal Babylon shined brightly among the men of his day and fell as hard and as completely as if a man were to fall from heaven. But there was a far more brightly shining being who inhabited heaven and fell even more dramatically – the king of spiritual Babylon, Satan.
Revelation 22:16
I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.
- I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you: With these solemn words, Jesus authenticates the entire book. Much of the Book of Revelation is either fantastic or seems too good to be true, but it is all true.
- “Thus the very God of all inspiration, and of all inspired men, reiterates and affirms the highest authority for all that is herein written. Either, then, this Book is nothing but a base and blasphemous forgery, unworthy of the slightest respect of men, and specially unworthy of a place in the Sacred Canon; or it is one of the most directly inspired and authoritative writings ever given.” (Seiss)
- To testify to you these things in the churches: The Book of Revelation is written to the churches. This book is not a private affair, knowable only by an elite – it is for all believers. It’s also worth noting that this is the first reference to the church since the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3.
- The Root and offspring of David: This is a precious Messianic title (Isaiah 11:1). It shows that Jesus is both the Creator of King David and His descendent. Jesus spoke to this same idea in Matthew 22:41-46.
- Bright and Morning Star: This is another Messianic title from the Old Testament (Numbers 24:17) and the New Testament (Revelation 2:28). Just as the Morning Star (generally held to be the planet Venus) shines and welcomes the new day, so does Jesus.
Numbers 24:17
“I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
A Star shall come out of Jacob;
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of tumult.
- A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel: Speaking again by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this strange and unlikely prophet of Yahweh described One glorious (like a Star) and with the authority to rule (pictured by a Scepter).
- Previously Balaam prophesied of the beauty, strength, and blessedness of Israel; now God uses him to speak of the culmination of all Israel’s beauty, strength, and blessedness – the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Israel’s ultimate blessedness comes from Jesus, their Messiah.
- Early Jewish writers understood this as a reference to the Messiah. “The Dead Sea scrolls (c. 1st century BC) take the star and the sceptre as the messiahs of Aaron and Israel, i.e. the priestly and kingly messiahs. Rabbi Akiba, hailing the leader of the second Jewish revolt (AD 132–135) as the messiah, called him Bar-Kocheba, i.e. Son of the star.” (Wenham)
iii. Early Christian writers understood this as a reference to the Messiah. Justin Martyr (First Apology, chapter 32) and Athanasius the Great (On the Incarnation of the Word, section 33) both saw this Star as a reference to Jesus Christ.
- Martin Luther had a hard time seeing this as a messianic prophecy because Balaam was such an unworthy prophet of such a glorious message. Yet, “The truth of the Scripture could never be dependent on the worthiness of the writer or the personal piety of the speaker. Else we would have gradations in inspiration and shadings in trustworthiness. I say this reverently but strongly; the words of Balaam the pagan mantic, when he was speaking under the control of the Holy Spirit of God were as sure as the words of the Savior Jesus in a red-letter edition of the NT.” (Allen)
- “A blind man may bear a torch in his hand, whereby others may receive benefit, though himself receive none; so here.” (Trapp)
- “The New Testament does not cite the prophecies of Balaam explicitly, but there are probable allusions to it in Luke 1:78; Revelation 2:26-28, 22:16 and, of course, Christ’s birth was announced by a star (Matthew 2:1-10).” (Wenham)
Numbers 24:17: a Star (kokab, H3556)
Isaiah 14:12: Lucifer (helel, H1966) son of the morning (ben sahar, H1121, H7837)
Revelation 22:16: Bright and Morning Star (lampros kai orthrinos aster, G2986, G2532, G3720, G792)
Charles Spurgeon has discussed the concept of the “Morning Star” in relation to both Jesus and Satan in his writings and sermons. Here are some relevant quotes from Spurgeon on this topic:
- On Jesus as the Morning Star:
“The Morning Star is Christ. In the Eastern sky, the morning star heralds the approach of the sun, and thus Christ comes to us as the herald of a brighter day. He is the light that makes all things bright. He is the glory of the morning and the bright and morning star.”
- On Satan as the Morning Star:
“In Isaiah, where we read of ‘Lucifer, son of the morning,’ it is the name of the fallen one, the chief of the apostate angels, who was once a glorious creature. But now, like the morning star that has lost its light and brightness, he is a fallen angel, and his glory has vanished.”
- On the contrast between Jesus and Satan:
“Both the Savior and Satan are called the morning star; yet the contrast between them is vast. The one is the bearer of light and life; the other, the harbinger of darkness and death. The morning star of Satan has set in eternal night, while the morning star of Jesus shines forever with the light of salvation.”
These quotes reflect Spurgeon’s focus on the contrasting roles and meanings of the “Morning Star” when applied to Christ and Satan. They emphasize the profound difference in their respective natures and missions.
Can you make the “confess and repent” prayer for your family/friend? I’ve heard this is based on James 5:16. Is this correct?My wife is attending a discipleship class of one pastor from my old church. Recently, she mentioned one of the pastor’s teachings that makes me uncomfortable. He said that you can make the “confess and repent” prayer for your family or friend. They say this is based on James 5:16 – “Confess your trespasses one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Is this correct?
I don’t find any biblical evidence at all for the idea that we can confess and repent on behalf of another person. The idea of doing that for a family member or a friend has biblical precedent. It’s not my faith which brings another person to salvation. They need to trust in, rely on, and cling to the person and work of Jesus Christ for themselves, particularly the work that He did on the cross and in His resurrection. There is no confession or repentance or faith on behalf of another person.
This idea of salvation by proxy is not what’s being communicated in James 5:16. Yes, we should confess our trespasses and sins to one another. The confession of sin within the community of Christians is a neglected doctrine. It does have some possible danger and excess, but I think it’s a neglected doctrine among God’s people today. So yes, confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed. Absolutely, yes.
I think the idea there in James 5:16 is of some kind of small group of believers. One person is doing the confessing and the repenting, and the other people pray for them. And this brings God’s healing, God’s forgiveness, and sometimes even physical healing as well.
The idea of confession and repentance by proxy is a strange idea. I don’t think it’s biblical. It has the potential to do a lot of damage. This can get you off into very weird doctrinal areas, such as what is believed by some of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, whom we popularly call the Mormons, such as baptism for the dead, and other things.
No, there’s no salvation by proxy. Here’s God’s message to every individual human being: you must be born again. You must be born again. God has to deal in your own personal life. You can’t do a ceremony on behalf of your child, your parent, your brother, your sister, your friend, or your next-door neighbor. In order to be born again, each person must put their faith in Jesus Christ, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
In 2 John, it talks about not feeding unbelievers or offering them hospitality. How do we reconcile this with the teaching of Jesus that we should love our enemies?2 John 1:7-11 – For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
I think this is pretty simple. Considering the context of the biblical world, John is speaking about supporting such people. Receiving someone like this into your home would be like asking them to come and stay in your area for a while, in order to pass this bad teaching onto a lot of people, while you provide them with food and housing. What John was basically saying was, “Do not support these people in their ministry at all, in their supposed ministry.”
Now, it would be wrong for you to hate a Muslim, or a Mormon, or the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Absolutely wrong. You need to love them. It’s okay to do good for them, to be kind to them, and to not express hatred towards them. But what you should not do is support their work in any way. We should make a distinction between showing kindness and supporting their erroneous work. Find ways to show kindness that do not include supporting the work in any way whatsoever.
What does it mean to pray in the Spirit?Great question. There are many people who have thought that praying in the Spirit means to pray with the gift of tongues. Friends, I think that there is so much misunderstanding in both the Pentecostal world, and the Cessationist world about the what the gift of tongues is and what it’s to be used for. I would totally agree that the gift of tongues is a language; I don’t dispute that at all. People who want to emphasize that the gift of tongue is a language just get it wrong in thinking it’s a language to be used for the purpose of communication with other human beings. No, the Bible says very clearly in 1 Corinthians 14:2 – For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
Therefore, if a person is praying with the legitimate gift of tongues, that is one way they can pray in the Spirit. But I would say some charismatics or Pentecostals get mixed up when they think that’s the only way a person can pray in the Spirit.
I would say that prayer in the Spirit can include the legitimate exercise of the gift of tongues, but it would also include any prayer that is led by the Holy Spirit. There are circumstances in which we can pray in conscious dependence on the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:26 gives us real reason to believe that the Spirit is helping us as we pray. This can be exercised through the gift of tongues, or it can be exercised just as the Holy Spirit works in and through a person. We can ask the Holy Spirit for His help and assistance. Friends, He’s the Advocate. He’s the Helper. He’s the paraklesis, the One who comes alongside us to help, and we can ask Him to help us to pray.
Any kind of Spirit-led prayer can be prayer in the Spirit. But I’ll give you one more. Romans 8:26 also talks about the Spirit working in our prayers with groans that cannot even be uttered. There is even an aspect of inarticulate groaning before God that can be an expression of Spirit-led prayer.
Romans 8:26 – Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
So, my definition of prayer in the Spirit is actually fairly broad. I would include the legitimate use of the gift of tongues, but I would also include Spirit-led prayer and even groanings that cannot be uttered, which are led and guided by the work of the Holy Spirit, as He works in and through them to bring forth that message.
Why would God allow Satan to come and go into heaven (such as when he approaches God about Job)?Why would God allow Satan to come and go into heaven (such as when he approaches God about Job)? That’s a bit confusing that God would let this happen. What can we make of this?
Ephesians 3:10 – …to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.
In my estimation, the Bible does not give us a clear, direct, or specific answer to the question of why God allowed Satan to have access to heaven. Therefore, any answer will include some speculation.
God ultimately does it for His own glory. According to Ephesians 3:10, in God’s eternal plan of the ages, God is using the church to teach and declare His wisdom to angelic beings, to principalities and powers in the heavenly places. I think that includes both God’s faithful angels and also fallen angels, referring to Satan and other demonic beings. So, it seems that for the purpose of God’s glory and the declaration of His wisdom to angelic beings, both faithful and fallen, God allows Satan and his angels access to heaven.
Now, it will not always be that way. There is debate among biblical students as to when and how these things happen in God’s great plan of the ages. In my estimation, this event has yet to happen: God will cast Satan and all of his angels out of heaven so they can never return. But in God’s great plan of the ages, that has not happened yet. Right now, Satan has at least some access to God in heaven, because the Bible says that he accuses the brethren day and night before God.
Ultimately, God is using these things for His own glory and to teach angelic beings. God is working in and through His people in order to use them to teach the universe a lesson, as is mentioned in Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 3. These things will happen so that, through the church, He will declare His wisdom to the principalities and powers in heavenly places, which is a biblical reference to angelic beings.
I don’t think I have a great answer for you other than to say it fits God’s purpose, and it is for God’s glory, so that all the universe would see this unbelievable display of His wisdom, His greatness, and His power, even those who have been against God.
What is a biblical approach to deal with psychological issues and mental disorders, opposed to secular means or medicine?I would say that if a person believes that they (or a loved one or friend) have psychological issues or mental disorders, one thing they should do is get a very thorough medical checkup. They should speak with a medical doctor, hopefully one that they trust. I thank the Lord from my physician, who is a wonderful, godly man that I can trust, and who is part of our church at Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara. He knows his medicine, but he also loves the Lord and believes God’s word. Now, I know that not everybody has that, but especially if you have someone like that whom you can trust, that’s a great place to start. I’m not advocating the approach of simply throwing drugs or pharmaceuticals or prescriptions at every issue. Oftentimes for these cases, such medicines are overprescribed. Yet a place to begin is just by getting a good physical exam to see if there are biological factors at play which should be addressed beyond the realm of mental health.
I think that if people can deal with experts in the field who truly do love the Lord and believe in the promises of God’s word, it’s wise to deal with doctors like that as much as possible. There is a danger in secular approaches to psychology and mental health which completely leave God out of the equation. Some may even treat religion, faith, and the spiritual life with hostility and suspicion as evidence of psychological derangement, instead of part of a well-rounded person’s life.
Great care needs to be exercised in choosing a wise and godly practitioner. I would advise against meeting with a practitioner who views the things of God with hostility or suspicion.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis28.mp3Part 32 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through all of chapter 28. This chapter details the flight of Jacob from his older brother Esau, after the younger “supplanter” had taken Esau’s birthright (against the intentions of his father Isaac). Pastor David expounds and examines the chapter verse by verse, and concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. (Genesis 29:31)
Family life has its challenges, but the difficulties and complications multiply exponentially when people decide to ignore God’s way and God’s will, and they do what seems pleasing or what the culture promotes.
From the beginning, God ordained that marriage be between one man and one woman, with the intention of a life-long commitment (Matthew 19:4-6). Sometimes out of tragedy, sometimes out of weakness, sometimes out of rebellion, people don’t follow God’s way, and the result is lots of pain and trouble.
The marriage of Jacob and Rachel in Genesis 29 is an example of this. Traveling to the land of his mother’s ancestors, Jacob met Rachel at a well and immediately fell in love. Having no money for a dowery, he agreed to work for her father (his name was Laban) for 7 years to earn the right to marry her. He was so in love with Rachel that the seven years seemed only like a few days (Genesis 29:20). Yet Laban tricked Jacob and, under cover of the bridal veil and the darkness of the wedding night, gave Jacob Rachel’s older sister Leah.
Jacob loved Rachel but was tricked into marrying both Rachel and Leah. In a family as strange as this, it isn’t surprising that Leah felt neglected and unloved.
God’s compassion on Leah was wonderful: When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved. She was truly the innocent party in all this mess, yet God brought comfort and blessing to her, and in a sense, He meet her needs even when her husband acted in an ungodly manner.
Martin Luther wrote of Leah’s plight: “Wretched Leah sits sadly in her tent with her maid and spends her time spinning and weeping. For the rest of the household, and especially Rachel, despises her because she has been scorned by her husband, who prefers Rachel and is desperately in love with Rachel alone. She is not beautiful, not pleasing. No, she is odious and hated… There the poor girl sits; no one pays any attention to her. Rachel gives herself airs before; she does not deign to look at her. ‘I am the lady of the house,’ she thinks, ‘Leah is a slave.’ These are truly carnal things in the saintly fathers and mothers, like the things that usually happen in our houses.”
Then God gave unloved Leah a special blessing: He opened her womb. The LORD was good to Leah, even when her husband wasn’t, and when her sister wasn’t.
Maybe you see yourself in Leah’s place. Maybe you are the one who is neglected, overlooked, and unloved. If you identify with Leah’s problem, then trust God to bring His grace to you. God didn’t “force” Leah’s husband love her more than her rival, but He brought blessing and comfort to her in other ways. God has ways to show His love, even to those unloved and overlooked by others.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 29
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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“Is Reading Apocryphal Books Helpful or Harmful?” Live Q&A for August 29, 2024Is Reading Apocryphal Books Helpful or Harmful?Understanding the distinction between the Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament and the Apocrypha of the New Testament.
Some of the Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament
- 1-2 Esdras
- Tobit
- Judith
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Ecclesiasticus
- Prayer of Manasseh
- 1-2 Maccabees
- Additions to Esther and Daniel
These are accepted by Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox as Scripture – included in their Bibles.
These are accepted by some Protestant traditions as helpful for instruction, but not as Scripture. They were included as separate but helpful in the 1534 Luther Bible, and in the Geneva Bible.
Some of the Apocryphal books are in the Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus (4th century) and Codex Alexandrius of the 5thcentury).
Problems with the Apocrypha
- These books never appeared in the Hebrew canon (collection of recognized books of holy Scripture). The Jewish people never recognized them as part of the collection of Scripture.
- Josephus (as a Jew) rejected the Apocrypha as being part of recognized Scripture.
- Philo, an influential Jewish philosopher, quoted from much of the Old Testament but never quoted from or mentioned any of the apocryphal books.
- No New Testament writer quotes from the Apocrypha or refers to those books in the New Testament. This includes Jesus Himself, Paul, John, Peter, and the rest.
- In the New Testament, there are something like 283 direct quotations of the Old Testament – but none of the Apocryphal books.
- In the New Testament, there are nearly 1,000 references to the Old Testament – but none of the Apocryphal books.
Is the Old Testament Apocrypha helpful or harmful?
These books can be helpful if read as history, or as background to their times. They shouldn’t be accepted as Scripture but have been respected by some Christian traditions for a long time. They can be harmful if accepted as Scripture.
The New Testament Apocrypha
These include:
- Infancy gospels
- Gospel of Thomas
- Gospel of Marcion
- Gospel of Peter
- Gospel of Mary
- Gospel of Nicodemus (Also called the “Acts of Pilate”)
- Acts of Andrew, Barnabas, John, the Martyrs, etc.
- Apocalypse of Paul, Peter, etc.
These books are late fakes and should only be read as background interest to see what people were making up about Jesus and the early church. Harmful, not helpful.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis27.mp3Part 31 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through all of chapter 27. This chapter details the supplanting of Isaac’s covenant blessing by Jacob, in accordance with God’s word in Genesis 25:23, and in spite of Isaac’s own preference for Esau. Pastor David expounds and examines the chapter verse by verse, and concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter parallels the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (Genesis 28:12)
The sins of Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob all combined to make a big mess, so big that Jacob had to flee from his twin brother who had vowed to kill him. Jacob traveled eastward toward Haran, in the ancestral lands of his grandfather Abraham (Genesis 11:31-32) and his mother Rebekah (Genesis 24:3-4).
Traveling alone through the desolate landscape, Jacob had a significant dream as he used a stone for a pillow. One can only imagine the strange flood of feelings in Jacob at this moment: the fear, the loneliness, the isolation, the excitement, and the anticipation. This was an important time in Jacob’s life.
Jacob’s dream presented an interesting image. He saw a ladder on the earth, one that reached to heaven. Jacob saw in his dream the angels of God going up and down (ascending and descending) on the ladder.
Through this dream, God told Jacob that there was a way to access heaven – that heaven and earth were not permanently and completely separated – there was access to heaven. Jacob now knew God was closer than he had ever before believed and there was real interaction between heaven and earth. Heaven is not shut up, and God concerns Himself with what happens on earth. All this was a life-changing revelation to Jacob, who previously seemed to have litter interest in or regard for God.
In the New Testament, Jesus made specific reference to this dream of Jacob when He said to Nathanael: Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man (John 1:51). Here, Jesus said that He was the fulfillment of the ladder that Jacob saw in his dream. Jesus is humanity’s access to heaven, and Jesus is how heaven comes down to people and by which people can go to heaven. Jesus the Messiah is this ladder, the way to heaven.
Remember the great words Jesus spoke to His disciples the night before He went to the cross: I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6). Jesus didn’t say that He knew the way; Jesus said that He was the way. Jesus didn’t say that He pointed to the way; Jesus said that He was the way.
Jesus is the ladder, the way to God – and there is no other ladder or way. Jesus is the bridge between heaven and earth, and the way was made through His own sacrifice. it is in this sense that Jesus could say in John 1:51 that those angels were ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. He made the way Himself, by His own sacrifice.
In Jesus, you have access to heaven (Romans 5:1-2, Ephesians 2:6).
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 28
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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“Is God Finished with the Jews?” Live Q&A for August 22, 2024Are the Jewish People Still Chosen?Surprisingly, many Christians believe God has no future for the Jewish people, that God is finished with Israel. There are voices out there that think what Christians today need is to do is to hate the Jews more and more! This is wrong and dangerous and needs to be addressed.
There’s no doubt that at one time, the Jewish people were regarded by God as a chosen people, (Deuteronomy 7:6), precious to God as the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8).
Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.
Israel was never chosen to universal salvation, but to have an important role in God’s unfolding plan of the ages. Israel plays a greater role in God’s eternal plan than Sweden, Uganda, or Guatemala. Israel plays a greater role in God’s eternal, unfolding plan than the United States!
This isn’t because Israel is bigger, better, or more holy than other peoples. Not at all! God chose these covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – and that choosing has often seemed more like a burden than a blessing.
Like the man said in Fiddler on the Roof – “Lord, couldn’t You have chosen someone else?”
But God chose the Jewish people for this role, and the role did not end with Israel’s part in bringing forth the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Here are three reasons why God the Jewish people are still, in some sense, chosen – why they have a future in God’s unfolding plan of the ages.
- God has not unchosen Israel because He made an everlasting covenant with Israel, the covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God has promised the land of Israel to the covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with everlasting promises (Genesis 17:8).
Genesis 13:15
…for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.
Genesis 17:8
Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Some can’t resist spiritualizing all this. For them, “land” doesn’t mean land, “descendants” doesn’t mean descendants, “forever” doesn’t mean forever, and “everlasting possession” doesn’t mean everlasting possession. They spiritualize it all as being for the church today.
While there may be a spiritual application of some of these truths, it doesn’t erase the plain, simple meaning that these words had to those whom God first spoke to them. Remember that the application of God’s promises may become more but will never become less.
- God has not replaced or erased Israel because centuries later, God confirmed His commitment to Israel in the strongest possible terms.
Jeremiah 31:35-36
Thus says the LORD,
Who gives the sun for a light by day,
The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night,
Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar
(The LORD of hosts is His name):
“If those ordinances depart
From before Me, says the LORD,
Then the seed of Israel shall also cease
From being a nation before Me forever.”
The message from God is both powerful and plain. God will stop thinking of and dealing with Israel as a nation when the sun, moon, and stars stop giving light and when the sea stops roaring. As long as those things continue, God will regard Israel as a nation before Him forever.
Jeremiah 36:37
Thus says the LORD:
“If heaven above can be measured,
And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath,
I will also cast off all the seed of Israel
For all that they have done, says the LORD.
For remarkable emphasis, God gave another powerful and plain declaration of the permanence of the Jewish people in His unfolding plan of the ages. Since it is impossible to measure heaven above or search out the foundations of the earth, God will never cast off the seed of Israel – even considering all they have done.
- God has not replaced or erased Israel because the truth of spiritual Israel does not replace or erase God’s plan for national or ethic Israel.
In Galatians 3, Paul makes the point that God accounted Abraham to be righteous – in right relationship with God – because Abraham believed. He trusted in, relied on, and clung to God and His promises. That’s when Paul wrote:
Galatians 3:7
Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
This is the important idea of “spiritual Israel.” A man or woman of faith is more connected to Abraham spiritually than those who are connected to Abraham genetically.
Yet, none of this replaces or erases the idea of national or ethnic Israel, the Jewish people descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and Gentile proselytes who became part of Israel.
We don’t use one passage of Scripture to cancel out another. Israel is Israel and not the church throughout the Old Testament. Israel is Israel and not the church in Gospels and the book of Acts. Israel is Israel and not the church in the epistles and the book of Revelation.
God has an enduring role for Israel in His unfolding plan of the ages, and this is seen in:
- The promise that all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26)
- The promise that they will look upon Him whom they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10)
- The promise that Jesus will be welcomed back by a Jewish population that calls Him blessed (Luke 13:35)
- Many other passages
A Few Important Thoughts
- Though the Jewish people have a continuing, enduring role in God’s unfolding plan of the ages, at the present time they are (for the most part) not in right relationship with God, because they refuse to recognize who God is as revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Paul’s description in Romans 11:28 still stands, and is still important:
Romans 11:28
Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
- Concerning the gospel: enemies
- Concerning the election, concerning God’s choosing: beloved
- Why? For the sake of the fathers, the patriarchs, and God’s faithful promises to them.
- The modern state of Israel and the Jewish people are not the same thing. One can criticize policies or actions of the state of Israel and still be supportive of the Jewish people.
However, calls to eliminate or destroy the state of Israel are unbiblical and fundamentally anti-Jewish. There are political, moral, and biblical reasons to affirm the existence of Israel; but Israel also has responsibility to do right (as do the other nations of the world).
- The place the Jewish people continue to have in God’s unfolding plan of the ages does not contradict or eliminate the love God has for the Arabic or Palestinian people. God loves the Arabic and Palestinian people, he wants them to have good leadership that is helpful for their communities, not destructive.
Enduring Word has invested a lot of resources in the translating my Bible commentary into Arabic – and we are very happy to do that!
Our Arabic website featuring free Bible commentary in Arabic averages more than 110,000 pageviews a month, and our weekly devotional goes out to hundreds of Arabic readers by email. We are grateful to deliver good Bible resources absolutely free of charge to thousands and thousands of believers and seekers in the Arabic speaking world.
We think that both the Jewish people and the Arabic people need Jesus!
Summary
The Jewish people are indeed a chosen people – not chosen for salvation (in the sense that being Jewish does not save anyone), but chosen to have an important, strategic role in God’s unfolding plan of the ages.
Who is Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:11)? Was he a representative of Jesus? What is the order of Melchizedek?Hebrews 7:11 – Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
Melchizedek is a very interesting and mysterious character in the Old Testament. He is mentioned briefly in the book of Genesis, when Abraham is returning from a successful battle against kings who had conspired against some of the cities of the plain and taken Abraham’s nephew Lot as hostage. Abraham raised an army from among his own servants and went and conquered those evil kings who struck out against Abraham’s family. On the way back, Abraham met with Melchizedek in the city that would later be called Jerusalem, but in Melchizedek’s day was called Salem. Abraham met Melchizedek, who was a high priest and the king over the city of Salem. Salem means peace, which in Hebrew is shalom, so he’s the king of peace.
Abraham honored Melchizedek with a tithe, and Melchizedek served Abraham bread and wine. The writer to the Hebrews uses Melchizedek as a very powerful picture of the priesthood of Jesus Christ, based not only on Genesis 14, but also in the Messianic prophecy of Psalm 110:4 – The LORD has sworn and will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” The writer of the letter to the Hebrews points out that Jesus Christ is indeed the High Priest of God and the High Priest of His people, but not through being a descendant of Aaron, as was true for the temple priesthood and the rest of the priesthood. The priesthood of Jesus Christ is not connected to Aaron. It’s connected to the priesthood of Melchizedek, as was prophesied in the Psalm 110.
So, Melchizedek is a very important prefiguring of Jesus Christ. Some people argue whether or not Melchizedek was an actual appearance of Jesus before His birth in Bethlehem. That could be true; there are such occasions in the Old Testament and Melchizedek may be one of them, but I don’t think it’s necessary to say that he was a Christophany, an appearance of Jesus before He was born in Bethlehem. Regardless, we can be confident that Melchizedek is a powerful picture of Jesus Christ, and provides the pattern, the establishment, and the basis on which Jesus has a legitimate claim to be the High Priest of His people, because Hs priesthood is not according to Aaron, but rather according to Melchizedek. This mysterious man of the Old Testament actually ends up playing an important role in the theology that believers understand about the priesthood of Jesus Christ.
What does Hebrews 8:13 mean by saying that the old (first) covenant is made obsolete?Hebrews 8:13 – In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
I’ll give you the basic answer. Christians generally agree that people today do not and should not come to God through the old covenant. We don’t need bulls and goats to sacrifice for sin. We don’t need a temple in Jerusalem. We don’t need a priesthood. We don’t need to be under the Mosaic law as ancient Israel was. There’s still value in the law, of course, but not as ancient Israel was. No, that’s all belonging to the old covenant. We have a new covenant, and in that sense, the old covenant is obsolete. Yes, it’s still there. We understand it and learn by it. But the old covenant is no longer the operating basis between a believer and God. No, not at all. The old covenant, in that sense, has passed away.
It may be slightly controversial, but I would argue at least in some sense, that Israel apart from Jesus Christ, is still under the old covenant today. Now, they are not finding salvation under the old covenant. Under the old covenant itself, there was no salvation; it only pointed towards the perfect work that Jesus would do. But Israel swore itself to the old covenant repeatedly in the Old Testament, so it would seem to me that at least in some sense, God still holds them accountable under the old covenant. Again, I want to stress that that’s not how they’re going to find salvation. They will only find salvation by coming to Jesus Christ. Once they’re in Christ, they’re free of the old covenant. Now they live under the new covenant that God announced in the Old Testament and fulfilled through the person and work of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
But there is something about the terms of the old covenant and the history of Israel since New Testament times which makes me think that God still holds them to it, and the only way they can find freedom from that is by turning to Jesus Christ and having the new covenant supersede any connection they had with the old. I would recommend to you refer to my commentary on Hebrews 8, in which I’ve included a wonderful table of contrasts between the old covenant and the new covenant.
Do you think someone can try too hard to be in close relationship with God?Absolutely yes, there can be an element of unnecessary struggle, striving, self-focus, or “analysis paralysis” in a person’s relationship with God. Paul wrote in Romans 14:17 – for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
There are difficult and stressful times in every Christian’s life, but the overwhelming note of our life should be just that: not eating or drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy. A person whose relationship with God always seems like agony is probably focused on themselves and not focused on the Lord Himself.
I don’t think this analogy is perfect, but it’s helpful. Sometimes in human relationships, you have people who just try too hard. Everything seems monumental, everything seems to be a struggle, and there’s just no peace in the relationship. Listen, when our eyes, mind, and heart are focused on Jesus Christ – on who He is and what He did to rescue us, especially by what He did at the cross and in His resurrection – it should bring a peace into our relationship with God. My relationship with God does not depend on me. It depends on Him. We can praise the Lord for that. So, yes, it’s possible for a person to try too hard, to strive and to not rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ. It should be a place of rest. Remember, the kingdom of God is not eating or drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. That should mark our walk with the Lord.
If Abraham walked by faith with God and Moses failed to walk by faith, does that mean Abraham was better than Moses in the eyes of God?I would disagree with you and say that Moses walked by faith perfectly. No, he did not perfectly walk by faith, of course not. But can you tell me that Moses did what he did without walking by faith? Of course, Moses walked by faith. What a radical and precious thing that Moses did. It’s very important for us to realize that Moses walked by faith.
Was Abraham better? Abraham was not a perfect example of faith, not at all. There are few places where his trust in God was at least weak or deficient, and instead of trusting in the Lord, he trusted in his own ingenuity. Recall the time when he went down to Egypt and he shouldn’t have, or when he hung out with Abimelech, and he shouldn’t have. Abraham was not perfect in faith when he received Hagar, the Egyptian servant, as a surrogate by whom to have a child.
So, there were times when Abraham was not perfect in faith, yet he is regarded as a great man of faith for the wonderful things that he did accomplish by faith. Therefore, we don’t want to act as if Moses was very weak in faith and Abraham was perfect in faith. Abraham was not perfect in faith, and Moses, though he did fail in faith from time to time, could never have led Israel out of Egypt without faith. Can you imagine the faith it took for Moses to stand before Pharaoh and do what he did? Oh, my heavens. No, Moses was a man of tremendous faith, but not perfect faith.
And isn’t it wonderful that there’s only one person of perfection in the Bible? That’s Jesus Christ. Every other person in some way or another has their weaknesses and flaws, but Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God. Praise the Lord for that.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis26.mp3Part 30 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through all of chapter 26. This chapter parallels the sin and rebuke Abraham experienced in chapters 12 and 20, now in the life of his son Isaac. Pastor David expounds and examines the chapter verse by verse, and concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter speaks to (or contrasts) with the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, “Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him—and indeed he shall be blessed.” (Genesis 27:33)
What a mess!
Before the twins Esau and Jacob were born, God announced (Genesis 25:23) that the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). This was out of the ordinary. Normally, the older was preferred, especially if he was a firstborn son.
Yet, for some reason, the father of the twins (Isaac, the son of Abraham) decided that he would bestow the family and covenant blessing on Esau, not on Jacob. Then, the mother of the twins (Rebekah) plotted to deceive her elderly and almost blind husband, by tricking him into blessing Jacob instead of Esau.
Everyone in this story – Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob – each one acted in man-centered wisdom and energy, not according to divine or spiritual wisdom and energy. Even Esau, in agreeing to Isaac’s plan to give him the birthright, disregarded his promise to give Jacob the birthright (Genesis 25:29-34). In this story, none of them trusted each other, and they didn’t trust God.
The worst aspect of all this is they seemed to regard the covenant blessing as magical, as something separate from God’s wisdom and will. But in giving the blessing, the most Isaac could do was to recognize God’s call and blessing on Jacob. Only God could truly grant the blessing. Esau could receive the “blessing” from Isaac a hundred times, but it only mattered if God in heaven honored it.
When Isaac discovered that he had, despite his intentions, blessed Jacob instead of Esau, then Isaac trembled exceedingly. The use of this strong phrase means that Isaac began to shake convulsively. He was overcome with a deep sense that something had gone wrong in his plan to bless Esau instead of Jacob.
Isaac trembled and was troubled because he knew he had sinned in attempting to work against the plan God revealed in Genesis 25:23 – and God defeated his effort. At this moment, Isaac realized he would always lose when he tried to resist God’s will, even when he didn’t like the Lord’s will. And he came to learn that despite his arrogance against God’s will, God’s plan was good, even glorious.
The New Testament later explains that Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau by faith (Hebrews 11:20). Isaac’s faith was demonstrated after his attempt to redirect the will of God was defeated and he said of Jacob, and indeed he shall be blessed.
Have you received the blessing of knowing that it is useless to struggle against God’s will, His plan? It’s amazing that sometimes we forget this basic truth, and God must bring us to the place where we understand what Isaac learned when he trembled exceedingly – that God is God, and as far as we understand His plan, we should submit to it. Then, indeed we shall be blessed!
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 27
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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“Does My Anger Mean I’m NOT Truly Saved?” Live Q&A for August 15, 2024Does My Anger Mean I’m Not Truly Saved?From Kinsey T:
If a Christian is struggling with anger, a work of the flesh according to Galatians, does this mean that they are not saved, not truly born again, and will go to hell?
This is a great question, because it deals with the place of sin in the life of the Christian. Kinsey’s question is specifically about anger, but the same principle would apply to many other sins.
Let’s take a look at the Galatians passage that Kinsey referred to:
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- [21] Of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past: This shows that Paul often instructed Christians in how they should live, and this wasn’t just an occasional emphasis. Paul knew that we are saved by God’s grace and Jesus’ work alone, not by what we have done, are doing, or promise to do. But he also knew that those who are saved by God’s grace have a high moral obligation to fulfill – not to earn salvation, but in gratitude for salvation, and in simple consistency with who we are in Jesus.
- [21] Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God: To walk in these works of the flesh is to be in plain rebellion against God, and those in plain rebellion against God will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- What is at stake here? The kingdom of God, which describes where God rules, and the benefits of His rule are realized. Because Paul speaks of inheriting the kingdom of God, we understand he means “heaven.” Paul says plainly, that those who practice such things will not go to heaven. Neither will they know the wonder and the glory of the kingdom of God on earth.
- Who are the people in danger? Those who practice such things. This means more than someone who has committed adultery, or fornication, or sorcery, or drunkenness, or any of these. This speaks of those who continue on in these sins, ignoring the voice of the Holy Spirit telling them to “stop.
iii. “The tense of the verb (present) indicates a habitual continuation in fleshly sins rather than an isolated lapse, and the point is that those who continually practice such sins give evidence of having never received God’s Spirit.” (Boice)
- Practice “represents a present participle, ‘people doing such things’, and it carries the implication that they do them constantly.” (Morris)
- “The verb prassontes [practice] referring to habitual practice rather than an isolated lapse.” (Stott)
- Will not inherit the kingdom of God: The strength and certainty of Paul in this verse is striking. Paul may sound rigid or even harsh here, but he is consistent with the Biblical idea of conversion. When we come to Jesus to have our sins forgiven and our soul saved, He also changes our life. It doesn’t happen all at once, and the work will never be perfected on this side of eternity, but there will be a real change none the less (1 John 3:5-9). As Charles Spurgeon is said to have put it, “The grace that does not change my life will not save my soul.” The idea isn’t that a Christian could never commit these sins, but that they could never stayin these sins.
Does struggle with sin mean that a person is not saved?
We Believe
- That when someone is born again, there is a life transformation – things are different (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- Not all the changes come at once – there is a process of Christian growth, of sanctification.
- The changes won’t be complete on this side of eternity, not until the resurrection.
- God deals with areas of our life one by one – in God’s eyes, the anger is sin but perhaps not the most serious sin or first on His “list” to deal with.
- One important thing is to NOT make a “peace treaty” with sin, or re-define what sin is so that our sinful desires are suddenly OK.
Three Kinds of Sinners
- Those who sin through ignorance, either ignorant that something is sin or they are ignorant of paths to victory
- Those who sin through weakness, who want to do what is right but struggle to do it
- Those who sin in outright rebellion, who have no interest in what God wants them to do.
So, does my anger mean that I’m not truly saved?
- Maybe – but not necessarily.
- What’s your attitude towards your anger? Do you see it as sin?
- Don’t give up in the battle against sin and keep your eyes on Jesus. He is the author and finisher of your faith, not you!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
When people fall into sin, is it because of their fallen nature or because of the spirit of the devil working behind them?The Bible tells us that there are three classic enemies to the Christian life: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Any of these can be the driver or the prompting point for sin. The world can influence us to sin, the devil can influence us to sin, or our own flesh can influence us to sin. Sometimes two or three of them work together in concert to entice us to sin. Sins of weakness typically come because a person doesn’t know how to stand up to the world, the flesh, or the devil. That’s what Christians need to do in their Christian growth. They need to be strong. They need to learn how to stand, and how to stand against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Do you need to have an encounter with Jesus to be radically changed for Him?Do you need to have an encounter with Jesus to be radically changed for Him? I feel like a lot of Christians talk about this encounter. I’ve prayed and fasted, but I’ve never had this encounter.
Let me comfort you in this. A person does not need to have a radical spiritual experience in order to truly be a Christian and truly be saved. Sometimes when people describe these things, it makes us marvel. They’ll say things like, “There I was praying, and I felt that I was transported to an entirely different dimension, and I felt the love of God was pouring over me this liquid of the oil of His love, and I just felt drenched in it.”
When people have experiences like that, I look to the fruit of it. I don’t know if I can absolutely say whether or not their experience was valid. It’s not necessarily my place to judge, unless there is actual heresy involved in it. But here’s the foundational point: we should not regard that kind of experience as normative.
Now, there are some experiences that I think we should ask God for. The Bible talks about the love of God being shed abroad in the heart of the believer. In other words, we can have an inner sense that we are His child, that we know Him and He knows us. It doesn’t have to be an overwhelming spiritual experience, or the kind of thing that somebody would write a book about. That’s not promised to us.
It’s not wrong to expect that there would be some spiritual experience, but we don’t have to think for a moment that it would be just like the experience that someone else has had. The Christian life is not a game of matching somebody else’s experience in order to truly be a believer and truly be loved of God. Those experiences are very subjective. I’m not saying it’s impossible that God would grant such a thing to somebody, but if He does it, He will do it for a very individual purpose for that individual person.
If I see another Christian’s child being influenced in sinful ways, should I notify the parents about it, or just pray?If I see another Christian’s child being influenced in sinful ways, besides praying, should I notify the parents about it, or is that not my business?
I’m going to assume that you have some connection with this family within your church circle or school. If you think that a child is being influenced in sinful, perhaps even dangerous ways, I think it’s good and appropriate for you to call attention to that to the parents. Do it humbly and simply. Call it to the parents’ attention and then leave it in their hands.
Remember that beautiful promise of the Golden Rule: we are to do unto others as we would want them to do unto us. If you were in their shoes, would you want to know? And more specifically, if you were in their shoes, how would you want to receive the news? You wouldn’t want to receive the news from somebody who’s arrogant or judgmental or condemning in any way. You’d want to receive it from somebody who’s humble. In considering and acting upon that, consider how you would want it to be brought to you in the very same situation. If I was a parent, I’d probably want to know what you’re talking about.
We used to be in a charismatic church with visions and prophecies. Now we’re in a church without those things. Are both correct?We have been in a charismatic church for most of our lives, in a church with visions and prophecies mixed with tongues and so on. Now we are in a Church that doesn’t have them. We are confused. Can both be correct?
There are a couple matters at play here. You could say there is something supernatural and miraculous in every gift of the Holy Spirit, but some are more obviously supernatural than others. One matter for consideration is whether the more obviously miraculous and supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to the present day. And if they do, should they be made the center of congregational gatherings?
A church can very genuinely believe that God may communicate on occasion to people through visions or dreams, and yet not make the proclamation of visions or dreams part of their congregational gatherings. They would accept those instances as guidance which God may give to a believer on an individual level, rather than having somebody stand up in a church service and say, “I’ve had a vision from the Lord,” and then explain what that might be. There are varied opinions on how such gifts should be carried out in practice within congregational life.
Christians have different perspectives on these things. The simple question is: can both be correct? Well, they could be correct concerning what God wants for that particular congregation. It’s also possible to be in a church who denies these more apparently miraculous or supernatural gifts of the Spirit for today, and I would say that they are incorrect.
I’m a continuationist. I believe that the apparently miraculous and supernatural gifts of the Spirit continue for this present day. However, I do not believe that their exercise should be the focus of congregational life. There are some churches that do that. I think it’s a challenge to do that while remaining within biblical constraints, but it’s possible. I think the exercise of these gifts fits better in smaller group settings.
Again, there are different perspectives on this in the Christian world. If you were a part of a church where the gifts of the Spirit were exercised in a biblical and edifying and good way, praise the Lord for that. In my own experience, I would say that’s somewhat rare in God’s family. I don’t say that to make you dissatisfied with where you’re at now, but just so that you can understand what a precious gift it was to be part of a church which really did have a biblical exercise of the gifts for the time that you were there.
What is the difference between preaching and teaching?These two terms are used pretty much interchangeably in the Bible, so it’s possible to exaggerate the difference between the two. But basically, preaching focuses more on proclamation, proclaiming the truth of God, and oftentimes with a persuasive element involved. On the other hand, teaching places more of an emphasis on instruction, education, and discipleship.
There is a time and a place for both. God has a real purpose for both. There are many places in the Bible where they are used pretty much synonymously, but there are other places where I would say there is some distinction.
How can I describe the Trinity?I’m having trouble defining the Trinity – I know what it is, but the wording isn’t working for my friend. I always use Scripture, but I must be doing something wrong. Could you please help?
Here is the best way that I know how to describe the Trinity. I hope it’s helpful for you.
There’s one God. He is revealed in the Bible as the covenant God of Israel. His Name is Yahweh.
In the Bible, we see God the Father claims to be Yahweh, God the Son claims to be Yahweh, and God the Holy Spirit claims to be Yahweh. These are three separate persons, yet they’re all Yahweh. Therefore, you have one God in three persons.
How exactly does that work? I don’t think we can go into detailed explanation. But there’s one God in three persons. The one God has the covenant name, Yahweh God. The Father claims to be Yahweh God, the Son claims to be Yahweh God, and the Holy Spirit claims to be Yahweh God. No doubt this goes beyond our full comprehension, but there is one God in three persons.
Does God choose who will go to heaven and hell (Revelation 13:8)?In Revelation 13:8, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain, does that mean God has already chosen us from (before) the beginning? Meaning who will go to heaven/hell?
Revelation 13:8 – All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
2 Thessalonians 2:13b – God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
This is about God choosing people before the foundation of the world. God’s ability to choose should be recognized by Christians. Has God has already chosen us from before the beginning? Yes, that is certainly true, in some sense. How do we know that we’re chosen by God? We know that we’re chosen by God if we put our faith in Jesus Christ. That’s how we know. There’s not a sign on people’s foreheads declaring whether or not they are chosen.
Yes, God has His chosen plan. He knows. It’s no mystery to God. However, in our individual lives, we know that we’re chosen by whether or not we put our faith in Jesus Christ. If a person wants to know that they’re chosen by God, then they should trust in, rely on, and cling to Jesus, who He is and what He came to do for us, especially what He did at the cross and in His resurrection. If a person trusts that good news of the gospel, then they can say, “I know I’m chosen. If I wasn’t chosen, I suppose God would never have brought me to this place where I made this confession of faith.”
It’s that simple. If people want to make it more complicated, that’s on them. The Bible speaks of things from God’s perspective and from man’s perspective at various times. From man’s perspective, we should not regard this at all as being predetermined, leaving nothing that we can do about it. That’s not how God wants us to think about it. Rather, God wants to emphasize for us that we are human beings, made in His image, who have a real choice to make. If somebody believes that the election of God or the choosing of God somehow eliminates the real choice that men and women can make for or against Jesus Christ, then I think they understand God’s election wrongly.
How do we overcome lust?That is not an easy question, because lust can express itself in many different forms. I’m going to assume that you’re speaking of lust in a sexual way. We can lust after all kinds of things though. We can lust after money, fame, power, comfort, food, and all kinds of things. I’m just going to assume that you’re speaking of lust in sort of sexual sense.
Here’s one way to overcome lust. I’m not saying that this answers everything; this is just one aspect for you to think about. Keep very high standards. Don’t look at or pursue anything that might be even remotely lustful or that would excite your lust in any way. Just avoid it. If something happens to come up on your screen as you’re scrolling through social media, immediately move on from it. Don’t give it a moment. Don’t give it a thought. Just say, “Pass, not for me.” Keep very high standards and strict standards for yourself, and you’ll see that it’s easier to overcome. When we give in a little bit at the edges, allowing things that might be a little bit lustful, but assuming that it’s not really something to worry about, we will find it easier and easier to give into lust for bigger things. So set high standards. Build high fences for yourself.
Who are the dead in Christ? Do we go directly to heaven when we die?The Bible says the dead in Christ will be raised first. Who are the dead in Christ? Do we go to heaven when we die?
1 Thessalonians 4:16 – For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
2 Corinthians 5:8 – We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
The dead in Christ are simply believers who have died before the second coming of Christ. This resurrection refers to the resurrection of their body. I would say that their spirit or soul is already with Jesus Christ because Paul said very specifically that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. It’s possible that a person may be with the Lord as a disembodied spirit, in some way, just as angelic beings can be disembodied spirits. That can be possible for us as well. But the most straightforward explanation would be that resurrection of our body awaits the end of the age.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis25.mp3Part 29 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through all of chapter 25: The midway chapter-point in Genesis. This chapter records the passing of Abraham and the birth of Isaac’s sons. What follows is the story of two sons and one birthright between them. Pastor David concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter speaks to (or contrasts) with the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them. Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. (Genesis 26:18-19)
By Genesis 26 Abraham has passed from the scene, succeeded by his son Isaac. This has always been how God’s work goes forward through time: one generation passes, another generation takes its place, and God continues His work. How those generations relate to each other is important, and Isaac’s actions in Genesis 26 give a practical and spiritual example of how a younger generation can act toward an older generation.
We read that Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham. In other words, Isaac returned to the same resources that had sustained his father and all he possessed (Genesis 21:25-31). It took faith, work, and commitment to dig the wells again, but God provided through Isaac’s diligence.
For nomadic herdsmen water was life. In some seasons of the year, human or animal life could not be sustained without water from wells. These wells were a necessity, not a luxury.
This is a powerful illustration of life in the spirit. The spiritual resources that sustained previous generations are available today, if we will seek them with faith, work, and commitment. Using this as a spiritual illustration, we might say that the wells of peace, power, grace, wisdom, and transformation are available for the believer today as they were for previous generations. The question is whether a present generation will have the faith, work, and commitment to dig the wells again.
Especially in our modern age, it’s easy to think that we have or need different, better resources than our spiritual forefathers had. We are easily impressed by the latest and supposedly greatest, by what is new and shines brightly. These are dangerous and self-defeating ideas. There are old paths for us to walk on, old wells for us to dig again.
Dear brother or sister, think it over. The faith that sustained Athanasius, Hus, Wycliffe, Wesley, and Graham is available to you today. It’s like an old, stopped up well that can provide if it is sought and dug out. In this spiritual analogy, we should be like Isaac and dig again the wells.
Then, we see a special bonus: Isaac found a well of running water. It seems that Isaac discovered something that Abraham had not found. Isaac found the best kind of well – one of running water. This was the best kind of provision, and it came to Isaac as he received the resources once enjoyed by his father Abraham.
As you dig again the old wells and walk on the old paths, God will lead you to fresh sources of spiritual provision – an extra gift of His grace!
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 26
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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“Are All Babies Born Sinners?” Live Q&A for August 8, 2024https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/08082024.mp3The post “Are All Babies Born Sinners?” Live Q&A for August 8, 2024 appeared first on Enduring Word.
Are All Babies Born Sinners? Live Q&A for August 8, 2024Are Babies Born Sinners?Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. (Romans 5:12-14)
- Sin entered the world through one man
- Death came into the world through sin
- Death has spread to all men, showing all sinned (in Adam)
The line of thinking from Paul (and the Holy Spirit) seems to be that we are only subject to death if we are under sin. The fact that babies can die show that they are, in some sense, under sin. They are not sinlessly perfect or, theologically speaking, innocent. There is some kind of inherited sin nature, received from Adam.
There is another piece of evidence that we are born sinners – it is the simple observation that children don’t need to be “taught” to sin – it’s already in them. Parents already know this. Children are relatively innocent, but not truly or completely innocent.
Augustine’s example of the baby who would strangle his mother if he was able to speaks to this.
Children who go to heaven do so not because they are innocent, but because of God’s great mercy. We must avoid the error of Pelagius. Pelagius (late 4th, early 5th century) is sad to have made the error of saying that Adam sinned only for himself, and that we receive no sinful nature from Adam. This is a dangerous error.
It is true that we are born with an Adamic nature, and that we sin because we are fundamentally sinners. Nevertheless, there is reason to believe that God does not condemn individuals on the basis of having the Adamic nature alone – guilt under their own sins is also a basis for judgment:
The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. (Revelation 20:13)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
[Paul did not write, “Everyone born with a sinful nature falls short of the glory of God]
Several passages lay our guilt to our own trespasses and sins, and not to our inherited Adamic nature alone. These passages mention our guilt, without any reference to inherited sin.
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1)
Even when we were dead in trespasses (Ephesians 2:5)
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh (Colossians 2:13)
Some people suggest that the sinful, Adamic nature lies dormant in a child until at some indeterminate age it is activated. That’s something interesting to think about, but the Bible doesn’t clearly state this.
Conclusions
- Yes, people are born sinners – including babies!
- All who are subject to death are under sin, and our “under sin” status was inherited from Adam.
- Children don’t need to be “taught” to sin – it’s already in them.
- In the passages that speak of God’s eternal judgment on sinners, the emphasis is never on this inherited sin or sinful nature – the emphasis is on the sins, trespasses, actually committed (all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23).
- Babies that go to heaven go because of God’s mercy provided through the work of Jesus Christ, not because they are inherently sinless or innocent.
What should discipleship look like in a church? If it doesn’t exist in our current fellowship, how can we encourage it to happen (from a non-leader perspective)?Scripturally speaking, discipleship means learning about being a follower of Jesus Christ. The original disciples of Jesus were following a very customary form in that day. Certain people would gather around a prominent rabbi, live with him, follow him, and learn everything that they could from him. In an analogous way, Jesus calls us to be His disciples. We follow Jesus, and we learn how to live and do the things that Jesus wants us to do.
What does Jesus want us to do? Well, if you’re talking about the individual Christian life, Jesus wants us to put our faith in Him, and teach others how to trust Christ on a daily basis. Jesus wants us to hear Him by reading, understanding, and receiving His Word, and to teach other people how to do that. We teach them how to pray, how to worship, and how to share their faith. We teach them how to do the things that disciples can and should do. We help people become learners and followers of Jesus Christ.
In a good, healthy church, a lot of this process happens through the work of the pulpit. But not every church has that good, healthy environment, and not all of discipleship will really happen through the ministry of the pulpit in the environment of the church. I think it’s very helpful for believers to carry out a lifestyle of discipling other people and teaching them about the Christian life. I would say to almost every Christian: you can and should be discipling somebody else, because you may not know much about the Christian life, but you probably know more than some people. You probably know more than some people about prayer, reading the Bible, worship, integrity in the Christian life, making godly decisions, understanding cultural controversies in light of the Scriptures and the integrity that God calls us to as believers. You can pass that knowledge on to other people in a one-on-one setting. Discipleship can and does work on a church-wide level, but individual and small-group discipleship is important and should not be neglected. You can encourage discipleship to happen in a spontaneous and very blessed way.
Was the sin of Sodom & Gomorrah so bad that they were unredeemable (Genesis 19)?Was the sin of Sodom & Gomorrah so bad that they were unredeemable? In Genesis 19, is there evidence that they had been forewarned of their sin?
I would not use the term “unredeemable,” but I would say that they were ripe for judgment. We need to understand that God can bring His judgment not only to an individual soul regarding eternal salvation, but God can bring his judgment upon cities, cultures, nations. It’s possible that there were people in the city who were not individually guilty of the great sins for which Sodom and Gomorrah were judged. But God’s judgments don’t only come upon individuals, but also upon cities, cultures, and nations sometimes. That was the nature of the judgment which came upon Sodom and Gomorrah.
In theory, there could have been individuals who could have been redeemed by trusting in the covenant God of Abraham, yet their culture and their nation was still ripe for judgment. It’s important that we don’t forget this. God has the right to judge cities, communities, nations, and if God chooses to bring judgment in such a way, then the judgments of the Lord are true.
The Bible says in Peter that Lot was a preacher of righteousness among the people of Sodom. There may have been many other ways He spoke, but if nothing else, God gave a witness to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah through the presence of righteous Lot.
Is it wrong to call unbelievers spiritually blind? Should we take spiritual advice from nonbelievers?Well, in a word, no. Your thought is Biblically correct. Whether you’re expressing it in a respectful manner is between you and the Lord. We should be interested in what those who do not yet believe are interested in, and what they think about all sorts of spiritual things, because it reveals to us where they’re at spiritually. That why we should be interested. As Christians, we’re not interested in having them correct us. Somebody might say, “I reject Jesus Christ, Idon’t believe the Bible, Jesus was just another man, maybe God doesn’t exist.” If a person expresses all this unbelief, skepticism, and doubt to me, I’m not going to ask them to teach me about the Bible or the Christian life.
But I am interested in what they have to say, because it helps me learn something about them and maybe other people in general. So, I want to hear what they have to say respectfully. But I’m not there to learn spiritual knowledge from them. I’m there to learn from them in the sense that we can all learn something from every human being.
Can you explain Malachi 4:5-6, about Elijah turning the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers?Malachi 4:5-6 – Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
God promised His people that He would send Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord, which we would regard as the powerful Second Coming of Jesus Christ in glory and power. I would say that the promise about turning the hearts of the fathers to their sons and the sons’ hearts to their fathers is a beautiful promise of reconciliation. He’s going to restore all things. This is more than just the reconciliation of families, although it includes that. What a beautiful and powerful thing for God to include that part of the Messiah’s ministry would be to reconcile families. But this promise goes beyond that. In talking about turning the hearts of the children to the fathers, it also has in mind a turning to the God of their fathers and the faith of the patriarchs.
This promise includes, in a very basic sense, that familial reconciliation. When Jesus comes into a family, families are reconciled and forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation takes place. But that is not always the case, which is why Jesus said at one point that He did not come to the earth to unite, but to divide; He came with a sword. One side effect of Jesus’ work would be to turn parents against children and brother against sister, because they would divide over who Jesus is. That is absolutely true at times. But in a greater and more general sense, one of the marvelous works of the Messiah is to bring healing and reconciliation to people.
What is the best way to be subject to/obedient to today’s government (Romans 13)?We are subject to the government by obeying their laws. This Q&A goes out all over the world to people from a lot of different countries, so I apologize if I’m not speaking in a way that’s relevant to your direct political or legal environment. But in America, there are so many laws, and the legal system is so complicated, that it’s said that in any given moment, any citizen in the United States is guilty of four or five felonies without even knowing it. I don’t know if that’s literally true, but I think the spirit of that is true. To my knowledge, right now, I’m not in disobedience to any laws. I want to live in obedience to the laws of the land. I want to pay my taxes, and be supportive of my government, even when the government does wrong. I want to be supportive of bringing about nonviolent change which brings about real justice in our land. I think these are simple ways that we submit to government.
There is something additionally complicated for those of us who live in democracies. If you live in a democracy, that means that you have at least some share in the making of your government. You may have a very small voice, but at least potentially, you have a greater voice to be made available to you. And you can use that voice. I think using your voice in a democracy is another way of being subject to the government.
The quickest answer would be to obey the laws and pay your taxes. That’s how we show our obedience to the government. Now there is one additional requirement put upon Christians in this context. We are to pray for our leaders. I don’t know how many of you are praying for your political leaders, but you should be. I think that’s what God wants us to do.
How do we correctly interpret the Bible on how it applies to our lives, especially the OT?First of all, we do that by reading the context. It’s important to ask, “Is this a promise specifically made to Israel? Is this a promise made to the people of God in general? Is this a promise made to people under the New Covenant?” That’s a good place to start.
Secondly, I do believe in the phenomenon of God making a verse come alive to us by the Holy Spirit. At certain times, He takes a passage of Scripture and says, “This is for you.” Maybe it was not originally written to you, and maybe it’s not yours in context directly. But I believe the Holy Spirit sometimes illuminates a particular verse and says, “This is for you.” Of course, that can be abused, but anything in the life of the Spirit can be abused. It’s a good primary practice to refer to the context, and also to be open to the very real phenomenon of the Holy Spirit taking a verse and quickening it, making that verse alive to us.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis24.mp3Part 28 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through all of chapter 24. This chapter records the journey of Abraham’s chief servant to the Land of Ur, in order to find a bride for his master’s son Issac. What follows is an incredible story of how God works all things together for His glory. Pastor David concludes by highlighting some of the many ways that this chapter speaks to the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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And the LORD said to her:
“Two nations are in your womb,
Two peoples shall be separated from your body;
One people shall be stronger than the other,
And the older shall serve the younger.”(Genesis 25:23)
God promised that through Isaac, Abraham would have descendants beyond counting. The promise was sure but didn’t come quickly or easily. Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, was barren for about 20 years (Genesis 25:20, 26). But when Isaac prayed for his wife, the LORD answered, and Rebekah conceived.
Once pregnant, the struggle that Rebekah felt in her womb made her seek God. As she sought Him, the LORD spoke to her regarding number of children in her womb, their gender, and the destiny of those sons in her womb. That’s when God told Rebekah that she had twins, and each son would be the father of a nation. And, of the two twins, one would be greater than the other, and the younger would be greater than the older.
In proclaiming that the older shall serve the younger, God chose to go against the culturally accepted pattern of that time and place that the older should always be preferred over the younger. In Romans 9:10-13, the apostle Paul used this choice of Jacob over Esau before their birth as an illustration of God’s sovereign choice.
Paul wrote that God’s choice was not based on the performance of Jacob or Esau. God announced these intentions to Rebekah before the children were born (the older shall serve the younger) and repeated His verdict long after Jacob and Esau had both passed from the earth (Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated, Malachi 1:2-3).
Some people object, questioning the fairness of God making such a choice before Jacob or Esau were born. Yet we should regard the love and the hate God spoke of in Malachi 1:2-3 and Romans 9:10-13 as having to do with His purpose in choosing one of these two to become the heir of the covenant of Abraham. God did nothate Esau in the sense of cursing him to a doomed life in either this world or the next. All told, Esau was indeed a blessed man, and in some ways more well-adjusted than Jacob (Genesis 33:4-9). Yet regarding the inheritance of the covenant, it could be rightly said that God hated Esau and loved Jacob.
When it comes to God’s choosing, many people make the mistake of thinking that God chooses for random or arbitrary reasons, as if His choices were unplanned and senseless. That isn’t the case. God chooses according to His divine wisdom, love, and goodness. We may not be able to understand God’s reasons for choosing, and they are reasons He alone knows and answers to, but God’s choices are not random or capricious.
You can rest in knowing that when God chooses, it is always for a good reason – and for the ultimate good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 25
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis23.mp3Part 27 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through chapter 23 in full. This chapter records the death and burial of Sarah – the wife of Abraham and mother of Issac, and the arrangement of her burial cave (Machpelah, Makhpela), which is still known today. Pastor David concludes by highlighting some of the ways that this chapter speaks to the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren. (Genesis 24:27)
Genesis 24 tells the story of a special servant of Abraham who had the job to travel far, find a bride for his master’s son, and return with the chosen bride. The servant isn’t named in Genesis 24 but was likely Eliezer of Damascus mentioned in Genesis 15:2. We don’t know of any other person who held this position in Abraham’s household.
The servant had a big responsibility. The wife of Isaac, Abraham’s son, would have an important place in the unfolding plan of God’s covenant promises to Abraham and his descendants. It would be natural for Eliezer to think, “I must be led by God to find and choose the right woman, and then God must move on her heart to agree. It must be the woman God chooses.”
Genesis 24 explains that Eliezer did something that everyone must do when they want to discover and live out God’s will: he prayed (Genesis 24:12-14). He surrendered the matter to the LORD, and in faith asked God to guide him and all the circumstances around the finding and choosing of this special woman. God answered his prayers, and he found Rebekah, at a well in the distant land he had traveled to. Rebekah showed a true servant’s heart when she volunteered to do the difficult work of watering the camels of Eliezer, who was a stranger to her. Eliezer also discovered that Rebekah was perfect because she was related to Abraham’s relatives, from the land Abraham came from.
When Eliezer explained this to Rebeka’s family, he used these words: being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren. There is something important in those words. Eliezer made it clear that God led him while being on the way. In other words, Eliezer didn’t just sit back and wait for God to reveal every detail before he moved forward. Instead, the servant of Abraham got busy with what he could do – he went on his way – and that was when the LORD led him.
Dear brother or sister, if you want to see God’s guidance in your life, get on your way. Be active. Take steps forward in some direction, and you will see God lead you being on the way. There may be times when God wants us to stop and wait for Him before we do anything, but that isn’t God’s normal way of leading. Normally, God wants us to get on our way and expect His guidance as we go.
Generally speaking, it’s our duty to get on our way according to what God has revealed and trust He will guide us.
It’s hard to steer a parked car. Get on your way, and let God lead you.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 24
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis22.mp3Part 26 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through chapter 22 in full. This chapter sees the testing of Abraham, through the oft-examined yet very misunderstood “Binding of Isaac”. Pastor David details each verse of the chapter, as well as highlighting some of the profound ways that this chapter speaks to the personage and mission of Christ Jesus. The chapter concludes with the foreshadowing of Rebekah.
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Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” (Genesis 23:3)
There are two great people of faith referred to in Genesis 23:3. The first is Abraham, who had just carried out one of the most notable acts of faith in the Bible: the willingness of offer his son Isaac (Genesis 22). The other person of faith is referred to with the words his dead, speaking of Sarah, the deceased wife of Abraham. Sarah was a great woman of faith, who by faith received God’s promise to bear a son long past the normal age to become a mother.
This single verse tells us much about great men and women of faith.
Great men and women of faith endure many hardships. Sarah endured the hardship of death and Abraham the hardship of being left behind. Sometimes we think that people of great faith live in a different world, untouched by the pains and concerns of normal life. That isn’t true. Even Jesus learned obedience by the things that He suffered (Hebrews 5:8).
Great men and women of faith are pilgrims, visitors. When Abraham began to negotiate with the sons of Heth for a place to bury Sarah, he began by saying I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Though Abraham lived in Canaan for more than 30 years, he still thought of himself as a foreigner and a visitor in that land.
Abraham did not feel this way just because he came another place (Ur of the Chaldeans). It was because he recognized his real home was heaven (Hebrews 11:9-10). Moses knew the same, and he taught Israel this principle (Leviticus 25:23). David also knew this truth (1 Chronicles 29:14-15, Psalm 39:12).
As a man of faith, Abraham lived and built in Canaan and left something for his descendants, but he knew his ultimate home was heaven, and he was only visiting this life. His real home was eternal.
Great men and women of faith can receive the part as the whole. Genesis 23 explains that Abraham bought this property for burial. In his travels around Canaan, Abraham had earlier lived in this area and there built an altar to God (Genesis 13:18). He knew this cave and was willing to pay the full price for it.
God had promised Abraham and his covenant descendants all of Canaan as their inheritance (Genesis 15:18-21). Yet, this was the only piece of land that Abraham ever formally owned and possessed. He received the part, but still believed in God’s promise of the whole.
Dear believing friend, we know only know and experience in part (1 Corinthians 13:12). Yet we can trust God’s promise and receive the part as evidence as the whole. One day, all will be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 23
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Answering Wrong Teachings about Marriage, Divorce, and RemarriageIt is not my habit to chase around everything I disagree with, but this has come before me 3 or 4 times in the last few months.
- A Christian woman whose Christian husband thinks he must divorce her and leave their young children without a father in the home
- A pastor who called me for advice on a similar situation
- A few friends who, because of this teaching, are at times plunged into great guilt, and who have been told they will go to hell
A few different folks teach this; some are extreme and some not as extreme (such as John Piper). Their beliefs aren’t all the same, but they run along similar lines. This is what they teach, which I think is incorrect and does a lot of damage:
- If someone is divorced – no matter what the reason or grounds – they can never remarry. Their only option is to be reconciled to their original spouse. They can only remarry if their original spouse dies.
- If a divorced person (let’s say a Christian) does remarry, they are – in every case – guilty of adultery.
- If they want to obey and please God, they must divorce their present spouse and their only option is to be reconciled to the one they divorced (unless the one they divorced dies).
- If such a one does not divorce their present spouse, they continue in adultery, and will go to hell.
There is a lot wrong in this teaching, but we will try to also explain why this is believed, and what the arguments (wrong arguments, I believe) are made for it.
1. It is wrong to believe that the marriage bond can only be broken by death.* This is God’s ideal, but God does allow for divorce. * It is wrong to teach that God makes no allowance for divorce. * It is wrong to teach that a biblical divorce does not break the marital bond.
This wrong teaching is sometimes based off of a misapplication of 1 Corinthians 7:39: A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. The misapplication says, “Paul here says that the wife is bound to her husband as long as the husband is alive. Therefore, the only thing that can break the marriage bond is death.”
This either ignores or neglects other passages that tell us other ways that the marriage bond can be broken. Namely, the passages that tell us that God does – in specific circumstances – allow and recognize divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1, Matthew 19:8, 1 Corinthians 7:15).
This creates a strange definition of divorce, defining divorce as something that does not break the marriage bond. We can confidently say: If God recognizes a divorce, if the divorce is based on biblical reasons (either sexual immorality according to Matthew 19:7-8 or abandonment by an unbelieving spouse according to 1 Corinthians 7:12-15), then the marriage bond is broken.
We strongly affirm what the Bible teaches: that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16), and that divorce does not fulfill God’s original plan for marriage (Matthew 19:4-5). The Bible says that divorce is God’s concession to the hardness of the human heart (Matthew 19:8), yet it is God’s concession. This allowance, by the very definition of the idea of divorce, breaks the marriage bond when it is done upon the Biblical reasons already stated.
2. It is wrong to teach that every remarriage after a divorce, while the divorced partner still lives, is adultery. It is certainly true that remarriage after a divorce not made for Biblical reasons can be adultery – Jesus said so in Matthew 19:9, Luke 16:18, and Mark 10:11-12.
However, the fact that God does recognize divorce on the basis of sexual immorality (Matthew 19:8) and abandonment by an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7:12-15) gives the one divorced under those circumstances the right to remarry in the Lord.
God regards a person either obligated to a marriage bond (married) or not obligated to a marriage bond (single). If a divorce is established upon Biblical reasons, then the divorced person is not obligated to a marriage bond – they are single. If the divorce was not established on Biblical reasons, then it was never a divorce at all in the eyes of God, even though the government, the community, and the people in involved may have considered it a divorce. Such a “divorce” is only in the eyes of man, and not in the eyes of God, and the parties involved are still obligated to a marriage bond as far as God is concerned. They are married, not single.
Therefore, it is wrong to say that those are divorced for Biblical reasons and then are remarried are living in a constant state of adultery, and as such are destined for hell as habitual, unrepentant adulterers according to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 13:4, Revelation 21:7-8, and Hebrews 10:26-31. Intentional or not, it is a terrible misuse of spiritual authority to declare people condemned to hell who are not, or to declare them guilty and under God’s wrath for things that are in fact not sin before God.
- Therefore, it is wrong to apply 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 13:4, Revelation 21:7-8, and Hebrews 10:26-31 to those who have remarried after a Biblically permitted divorce.
3. It is wrong to teach that if someone remarries after an unbiblical divorce that their only true repentance is to divorce their current spouse. This is compounding sin upon sin, and trying to correct one sin by committing another.
This is a long point – so hang on….
The case of the person who remarries after a divorce on Biblical reasons has already been addressed. Yet there are others who have “divorced” for unbiblical reasons, on the basis of reasons other than sexual immorality (Matthew 19:8) or abandonment by an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7:12-15) who have remarried.
Such people must repent of their sin of adultery . They must do so in full confidence of the promise of 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
However, it is wrong and even destructive to teach that the only valid expression of repentance would be to leave their present spouse, and either be reconciled to their originally divorced spouse or live in celibate singleness until the death of their originally divorced spouse. This would be trying to correct one sin by the committing of another.
- It would be like stealing from one person to make restitution to another: trying to correct one sin by committing another.
- It would be like aborting the baby of a pregnancy of unmarried woman: trying to correct one sin by committing another.
This would also be ignoring Paul’s principle in 1 Corinthians 7:24: Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. Paul wrote this principle in the context of the marriage mess the Corinthians had made and Paul spoke to by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 7. The basic sense is, “don’t try to unravel the sins and stains of the past. Commit unto God where you are called right now and obey Him in your present situation.” This principle was so important to Paul’s teaching on marriage and family life that he repeated it three times (1 Corinthians 7:17, 20, and 24).
This is not to say that there not some situations where repentance might mean a radical change. For example, if someone was in a same sex relationship that they and the culture regarded as marriage, repentance would mean breaking such a relationship and not saying, “God says we are to live as we are called.” But that is not a Biblical marriage at all, and not the same situation.
- It is wrong to apply 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 13:4, Revelation 21:7-8, and Hebrews 10:26-31 – passages that say that unrepentant adulterers will go to hell – to those who have repented of an unbiblical divorce.
I wonder what these people think of King David.
- David committed adultery with Bathsheba
- David arranged the murder of Bathsheba’s husband
- David then married Bathsheba
I wonder if these people would say, “It’s OK that David married Bathsheba, and that God blessed that marriage with the son that would be heir to David’s throne and royal line. It’s OK because Bathsheba’s first husband was dead, and therefore she could remarry, and David could marry her.”
That is technically true – but David arranged the murder of her first husband!
Do these people think divorce or adultery are worse sins than murder? That someone can be forgiven for murder, but not for divorce or adultery?
It’s like what was said of a particular denomination that declared in their denominational policy that they absolutely could not have a pastor who was divorced, under any circumstances. Yet, they would allow and ordain a man as pastor if he had murdered someone and had suitably repented! The joke – if it could be called a joke – was that in that denomination, a pastor could never divorce his wife, but he could murder her.
When we depart from the Bible, even if we say our goal is to protect and promote God’s glory, we end up in moral confusion.
Question:
What about Ezra 10, where the Jews who returned to Jerusalem and Judah put away their pagan wives? Doesn’t this show us that it is a godly responsibility to divorce an ungodly marriage?
Now therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them, according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law (Ezra 10:3)
And they gave their promise that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they presented a ram of the flock as their trespass offering. (Ezra 10:19)
Response:
- This is a singular occurrence in the Old Testament.
- Nowhere does it say in Ezra that God commanded this.
- This was ultimately ineffective; some 15 years later they dealt with the same problem in Nehemiah 13:23-28 – with no mention of a corresponding putting away of the wives.
- God gives clear and specific instruction on this in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16. Believers who are married to unbelievers are not to seek divorce, after the pattern of what happened in Ezra 10.
4. It is wrong to teach that the only obedient option for a divorced person is to either remarry their divorced spouse or live celibate in singleness.Again, this makes at least a few errors:
- The Bible tells us that a Biblical divorce does “loose” someone from the marriage bond. 1 Corinthians 7:27 speaks to this: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
- Ignoring the truth that there is, in God’s sight, such a thing as permitted divorce that does in fact break the marriage bond. In such cases the divorced person is regarded as single and they may therefore marry.
- Ignoring the truth that even for the one guilty of adultery and/or unjustified divorce, they may confess their sin and truly repent of it while remaining in a subsequent marriage, because to divorce in such cases would be to hope to remedy one sin by committing another.
5. It is wrong to teach that Luke 16:18 and Mark 10:11-12 cancel out what God says about marriage and divorce in the full counsel of His word.Luke 16:18: Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery. Mark 10:11-12 says much the same thing.
If all we had in the Bible (and specifically the New Testament) regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage were these passages, then one might be able to say that any and every remarriage after divorce is adultery, and the only thing that can break the marriage bond is death.
However, we have many other passages that speak to the matter. Specifically, Matthew 19:3-9 teaches that God does recognize divorce on the basis of sexual immorality and 1 Corinthians 7:12-15 teaches that God recognizes divorce in the case of abandonment by an unbelieving spouse.
Because of this, we don’t use passages like Luke 16:18 to “cancel out” these other passages. As those who must rightly divide the word of truth, we understand how these passages fit together. We also understand that if one passage of Scripture speaks to a topic, it does not say everything that there is to say, know, and believe about that topic.
We find an example of this principle – the principle of not using one verse to “cancel out” another – in James 1:27 (Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. If we took the same logic as those who believe that Luke 16:18 and Mark 10:11-12 say all there is to say about marriage, divorce, and remarriage, then we could teach that the only thing relevant in Christian religion is helping widows and orphans and purity from the world’s corruption. Not prayer, not evangelism, not loving others in God’s family, not receiving God’s word, and so forth.
We can’t take a passage and let it define everything about a Biblical subject when there are other passages that also speak to it.
6. It is wrong to teach that if one is sinned against in marriage by sexual immorality the only godly option is for them to forgive, reconcile, and remain married.It is important to note that in Matthew 19:3-9 does not command the spouse who has been sinned against to divorce the spouse guilty of sexual immorality. There are many times when there can be forgiveness and restoration, especially when there is genuine repentance from the guilty spouse. We can also say that this is in general accord with God’s hatred of divorce (Malachi 2:16) and forgiving nature.
Nevertheless, the permission God gave for divorce is real. It is a concession to the weakness and frailty of fallen humanity (“because of the hardness of your hearts”), but it is a real concession, nonetheless. To say that God grants a concession, but God will never allow it to be used is the twist the Word of God and to place unrighteous and unbearable burdens upon people.
7. It is wrong to teach that God does not allow divorce and subsequent remarriage in the case of abandonment by an unbelieving spouse.Paul’s principle in 1 Corinthians 7:15 (But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace) is much like that of Matthew 19:3-9 – a concession to the weakness and frailty of humanity. The wording of “is not under bondage in such cases” shows that in the case of abandonment by an unbelieving spouse, the believer may in fact be divorced – that is, no longer bound or obligated to a marriage covenant.
This means that if they do accept the divorce initiated by the unbelieving spouse, they are not bound to a marriage, they are regarded as single, and are free to remarry in the Lord.
8. It is wrong to believe that “fornication” or “sexual immorality” as Jesus used the term in Matthew 19:8-9 refers only to sexual sin outside of the marriage bond, and not to adultery or unfaithfulness in marriage.An example of the statement of this wrong belief: “We believe that, simply put, ‘fornication/sexual immorality’ are the various sexual sins of an unmarried person, and that adultery is the various sexual sins of a married person.” (Gladstone)
The idea put forth is that when Jesus gave permission for divorce in Matthew 19:8-9 (actually simply affirming the permission given in Deuteronomy 24:1 and defining “uncleanness” in the Old Testament permission), Jesus did not actually speak to the divorce of a marriage, but the divorce of an engagement.
This is a strange and bizarre interpretation, one that ignores the definition of “sexual immorality” (porneia) in Matthew 19:9 and the rest of the New Testament. The word is broadly used to refer to sexual sin and includes sexual sin both in marriage and before marriage.
It is true that among many Jews in Biblical times, engagement was seen as binding and needed some kind of divorce to release one from the obligation of future marriage. But to say that this and only this was what Jesus had in mind in Matthew 19:3-9 neglects not only the text of Matthew 19 itself, but also ignores the whole context of the question – the rabbinic dispute in Jesus’ day as to the definition of “uncleanness” in Deuteronomy 24:1.
9. It is wrong to regard the teachings or traditions of men as the law of God or to “put a fence around the law” for the supposed sake of God’s glory. This is done when the analogy of Christ and the Church and marriage is extended too far, or when man’s interpretation of the law ignores the bigger picture, as the Pharisees did when Jesus rebuked them regarding the sabbath, proclaiming that man was not made for the sabbath, but the sabbath for man (Mark 2:27).
There are those who deny the scriptural truth that a Biblically permitted divorce allows subsequent marriage in the Lord, and do so under the thought that since marriage is an illustration of the relationship between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:29-33) we must do everything we can preserve the honor and purity of marriage. This goal is noble, but not when it denies the clear permissions and concessions that the Bible itself gives for divorce and release from the marriage bond.
To do that is to go beyond the commandment of God, to take the rules or traditions of men and to make them equal with the commandments of God. This is a dangerous and harmful thing to do, even when it is done with good intentions.
This error can be illustrated by the zeal of the religious leaders in the days of Jesus to preserve the Sabbath and its glory. They had ample Scriptural basis for Sabbath observance among the Jews under the Old Covenant, but they extended those laws beyond what was written and were therefore rebuked by Jesus. They saw the Sabbath laws as and end in themselves, and forgot that man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was made for man.
To go beyond what is commanded by God or to deny what is permitted by God does not bring glory to God, no matter what is claimed or what the perceived motive is. There is no denying that marriage is a mess in the wider culture and among many believers, but…
- The mess will not be cleaned up by wrongly dividing and wrongly applying Biblical truth.
- The mess will not be cleaned up by heaping condemnation in this life and in the age to come upon those who receive the permissions and concessions God grants in His Word.
- The mess will not be cleaned up by exhorting God’s people to a strange and unbiblical kind of repentance that answers one sin with another.
- The mess will not be cleaned up by preachers and teachers who, in a claimed zeal for God’s glory, go beyond what the Scriptures command and deny what it actually permits.
- The mess will begin to be remedied when God’s people humble themselves, biblically repent of past sins, and seek to glorify God where they are at regarding marriage and family. The post Answering Wrong Teachings about Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage appeared first on Enduring Word.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis21.mp3Part 25 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth study of the book of Genesis, expositing through all of chapter 21. This chapter sees the birth of Sarah & Abraham’s son, Isaac, and the tensions and consequences of their machinations which bore Ishmael to Hagar. There is also the swearing of an oath at Beersheba. Pastor David details each verse of the chapter, as well as highlighting some of the ways this chapter speaks to the personage and mission of Jesus Christ.
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And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:5)
God told Abraham to do something strange: offer his son Isaac, the son of promise, as a sacrifice. Abraham lived as a sojourner, a pilgrim, in the land of Canaan. The priests of many of the Canaanite deities said their gods demanded human sacrifice. The people of Canaan found nothing especially strange about human sacrifice, but Abraham had believed Yahweh was different.
In obedience, Abraham prepared for the journey started out with Isaac and some servants to the appointed place, Mount Moriah. They arrived on the third day, and every day Abraham thought about what God commanded him to do. When they came to the region of Moriah, Abraham told his servants to wait while he and Isaac went further on to worship God.
That’s when Abraham spoke words of triumphant faith: we will come back to you. Abraham believed that both he and Issac would return; that they both would come back, and he said so.
Abraham, the friend of God, fully intended on obeying God’s command to sacrifice Isaac. At the same time, he was confident that they would both return. How could this be?
It wasn’t because Abraham somehow knew this was only a test and God would not really require that he sacrifice Issac. Instead, Abraham’s faith was in understanding that should he kill Isaac, God would raise him from the dead, because God had promised Isaac would carry on the line of blessing and the covenant.
He knew God’s promise: in Isaac your seed shall be called (Genesis 21:12), and Isaac didn’t have any children yet. Abraham understood that God had to let Isaac live at least long enough to have children. If Isaac dies before having children, then Abraham’s covenant lineage is dead, his name is forgotten to history, and God’s promise is proved false.
Hebrews 11:17-19 clearly explains this principle: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
Abraham knew anything was possible, but it was impossible that God would break His promise. He knew God was not a liar. To this point in Biblical history, we have no record of anyone being raised from the dead, so Abraham had no precedent for this faith, apart from God’s promise. Yet Abraham knew God was able. God could do it.
Ultimately, Genesis 22 shows that God did not want human sacrifice and will never call for it. Yet God does want His people to trust Him and to understand that He can never fail in keeping His promises. You can trust His promises today.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 22
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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Is the Sabbath Saturday or Sunday? – LIVE Q&A on July 14th, 2024Is the Sabbath Saturday or Sunday?Should today’s Christians observe the Sabbath on a Saturday or Sunday? The real Jewish Sabbath is actually on Friday evening through to sunset Saturday, not Sunday. Since the Ten Commandments are still valid today (all summed up by Jesus in the Two) and we obey them, shouldn’t Christians also obey the Fourth? It does not seem to make sense to obey every single one except the fourth. I find a lot of conflicting understanding and thoughts.
- When does the day begin and end?
- What day is the Sabbath – the day of rest?
- What day is the Sabbath – the day of worship?
When does the day begin and end?
By tradition, in the Near Eastern mind, the day begins and ends at sunset. But this is tradition that we are free to either embrace or reject. One could also say that the day begins in the middle of the night (at midnight), or that it begins at dawn.
I understand why, in modern culture, the day “begins” at midnight. Through a calendar year, days become longer and shorter, so the time of dawn’s light changes a little every day. Setting the “start” of the day at midnight gives a consistent time for the clock.
If anything, the Bible leans to the idea that the morning light begins the new day. Just search for the words “morning” or “dawn” in the Psalms, and the sense is given again and again that this is the “start” of the day.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
[23] They are new every morning: Each dawning day gives mankind hope in fresh mercies and compassions from God. We need a constant supply and God has promised to send them without fail. No matter how bad the past day was, God’s people can look to the new morning with faith and hope.
These mercies are always new because they come from God who forever draws new things from His eternal resources.
- Every morning ends the night.
- Every morning brings a new day.
- Every morning brings new provision for the day.
- Every morning brings new forgiveness for new sins.
- Every morning brings new strength for new temptations, duties, and trials.
What day is the Sabbath – the day of rest?
The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week – Saturday. This is clear from Genesis 1, where it was on the seventh day that God rested.
Here’s the principle: The Sabbath as a day of rest is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:9-10
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
There is a real sense in which Jesus fulfilled the purpose and plan of the Sabbath for us and in us (Hebrews 4:9–11). He is our rest; when we remember and live in consideration of His finished work we honor and observe the Sabbath. Hebrews 4:4 specifically ties this idea to the Sabbath.
Colossians 2:16-17
So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
[16] So let no one judge you: The opening “so” is important. It connects this thought with the previous thought. Because Jesus won such a glorious victory on the cross, we are to let no one judge you in food or in drink or in other matters related to legalism, including sabbaths. A life that is centered on Jesus and what He did on the cross has no place for legalism.
[16] Food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, [17] which are a shadow of things to come: The Old Testament law had certain provisions that are done away with in Jesus, regarding such things as food and sabbaths. It isn’t that those laws were bad, simply that they were [17] a shadow of things to come. Once the substance – Jesus Christ – has come, we don’t need to shadow any more.
The point is clear: days and foods, as observed under the Mosaic Law, are not binding upon New Covenant people. The shadow has passed, the reality has come. So for the Christian, all foods are pure (1 Timothy 4:4-5) and all days belong to God.
- Christians are therefore free to keep a kosher diet or to observe the sabbath if they please. There is nothing wrong with those things. However, they cannot think that eating kosher or sabbath observance makes them any closer to God, and they cannot [16] judge another brother or sister who does not observe such laws.
There is a very good argument to be made for keeping a Sabbath because this is the way God has designed us, that in a seven-day week, we need a day of rest. This is a good and helpful principle, but not a biblical command.
What day is the Sabbath – the day of worship?
In the ten commandments, God commanded Israel: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exodus 20:8). One way Israel was to keep the Sabbath holy was to observe it as a day of rest (now fulfilled in Jesus Christ). Another way to keep the Sabbath holy was to use it as a day of worship.
That’s why traditionally, the Jewish people have had their synagogue services on Saturday morning – the morning period of their Sabbath day. It’s their way to say, “we worship on this day, it is our day to keep holy.”
Here’s the interesting thing: the New Testament church, and the early church, regarded Sunday – not Saturday – as their day of the worship. This was because Jesus was raised from the dead on Sunday and for Christians, that changed everything.
All four gospels note that the resurrection of Jesus was evident on Sunday, the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1).
Acts 20:7
Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.
1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
The first day of the week refers to the fact that early Christians met on Sunday, not the Sabbath. They were not against meeting on the Sabbath; they just knew that all days were alike to the Lord (Colossians 2:16-17) – we are free to worship on any day. Christians wanted to celebrate the day Jesus rose from the dead (Luke 24:1).
“It is plain from hence, that the gospel churches were wont to assemble upon that day; nor do we read in Scripture of any assembly of Christians for religious worship on any other day.” (Poole)
So, to summarize the answers to the three questions:
- When does the day begin and end? The Bible gives no command.
- What day is the Sabbath – the day of rest? The Sabbath rest of the sixth days is specifically said to be fulfilled in the rest the believer finds in Jesus Christ.
- What day is the Sabbath – the day of worship? The Bible gives no command; every day is holy to believers. Yet from New Testament times, Christians have usually gathered for worship on Sunday, marking the day of the week Jesus rose from the dead and changed everything.
Exodus 20:8-11
The fourth commandment: Remember the Sabbath day.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
a. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: The command is to respect the seventh day (Saturday) as a day of rest (you shall do no work). This rest was for all of Israel – for the son and the servant and the stranger – even including cattle.
i. This is an important principle that might be too easily passed over. Here God declared the essential humanity and dignity of women, slaves, and strangers, and said they had the same right to a day of rest as the free Israeli man. This was certainly a radical concept in the ancient world.
ii. “The baser sort of people in Sweden do always break the Sabbath, saying that it is for gentlemen to keep that day.” (Trapp)
b. To keep it holy: God commanded Israel – and all humanity – to make sure that there was sacred time in their life, separated time of rest.
i. In their traditions, the Jewish people came to carefully quantify what they thought could and could not be done on the Sabbath day, in order to keep it holy. For example, in Luke 6:1-2, in the mind of the Jewish leaders, the disciples were guilty of four violations of the Sabbath every time they took a bite of grain out in the field, because they reaped, threshed, winnowed, and prepared food.
ii. Ancient Rabbis taught that on the Sabbath, a man could not carry something in his right hand or in his left hand, across his chest or on his shoulder. But he could carry something with the back of his hand, his foot, his elbow, or in his ear, his hair, or in the hem of his shirt, or in his shoe or sandal. Or on the Sabbath Israelites were forbidden to tie a knot – except, a woman could tie a knot in her girdle. So, if a bucket of water had to be raised from a well, an Israelite could not tie a rope to the bucket, but a woman could tie her girdle to the bucket and pull it up from the well.
iii. In observant Jewish homes today, one cannot turn on a light, a stove, or a switch on the Sabbath. It is forbidden to drive a certain distance or to make a telephone call – all carefully regulated by traditions seeking to spell out the law exactly.
c. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth: God established the pattern for the Sabbath at the time of creation. When He rested from His works on the seventh day, God made the seventh day a day of rest from all our works (Genesis 2:3). It’s as if God said, having too much to do isn’t an excuse from taking the rest you need – I created the universe and found time to rest from My work.
i. When God told them to remember the Sabbath, He told them to remember the rest. “The term ‘Sabbath’ is derived from the Hebrew verb ‘to rest or cease from work.’” (Kaiser) The most important purpose of the Sabbath was to serve as a preview picture of the rest we have in Jesus.
ii. Like everything in the Bible, we understand this with the perspective of the whole Bible, not this single passage. With this understanding, we see that there is a real sense in which Jesus fulfilled the purpose and plan of the Sabbath for us and in us (Hebrews 4:9-11) – He is our rest, when we remember His finished work we remember the Sabbath, we remember the rest.
iii. Therefore, the whole of Scripture makes it clear that under the New Covenant, no one is under obligation to observe a Sabbath day (Colossians 2:16-17 and Galatians 4:9-11). Galatians 4:10 tells us that Christians are not bound to observe days and months and seasons and years. The rest we enter into as Christians is something to experience every day, not just one day a week – the rest of knowing we don’t have to work to save ourselves, but our salvation is accomplished in Jesus (Hebrews 4:9-10).
iv. The Sabbath commanded here and observed by Israel was a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ (Colossians 2:16-17). In the New Covenant the idea isn’t that there is no Sabbath, but that every day is a day of Sabbath rest in the finished work of God. Since the shadow of the Sabbath is fulfilled in Jesus, we are free to keep any particular day – or no day – as a Sabbath after the custom of ancient Israel.
v. Yet we dare not ignore the importance of a day of rest – God has built us so that we need one. Like a car that needs regular maintenance, we need regular rest – or we will not wear well. Some people are like high mileage cars that haven’t been maintained well, and it shows.
vi. Some Christians are also dogmatic about observing Saturday as the Sabbath as opposed to Sunday. But because we are free to regard all days as given by God, it makes no difference. But in some ways, Sunday is more appropriate; being the day Jesus rose from the dead (Mark 16:9), and first met with His disciples (John 20:19), and a day when Christians gathered for fellowship (Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2). Under Law, men worked towards God’s rest; but after Jesus’ finished work on the cross, the believer enters into rest and goes from that rest out to work.
vii. But we are also commanded to work six days. “He who idles his time away in the six days is equally culpable in the sight of God as he who works on the seventh.” (Clarke) Many Christians should give more “leisure time” to the work of the LORD. Every Christian should have a deliberate way to serve God and advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis20.mp3Part 24 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, expositing on all of chapter 20. This chapter records the encounter with Abimelek king of Gerar, this being the second pagan king to rebuke Abraham for his fuzzy account of his relation to Sarah. Pastor David details each verse of the chapter, as well as highlighting some of the ways this chapter speaks to the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” (Genesis 21:9-10)
God miraculously fulfilled His promise to Abraham and Sarah, and they had a son in their very old age, naming him Isaac. That name means “laughter,” and originally was a rebuke of the laughter of Abraham and Sarah at God’s promise (Genesis 17:17-19 and 18:12-15). God turned that gentle rebuke into an occasion for joy.
As Isaac grew, he experienced rough treatment from his older half-brother Ishmael. Isaac and Ishmael had the same father (Abraham), but Isaac’s mother was Sarah and Ishmael’s mother was Hagar, a servant from Egypt. Ishmael was much older than Isaac – probably about 13 years older – and he mocked his younger half-brother.
Sarah, the mother of Isaac, didn’t like that at all. Defending her son the way one would expect a mother to, Sarah demanded that Abraham send Hagar and her son Ishmael out of their home. What might seem cruel or excessive to someone else made sense from the perspective of a mother protecting her son.
Even more, God had a plan in all this. At the prompting of God (and Sarah), Abraham did send away Hagar and Ishmael. The two sons of Abraham, half-brothers, would not grow up together. Still, God preserved, protected, and even prospered Ishmael and his descendants. God has a purpose for the descendants of Abraham through Ishmael.
This is more than a story of persecution, obedience, and God’s faithfulness. In Galatians 4:22-29, the Apostle Paul used this conflict as an illustration of the conflict between those who are born of the promise and those who are born of the flesh.
In Galatians 4, the Jewish legalists who troubled the Galatian Christians protested they were children of Abraham and therefore blessed. Paul admitted they were children of Abraham, but they were more like Ishmael, not Isaac. The legalists claimed Abraham as their father, but Paul asked who was their mother – Hagar, or Sarah?
Ishmael was born of a slave and was born according by the efforts of the flesh, by man working in his own strength and apart from God’s promise. Isaac was born of a freewoman and was born according to the gracious promise of God.
That was why Paul used the analogy, because the legalists among the Christians in Galatia promoted a relationship with God based in bondage and according to the effort of man and not according to God’s promise. The true gospel of grace offers liberty in Jesus Christ and is a promise that is received by faith.
The lesson of this is not that God hated Ishmael. God blessed him, and Ishmael had an important purpose in God’s unfolding plan. The lesson is that God’s promise is always greater than man’s effort. Live today according to the power of His promise.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 21
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis19.mp3Part 23 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, expositing chapter 19. This chapter details the fate of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham’s nephew Lot’s last minute escape, and the abhorrent acts of Lot’s two daughters. Pastor David details each of these accounts, as well as highlighting some of the ways this chapter speaks to the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.” (Genesis 20:6)
God spoke to the pagan ruler Abimelech in a dream, telling him to stay away from the prominent, prestigious woman that came to his city of Gerar. The woman was named Sarah, the wife of Abraham the man of God and the man of God’s covenant.
The whole situation came about because Abraham didn’t act like a man of God and a man of God’s covenant. Coming to Gerar, Abraham failed to trust God as he should have and instead trusted in his lies and deceptions. Abraham was afraid that the king of Gerar would kill him and take Sarah because she was an obviously wealthy and prestigious woman. So, Abraham told Sarah to lie, saying she was his sister instead of his wife. Sarah lied and Abimelech spared Abraham’s life but planned on taking Sarah into his harem.
God then interrupted this mess with a frightful dream as Abimelech slept. God warned Abimelech and told him that Sarah was actually the wife of Abraham and not merely a sister. God said He would kill Abimelech if he did not return Sarah to Abraham. In his dream, Abimelech protested to God, pointing out that he only did this because he thought Sarah was unmarried.
God agreed and said that Abimelech had done this in the integrity of his heart. What is more, God said that He withheld Abimelech from sinning against the Lord.
Aren’t you grateful for the times God has withheld you from sinning against Him?
This doesn’t mean that God withholds His people from temptation. God may not lead us into temptation, but He allows temptation to come our way.
This doesn’t mean that God will never allow situations where it may be easy to sin. Abimelech found it easy to bring Sarah into his palace, but God confronted him before he could treat Sarah as his wife.
It does mean exactly what 1 Corinthians 10:13 says to God’s people: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
It also means that there may be sometimes when God simply blocks the way of the person who intends to sin. That person doesn’t deserve such a gracious gift from God, but God is free to show that grace when it pleases Him.
Maybe you can remember some occasion when you intended to sin, even hoped to sin, and God blocked your way. Never presume that God will do this, but thank Him for when He does, and look to Him for the grace to hate sin more and more.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 20
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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Is Speaking in Tongues Still Relevant Today? with Pastor Lance Ralston – LIVE Q&A June 27, 2024https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/06272024.mp3The post Is Speaking in Tongues Still Relevant Today? with Pastor Lance Ralston – LIVE Q&A June 27, 2024 appeared first on Enduring Word.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis18.mp3Part 22 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, expositing chapter 18. This chapter sees God’s affirmation and further confirmation of his previous promise to intervene in and assure the birth of a son between Sarah and Abraham, Sarah’s response to overhearing the promise, and a negotiation between Abraham and the Lord over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. Pastor David details each of these records, as well as pointing out some of the ways this chapter echoes the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” (Genesis 19:15)
God sent two angels to Sodom to inspect the city and to remove Abraham’s nephew Lot and his family before the Lord’s judgment came.
One significant reason the judgment of God was coming against Sodom and Gomorrah was because of their depraved sexual immorality, which included homosexuality (Genesis 19:4-5). In Ezekiel 16, God later condemned and rebuked the great sin of Judah in the latter days of the divided monarchy. God compared Jerusalem to the ancient city of Sodom, saying they were like sisters.
Ezekiel 16:48-50 describes some of those shared sins: pride, idleness, and injustice to the poor. Yet, those were not the only sins of Sodom that made them targets of judgment. Instead, those were the sins of Sodom also shared by her later “sister” Jerusalem. The Genesis text makes it plain that God was also grieved by their sexual violence and immorality, which is included Ezekiel’s list of sins under the words committed abomination(Ezekiel 16:50). In addition, Jude 1:7 clearly states that sexual immorality was one of the sins God noted at Sodom and Gomorrah, connected to going “after strange flesh.” The open and approved practice of homosexuality was one of the many sins of Sodom, Gomorrah, and their neighbor cities.
The morning dawned on the day judgment would come, and the angels had to beg Lot and his family to leave the soon to be destroyed city. The only ones to escape would be Lot, his wife, and his two daughters. Lot’s sons-in-law would be left behind as the angels urged Lot to escape the coming destruction and judgment
In how they urged Lot, these angels may serve as a pattern of evangelism.
The angels went after Lot, going to him and his house. Believers might wish that sinners would come to them, and some will. But Jesus didn’t say, “Sit back in church and let sinners come to you.” Jesus told His disciples to go out to all nations, preaching the gospel and making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).
The angels warned Lot of what was going to happen, and in plain words. Today, it’s common to mock the “hellfire and damnation preacher,” but there is an appropriate place to warn others of God’s coming wrath (Colossians 3:6). Evangelism can and should include warning.
The angels urged Lot, urging him to flee destruction. The angels didn’t make a lifeless appeal, saying “Come or don’t come, we really don’t care.” With great passion and urgency, they did all they could to persuade Lot and his family. Our evangelism should have a note of urgency and passion, working hard to persuade others for Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:11).
Dear believer, let these three things mark your sharing of the gospel. When you find evangelists who do these things, support and encourage them.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 19
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis17.mp3Part 21 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, expositing on chapter 17, which sees God’s affirmation and further confirmation of his previously spoken covenant, and the subsequent name changes of both Abram and Sarai. Pastor David details each of these records, as well as pointing out some way this chapter echoes the personage and mission of Christ Jesus.
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And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Genesis 18:13-14)
In a dramatic way, God appeared to Abraham at the oak trees of Mamre (Genesis 18:1). As the story develops, we see that of the three persons who visited Abraham, two were angelic beings in human appearance who went on to the city of Sodom. The third was the LORD Himself.
One reason God made a special appearance was to tell Abraham that the promise he had long waited for would soon be fulfilled. A son would be born to Abrahm and Sarah in about a year (Genesis 18:10). Sarah was listening to the conversation between the LORD and Abraham, and when she heard this good news, she laughed (Genesis 18:12). Sarah knew that she was long past the time of bearing children, and it seemed too good to be true that God would work such a miracle to make her able to conceive.
Sarah’s laugh was silent. Genesis 18:12 says that she “laughed within herself.” Yet, God heard it and He asked Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh? God knows our thoughts and inward actions, even if hidden from others. Sarah fearfully denied that she laughed (Genesis 18:15), but God knew the truth. We might live very differently if we remembered that God hears and knows everything we think and speak.
I wonder what Abraham’s immediate reaction was when he heard God ask, why did Sarah laugh? I wonder if Abraham thought, “Oh no – now God will take away His promise to give us a son. We didn’t respond to His promise with strong faith, so He will take away the promise.”
Yet, that wasn’t what happened. Instead, God confirmed the promise by saying, at the appointed time I will return to you. When Sarah laughed at God’s twice-given promise, God didn’t take the promise away. Instead, God responded by dealing with her sin of unbelief, not by taking away the promise. Sarah’s less-than-perfect faith did not disqualify her from God’s good promise. We are grateful for what 2 Timothy 2:13 says: If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
As God confirmed His promise, He gave believers an enduring principle: Is there anything too hard for the LORD? God would demonstrate through Abraham and Sarah that there was nothing too hard for the LORD, and that God can triumph even over the weak faith of His people.
Someone can laugh at God’s promise because they think it is ridiculous, or they can laugh at it because it seems too good to be true. Sarah’s laugh seems to be of the second kind, but God assures us all: nothing is too hard for the LORD. Rest in God’s promises, even the best of those promises.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 18
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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Are We “Little Gods”? – LIVE Q&A on June 13, 2024Are We “Little Gods”?This week’s lead question comes from Ashley H:
Could you please explain John 10:34, Jesus quoting Psalms 82, saying “you are gods”? I hear the “little god” theory quoted from here, and the context seems misplaced.
In the context of John 10, Jesus was clearly declaring His deity to the religious leaders, and the religious leaders strongly objected (John 10:30-33), as one might expect.
John 10:34-36: Jesus reasons with the religious leaders from Psalm 82.
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
- [34] Jesus answered them: The religious leaders surrounded Jesus (John 10:24) and now held rocks to stone Him to death (John 10:31). Jesus didn’t panic and didn’t run; He stopped them with the power of His word. He answered them as an educated rabbi would speak to other educated rabbis.
- “Jesus rebuts their charge of blasphemy by means of an argument from scripture, of a kind with which they themselves were quite familiar…His question would have made an interesting issue for a rabbinical debate.” (Bruce)
- [34] Is it not written in your law, “I said, ‘You are gods’”: The judges of Psalm 82 were called “gods” because in their office they determined the fate of other men. In a real sense, life or death is in the hand of a judge, who holds “god-like” power.
- Also, in Exodus 21:6 and 22:8-9, God called earthly judges “gods” (Elohim).
- Exodus 21:6: His master shall bring him to the judges (elohim)
- Exodus 22:8: The master of the house shall be brought to the judges (elohim)
- Exodus 22:9: The cause of both parties shall come before the judges (elohim)
- [35] If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came: Jesus reasoned, “If God gave these unjust judges the title ‘gods’ because of their office, why do you consider it blasphemy that I call Myself the ‘Son of God’ in light of the testimony of Me and My works?”
That’s plain, straightforward: “If the Lord calls human judges ‘gods,’ even with all their failures and corruptions, then why do you think it is strange that I call Myself “God,” considering all the testimony there is to My deity, especially in the works that I do?”
Two wrong understandings have come out of this.
Wrong Understanding 1: Jesus said we can all be “little gods.”
Jesus did not take the statement “you are gods” in Psalm 82 and apply it to all humanity or to all believers. The use of gods in Psalm 82 was a metaphor. Jesus spoke of that metaphor to expose both the ignorance and inconsistency of His accusers.
Believers, the people of God, are given so much in Jesus Christ, that it is staggering to take in. We are:
- Born again, transformed, given new life.
- Set free from bondage to the powers of darkness.
- Elected, chosen by God.
- Filled with the Holy Spirit.
- Forgiven all our sin, truly cleansed.
- Adopted into the family of God.
- Seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
- Given every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.
- Promised resurrection and glorification.
- Made kings and priests unto God.
Yet with all that, we are never made gods.
- There are human beings.
- There are angelic beings.
- There is Divine being.
God never stops being God, angels never stop being angels, and humans never stop being humans. We don’t become gods or evolve into gods. To say that we do is even a dangerous restating of the first lie: in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God (Genesis 3:5).
The closest any passage of Scripture comes to saying we will become gods is found in 2 Peter 1:4:
…by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
This is a remarkable statement – in some way, through the work of God’s word, believers become partakers of the divine nature. God’s people don’t become divine, but they share (partake) of His nature in an amazing way. This is no doubt tied to the promises of our adoption in Christ in Galatians 4:5-7.
Believers, the people of God, have a glorious status in Christ Jesus – but they are not, and will not ever become gods, even “little gods.”
Wrong Understanding 2: The “gods” of John 10:34 and Psalm 82 are a “divine council” or “divine assembly” that Yahweh presides over.
Psalm 82:1-2: God questions the unjust judges.
God stands in the congregation of the mighty;
He judges among the gods.
How long will you judge unjustly,
And show partiality to the wicked?
- [1] God stands in the congregation of the mighty: Asaph gives us the picture of God amid the mighty, standing in authority.
- [1] He judges among the gods: God’s standing amid these mighty ones is to bring judgment among them. The word godshere is Elohim, the plural for the generic word for god in Hebrew. The idea of God judging gods has led to several suggestions regarding the identity of these elohim, these gods.
- Elohim is often used to describe the true God, Yahweh. It is in the plural to describe both the majesty of His person, and to be a hint of the triune nature of God, being One God in Three Persons.
- Elohim is sometimes used as the plural of pagan deities, the false gods of the nations.
- Elohim is sometimes used in reference to angelic beings.
- Elohim is here in Psalm 82:1 best taken as a reference to human judges, who stand in the place of God in their ability to determine the fate of others.
- [2] How long will you judge unjustly? As God calls together this assembly of judges, He did not do it to compliment them or pay them honor. He did it to confront them for judging unjustly and for showing partiality to the wicked. This confrontation shows that God Himself is the Judge at the ultimate Supreme Court.
The idea that Psalm 82 (and the reference of Jesus to in John 10) refers to a “divine counsel” or a “divine assembly” or a “counsel of the gods” or anything like that is unnecessary and speculative.
How can someone heal from church hurt and begin to trust other Christians within the church again?Every person who has been involved in church life, and especially in church leadership, has experienced some measure of hurt and pain from the church. Now, I’m not inferring that your hurt is insignificant since everybody has experienced it. No, no. This is an important topic which every believer has to deal with. Therefore, it is very important how we as believers respond to these very painful experiences in church. If you give yourself to a church, especially if you are more than a casual, semi-committed believer, you will find that other believers are going to let you down, and sometimes they’ll stab you in the back.
So, how do you overcome it? Well, it may take time. Be absolutely zealous in your personal pursuit of the Lord. Even though life together with God’s people in a congregational setting is very important for the Christian life, it doesn’t take away from the personal relationship that we have with God in Jesus Christ. Keep doing the normal things that a believer would do as a disciple of Jesus, such as reading the Bible, prayer, personal worship, personal devotion unto the Lord, fasting as a demonstration of following God, and dedication unto Him. All these things, collectively, should be part of the practice of a believer in Jesus.
Beyond that, ask God to help you to deal with others as you would want to be dealt with. Let the Golden Rule really reign in this situation. Honestly, most of us in church life have given offense to other people at one point or another. We have hurt other people. Maybe we were trying to, or maybe we weren’t. It’s quite possible that you have never hurt someone else the way that you have been hurt. Maybe it’s all out of proportion. But in the way you would want somebody to treat you among God’s people, have that attitude in how you treat others.
My heart goes out to believers who aren’t really connected to a group of Christians or a church. Maybe for some of these people, there is not a healthy church family in their area. Maybe they’re sick and infirmed and can’t be present at church gatherings. Maybe they’ve been burned by the church. People can be disconnected from church for many different reasons, but it’s never ideal. Ideally, every believer is connected to a congregation, even as messy as that can be.
I believe of the immutability of God (Malachi 3:6). How do we reconcile verses where God seems to change His mind (Genesis 6:6, Exodus 32:14, Hezekiah, Jonah)?Malachi 3:6 – For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
Genesis 6:6 – And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
Exodus 32:14 – So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.
This is the best way in which I can explain it. In passages that talk about the Lord changing His mind, or the Lord being sorry for what He had done, God is speaking there in anthropomorphisms. An anthropomorphism is an explanation made in human terms, even though the being you’re explaining is not human. For example, when we attribute emotions to our pets, we don’t exactly know what they’re feeling at that moment, but we can make a pretty good human analogy. If we see a dog wagging its tail, we say the dog is happy. Is it exactly like human happiness? Well, it’s probably close. It doesn’t have to be exact. When you explain something that’s not human by using human terms and pictures and analogies, that’s using anthropomorphism. We use anthropomorphisms when we talk about God by explaining God in human terminology.
Considering a little higher in the theology of it, did God actually change His mind? No, we would expect not. But is that the best way to explain it and perceive it from a human standpoint? Yes, that’s a good way to explain it and perceive it. We’re talking about the difference between the divine and the human. You know, an ant can’t really have much explanation for what human beings do. I would argue that the distance between the human and the divine might be even greater than the distance between the ant and the human being.
So, what do we do? Well, we don’t give up trying to understand or describe God. We just recognize that we are describing Him in imperfect terms, and we do the best we can with it. God is immutable. He’s never changing. He has an eternal plan that shall not change. But the Bible explains things in human terminology because that’s the only kind of terminology we know how to use.
What is the sin of gluttony and how do we keep away from it?Gluttony of food seems to me prevalent among many believers I know, yet very seldom talked about or condemned. What really is the sin of gluttony and how do we keep from it?
I think that gluttony is a sin widely practiced today. If I were to define gluttony, I would say that it’s taking an excessive and even idolatrous interest in food and drink. With our foodie culture, gluttony is probably practiced more than ever before. Look, it’s not a sin to eat or even to enjoy food. But we all know that there’s a line between enjoying something and finding ultimate or idolatrous meaning in it. There’s a line somewhere that can be crossed, when you begin to find your life’s meaning in what you eat and drink. That’s gluttony.
One reason why gluttony isn’t spoken against is the line between appropriately enjoying food and an idolatrous finding of life’s meaning in food. That line can be very difficult to define. The line certainly exists; there’s no doubt about that. And there are some people who will go to hell because they’ve made an idol out of what they eat and drink. As Paul writes in one of his letters, these are people who live for their belly. It doesn’t matter if their belly is big or small, because the sin of gluttony isn’t necessarily connected to a person’s weight or their body mass index. It certainly could be, but not necessarily. It’s difficult to talk about sins where we honestly don’t have a firm marking line. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t speak about them more than we do, but I sympathize being a pastor and a preacher. I sympathize with our inability to define this sin very strictly. Other sins are easier to talk about because they’re more definable. The line that is crossed into those sins is more easily seen. The line that’s crossed into the sin of gluttony is difficult to see, but it’s real, so I think it’s something that people should talk about. Pastors should talk about it more. Dear friend, enjoy the food God gives you, but don’t make an idol out of it. Don’t find the meaning of your life in such things. That would be God’s encouragement to us.
What would you say to Christians who claim the Rapture is not present (or is very misunderstood) in Scripture?Matt Chandler posted a video refuting the rapture, saying “it is not in Revelation,” and that 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:52 have been taken out of context. What would you say to Christians who claim the Rapture is not present (or is very misunderstood) in Scripture?
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
I’m not going to comment so much on what Matt Chandler says. If I decide to comment on what somebody else says, I want to research what they said very carefully. Instead of doing that, let me just say that people who claim the Rapture isn’t in the Bible are either being dishonest or extremely imprecise in their speech. Usually what they mean is the classical dispensational understanding of the catching away of the Church – which is understood and accepted in among many evangelicals today –isn’t in the Bible. There is absolutely no doubt that 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes a catching away of God’s people (Greek: harpazo), snatching them away from the Earth. That’s exactly what it says is going to happen, period. Chrisians differ on the timing of when this happens amid world circumstances, but the fact that it happens is really not to be questioned.
I have heard Christians claim that the Rapture is not in the Bible. I disagree; it is there. I believe that there will be a catching away of God’s people, and I have a particular understanding for myself as to when it will happen in God’s unfolding plan of the ages. But I think it is absolutely crystal clear that there will be a catching away of God’s people relevant to the resurrection, as an aspect of God’s unfolding plan of the ages. It is what the Scriptures say.
I shake my head a little bit as to why people act like these things aren’t in the Bible, when in fact, they clearly are. What they’re really reacting against is the dominant view among American Evangelical Christianity, which believes in the dispensational understanding of the Rapture of the church, especially the pre-Tribulation Rapture. People can argue all day long concerning a post-Millennial standpoint or Amillennial standpoint, but we would have to buy their premise. We would have to agree with their understanding of the Kingdom of God and how that’s all going to unfold. I simply don’t agree with their view. I believe that the Rapture of the Church will happen. But nobody should be setting dates for exactly when it happens in God’s unfolding plan, because no man knows the day or the hour. We should be faithful wherever God has placed us and live with the anticipation of the soon return of Jesus Christ. That’s how I see it.
What does it mean for Jesus to be the “Word of God”?Psalm 138:2c – You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
God closely identifies Himself with His word. We have an amazing self-revelation of God in His word. Beware of people who want to make a significant division between God and His word. We understand that they’re not the same thing. The word of God is not the same as God Himself, but they are so closely intertwined that one of the great titles for Jesus, the Messiah, is the Word of God.
John 1:1-2 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
In John 1:1, “Word” is translated from the ancient Greek word logos. And the logos was something that had a place in both Greek thinking and philosophy, just as the Word of God had a place in Hebrew thinking and philosophy. When John uses this terminology in John 1, he’s not only declaring the close association between God Himself and His word, but he’s also indicating that Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the Messiah, is the fulfillment and culmination of all God’s revelation. Jesus is what the Greeks anticipated as the logos, and what the Jewish people anticipated as the word of God. All of that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
What is the meaning of abundant life and eternal life?These two terms are not exactly the same. Abundant life is life that’s filled with life. You know what it’s like for somebody to feel like they have life, but they have no life. They’re sad, they’re depressed. Jesus came to give us abundant life, living life, life filled with life. That’s abundant life, life upon life. All these things are ways to describe the abundant life that Jesus gives us.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The phrase eternal life is a little bit different because that Greek word that’s translated eternal or everlasting life. In John 3:16, everlasting life can be understood in one of two ways. First, it could be life that never ends, eternal life. But it’s not just that, because you could say that every human being is eternal. Every human being has everlasting life in some sense. What every human being does not have is life upon life, blessed life, life with God, life from above, Heaven’s kind of life in their life.
It’s a quality of life that we don’t have to wait for until we die. We can enjoy abundant life in Jesus Christ now. Not every moment of every day is filled with happiness or a feeling that everything is great. No, no. We each have our share of trials, difficulties, and tribulations. There are afflictions to which we are appointed as believers. But there’s a lot of joy in the Lord, even in the most difficult circumstances; that’s abundant life. Then there is also everlasting life, eternal life, that’s life that comes to us now and lasts into the age to come.
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis16.mp3Part 20 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, expositing on chapter 16, which sees Sarai’s doubt-fueled suggestion to Abram, the jealousy that resulted, and the birth of the Arabian peoples. Pastor David details each of these records as well as how this chapter points to Christ Jesus.
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When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” (Genesis 17:1-2)
Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran (Genesis 12:4), and 86 when the son Ishmael was born of Hagar, the servant (Genesis 16:15-16). He had waited some 25 years for the fulfilment of God’s promise to give a son through Sarai.
Now, when he was 99 years old, the LORD appeared to Abram. This was another appearance of God in the person of Jesus, who took on a temporary human appearance before His incarnation on earth.
God’s first words to Abram made an introduction and declared His being: I am Almighty God. By this name El Shaddai (God Almighty), God revealed His Person and character to Abram.
There is some debate as to what exactly the name El Shaddai means. Derek Kidner claimed it means, “the God who is sufficient.” Adam Clarke said it means, “the God who pours out blessings.” H.C. Leupold thought the sense was, “to display power.” Donald Barnhouse took the approach that the Hebrew word shad means “chest” or “breast.” It may have in mind the strength of a man’s chest (God Almighty) or the comfort and nourishment of a woman’s breast (God of Tender Care). The Septuagint – a translation of the Hebrew scriptures into Greek before the time of Jesus – translates Almighty with the ancient Greek word pantokrator, meaning the “One who has His hand on everything.”
Whatever the exact meaning of El Shaddai, after the proclamation of that name, God then told Abram what was expected of him: Walk before Me and be blameless. The word blameless literally means “whole.” God wanted all of Abram, a total commitment. The order was first revelation and then expectation. This communicates the principle that the believer can only do what God expects when they first know who He is, and know Him in a full, personal, and real way.
The last time we are told the LORD communicated with Abram directly was some 13 years before (Genesis 16:15-16). Seemingly, Abram had 13 years of “normal” fellowship with God, waiting for the promise all the time. It would be understandable if, at times during those 13 years, Abram felt that God forgot His promise.
But God had not forgotten the covenant. Though it had been some 25 years since the promise was first made, and though it maybe seemed to Abram that God forgot, God remembered His promise.
The years of waiting were not an accident. They served a purpose in Abram’s life with God. Abram was becoming a great man of faith, but great faith isn’t created overnight. It takes years of God’s work, years of ordinary trusting in the LORD, perhaps interrupted with a few special encounters with God.
God worked in Abram’s waiting, and He will work in your waiting.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 17
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Why Does God Want Our Love? – LIVE Q&A for May 23, 2024Today Pastor David Guzik is joined by Pastor Greg Breznik of Reach Orlando.
Is It a Sin to Pray to Saints?
Today’s lead question comes from YoLog:
Hi David, is it biblical to give veneration to Virgin Mary, angels, and saints? Is there any Scripture that forbids this practice?
To get picky:
- I wouldn’t use the term “Virgin Mary” – I would say, “Mary, the mother of Jesus”
- I know what people mean when they use the term “saints,” but we’re all saints.
Since the question first speaks about veneration, I would say there are a few Scriptures that forbid giving veneration to Mary, angels, or saints:
Deuteronomy 34:14: For you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Matthew 4:10: For it is written, “you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.”
Colossians 2:18: Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels…
When John fell at the feet of an angel to worship him, the angel replied: See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! (Revelation 19:10 – similar to 22:8-9)
Most Roman Catholics, when they venerate Mary the mother of Jesus, claim that they aren’t worshipping her. I simply leave it to the “eye test” – oftentimes, it sure looks like worship. Even if what they claimed was true – that they honored Mary the mother of Jesus, but not in a way that crossed into worship – who could endorse a practice of lighting candles, incense, bowing and praying before a statue – or of specific prayers made again and again to a person?
There are prominent, influential Roman Catholics who clearly tell their people, “DO NOT worship Mary!” But generally, all I hear are encouragements that people should give Mary more honor.
Let’s say a group of ten people have lit a candle, burned incense, knelt before a statue of Mary, and prayed the “Hail Mary.” Maybe one among those ten would have the theological and personal wisdom and focus to not worship and only give reverence in proper measure, but you know that 9 out of 10 of those are worshipping Mary. It’s just a practice that can’t be endorsed.
In addition, there is the practice of praying to Mary the mother of Jesus, angels, and those said to be saints. Neither Mary nor any other departed believer should be prayed to.
I know that Roman Catholics and others claim, “This is just like asking a believing friend to pray for you. That isn’t wrong, so it’s not wrong to pray to Mary or the saints.” But I’d reply that it isn’t just like that. Look at the way people actually pray to Mary and the saints. I’m not talking about the theory, but the practice. The practice almost always violates the truth of 1 Timothy 2:5:
1 Timothy 2:5: For there is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
Whether it is actually taught or just in the practice of many Roman Catholics,
Deuteronomy 18:10-11: There shall not be found among you anyone who…conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
“Calls up the dead” refers to the practice of necromancy, which is the conjuring up of or the contacting of the dead. One commentator (Kalland) explained this as, “One who investigates, looks into, and seeks information from the dead.”
In the story Jesus told about Lazarus and the rich man, in the realm of the dead, the rich man was forbidden to help his brothers who still were in the land of the living (Luke 16:19-31).
So, don’t pray to those who are in the realm of the dead. The Bible gives zero endorsement of this practice and speaks against it.
How do we really worship God? I think there’s more to it than saying “Lord, I worship You.”Pastor David: I love questions like this. I love very basic questions about how to do the things of the Christian life. I think you’re right. Worship is more than saying, “Lord, I worship You.” There are two things that come to my mind immediately. Jesus said in John 4 that God is looking for people who worship Him in spirit and in truth. Real worship of God has an element of spirit within it, so it’s spiritual, and it also has an element of truth within it.
One thing we can do is to look for the words and patterns of Scripture, especially in the Psalms, which are filled with worship. We can let those verses impact our heart and our mind and say them back to God in worship to Him, for example, “Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together.” Another aspect of worship is to just let God be big and glorious in your mind and in your heart, to think of Him in a great and glorious way. We know what it’s like to honor or praise people. We give that same response to God from our own heart. There is a heart element in worship. But there are people who say some of the right words in worship, but their heart and mind aren’t in it at all. I don’t think it really avails much before God. Greg, what are some of your thoughts?
Pastor Greg: The passage from John 4, about worshiping the Lord in spirit and truth, was the first thing that came to my mind as well. When I teach on worship, I often encourage people to allow God to be the one who captures your passion and your imagination. As was mentioned, it is very easy to go into church and say things like, “Lord, I worship You.” But it’s an entirely different thing to have God capture your imagination, capture your passion, and then to pursue Him with your whole and all your being.
The other thing I was thinking about worshiping God is that it also has to do with longing to know Him. Most people spend very little time in the Bible, so they don’t really know this God that they’re trying to worship. How can God capture your imagination if you don’t really know Him? I think part of worship is just being in the Word daily, moment by moment, learning who God has been, learning about His character.
Pastor David: Let me add one other thing. How do you say “thank you” to somebody? Well, you say “thank you” by saying it, but you also do it by meaning it. There’s something within you that means it, that decides you’re going to mean it.
Does God lead us into temptations? Do Matthew 6:13 and James 1:13 contradict each other?The Lord’s Prayer (”Lead us not into temptation”) and James 1:13 (“God does not tempt anyone”) is there a contradiction? Does God really lead us to temptations?
Pastor David: First, allow me to explain that the passage in the Lord’s Prayer which says, “lead us not into temptation,” isn’t necessarily implying that God would do so, in contradiction to what it says there in James. An important thing to note is that in English we have different words for temptation and testing. However, in Koine Greek, the ancient language in which the Bible was written, there is no distinction between those terms, so to be tested is the same thing as to be tempted. I really think that the idea that Jesus was getting at was, “Lord, don’t lead me into any testing that I won’t be able to handle as I rely on You.” I think it’s more of a broad sense of testing than something like, “Oh, God, please don’t entice me to evil.” I don’t think that’s the idea there. God does not entice us to evil. Rather, the request is, “God, don’t allow me to be tested in any way that’s beyond my ability as I trust and rely on You.”
What is your opinion on the “Billy Graham Rule” of not being alone with a woman other than your wife? Is this “rule” only for pastors? Are there any teachings or passages that support this “rule”?Pastor David: I think that it is wise and circumspect to be very careful about time you spend with women that are not your wife. I think that’s true for pastors, but I also think it’s true for every man who’s concerned with godly living. I don’t think it’s something to be paranoid about, but I do think it’s something to be legitimately cautious about.
Now, in Billy Graham’s case, I think he had reason for even greater caution because of the prominence of his ministry. There were at least a few people who would have liked to deliberately ruin his ministry. So, I think he had even more reason to maintain such a practice. But as a general principle, I think it very much applies. Pastors should be circumspect.
I’m not in pastoral ministry over a church any longer, but when I was, I would not counsel a woman alone in a room with a closed door. I might speak to her one on one, but I would make sure that it was an absolutely open and above-board situation. I think there’s a lot of wisdom there. I do think it’s possible for such a thing to be taken into a legalistic extremity; that’s possible with anything. But as a general principle of wisdom, I think it applies.
Pastor Greg: 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us that we ought to avoid any appearance of evil. We realize that sometimes where men and women are working together in ministry, people can get the wrong idea about what goes on. So, you do have to be careful of it. And I think that you’re right, the larger somebody’s influence within the church, or the larger their ministry, probably the more sensitive they need to be to avoid any appearance of evil.
Pastor David: That’s right. I like the idea of being circumspect. It’s just being wise about your conduct, and how it appears to others. And again, there could be a legalistic extreme in these things, but that’s not by necessity, as a general principle.
Pastor Greg: To pastors who are listening, I have noticed sometimes that in churches who really try to follow the Billy Graham rule, women don’t get ministered to very well, because the pastor doesn’t feel like he can minister to women. And he may not have a woman on staff or at the right position to minister to other women. So, I do think that the Billy Graham rule is a good rule, but I also think you need to make sure you have ways for women in your church to be ministered to well and not excluded. Pastor David: We can almost call that the Billy Graham rule responsibility. If you’re going to commit yourself to that rule, then you need to be very responsible to make sure that the needs of women are being ministered to. And again, the Billy Graham rule should not be a way to avoid ministering to women, or making sure that their discipleship is neglected in the church. Not at all. If it’s being used to do that, then it becomes sort of a dangerous thing.
Should Christians pray for their dead ancestors?My question is about people that claim they are Christians but pray for their dead ancestors. I don’t understand the practice. Ancestors seem to have a big influence. How should prayers for ancestors / the dead be understood?
Pastor David: I’ll be pretty direct. It’s a bad practice. It’s a false practice. Hebrews 9:27 says that it’s appointed to man once to die, and then to face judgment. In this life, God gives us so much opportunity and so many chances to turn to Jesus, to put our trust in Him, and to respond to however God has revealed Himself to us. But once this life is over, that opportunity passes. The Bible tells us nothing of a chance in the life to come. I’ll put it in this way: if there is a chance in the life to come, God didn’t want us to know anything about it. He wanted us to act and to think and to minister as if the only chance we had is on this side of eternity. So, I don’t think prayers for dead ancestors do any good whatsoever. They just shouldn’t be practiced, because they pretend that somebody’s eternal fate can be affected after they leave this life, and by somebody who’s on this side of eternity.
I understand that certain cultures throughout the world and throughout history have had a very high esteem for ancestors, and they may find it possible to fall into these traps. But it’s not a biblical practice at all.
What about people that claim they’re Christians, but pray for their dead ancestors? Well, I would say to those people that they are in error. You shouldn’t be doing that. I think that it’s possible for someone to be wrong about many side issues, and still be saved. Whatever you want to say about the practice of praying for one’s dead ancestors, it’s not a core issue to the Christian faith. Now, it’s not right, it’s not good, and they shouldn’t do it. They should grow in Christ and come to a biblical understanding. All of those things are true. But I don’t think it means that that person isn’t a believer. What it means is that they are a believer in error. And that should be addressed.
Pastor Greg: The fancy term for that is syncretism. They have taken something from their culture and brought it into their Christianity. If people were excluded from being saved because of syncretism, then there would be a lot fewer people getting saved.
Pastor David: I would be more concerned about that syncretistic tendency in other places it was exposed because it could be expressed in ways that did compromise the gospel.
Pastor Greg: Exactly. So, it does become kind of a warning sign saying, “Hey, if you’re doing this, maybe you haven’t thought about the other things you’ve brought in culturally to your faith.”
Even though we can repent straight to Jesus, is confession a helpful practice?I wanted to bring up confession. I know I can repent straight to Jesus. But I know it is still good to confess/share some struggles with sin.
James 5:16 (ESV) – Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Pastor David: I agree with you, I think it is good to confess and share some of our struggles with sin. You’re right that you don’t have to confess your sins to another person to receive forgiveness from the Lord. But I think that the proper confession of sin is a neglected practice among believers. Sometimes, we need to confess our sins to another person. Sometimes it’s helpful for accountability. If you’re struggling with the same sin over and over, and you find yourself coming to the Lord for forgiveness again and again, it’s probably time for you to confess that sin to a trusted brother or sister, whatever your own gender is – brothers should confess to brothers, sisters confess to sisters. Confess your sin to another person and ask them to help hold you accountable for it.
But there’s another reason why, and the second reason might be even more important. I think confession of sin can be so healing because we receive a word of forgiveness from another person. Do you remember what Jesus said about if you forgive the sins of any, their sins are forgiven? I think Jesus gave that as a working principle not only to the disciples, the Apostles, but to all believers in this sense: that if a person does confess their sins and seek forgiveness from God in a biblical way, repenting and trusting in Christ, it’s good for them to hear a word that says, “Your sins are forgiven. I speak to you in Jesus’ name that your burden is lifted, and your sins are forgiven. Now go and sin no more, as Jesus said.”
So, it is a neglected practice. I think this is something that Christians should think about more seriously, considering proper and appropriate ways for them to confess their sin one to another. It is true that at certain times, confession of sin has been done in an improper way. But we don’t have to do that; we can avoid that. I think there’s great power in doing it the right way. Anything else on that?
Pastor Greg: The first thing I would tell you is that when you do confess your sin to another person, make sure you find someone very trustworthy. It needs to be somebody who you know closely, otherwise practically it can become a problem at times. But in my experience, I’ve also seen that when I confess my sin to somebody, and we’ve prayed about it, their prayers have very often given me insight into my problem that I would not have gotten otherwise. So, I do think it is a really powerful practice in many ways.
Pastor David: And again, often neglected. Generally speaking, in the church today, or at least the circles I run in, the problem isn’t that people are confessing their sins to each other too much, but not enough.
Pastor Greg: Well, you consider the humility involved in something like that, to go up to another person and say, “You know what, I’m actually not who you think I am. I have this struggle and this weakness.” That’s a tough thing to do, which is why it’s important to tell it to somebody you really trust.
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Is It a Sin to Pray to Saints? – Live Q&A from Kenya for June 6, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYMhB4kDYY8
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis15.mp3Part 19 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, examining chapter 15, wherein God reaffirms the promises made to Abram, the making and sealing of that agreement, and how this chapter points to Christ Jesus.
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Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. (Genesis 16:3-4)
God promised Abram and Sarai what they desperately wanted and long waited for: a son. After waiting ten years, they decided to “help” God fulfill His promise by using an Egyptian slave woman as an ancient version of a surrogate mother. In this, Abram and Sarai both acted in unbelief. Abram did not actually marry Hagar, but he acted towards her as a man should only act towards his wife. This wasn’t the right path for Abram, the friend of God and the man of faith. God had a different way for him, but Abram and Sarai didn’t want to take that way.
Abram and Sarai were discouraged enough that they approached the problem of no children by leaving God out of the matter. It was as if they said, “If we remove God from this situation, how do we solve this?” This was wrong for many reasons.
– God is never removed from any circumstance.
– Men and women of faith must walk in faith, not in unbelief.
– Men and women of faith must live being mindful of the realm of the spirit, not only mindful of the material world.
When a believer impatiently tries to fulfill God’s promises in their own effort, it accomplishes nothing and may even prolong the time until the promise is fulfilled. Jacob had to live as an exile for 25 years, because he thought he had to arrange the fulfillment of God’s promise to get his father’s blessing (Genesis 28:1-5; 33:17-20). Moses had to tend sheep for 40 years in the desert after he tried to arrange the fulfillment of God’s promise by murdering an Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-15; 3:1).
It is better to receive God’s help than to try and help Him in our own wisdom and unbelief. When the servant woman conceived, things only became worse, especially for Sarai, the wife of Abram. Hagar’s pregnancy seemed to confirm that the inability to bear children was Sarai’s problem, not Abram’s. In a culture that so highly valued childbearing, mothering the child of a wealthy and influential man like Abram gave Hagar greater status, and made her appeared more blessed than Sarai.
This is a good reminder that results are not enough to justify what we do before God. It’s not right to say, “They got a baby out of it. It must have been God’s will.” The flesh profits nothing (John 6:63), but it can producesomething. Doing things in the flesh may get results, but they may be results that are soon regretted.
Whatever a man or woman attempts to do without God will be a miserable failure – or an even more miserable success.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 16
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis14.mp3Part 18 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, detailing chapter 14, Abram’s mission to rescue his nephew Lot, the introduction of king and priest Melchizedek, Abram’s stand against the King of Sodom, and how this chapter points to Christ.
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And he said, “Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” (Genesis 15:8)
Jesus spoke of faith that could move mountains, but often our doubts seem to create those mountains. Trusting God and His promises is a constant challenge, faced by everyone who has ever tried to chase away doubt.
Sometimes doubt comes from unbelief – an attitude that doubts God will keep His word or can keep His promises. Other times doubt is connected to faith that is growing and maturing; a doubt that recognizes that there is no weakness or wavering in God, but we are weak in our ability to trust. This was the kind of doubt that led a desperate father to say to Jesus, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
God promised Abram a son and he waited ten years. Abram was successful in business and every other enterprise, but he thought “what good is all that without the fulfillment of God’s promise?” This was the ache of Abram’s heart, and it prompted his doubt-filled question to God in Genesis 15:8: How shall I know that I will inherit it?
Abram did what we all should do with our doubts: he brought them to God, and let God speak to his doubts. Again, understand this was not doubt that denied God’s promise, but doubt that desired God’s promise. God is always willing to help that kind of doubt.
God, in effect, answered: “Abram, do you want to be certain? Then let’s make a contract.” In that day, one way to make a contract was to have both parties walk together through the split carcasses of sacrificed animals, while they repeated the terms of the contract. It seems bloody and barbaric to us, but to them it represented two things. First, it showed this was a blood covenant – something serious. Second, it was a dramatic warning: if one failed to live up to the contract, he could expect that his animals, and perhaps himself, would end up cut in two.
God wants to help our doubts with a contract. But our contract is not Abram’s; it is the contract Jesus called the new covenant (Luke 22:20, Hebrews 9:15). The new covenant was also established by sacrifice – by what Jesus did on the cross towards God the Father and for us.
When we want to believe but still seem to doubt, we don’t have to think God is angry and irritated with us. We can even ask God to prove Himself. But when you ask for proof, God will speak to you the same way He did to Abram. God will point you to a covenant made by sacrifice that proves God’s love and concern for you is real and His promises are true. God will point you to the new covenant.
Today, ask God to help you with your doubts, and to remember He proved His love for you by the new covenant and what Jesus did at the cross to establish it.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 15
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Why Does God Want Our Love? – LIVE Q&A for May 23, 2024Why Does God Want Our Love?Today’s lead question is pretty simple and straightforward, and comes to us from Hector:
Why does God want our love?
I love these good, basic questions – questions that deal with things that we often take for granted, we assume we know the answer to, but we don’t think through.
So, why does God want our love?
First, let’s look at the wrong answer, or a reason that is not true. God does not want our love because He is “needy” in the way we might think of a person being needy.
- Edwin Orr used a memorable definition of God, which was thoroughly Biblical: God is the only infinite, eternal, and unchangeable spirit, the perfect being in whom all things begin, and continue, and end.
God relies on no one and no thing – God is self-existent.
John 5:26
For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself
It’s also important to note that God is not “needy” in the sense that any desire for love is satisfied within the persons of the Trinity. Look at these words of Jesus, speaking to God the Father in His great prayer in John 17:
John 17:24
You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
This tells us that before anything was created, there was a love relationship between the Persons of the Godhead, the Trinity. Even if Jesus had not specifically told us this, we might have understood it by other Biblical truths, understanding that God is eternal (Micah 5:2) and that God is love (1 John 4:8 and 4:16). There was never a time when God did not love and was not love.
Now, for the positive reasons – why does God want our love?
- God wants our love because it is appropriate. It’s right.
This is true for several reasons.
- God is our creator, and it is appropriate for the creator to love the Creator.
- God is a guide to all humanity, speaking to mankind through creation, conscience, and His word (the Bible).
- God is the redeemer of His people, rescuing them from sin, self, judgment, and the powers of darkness.
- God love us first, and it is right for us to return love to Him. As 1 John 4:19 says, We love Him because He first loved us.
- God wants our love because it’s good for us. It is good for us to love Him. It puts things in the right order.
So, the great Shema statement of Israel:
Deuteronomy 6:5:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Specifically confirmed by Jesus:
Mark 12:29-30
Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
This is a command that comes not from a need in God, but in what is good and appropriate, and in what is good for His creatures – in particular, those creatures that are made in God’s own image.
How can a person struggling to trust God’s (unconditional) love, love Him more in light of 1 John 4:18-19? How do we gain a perfect love which drives out fear & doubt?1 John 4:18-19 – There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
I’ll give you two things to think about. First, I think that we come to trust God’s love more by simply focusing on His great love for us. Read your Bible with a particular outlook. Keep your eyes open in every verse and in every chapter: how does this display the love of God? I would say that even in Bible passages which speak about the judgment of God, there is often an element of God’s love manifested. Sometimes you can see the love of God in His announcements of judgment because He is warning people so they can avoid or escape judgment. There is also the declaration of God’s love in announcements of judgment, because God demonstrates His love for what is good and what is right. Judgment upon evil is a demonstration of God’s love for that which is good. So, when you read your Bible and in your times of prayer, give great meditation and consideration to the love of God for you in every aspect.
We cannot fathom all the great aspects of God’s love for us. But we can think about it again and again and again. I would really recommend developing the biblical practice of meditation upon God’s Word. Now, this is very different from the Eastern concept of meditation. In general, the Eastern concept of meditation involves emptying the mind and trying to have a blank mind, which, in some sense, even spiritually, can lead to great danger. On the other hand, biblical meditation is to fill your mind with the truth and the beauty and the power of God’s Word. As you spend time meditating on the revelation of the love of God, I think the natural response within us will be to have a greater love for God Himself.
Continue to meditate upon and set your mind on the greatness of the love of God. Sometimes we take God’s love for granted, thinking, “God loves us, okay, great. He loves us. He loves me. He loves everybody. He has to; that’s His job. He’s God.” No, that is a very superficial understanding. I would trust that your appreciation of the love of God is already far beyond that superficial idea. I’m just here to tell you that there is much deeper ground for all of us to go to in our understanding of the love of God.
How are we meant to love God without fear, “because fear has to do with punishment,” (1 John 4:18) when the threat of eternal punishment in Hell is hanging in the balance for Christians? Are we meant to both love & fear God?Much of the answer to your question is bound up in understanding the idea of fear. In the Bible, fear is a fairly broad idea. Sometimes fear is expressed in a negative sense, in a kind of cringing, halting, fearful expectation of great punishment or judgment upon a person. That’s the kind of fear that can be done away with in Jesus Christ.
But the idea of fear is broad enough in the Bible that it also includes the idea of a healthy respect and honoring of God. The Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 110:10, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 9:10), and that’s absolutely true. But these passages are not talking about a fear that God might smite us. Rather, it is an appropriate honor, awe, and reverence for God.
So, we need to make sure that we’re talking about the same thing when we talk about fear. The fear that has to do with punishment is a fear that absolutely can and should be put away for the believer in Jesus Christ. How can I say that so categorically? Because the believer in Jesus Christ should live in the awareness that all the punishment that our sin deserved – past, present and future – has been poured out on Jesus Christ and satisfied by His sacrifice at the cross. It’s a very simple equation. If Jesus Christ bore the penalty and punishment for all of our sin, then there is no more punishment awaiting us before God. There may be fatherly discipline, but not punishment in the sense of paying for sins. That idea of a fear of punishment from God can and should be put away from the heart and mind of every person who is born again by God’s Spirit. This is part of the assurance of salvation and security that we have in our Savior – not in ourselves, but in our Savior.
Considering the other definition of fear in the Bible, the believer still continues to have a proper reverence and respect towards God, and we should not be flippant or disgraceful or dishonoring to Him in any way. I do not live in fear of hell. I’m a believer, and I have trusted Christ. And even though my faith at times may be weak, it is set upon a great, perfect Savior, who has rescued me, not because I’m so wonderful, but because He’s so wonderful and has done so much for me, especially what He did at the cross and the empty tomb. So, I don’t live in fear of hellfire. That’s been satisfied by what Jesus did at the cross. I think God wants the same for every believer.
How can we respond in love and truth when people say they are led by the Spirit, but don’t read the Bible?Well, if God gives you the opportunity to respond to a person who would say, “I’m led of the spirit, but I don’t read the Bible,” you should remind them of what the Bible says itself. Jesus said that the Spirit would guide His people into all truth. There is no greater statement of God’s truth than what we find in the Word of God itself. Anybody who wants to divorce the working of God’s Spirit from the working of God’s word is barking up the wrong tree.
Now, I believe that you can make some distinction between the work of the Spirit and the work of God’s word. They’re not entirely separate, but neither are they identical. God’s Spirit and God’s word work in concert together, they’re consistent with each other. The Spirit never contradicts the Word, and the Word will never contradict the Spirit, at least not the true working of the Holy Spirit.
In the great Upper Room Discourse in John 13-16, Jesus spoke about how the Spirit will guide the people of God into all truth. Of course, there’s no greater expression of truth than what we find in God’s word. It’s a dangerous thing for a person to say, “I’m guided by the Spirit. I’m led by the Spirit. But I don’t want to have anything to do with the Bible. I don’t want to read my Bible.” That that can lead to a lot of problems.
Is the filling of the Spirit something that happens to a believer only once or multiple times?I lead a men’s Bible study group and I use your sermons and commentary for reference. Acts 3-4 tells about Peter being filled with the Holy Spirit on 3 different occasions. Your commentary for chapter 4 says that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit 3 separate times, and we need to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit and I agree. I have a member in my group that disagrees with being filled with the Holy Spirit more than once. He interprets this Scripture in chapter 4 to say Peter is using the Holy Spirit he was originally filled with at the day of Pentecost. He believes you are only filled with the Holy Spirit once, kind of like “once saved, always saved.” Is the filling of the Spirit something that happens to a believer only once or multiple times? Please advise.
I am firmly within the camp that believes that the filling of the Holy Spirit is an ongoing experience. All I can tell you is what it says in the book of Acts. Three or four times in the early chapters of Acts, it says that the disciples and, in some cases, the same disciples, are filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter is one example of being filled with the Spirit multiple times. I don’t know how to disregard that. The Bible does not say they had access to the Spirit. No, it says filled. All I can say is what the Scriptures themselves say. To your friend, I might say, “Dear brother, I understand what you’re trying to get at. But it does say they were filled with the Spirit here, and again in this place, and again in this other place. I take that to mean they were filled with the Spirit repeated times.”
Additionally, Ephesians 5 says that we should be continually being filled with the Spirit. I’m not an expert in Greek grammar. I just know how to read the fellows who are experts. But from what I read, the grammar and the verb construction there speaks of a continual filling. One person has translated it, “Be constantly being filled with the Spirit.”
I understand, people are wary of Pentecostalism. People are wary of crazy charismatics. They want to emphasize that the work of the Spirit is a one-time occurrence in the life of a believer. But I don’t think that’s what the Scriptures teach. I think the Scriptures teach that we have an ongoing experience with the Spirit of God, and that the filling of the Spirit should be a continuing experience for the believer, just like it was for the disciples in the book of Acts, and just like is described in Ephesians 5, to be constantly being filled with the Spirit.
That’s how I would advise this brother, but you know what? I wouldn’t argue with him about it. Some of these things are just simply spiritually discerned by a person, maybe at the right time and the right place. The Spirit of God Himself will speak to this dear brother of yours in your Bible study group.
Can we really love God out of our own free will (we choose to love God) or is it mostly because we are commanded to do so (Mark 12:30)?Mark 12:30 – ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
Well, I don’t like using the phrase free will. I think a valid argument can be made that our will is not completely free, that there are at least some hindrances to the exercise of our will, whether hindrances by the world around us or hindrances from within. So, instead of saying free will, I like to say real choices. In other words, I don’t think a person has to have a completely free will, a will that is free in every regard. I don’t think they have to have that in order to make a real choice. I believe that we can choose to love God, given that He does a work in us.
God does work in His people. God does work in unbelievers to draw them to love God by loving them first. We love Him because He first loved us. This is what prompts our love for Him. I think you could probably say rightly say that we cannot love God unless He loves us first. But given that He has loved us first, we can respond to Him in love. I don’t see a contradiction between that and responding to the command of Jesus.
I think a great way for us to take this command is to simply say, “Jesus said that I must love the Lord, so I want to love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, with all my strength. Lord, how can I love You more? What can I do today to demonstrate my love to You, God? How can I love You with my mind? How can I love You with my soul? How can I love You with my strength? How can I love You with my entire being? I love You, Lord.”
I think that’s a very simple way to respond, to choose to do what God tells us to do. Now, I know that we can’t do anything of love or good towards God unless He empowers us to do it. But God won’t do these things for us. He may do them in us and through us, but He won’t do them for us. Somewhere in this equation, there appears to be a choice that we have to make. And we say, “Yes, Lord, I’ll do this.”
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Why Does God Want Our Love? LIVE Q&A for May 23, 2024https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/05232024.mp3The post Why Does God Want Our Love? LIVE Q&A for May 23, 2024 appeared first on Enduring Word.
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis13.mp3
Part 17 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, detailing chapter 13, Abram’s return from Egypt, tension between Lot and Abram, God reaffirming His promise to Abram, and how this chapter points to Christ.
Who or What is the ‘Generation That Shall Not Pass Away’? – LIVE Q&A on May 16, 2024https://www.youtube.com/live/9IEe-yTJzgk?si=yTT3Tl1ppyHxna_9
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/05162024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis12.mp3Part 16 in Pastor David Guzik's in-depth look at the book of Genesis, detailing chapter 12, the promise God had made to Abram, his immediate actions in light of those promises, a famine in the land, and Abram's troublesome journey to Egypt.
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So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” (Genesis 13:8-9)
God did something special when He called Abram (later named Abraham) out of Ur of the Chaldees and promised Abram all of Canaan. But when Abram brought his nephew Lot with him into the land, it wasn’t long until there was conflict. Abram and Lot each had big herds of livestock, and their workers fought over the better grazing lands.
Abram and Lot each claimed to serve Yahweh as God instead of the local Canaanite idols, and their conflict made them look like hypocrites. The logical solution was to separate the flocks and take them to different grazing lands. But who would go where? That is when Abram used his right to lay down his rights.
Abram said to his nephew, If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left. Abram was the eldest and God promised the land to Abram (not to Lot), this was pure generosity.
This was true generosity, not weakness. Abram could fight when it was the right thing to do (Genesis 14). He didn’t yield to Lot out of weakness but out of love and trust in God. Because Abram lived with an eternal perspective, a few acres of grazing land didn’t seem worth fighting for.
The giving up of rights is a theme throughout the Bible. God was glorified when Jesus, out of love, waived his right to an existence that knew no human suffering or trial by experience (Philippians 2:5-11). God was glorified when Paul, out of love, waived his right to be supported by the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14-18). In Genesis 13, Abram fulfilled the New Testament principle of love: Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)
But if we give up our rights, who will look out for us? Abram could do this because he learned that God would provide for him, and so Abram did not have to worry about being too generous. In this case, Abram was willing to let God look out for his interests. Right or left, it didn’t matter to Abram, because God would be there.
There are times to stand on principle and claim a right – the Bible also gives examples of this. Sometimes doing this is good for others and not only for us. Yet we are grateful for the generosity God shows to us, and we seek to show that to others.
We can do what is right by committing our rights to God.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 13
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Live from Germany! – LIVE Q&A on May 9, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr-_HYy3jI4
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/05092024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis10-11.mp3
Part 15 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, detailing chapter 10 and chapter 11, the table of nations and their division, the tower of Babel, and the first mention of Abram, who would become Abraham.
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Is Prosperity Gospel Biblical? – LIVE Q&A with Pastor Lance Ralston on May 2, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbELpYji7zk
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/05022024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis9.mp3Part 14 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, detailing chapter 9, the covenant God makes with Noah, the mandate for the post-flood world, and a curse borne of drunkenness.
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Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:3-4)
After the flood humanity began to multiply quickly. God told Noah and his descendants to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 9:1), and they did. Instead of spreading over the earth, people stayed close, settling in southern Mesopotamia, near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The area was called Shinar (11:1), also known as Babylon (Genesis 10:10). All this was in disobedience to another command God gave in Genesis 9:1 – the command to fill the earth, instead of sticking close together.
We could say that humanity was determined, ready to build and to accomplish things. Unfortunately, they didn’t surrender that determination to God. Speaking one language (Genesis 11:1), man advanced quickly in technology and organization. They used their determination, potential, technology, and organization to rebel against God and God’s will.
Because we are made in the image of God, people have a lot of potential – especially when they work together. First, they built themselves a city. Then, they built a tower. Using the technology of well-baked bricks and asphalt for mortar, they started building a tall tower.
Allow me to suggest something. It’s not my original thought, and we don’t have enough information to be certain. Yet, I think they made the Tower of Babel out of well-baked bricks and asphalt for mortar to make it strong and waterproof. The Bible says that Noah used the same material in waterproofing the ark (Genesis 6:14). The mother of Moses used the same material in waterproofing Moses’ basket (Exodus 2:3).
If this is true, then Babylon and the Tower of Babel were not only expressions of disobedience to God’s command to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1). The Tower of Babel means that man did not believe God’s promise to never again flood the earth. A waterproof tower was made to protect mankind against a future deluge.
The top of the tower was intended to be in the heavens. It is doubtful they thought they could build a tower all the way to heaven. It is more likely they built the tower as an observation point of the heavens; it was built “unto the heavens.” Most astrological and occult practices have a history back to Babel. This tower was real. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus said the remains of the Tower of Babel still stood in his day and he had seen it.
Disobeying God and doubting His promise didn’t do them any good. God easily defeated their plan by confusing their languages and scattering them over the earth.
You are made in God’s image and capable of amazing things. Don’t waste all that potential in disobedience and unbelief.
Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 11
Click Here for Daily Devotionals from David
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Why Did God Allow Polygamy in the Bible? – LIVE Q&A from April 25, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYFxOVJuDXY
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/04252024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis8.mp3
Part 13 in Pastor David Guzik’s in-depth look at the book of Genesis, detailing chapter 8, the conclusion of the Flood, and the aftermath of God’s judgement.
Why Do Some Believers Turn to Jewish Customs? LIVE Q&A from April 18, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b-YrLQ3MS8&t=3s
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/04182024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis7.mp3Part 12 in Pastor David Guzik's in-depth look at the book of Genesis, detailing chapter 7 and the judgement and promise God delivered with the Flood.
Is God's Hand Behind EVERY Death? LIVE Q&A for April 11, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P7bW3Ufw4whttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/04112024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis6.mp3Part 11 in Pastor David Guzik's in-depth look at the book of Genesis, covering the sinful degeneration of mankind and God's need to destroy the earth with a flood, sparing only a just man named Noah and his family.
Can Christian Women Braid Their Hair? - LIVE Q&A on April 4, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UreRGb61AnYhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/04042024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis5.mp3Part 10 in Pastor David Guzik's in-depth look at the book of Genesis, covering the progeny of Adam, their impact and recorded history.
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis4.mp3Part 9 in Pastor David Guzik's in-depth look at the book of Genesis, detailing the exploits of brothers Cain and Abel, through the lens of man's fall into sin.
What Did Jesus Do In the 3 Days After the Cross? LIVE Q&A from Brazil with David Guzik - March 28, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lUvbAPzh40https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/03282024.mp3
Is My Bible Translation “Watered Down”? - LIVE Q&A from Brazil on March 21, 2024https://www.youtube.com/live/F0ufcWCaS4k?si=5zrxna7x2ddzF1Rphttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/03212024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis3_10-24.mp3Part 8 in Pastor David Guzik's in-depth look at the book of Genesis, covering the aftermath of the Fall and the curses that followed it.
Can I Break A Vow Made To God? - LIVE Q&A for March 14, 2024https://www.youtube.com/live/1YlMq6g7zKw?si=ekNZDNSCaZ10Xbaohttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/03142024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis3_1-9.mp3Part 7 in Pastor David Guzik's in-depth look at the book of Genesis, covering the Fall and the initial temptation that led to it.
Do All Religions Lead To God/Heaven? - LIVE Q&A for March 7, 2024https://www.youtube.com/live/5jAqVAT8v-k?si=auO0ui0TAe2sjKHqhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/03072024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis2_18-25.mp3As David Guzik continues to discuss creation in Genesis 2, he addresses verses 18-25, where he talks about when God created the first woman, Eve.
When Did The Old Covenant End? - LIVE Q&A for February 29, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-vHh5DQMrohttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/02292024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis2_1-17.mp3In David Guzik's series on the book of Genesis he will begin with chapter 2, and looks at the first 17 verses, where we take a look at Adam in the Garden of Eden.
What To Do When Accused of Intolerance? LIVE Q&A for February 22, 2023with Pastor Lance Ralstonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pfdE3puAT4https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/02222024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis1_24-31.mp3Pastor David Guzik takes an in-depth look at the creation as he takes us on an in-depth look at the book of Genesis.
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis1_3-23.mp3In the third episode of his teaching through the book of Genesis, Pastor David Guzik discusses the first five days of creation.
Is Cremation Wrong for Christians? - LIVE Q&A for February 15, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwNqN6sWWukhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/02152024.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis1_1-2.mp3This is the second message of our brand-new series in the book of Genesis. Pastor David Guzik takes an in depth look into this fascinating book of the Bible.
Could Murder Be Justified? Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Story - LIVE Q&A for February 8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOWS47kaR0khttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/02082024.mp3
What is Calvinism? - LIVE Q&A for February 1, 2024https://www.youtube.com/live/k0Rgn2j6L5c?si=a_qhs8CYrXSFvorLhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/02012024.mp3
Hades, Sheol, Abraham's Bosom & Purgatory - LIVE Q&A for January 25, 2024https://www.youtube.com/live/chvts71nEBM?si=m1NAWtjbGX-bSUIQhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/01252024.mp3
How To Help My Mom Leave the Jehovah's Witnesses? LIVE Q&A for January 18, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9Ev2TbVmE0https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/01182024.mp3
Does God Favor Men Over Women? LIVE Q&A - January 11, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dZl01znztEhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/01112024.mp3
How Can A God of Love Kill Innocents? LIVE Q&A - January 4, 2024https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySUvEQZT8Iwhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/01042024.mp3
Ask Me Anything! LIVE Q&A for December 28, 2023https://www.youtube.com/live/tVtNyVo6PMY?si=2poTjOkQf8PBR31qhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/12282023.mp3
Pastor & Pastor's Wife LIVE Q&A - December 21, 2023 - with David & Inga-Lill Guzikhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twEiyvgWgtghttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/12212023.mp3
When Did Jesus KNOW? - LIVE Q&A - December 14, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynU-oiUQPyshttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/12142023.mp3
This One Stumped Me! - LIVE Q&A - December 7, 2023https://www.youtube.com/live/nL9JxZSnIZU?si=wtha7hYMBVWXFXfWhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/12072023.mp3
Should We Yearn For A New Temple? - LIVE Q&A - November 30, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO8V30etPKwhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/11302023.mp3
https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/ewpodcast/genesis1-1.mp3This is the first message of a new series in the gook of Genesis. Today pastor David Guzik takes an in depth look at verse 1: "In The Beginning".
Is Replacement Theology Biblical? - LIVE Q&A for November 16, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE1iitL6vz8https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/11162023.mp3
Does God Answer the Prayers of the Wicked? - LIVE Q&A for November 9, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnBdiFFhPdohttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/11092023.mp3
Is the Bible Literally True? - LIVE Q&A for November 2, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKHwj5l7vRAhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/11022023.mp3
Was Once Enough? - LIVE Q&A for October 26, 2023 with Chuck Musselwhitehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWNihTNd-aMhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/10262023.mp3
What Is God's Plan For Israel? LIVE Q&A for October 19, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6zs2Z0lRNwhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/10192023.mp3
LIVE Q&A from Greece! - October 12, 2023https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k0qPVmr7Fghttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/10122023.mp3
Special Q&A for October 5, 2023https://youtu.be/5-SBYRQn02s?si=wz99jxFL40qeDe6Mhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/10052023.mp3
What Was Preaching Like Before the Internet?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcL_2lfQtCkhttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/09212023.mp3
What is the Nature of The Kingdom of God & Kingdom of Heaven?https://www.youtube.com/live/jxtdpHfLJMk?si=vRwgPYcy4utwlUNghttps://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/09142023.mp3
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:7) Paul was a man who had some impressive spiritual experiences, so much so that it might […]
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For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted; you may well put up with it! (2 Corinthians 11:4) Paul’s godly jealousy (2 Corinthians 11:2) was offended that some of […]
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How many JUDGEMENTS will we face?https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/08312023.mp3The post How many JUDGEMENTS will we face? LIVE Q&A with David Guzik for August 31, 2023 appeared first on Enduring Word.
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For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) Many among the believers in Corinth relied on fleshly, worldly […]
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And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8) The Corinthian Christians had promised to gather a collection for needy believers in Judea, and they had yet to gather the money and give […]
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For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9) This single verse is a powerful explanation of who Jesus is and what He did for His people. This verse presents: – […]
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Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1) 2 Corinthians 6 ended with God’s promise of a close, meaningful relationship with those among His people who separate from the corrupt thinking and working of this world, […]
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Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14) One reason the Corinthian Christians were in a bad relationship with the apostle was because they had joined themselves to unbelievers, and this prevented their reconciliation with Paul. The idea […]
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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) People long for transformation. It’s easy to see on media of all kinds the story of someone become someone or something new. The flabby become fit, the plain become beautiful, […]
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For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (2 Corinthians 4:17) Jun Sato, 25, couldn’t find work in downtown Tokyo, so he created his own job. Dressed in protective padding, he let people on the street put on boxing gloves […]
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You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:2-3) The […]
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Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14) Paul dealt with criticism from the Corinthian Christians, who said he was unreliable and fickle because his travel plans had unexpectedly changed. Earlier, Paul carefully explained himself […]
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For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:5) Many people feel they must exaggerate their hardships. For them, nothing small ever happens; every inconvenience is a heavy cross to bear, and they suppose they bear it for Jesus. The Apostle Paul was not that […]
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Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. (1 Corinthians 16:13–14) Near the end of this letter to the Corinthian disciples of Jesus, Paul hoped to stir their sense of responsibility and courage for the Christian life. In these two verses, Paul told them […]
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But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain; perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it […]
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How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. (1 Corinthians 14:26) This was about the conduct of the Corinthian Christians when they would come together for worship, fellowship, and […]
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And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
For many people, 1 Corinthians 13 is their favorite chapter in the Bible. Because it describes the character and nature of love so well, it is sometimes called “The Love Chapter.” These words conclude the chapter and tell of the never-ending nature of love.
The three great pursuits of the Christian life are not miracles, power, and gifts; they are faith, hope, and love. Though the gifts are precious, and given by the Holy Spirit today, they were never meant to be the focus or goal of the Christian life. Instead, the believer’s main pursuit is faith, hope, and love.
What is your Christian life focused on? What do you really want more of? It should all come back to faith, hope, and love. If it doesn’t, we need to receive God’s sense of priorities, and put our focus where it belongs.
Because faith, hope, and love are so important, we should expect to see them emphasized throughout the New Testament. Think of these passages:
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father. (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love**. (Galatians 5:5-6)
You could add to these 1 Peter 1:21-22, Colossians 1:4-5, and 2 Timothy 1:12-13.
Faith, hope, and love are all important, but the greatest of these is love. Love is greatest because it will continue and even grow in the eternal state. When we are in heaven, faith and hope will have fulfilled their purpose. We won’t need faith when we see God face to face. We won’t need to hope in the coming of Jesus once He returns. But we will always love the Lord and each other and grow in that love through eternity.
Love is also the greatest because it is an attribute of God (1 John 4:8), and faith and hope are not part of God’s character and personality. God does not have faith in the way we have faith, because He never has to “trust” outside of Himself. God does not have hope the way we have hope, because He knows all things and is in complete control. But God is love and will always be love.
The point isn’t to get us to choose between faith, hope, and love. The point is that without love as the motive and goal, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are meaningless distractions. If you lose love, everything is lost.
Let the greatness of God’s live fill your life today.
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What Do Wine and Honey Mean in the Bible?What Do Wine and Honey Mean in the Bible?
From Smitha via Facebook
I have a question about Wine and Honey.
Mark 14:25 – Truly I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.
Luke 24:42- And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and a piece of honeycomb.
I am just a housewife. As far as I know, these two are the things that have no expiry dates. What is the significance? Why did Jesus drink it? Anything special connection between Wine and Honey?
Generally, wine and honey are used in the Bible as descriptions of blessing.
Wine came from grapes and was regarded as a blessing. It was a regular part of life for people in the ancient near east, including Israel. The wine they drank in the time of the Bible was likely more diluted than most wine today, but one could still get intoxicated or drunk from overindulgence in wine. That’s why the Bible gives so many warnings against drunkenness and intoxication.
In moderate use, wine was considered a blessing and was part of meals, especially important meals like Passover. That is the setting of Mark 14:25.
Mark 14:25
Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
In Mark 14:25, in its context, Jesus told His disciples that He wouldn’t celebrate another Passover with His people until all God’s people were united in the kingdom of God – the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).
Revelation 19:9
Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’”
Luke 24 describes how Jesus ate some honeycomb (and some fish) with His disciples after His resurrection.
Luke 24:42–43
So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.
The honey described in the Bible usually came from dates (concentrated date syrup), not normally from bees – though, they certainly knew about honey from bees and enjoyed it when they could.
- Judges 14 – Samson found honey from bees in a honeycomb in the carcass of a lion.
- 1 Samuel 14 – Jonathan, the son of Saul, found a honeycomb and ate some of the honey.
- Many references to the honeycomb in the Bible.
- Jesus here in Luke 24 was obviously eating honey from bees, not date syrup.
Honey was not to be added to the sacrifices Israel made (Leviticus 2:11) because that was a common pagan practice in their sacrifices.
The phrase “milk and honey” describes agricultural blessing and abundance, where there are plenty of good things to eat.
What does it mean that Jesus ate honeycomb (and fish) in the presence of His disciples in Luke 24:42–43?
- It means that He was a real, flesh and blood person in His resurrected body, not some kind of phantom or ghost.
- It means that whether food is necessary in the resurrection or is not necessary, it is compatible with those who are resurrection. Presumably, it is a blessing of resurrection life.
- In several of His resurrection appearances, Jesus ate with His disciples or in the presence of His disciples.
It’s important that we don’t try to give such things greater meaning than the plain meaning – as if there was great spiritual significance that Jesus ate honey in the presence of His disciples, and we need to figure out that significance.
Here is an example of the danger of looking for great symbolic or allegorical meaning in every detail of the Bible. In John 21:11, it describes how after His resurrection, Jesus met His disciples in Galilee and at His direction, they cast their fishing net in certain place and caught 153 fish:
John 21:11
Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.
Through the centuries there have been many attempts to explain why the number was 153.
- Some interpreters (like Augustine) thought that because 153 is the sum of numbers 1 to 17, this catch of fish points towards the number 17 – which he thought to be the number of commandments (10) added to the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit.
- Some have noted that 153 is the added numerical value of the Greek words Peter and
- Some note, “In Hebrew characters Simon Iona [Simon of Jonah] is equivalent to 118 + 35, e., 153.” (Dods)
- Some ancient writers (such as Jerome) believed there were 153 different types of fish in the world and this catch represented a full harvest of the entire world.
- Some (such as Cyril of Alexandria) thought that 100 stood for the Gentiles, 50 stood for Israel and 3 stood for the Trinity.
The truth is that all we know for certain is that 153 represents the number of fish in the net. The many allegorical interpretations of the number warn us against creating hidden meanings in the Biblical text.
If anything, it tells us that Peter and John were real fishermen, who never make a catch without counting it, and always remember a big catch. There is no need to look for a deeper meaning, and some potential danger in looking for a deeper meaning – especially if the attitude is that the so-called “deeper” meaning is the “real” meaning or the “higher” meaning.
Is it wrong to close our eyes when we pray?One other quick question from Smitha in India:
I am from a small village in India.
I was taught since young to close eyes and pray. Did Bible say so? Jesus raised his eyes to the heaven and prayed. David too. Isn’t it wrong to close eyes & looking down and praying towards darkness? Instead, why don’t we look up to the skies and pray?
I always feel stressed and sad when I look down and pray. But I feel joy when I go to the terrace and look up and pray
The practice of closing one’s eyes and bowing one’s head is a cultural custom or tradition, not a Biblical command. The idea was to shut out distractions and focus one’s attention and thoughts on God.
The practice in Bible times was to look to heaven and raise one’s hands in prayer. That posture is also not commanded, but of course is fine.
This dear sister in India has the freedom in Christ to pray with open eyes and face turned to heaven. There’s no command saying otherwise!
However, one caution: We can’t make how we feel during prayer the first measure telling us how we should pray. It’s great that you feel joy when you go to your terrace and look up and pray; but how we feel in prayer or worship isn’t more important than what the Bible says. But since the Bible doesn’t command prayer with a bowed head and closed eyes – and even patterns prayer with eyes open and face lifted to heaven – then it’s great that you feel joy praying that way!
How should one prepare for teaching on revival?What do you think would be some good topics to touch on concerning the subject of revival, and how should one prepare for teaching on revival?I thoroughly recommend the resources of the late Dr. J. Edwin Orr for the topic of revival. You’ll find an impressive collection of audio and video resources at jedwinorr.com. On our YouTube channel, we have two playlists dedicated to Dr. J. Edwin Orr. His work is very biblical and very scholarly.
In talking about the phenomenon of revival or spiritual awakening, two contexts must be considered. First there is what the Bible says about it, which of course is very important and most important. Secondly, there is the understanding of what God has done in the history in moments of revival and spiritual awakening. So, I strongly recommend the resources of the late Dr. J. Edwin Orr. On our own website you can find some messages which I have taught on revival and the deeper life. I think those might be helpful for you. I have taught Bible college classes on the theology of revival and spiritual awakening, and I would love to do one of those for our YouTube channel at some point. Friends, I’ve got to tell you, there is a huge list of things that I want to do and need to do, but these things take time. Before too long, I hope to publish a video class on the theology, practice, and history of revival and spiritual awakening.
Regarding meat sacrificed to idols, do Paul (1 Corinthians 8) and Jesus (Revelation 2:14-15) contradict each other? How do you reconcile Paul in 1 Corinthians 8 seeming to say that eating meat sacrificed to idols in itself isn’t really bad (only in how it might influence someone with a weak conscience) and Revelation 2 verses 14-15 where Jesus holds the same thing (Nicolaitans doctrine) against Christians in Pergamos?
Revelation 2:14-15 – “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”
First of all, Paul would acknowledge that there was a sinful and idolatrous way for a person to eat meat sacrificed to idols, and that was always wrong. It was always wrong to eat meat sacrificed to idols in a sinful and idolatrous way. The text here in Revelation is referring simply to that way, the sinful eating of meat sacrificed to idols.
But there’s something else I want you to see here. Notice that in Revelation 2:14, there is a link between eating things sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immorality. Oftentimes, the two went together at the pagan temples in the ancient world. So, there’s that aspect as well. Clearly, what’s being condemned here in Revelation is not necessarily every eating of meat that was sacrificed to an idol, but rather the clearly sinful aspect of it which Paul himself noted.
Is it wrong to ask God to send ministering, healing, or warring angels to help people we are interceding for?I saw your teaching on Psalms 91, and you said we should not pray to angels, & not command or request them to do anything directly. Are we wrong to ask God to send ministering, healing, or warring angels to help people we are interceding for? We are told in Hebrews that angels are ministering spirits. At the end of the day, God knows what everyone needs and will send angels when necessary. Are we wrong to ask God to send angels to help those in serious need? To clarify, they will always come through and from God, not because we sent them.
In the way that you present this question, I would say yes, that’s permitted. You rightly point out that in Hebrews 1:14, the Bible says that angels are ministering spirits sent for to minister on the behalf of those who will inherit salvation. If someone is a man or a woman who knows that they will inherit salvation, they can come to God on the basis of that promise and say, “Lord, You said that these angels were ministering spirits and forth to help me. Lord, would You send for the angels to help me in this situation?” I like the way that you phrase it. When we make such a request, what we’re really asking for His help.
Now, do you always know the way that you need help? Do you always know whether the help you need would better come to you from an angel from God directly, from a person that God would inspire, or from some unknown source altogether? How can you know for sure? To act like you always know best, and to demand that God would send forth an angel instead of helping you in some other way, is a little bit cheeky in prayer.
I don’t see anything wrong with a believer praying something like this: “Lord, I need Your help. You say that angels are ministering spirits sent forth to bring salvation on our behalf. Lord, send forth such angels or any other way to help me.” I find nothing wrong with prayer like that. But I do find a problem, of course, in any kind of proud prayer that would try to command God in a bossy manner, “Lord, do this, do that, and help me just the way that I tell You.
What role did angelic beings play in the delivery of the Law to Moses? According to rabbinic tradition, angels were used in delivering the Ten Commandments to Moses. Hebrews 2:2 and Galatians 3:19 mention that the Law came to Moses through the hand of angels. I wouldn’t be surprised if angels delivered the tablets of the Ten Commandments to Moses. There’s nothing in the Old Testament directly that says that the Law came to Moses through angels. But the writer of Hebrews seems to reinforce it. He says that it was mediated through the hands of angels.
By the way, that happened on Mount Sinai. We’ve prepared a video about Mount Sinai in Arabia, which we’re going to premiere on our YouTube channel this coming Monday, May 29, 2023, at 12pm PST. I recently went to investigate this site with three friends of mine, those of us who make up the board of Enduring Word. Pastor Lance Ralston created a video of great footage as a documentary and explanation of the case for Mount Sinai being in Arabia, instead of on the Sinai Peninsula.
I hope you can join us for the premier. All four of us from the board will be present in the live chat, interacting with people as the video premiers for the first time.
What does it mean to deny yourself?That’s a tremendous question. To deny yourself means to be able to say no to your fleshly desires and wants. There’s something in my body that wants to run my life and wants to dictate everything. As Christians, we don’t hate our body. No. God gave us these bodies as a gift. And God has a glorious destiny for these bodies. So, we’re not anti-body, but we don’t want the desires of our body to run our life. We live on a higher level.
For the animal kingdom, the desires of their bodies run their life. They live for nothing more than to eat, to drink, to sleep and to reproduce. And you know some people like that, don’t you? Well, we’re to live on a higher level. Again, we don’t hate the body, we’re not against the body, and we don’t despise the body, but we put it in its proper place.
This has to do with more than just bodily things and the things of our flesh. It also has to do with the aspirations of our flesh. To deny yourself means to not put yourself in first place, but to put God in first place. It’s a little bit cliché, but sometimes people use the formulation of “God first, others second, me third.” And that’s how it should be. To assert myself and to demand that I be number one is almost the opposite of denying myself.
I think this is something that Christians need to do. I think that this is something that is almost entirely lost upon Christians today. The culture around us tells us that the key to being a healthy, well-adjusted person is to indulge everything of the body, as if the more we indulge our bodily desires and wishes, we will finally become fully human. But that’s not what the Bible says.
Jesus said, “If any man comes after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” It means to live a life where God is the highest priority. His word is greater than our word and wisdom. We can say, “Lord, no, I deny myself and I exalt You.” That’s some of what it means to deny ourselves.
Why was Jesus killed by crucifixion instead of by stoning?Why was crucifixion the method of Jesus’ death? I know the Old Testament spoke of it, but why not stoning?
There are a few reasons for that. Number one, if the Jewish people would have executed Jesus, they likely would have done it by stoning. Outside of Nazareth, people in His own home village tried to execute Jesus by stoning. And we know that the first martyr of the early church, Stephen, was killed by stoning. So, if the Jewish people would have executed Jesus, it probably would have been by stoning.
But the Jewish people didn’t execute Jesus, the Romans did. And that was done by crucifixion. Crucifixion was not only a Roman form of execution, but it was the worst form of Roman execution. Many people among the Romans were executed by beheading, where they would cut the person’s head off with a sword. That’s how Paul was martyred. But crucifixion was reserved for slaves and the worst criminals of the lowest classes. Pontius Pilate is the one who commanded the death of Jesus, so they chose a Roman method of execution instead of stoning.
Of course, another reason is that it was also to fulfill the prophecies. From my understanding, the Old Testament speaks prophetically of crucifixion. The Persians invented crucifixion, but the Romans perfected it and used it as a customary way to execute slaves and the lowest classes.
What is your understanding of rewards in the kingdom (1 Corinthians 3:14)? Will believers have different rewards based on their good works? What will these rewards look like?1 Corinthians 3:14 – If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
I very much believe in the concept of reward. The Bible plainly teaches that not all believers will receive the same reward. Believers will have different rewards based on their faithfulness to the Lord, based on their good works, and based on what they did with what God gave to them.
What would these rewards look like? I don’t exactly know. People talk about receiving crowns in heaven, and having jewels in their crowns, as if there will be some Christians in heaven who have these huge elaborate jewel encrusted crowns. Maybe somebody else will have like a little paper crown that you get a hamburger chain. I don’t know. It’s not for me to say exactly what crowns will be
Here’s one explanation; I can’t say this from the Bible, but it’s a way to explain these ideas, so take it for what it’s worth in your own eyes. Reward in heaven is receiving a greater capability to enjoy God. Think of a big cup and a smaller cup. They have different capacities. It could be that reward in heaven is receiving a bigger cup, so to speak: a bigger capacity to enjoy and receive God. In heaven, everybody’s cup will be full, but some people will have greater capacity than others. That’s a suggestion; the Bible doesn’t really say that. But it’s one idea that people have come up with.
Does Matthew 1:23 (a prophecy about the Messiah being born of a virgin) misquote Isaiah 7:14 (a prophecy about the destruction of Israel and Aram)?Can you explain Matthew 1:23, being a prophecy about the Messiah being born of a virgin, while misquoting Isaiah 7:14, when his prophecy is actually about the destruction of Israel and Aram?
Let me just stop you right there. I don’t think that this is a misquoting; I think it’s a greater application. If you were to take a look at my commentary on Isaiah 7, I explained it in more detail there.
What’s really happening is this is a prophecy with a double fulfillment. Yes, the prophecy in one sense said that God would deliver Judah and wipe out Aram, this threatening nation, and that He’d do it before a child grows to a certain age, within a few years.
But from the way that it is used in the New Testament, it was also obviously a prophecy of the Messiah to come. I don’t think it misquoting. I think it’s just simply inspired by the Holy Spirit. I think the Holy Spirit moved Matthew and other New Testament interpreters to understand the Scriptures in this way.
That’s how I would explain it. It’s a prophecy with a double fulfillment. Yes, it clearly had application to Isaiah’s own day, but it also looks beyond Isaiah’s day to a greater and more perfect fulfillment in the days of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
Could you clarify 1 John 3:6? I’m mixed up on the ideas of salvation versus abiding. It seems like I can be saved, but I am not always abiding.1 John 3:6 – Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Yes, I think 1 John does make a distinction between salvation from God and fellowship with God. It’s possible for a person to be saved, but at least in an immediate sense at the moment, to not really be walking in fellowship with God. There’s some area of disobedience or distance. Now, of course, that doesn’t put them in the category of an unbeliever. It’s not as if a person were to unexpectedly die in such a state, that they would go to hell. No, not at all. They’re a believer, but they’re a believer living in at least some degree of broken fellowship with God. It might be through disobedience, unbelief, or some other reason. This distinction is made several times throughout that letter of 1 John.
It’s interesting to note that, in this particular verse, John is using a verb tense in the grammar of the original language which says, “Whoever continually practices sin.” In other words, this is somebody who lives in habitual sin, and really has no desire for that to change. That’s evidence of someone who has never really had their life changed by Jesus Christ. You’re right, the distinction between being saved and having fellowship in the moment with God is a distinction that needs to be made throughout understanding 1 John.
Was Naomi truly humble & honest in simply calling herself “bitter”? How do we know she was repentant? (Ruth 1:20)Was Naomi truly humble & honest in simply calling herself “bitter”? How do we know she was repentant? I have been taught conflicting things on this point. (Ruth 1:20)
The story of Naomi is in the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. Together with her husband Elimelech, Naomi went from the Promised Land to the people of Moab during a time of famine. Disaster afflicted their family while in Moab, as Elimelech and their two sons died. Naomi and her two daughters-in-law made their way back to Israel, but only Ruth actually came alone. The other daughter-in-law, Orpah, stayed back in Moab.
Do we know if Naomi was truly humble and honest? Well, first of all, I would say she was definitely humble. She didn’t come back to Israel arrogantly; she came back in humiliation. I think the text itself points out that she was humble. As far as her being repentant, I would say that we know she was repentant because she came back. If she wouldn’t have been repentant, she would have stayed there in Moab. But the reality of her repentance was demonstrated by what she did.
We as believers can oftentimes talk a good game about repentance. But ultimately, repentance isn’t shown in what we say; it’s shown in what we do. Naomi showed repentance because she went back to Bethlehem, her ancestral land. I see an appropriate humility and honesty and repentance in Naomi coming back and saying, “Call me bitter, call me Mara, because my sin has created a lot of bitterness in my life.” That’s how I see it from her obviously humble disposition as she comes back to Bethlehem as you can read in Ruth 1, and also that she actually did go back instead of staying in Moab.
Will God see future wrongdoings of someone at the present time, and start punishing them before the sin has been committed?Is it the case that God will see future wrongdoings of someone at the present time, and start punishing them before the sin has been committed? For example, could David’s suffering at the hands of King Saul have been a punishment for his future sin?
I can’t think of anything in the Bible which suggests that God punishes people ahead of their sin, knowing that they would commit it. Secondly, it would seem to go against the fundamental truthfulness or honesty of God in this. That doesn’t seem to be an honest thing for God to do. It goes against our notions of justice to punish somebody before they commit the crime. Because I don’t see anything in the Bible that says God might do that, I would say, no, that isn’t the case.
Will the New Heaven stop in mid-air, or will it come down to the new earth?It’s a bit unclear. The image we have of the New Jerusalem, as described in the book of Revelation, is almost that it’s suspended between heaven and earth. But it’s a little difficult to say. It seems like everything at the end of the book of Revelation is Heaven, where God dwells. Maybe the distinction, the line between heaven and earth, is almost erased at that point. Maybe, as a way of God showing His lordship over everything, Heaven comes down to earth, and it all becomes part of the same thing.
Which Scriptures are helpful for graduates? It’s graduation season. Do you have any Scripture that stands out as advice for graduates? I am looking at Proverbs 4 at the moment.
I would recommend reading Ecclesiastes 11-12, which speaks to young people the importance of honoring God in your youth. I think that’s a great passage for graduates.
After the Rapture of the church, what’s going to happen in heaven with the Lord and the Bride? Will it be judgment, or celebration? For sure, it’s not going to be judgment. In Heaven, the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, is not judged. All judgment upon the people God was poured out upon God the Son, so there is no more judgment for the people of God to face. It’s going to be celebration. It’s going to be eternity in resurrected glory with Jesus Christ. That’s what God’s people have to look forward to.
In Revelation 2-3, why does Jesus keep repeating “I know thy works”? Is not salvation by grace through faith?Yes, salvation is by grace through faith. In other words, I’m passing from hell to heaven. But that’s not the only relevant issue in the Christian life. God has created His people for good works. God’s work in the believer is so much more than giving them just a ticket to heaven and an escape from hell. It’s building into them and doing good works in and through them. From eternity past, God has appointed and predetermined good works that His people should fulfill. Jesus cares very much about the conduct of our lives. It’s an important thing. It’s a heavy thing. It should be a meaningful thing for the believer to be able to say, “God sees my works, and I’m going to live in light of that.”
Will the mark of the beast come when the Antichrist makes his peace treaty with Israel, or when he declares himself to be God in Jerusalem’s temple? (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)It could go either way. The Bible doesn’t really say one way or the other. We’re not given a specific time marker. But it will happen during this last seven-year period, before the glorious return of Jesus Christ.
Why does God agree to let Satan do certain things to us?I am confused about the times I read in the Bible where God agrees to let Satan do certain things to us. Can you help me understand this?
There is a sense in which Satan only ultimately serves the purposes of God. God has a purpose for allowing certain kinds of affliction in the lives of His people. If God has appointed to allow some certain type of affliction in the lives of His people, then it’s not crazy at all to see how God would allow Satan to do a particular thing to His people.
God is ultimately using Satan to accomplish His purposes. The ultimate example of that is what Satan did, through Judas, in betraying Jesus and sending Him to the cross. Look, that was Satan’s work. The Bible says that Satan entered Judas to do this work. But at the same time, we know that God used it for His glorious, ultimate purpose. In the end, Satan was just a tool that God used in His hand to accomplish His purpose. God may do a similar thing in the lives of His people in and through the work of what He allows Satan to do.
How should we handle feeling shamed for doing what we think is right?I’ve seen brothers and sisters guilt or shame other believers for going to sleep early to get up early and study God’s Word. I’ve said something to them, but they do not agree. Any advice?
There’s nothing there to shame somebody. There is nothing wrong and everything right with saying, “I’m going to go to bed early so that I can get up early and study God’s Word and spend time with Him.” And a believer has to endure a little bit of mockery for it, then praise the Lord. They are enduring suffering in some measure for righteousness’ sake, even if it comes from other brothers and sisters.
Here’s my advice to a believer who is being mocked, criticized, guilted, or shamed, because they like to go to bed early. They can say, “Well, tomorrow morning, when I’m spending time with God, I’m just going to talk to God about it, and not worry about it.” There is everything right with endeavoring to structure your life around spending more time with the Lord and giving Him more honor and glory in your life.
Why does Paul favor singleness in 1 Corinthians 7, but admonishes young widows to remarry in 1 Timothy 5? Paul recommended singleness for those who could handle it, so to speak; I’m paraphrasing a bit. Paul recognized that, generally, most people will be married. Paul wasn’t trying to convince people who were called to married life to become single. Paul was encouraging people who are called to be single that it is alright for them to receive that calling and walk in it.
There were also widows in church who were called to married life. But there was a very practical reason for that. Widows in the ancient world were known for the poverty. A childless widow had no one to support her financially. The church took care of each other the best they could, but normally, a childless widow had no one to support her. And remarriage would give her that support.
So, there was a practical reason for that, but there’s also a recognition that just because your husband died doesn’t mean you’re no longer called to married life. Again, Paul’s words on singleness were never intended to get people were called to be married to adopt singleness. That wasn’t the idea at all.
Should believers create alternate events during Halloween? Aren’t we supposed to be set apart?Should believers create alternate events during Halloween? Like harvest events or hallelujah night? Aren’t we supposed to be set apart?
Yes. But listen, Jesus didn’t specifically say, “Be set apart by doing something different” or “Be set apart by ignoring it altogether.” I think both ways can be expressions of being set apart.
Here’s what I would say to each individual church leadership, because normally it would be a church planning these events. They should earnestly seek the Lord and say, “Lord, what do You want us to do?” I would respect the church who said, “We believe that being set apart means that we shouldn’t have any kind of harvest festival, or Halloween alternative.” I totally respect to the church which does that. I would also respect the church who says, “We’re going to be set apart by doing this in a completely different way and doing it in a way that honors God.”
That’s the issue. I think churches need to hear from the Holy Spirit. I would be critical of churches that did such things without asking the questions that you’re asking. They shouldn’t do things just because they’ve done it before, or because other churches did it before, or because it’s popular, or because people are clamoring for it. The church leadership should genuinely seek the Lord about it, and then continue to move forward in the liberty God has given them.
Please explain Revelation 6:6, “see thou not hurt the oil and the wine.”In this passage, oil and wine are emblematic of luxuries. They are things which were great to have and that made life better beyond mere sustenance. In that context, this verse is saying that people will be enjoying luxuries like these, even in the midst of the judgment going forth. This passage in Revelation really has a greater context of judgment coming upon it. It’s talking about extremely high prices for the wheat and the barley, while other people are still able to enjoy luxuries, which is how it is in this world. Even when times are bad, wealthy people have a way of being able to get by just fine. That’s how it is in our fallen world.
If God creates in us a new heart, why do we still have a fleshly heart and a propensity to sin?David asks God to create in him a new heart (create as in “out of nothing”). If God does create in us a new heart, why do you think we still have a fleshly heart that has a propensity to sin?
There can be conflicting words used to describe different aspects of the nature of the inner man. This is how I would describe it. The believer has a new heart, but there’s still a fleshly nature that needs to be dealt with. Is the heart the same as the fleshly nature? Well, these things can be difficult to precisely define.
We recognize that there is an aspect of my being as a believer which is definitely made new by Jesus Christ. There’s another aspect of my being that still has to grow in God’s grace and grow in sanctification. The Bible does not always use the same terminology in the same context for all these things.
Will there be ranks in heaven?Will there be ranks in heaven? It seems many believe that everyone will be the same rank in heaven.
There will be different rewards in heaven. I believe that those different rewards will set people on somewhat different levels. When Jesus talked about rewards in His parables, He talked about people who were given authority over more or fewer things. So, I think there will be some kind of rank in heaven, but I can’t tell exactly what it is. And of course, it won’t be oppressive, and it won’t be bad.
In our modern world, we’re often tempted to think that any kind of hierarchy is automatically sinful, irrelevant, and oppressive. But I don’t think that’s how God fundamentally sees it. Obviously, there’s a huge fallen aspect to hierarchy, of course, but I don’t think the Bible says that any kind of hierarchy or arrangement by rank is automatically sinful and oppressive.
Why do you prefer Calvary Chapel movement church life instead of others? What are the distinctive features that made you choose it?I’ll be very transparent. Some of my preference for Calvary Chapel church life is because that’s where I came to Christ and was discipled. That’s where I grew up. I’d be lying if I’d say that that didn’t have a significant effect on me. My life might be very different if I had grown up in a Baptist circle or a Presbyterian circle, or some other kind of church group. But I was brought to faith in Christ at Calvary Chapel Riverside, and the first Protestant preacher I ever heard was a man named Greg Laurie. That has had a huge impact on me. I praise God for that impact. I believe it’s been good.
The Calvary Chapel movement is not perfect. Of course, it’s not. It’s a collection of fallen individuals trying to serve God the best they can. But I love the primacy given to God’s Word and the expositional teaching of God’s Word. I love their position that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today, yet the exercise of the gifts should not be made the center of congregational life. Instead, worship and the Word should be made the center of congregational life and gathering. I appreciate the doctrinal clear-headedness and faithfulness of it. In so many ways, the church at large is embracing unbiblical practices, such as such as women pastors, and pro-affirming homosexuality and transgenderism. I appreciate biblical faithfulness. What I also appreciate about Calvary Chapel is that we are “low church.” We’re working class. We’re not trying to put on airs about how smart we are or how great we are, or at least we shouldn’t be. Those are some of the reasons I’d give.
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There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
1 Corinthians 12 is about spiritual gifts, something Paul did not want believers to be ignorant of (1 Corinthians 12:1). Here, Paul explained something relevant to the working of spiritual gifts but applies beyond that topic: the principle of diversity and unity in God’s family.
Paul described three areas of diversity in God’s family: gifts, ministries, and activities. The gifts are diverse, the ministries are different, and the activities are varied. But it is all the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God doing the work through the gifts, the ministries, and the activities.
First, there are diversities of gifts. Paul will later list some nine spiritual gifts in the following verses, and more in other places, demonstrating this broad diversity. Yet there is only one Giver, who works through the diverse gifts.
The word ministries probably has in mind the different “gifted offices” in the church, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers (Ephesians 4:11-14). Paul’s point is clear: though there are different offices, it is the same Lord granting the offices and directing the service.
The original word for activities is energemata, where we get our words energy, energetic, and energize from. It is a word of active and sometimes miraculous power. Differences of activities means that God displays and pours out His miraculous power in different ways, but it is always the same God doing the work.
What are the differences between gifts, ministries, and activities? The word gifts is used broadly. Some gifts are ministries – standing offices or positions in the church. Some gifts are activities – miraculous events or outpourings at a particular time and place, such as the manifestation of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:7.
Just as in first-century Corinth, it is easy for believers today to focus on their own gifts, ministries, or activities and believe those who are different are not really walking or working with God. Yet the one God has a glorious diversity in the way He does things. We should never expect it to be all according to our own emphasis and taste.
One of the ministries mentioned in the New Testament is evangelist (Ephesians 4:11). If I am an evangelist, it’s easy for me to focus on my gift, my ministry, and think that everyone in God’s family should be an evangelist just as I am. I can try to make others feel guilty that they don’t have my gifts and ministry.
Two things are true and important: the diversity and the unity. By God’s Spirit we are different, but we are all one. Don’t focus so much on the diversity that you miss the unity.
Today, appreciate the powerful diversity and unity God has made among His people, and find a way to thank God for someone else’s gifts and ministry!
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LIVE from GermanyIn Acts 16:25-32, did the jailer’s family get saved when he believed?In Acts 16:25-32, Paul and Silas told the jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” I understand the jailer being saved, but it says the whole family. Was that a prophetic thing, a word of knowledge, something else? Salvation is an individual decision, so was this predicted/prophesied?
First of all, salvation is something that happens individually. There’s no such thing as people being saved on behalf of other people. There is some question with this concerning the children of believing parents, as mentioned by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians, but we’ll leave that discussion aside. In the kingdom of God, each individual soul is responsible before God. That’s how salvation works.
Your question here is very logical. How could Paul say to the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you and your family will be saved”? I think it’s for a couple of reasons. God could have given Paul a supernatural ability to believe in that moment that saving faith would be evident within this family. That could very well happen by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Keep in mind that the Philippian jailer was in a state of brokenness and repentance over his sin. The Apostle Paul spoke to him in this way while in that state of brokenness, saying, “You just need to believe. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, you and your household.” In other words, the same promise of faith was available to the jailer and to his family. If you have a repentant attitude as well as belief on the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Philippian jailer was exhorted to have, then you will be saved. That promise was good for his household too, and not only for the Philippian jailer himself.
This may have been a prophetic word or a word of knowledge. But the Apostle Paul was holding out the promise of salvation to all those who repent and believe. That promise wasn’t just for the Philippian jailer himself, but it was for his entire family. Again, they would have to repent and believe themselves, but that promise of salvation in Christ was open to them as they did.
Paul tells the Corinthian believers that they are being carnal in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. If a believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirt, how can they be carnal?First, let’s define the word carnal. It’s a word in the Christian vocabulary that for some reason seems to have been more prominent when I was younger than it is now. I don’t hear preachers using that terminology very often today. The word carnal simply means fleshly. It’s possible for a believer, someone who’s born again by the Spirit of God, to allow their fleshly nature to have too much strength, too much presence, and too much domination in their life. That was the problem in the Corinthian church.
We understand that a person can be worldly; the influence of the world is all around them. If a Christian is worldly, they’re allowing too much of the world to influence how they think and act. We would probably rightly call that person a worldly Christian. Well, that’s what a fleshly Christian is. A Christian can be negatively or harmfully influenced by the world around them, by the culture that’s in opposition to God.
There’s also something within our weak human flesh that can have a negative influence on us. Our fleshly desires, the lust of the flesh, our bodily appetites, our strivings after prestige and fame, and the like can all be fleshly influences. When a believer allows those things to have too much prominence in their life, I think it can rightly be said that they are a fleshly believer.
That’s what it means for a believer to live or to act according to the flesh. When Paul says, “Brethren, I could not speak to as spiritual people, but as to carnal, as babes in Christ,” he’s talking about Christians who, are allowing their fleshly nature too much strength, domination, and influence in their walk with God and their life.
Are the “sign gifts” in 1 Corinthians 12 valid today?Are the gifts talked about in 1 Corinthians 12 valid today, or are they considered “sign gifts” that are no longer there? Could this be a case of repurposing from ”sign gifts” to “edification gifts” to help others in the body? I have experienced such things as words of knowledge and prayed over others and saw healing which seemed to be those gifts.
There are different opinions within God’s family regarding this topic. Other Christians may have a different take on this. But obviously, I believe my view is correct; otherwise, I wouldn’t be presenting it to you.
I definitely believe that the gifts of the Spirit described in 1 Corinthians 12 are for believers today, and that they are given and distributed as the Holy Spirit wills. That’s what Paul talks about in this passage. In 1 Corinthians 14, he talks about how these gifts are distributed as the Spirit wills. An individual is not in charge of whether or not they have a gift. Gifts are given by the Holy Spirit. And we rest in that knowledge.
You mentioned the idea of “sign gifts.” This explanation that many gifts of the Spirit are sign gifts is common. But I want you to understand that the Bible itself never makes that designation. The Bible does say that some miraculous things are for signs; it definitely says that. But the Bible never specifies that certain gifts of the Spirit are for signs, and certain gifts of the Spirit are not for signs. There’s not like a menu designation in the Scriptures where Paul says, “Okay, these four spiritual gifts are for signs, and these four spiritual gifts are not.” That is an imposed category upon those gifts. It’s not actually found within the text.
While certain miracles or miraculous gifts can function as signs, the Bible itself never categorizes them that way. Therefore, it never gives them an excuse, saying, “Well, those are no longer in operation because those signs are not given.” When Paul talks about the operation of the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians, his emphasis is that they are given for the edification of the body and not fundamentally as signs. I’m not denying that signs can be one purpose for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But Paul’s emphasis in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14, in speaking about the gifts of the Spirit, is that those gifts of the Spirit are for the edification of the body.
Someone might argue that the signs are not needed today, because we have the completed collection of the Scriptures. I understand that argument, but the edification of God’s family is still needed today. And that’s the reason why God gives those gifts. That’s their stated purpose in 1 Corinthians 12 and 1 Corinthians 14. While I would recognize that miraculous works or gifts of the Spirit can function as signs, the fundamental reason they’re given is for the edification of God’s people.
Are demons cast out and prophesies still given today?Is there such a thing as people casting out demons and prophesying as the apostles did today?
Yes. I believe that demon possession is a real thing today, and I also believe that demons can be cast out by the power of God, working through His servants. I believe that there are people today who have cast out demons in Jesus’ name, as the Bible says.
In the modern Western world, we see much less demon possession than is seen in other parts of the world. It isn’t because Satan is no longer active. It isn’t because Satan is no longer interested in doing such things; not at all. But I believe that there is less evident demon possession in the western world for two reasons.
First of all, you have the benefit of 2000 years of Christian influence. Even though Christian influence is fading in Europe and America, it’s still present. There is still a legacy of 2000 years of Christian influence, which I believe has greatly restricted, although not eliminated, the evident ways of Satan’s work among people. I say evident because Satan is working in non-evident ways all the time.
Here’s another aspect that probably carries even more weight. I believe that in the Western world, predominantly, Satan perceives that his strategy and purpose is better served by remaining behind the scenes. So, as much as he can he keeps a low profile. Of course, we do see examples of Satan and demonic activities in the Western world. But in some sense, that’s nothing compared to the evident demonic activity in places where the gospel has never reached, where people are given over to idolatry and animism and other such things.
I believe that there are places in the world where it’s in Satan’s best interest to keep a low profile, and therefore he does. So, Satan is definitely at work. There’s no doubt that he’s at work all over the world. He is the prince of the power of the air, as Peter says; he walks about roaring as a lion. He’s active in the world today. But his strategy may be different depending on location.
So yes, demon possession is real. And I believe that God gives His servants the power and authority to deal with cases of demonic possession when they become evident. We don’t see a pattern in the Scriptures, either in the ministry of Jesus or in the ministry of the apostles, of believers going demon hunting. Not at all. They go about their normal course of ministry, and where there is demonic opposition and confrontation that comes against them, then they deal with it. That is when they cast such things away. That’s how I would understand that kind of ministry in a modern context as well.
Would you consider Acts 2 an awakening or revival?Would you consider Acts 2 an awakening or revival? It seems more of an awakening to me rather than a revival.
I would agree with you on that, but here’s the difficulty in answering this question. There is no universally agreed upon terminology for this event. The late Dr. J. Edwin Orr, whose scholarship on the subject of revival and spiritual awakening I greatly respect, described revival as the effect of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church, and spiritual awakening as the effect of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the society at large.
The main effect of revival is to awaken and revive the church. Something which already has spiritual life is now being restored and renewed. Spiritual awakening is the act of people coming to Christ and being brought to new life in Jesus Christ.
In Acts 2, on the Day of Pentecost, we see people passing from death to life, from a status of not being born again to being born again. I think that would be better described as a spiritual awakening. But I acknowledge that somebody else might use different definitions for this terminology.
What does Ecclesiastes 1:18 mean by saying, ‘For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow’?Solomon was the author of Ecclesiastes. Throughout the book, Solomon writes from the perspective of looking at the world apart from eternity. He repeatedly uses the phrase under the sun. This concept of under the sun is a life lived without consideration of eternity, as if this life is all there is. He repeatedly brings up this theme, that the pursuit of anything without an eternal perspective, including wisdom, is simply vain. It’s vanity, it’s empty, it comes up meaningless.
Only if we will come to the wisdom of an eternal perspective and understand the eternal nature of God and the eternal nature of man within God’s plan, do we start coming to true wisdom. That’s what he’s getting at in this passage. Apart from an understanding of God and eternity, even wisdom can be vain and empty. So, he repeats that same general theme again and again throughout Ecclesiastes: the emptiness of everything in life, apart from a consideration of eternity and the God who governs eternity.
For a more in-depth explanation, I would recommend my verse-by-verse commentary on the book of Ecclesiastes to you.
What does it sound like to sing in tongues as 1 Corinthians 14:15 mentions? Is that something we should incorporate into our worship songs?It would sound like singing in another language because tongues are actually a language. Obviously, it would be melodic, and the words would not be understood by most people present.
Now, is this something that should be incorporated into our worship songs? Just by the way you phrase it, I would say no, because it sounds like it’s something that can be engineered, or something that can be done on command.
Because such a thing would be a public utterance in tongues, it should very much be led by the Holy Spirit and done according to the order given in the New Testament. I don’t think that it’s something to plan or engineer. Potentially, if it happened sovereignly and spontaneously by the Holy Spirit, that might be another matter altogether. But I don’t think it’s something that necessarily should be planned on or engineered within a worship service.
Is there any significance to near-death experiences, and people who profit from these stories?Have you ever heard of a near death experience from someone who hasn’t written a book or gone on a TV show? Is there any significance to these? What should we think of these accounts that people are earning money from?
I do remember some people telling me about near-death experiences that they’ve had, and they weren’t writing books or selling videos or making a name for themselves.
What do I think about people who make money off of such things? I think we should be very suspicious of such accounts. Some of these accounts have been demonstrated to be fraudulent. I think that’s something to be aware of, and to be very cautious about
Not every spiritual experience is given to a person so that they can share it with others. I think this is something we’ve forgotten. Everybody wants to be famous and to have their fifteen minutes of fame. People oftentimes try to make a name for themselves.
Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that somebody had such a legitimate experience, and really did have some kind of heavenly vision or something like that. To them I would say, don’t share it. That’s between you and the Lord. There’s nothing necessary for you to share. Oh, sure, there are people who could be amazed by it, and you probably make some money off it. But those aren’t compelling reasons to share something.
The Bible gives us an interesting example of this. Paul, writing in 2 Corinthians 12, spoke of his heavenly vision. He spoke of it so reluctantly that he wouldn’t even directly say that it was his own personal experience; he spoke in the third person. Paul said that the things he saw were inexpressible things which he couldn’t utter. In other words, there was more to what he experienced that Paul didn’t tell us about. The only reason he shared it was to get to another idea, the reason why God allowed a thorn in the flesh in his life.
Here’s the principle. Paul rarely shared it. He only reluctantly shared it, and he shared it in such a detached way that it wasn’t even entirely clear that it was him who had this experience. I would advise people today who are taken with some spiritual experience like that to have the same kind of reluctance in sharing. I’m suspicious of anybody who wants to make a name or make money for themselves off of such a thing.
How do I study the history of the Bible, translations of manuscripts, and denominations?How do I study the history of the Bible and the Word of God? I am confused on how the Catholic church relates to Christianity, translations of Hebrew and Greek, and all of the different denominations.
These are some very broad questions. God bless you for wanting to know those things. I’ll recommend a few resources.
First of all, I recommend a classic resource for you. It’s old, but I find that a lot of older books are really good. It’s called Halley’s Bible Handbook. It gives a great background on the Bible, how the Bible came into being, the background of each book of the Bible, and it also has a section summarizing church history. You’re asking about subjects to which people devote their whole lives studying just a small part of that topic. But Halley’s Bible Handbook is a great place to start.
Having been blessed with much, is it presumptuous to think the blessings will continue?I’ve been incredibly blessed, and I know that I don’t deserve anything I’ve been given. I struggle with pessimism because I feel it’s presumptuous to think I will continue to be so blessed. What are your thoughts on this?
I see some good and some bad in the way that you describe your feeling here. Here’s the good part. You’re not presuming upon the blessing of God. It would be strange for us presume that everything should be comfortable, easy, and great in our life all the time. Jesus did say to us, “In the world you will have tribulation.” Now, I don’t think we have to be defeated or depressed by that tribulation, because Jesus also said, “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” So, we don’t have to be upset, filled with anxiety, or depressed. But we shouldn’t expect everything to go well all the time either. That’s what Jesus and the rest of the Bible says.
Paul spoke to the Thessalonians about the affliction that they were appointed to. God has appointed some affliction to us in our life. Again, that doesn’t mean we have to be defeated. We thank the Lord that there is victory in Jesus Christ. So, I like it that there’s a humble attitude of not presuming, but there’s a bad aspect to what you’re saying here.
You shouldn’t feel for a moment that God’s blessing is something that you have to earn. That’s the Old Covenant way of thinking, that blessing is received by earning and deserving. That’s Old Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant. That’s “law” thinking. Under grace, blessing is received by believing and receiving. There is something wonderful about the believer who simply believes that God wants to bless them. And we’re not saying God wants to bless them by making everything easy and wonderful and comfortable in their life all the time. That’s not the blessing we’re looking for. But we can say, “In whatever adversity I may face, there’s a blessing of God in it.”
As believers, we can believe that God wants to bless us, not because we are so wonderful, but because the God we serve is so wonderful. That is a wonderful triumph and a victory in faith. That’s the attitude I would recommend having. It’s presumptuous to think that God wants to bless me because I’m so wonderful. But it’s not presumptuous to think that God wants to bless me because of who I am in Jesus Christ, because of how great Jesus is and how loving and gracious God is. That’s very solid, New Covenant ground to walk on.
What do you make of it when a church says the Zodiac was good and it was the Mazzaroth?Job 38:32 – Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?
The Mazzaroth is mentioned in Job, and the Psalms speak about God arranging the stars. There’s a thought within Christian theology which says that God originally gave an outline of the story of salvation in the stars, and that that story of salvation was later corrupted into the Zodiac.
So, I would be very careful with a church like that because Christians shouldn’t be glorifying or promoting the Zodiac. But if a Christian wants to say that the Zodiac is a corrupted version of something that God spelled out before, I think we can give a little bit of latitude to that kind of thinking.
But it must be emphasized that the Zodiac, astrology, astrological signs, astrological fortune telling, and all that is a demonic corruption of something which perhaps God used at one time to communicate something of the story of salvation to humanity through the constellations in the stars. I have heard this idea. I would grant it a little bit of credence, and I don’t think that I would call it heretical, but I don’t have a lot of confidence in it.
How can we be sure that what we believe is correct?How can we be sure that what we believe is correct? You hear how Calvinists believe, then how another group believes – I’m so confused about what is correct. Please help!
I understand. Sometimes Christians like to argue a lot about theology. They like to dispute. Sometimes those arguments are helpful and beneficial, but not always. Paul talks about the danger of always arguing about words and phrases without really coming to any resolution on things. So, I think there is a legitimate danger in that kind of arguing.
But those discussions can also have legitimate purpose and help a believer to stand strong for the faith. I think that what you need to do is just read your Bible, take it slow, and don’t feel like you need to have an answer for everything right away.
I want you to know, I feel pretty secure in my theological understanding. I’m still learning. I’m still being corrected on things for sure. But I feel pretty confident. I’m not worried about what to believe about this or that. No, I’m pretty confident my theological understanding. But I’ve been doing this for almost 50 years. I’ve been a believer for more than 45 years. Don’t feel like you need to be in a hurry to have an answer for everything.
If you’re really interested in a specific subject, spend a lot of time reading your Bible about that subject. And then maybe read some books that people have written about that subject, whether it’s heavy theology, or just kind of light theology, whatever it would be. But most importantly, spend time in your Bible and make sure that whatever you believe is rooted and grounded in the Bible.
Look, I’m not a Calvinist. I don’t subscribe to Reformed theology. Although let me say that I don’t regard myself as anti-Calvinist or anti-Reformed theology. I’ve received a lot of blessing and edification over the years from reformed writers and theologians, especially some of the older ones. So even though I’m not reformed in my theology, I feel like I have something to learn from people. And maybe there’s something they could teach me, so I want to be open to that. But I know that my reformed brothers, at least the better ones among them, believe what they believe because they believe the Bible teaches it, and they have a way to explain it biblically. I think that they may prioritize some things differently than I would, or they may put some thoughts or concept differently, but they’re not crazy for what they believe; not at all. And I can respect that, because it has a biblical grounding, even though I think in some places it comes to some wrong conclusions.
If we have a new heart, why does the Bible say our heart is deceitful?If we have a new heart, why does the Bible say our heart is deceitful? Shouldn’t we consider our hearts to be new as believers and not deceitful?
Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9 talks about the heart being deceitful above all things. That’s in the book of Jeremiah, which was written before God instituted the New Covenant in which people are given a new heart. Please remember that the new heart which God promises in salvation is a product of the New Covenant. Jeremiah wrote in an Old Covenant context. People who loved the Lord in the days of Jeremiah did not have the new heart that was promised to people under the New Covenant, because the New Covenant had not yet been instituted by Jesus Christ.
Now, that doesn’t mean that the believer can trust his heart in the way that most people think. The person who is born again by God’s Spirit does have a new heart. In Ezekiel, it was promised as part of the New Covenant that God would remove their heart of flesh and give them a new heart, on which God’s law is written. The new heart can be trusted, so to speak, because it’s born again by God’s Spirit.
But here’s the thing: it may not always be easy for a believer to discern which feelings, impressions, or thoughts come from their new heart, and what might come from their flesh or some aspect of their old nature. We may just sense it as an inward feeling. As a believer, do you really know if that inward feeling within you comes from a new heart, or if it comes from the flesh, or a worldly influence, or some aspect of the old nature? We’re accustomed to saying that any inward feeling is our heart. But not every inward feeling which a believer has is something that comes forth from their new heart. I think that’s the discrepancy.
First of all, we must understand the difference between Old Covenant and New Covenant. Secondly, we understand that even under the New Covenant, the fact that we have a new heart doesn’t mean that every inward feeling is wholly good and true. Even with the new heart, we can still have inward feelings that come from the flesh, that are influenced by the world, or which are in some way connected to our old nature.
Why doesn’t the Bible ever mention God giving Eve the breath of life?What does it mean that the Bible never mentions God giving Eve the breath of life when she was created from Adam’s rib/side? Is it implied?
Yes, it’s implied. Think of it this way. God made Adam from non-living substance, the dust of the ground. But God made Eve from living substance, Adam’s side. That distinction may be relevant here. God created Eve out of matter that already had life in it. It was living substance. God created Adam out of the dust of the ground, which had no life in it. That may be part of the reason why there is no specific mention of Eve being given the breath of life.
Is speaking in tongues the only evidence of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life?My pastor says that unless we speak in tongues, we don’t have evidence that we have the Holy Spirit. What is your perspective on this?
I would respectfully disagree with your pastor on that. Sometimes the gift of tongues is imitated or feigned; it can be faked. The legitimate gift of tongues is an evidence of being filled with the Spirit or baptized in the Spirit, but in no way would I say that it is the evidence.
The evidence of being filled with the Spirit and walking in the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit in somebody’s life. Remember that description from Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” All those things are characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit. That’s the mark of someone truly being filled with the Spirit. Spiritual gifts or signs can be an evidence, but they are certainly not the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
If a person doesn’t have love, joy, peace, long-suffering, self-control, gentleness, and all those things that mark the fruit of the Spirit as described in Paul’s letters, I don’t want to hear about what amazing spiritual gifts they have. You need to have the fruit of the Spirit evident in your life. That’s the real evidence that you are filled with the Spirit.
When will the saints who die after the Rapture get their new glorified eternal bodies?When will the saints who die between the Rapture and Satan’s release from the bottomless pit get their new glorified eternal bodies?
The Bible doesn’t tell us directly, so I think it would be presumptuous to claim something directly. But I would suppose that one option would be to receive their glorified bodies upon death. The saints who lived during the Millennium will have extremely long lifespans, but they will die. So, they could receive a resurrection body upon death. A second possibility is that they could receive resurrection bodies at the end of the age, when Satan is defeated in the final battle and things are resolved in God’s plan, and things move on to the Great White Throne Judgment. I would say it’s one of those two places, although we have to admit that the Scriptures do not give us specific details about it.
Ezekiel 36:17 begins with, “son of man.” Is this the Lord talking to the Lord about what He is going to do?No. In the book of Ezekiel, “son of man” is a reference to Ezekiel the prophet. It’s something that God called Ezekiel, kind of emphasizing his humanness. When Jesus used the term Son of Man of Himself in the Gospels, He was connecting it back with the book of Daniel, where the Son of Man is a Messianic figure attributed with God’s judgment and glory. So, when Jesus uses the figure “Son of Man,” He’s not meaning it in the Ezekiel sense of just another human being, a man who’s a man. He’s tying it back to Daniel, where Daniel speaks about seeing the Son of Man in the apocalyptic sense.
How can we simply explain the gospel?When someone asks, “What is the gospel?” what’s the simplest answer we can give before going into depth? I know the gospel but find myself a bit anxious when having to state it in a short sentence.
I’ll give you the best description of the gospel that I can. First of all, remember what the word gospel means. The word gospel means good news. So, the gospel is a message; it’s good news.
Here’s how I would define the gospel. The gospel is the good news of what God has done to rescue fallen humanity in the person and work of Jesus Christ, especially by what He did in dying on the cross and rising from the dead. That’s simply how I would describe it. That’s the gospel. That’s the good news. That’s essentially Paul’s description of the gospel in the first few verses of 1 Corinthians 15.
Does revival start with a believer repenting? What are some sources to study revival?Normally, yes. We don’t want to make rules for revival. One of the hallmarks of revival is that God may do things a bit differently. But normally, customarily, repentance is a huge part of that work because judgment begins at the house of God. God generally cleans things up and gets things in order in His house first before an outpouring of the Holy Spirit happens. That’s a common pattern.
There are some great revival resources by the late Dr. J. Edwin Orr available on our YouTube channel and other sources on the Internet. I recommend those to you highly. Yes, I would say that revival normally begins with repentance among believers and getting things right among the household of God.
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Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Paul had a lot to say to the Corinthian Christians, because they needed a lot of instruction and guidance. While Paul’s words were necessary and inspired by the Holy Spirit, the words alone were not enough. The believers in Corinth also needed examples of how to live the Christian life, and Paul was one of those examples.
That’s why Paul told the Corinthian Christians, Imitate me. Paul knew he followed Jesus, so he did not hesitate to tell the Corinthian Christians to imitate his walk with the Lord. Knowing believers need examples, Paul was willing to step up and be one.
It seems like there are few people today who are willing to say what Paul said. Instead, because of compromise and ungodliness, we are quick to say, “Don’t look at me, look at Jesus.” While it is true that we must all ultimately look to Jesus, every one of us should be an example of those who look to Jesus.
Paul simply did what he would later tell his young associate Timothy to do: Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity (1 Timothy 4:12). This meant that Timothy, and every godly servant of God, should be an example in what they say (word). They should be an example in what they do (conduct), in their love, in their attitude (spirit), in their faith, and in their purity.
In the specific context of the whole letter to the Corinthians, it is somewhat difficult to know if Paul’s words here relate to the context before or after. Does Paul think back to 1 Corinthians 10, and therefore mean, “Follow my example as I seek to bless others instead of pleasing myself”? Or, does Paul refer to what is to follow in 1 Corinthians 11, and therefore mean, “Follow my example as I respect God’s order and authority in the church”? Though he most likely connects his role as an example with what went before in 1 Corinthians 10, Paul was a good example in both cases.
Paul said more than “follow my example.” He added to that idea, just as I also imitate Christ. Paul knew he was an example, and a good example at that. He also knew that it was not “Paul” who was a worthy example, but “Paul the follower of Jesus” who was the example.
When the believer lives after the example of Jesus, then they are a worthy example to follow. God’s work in every one of His people is to conform them into the image of His son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). The more like Jesus we are, the better examples we will be.
So, look for ways that others are following Jesus. When you see some of the love, grace, power, courage, or compassion of Jesus in action, receive it as an example – and remember that you can be the example that someone else needs.
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Is Only One Denomination Right?Is Only One Denomination Right?This Tuesday I did a brief test stream, to sort out a few things related to a different way we are scheduling our Thursday Q&A time. We only had a few viewers, and it wasn’t a time to ask questions, but one enterprising live viewer asked a question and in tribute to him, I thought I would use that as our lead question today.
By the way: Thanks for praying for our Africa trip! Our time in Kenya and Uganda was genuinely blessed and I think fruitful for God’s kingdom.
Our plan is to be in Germany next week, so God willing we will do the Q&A next Thursday from my conference location in Siegen, Germany – a small city in the southeast corner of the province of Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Here’s our lead question for today, from Alfredo:
Is it Biblically sound to say that just as God favored Abel’s offering over Cain’s that there is only ONE way to worship God and thus only one denomination or sect of Christianity is CORRECT?
In addressing the question, “Is Only One Denomination Right?” today I am only going to speak about it regarding worship. There is a LOT more that can be said about Christian denominations when it comes to doctrine, ministry, stands on modern cultural issues, and so forth. Because the question was only about worship, we’ll confine the reply to that.
Genesis 4:3-12 describes the actions of Cain and Abel, and Cain’s sin of murder.
Does this mean there is only ONE way to worship God? Yes.
Hebrews 11:4 tells us what was better about Abel’s offering:
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
So, there is only ONE way to truly worship God: by faith.
To add to that a little, look at the words of Jesus in John 4:24:
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
We can say, there is only ONE way to truly worship God: By faith, and in spirit and truth.
Any Christian or any Christian denomination that truly worships God in faith, and in spirit and truth, is a true Christian denomination. This is the basis for true worship: it is not found in places and trappings, but in spirit and truth.
- To worship in spirit means you are concerned with spiritual realities, not so much with places or outward sacrifices, cleansings, and trappings.
- To worship in truth means you worship according to the whole counsel of God’s word, especially considering the New Testament revelation. It also means that you come to God in truth, not in pretense or a mere display of spirituality.
For me, the liturgies, ceremonies, vestments, bells, rituals, images, and the rest present in many churches makes it more difficult to worship God in spirit and truth. But I recognize that isn’t the case for all my brothers and sisters in God’s family. So, I would say to or say about my brothers and sisters in the Orthodox communions, and my brothers and sisters in more liturgical churches: I trust your forms or worship are helpful for your worship of God in spirit and truth. Your forms aren’t helpful for me, but I’m not going to judge if they are helpful for you or not. But if they aren’t helpful – you should seek to worship God with forms and places that are helpful for the essential things that should mark Christian worship: spirit, truth, and faith.
One more thing: It’s commonly said that there are 30,000 or 40,000 Christian denominations. I have no idea where people get that figure, and to me it seems absurdly high. I wouldn’t accept that figure without knowing how they calculate it, and perhaps actually seeing a list of what they claim are the 30 or 40 thousand denominations.
Which is the correct rendering of Psalm 22:16?Which is the correct rendering of Psalm 22:16? “They pierced my hands and my feet” or “Like a lion my hands and my feet”?
From my preliminary research of that psalm some time ago, I think that They pierced my hands and feet is a better rendering. Of course, as with many things in ancient manuscripts, there can be some debate about the correct meaning of old words in the Hebrew language. There is some evidence for the alternative rendering, like a lion my hands and feet. But I think that the better evidence is on the side of pierced; that seems to connect better with other passages of Scripture upon which the idea would be built.
Did Origen corrupt the Septuagint? Are there other ancient church fathers besides Jerome who independently decry the Septuagint?Not to my knowledge. I don’t regard myself as an expert on the early church fathers; I have a very cursory familiarity with them. But I don’t know of early church fathers who decried the Septuagint.
I have a generally favorable attitude towards the Septuagint, since it was the Bible used by the New Testament church. When Jesus and the Apostles are quoting the Old Testament, they’re usually quoting from the Septuagint.
The Septuagint is a translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, which we commonly call the Old Testament. It’s a translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. That happened about 250 years before the time of Jesus Christ. A team of 70 or so Jewish scholars translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. It was a significant translation and a great translation. It’s known as the Septuagint because it refers to the seventy scholars that translated this work. You can get translations of the Septuagint into English and other languages as well.
Is it right to think that we are nothing to God?Is it right to think that we are nothing to God? He gave His Son for us. So that is confusing to me.
No, I don’t think that’s the right way to think. We are something to God. God loves us. God sent His Son to redeem fallen humanity, even though mankind is in sin and rebellion. The only reason that matters to God is because we aresomething before Him. If mankind were truly nothing before the Lord, then why would the Lord care? Why would it matter to God at all if we sinned?
For those of you who own pets, I trust that in general your dog is a good dog, but there are times when your dog is a bad dog, and he does bad or destructive things. I don’t think God is concerned with the sins of dogs in the same way that He is concerned with the sins of human beings. Why? Well, because we’re something to God. We matter to Him in a way that surpasses the way in which regards any dogs or other animals in this world.
So, it’s not right to think that we’re nothing to God. We are something to Him. I think that God’s concern and offense over our sinful state is rooted in the fact that we are something to Him, that we are made in His image.
I do want to caution you, there’s a wrong way to think about this. The wrong way to think about this follows these lines. “I’m so awesome that even God is concerned with me and is thinking about me.” That’s the wrong way to think about it. For whatever reason that God thinks about us, is concerned with us, and we matter to Him, it’s not intrinsically because we’re so awesome. It’s because He’s so awesome. The truth is, God is so awesome that He thinks about even us.
Since God is omniscient, why does it seem that God was expecting another attitude from Israel and He was surprised when they sinned (Jeremiah 3:7-8)?Jeremiah 3:7-8 – “And I said, after she had done all these things, ‘Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.”
This is a good question. It’s fairly simply explained. God speaks to us in human terms; the technical word for that is anthropomorphism. God speak to us in ways that we can understand, and which relate to us. We do it all the time with other things. Since I mentioned dogs before, let’s keep talking about dogs. When you see that your dog is sad, you’ll say the dog is sad, even though you don’t understand the exact emotion going on inside him. But the human parallel to whatever your dog is going through is sadness. Or the human parallel to whatever your dog is expressing is happiness. We don’t know exactly how sadness and happiness work within the mind of a dog, but we can make a human analogy to it. And the human analogy has some accuracy. You’re not crazy to say your dog is sad or happy. That’s a very natural and accurate way to think, even though technically there can be some difference between dog sadness and human sadness or dog happiness and human happiness.
In the same way, God speaks to us about Himself in terms that we can understand. We’re not God. The distance between humanity and the canine world is much smaller than distance between us and God. Yet God loves to reveal Himself. So, He speaks to us sometimes in the only ways we can understand Him, by putting Himself in human terms.
In this passage, God wants to relate how the betrayals of Judah and Israel were received by Him. The only way He can do it is by expressing a sense of surprise. Was God actually surprised? No, that’s not it. But it’s the best way for God to explain it to us, by expressing Himself in human terms, even though the exact thing doesn’t really apply to Him. That’s the way that God can and does express Himself to us. You’ll find these examples in other situations too, such as when the Bible says that God repents, or it implies that God changed His mind. Again, we know that God, the Eternal, the Divine, does not do these things. But it’s the best way that God can explain to us what He was thinking, experiencing, and acting upon.
Where do the souls of both the saved and the lost go to await eternity, who die in the 1007 years between the Rapture and Judgment Day?I’ll give a quick answer. There’s not one single passage of Scripture that spells out these events from beginning to end. By piecing together several different passages, I’ll tell you how I understand it, and I’m not alone in this opinion. There are differing opinions on this in the Christian world. But here’s how I would explain it.
Before the finished work of Jesus Christ, all the dead went to a place called Hades or Sheol, the place of the dead. In the place of the dead, there was an area of blessedness and comfort. That place was referred to as the bosom of Abraham. There was also a place of torment and agony. That place has no specific name; it’s just the place of torment and agony. The believing dead went to the place of comfort and blessing, while the unbelieving dead, those outside of God and rejecting Christ, even in advance of His coming, went to the place of torment.
When Jesus finished His work on the cross, He went to the place of blessedness and comfort, and led those people with Him to heaven. They could go to heaven because the price was finally paid by what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Up until then, the price was not yet paid. There was an intention of it being paid, but it was not finally paid until Jesus accomplished what He did on the cross. And then Jesus led those people to heaven.
However, the place of torment in Hades remains, and that is the place where the unbelieving and Christ-rejecting dead go right now. Technically, they don’t go to hell yet. They go to Hades or Sheol, and it’s a place of torment. But now those who die in the Lord go directly to heaven. As the Apostle Paul said, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”
The Lord is in heaven, the believing dead are with Him in Heaven, and the place of the blessing in Sheol or Hades, known as the bosom of Abraham, is closed for business. Now those who die in the Lord go immediately to be with the Lord in heaven. At the final judgment, those who are in Hades will appear before God at the Great White Throne of Judgment, and then they will be sent to Gehenna, the Lake of Fire, what we usually think of as hell. That’s a very quick summation of what I understand the Bible to say concerning where the souls of the saved and the souls of the lost go when they die. Again, that’s what happens right now.
You specifically asked what happens to them between the Rapture and the Judgment Day, during the time of the Millennium. I would think that those who die in the Lord in that period will go straight to heaven, and those who die apart from Christ in that period will go to Hades, because the final judgment does not happen until after the Millennium, after those 1007 years that you mentioned. The unbelievers would either go to Hades to await the final judgment, which happens afterwards, and the believers would go directly to heaven.
Does repent mean to change one’s mind, or does it mean to turn from sin?Does repent mean to change one’s mind, or does it mean to turn from sin? Many I know say in order to get saved, do you have to repent and believe. They describe repentance as turning from sin. Do you have to turn from sin and believe to be saved? Or just believe? Please provide an answer and explain a way that’s explicit and comprehensive, so I can understand this and send this video to my friends. Thank you.
Yes, it means both. It’s a changing of the mind that will show itself in action. It’s not merely a change in thinking, although it includes that. It’s a change in thinking that is so true and thorough that it will result in action, a changing of the life to turn from sin.
Here’s an illustration. Let’s say I’m driving a car, and I’m faced with a fork in the road. I can go to the right, or I can go to the left. And let’s say I also know or at least believe that the road going to the left is out, there is terrible danger, and I’ll die for sure. On the other hand, going to the right means safety. I believe I should go to the right.
But if I actually go on the way to the left, while believing I should have gone on the way to the right, then my actions aren’t consistent with what I believe. I don’t really believe it. Real belief, real change in mind, will result not just in thinking but in actions.
Sometimes, repentance is primarily a matter of changing our thinking. Let me give you an example from the first century. On the day of Pentecost, when 3000 people came to faith in Jesus Christ, Peter specifically called them to repent in his sermon. You might wonder, what did these godly Jews have to repent of? We assume they were righteous since they were there at the feast. If they were godly Jews, there was very little in their conduct that they had to repent of; maybe just something like their conduct while offering sacrifices for atonement. Technically they were no longer to do offer sacrifices because Jesus had fulfilled all the atonement. But if they were godly Jews, they were already not lying and not stealing. They were living in a way honoring to God. They loved their neighbor and cared for one another. They were concerned with justice and righteousness. I could go on and on.
So, assuming these people were godly Jews, repentance for them meant a change of thinking. They had to change their mind about who Jesus Christ was. And they did. Whereas before they saw Him as an accursed person who deserved to die, now they looked at Jesus and saw the Messiah, the Savior of the world, the one to whom they should submit their lives and follow all the days of their life.
In their moral conduct, there wasn’t much of a change required for most of the Jews who put their faith in Jesus, who repented on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. For them, repentance was mainly a matter of changing their thinking.
But now, I want you to think of a pagan. The Gospel didn’t go out to the pagans and Gentiles for several years, but once it did, think about their lifestyle. Pagans were worshipping their idols with all sorts of sexual immorality, they thought like normal Greeks regarding drunkenness, sexual morality, and all the rest of it. When these people believed in Jesus, of course they had to change their minds, but they also have to bring their lives into conformity to God’s standard of morality. And those changes might not happen all at once. Those changes won’t be finished until they’re in their glorified bodies.
There needs to be a determination when a person believes in Christ, saying, “I’m going to turn from sin and self and I’m going to turn towards Jesus.” Repentance and faith are like two sides of the same coin. The one side faith is saying, “I’m going to turn towards Jesus Christ and put my trust in Him.” But I can’t turn towards Jesus without turning my back on sin and self. And that’s what repentance is. Repentance is moving away from sin and self. Faith is moving towards Jesus. I can’t do one without doing the other.
That’s the explanation of repentance and faith that makes the most sense to me. Repentance is actually an important component of faith, to say, “I believe in Jesus, I trust in Him, I rely on Him, I cling to Him.” That’s what biblical faith really is; it’s not just intellectual agreement. But to say that I believe in Jesus indeed must have a corresponding effect on how I act with my life.
Do the Rapture and the repentance of Israel happen at the same time? Does Christ’s second coming restore Israel?Is Zechariah 12:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and Revelation 1:7 the same event (the rapture and when Israel repents)? And does Mark 13:26-27 refer to Christ’s second coming with the saints (millennial reign) to restore Israel?
Zechariah 12:20 – “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Revelation 1:7 – Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
Mark 13:26-27 – “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.”
I don’t believe Zechariah 12:10 is the same event as the Rapture, but it is connected to Israel’s obvious repentance, which is really part of the New Covenant. I find it a fascinating subject, that the New Covenant isn’t only about Jesus’ atonement, making a new relationship with God, and the outpouring of the Spirit. Those are obvious aspects of the New Covenant. But another aspect of it that doesn’t get spoken about a lot is the gathering and restoration of Israel and their coming to faith. So, I would regard that as part of the New Covenant, but not technically part of the Rapture. It’s connected to the Rapture, in that when God takes away His church, He will turn the focus of His redemptive plan upon Israel again, instead of the nations as a whole. Now, that doesn’t mean that God has no interest in the nations when He turns His focus upon Israel, not at all. Nor does it mean that God has no interest in Israel while His focus now is on the broader nations. Of course not. The two things don’t contradict each other. But it’s a matter of focus in God’s redemptive plan of the ages.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 speaks about the catching away of the church.
Revelation 1:7 is a reference to the glorious return of Jesus, which some people refer to as the Second Coming.
The coming of Jesus described in Revelation 19 and Mark 13, seeing the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory, is referring to something that the whole earth, every eye on Earth, will see happening. I would call this event the glorious return of Jesus.
In the bigger picture, I see the Second Coming is having two distinct aspects: the first is the catching away of the church with Jesus, and the second is the glorious return of Jesus with His church and the angelic host to conquer a God-rejecting world.
What does “in spirit and truth” mean?To worship in spirit means that you’re concerned about spiritual realities, and not so much about places or outward sacrifices. If a person has the attitude that they can only worship God in a particular building, or at a particular place, or by a tree outside, then they’re not really worshipping God in spirit. Their worship of God requires something material, not something spiritual. Spiritual worship means that I’m concerned with spiritual realities more than material realities. That’s what it fundamentally means to worship God in spirit.
To worship God in truth means that you worship Him in consistency with the truth, in agreement with what God reveals to us in the Bible. If somebody is worshipping a god of their own imagination, they’re not worshiping God in truth. If somebody is worshiping God in a way that’s directly contradictory to His Word, they’re not worshiping Him in truth.Imagine a group of people who claim to be Christians, who gather together and say, “Let’s have a seance and worship the Lord.” No. Your seance is not worship, because it’s not according to truth. It’s directly contradictory to what God says we should do.
That’s the quick way I would summarize what it means to worship God in spirit and in truth.
Even though the Word has many examples of Jesus being God the Son, why is it that Jesus never explicitly said “I am God”?Since this is something that the Scriptures don’t specifically say, there’s no given explanation. The best we can do is speculate a little bit, and I’m happy to do that. But I want to draw the line between what we might speculate or guess at and what the Bible specifically tells us.
First of all, Jesus did very clearly say that He was God. Now, I don’t know if Jesus publicly said, “I am God the Son.” But when He said, “I and My Father are One,” He was claiming to be God the Son. The people who heard Him clearly understood that claim, because they picked up stones to stone Him, and they specifically said it was because He claimed to be God.
So, in ways that were completely clear and relevant to His audience, Jesus did publicly proclaim His deity. As for why He didn’t use that specific formulation of words, or use it often, I can’t say. Maybe the way those exact words would have sounded in the ears of His immediate listeners would have caused confusion. Jesus obviously didn’t want to confuse His listeners; He wanted to teach them.
To those of us on this side of 2000 years of Christian influence and teaching, it would have seemed perfectly clear, but it might have caused confusion among His first listeners. I would say that’s the best approach I could give to you for that.
What is a transactional relationship with God?Please explain the meaning of a transactional relationship with God. I heard about it as you expounded on Psalm 37:4 and biblical promises of sound transactional forgiveness, the Lord’s Prayer.
I’m glad you asked this question, because it’s worth explaining. When God makes a specific promise, there is some transactional aspect to it. For example, God says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). There’s a sense in which we can come to God and say, “Lord, You said right here in Your Word that if I confess my sin to You, then You are faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me of all unrighteous. So, Lord, I’m going to come and confess my sin to You. And I believe that You’re going to do for me what You promised to do when I confess my sin.” You’re absolutely right; there is a sense in which that’s transactional. But it’s transactional based on God’s specific invitation to us in His promise.
On the other hand, a transactional relationship with God concerns areas that are not specifically promised to us as believers. God never promised that if we obey Him in a certain way, and do what He wants us to do, then He’s going to give us whatever we want. God doesn’t promise that. God does promise that as our desires align with His, then as Jesus said, “You can ask what you will, and it shall be done for you.” But that’s because our desires have aligned with His. God is under no obligation to fulfill our desires which are unaligned with His.
Some people have the attitude of, “Well, God, I’ve been serving and honoring You. Therefore, give me what I want. I want a certain job, I want a certain relationship, I want a certain school placement.” And then they get very distressed and disturbed when it doesn’t come through. That is what I would refer to as a transactional relationship with God. Think of a vending machine, where you enter some coins, punch a button, and it gives you what you requested. Some people think of God in that way, assuming that they can do what God says, pull the lever, and expect that He’ll give them whatever they want.
There is some analogy to that in the legitimate promises of God, but the transactional problem in relationship with God really concerns the things that God has not directly promised to us.
Must we tell people to turn from sin and believe to be saved, or to just believe?Do we need to tell people to turn from sin and believe? Or do we expect them to first only believe and then to turn from sin after they are saved? Because if you’re not saved yet, turning from sin would be done in your own strength.
Yes, I think we should tell people that they do need to turn from sin and self and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. “Repent” is an important message for Christians to preach. In a great sermon from the late Dr. J. Edwin Orr, he pointed out that “repent” was the first word of John the Baptist when he preached; it was the first word of Jesus when He started preaching; it was the first word of the disciples when they preached; it was the first word of Peter when he preached; it was the first word of Paul when he preached. You could say that “repent” is the first word of the gospel.
We don’t want to call people to a belief which has no connection to their life. True belief will result in repentance. People need to be willing to turn from sin and self. Now, we don’t expect them to clean themselves up before they come to God. That’s not the idea at all. But the question is, are you coming to God, willing to turn your back on and leave behind sin and self? If a person isn’t willing to do that, then they’re not ready to come to Jesus.
Let’s say a person is a thief on every level. They steal by hacking bank accounts, they steal with corrupt insider trading, they steal by taking the handbags of little old ladies; they are a thief on every level. You’d be doing a disservice to that person by telling them that they can be a believer and be born again yet not give up their stealing. No, for that person, turning to Jesus and putting their faith in Him would mean turning away from stealing.
Now, obviously, they can’t do that without God’s strength in them. But a person shouldn’t come to faith under the wrong impression that they can be a Christian thief, or a Christian fornicator, or a Christian practicing homosexual, or whatever it may be. These things are contradictions to faith.
We need to let people know honestly that the Christian life means turning one’s back on sin and turning one’s back on self. It is not merely an intellectual agreement with Christian ideas. It’s a surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. That should be explained.
Do Christians cremate?Well, they certainly can. By tradition, some Christian denominations do not cremate. They think it disrespects God’s promise to resurrect the body. Because they want to respect God’s promise to resurrect the body, they don’t want to disrespect it. So that’s why they refuse to cremate. But there’s nothing in the Scripture which prohibits cremation.
Cremation does to the body in 30 minutes what ten years in the ground does to the body. So, it really doesn’t make any difference. The body will decay and turn to ashes and dust in one way or another. I don’t think there’s any Scriptural prohibition to cremation; there are just some Christian traditions who prohibit cremation.
What are the basic or fundamental portions of Scripture to understand the anointing?1 John 2:20 – But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
John says to all believers, “You have an anointing.” Every true believer, every person who is sealed by the Spirit of God, has an anointing from God. They are sealed and anointed with the Holy Spirit. That’s what anointing is.
Anointing refers to the application of oil onto something. If something has had oil applied to it, it has been anointed. Symbolically, the Holy Spirit is pictured as oil many times. Therefore, the sealing of the Holy Spirit and the presence of the Holy Spirit within a person can be described as anointing.
In 1 John 2:20, John says to all believers, “You have an anointing.” Now, there are many people who, when they talk about anointing, actually mean a spiritual gifting. That’s diverse among the body of Christ. The Bible says that God distributes gift within His church family, His body, as He pleases. Some have a gift of helps, some have a gift of exhortation, some have a gift of compassion, some have a gift of mercy, some have a gift of teaching, some have a gift of evangelism.
God gives many different gifts to His people. Sometimes people say anointing when they really mean that a person is gifted. The concepts are related, but they’re not the same. There’s a sense of anointing that is common to every believer, but not every believer is gifted in the same way or in the same measure.
Do we know if Jesus’ Transfiguration happened on Mount Hermon? Or Mount Tabor?No, we don’t know. I lean towards saying it was Mount Hermon. But the evidence isn’t entirely clear.
Can you explain the difference between a simple saving faith versus the gift of faith?Every person who is born again has saving faith. However, God gives a particular gift of faith. This would be a remarkable ability to trust God in a specific circumstance. It’s not the common faith which everyone who believes has; this is a unique gifting of the Holy Spirit, the ability to trust God in remarkable or maybe even an unusual way, in a specific circumstance.
Abel was the first to die. Where did he go? And was he there alone?Yes, I would say he was there alone. I would say that Abel went to this place of blessing for the dead in Sheol, which is referred to as the bosom of Abraham, even though Abraham wasn’t even born yet. Apparently, he waited there a while. I hope God was close to him in fellowship there in Sheol, because he would have waited a while for the next person to come.
Will God still treat or discipline a sinner in the way He treated Job, even though Jesus died for our sins?Ephesians 1:10 and Ephesians 3:10 tell us that God uses believers to teach angelic beings. So yes, God still uses believers to teach angelic beings. But what happened to Job wasn’t really discipline. It wasn’t punishment. There was no sin on Job’s part that prompted it. God was using Job to teach lessons to angelic beings. And He still does that among His people today.
So in principle, yes; but in practice, I don’t know of anybody who has suffered to the same extent of catastrophe in which Job did, although theoretically there could be.
In Revelation 4:4, who are the 24 elders in heaven?The twenty-four elders represent the people of God in their entirety. Twelve are from the tribes of Israel, and from the apostles of the Lamb. Together, they represent the people of God in their entirety, all of God’s redeemed.
Where did Purgatory come from?It arose from tradition and imagination. It didn’t come from the Bible. Purgatory came from an idea in the Roman Catholic system. According to their teaching, some people would definitely be saved and be going to heaven, yet they had lived lives which were completely wrong and bad and contrary to Scripture. So, what would God do to such people? In their idea, He would purify them in Purgatory.
Keep in mind this idea is a result of Roman Catholic theology and tradition, but there’s nothing biblical about it at all.
Regarding 2 Thessalonians 2:11, could we be witnessing the sending out of strong delusion into the world, where intelligent people believe lies that are being put out by the mainstream media?2 Thessalonians 2:11 – And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.
Yes, we may very well be living in fulfillment of those days. It’s something to take notice of and to regard seriously. Oftentimes, the fulfillment of prophecy is only certainly known after its fulfillment. But there’s much to make us think that we are in those days today.
After the Millennium, will the population of humanity be set at a fixed number in all of eternity?I would say yes because there won’t be more humans being produced. There will be an end, so to speak, of humanity in that regard.
If a believer dies from suicide, will they still go to heaven? Do they have eternal security?I listened to one of the top-class evangelical teachers who said that if a believer died from suicide, he or she still can go to heaven because they’re protected by eternal security. Please give your stance here.
Suicide is a sin. Suicide is murder, and self-murder is a sin. We should be clear on that. However, it is not the unforgivable sin. It’s not the sin of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, in and of itself. I believe that it’s very possible for a person who commit suicide, under certain circumstances, to still go to heaven. Suicide in itself is not the unforgivable sin.
Imagine another person who dies while in a sin, although they’re a believer, and they’ve lived a godly life. I’ll give a minor example. Let’s say they run a red light; that’s a sin. And they die in of a car crash because of it. Would we say, “Well, they died in the commission of a sin; therefore, they’re going to hell”? I don’t think so. We would understand that, even though a believer may have sin in their life, they can still be a true believer and truly born again.
So, suicide is a serious sin. It’s self-murder. But in and of itself, it is not the unforgivable sin. I would put it in the same category as certain other sins that a person may be committing as they die. We’d either need to say that anybody who commits a sin as they die is going to hell, or no one is, but that’s where I would make that distinction.
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No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
I don’t know if this saying is used elsewhere, but in the United States people sometimes say, “Nothing in life is certain except for death and taxes.” It’s supposed to be a slightly humorous observation on the uncertainties of life, but I think at least one more thing could be added to the certain things of life: temptation.
We’re all tempted, and none of our temptations are truly unique; what we go through is common to man. Others before you have found strength in Jesus Christ to overcome the same temptation you experience, or even worse. Therefore, you can be victorious, but in the strength of Jesus, not in your own strength. We fight temptation with Jesus’ power, like the girl who explained what she did when Satan came at the door of her heart with temptation: “I send Jesus to answer the door. When Satan sees Jesus, he says, ‘Oops, sorry, I must have the wrong house.’”
The truth is God is faithful and has promised to supervise all temptation, whether it comes at us through the world, the flesh, or the devil. God promises to limit temptation according to our capability to endure it, or at least according to our capability as we rely on Him, not our capability as we rely only on ourselves.
Satan would destroy us in a moment if God would allow him, even as he wanted to destroy Job (Job 1:6-12) and Peter (Luke 22:31), but God will not let him. God faithfully supervises what comes to His children and though we may face grievous hardship, in Him we have the power to endure.
God has promised to not only limit our temptation, but also to provide a way of escape in tempting times. He will never force His children to use the way of escape, but He will make the way of escape available. It’s up to us to take God’s way of escape.
One commentator noted that in the original language, the word for a way of escape has the idea of a mountain pass, with the idea of an army being surrounded by the enemy, and then suddenly seeing an escape route to safety. Like a mountain pass, the way of escape isn’t necessarily an easy way—but it is available.
At a market, a little boy stood by a candy display, looking as if he was going to take some without paying. A clerk watched the boy, and finally said, “Looks like you’re trying to take some candy.” The boy answer, “Mister. I’m trying to not take any.”
For the time, that boy was able to bear it. In Christ, you can also bear temptation.
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To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.(1 Corinthians 9:22-23)
In the big picture, Paul was helping the Corinthian Christians how to deal with the controversy regarding believers eating meat that had been offered to a pagan idol. For background on that controversy, look at last week’s devotional.
In helping the Corinthian Christians think through the issue, Paul stressed an important principle in chapter 9: that Christians should often lay down their rights for the benefit of either believers or the lost.
In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul used his own life as an example of this. Paul had rights as an apostle (9:1), rights as a Christian minister (9:1), and the right to be supported in ministry (9:3-14). Yet he often set these rights aside. Paul didn’t always give up these rights, but when he knew it would be for God’s glory and the benefit of others, he denied himself what he deserved, what was his “right.”
All this came back to the issue of Corinthian believers eating meat that was sacrificed to pagan idols. A believer in Corinth might say, “I have the right to eat that meat!” Paul would answer, “Yes, you do have that right. But in this situation Christian love compels you to set that right aside. I have done this kind of thing many times. In this situation, eat a salad instead.”
Paul lived and taught this because he wanted to win the world for Jesus Christ. He even said, I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. We should not think Paul changed his doctrine or message to appeal to different groups. In fact, he specifically denied this in 1 Corinthians 1:22-23. However, Paul would change his behavior and manner of approach. To those under the law, he would come as under the law. To the weak, he would sympathize with their weakness. He would make themselves a servant to all, that he might win more to Jesus (1 Corinthians 9:19).
I don’t know if Paul, as a Christian believer, ate pork, shellfish, or other non-kosher foods. I do think Paul understood he had the “right” to eat those things, as he wrote in Colossians 2:20-23. Yet Paul would never eat shrimp while trying to talk to Jewish people about faith in Jesus!
Paul would set aside such things and do it for the gospel’s sake. Paul was willing to offend people over the gospel, but he wanted to offend them only over the gospel.
Finally, notice Paul did this for the gospel’s sake. Not for the sake of pleasing the world, not for the sake of denying God’s truth. Paul knew where he could bend, and when to stand firm. May God give us the same wisdom!
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Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. (1 Corinthians 8:1-2)
Having dealt with their questions about marriage and singleness, Paul then addressed the questions Corinthian Christians had regarding eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. 1 Corinthians 8-10 gives a lot of attention to these things offered to idols.
In this case, it was meat that was offered to idols. In the Roman world, the meat offered on pagan altars was usually divided into three portions. One portion was burnt in honor of the god, one portion was given to the worshipper to take home and eat, and the third portion went to the priest. At a busy temple, a lot of meat came to the priests. They often sold the meat they didn’t eat, either at a restaurant at the temple or a take-away meat market at the temple. In addition, the meat served and sold at the temple was generally cheaper. Then, as well as now, people loved a bargain (including Christians).
The whole issue of buying, eating, and serving meat that was offered to idols raised many questions for the Corinthian Christians.
– As I Christian, can I eat at the restaurant at a pagan temple?
– As I Christian, can I purchase and eat meat purchased at the temple meat market?
– As I Christian, if I am served meat as a guest at someone’s home, should I ask if it came from the pagan temple before I eat it?
These were sometimes complicated and controversial subjects among the Christians in Corinth. While most of us don’t deal directly with the issue meat offered to idols, there are many places where the practices and thinking of the world around us are a challenge for believers.
Pay attention to how Paul first addressed these issues. Instead of talking about food, Paul first spoke of the principles of knowledge and love. Christian behavior is founded on love, not knowledge; and the goal of the Christian life is not knowledge, but love.
Both knowledge and love make something grow. In the way Paul meant it here, knowledge often leads to swelling pride. Love often leads to growing in grace and the likeness of Jesus. The difference between puffs up and edifies is striking; it is the difference between a bubble and a building. Some Christians grow, others just swell.
Here is a great starting point for controversial subjects, those that relate to Christian holiness: recognize that when it comes to getting along in God’s family, love is more important than knowledge. The “love-them-all” honors God more than the “know-it-all,” especially when we mean real love, not mere unoffensive niceness.
Don’t be afraid of controversy, but make sure to lead with love – real love, not superficial niceness.
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Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called whilefree is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. (1 Corinthians 7:21-24)
Paul dealt with questions and controversies among the Corinthian Christians regarding marriage and singleness. It seems many of those who were married thought they would be more spiritual if they were single, and many of those who were single had questions about getting married.
One general theme in this chapter is, “You can honor and serve the Lord in your present situation.” It’s common for the single person to think, “If I were married, then I could really serve Jesus.” It’s also common for married people to think, “If were single, then I could truly serve the Lord.” What is often missed is the urgent truth that we can serve God in our present circumstance.
Paul used an extreme example to illustrate this: slavery. He told those who became believers as slaves, do not be concerned about it. A slave can please God as a slave. He should not live thinking, “I can’t do anything for God now, but I could if I was a free man.” He can, and should, serve God as he was able in the present. Paul’s real point was about marriage and singleness, but slavery illustrated the same principle.
However, Paul wanted them to know that just because a slave could please God, it didn’t mean that Jesus never wanted a slave to be made free. If a slave had the opportunity to gain his freedom, he should take advantage of it.
Along that idea, Paul stated an important principle: Do not become slaves of men. This is true not only regarding literal slavery, but also spiritually. We are never to put ourselves under the inappropriate control or influence of others. It’s easy to allow someone who is gifted, esteemed, or famous to do our thinking and seeking of God for us. We are followers of Jesus, not slavishly devoted to those whom God may raise up to be leaders among believers.
Paul stated the main idea once again: let each one remain with God in that calling in which he was called. This principle applies across a broad spectrum – married or unmarried, circumcised or uncircumcised, slave or free. We can seek God’s best and be used by Him right where we are. Of course, if one is in a sinful occupation, they should leave it; but apart from that we can bloom wherever God plants us. All the while, we’re open to a change in our circumstance, but we know God can and will bless and use us right where we are. Don’t wait to honor and serve Jesus.
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Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? (1 Corinthians 6:2–3)
Paul had to directly confront the Corinthian Christians because some among them were suing each other, taking each other court, over matters that Christians should have been able to settle among themselves. It showed immaturity and selfishness among Christians, which made them a bad witness to their pagan neighbors.
In explaining how wrong it was for them to act this way, Paul pointed out that Christians were – or should be – fully capable to judge these matters on their own. After all, Paul noted, the saints will judge the world. Believers shall even judge angels. Christians should be fully able to judge their own matters because of our destiny. As we reign with Jesus Christ, we will (in some sense or another) judge the world, and even judge angels.
The idea of Christians judging angels is fascinating. It does not mean we will sit in judgment of faithful angels, as if we could penalize them for letting us down or not being there for us in a critical time. However, we will have a part in judging evil angels. We can’t exactly say when or how this will happen, but it does remind believers of their glorious future.
The destiny of redeemed men and women – to one day be higher than the angels and to even sit in judgment of them – must greatly annoy a certain high angelic being. He did not want to serve an inferior creature in the present age and did not want that inferior creature to be raised up higher than he in the coming age. So, this high-ranking angel rebelled against God, and remains determined to keep as much of humanity as possible from sitting in judgment of himself. We can imagine the perverse, proud pleasure Satan takes over every soul that goes to hell: “They won’t sit in judgment over me!”
Knowing this leads to a few practical applications. First, Christians should take to heart the importance of solving issues among themselves, without taking things to secular courts. Of course, this doesn’t mean criminal matters, but disputes among believers should be kept out of law courts. There is wisdom among God’s people to decide such things.
Second, take to heart the amazing destiny God has appointed for His people. Redeemed men and women will be so glorified in the age to come that they will judge angels. This is one of the ways God gives His people more in Jesus than they ever lost in Adam’s fall: in some sense raising them above angelic beings. God’s salvation is great in where it lifts His people from, and where it lifts them to. Let your heart rest in that today!
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And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. (1 Corinthians 5:2)
There were a lot of problems among the Christians of Corinth. Some of the problems were “mental” – in the sense of being problems of wrong thinking. Many of the Corinthians had wrong ideas about God’s power, work. and servants. But the Corinthians didn’t only have problems in how they thought; they also had problems with what they did. They had both “mental” and “moral” problems. In some sense, the two were connected. Their moral problems came because they didn’t think rightly about God and His world.
In 1 Corinthians 5, the problem was sexual immorality. Verse 1 explains that someone counted among the Christians of Corinth openly lived in an on-going sexual relationship (either as married or living together) with his stepmother. The woman involved wasn’t a believer because Paul didn’t address her.
Paul said that they must take the man away from among the church: This was part of God’s answer to the problem – to take this notoriously unrepentant man away from the protection of the fellowship of God’s people. Yet, the Corinthian Christians didn’t do this. Why not? How could this kind of thing be allowed?
They allowed it because they were influenced by their surrounding culture. Remember that Corinth was a city notorious for sexual immorality, and the pagan religions did not value sexual purity. It wasn’t hard for a Corinthian to think you could be religious, yet still act any way you pleased when it came to sex. Greek culture matter-of-factly said: “Mistresses we keep for the sake of pleasure, concubines for the daily care of the body, but wives to bear us legitimate children.”
They allowed it because they didn’t know or didn’t apply the Scriptures, such as Leviticus 18:8, which forbids a man to have sex with his stepmother.
More than anything, they allowed it in the name of “tolerance.” The Corinthian Christians said to themselves, “Look how loving we are. We accept this brother just as he is. Look how open-minded we are!”
The Corinthian Christians were proud (puffed up) over their acceptance of this man; they thought it said something good about them. Instead of glorying, they should have grieved, both for the man and over what God wanted them to do with the man: put him out of the church until he repented.
Generally, Christians are to be a tolerant people. In the broader world, we should love even those who are enemies to the Christian faith (Matthew 5:44). Yet leaders among God’s people have the responsibility of dealing with believers who are in open sin, refusing to recognize it as sin or to repent. In those situations, it’s a grave error to pretend everything is OK or the church should be praised for its so-called tolerance.
May God give leaders in the church the wisdom and strength to deal rightly with open sin among God’s people.
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Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:1–2)
The apostle Paul had a complicated relationship with the Christians in Corinth. He founded the church in that city and poured into them for a year and a half – longer than he stayed in most places. Yet many among the Corinthians had a low opinion of Paul.
In these carefully chosen words, Paul showed them Corinthians how to have a proper regard – not too exalted and not too low – of himself and the other apostles.
Paul asked that he, and the other apostles (us), be regarded by the Corinthians as servants. There are several different words in the language of the New Testament to describe a servant. Here, Paul used the word hyperetas, describing a subordinate servant functioning as a free man. He did not use the more common word for a servant (doulos) which designated a common slave.
The word hyperetas literally means an “under-rower,” in the sense that someone was a rower on a big galley ship. So, though it is not the lowest word for a servant, it certainly was not a prestigious position. It’s a place a bit lower than the “over-rower.” A rower on a galley ship simply did what they were required to do, and they worked hard. That’s a good picture of how Paul and other apostles served Jesus and His people.
In addition to servants, Paul asked to be considered as stewards, who were the managers of a household. In relation to the master of the house, stewards were slaves; but in relation to the other slaves the steward was a master. They planned and managed the work, the finances, the strategy, and the records of the master.
What did Paul and the other apostles “manage” in the household of God? Among other things, they were stewards of the mysteries of God. They “managed” (in the sense of preserving and protecting) and “dispensed” (in the sense of distributing) the truth (mysteries) of God. Whenever Paul heard criticism of his style or manner, he could simply ask, “Did I give the truth to you?” As a good steward, that’s what he first cared about.
For stewards, the important thing was faithfulness – to be found faithful. They had to be efficient managers of the master’s resources. A steward never owned the property or resource he dealt with; he simply managed it for his master and had to manage it faithfully.
Today, God people (especially those responsible to lead in some way) should have the same attitude: “Consider us servants and stewards.” As servants, they shouldn’t think too much of themselves, and work hard. As stewards, they should faithfully manage on behalf of their Master.
We don’t need more celebrities and superstars; we need more faithful servants and stewards. If we faithfully fulfill those roles, God will be honored, and His kingdom will progress.
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And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:1)
Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, those part of the congregation Paul founded when he spent a year and a half there (Acts 18:1-11). The Corinthian church had plenty of problems, and here Paul dealt with the root of those problems: many of them were carnal.
It’s important to recognize that those whom Paul addressed were part of the family of God; they are called brethren. In a sense, that was their problem. They were not behaving like spiritual people, but like carnalpeople – that is, fleshly people. They behaved like immature Christians, as babes in Christ.
There are some who think that there is no such thing as a carnal Christian. Some say it is a contradiction in terms; that what Paul really meant was that these carnal ones were not Christians at all. Yet Paul clearly called them brethren, and he said they were babes in Christ. It’s hard to see how Paul could consider them brothers and call them babes in Christ if they weren’t in the family of God and as babes in Christ, had made a genuine start in the Christian life.
These Corinthian Christians, to some extent, were thinking and acting according to the flesh, not the Spirit. Of course, the flesh did not dominate every aspect of their life, or they would then have had no evidence of being born again. But Paul confronted them where they were clearly thinking and acting in a carnal (fleshly) manner.
Paul didn’t mean that our material substance – the cells and tissues that make up our body – are inherently sinful. There is weakness associated with being “made of flesh,” but this weakness isn’t automatically sinful (2 Corinthians 3:3). Here, the problem with the Corinthian Christians was they were carnal, that is “fleshly” – they were characterized by the flesh. This speaks of the believer who can and should live differently but does not. They aren’t spiritually minded, but they are fleshly minded.
Paul told the Christians of Galatia that they must “walk in the Spirit” and then they would not “fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:6). There were more than a few among the Corinthian Christians who were losing that battle; they were believers, but at least in some ways, their life was marked more by the ideas and actions of their flesh instead of the ideas and actions of the Spirit of God.
Paul spoke of three categories.
– The natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14), is patterned after Adam and rejects the things of God.
– The spiritual man (1 Corinthians 2:15), knows the things of God and endeavors to think and live according to the Spirit.
– The carnal man knows the things of God, yet in some significant ways doesn’t walk in the Spirit, but is characterized by the flesh.
Which one are you?
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And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:1-2)
Paul’s arrival to Corinth is described in Acts 18. He came and met a Christian couple named Aquila and Priscilla, who were tentmakers (leatherworkers) by trade, like Paul. He served in Corinth for more than a year and a half, supporting himself (Acts 18:3).
In Paul’s day, Corinth was already an old city, a commercial center with two busy. Because of its busy economy and many visitors, Corinth had a remarkable reputation for loose living and especially sexual immorality. In classical Greek, to act like a Corinthian meant to be sexually immoral, and a Corinthian companion was a prostitute. This immorality was permitted (even encouraged) under the widely popular worship of Aphrodite (also known as Venus, the goddess of fertility and sexuality).
When Paul came to such a challenging field of ministry, he did the only thing he could: preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Only Jesus could be the answer for such an immoral place. Preaching to entertain wouldn’t work. Preaching the gospel of self-help couldn’t help. The messages of salvation by good works or noble intentions wouldn’t change lives.
That’s why Paul didn’t come to Corinth as a philosopher or a salesman, worried about the excellence of his speech. Paul came as a witness (declaring to you the testimony of God). Paul was a smart man who could reason and debate persuasively, but he didn’t use that approach in preaching the gospel. He made a conscious decision (I determined) to put the emphasis on Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Paul was an ambassador, not a salesman.
In taking this approach, Paul understood he didn’t cater to what his audience wanted. He already knew the Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:22), but he didn’t care. He was determined to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
If a preacher is not careful, he will get in the way of the gospel instead of being a servant of the gospel. Paul could say, “All I know is Jesus Christ, and Him crucified for me.”
There’s a story of a little girl who went to a traditional church with her family every week. The church had stained glass windows, and there were beautiful images of different Bible characters in the window behind the preacher. One day a very short man was the guest preacher, and because he was much shorter, the girl could see the stained-glass window with Jesus behind the guest. She wanted to know where the regular pastor ways, so she asked: “Where’s the man who usually stands in the pulpit so we can’t see Jesus?” Whether you’re a preacher or not, make sure you don’t get in the way of Jesus. Proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
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I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge (1 Corinthians 1:4-5)
The church in the ancient city of Corinth was started through the work of the Apostle Paul. After visiting Athens, Paul came to Corinth (Acts 18:1–17) and spent a year and a half there, bringing many to faith in Jesus Christ and doing the work of discipleship among these believers, young in the faith.
As his two letters to the church in Corinth show, the Corinthians Christians had a lot of problems. 1 Corinthians shows that at times, they had moral problems, doctrine problems, church government problems, spiritual gift problems, church service problems, and authority problems.
What do you do with a “problem church”? Paul thanked God for them. That’s what he said: I thank my God always. Paul spent a lot of time in this letter rebuking sin and correcting error, yet he was still sincerely thankful for God’s work in the Corinthian Christians.
Those who feel called to rebuke sin and correct error in the church today should follow Paul’s example. Unfortunately, many of them never communicate any encouragement with their correction and advice.
Paul was especially grateful for the grace they received by Jesus Christ. Everything good, everything worth being thankful about among the Corinthian came to them by grace. Grace means that God gives freely, for His own reasons.
God’s grace had an effect among the Corinthian Christians. The Corinthians were a “rich” church, not only materially, but also in their speech and knowledge of Jesus (all utterance and in all knowledge… the testimony of Christ, 1:6), in their abounding in the gifts (come short in no gift, 1:7), and in that they lived in anticipation of Jesus’ coming (eagerly waiting, 1:7). In these things, they were genuinely enriched.
On could say that the work of God in the Corinthian Christians could be seen by what they said, by what they learned, by a supernatural element in their lives, and by their expectant anticipation of Jesus’ return.
When Paul looked at the Corinthian church, he could say: “These people proclaim Jesus, they know about Jesus, there are the supernatural gifts of God among them, and they are excited about Jesus’ return.” All those things made him thankful, so Paul’s gratitude was sincere.
Whatever problems the Corinthians had, they also had these impressive strong points. Can even this much be said about many churches today? We may pride ourselves on not having the problems of the Corinthian Christians, but do we have their positives?
Yet, these positives were no great credit to the Corinthian Christians themselves. They were not the spiritual achievements of the Corinthians, but the work of the grace of God in them.
If you’re around some problem people or problem churches, there are probably still reasons to give thanks for them. Be real about the problems; but find a way to give thanks.
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Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ. Greet Mary, who labored much for us. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. (Romans 16:5b-8)
In Romans 16:1-16, Paul begins concluding his letter to the Christians in Rome. In those verses, he mentioned 26 people by name, giving some greeting or recognition to each. This is remarkable because Paul had never visited Rome, but because so many traveled to and from the great city, he knew many among the Christians there.
There are important things to learn from a long list of names.
First, it teaches us that this was a letter written to real, everyday people. It’s true that Paul’s letter to the Romans is worthy of the deepest, most intellectual attention. I wonder how many PhD dissertations have been written examining Romans! Yet the original readers words were ordinary people. They weren’t qualified as professional theologians, but they were people who loved the Lord. This teaches us that God’s word is written for ordinary people. There are depths in God’s word that the most brilliant can’t fully reach, but its main message is accessible to everyday, simple people.
Second, notice the women mentioned in this chapter: Phoebe, Priscilla, Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, the mother of Rufus, and Julia. Junia (16:7) is also possibly a woman’s name. These women served the Lord in wonderful ways and were noted by Paul. We can be sure they served according to the pattern given by the New Testament, giving honor the Lord.
Third, notice their work for the Lord. Among these 26 there are servants, helpers, fellow workers, fellow prisoners, those who labored, and those who labored much. In God’s family there are all different kinds of servants, with different roles, and who do their work to different degrees. It’s good to be among those who labor for God’s cause; it is even better to be among those who labor much.
Fourth, of the 26 names, 13 also appear in inscriptions or documents connected with the emperor’s palace in Rome. We know that there were Christians among Caesar’s household (Philippians 4:22). Paul may be writing many of the servants who worked for Caesar who became Christians. God has His people in unexpected places.
Finally, the 26 names show us how much God loves common people. It is perhaps unavoidable that our attention is drawn to those thought to be important, or prominent. We’re quick to think of people as celebrities and stars, and to think they should be first in line. That’s not how God thinks. As a group, these weren’t prominent leaders, and only a few of the 26 of are mentioned in the Book of Acts. Yet Paul, and the Lord Jesus he served, took note of them.
God must love everyday believers – He made so many of them!
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We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. (Romans 15:1-2)
I suppose it’s obvious that spiritually speaking, Christians differ in their spiritual strength. Some of very young believers, others are mature. Some have great strength and knowledge of God’s truth in His word, others are just beginning to learn that truth. Some have little history of trusting God through difficult times, others have grown strong through many hardships.
Are you a strong Christian? If so, hear what the Holy Spirit says to you: we then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. If you consider yourself strong in comparison to your brother, use your strength to serve your brothers and sisters in Christ, instead of using your “strength” just to please yourself. You should think of how you can use your superior strength to support and help your weaker brother. That’s the idea of bear with.
This goes against the spirit of our age, which tells people to look out for number themselves and often despises those who live lives of real sacrifice for the sake of others. Yet undeniably Paul points the way to true happiness and fulfillment in life: get your eyes off yourself, start building up others and you will find yourself built up.
This does not mean that the church is ruled by the whims of the weak. In a healthy church, those who are weak are gently, continually challenged to grow in Jesus Christ and become stronger. There’s something wrong when weak believers stay weak for extended periods of time.
That was God’s word to the strong. Then God had something to say to every believer, weak or strong: let each of us please his neighbor. This is a simple yet challenging call to simply put our neighbor first. Paul later wrote much the same thing in Philippians 2:3–4: Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
“Wait,” someone says. “I thought we were to be concerned with pleasing God, not pleasing man. How can it be said that I should therefore please my neighbor?” The answer is found in the next few words: let each of us please his neighbor for his good. This shows that Paul did not mean being a “man-pleaser.” Such a person may want to please his neighbor, but not for his neighbor’s good.
We do this all because it leads to edification. If you’re strong in the Lord, use the strength to build others up, instead of tearing them down. That’s a great way to honor God and further the work of His kingdom.
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But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
End every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10–12)
In Romans 14, Paul dealt with the problem of Christians judging each another. There were several potential issues that could divide Christians of that time. It could be over what they ate, what days to observe as special, or several other things. It wasn’t that there was no right or wrong in these matters, but there was no clear command or universal right or wrong applying to every believer. Perhaps some Christians worshipped on the Jewish Sabbath, others on Sunday. Perhaps some felt they could eat meat, even if it wasn’t kosher; others were convinced they should not eat meat at all. The Holy Spirit had the liberty to deal with individual believers as He pleased.
The strict Christian found it easy to judge his brother, regarding him as an unspiritual compromiser. The freeChristian found it easy to show contempt against his brother, regarding him as an uptight-legalistic do-gooder. Essentially, Paul’s answer was “In these matters, stop worrying about your brother. You have enough to answer for before Jesus.”
All this does not apply to things that are clearly right or wrong according to the Scriptures. What the Bible says is sin is certainly sin. Yet there are many things about which the Holy Spirit deals with believers individually. He may say “Yes” to one and “No” to another for His reasons and as He pleases.
In these matters, it wasn’t right for believers to judge their brother. It wasn’t right to show contempt for theirbrother. Those who did those things forgot that they themselves would stand before the judgment seat of Christ. We shall all do this; every Christian will stand before Jesus. Paul used the idea of the judgment seat, sometimes called the bema seat, where the judges sat in the ancient Olympic Games. When a race or competition was over, the winners came to the judgment seat to receive their reward.
Paul also reminded believers of this judgment seat in 2 Corinthians 5:10. This judgment is only concerned with the believer’s reward and responsibility in the age to come, not with salvation. The point in Romans 14 is emphasized with the quotation from Isaiah 45:23, explaining that we all must appear before God in humility, and give account of himself before God. If this is the case, we should let God deal with our brother.
Knowing we will face the judgment seat of Christ adds importance to everything we do. Every day gives the opportunity to honor God and do things that matter for eternity. Knowing we all give account to God, we should live each day to His honor and glory.
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In Heaven, Will We Pray for People?In Heaven, Will We Pray for People?From Sue…
My cancer has probably returned and it’s very likely I’ll be going home soon with absolute delight and joy to be forever with my God, King and Saviour.
My ONLY hesitation is leaving my unsaved children behind. Can we continue to pray for them in heaven? Will we pray in heaven when we’re with God? I think, and believe, from your teaching and God’s word, that it seems like we won’t, very thankfully, be watching the world left behind. Jesus prays for us in heaven; we don’t pray for those in heaven from here on earth. Thanks
- Sorry to hear about Sue’s cancer returning.
- Praying for Sue.
- Sue has the gift of preparing for death.
Yes, We Will Pray in Heaven
- If we define prayer broadly, then yes – then we will pray in heaven. We will worship, we will talk with God, we will give thanks and praise, we will honor Him.
Revelation 5:8
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 8:4
And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.
- If we think of prayer as petition or intercession, then it is hard to say. The martyred saints of Revelation 6:9–10 are in some way asking God for something, and that is petition.
Revelation 6:9–10
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
- What we don’t know is if we will have any knowledge, or how much knowledge, of what happens on earth when we are in heaven.
Hebrews 12:1 doesn’t specifically say, but it paints a picture of God’s faithful people of the past as “witnesses” or “spectators” that are, in some sense, watching us and cheering us on.
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
When Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:30–31), they spoke about what Jesus was going to accomplish on earth.
Luke 9:30–31
And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
At the same time, there is no sorrow or heartache in heaven:
Revelation 21:4
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
When they are in heaven, whatever God’s people know of earth causes them no pain, no stress, no sorrow, no anxiety, no tears. They see it all considering God’s good, perfect, just, loving plan. They know that the judge of all the earth does right (Genesis 18:25), that God’s ways are perfect even when we don’t understand them (Romans 11:33–34).
Romans 11:33–34
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?”
We don’t pray for the dead; when we pass from this life to the next, our time of choosing is over. Hebrews 9:27 tells us it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.
We don’t ask the dead to pray for us; Jesus is the only intercessor or mediator in heaven that we have or need. We’re told that we shouldn’t communicate with those in the world beyond, other than God Himself.
Final Principle, especially for one who is aware that their life doesn’t have many days left: God appoints our days, and gives us exactly the time we need. It doesn’t always seem like that – but it’s true. How we use the time God gives us is another matter; we don’t always use it well. But God gives us the time we need for what He wants us to do.
Psalm 39:4
LORD, make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
Psalm 90:12
So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Why should the New Testament, including the writings of Paul, be considered Scripture?That’s a good question. I can answer in a few ways. First of all, Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would speak to them, reminding them of His words and His actions, and that they should expect this revelation from the Holy Spirit. Jesus told that to His disciples in His upper room discourse, which you can read in John 14-16. This Saturday, I’m going to preach a message on continuing in the Apostles’ doctrine, so I’ve been thinking about where they got this doctrine. As Jesus told them, the Holy Spirit would reveal these things to them. That which the Holy Spirit revealed to the Apostles is the New Testament.
Secondly, Ephesians 2:20 says that the Church is built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. What does that have to do with Scripture, you wonder? Friends, the New Testament is the inspired record of that foundation in the Apostles and prophets, which Jesus Christ promised and established in the Church.
Third, Paul consciously wrote his letters for a wider audience than just the specific congregations addressed. They passed the letters around to different congregations. It’s understood in the New Testament that they’re written for a general audience, as well as specifically for each church named.
Fourth, Peter talks about the writings of Paul, and he puts them in the category of Scriptures. 2 Peter 3:15-16 says that people like to twist Paul’s writings as they do the other Scriptures. If they’re doing it with the other Scriptures, of course they’re doing it with the writings of Paul himself.
Fifth, let’s consider 2 Timothy 3:14-16 – But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What Holy Scriptures was Paul referring to in this passage? Obviously, it’s the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures. Notice in verse 16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Paul did not say those Scriptures are given by inspiration of God. Neither does he use the exact same terminology for the same Holy Scriptures given by inspiration of God. He makes it broader.
Paul and the other Apostles were aware that God was moving in and through them to produce the writings that would be the authoritative revelation of God for the Church in the New Testament, for God’s perfected work in Jesus Christ. He transitions from Holy Scriptures to all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. That is another indication that we can know that the writings of Paul, along with the entire New Testament from from Matthew to Revelation, are to be considered Scripture.
Finally, consider the very valid measure of canonization. The early church just understood this. Christians got together and gathered the writings that had been reliably given to them by an Apostle, or by someone who had a definite Apostolic connection, and which had inherent consistency and evidence of being the Scripture of God. The early church agreed upon the Scriptures. The early church did not create the Bible; God created the Bible. But the early church recognized the Scriptures.
Is Paul teaching purgatory in 1 Corinthians 3:15 when he says he shall be saved through fire?1 Corinthians 3:11-15 – For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
There is a huge difference between what we see here in 1 Corinthians 3 and the Roman Catholic idea of Purgatory. In 1 Corinthians 3, it’s the work that’s being judged. But in Purgatory, it’s the worker or the person who is being judged. There’s no indication of a time period when these things are burnt off.
Here’s my perspective on the Roman Catholic understanding of Purgatory. Roman Catholics base the assurance of salvation upon receiving the sacraments. In classical and medieval Roman Catholic theology, you are saved because you receive grace from God, but God dispenses His grace to you through the church. Just like there’s a teller at the bank whom you do transactions with, the priest is sort of the teller at the bank of grace. The priest dispenses God’s grace with the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders.
So, in the Roman Catholic system, the salvation of a person is assured if they received the sacraments. Here’s the problem. They would look around and see people that lived like the devil yet checked all the sacramental boxes. What do you do with that? Well, God has to deal with that somehow. They decided that the way He would deal with it would be to burn away those impurities. He would make the unfaithful believers suffer in Purgatory, where they would be purged from their sins and cleaned up before they go to heaven.
I believe that is a fundamental denial of the finished work of Jesus Christ. We are made clean by what Jesus Christ has done for us. When Jesus said on the cross, It is finished, Tetelestai, paid in full, it was finished. There is nothing more to be done to atone for our sins.
1 Corinthians 3 is speaking about the judgment seat of Christ, where it’s a judgment for reward. It’s not for entrance into heaven, and not the same as Purgatory at all.
Is Calvinism considered a false doctrine if I am not a Calvinist?I believe that there are some incorrect things within the systems of Reformed Theology and Calvinism. Those two systems overlap greatly, but they’re not identically the same thing.
Friends, I don’t march in the parade of any system of theology. I am what some people would say derisively and with criticism, “David, you’re a Biblicist. You really just rely on the Bible. You think that all we need is a biblical theology, and not a systematic theology.” I’m not saying that there’s no value in a systematic theology. No, God forbid, there is value in it, and it’s good and helpful.
But I believe that I understand and appreciate the limitations of systematic theology in a way that those who are the champions of systematic theology sometimes don’t understand. So, I don’t subscribe to any full system of theology. When I say that I think that there’s some things wrong in Calvinistic theology, I’m speaking about it as a system. And I would say the same thing for strict Arminian theology, and on and on.
Now, is it false doctrine? Well, I think there are some things that Calvinism gets wrong. You specifically asked, “Is Calvinism considered false doctrine if I’m not a Calvinist?” Well, there are Calvinists and people who hold to Reformed theology who would say you are in grievous error for not believing the five points of TULIP, the five points of Reformed theology. There are people who will say that of you, but here’s what you need to do. You need to stick close to your Bible. That’s really what matters.
Of course, some things are mysteries, and people will have diverging opinions on different issues. But if you stay close to your Bible, you’ll work your way through those things.
I’m a great appreciator of Charles Spurgeon. I’ve read a lot of Spurgeon sermons through the years. Whatever passage I’m teaching from, it’s my habit to read what Spurgeon preached on that. I feel like I’ve received a lot and benefited a lot from the writings and the preaching of Charles Spurgeon. In his younger days of ministry, Spurgeon was adamant about Calvinism. There are quotes of him saying things like, “The gospel is Calvinism and Calvinism is the gospel.” But although he was definitely a Calvinist, I believe he was a sensible Calvinist in this sense. He held very strongly to what he believed, but there are also many wonderful, beautiful quotes from Charles Spurgeon. In the sermons I read, I keep my eyes open for quotes like this, and I’ve compiled them into a document. There are quotes from Spurgeon sermons that say things like this, and I’m paraphrasing, “Am I a Calvinist or an Arminian? It depends on what question you ask me. If you ask me why a man is saved, I’ll give you the Calvinistic answer. It’s only due to God alone. If you ask me why a man is damned, I’ll give you the Arminian answer: it’s only man’s responsibility. It doesn’t really matter what you call me, just as long as I stay close to my Bible.” That’s the attitude I want to have. Even though I may not come to every same conclusion that Charles Spurgeon came to, I still admire him as someone who’s contributed a lot to me and to many others.
Why do you think God chose man to write Scripture and not some other method? Also, why didn’t Jesus write any Scripture?That’s a great question. I think God gave us the Scriptures through human agency because, largely, that’s how God likes to work. God likes to work in partnership with man. The Bible says we are co-laborers with Christ, fellow laborers with Him. Jesus calls us as servants into His work. Of course, there are certainly things that God does without any participation of man whatsoever. But in many ways, in many instances, God delights to do His work with the cooperation of men and women who will serve Him and be instruments in His hands. God did that in bringing forth the Scriptures through the personality of human instruments. This is one of the glorious things about the Bible.
I believe exactly what we read previously in 2 Timothy 3:16, that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It is God-breathed. It’s a wonderful, powerful thing. It is the word of God. Yet God did not erase the human personality of His instruments. I can read Paul and say, “That’s Paul.” I can tell Paul anywhere. I can read Isaiah and say, “That’s Isaiah, I knew that was Isaiah.” I can read Revelation and know, “That’s John writing.” God did not erase the human personality of the instruments that He used, because that’s God’s common way of working, although it’s not His exclusive way.
For example, God used human beings instead of delivering His word by angels from heaven. According to Jewish tradition, and later confirmed by the New Testament, the Law came to Moses by angelic visitation, but even Moses had to write it down. And we see the stamp of Moses in it. So, God wanted the personality of His people to be expressed in and through His Word.
Why didn’t Jesus write any Scripture? I’ll suggest one reason for that. We would consider His part of the Bible to be more important than any other portion of the Bible. But if it’s all the Word of God, that’s just not true. Think about a Red-Letter edition of the Bible, where the words of Jesus Christ are in red. That’s harmless enough. I’m not saying throw away your Red-letter edition Bible. No. But it is a huge mistake to think that the red letters are more inspired by God than anything else in the Bible.
Friends, Genesis is just as inspired as Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, or the book of Revelation. Everything from Genesis to Revelation is equally inspired by God. That’s an important principle for us to understand. Actually, Jesus did dictate the seven letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. But if Jesus were to write out a “Book of Jesus,” we would almost irresistibly think that was higher and more important than anything else. But God wants us to see all of His word as being equal in authority.
How did the people of the Old Covenant receive their salvation?Believers who are part of the New Covenant understand the atonement that Jesus worked on behalf of His people by looking back to what Jesus the Messiah did on the cross. Under the Old Covenant, they looked forward to what the Messiah would do in fulfilling all sacrifices by His perfect sacrifice. How much detailed awareness they had of that would differ from person to person. But without doubt, we do know that no one has ever been saved by keeping the law, by keeping God’s commandments. Because if you fail in one commandment, you’ve failed in them all. And everybody has failed to keep God’s commandments. Some fail a lot worse than others, but everybody fails. Nobody is good enough to save themselves through their law keeping. It’s a huge mistake to think that in the Old Covenant people were saved by works, and in the New Covenant people are saved by faith. No, no, all are saved by faith.
Now, when God gave the Law to Israel, He also gave them a sacrificial system and the priesthood. He gave all of those things together. God wanted them to understand that there was a remedy for their sin. Every Old Testament sacrifice looked forward to the perfect sacrifice that the Messiah would offer. Genesis 15:6 says that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness. He was saved by faith, and so was everybody who was saved under the Old Covenant. It was done by their individual and personal faith in the living God, expressed through their honor and obedience to the law and the sacrificial system, which looked forward to the perfect sacrifice that Jesus would make.
Why didn’t God the Father send Jesus straight after Adam’s sin?All I can tell you is this. In Galatians 4:4, Paul says that in due time, God sent His Son. God sent Jesus at the proper time, at just the right time. There were probably many reasons in the plan of God, but God wanted a long preparatory work up to the cross, and then a long period after the cross for the message of the Gospel to go out. In the wisdom of His timing, God knew when that would be.
Proportionately, far more of humanity has lived after the time of Jesus, than lived before Him. So, in the course of population as it’s moved through history, God sent His Son Jesus Christ fairly early in the development of the earth. The population gains in the earth in the last 2000 years have far outstripped anything that existed before that.
So, God decided, “I’m going to send Jesus before most of humanity ever walks the earth.” But He established that there would be a long preparatory time, mostly so that He could work in and through His people, Israel, to prepare them and the world for the coming of the Messiah. But when He sent Jesus, it was at just the right time, in due time.
What is your opinion on the show The Chosen?I’m going to give you a fairly ignorant opinion because I’ve only watched a few episodes. Here’s my general view on any kind of media based on the Bible or Jesus. I always go into it expecting it to be terrible. I don’t expect any director, filmmaker, painting, or any other kind of artistic expression to get anything right about the Bible. When my expectations are set so low, if they get anything right, I’m pretty happy about it. That’s the general perspective I go into things with.
The main thing that would bother me about The Chosen is if people embraced it as a substitute for the Bible, loving The Chosen app, but thinking the Bible is pretty boring. It’s not good if the show itself contributes to that attitude in a person, and it’s not good for them.
There’s a huge amount of speculation in The Chosen. A lot of it is done to make an interesting story and plotline, to draw the viewer into the story. I think they try very hard to never contradict the Scriptures. I’ll give an example from the couple episodes I saw. Is there any hint at all in the Scriptures that Peter was getting in trouble for fishing on the Sabbath on the Sea of Galilee, or that it was because he had to pay off a debt to Matthew the tax collector? Is there any hint of that? No, none whatsoever. It’s fully fabricated.
I almost wish that The Chosen would put a red light in the corner of the screen that would flash when the story includes extrabiblical speculation. They could also put a green light when dealing with things that are actually in the Bible. That way everybody would be able to say, “Oh, this interesting story may or may not be true. Oh, but in this part, these are the words in the scenes of the Bible.”
My main concern is that it is used as a substitute for the Scriptures. A few years back, there was a woman named Sarah Young who wrote a very popular book called Jesus Calling. I’m sure the publishers loved it. It sold millions of copies. But friends, that book purported to be the words of Jesus, and they weren’t. Those were made up words from that woman’s head. Maybe they were good words, maybe they were bad words, but they were made up. They were not the words of Jesus.
This is the problem. I actually spoke with people who would much rather read Jesus Calling than they would read their Bible. That’s not good. That’s not right. Look, I’m not into book banning. If somebody wants to read Jesus Calling, go ahead and read it, but remind yourself on every page, “These are not the words of Jesus. This is what a woman imagines the words of Jesus to be.” If you keep that in mind, fine. We should use the same kind of principle with The Chosen.
I will say that I think it is encouraging that many people have become interested and engaged with Jesus because of The Chosen. My prayer is that they would remain interested and engaged with the Jesus of the Bible, the Jesus who actually exists. We don’t emphasize the Jesus of the Bible because we’re Bible salesmen or because we idolize the Bible, no. The simple truth is that only the Jesus of the Bible actually exists. If somebody creates a Jesus outside the Bible, that’s an imaginary Jesus, and that Jesus can’t save anyone.
Does God hate sinners, or does He love them and want them to be saved?Some verses seem to say that God hates the sinners (e.g. Psalm 5:4-5) and others say that He wants them to be saved and He loves them. Could you please explain this topic? Does He hate them or love them?
Does God hate or love sinners? The answer to that is yes. There are passages that speak to it from both perspectives. You’re absolutely right that some passages that speak of God’s hatred and opposition and judgment toward sinners, no doubt about it. And then there are other passages that speak of God’s love for sinners. Those passages which speak about God’s love for sinners mainly center around His provision for them in Jesus Christ, and what God has provided for them. God’s expression of love to a sinful world was to provide for them a way to not go to hell. Without Him, no way out was provided. If you go to hell, it will because you rejected what God provided for you in Jesus Christ.
The ancient rabbis used to have a problem with this. They used to think that God had two thrones in heaven. One was a throne of mercy and grace, and the other a throne of judgment. They pictured two different thrones, because they couldn’t get their head around this exact issue: How can God be a holy God of judgment, and at the same time be a loving God who saves? So, they thought that God must operate from two different thrones. They figured that when God is going to judge, He sits on this throne of hatred toward sinners, but when He’s going to rescue and save, He sits on His throne of grace and mercy.
In light of the New Testament, we see those two thrones are reconciled into one throne of Jesus Christ. Hebrews calls it “the throne of grace” that we are invited to approach. On the cross, Jesus was treated as if He were a sinner hated by God. Now I want to stress that He was not hated by God, but He was treated as if He was. That way He received the treatment that we deserved.
Both of these principles are true in God: on the one hand His holy judgment and hatred of sin, and on the other hand His love for sinners and His offer of salvation and rescue in Jesus Christ.
Is a believer still saved if they die with unrepented sin?Repentance is part of salvation. I’ve heard it described as the fruit. What about sins not repented for and a person dies? Are they still saved?
Yes, and let me kind of clarify. Repentance is a very important part of God’s work in His people. We repent and believe. I don’t think of repentance and faith as being two different things. Repentance and faith are two aspects of the same thing. Repentance is turning from my sin, and faith is turning toward God. I can’t turn toward God unless I first turn from my sin. So, repentance and faith are linked together.
If a person truly comes to God in faith, they will repent. An illustration is that if you’re in New York, and you need to come to Los Angeles, I don’t have to tell you, “Okay, now leave New York. And now come to Los Angeles.” If I just tell you come to LA, that’s enough, because you can’t come to LA unless you leave New York. In the same way, we can’t truly trust and rely on and cling to Jesus Christ and have true faith in Him without actually forsaking the trust that we put in ourselves and the confidence we have in our own sin and our own things.
Now, I want to emphasize that we aren’t saved by our repentance, and we don’t earn salvation by our repentance. Repentance is part of our essential response to God. But if we had to repent of each and every sin that we commit before we could be allowed entrance into heaven, then we would all go to hell. Just consider how many times and in how many ways we sin before God in a day without even knowing it. There could be many individual acts of sin that I’m not even aware of.
So, there’s a general repentance that is essential at the beginning of the Christian life. Then there is a specific repentance of things that the Holy Spirit makes us aware of, which we need to forsake and put behind us, because they would hinder our fellowship with God. So those things kind of combined collectively make up this idea of repentance.
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And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11)
Accident investigators say the car was airborne for about 150 feet (30 meters) before it crashed through the roof of Joanne and Mahlon Donovan’s house in Derry, New Hampshire. It was about 3:00 in the morning, and a 20-year-old woman who was later arrested for drunk driving drove the car. Her car came crashing through the ceiling and dropped right over the Donovan’s bed. “The thing was right in front of my face,” Mr. Donovan, 65, said. “I could feel the heat from the exhaust system coming right through the sheets.”
Scary enough. Yet even more frightening was that, according to the Associated Press story, the wife of the home didn’t wake up. Joanne Donovan slept right through it. Mr. Donovan had to shake her awake after the crash.
It’s amazing what we can sleep through. God can do an awe-inspiring work among many, but others can sleep right through it, spiritually speaking. In Romans 13:11, we find out what it takes to keep us awake, or to awaken us from our spiritual slumber.
First, Paul wrote about knowing the time. Often, when we oversleep it is because we didn’t know the time. We wake up late, and in a panic look for the time, and get a sick feeling – “I’m late! I overslept!” Spiritually speaking, if we know the time we won’t sleep when we shouldn’t. And when we look around at the world today with open eyes and an open Bible, we see that the time is short. If we really believe Jesus is coming soon, if we know the time – then we will wake up.
Second, Paul wrote about what would happen at the right time: now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The coming of Jesus, and the completion of our salvation, is closer than ever. Every day since God worked in your life and you first decided to follow Jesus, the time has become closer and closer, and the finishing of your salvation comes nearer and nearer. When we remember how wonderful it will be to have our salvation finished – no more sin, no more death, no more of the weakness of this flesh – that will keep us awake.
Right now, are you taking a spiritual nap? Perhaps there is some spiritual activity in your life, but you might as well be sleepwalking through it. So, the right prayer for you today is, “Lord, wake me up. Help me to know it is time to awaken. Get me excited about the completion of my salvation.” God loves to answer that kind of prayer.
Even if you are sleeping so soundly that if a car crashed through the roof of your house, you wouldn’t know it, God can still make you awake and keep you awake for His glory.
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And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)
Romans 1 through 11 is heavy on right thinking, on good theology. Starting with chapter 12, the Apostle Paul focused more on living out the truth already presented. Because of what God has done in the believer, they should not be conformed to this world. This warns us that the popular culture and thinking in rebellion against God will try to conform us to its ungodly pattern, and we must resist that process.
The opposite of being conformed to this world is to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The battleground between conforming to the world and being transformed is in the mind of the believer. Christians must think differently. “I don’t want to be conformed to this world. I want to be transformed. How do I do it?” By the renewing of your mind. The problem with many Christians is they live based on feelings, or they are only concerned about doing.
The life based on feeling says, “How do I feel today? How do I feel about my job? How do I feel about my marriage? How do I feel about worship? How do I feel about the preacher?” This life by feeling will never know the transforming power of God because it ignores the renewing of the mind.
The life based on doing says, “Don’t give me your theology. Just tell me what to do. Give me the four points for this and the seven keys for that.” This life of doing will never know the transforming power of God, because it ignores the renewing of the mind.
God is never against the principles of feeling and doing. He is a God of powerful and passionate feeling, and He commands us to be doers. Yet feelings and doing are completely insufficient foundations for the Christian life. The first questions cannot be “How do I feel?” or “What do I do?” Rather, they must be “What is true here? What does God’s word say?” This is how minds are renewed and lives are transformed.
As we are transformed on the inside, the proof is evident on the outside, as others can see what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is through our life.
Here is how to live out the will of God:
– Keep in mind the rich mercy of God to you – past, present, and future.
– As an act of intelligent worship, decide to yield your entire self to Him.
– Resist conformity to the thoughts and actions of this world.
– As you focus on God’s truth and follow Jesus, God will transform your life.
– Your life will prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Don’t conform – transform by the power of God’s Spirit and His truth.
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Was Jesus a Communist?Was Jesus a Communist?What Is Communism? Four quick points…
- No private ownership of property; everything is held collectively by the people.
- The state, the government, holds, plans, spends, distributes builds in the name of the collective, the people.
- Every person works according to their ability, every person receives according to their need.
- Workers aren’t exploited by owners who only care about profits.
Comparing this understanding of Communism, Jesus was not a communist.
1. Jesus would oppose Communism because He affirmed the Old Testament, which clearly affirms the right of private property, especially in the command to not steal (Exodus 20:15).
Matthew 5:17–19
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The New Testament also condemns theft, which implies the right to private property:
Ephesians 4:28
Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
2. Jesus would oppose Communism because the Bible – which carries the message of Jesus – tells us that the family is the main economic unit for society, not the state.
- The whole law of Moses distributed land according to family and was held in trust by the family – not the state.
- 1 Timothy 5:8 is a remarkably strong statement, part of the instructions for the support of widows where Paul stated that widows should not receive the financial support of the church if they had family that could support them.
1 Timothy 5:8
But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
3. Jesus would oppose Communism because the message of the Bible is of radical generosity and sharing among believers – but voluntary, free-will giving. There’s a big difference between koinonia (community, sharing) and Communism, and one of the differences is coercion.
4. Jesus would oppose Communism because the amount of state power and coercion and force necessary for a planned economy goes against the Biblical principle of freedom, of liberty.
- The proclamation of liberty is a huge idea in the scriptures.
- It’s for freedom that Christ set us free.
- There’s a legitimate debate to have among Christians about the balance between freedom and security or freedom and equality – but the totalitarian state required to make Communism work is, in my opinion, far out of bounds in this debate.
- There’s a reason why Communist states have been atheistic and have been violent, persistent persecutors of Christianity (and other religions).
5. Jesus would oppose Communism because it is built on envy, or quickly degenerates into envy – the anger, bitterness, hatred because someone else has more than I have. Envy is a terrible sin, and contentment is a true Christian virtue.
Matthew 27:18
For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.
Romans 1:29
…being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife…
Romans 13:13
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
Philippians 4:11
I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.
1 Timothy 6:8
And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
6. Jesus would oppose Communism because of its terrible history.
If you love people – if you love humanity – you should hate Communism. In the 20th century, some researchers say that Communist states (the Soviet Union and its satellite states, Communist China, North Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cuba, and such) were responsible for the deaths of up to 100 million people. Nothing – certainly no government – has murdered its own people as Communism has. All this murder didn’t make for paradise on earth, but for nations that were giant terror camps or prison camps.
What kind of economic system would Jesus approve of? Some quick thoughts (there is, no doubt, much more to say) on the kind of economy Jesus would approve:
- An economy that affirmed the basic economic unit of the family.
- An economy biased towards freedom, more than state control and coercion or the control of monopolies and cartels.
- A productive economy, that lifted families and individuals out of abject poverty.
- An economy of opportunity, where hard work was genuinely rewarded and corruption, bribes, and dishonesty were punished.
- An economy that encouraged generosity.
Is it edifying to use the gift of tongues in our private prayer time, even without interpretation?If we have the gift of tongues, how does using this gift in our private prayer time edify us? Privately there is no interpretation, as opposed to the proper use in public, where God calls for an interpreter?
That’s a great question. What is the edification or benefit in using the gift of tongues if there’s no interpretation and it can’t be understood? 1 Corinthians 14:2 explains that the person who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks unto God and not unto man. Even if a tongue is interpreted in a congregational setting, that word is still directed to God and not to man. Whether it’s a prayer, a praise, an intercession, or a declaration of honor and glory to God, the bottom line is that it’s addressed to God and not to man.
Here’s the benefit of speaking in tongues or praying in tongues. It’s the Holy Spirit’s ability to pray in us and through us, beyond the limits of our ability to articulate or understand. It is one form by which the Spirit intercedes through us, as the Bible mentions.
If somebody comes to me and asks me to lay hands on them and pray for them to receive the gift of tongues, I always ask them, “Why do you want that gift?” Sometimes people want the gift of tongues to prove something. They want to prove something to themselves or to somebody else. That’s not a good reason to seek the gift of tongues.
I ask them, “Have you ever felt limited in your ability to pray, to praise, or to intercede? Have you ever felt that there’s more in your heart than you can articulate? Do you feel limited in your ability to communicate with God?” Sometimes people answer, “No, I’ve never really felt that way.” I then say, “Well, when you do, then let’s pray and see if God would give you the gift of tongues.” If they do say yes, then I say, “Let me pray for you, and let’s see if God would give you that gift.”
The gift of tongues is unique among the spiritual gifts, in that it edifies the individual by enabling them to pray, praise, or to speak to God in a way that goes beyond the individual’s understanding.
When is it appropriate to call someone a false teacher?If a person teaches something we believe to be wrong, we have to use some gradation. For example, there are many people in the body of Christ who would disagree with what I said above concerning the gift of tongues. They are people whom I would otherwise respect, yet they might say, “David, you’re a false teacher for teaching that. The gift of tongues has passed away. You’re false for teaching that. Therefore, David Guzik, you are a false teacher.”
Now, of course, I would disagree with them. Maybe I could turn around and say, “No, you’re a false teacher, because you believe that the gifts of the Spirit passed away with the Apostles. You’re a Cessationist, you’re the false teacher.” In situations like that, where there is legitimate disagreement among believers, I don’t believe there is much profit in pointing fingers and making accusations of someone being a false teacher – even though we would say they are teaching some false things or that they’re wrong.
No, I think that we should reserve the title of “false teacher” for people who teach things that are seriously wrong. There are errors that are dangerous and serious. Now, some people would say that what I believe about the gift of tongues is dangerous. Look, if you want to call me a false teacher, go right ahead. My conscience is clear before God and I think my understanding of the Scriptures is clear before God as well.
But I would say that we should reserve the title of “false teacher” for more serious errors. I would reserve the next category of “heretic” for someone who teaches things, that if a person believes them, they will not go to heaven. It’s a heavy thing to call somebody a heretic.
That’s how I order it in my mind. I would say there’s wrong teaching: you’re not a false teacher, but you teach some things wrongly. Then there’s being a false teacher, which is obviously a step more serious. Then the final category would be a heretic, someone who they are teaching errors so serious that for someone to believe those errors, their soul is in peril.
How do you view 2 Chronicles 19:2 with the New Testament teaching on loving your enemies (Matthew 5:43-48?)2 Chronicles 19:2 – And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you.
I would say that we’re talking about a different category here. Jehoshaphat was a king. Jehu would become the next king over the northern kingdom of Israel. Both of these were wicked men. I often say that the kingdom of Israel, the northern ten tribes, never had a good king. They had one king who was almost good. Jehu was the king who was almost good. But he wasn’t good.
This story deals with leaders in a society who are being used by God as instruments of judgment. The Books of Kings and Chronicles both tell us that God raised up Jehu to be His instrument of judgment against Jehoshaphat. I know this bothers us sometimes, and I understand why it bothers us. We’re uncomfortable with it. I would not believe anybody who came to me today and said that they personally as an individual – not as a police officer, judge, or some other office of authority – were appointed by God to be an instrument of judgment against another person. But these weren’t just guys off the street. These were kings and high government officials. They were people who were called to be God’s instruments for righteousness and justice.
Now, it is unrighteous for a judge to let the guilty go free. It is right for a judge to punish the wicked, in proper portion and with proper assessment of the crime and the law. Of course, it has to be done properly. But a judge who refuses to punish the wicked is a wicked judge.
So, I would just put this story in the context of God’s judgments. Again, we’re not talking about a guy off the street; we would be talking about our modern equivalents of a police officer, a judge, or a district attorney. When God has appointed a person to execute His judgment, but that person holds back from executing God’s judgment, they are doing evil before the Lord. No, they should have a hatred of that sin. They should have God’s zeal to punish it. Jehu was that man of zeal, but later on he went off the rails in his own way.
How does one deal appropriately with spiritual warfare?How does one deal appropriately with spiritual warfare? It seems like the more I get involved in ministry, the more severe and frequent these attacks are becoming.
I can sympathize with you, and many others can as well. For many people, it seems that once they get serious about living for the Lord and serving Him, they notice a surge of spiritual opposition against them. Now, if you understand Satan’s strategy, he sees a person who can do damage to his kingdom. He sees a person who can be used of the Lord to do some significant things. Therefore, it would make sense for Satan to push back against that person as hard as he could.
Now, something else we know about Satan is that he’s not God. He is a finite being. That means that Satan has limited resources. Now, if you have unlimited resources, you can push against people all day long; you don’t have to take one resource from one place to put it another place. No, you can do whatever you want. But Satan has limited resources. He’s not God.
Therefore, I would say this is a general principle. God helping us, in the strength of Jesus Christ, with His armor upon us, when we display to the demonic realm that we will not be shaken from our standing which God has given us to stand in, then the demons will lessen their attacks. They will put their resources someplace else because they have limited resources. It would be unusual for them to put their resources into something that didn’t really benefit their cause.
Get people to pray for you. I’ll try to remember to pray for you later today. Stand strong in the steadfastness of the Lord. Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, equipped with the full armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6. Stand. When it’s established before the devil and all his agents that you will stand, I think something happens in the spiritual realm. Satan will lessen his attack because there’s something that shows him it won’t work. Again, I can’t say that that’s some kind of absolute spiritual law, but I don’t shy away from saying it’s certainly a general principle which I have seen and experienced.
Why did Jonathan have to die?All I can do is speculate on it, but I’m happy to do so. Jonathan would have been the successor to Saul. Even if Jonathan had lived, I believe he would have refused the crown. I say this because earlier in his life, he took the robe and the crown off himself, and put it on David. But even if he had lived and set aside the crown, it would have caused great chaos to have the crown prince of Israel refuse the throne. God just knew it was better to bring Jonathan home to glory. To avoid that mess, caused not by Jonathan but by others in Israel, is why God took Jonathan home gloriously. Jonathan died as a great man, as a brave man, and as a loyal man in battle, defending the cause of God.
Why does Saul know who David is in 1 Samuel 16 (playing the harp), but in 1 Samuel 17 he does not (fighting Goliath)?I’ve heard a couple explanations about this. But sometimes real life isn’t as neat and understandable as the records that come out of it. You ask, “How could that happen?” Well, things just happen in real life. But let me give you two possible explanations. It’s possible that when David played for King Saul, and Saul didn’t really know who he was, David could have been hidden behind a curtain. Any meeting he had with Saul face to face could have been very fleeting. Saul was also somewhat disturbed at the time. To me, it’s not crazy to think that even though David was in Saul’s presence, and in some degree of contact with him, he wouldn’t have been remembered by the king. Saul had a lot going on and was disturbed.
Here’s another explanation. When Saul asked, “Who is this young man?” in 1 Samuel 17, he was asking about his family as much as anything else. Remember that part of the promise Saul had made for the man who killed Goliath, was to be given the king’s daughter in marriage. It’s a big deal to marry into the royal family. Saul very likely could have been asking, “I’ve seen this guy before, but I don’t know a lot about him. What family does he come from? Who is this guy? Give me more background because I just promised my daughter in marriage to him.”
Are trials always meant to test our faith in God, or are some merely allowed by God to happen because of our broken world?Are all trials and tribulations a test of faith from God, or are some of the hardships endured just part of the broken world we live in (and God merely allows for them to happen)?
I would say that a hardship doesn’t have to be expressly from the hand of God to test us. Yet God will still use every hardship to train us, even things that come to us as simply a result of our fallen world. Now, when I say that, I’m not trying to imply that such a hardship could come to a believer without God’s knowledge or approval. You yourself mention that God allows it to happen. Even in the allowing, God has a purpose.
So, there are some things that God directly and obviously does. There are other things that God allows to happen, and you could say that God is still behind it. Of course He is, because there’s nothing that happens in the entire universe unless God wants it to happen. We get that. That’s just what it means to be God. Nothing happens in the entire universe unless God wants it to happen. It doesn’t mean that God does everything directly by His hand, but at the very least He has allowed it. And there’s purpose behind even the things He allows. Now, maybe we can’t understand the purpose. Maybe we can’t discern it. But there’s something that God wants to do in it. Maybe it’s just to show Himself faithful in the little things that seem to be purposeless. God wants to show us something in it.
I am a divorced woman who hasn’t been to church in 20 years because of my guilt. Do you think God can still use me in a church? I am a Christian and I used to be very active in my church.Your question touches me very deeply. I can assure you that Jesus Christ wants to free you from this guilt. Now, I know nothing of the circumstances of your divorce. Absolutely nothing. Let’s pretend for a moment that you were completely at fault, and completely to blame for the divorce. You broke the bonds of marriage, you wanted to break it up, it was all your fault, and there was no reason for what you did. Even if that is the case, there is still forgiveness for the repentant sinner.
I think it’s probably likely that you weren’t entirely at fault. And I’m not here to judge that one way or another. Most likely you sinned in some ways, and in some ways, you were sinned against. Take all of that guilt and whatever shame you feel and bring it to Jesus. Recognize that He died on the cross to free you from that guilt and that shame.
I want you to know that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, He paid for your sins, and He paid for all your sins. All of them. There are no sins that He did not pay for. So, if Jesus paid for all your sins, then what sins still hang over your head? I would say, none of them. Remember this promise from 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I want you to go to 1 John 1:9. Read it, memorize it, and say it to yourself ten times a day. If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If you can confess your sin on a YouTube chat today, I imagine that you’ve already confessed your sin to God. If for some reason you haven’t, then just do it. Just be honest, don’t hold anything back. Tell God every sin possible associated in the matter and receive the beautiful cleansing and forgiveness that Jesus Christ can bring.
I can’t speak for the church that you might go to. But if I was pastoring a church, I’d be happy to have you serve in some capacity. People who have repented of sin that they committed twenty years ago, and have lived lives honoring to the Lord, are more than welcome to serve and to honor God. That’s what I would encourage you with. God bless you, dear sister.
What should you do with a worn-out Bible that is falling apart and missing pages?What should you do with a worn-out Bible that is falling apart and missing pages? I know people that fret about what to do with such a Bible.
This is a bit of a tough question because we do want to be respectful of the Bible. But we don’t want to be superstitious. The pages, ink, and binding of this Bible in my hands are not magical. And the word contained in the Bible is not magical, but it is spiritually powerful. It’s living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. But that’s not the book itself.
Since the Bible gives us no firm direction on this, do according to your conscience. If your conscience tells you, “I can’t use it anymore, because too many pages are missing. I’m just going to leave it on a shelf and let it sit,” that’s fine. I have heard of people who bury Bibles. They want to give it sort of a respect. They treat it like something living, like a body. They’re not going to burn it or throw it in the trash. They choose to bury it. I’ve heard of people who do that.
But I also know of people who have an old New Testament that’s battered and worn and has done at service, and they just toss it. They would just say, “Look, I’m not going to be superstitious about the cover and the pages and the ink. It’s the word of God that has power, that is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.”
Obviously, it’s something that bothering you, so pray about it. I would give you those three options. Leave it on a shelf, bury it, or you could toss it. But again, be persuaded in your own conscience. Because the Scriptures themselves don’t tell us what to do with the ink and paper and cover of the Bible.
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Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has become His counselor?
Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)
This is Paul’s triumphant conclusion to the consideration of Israel in the place of God’s eternal plan. As Paul thought about God’s great plan of the ages, he broke into praise. Paul realized that God’s ways are past finding out, and God’s wisdom and knowledge are beyond us.
Only God has this depth of the riches. The wisdom and knowledge of God are beyond us, and we should always speak humbly of our knowledge of His counsels and decrees. The quotations from Isaiah 40:13 and Job 41:11 emphasize God’s wisdom and sovereign conduct; no one can put God in debt to them. You can try all you want – but you can’t out–give God. He will never need to repay a debt to anyone.
Though we can’t go to the depth of God’s wisdom and knowledge, we rest in knowing that He has all things under His care. It is stated with such simple words, we can miss the power of the truth that of Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
God’s great plan is all of Him. This plan came from God. It wasn’t man’s idea. We didn’t say, “I’ve offended God and must find a way back to Him. Let’s work on a plan to come back to God.” In our spiritual apathy and death, we didn’t care about a plan, and even if we did care we aren’t smart enough or wise enough to make one. It is all of Him.
God’s great plan is all through Him. Even if we had the plan, we couldn’t make it happen. We couldn’t free ourselves from our own prison of sin and self. It could only happen through Him. The great work of Jesus on our behalf is the through Him that brings salvation.
God’s great plan is all to Him. Ultimately, it’s not for me, it’s not for you, it’s all to Him. It is all to the praise of the glory of His grace (Ephesians 1:6). It’s for His pleasure that we are created, and we find our fulfillment in bringing Him glory and honor.
At the end of it all, we can only say this of God: To whom be glory forever. The fact that we can’t figure out God makes us glorify Him even more. When we understand some of the greatness of God, we worship Him even more passionately.
If you’re caught in the quicksand of a self-centered life, joyfully receive the liberating truth: all things are of Him, through Him, and to Him.
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Does Satan Rule the World?Does Satan Rule the World?Teal from live chat 1/12/2023-
I am teaching a Bible study and I studied that Satan has dominion over this world, but then someone in our group said that’s not true. I am confused. I researched and I got conflicting messages.
Teal, there’s a good reason why you found a conflicting message – because the message is mixed in the Bible. I wouldn’t say that it is a contradictory message, but it is mixed. There is a sense in which Satan is the ruler of this world, and sense in which he is not.
One Principle: Satan is the Ruler of the Word, the God of this Age
- Satan is the ruler of this world (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11)
- Satan is the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4)
- Satan is the prince of the power of the air, who now works in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2)
- Satan and his agents are the rulers of the darkness of this age (Ephesians 6:12)
Another Principle: The LORD Reigns: Satan Does Not Have Dominion
Psalm 24:1 (also in 1 Corinthians 10:26, 28)
The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
Psalm 115:3
But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
1 Chronicles 16:31
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
And let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”
Revelation 4:11
“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”
Jude 1:25
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
How Do We Understand Both Principles?
God rules and reigns over all. Whatever dominion or authority Satan has, it is because God has allowed it – and God has allowed it because it will ultimately work for the furtherance of God’s great plan of the ages.
Satan does not have “free reign” to do whatever he desires. God restricts what he can and can’t do.
- It is true that Satan walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
- It is true that Satan has some authority as the ruler of this world (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11) and the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4)
- Some people think that Satan gained this dominion, this position as ruler because Adam forfeited it to him by his disobedience in the Garden of Eden. In that act – and in every sin since – humanity (in some sense) recognizes the authority of Satan, not the authority of the Lord. This is an idea that can be pressed too far, but I think there is some significance in it.
But Satan can’t do as he pleases. Satan had to ask permission to afflict Job in certain ways (Job 1-2) and Peter in certain ways (Luke 22:31-32).
Ultimately, the work of Satan will further God’s eternal purpose.
What will be the fulfillment or antitype of Rosh Hashanah?What will be the fulfillment or antitype of Rosh Hashanah? What does Rosh Hashanah represent or possibly foreshadow? Are the trumpets of Rosh Hashanah related to 1 Corinthians 15:52, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16?
1 Corinthians 15:52 – In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 – For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
The real answer to that is found in Leviticus 23. Here’s a link to my commentary on Leviticus 23, where I write about the prophetic significance of the seven feasts of Israel mentioned in this chapter. I find it interesting that these feasts are grouped together. There are four spring feasts that are fairly close to each other, and later in the year there are three fall feasts also grouped together. There’s a separation of time between the last of the first four spring feasts, and the first of the three fall feasts.
As a group, the first four feasts speak of two events. The Feast of Passover clearly points to the first coming of Jesus. Jesus is our Passover. The Feast of Unleavened Bread points to the time of Jesus’ burial and His perfect sinless sacrifice on the cross. The Feast of First Fruits points to the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the first fruits of the resurrection. Finally, the Feast of Pentecost points to the birth of the church and the harvest of souls that came from it. Pentecost was a harvest festival. So those are the four spring feasts: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and Pentecost. All of these feasts can collectively be connected to events in the first coming of Jesus.
After these spring feasts, there is a break in Israel’s calendar of about four months through summer and into the fall. In ancient Israel, those four months were generally a time of harvest. I would say that in our current age, we see an analogy. The first four feasts are connected to events connected to the first coming of Jesus. Next, there is a time of harvest and ingathering. After those things come the final three feasts.
The first is the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah). I believe that the Feast of Trumpets points to the ultimate, holy convocation of God’s people at the sound of a trumpet. That’s what the Feast of Trumpets was historically, and one day there will be a blowing of trumpets to call together the people of God. I think that the ultimate holy day of gathering is going to be the catching away of the church, as described in 1 Corinthians 4:16-17. I would say that this also points to God’s ultimate gathering of Israel for His special purposes in the very last days.
After the Feast of Trumpets comes the Day of Atonement, not only pointing to the ultimate perfect atonement Jesus offered on our behalf, but also of the affliction and salvation that Israel will see during the Great Tribulation. Finally, there is the Feast of Tabernacles, which points to the millennial rest and comfort of God for Israel and for all of God’s people. In fact, Zechariah 14 tells us that the Feast of Tabernacles will be celebrated during the Millennium.
There is at least some evidence that each of the four feasts pointing to the first coming of Jesus saw their prophetic fulfillment on the exact day of that feast. According to John 19:14, Jesus was crucified on the Passover. The Body of Jesus was buried, and His holy and pure sacrifice was acknowledged by God during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus rose from the dead on the celebration of Firstfruits, the day after Passover Sabbath. The Church was founded on the very day of Pentecost, beginning a great harvest of souls into God’s kingdom.
For this reason, there are some people who suggest that it would be consistent of God to gather His people to Himself on the day of the Feast of Trumpets, the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. There are people who believe that the catching away of God’s people as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 will happen on the Feast of Trumpets. They suppose this because it seems possible that the first four events happened on the very day of those feasts. Could this be the case with the fall feasts as well? Yes, it could be the case. But I wouldn’t say it with a great deal of certainty. I would be reserved in my predictions in that regard.
Do you agree with any of the 5 points of TULIP in Calvinism? (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints) Would you agree with the P (Preservation of the Saints) in TULIP?I am not a Calvinist, and I am not reformed in my doctrine. But I’m grateful to God that I have learned a lot from Reformed writers from previous generations, as well as from Calvinistic authors and preachers, including some in our own day. I don’t think of myself as being anti-Calvinist or anti-Reformed, but I certainly don’t agree with them on every point of doctrine.
The five points of Calvinism known as TULIP are: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and the Perseverance of the Saints. Much of it has to do with how those statements are understood.
Total depravity: Do I believe that mankind is totally depraved? Yes, but it depends how you define total depravity. Our sinfulness has touched every aspect of our being. There’s no part of our being that’s not fallen in some way. Unconditional election: Does God choose people from before the foundation of the world, and not just based on what they would do? Yes, He does. Again, it’s how a person would state it and understand it. Limited atonement: Did God die for the sins of the world? Absolutely, the Bible says so. But is the death of Jesus only effective for those who believe? Absolutely, the Bible says so. Irresistible grace: I believe that the grace of God can be resisted, but I also believe that God’s purposes will always be fulfilled. Perseverance of the saints: I believe that those who are really God’s people will endure to the end.
So, we could talk about these things, but it oftentimes depends on how these concepts are understood. I could find some way of stating the concepts (total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of saints) in a way that I think is biblical. But I think that the way in which most Calvinists and most reformed people take those statements goes beyond what the Scriptures themselves teach.
For me, the essence of Reformed doctrine is not so much the five points. I’m kind of bored talking about the five points with Calvinists. To me, the more significant issue is this: does regeneration comes before faith? Is a person born again before they believe, or do we believe and then we are born again? Without reservation, I believe that God must do a prior work in a person before they can believe. Absolutely. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him.” God initiates. God has to do a work first, or nobody would come to Him. That’s absolutely clear. I just don’t think that there’s biblical warrant to believe that that work of God equals regeneration and being born again. Actually, the Bible teaches otherwise. It’s not that we are born again, and then we believe. I think we believe and then we’re born again. I believe that’s what the Scriptures teach.
I would say that’s the main crux of the difference between myself and classic Reformed theology. Of course, there are many other aspects. Reformed theology goes far beyond the theology of salvation and what a person believes. So, there would be other matters on which I would disagree with Reformed theology.
How do I reconcile faith and God’s will?We have faith that God’s will is good. Now, that doesn’t make us fatalistic. No, not at all. We believe that God ordains His people to pray and to act. These things are part of His will. And we believe that prayer matters. I’ve been going through the Book of Numbers lately. There are two remarkable instances in the book of Numbers where Moses prays, and at least according to the text of Scripture, God withheld His hand of judgment against Israel because of Moses’ prayer. I think that we have to say that the prayer of Moses mattered. Moses certainly thought it did. And the way God presents the account to us in the Scripture tells us that the prayer of Moses mattered.
If we are so focused on the sovereign will of God that we think that human actions don’t matter, then we’ve misunderstood the sovereign will of God. And we need to recalibrate that thinking. Both things are true. God has a sovereign plan for all the ages which He is unfolding, coming down to the participation of individual lives. Nevertheless, God has given to us real choices to make as men and women. And our choices matter. God uses those choices in the unfolding of His plan.
Ask God to give you greater faith to believe that His will is good. And, to the best of our ability, we are to discern what the will of God is by reading our Bibles. By understanding His Word, we discern what the will of God is, and we pray for God’s will to be put into action. I know that may sound strange and contradictory to some people. Some might wonder, “If it’s God’s will, why do I have to pray for it?” I can’t explain everything about this. Some of it goes beyond our human understanding and rational. However, I would say this. There are aspects of God’s will which He waits to perform until His people partner with Him in prayer. Now, that’s all part of God’s choosing. That’s exactly what God wants to do. But I believe that there are definitely aspects to God’s will that are just like that.
Should a pastor be a political leader?I believe it’s absolutely fine for pastors to be political leaders and to be politically involved. I think that there should be more of that and not less. Now, certainly not every pastor is called to do so. Probably very few pastors are called to actually take political office, to run for city council, to run for the school board, to run for mayor or some other office. But I see no contradiction to a calling as a pastor and a dual role of doing good in the community through the political process. What they do in that role may be a different matter. In that role, they have the opportunity to honor and glorify God, to stand for His truth, and to display the love and the nature of Christ, and they also have opportunity to do otherwise. But I don’t see anything automatically disqualifying for a pastor to be involved with politics.
Now, here is the tricky part for pastors and believers who are involved politically. I think that Christians should be politically involved, especially in a democracy. If God has placed you in a nation or a community that is a democracy, that means He has given you a vote of participation and a stewardship in it. I believe that you should use that in a way that honors and glorifies God. You should read the Word, you should vote according to the Bible, and according to Christian ethics and morality. I believe that’s very clear.
But here’s the tricky part. I believe Christians should be politically involved and engaged, without putting their hope in politics. This is a very difficult thing for many believers to do. There’s something seductive and powerful about the political process, and in political power itself. It’s easy for Christians who start getting involved in politics, to start putting their hope in politics. Friends, our hope is never ultimately in a politician, in a political party, in laws that are passed, or even in good things that might happen our community. Our hope is ultimately in Jesus Christ. And while we should be engaged and seek to do whatever good we can do in our community through the political process, we need to take care that we don’t put our hope in politics. Our hope is in Jesus Christ.
That’s the message I would give to any pastor or believer who wants to get involved in the political process. You can do a lot of good for your community and God’s kingdom through the political process. But don’t put your hope in politics. I think Christians need to be cautious and careful to understand that politicians often use Christians for their purposes. Christians need to be a little bit cynical about politicians, and always look for discernment from God, as to how they may be being used or being played by a politician. It seems like it’s in the nature of politics to do that.
When we get to heaven, is God going to take away our free will? Or, if we still have our free will, would it be possible for us to sin again (in or after Heaven)?In a way, our free will is going to be taken away. Our available choices will be constrained in heaven. There will be no opportunity to sin. Perhaps we could sin in heaven if we had opportunity, but there will be no world, no fleshly nature, and no devil in heaven. So, I think we won’t have opportunity to sin.
I would suggest an analogy between humanity and angelic beings. There are faithful angelic beings and there are fallen angelic beings. God gave angelic beings a time to choose. And then, as Revelation 12:4 tells us, the dragon (Satan) drew a third of the stars of heaven with him. Most people take that to imply that one third of the angelic beings aligned themselves with Satan.
Now, the Scriptures don’t specifically say so, but it seems that the time for angelic beings to choose is over. There’s no more time of choosing for them. They had a time of choosing, their choices were fixed, and there’s no more time of choosing. I would say that the same will be true of human beings. God has given us this time on this earth now as a time of choosing. But when we pass from this life to the next, the time of choosing ends. We will go into eternal existence in either heaven or hell with our choices made and no longer have the opportunity to make choices.
What is your view on apologetics in the body of Christ?I thank the Lord for quality apologetics ministries in the body of Christ. I don’t spend a ton of time looking over these resources. But I see that there are some people who do it well in the body of Christ. My friend Mike Winger does a great job with apologetics on his YouTube channel, Bible Thinker. He has a marvelous ministry. I think Alisa Childers does a great job as well. I’ve been listening to her podcast for several years and occasionally check out videos on her YouTube channel. I think she puts out quality content. I’ve also listened to some of Sean McDowell’s material. I think he does a fine job with his apologetics work.
Now, there are good apologetics ministries out there, but there are also bad ones. From my perspective, it seems that some apologetics ministries are mainly in it for the clicks. They’re out to gain notoriety or promote controversy. They’re exaggerating. They’re not fairly representing those with whom they disagree. It’s a common thing for some of these poor apologetics ministries, to take one verse or one sentence out of an entire sermon and judge a person’s entire ministry based on that one sentence. They’ve got to do better than that.
So, there are apologetics ministries that do a good job, and there are apologetics ministries that I think do a poor job. Use some discernment. Look for the ones that do it fairly and do it well.
Why do you think the judgment of God was so firm on Moses for his disobedience?First, I think God wanted to show that Moses was not an exception. In the Book of Numbers, when the children of Israel refused to take the promised land by faith, God said, “This generation is going to die in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb.” Out of the twelve spies sent out, they were the only two faithful spies who brought back a good report. So, when God said there would be no exceptions, He meant it. Only Joshua and Caleb would enter the land, and that even included Moses. And I think that’s one reason, but maybe not even the biggest reason.
Another reason God did this was to show that no man is above accountability before the Lord. Moses was certainly one of the great men of the Bible, and of all history. Yet he was not above God’s discipline. The nature of Moses’ sin was misrepresenting God in front of the whole nation. We read in the Book of Numbers that Moses struck the rock repeatedly, although God had not commanded him to do so. Moses was angry with the people of God, although God was not angry with them. Both of these were important and significant ways in which Moses misrepresented God before the people. That’s a serious sin for a leader.
In God’s eternal plan, Moses represented the law. Moses was the great law giver. The law was not going to lead the people of God into the land of promise. No, God used Joshua to bring the people into the Promised Land. By the way, the name Joshua is the same name as Jesus. It’s Yeshua in Hebrew, and it’s Jesus in Greek. God wanted it to be clear that the law was not going to lead God’s people into the land of promise. It’s going to be Joshua; it’s going to be Jesus. Those are three quick reasons I can think of why God punished Moses so severely.
Could you speak about God as the Father biblically, and share how you see God as the Father in your own life?The of God as a Father is not emphasized in the Old Testament. It’s not absent, but it’s not emphasized. I think the imagery of God being the Husband to Israel is more prominent in the Old Testament than the imagery of God being a Father to His people, but it’s in there. Psalm 103:13 says, “As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.” What a beautiful description of God’s compassion.
The image of God as Father is emphasized in the New Testament. It is not that God changed. No, God forbid. God doesn’t change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. God is the Eternal One, He does not change. However, the Bible says that the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. In the person of Jesus, there was an embodiment of the love and grace and goodness of God that we just don’t find expressed as prominently in the Old Testament.
God is revealed as a God of love, mercy, and grace in the Old Testament, but it’s more prominent in the New Testament. I think that’s part of God’s revelation as a Father. The Father speaks of love, care, compassion, and authority. It’s also significant that the Scriptures overwhelmingly present God as a Father, in the male representation rather than the female. There are about six places in the Scriptures where God makes some kind of analogy between something female or feminine in Himself. He says, “I would gather you as a hen gathers her chicks.” A hen, of course, is a female bird. He says, “I’ve cherished you like a mother cherishes her nursing infant,” and so on. I’ve counted about six places in the Scriptures where God is beautifully presented to us as having some kind of female characteristic as a mother.
On the other hand, there are probably thousands of places in the Scriptures where God is presented to us in the masculine. Every pronoun that’s used of God in the Bible is in the masculine. The Lord is presented to us in masculine terms as a Father and not as a mother.
Now, it’s not because God is male. God is God. He’s beyond what we think of as male or female. But God deliberately chose to present Himself to humanity in His inspired Word, as overwhelmingly male. I think part of that is because God knows we spiritually need a Father. We need to respect the authority and, if I could say, the patriarchal position of God our Father. God is a King, not a queen. God is God, not a goddess.
I was blessed to have a good father. My father passed away this last year, and he was the first parent to pass on for either me or my wife. I miss my dad. My dad was a blessing in my life. There is something amazingly gratifying about knowing that you please your father. And I feel that that rubs off in my relationship with God. Now, more than a few people didn’t have a good earthly father. But I think even they probably know by intuition what a good father is, even if they don’t know by experience. We can look to God to fulfill and to be that what we need in a perfect Father.
What is a good biblical response for a parent to their adult child living in the home, about that child carrying on an intimate relationship outside of the home?I don’t know if there’s one universal answer that fits in every circumstance. Family problems are often complicated. They’re a twisted ball of string that needs to be untangled. But I’ll give you some biblical principles.
If somebody lives in your home and is supported by you, you have reason to expect certain conduct from them. I think that if that’s okay to do. It does become difficult if your child just defies you. You might say, “You can’t do this,” but they do it anyway. Then you’re faced with the question of whether you are going to continue to allow them to live in your home. Some tough love may be necessary. Of course, short of asking them to leave your home, there might be the removal of certain privileges or penalties imposed. A parent has the right to set the standard of behavior for any child living in their home.
I do not at all subscribe to the idea that once a child comes to a certain age (15, 16, etc.) when they can live in any way they please, while still being supported by and dependent upon their parents for basic provisions. No matter how the child wants to live, that just doesn’t work.
However, it is important to be careful about making threats or rules or standards that you won’t enforce. It’s a bad thing to imply that your child is no longer welcome in your home if they participate in a certain behavior, yet you don’t do anything about it when they act in that way. It’s important to have standards that you will follow through on.
These are difficult situations. very sorry for this difficulty for you. The general principle is that God has given headship and authority to the parents in the home, especially when the children are minors.
Do demons need to be “invited in” for people to be demon possessed, or can they possess people entirely unprompted?There are aspects to demonic possession that we don’t quite understand. The Bible doesn’t specifically tell us all the circumstances under which a person might become demon possessed. We often assume that some kind of foothold, some kind of door needs to be open to the demonic for that to happen. And maybe that’s the case, but we have to admit that the Scriptures don’t specifically tell us that.
There are certainly things that people can do to almost invite demonic possession. The occult, drug usage, things just that have to do with the demonic, the black arts, and all the rest. I think there are many things like that. But I’ll also say that it is possible for people to open doors to the demonic realm, but they have no idea about it. In fact, I think that’s probably the case most of the time. I think it would be very rare for a person to invite demonic possession knowingly and consciously. Usually, it’s done deceptively. Yes, it’s true that they may be opening a door, but they don’t understand the ramifications of the door they’re opening.
Regarding the Book of Job and otherwise, if Satan cannot do evil apart from God allowing him, how does this not make God passively responsible for the evil taking place?There is a sense in which God would have a passive responsibility for evil in this world, under any circumstance. I don’t think this is the case, but let’s just pretend that Satan was a creature who could operate completely independently of God. In other words, he would need no allowance or permission from God whatsoever; Satan could do whatever he pleases. Now, again, we’re speaking only hypothetically. But even if that were the case, God would still have some kind of passive responsibility, because He created Satan. Even if God didn’t do something evil, the being He created did it. God, in being God, has some kind of responsibility for everything, no matter what.
Now, you’re right, in making the very important distinction between active and passive. God allows sin, but God never makes anybody sin. God allows temptation, but God never tempts somebody. God allows evil, but He doesn’t directly work evil in the sense that we normally think of it. I understand the point you’re getting at, but I think that there’s no other way, as long as we believe there is a God.
Here’s the point. The work God is doing through His plan of the ages is greater than if sin and evil had never existed. I love to speak about this theme. God’s goal in His plan of the ages is not to bring humanity back to the innocence of the Garden of Eden. God’s plan in the large scope of His plan of the ages is to give us morein Jesus Christ than we ever lost in the fall. Redeemed man is greater than innocent man. Here’s the thing, though. You can’t have redemption unless you allow a fall. So, in the short term, you could say, “Hey, doesn’t God have some responsibility in that?” But in the long term, you would say, “God deserves all the glory for His good and perfect plan.”
In Psalm 110, David says, “The Lord said to my Lord”. Did the people of the Old Testament know that Yahweh was one God but also 3 Persons?I would say that they did not have any sophisticated idea of the Trinity in the Old Testament. There are hints of it – you bring up a good example in Psalm 110 – but it was shadowy.
However, this concept is clearly understood and revealed in the New Testament. When we clearly understand the New Testament, we can look back to the Old Testament with understanding and awe at how the Lord did things.
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So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
We often want to think faith or unbelief has to do with the circumstances or environment we find ourselves in. When faith is weak or unbelief is strong, it is easy to think, “Of course I’m having a hard time trusting God. Look at the mess I’m in.” Yet the link between our situation and our trust in God isn’t what we might think.
We find an example of this from the Book of Numbers. In Numbers 13, Moses sent twelve spies into the promised land. They each saw the same things as they surveyed the land, and all twelve spies came back to report to Moses and the nation of Israel. Ten of the twelve spies said the land was indeed good, just as God had said – yet they said that the enemies of the land were too strong and taking the land would be a suicide mission.
Among those twelve spies, two objected. They presented the minority report. They also agreed the land was good, just as God promised, but they believed God would work through them to conquer even the strongest enemies in the land of Canaan. Those two faithful spies knew if God’s word was right about the land – the LORD said the land was good and it was – then God’s word would also be proven right about the promise to give them the land despite the strong enemies. Seeing God’s word fulfilled gave them the faith to believe God’s promise for the future.
The ten unfaithful spies and the two faithful spies saw the same things – they saw the same grapes, the same men, the same land, and the same cities. Yet two of the spies came back singing in faith, and the other ten were filled with a sense of certain doom. It wasn’t their experiences that made the difference – all twelve spies had the same experiences. It was something more profound than what they had experienced.
Ultimately, faith does not come from circumstances or environment, but from our heart – specifically, from the work of God’s word in our heart. We often want to blame our unbelief on the difficult times in life, but faith or unbelief are not connected to our circumstances.
A story illustrates this principle. There were two sons who had a terrible, alcoholic father, but the sons were different from each other as adults. One was a responsible, godly man, successful in family, business, and life. The other became an abusive alcoholic just as his father was. When asked why they turned out the way they did, each had the same answer: “With a father like mine, how could I have turned out any differently?”
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
Today, bring yourself to God and His word, with their faith-building power, and don’t wait for an environment or circumstance to build faith in you.
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Solomon or Jesus – Who’s Right?Who’s Right – Solomon or Jesus?From Heather…
How do we view Proverbs 6:1-5 in comparison to John 15:13?
Jesus actually is our surety and he has paid the debt for our sins and our obligations. So in reality, we could never pay the debt for someone else, let alone ourselves. It therefore, points to Jesus as the only one who can put up security for any of us.
So, are we to follow the “wisdom” of Solomon, or are we to follow the example of Jesus?
I say that we are to follow the example of Jesus.
To be willing to lay your life down, not to pay for someone’s sins per say…but to take on their burden as if it is your own, is a function of the church and a function of Christianity. We are to bear each other’s burdens and outdo one another in showing each other honor.
This is something that allows us to offer our lives as a living sacrifice for God.
And a way to love others, and love God.
So, can you explain how we should view Proverbs 6:1-5 in relation to John 15:13 in one of your Q&A sessions? Thank you.
Proverbs 6:1–5
My son, if you become surety for your friend,
If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.
Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
Understanding Proverbs 6:1–5
[1] If you become surety for your friend: Solomon warned his son against guaranteeing the debts of others, whether they were a friend or a stranger. This was the promise to pay the debts of the friend or stranger if they failed to pay.
This wasn’t really like loaning someone money, nor exactly like cosigning a loan. In modern financial terms, it was more like guaranteeing someone’s open line of credit.
You are snared by the words of your mouth: To promise to pay the debts of another person is to put yourself in a trap. It is a promise made with the words of your mouth but will affect and afflict your wallet or purse.
Proverbs 6:1–5 is a warning against guaranteeing, promising to pay, the future debts of someone else. Financially speaking, this is pretty good advice.
Understanding the Nature of Proverbs
Proverbs deals with principles, not with absolute “laws.” As a book of the Bible, it is unique in its theology, being concerned with practical life wisdom more than ideas about God and His work of salvation.
“Proverbs are wonderfully successful at being what they are: proverbs. They are not failed prophecies or systematic theologies. Proverbs by design lays out pointed observations, meant to be memorized and pondered, not always intended to be applied ‘across the board’ to every situation without qualification.” (Phillips)
Here is an example of “contradictory” proverbs:
Proverbs 26:4
Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
Proverbs 26:5
Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
So, which is it? Am I supposed answer a fool according to his folly, or not? The answer, of course, is “it depends.” Sometimes, the right thing to do is to NOT answer a fool according to his folly. Other times, the right thing to do is TO answer the fool according to his folly.
Overall, the book of Proverbs doesn’t give commands that apply universally in every circumstance. It gives principles for wise living that need to be applied wisely.
Comparing Proverbs 6:1–5 with John 15:13
- Proverbs 6:1–5 deals with financial matters; John 15:13 deals sacrificing one’s self, giving one’s self in a much broader way, especially relevant to what Jesus did at the cross.
- John 15:13 is a sacrifice that does good for someone else; it may not do good to guarantee another’s future debts.
- Is it wise to take on all the future debts of someone else? Does that actually help them?
- The laying down of Jesus’ life was unique; it expressed a love that goes beyond anything we can do. This is one of the points of Romans 5:6–8:
Romans 5:6–8
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I’ve read of times in history when courageous Christians gave themselves as slaves in exchange for others, to set them free. This happened in the early church.
“We know many among ourselves who have given themselves up to bonds, in order that they might ransom others. Many, too, have surrendered themselves to slavery, that with the price which they received for themselves, they might provide food for others.” (Clement of Rome, 1st century AD)
This also happened in the 12th century in Spain, when the Moors – the Muslims who occupied much of Spain – would kidnap and enslave Christians. There were committed Christians of the order of the Mercedarians who were so dedicated to seeing the Christian slaves set free that they would sometimes give themselves in exchange.
These are remarkable demonstrations of love and sacrifice, and examples of the greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends that Jesus spoke of in John 15:13. But this is really unrelated to the financial advice of Proverbs 6:1–5 – don’t guarantee all the future debts of someone else.
The last word comes from Charles Bridges, in his commentary on Proverbs. His comments on Proverbs 6:1–5 understood something of the question that Heather asked:
“Our God, while he warns us against putting up security, has taken it on himself. May his name be praised for this! He has given us his Word, his bond, yes, his blood as security for sinners, which no power of hell can shake.” (Bridges)
Is it permissible for Christians to eat blood pudding (Acts 15:20, 29)?In the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, Jewish people were very strictly prohibited from eating blood. It was a command given to Israel, and there were many reasons for that prohibition. In the New Testament, the dietary laws were set aside for believers, regardless of whether those believers came from Jewish or Gentile backgrounds. In Acts 15, the Apostles wrote a letter to the early Christians, telling them that they did not have to become Jews first in order to become Christians. As Gentiles, they didn’t have to go through Moses and the law. They could go directly to Jesus. But the Apostles told the believers that since there were substantial Jewish populations in their cities, they should abstain from the eating of blood.
But this wasn’t the case everywhere in the Roman Empire. For example, when Paul came to the city of Philippi, which was a big city, there were so few Jewish people there that they didn’t even have the required minimum of ten Jewish men in the community to establish a synagogue. So, they met by the riverside outside, which would be the custom of Jewish people if there were fewer than ten Jewish men in the city. Philippi was a big city but had a very small Jewish community.
In cities which had a substantial Jewish community, the idea was to not needlessly antagonize them. Gentile Christians were encouraged to lay off the eating of blood and lay off the meat sacrificed to idols. The Apostles also urged them to lay off the immorality, but that’s also roundly condemned in other passages and then tested. The immorality doesn’t really match with the other two things in the sense of something being set aside.
So, the main reason was to not needlessly offend the Jewish community in which the believers lived. I would give the same counsel to anybody who wanted it. First of all, if anybody would eat blood pudding or blood sausage today, I’d say don’t eat that stuff. It’s nasty. I apologize to anybody who likes it. Maybe you like it. It’s a Scandinavian thing. But the little I’ve tasted of it, no, thank you.
But if somebody did like it, it does not go against God’s command in the New Covenant to eat it, unless it would needlessly offend Jewish people that you would hope to evangelize in your community. Generally speaking, it is permissible if one wanted to do so.
What does Psalm 3:3 mean by saying that God is “my glory”? Please explain God’s glory.Psalm 3:3 – But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.
As with many words or ideas in the Bible, glory has more than one narrow definition. Oftentimes, it needs to be determined by the context. We don’t want to assign just one narrow definition to glory.
We could define God’s glory as being the radiance of His being, the outshining of His person. In the Old Testament, we read about the cloud of glory, sometimes called the Shekinah, where God displays His glory. I’ve just been reading in the book of Numbers where repeatedly God displays His glory, His radiance, the outshining of His being.
Now, it’s obvious that Psalm 3:3 doesn’t use it in exactly the same way. David says to God, “You are my glory.” You see, everybody has something that they glory in. They glory in their accomplishments, they glory in their family, they glory in their heritage, they glory in their possessions. David says, “Lord, You’re my glory. You’re my radiance. You’re the expression of everything good and powerful and mighty and wonderful in my life.”
God’s glory is the outshining of who He is. Everything that’s good and wonderful and mighty and beautiful in God shines out of Him as His glory. So, there is a glory of God, of course. And there is some kind of glory of man. The two can’t be compared. But what a beautiful thing it is for somebody to say to the Lord, “You are my glory. Lord, I don’t glory in my social media clout. I don’t glory in how many likes or thumbs up I get. I don’t glory in the praise of man or the number in my bank account. I glory in You, Lord.” It’s a beautiful and powerful thing.
Is the gospel of Free Grace or “Easy-Believe-ism” a false gospel?Is the gospel of free grace or “easy-believe-ism” a false gospel? If so, then are believers of that gospel estranged from Jesus of Nazareth, and not born again?
This depends on the definition of the gospel of free grace and easy-believe-ism. A person may merely mentally agree that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He died on a cross, and He rose from the dead. But if that mental assent is not supported by repentance, by an ongoing life of trust and love and dependence in and reliance upon Jesus Christ, their mere superficial, intellectual assent will not save them. If that’s how a person defines easy-believe-ism, then you’re absolutely right, it will not save anybody.
We are saved by grace alone; we don’t save ourselves. That grace is received by faith alone. But this faith is not a mere intellectual agreement. No, this faith will actually include repentance. It’s a wonderful thing to see in the Scriptures, how the first word of the gospel is repent.
I don’t rip off people’s sermons very often. I did rip off one sermon from a great preacher, a great man of God of a previous generation, named J. Edwin Orr. I wouldn’t preach it word for word, but I used his outline. When I would preach this message, I would let people know that I got the outline from J. Edwin Orr. It’s called, The First Word of the Gospel.
In that message, he points out how the first word in the mouth of John the Baptist was repent. The first word in the mouth of Jesus as he preached was repent. In Acts 2, the first command Peter gave to do something was repent. Repent, repent, repent. That is part of the message of the gospel. But we should never think that repentance is something different than faith. Repentance and faith go together. You might say that repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin.
We must each trust in, rely on, and cling to Jesus Christ, especially what He’s done for us at the cross in burying our sin, and in His resurrection giving us new life. If I trust and rely on and cling to that, it means that I stop trusting in, relying on, and clinging to everything else. It’s moving away from everything else. That’s a pretty good description of repentance. And faith is turning to Jesus.
So, repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. If somebody really believes that they can believe in Jesus without leaving behind the things that are against God, then they haven’t understood. There are people who think that they are born again, and they are not. There are people who have made a very superficial half-step towards God. But they’ve been told that’s enough, and it’s not.
I believe in calling people to decision. I believe in leading people in prayer for salvation. But those things must be understood as a first step after which other steps must follow. They are important first steps, but that’s what they are: first steps.
So yes, there are people who have a bare intellectual agreement, and they might say they’re believers. But their belief doesn’t translate into any kind of repentance, or any kind of real trusting in, relying on, or clinging to who Jesus is and what He did to save them. That kind of faith will not save you.
Why isn’t God more explicit on certain matters that cause contention amongst His people? For example, views on the end times, denominations, spiritual gifts, tithing?I don’t know if I can tell you why. God in His wisdom makes some things very clear and without controversy in the Scriptures. Somebody somewhere might raise a controversy about it and say that Jesus Christ was not born of a virgin. There are people would dispute that. They should not be taken seriously. The things which the Bible clearly states are beyond controversy. You either believe it or you don’t believe it.
But there are other things which Christians view with differing perspectives. Spiritual gifts, eschatology, giving, and so on. I think one reason for this is that God wants us to be humble about such things. Now, I feel at peace with my understanding of eschatology in the Bible. I’m pre-millennial and believe in a pre-tribulation rapture of the church. This is my understanding of what the Bible teaches about eschatology, and I am at peace with it. However, I don’t despise people who believe differently. I think they’re wrong, of course. But I understand how they came to their conclusions. I don’t think they’re crazy and I don’t think they’re insincere.
It gives me an opportunity to exercise love. I think that God has allowed certain things to be less clear in the Scriptures, so that we would have humility in regard to ourselves and love for others. But I want to stress this again: woe to those who act as if nothing is clear in the Scriptures. For some reason, this is a special source of irritation to me lately. Some people will presume that, because the Bible isn’t crystal clear on everything, then the Bible isn’t crystal clear on anything. But the Bible is clear on many things, most things, the essential things.
In areas of dispute such as giving, spiritual gifts, eschatology, there is often more agreement among believers than is commonly thought. A lot of the disagreement has to do with things on the periphery, and not with the core Scriptural teaching.
Solomon believed in God and his family line was blessed by God. Towards the end of his life, he did not do good in God’s eyes. Why didn’t God make him realize his sin and repent like David?Some people think that he did repent. Some people think that Ecclesiastes was written at the end of Solomon’s life, and it was his confession about his error and folly earlier in his life. I suppose that’s possible, but it is by no means certain. In the account of Solomon’s life as recorded in 1 Kings and 1-2 Chronicles, God doesn’t tell us about Solomon repenting.
I think God didn’t tell us that out of a warning. I think it’s a very important warning for us that nobody is so smart, so blessed, and so gifted, that they don’t need to take heed lest they fall away. Friends, do you realize how important that is? Solomon was an incredibly blessed man. Solomon was a man who had so much at his own disposal. Solomon was a man who understood so many things and had so many gifts and talents and abilities. And yet, as far as the biblical record is concerned, things ended very darkly for Solomon. I think God deliberately did that as a warning for us.
You mentioned that Cornelius had a real relationship with God. How can someone have a real relationship with God without a relationship with Jesus Christ?Cornelius is presented to us in the Book of Acts as having a real but perhaps beginning relationship with God. His relationship with God was just barely beginning. He feared God. But God came to him, God met him, God led him on. It’s important to notice that God was working in Cornelius’ life and Cornelius had some relationship with God. And through that real relationship with God, God led him to a real knowledge of Jesus Christ. It would be just like the faithful Jewish people who hadn’t really heard of Jesus. They had some kind of relationship with God, but it wasn’t a full or salvific relationship with God until they came to Him through Jesus Christ.
For Cornelius, it was a pure beginning. It was the start. The Book of Acts tells us that Cornelius was a man who was praised by God for His righteousness. It doesn’t mean that he was saved yet, but it means that he had some kind of beginning relationship with God. The reality of his relationship with God was demonstrated by the fact that God came to him and drew him deeper into a relationship that can only be found in and through God’s Messiah, Jesus Christ.
The Bible says, “There is not one righteous,” yet Enoch walked with God and pleased Him so greatly that he did not face death. Noah was called righteous in the Scriptures and was saved from flood. How can we explain this?When the Bible says that there’s not one righteous, that means not one righteous in himself. But the Bible makes it very plain that righteousness comes by faith. For example, Genesis 15 says that Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. So, the Bible sometimes uses that idea of righteousness.
Yes, we as believers are made righteous by faith in Jesus Christ, by repenting of our sins, turning to God, and putting our faith in who Jesus is, and what He did for us, especially what he did for us at the cross and in His resurrection. That is counted as our righteousness. It’s not a righteousness of your own making. It’s a righteousness received in Jesus Christ.
The Bible also speaks of righteousness that’s available to people even in the Old Testament, a righteousness that’s received by faith. Abraham had that faith, and it was accounted to him as righteousness. This was faith in what God would do and provide through the Messiah. We have righteousness by faith in what God has done in and through Jesus the Messiah. Our faith unto righteousness looks back; their faith unto righteousness looked forward.
Righteousness is described in another way in the Scriptures as well. It’s the sense of a relative righteousness among men. Relatively, there are some people who are more righteous than others. Now, again, we’re not saying that in an absolute sense before God, but it’s obvious all around us. There are some people who live more righteous lives before God than other people do.
Those are the senses in which the Bible describes the idea of righteousness. There is the lack of righteousness in and of ourselves. There is the righteousness that we can receive as the free gift of God, being made righteous by faith. And then finally there is the relative righteousness among men.
How can people enjoy heaven if they have family members in hell?Our experience in heaven will be so overwhelmed with the understanding of who God is, and how good and right God is in all that He does, that these questions won’t bother us. God will rightly and justly resolve all things in Jesus Christ. It’s painful for us to contemplate people we know and love and care about being eternally separated from God in hell. But ultimately, that works for the resolution of all things. God will resolve everything either under His righteous heavenly grace or under His righteous judgment of sin. But all things will be resolved.
I understand that from our earthly perspective, we think we could never be happy knowing that. Yet we will be overwhelmed by the greatness and the goodness of knowing God’s wisdom in all things. As Abraham mentioned in his conversation with the Lord in Genesis 18:25, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” Of course, He will. All the judgments of God are right and good, and we will recognize that in that day.
How can the rich man in Luke 16 be thirsty in Hades when the soul doesn’t need water?It’s always difficult for us to talk about what existence in the world beyond is like. The only thing we can liken it to are things that we know in this world. I suppose somebody could make the technical argument that the rich man in this story wasn’t thirsty, because he didn’t have a body. I don’t know. Maybe it’s something like a body. The best analogy we can give to what he did experience was thirst that could be cooled by a soothing drop of water.
We have to give latitude towards the explanation of things that belong to another world, as they are put in terms of things that we know and experience here on earth.
Titus 3:4-5 tells us we are not saved by our works but by His mercy. What would you say to those that say repentance is a work? Repentance is clearly part of salvation and coming to God.Titus 3:4-5 – But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
I would say that repentance is simply the partner of faith. Here’s an analogy. Let’s say I am in Los Angeles, and I tell somebody in New York, “Come to Los Angeles.” I don’t actually have to tell them, “Leave New York and come to Los Angeles.” Coming to Los Angeles means leaving wherever you’re at.
Similarly, putting your faith in Jesus Christ is to leave whatever else you have trusted in, believed on, clung to, and relied upon. Leaving those things is repentance. I would just say that that’s not a work. That’s turning to God. Certainly, repentance can be expressed in works. But the repentance that initially brings salvation need be nothing more than that interior decision, given by the grace of God, to say, “I will turn from those things.”
Now, in the future, when a person actually does turn from those things, they’re not saving themselves then either. They have received God’s salvation by trusting in Jesus – who He is, and what He did for them, especially what He did in paying for their sins on the cross, and then rising again to new life. You can’t truly embrace Jesus in faith unless you let go of whatever else you’ve had.
That initial decision of the heart, the mind, and the will is not a work; it’s a turning. I’m not trying to say for a moment that a person does those things apart from God’s working in them. No, God forbid. A person can only repent and believe if God works in them first. Yet God won’t repent for them. God won’t believe for them. But God works in them to both repent and believe. In and of themselves, those things don’t require works at the moment. They believe; they receive God’s beautiful, powerful gift of salvation; they’re born again by God’s Spirit; and they are saved unto good works. Good works do not save them but are a legitimate demonstration of the truth that they are saved.
I regard repentance and faith as being different from works. We wholeheartedly agree with Titus 3:4-5 that it’s not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy that He has saved us.
How do you teach and practice fasting?How do you teach and practice fasting? In the Old Testament it was often an expression of repentance and mourning. There’s very little on fasting in the New Testament, even though many churches have corporate fasts today.
My wife and I have the practice of periodically fasting. We don’t do it according to strict schedule on a day of the week. The greatest example of fasting for me in my life has been my father-in-law, Nils Bergström. He has written an excellent book on fasting, called Dedication through Fasting and Prayer. I recommend it to you.
For many years, Nils has made it the practice of his life to fast two days a week. He generally would have a set system of days. Of course, he would adjust it if there were special occasions or something like that. But generally speaking, he has fasted two days a week for many, many years.
My wife and I don’t have that same practice of designating a day or a couple days a week to fast. But probably at least every other week, we’ll say to each other, “Let’s fast tomorrow.” We do this because it is presented in the New Testament as a normal practice of Christians. When Jesus spoke in the Sermon on the Mount, He said, when you pray, when you give, when you fast. He didn’t say if you pray, if you give, if you fast, but He said when you do those things. Again, these themes are wonderfully developed in my father-in-law’s book.
Here’s the bottom line. Yes, I practice fasting. Yes, it’s something to be taught. And it’s something that is widely neglected in the Christian world, much to our hurt. There are many reasons why fasting is a good and beneficial practice. But let me give you part of it right here. It is a way to say “no” to our bodies and to ourselves. We don’t like to hear that, do we? We don’t like the discipline of just saying “no” to ourselves. I’m hungry, but no, I’m not going to eat for a set period of time.
Now, there are some people who have eating disorders and may compulsively do that. But that’s a different category altogether. I’m speaking about people who do not deal with those sorts of disorders. As humans, we just want to eat when we want to eat. It is a powerful thing to say, “My body, and the appetites of my body, do not rule my life.” I’m not going to neglect them; they’re not unimportant. Normally, I’ll feed myself. But I want to establish the principle that eating is not the most important thing in my life. My obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ and following after Him is more important than my bodily desires.
Matthew 12:36 says every idle word we speak will be brought into judgment. How does this verse apply to Christians who sin in this regard?Matthew 12:36 – But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
You’re asking how this applies to Christians. I’m going to make a distinction there. Believers in Christ will face a different judgment than those who have rejected Jesus Christ and His work for them. Those who have rejected Jesus will be sentenced at the Great White Throne Judgment, which is described in the book of Revelation. Christians face a different judgment. Theirs is a judgment of their works and of their fruit. It’s a judgment not for salvation or damnation, but rather a judgment of reward.
Part of our reward will be measured by the words that we speak. I can imagine that there are people who have done some good things for the Lord, but their words were filled with poison and bitterness. And I’m not the judge, the Lord is, but it may be that those people will find that there was little or no reward for them. Every believer will have a judgment before the Bema Seat of Christ, the judgment seat of Christ, as Paul describes in Corinthians. I think that our idle and unwise words will be taken into account there at the judgment seat of Christ.
How did Enoch “walk with God” to the point that he never died but was taken to heaven?That’s a wonderful question. I don’t know if I can give you much of a detailed answer, other than just to say that his walk with God was simply a demonstration of His relationship with God. He had a real and close relationship with God. He walked with God. Genesis tells us that he walked with God and was not for the Lord took him.
Later on, in Hebrews 11, Enoch is pointed out as being a hero of the faith because of this. It shows what great faith Enoch had in God, as a fruit of his real relationship with God. Walking with God was what God wanted to do, and apparently did do, with Adam and Eve. When God came to Adam and Eve and confronted them with their sin, He had come down to walk with them in the cool of the day. We have reason to believe that in the Garden of Eden, God did that in some physical presence in the person of Jesus Christ. We don’t have to believe that that was the case with Enoch, but he had a real relationship with God. This idea is a metaphor, it’s a symbol: to walk with God. Later on in the New Testament, we’re told to walk in the Spirit. It doesn’t mean that we literally must find where the Holy Spirit is, and walk with Him, but rather it refers to the way in which we conduct our lives. Walking in the Bible is used simply as a figure of speech, referring to how we live our lives.
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As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” (Romans 9:13)
The Apostle Paul wanted to explain why it might seem that God had forsaken Israel. In this part of Romans 9, he showed that it was all according to God’s careful plan. The seeming rejection by the Jewish people of their Messiah, Jesus Christ, didn’t surprise God. His wise plan was working out through history.
In the past, this plan hasn’t always been easy to understand from a human perspective. It isn’t immediately clear why God chose Jacob to be the heir of God’s covenant of salvation instead of Esau. God chose Jacob over his older brother Esau before the twins were born, and it wasn’t because God knew their works in advance. In Romans 9:11 Paul explains that it was not of works. Instead, the reason for choosing was found in God who calls and plans. It was God who decided that the older brother Esau should serve the younger brother Jacob.
In the days of Malachi the prophet, God repeated His choice, saying Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated (Malachi 1:2–3). That sounds harsh, doesn’t it? It’s a hard thing to have God against you, much less to have God hate you.
Strangely, it seems that Esau was a blessed man. He had a blessing from his father Isaac (Genesis 27:39–40). He eventually had a blessed family and all the material blessings he could desire (Genesis 33:4–9). He fathered a nation and many descendants (Genesis 36). In whatever way God hated Esau, it wasn’t a curse that cast a shadow over his entire life.
The thought in Malachi 1 and Romans 9 is much more like “accepted” and “rejected” more than our normal understanding of the terms “loved” and “hated.” God did not hate Esau in the sense of cursing him to a doomed life in either this world or the next. Yet regarding the inheritance of the covenant, it could be rightly said that God hated Esau and loved Jacob. One become the heir of the covenant of Abraham, one would not.
Our greatest error in considering the choices of God is to think God chooses for arbitrary reasons, as if His choices were random and senseless. God chooses according to His divine wisdom, love, and goodness. We may not be able to understand God’s reasons for choosing, and they are reasons He alone knows and answers to, but God’s choices are not random or impulsive.
God has an unfolding plan of the ages, and He guides all things towards the glorious fulfillment of that plan. He chooses who and what He wills according to His genius and wisdom. Though God may choose one and reject another for a specific role in His plan, all are invited to receive what God freely gives in Jesus Christ. You can rest in the wisdom and love of God today.
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There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
This declaration is both great and simple. It is great because of its staggering implications; it is simple because it is so straightforward and easy to understand. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Since God the Father does not condemn Jesus, neither can the Father condemn those who are in Christ Jesus. They are not condemned, they will not be condemned, and they cannot be condemned.
The use of therefore is important. It means this comes from a logical argument. It’s as if Paul begins, “I can prove what I say here.” This is what he proves: if we are one with Jesus and He is our head, we can’t be condemned. You can’t acquit the head and condemn the hand. You can’t drown the foot if the head is out of water. Joined to Him, we hear the verdict: no condemnation.
Please notice that the verdict is not “less condemnation.” That’s where many believe they are – thinking our standing has improved in Jesus. It has not been improved, it’s been completely transformed, changed to a status of no condemnation.
We need to consider the corollary: If you are not in Jesus Christ, there is condemnation for you. It’s not easy or pleasant to speak of, but it is necessary. If you are not in Christ Jesus, you have not escaped condemnation.
This place of confidence and peace comes after the confusion and conflict that marked Romans 7. But this chapter is more than just the answer to Romans 7; it ties together thoughts from the very beginning of the letter. Romans 8 begins with no condemnation; it ends with no separation, and in between there is no defeat.
It must be said that the words, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit are not found in the earliest ancient manuscripts of Romans and they do not agree with the flow of Paul’s context. They were probably added by a copyist who either made a mistake or thought he could “help” Paul by adding these words from Romans 8:4. While it is true that those who are in Christ should not and do not consistentlywalk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, this is not a condition for their status of no condemnation. Our position in Jesus Christ is the reason for the standing of no condemnation.
We receive this glorious declaration from God’s throne. We receive it though we certainly deserve condemnation. We receive this standing because Jesus bore the condemnation we deserved, and our identity is now in Him. As He is condemned no more, neither are we.
It’s a great way to begin every year, every month, every week, every day: “I am in Christ, there is no condemnation in Him.” Believe and receive it today.
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Does the Bible REALLY Say that Grace is Undeserved?Does the Bible REALLY Say that Grace is Undeserved?From Susan via email –
Hi Pastor David, what Scriptures support the idea that we don’t deserve God’s grace?
Here’s the quick answer: Yes, the Bible really says that we don’t deserve God’s grace.
A lot of this is contained in the definition of the New Testament word for grace, charis.
- Something that brings happiness and satisfaction.
- Something beautiful.
- Supernatural power and help.
- Undeserved kindness, approval, acceptance.
Charis could be applied to “that which awakens pleasure or secures joy.” In ancient times, if you went to a chariot race and the entertainment of the contest was pleasing to watch, you might say the chariot races had charis, because they caused you joy.
Charis also carried with it the thought of beauty, because beauty gives us pleasure, and awakens joy within us. Even today, we say that a dancer or athlete who moves beautifully is graceful – that is, they are “full of grace.”
Charis was also used in ancient times in association with supernatural power or aid. In the literature of ancient Greece, charis was sometimes seen as a mystical power that could supernaturally influence the personality of man with its goodness and beauty. It was common for the ancients to think of the gods (or God) bestowing this supernatural grace upon man.
Charis carried with it the idea of an unmerited, undeserved favor or attitude of kindness. It was regarded as the active expression of unselfish aid and help. The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle defined the word in this way: Helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor that the helper may get anything, but for the sake of the person who is helped.
Charis could be used in reference to an unexpected blessing or a treat, such as an unforeseen gift or benefit. The reason for giving a charis gift was always found in the giver, not in the one receiving it.
The ancient Greeks knew of grace, and they valued grace, but they could only think of grace being exchanged between friends. The idea that one might show this great favor, beauty, supernatural help, and undeserved kindness to an enemy was completely foreign to them.
Scripturally Speaking…
There may not be many verses that specifically speak of this, because it is inherent in the definition of the word charis. But here are a couple examples:
Romans 4:4
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.
Romans 11:6
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
Taking all this into account, we can say what grace is not…
- Grace is not giving to someone because they are a good person
- Grace is not giving to someone because they are trying to be good
- Grace is not giving to someone to persuade them to be good
- Grace is not giving to someone to because they promise to be good
- Grace is not giving someone a lot when they deserve a little
Grace is only grace if the giving happens because the giver wants to give, and the reasons are in the giver, not in the receiver.
Grace doesn’t care if someone deserves or not, because the reasons are in the giver. Grace doesn’t tell you, “You don’t deserve this.” The law tells you that; grace doesn’t care.
Grace deals with us completely apart from the principle of deserving. By its very nature, grace doesn’t look for a reason in the one who receives.
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
How do I explain to someone that it’s not necessary to be baptized in water in order to be saved?How do I explain to someone that it’s not necessary to be baptized in water in order to be saved? My friend doesn’t understand Spirit baptism versus water baptism.
This is a delicate question. The last thing in the world we want to do is imply that being immersed in water for baptism is not important. For a follower of Jesus Christ, being baptized in water is not only important, but I will also say it is essential. It is not essential for salvation. But it is essential for obedience. It’s not good for people to be disobedient followers of Jesus.
Historically, this has been a matter of great controversy between different denominations and different theological perspectives. But I’ll just tell you what I believe. I believe that infant baptism is not a genuine baptism. I believe in credo baptism, which is the baptism of believers who can make a credible profession of faith in Jesus Christ. God alone knows a person’s heart, but there should be at least some credible reason to believe that a person has repented and believed. Those believers should be baptized. Sometimes fairly young children can genuinely repent and believe, but certainly not infants. Certainly not a two-month-old. I believe that the practice of infant baptism is unbiblical.
Therefore, I do not hesitate at all to say that if somebody was infant baptized in a church tradition, such as Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant church traditions that baptize babies, I would tell that person, I think you need to be baptized as a believer in Jesus Christ.
I would love to talk more about that because I’m a little bit passionate about this issue. I think there is an often-unacknowledged danger in infant baptism, also known as paedo baptism. Most notably, I would argue that there are thousands if not millions of souls in hell who thought they were saved, and who were told they were saved because they were baptized as babies.
Now, how do you tell this to someone? Show them the Scriptures that if they claim to be an obedient follower of Jesus Christ, they need to do what Jesus told them to do, and that is to be baptized. Jesus told them to do this. We can think of situations where people were not baptized and were saved. The most famous example is the thief on the cross. I don’t know if that’s such a great example. I think probably a greater example is the apostle Paul, who in 1 Corinthians 1:13-16 wrote to the church in Corinth that he was glad he did not baptize any of them. If baptism were essential for salvation, I don’t see how Paul could be glad that he didn’t baptize anybody.
So, yes, there is a distinction there. Baptism is an essential act for obedience, but I don’t think it’s absolutely essential for salvation. But you can start getting into the argument: how disobedient can you be as a follower of Jesus Christ and still be saved? Obviously, we’re not saved because of our obedience, but there should be a change of life and a change of heart.
Scriptures that address the possibility of someone being saved and not being baptized would be Paul in 1 Corinthians 1, the example of the thief on the cross, and other examples of baptism being a work of righteousness.
Titus 3:5 – not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
These and other passages present this as a biblical concept.
But we have to walk this line. It’s very easy to act as though baptism is purely optional, not very important, or something that doesn’t really matter. Then there’s another extreme that says, “Not only do you have to be baptized, but you have to be baptized according to a certain formula among a certain group, or you’re not saved.” Biblically speaking, I think there is a middle way through those two extremes.
Can David share some ways God has moved in his life in the miraculous and or prophetic and how those things have affected your faith?I was wondering if you could share some ways that God has moved in your life in the miraculous or prophetic, and how those things have affected your faith?
I will give one example. When my wife and I were praying about whether we should leave our ministry in Southern California and move to Germany to be part of starting a new international Bible college there, we were seeking the Lord. And God gave a very dramatic and direct word of prophecy through a friend of ours, with whom we had not had contact for a considerable time. Out of the blue, she contacted us, and I returned her call. She said, “David, I think God has given me a Scripture to give to you. Would you like to hear it?” She was very appropriate about it, and it wasn’t weird at all. She was very just normal about it. And I said, “Well, sure. Please tell it to me.” So she read this verse to me:
Deuteronomy 2:3 (NIV) – “‘You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north.”
Well, this was a day that my wife and I were specifically fasting for guidance as to whether or not we should move our whole family to Germany to help start this Bible College. And so obviously, I said, “Wow, that’s kind of relevant.” And I want to make it clear that this woman had absolutely no knowledge that we were considering this move. Nobody knew.
So I asked her, “Do you have a sense that God is speaking anything to us through it?” She replied, “Well, do you really want to know?” I said, “Yes, I want to know.” And she said, “I think that God is giving you this verse, because He wants you to move to Europe, that He’s really going to bless you as you go. He’s got ministry for you there and He wants you to do it soon.” And I said, “Thank you,” and I received that, as it was a very dramatic prophetic word delivered through a passage of Scripture applied to our life.
That was not by any means the source of our calling to Germany. No, not at all. I don’t know if I would trust such a thing as a source of our calling. But it was a confirmation of the calling and the timing that we should go. And we did go, and I think God blessed it in many, many ways. We had an amazing seven years of wonderful ministry in Germany. We developed many friends and relationships there which we value to this present day. They are wonderful relationships for us to have.
So, that’s one example I could give. I don’t think those things are commonplace in my life, not by any means. That was unusual. But I’ll be very straightforward with you that I find great strength, great inspiration, and great illumination through the Bible. It doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t hear it if God were to speak to me in another way; obviously I did in the case I mentioned. And I would in the future. But I don’t run around looking for such words. And if I could say, that very dramatic word came not when I was seeking any specific supernatural word. I was seeking God’s will, no doubt about it. But I wasn’t seeking any supernatural word and God brought it. It makes me very nervous to see people who run to from one supposed prophet to another supposed prophet, looking for a word from God. I do believe that God speaks in such ways, but we shouldn’t run after such things. God knows where we are. He can bring them to us when He has such a thing. And that’s exactly what He did in my circumstance.
Why does God test our faith? Is there a pass or fail of this testing? What happens if we fail?First of all, God doesn’t need to know our spiritual condition. He knows it. He knows exactly where we’re at in every way. But God often tests us or allows a test to come into our life, so that we will know our spiritual state. Because it’s very common for us to be kind of blind to it. So that’s one purpose.
Another reason why God may allow us to be tested is simply to increase our faith and our reliance upon Him. It’s really important for us to trust God every day, and to trust Him more and more. And sometimes God will allow hardship or pressing or trial or stress to cause us to rely upon Him more and more.
Another reason why God may allow a testing of our faith is so that we can do what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 1, that we may comfort others with the comfort that we have received from God.
It’s really involved with our spiritual growth, with our growth in grace, with our discipleship, and with our sanctification. God has work to do in us while we walk this earth. He has challenges for us to face which we won’t face in heaven. Do you realize that now is the only time that you will be able to stand strong for Jesus Christ in the midst of adversity and testing? You’re not going to have those same adversities and testings in heaven; you only have them now.
So really, it’s for our spiritual growth. And what happens if we fail a test? Well, look, God’s dealing with every one of His children is very personal, and very individualized. But oftentimes, if we fail a test, we may have to take that test again. God will allow us to work through the same or similar circumstances where we have to trust Him all over again. I’ve experienced that in my own life. And I’ve seen God work in a similar way in the lives of many other people in that way.
I feel called to evangelize, but if no one wants to join me, is it OK to evangelize alone? Jesus sent the disciples out two by two.Evangelizing has always been something I believe I’ve been called to. But what if there’s not many who really want to join? I see examples of the disciples going out two by two.
I think you’re dealing with the difference between the ideal and the real. Ideally, when we go out to evangelize, it’s great to do it in teams. Going two by two or with a small group of people is a wonderful way to do it. Praise the Lord when we can. But it’s probably better to do evangelism alone than to do no evangelism. You can decide, “Well, ideally, if there was anybody else with me, I’d do it. But I’m not going to let the fact that there is nobody with me to stop me from going out to evangelize.”
As a general principle, I suppose there could be some circumstances where it would be unwise for an individual to go out and evangelize alone, for concerns of safety or compromise or some other reason. What I’ve given you as a general answer may be tailored to a specific situation.
But in general, we have an ideal of doing something with another person two by two. But if we can’t do the ideal, then we do what we can do. There are a lot of things like that in the Christian life. We see the ideal, and maybe the ideal is immediately unreachable, but we do the best we can, always aiming towards that ideal.
I would just encourage you to take care that you don’t allow yourself to become overly frustrated or angry with your less evangelistically minded friends. I know that this is a danger. This is something that happens from time to time. Sometimes people get very frustrated. They wonder why other people don’t have the same passion for evangelism. And that’s something of a trap. Don’t let the devil rip you off by making you feel angry, frustrated, or bitter with other people. You might be thinking, “They just don’t care about evangelism. I wish everybody cared about evangelism the way I do.” It’s a very common thing for us to think that everybody should be gifted with whatever we are gifted with in God’s family. So that’s something to think about. And then do exactly what you said: pray that the Lord would send workers for the harvest.
Did Paul interact with Stoics?There is a Western author gaining interest that claims he is a Stoic. Did Paul interact with the Stoics? The claim is that the “I Am” concept was based on Roman stoicism known to Paul. Any input?
I’m going to give you ill-informed input. Just recently, I was going through my commentary on the book of Acts, where Paul is in Athens. In Acts 17:18, Paul has an interaction with the Stoics. I deal a little bit with some of the ideas of Stoicism in my commentary.
I can tell you with great confidence that Paul did not draw the idea of the “I Am” from Stoicism or from Greek thought at all. The idea of the “I Am” is something very much drawn from Jewish thought. God revealed Himself to Moses on Mount Sinai as the “I Am.”
Why do we say that Jesus died and suffered for our sins when other people died and suffered in the same manner of being hung and nailed to a cross?That is such a good question. The physical death of Jesus does not set Him apart from humanity. Many people have died horrible, terrible, tortured deaths. I would even go so far to say that, physically speaking, crucifixion is not the worst way to die. There are worse, more torturous ways to die. I won’t get into describing such tortures, but I have read about them across different cultures. Truly, crucifixion is a terrible way to die. But in the depravity of humanity, we’ve been able to think of even worse ways to die than crucifixion.
We should never forget that on the day Jesus was crucified, there were two other men being crucified beside Him – one on His right and one on His left. So yes, crucifixion was a terrible way to die. But it wasn’t a particularly unique way to die, and we can think of worse ways to die.
Two things set the death of Jesus apart from the death that any other person ever died. First, He was the sinless, spotless Son of God, who bore the sins of the world in His own body, as it says in 1 Peter 2:24 – He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. There was a spiritual dynamic in the transaction that Jesus made upon the cross. He received our sin, and He bestowed upon us His righteousness. That gave His death a spiritual dimension of agony and weight which made it unlike any other death that has been died on this earth.
Here’s the other aspect. Jesus, dying as the spotless Son of God, had never in any way known any kind of separation between Himself and His Father. We tread on holy ground here. We dare not exaggerate a separation between the Father and the Son on the cross, because the Bible tells us that even in dying on the cross, the Father was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
Yet when Jesus said, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me,” He was quoting Psalm 22. But He wasn’t only quoting Psalm 22, as some detached academic. No, He was living it. And there’s a strange paradox there. But all this was all the more impactful upon Jesus because He had never known sin. On the cross, He did not become a sinner. But to use Paul’s language, He became sin. And that sin was judged in His Person. The difference is the whole dynamic of the spiritual weight that Jesus wore on the cross, more than the physical suffering.
Why is Abraham considered the father of faith, and not Noah?If Noah built the ark by faith and lived before Abraham, why isn’t he considered the father of faith, instead of Abraham? Is his faith lesser than Abraham or some other reason?
That’s a good question. When Abraham is called the father of faith, it is in no way trying to say that Abraham was the first person to have faith. Nor is it saying that nobody else had faith in a specific measure.
Here is what is different. Abraham is called the father of faith, because to him was given that great promise that, “He believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). He believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. Well, that’s pretty big deal, don’t you think? Attention is drawn to it in the New Testament fulfillment of it, quoted by the apostle Paul, that that makes Abraham the father of the faithful. He was the first of whom it was specifically said that he was justified by faith.
Now you could argue, for example, that Enoch lived before the time of Abraham, and before the time of Noah. Enoch was obviously a man of faith and obviously declared righteous by faith. But the Bible doesn’t use the specific phrasing about Enoch that it uses about Abraham, that “He believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” So that’s really the reason. It’s the righteousness imputed to Abraham by faith.
In the Book of Esther, what happened to Queen Vashti after she was dethroned?In the Book of Esther, what happened to Vashti after she was dethroned? Did he divorce her? Or did she just stay in the harem?
From my extensive study of this, I can tell you that we have absolutely no idea. None. The text doesn’t tell us. In the words of the Puritan commentator John Trapp, “Where the text has no tongue, we should have no ears.” Where the text doesn’t speak, we shouldn’t pretend like we’re hearing something.
The Scriptures don’t say anything except maybe that he put her away. That could mean either that he divorced her in some sense, or it could mean that she was just excluded off into the harem. Many of the wives in a king’s harem would not be wives that he would interact with in any way. They were just there for prestige. In a large harem, there would probably be a smaller number of wives that he actually had any kind of interaction with. That would mean there was always some group of wives in a harem that were excluded, and perhaps she was among them. But the bottom line is that the Scriptures don’t tell us, so we just can’t say.
I’m confused by the apparent contradiction between 1 John 1:8-10 and 1 John 3:6-9. It seems to say that Christians can sin, then it seems to say that Christians can’t sin.1 John 1:8-10 – If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
1 John 3:6-9 – Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
For a deeper dive on this topic, I recommend that you check out my Bible commentary on 1 John and my audio resources on 1 John at our website, enduringword.com.
When John writes about the inability of a Christian to sin in 1 John, it’s vital to consider the verb tenses that he uses when he says that a Christian can’t sin. The verb tense indicates that what he says is that a Christian can’t habitually sin. The verb tense implies an ongoing continual action. A Christian can’t remain in habitual sin. The way I usually phrase it is, a Christian can’t remain in habitual sin and be comfortable. Now, maybe a Christian is in habitual sin for a season, but they’re going to be tormented in their conscience. But because we have new life in Jesus Christ, that principle of new life, argues against anyone being comfortable in habitual sin. Sin doesn’t abide in them the same way that it did before.
Really what we’re talking about here is the difference between habitual sin and occasional sin. Every Christian occasionally sins. And when I say occasionally, I don’t mean once every five years. I mean, if you define sin in its broadest way, “falling short of the glory of God,” well then, we probably sin every minute of the day in some way. But every believer is aware that there’s a difference between that and a conscious area of life that is not yielded to Jesus Christ and His Lordship.
Now, if you are a believer, and yet you are mired in habitual sin, and it’s just no problem for you at all, that should worry you. I mean this genuinely. You need to examine yourself to see if you’re genuinely born again. Now, I’m cautious when I say that, because we don’t want to introduce unnecessary doubt into somebody’s life about their being a believer. However, by the same token, what a terrible thing it would be for somebody to just assume they were a born-again believer, and for it not to be true, and they only find that out when it’s too late.
Is it okay to divide and read the Bible dispensationally?Thank you for your question. I’m going to be very straightforward. I don’t know exactly what you mean by that. But I do think that it’s fair and proper to read the Bible with a distinction between Israel and the Church. I think that when you come right down to it, that is the difference between dispensationalism and Covenant Theology. There are a few critical points where those differences center.
First, is there a distinction between the Church and Israel? If one believes there is a distinction between the Church and Israel, then I believe that in some form, you’re a dispensationalist. It’s not that there are different ways of salvation. No, we’re not talking about that. It’s simply that God deals with the Church differently than He did with Israel. The Church is something new and something different than Israel in the Old Testament. I think that fundamentally makes somebody a dispensationalist. And I think that is the proper way to read the Bible.
What is the believer’s assurance of eternal life?What a great question. And I could just give you this the assurance of the believer’s eternal life is found in God. It is found in the faithfulness of God’s promise, that it is impossible for God to lie. So, when He says, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” and “That whosoever believes on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life,” these are God’s wonderful, beautiful promises in which we can find great assurance. That is the believer’s assurance.
The believer’s assurance of salvation is not, “Oh, I’m such a great Christian. I can endure to the end.” No, no, take heed. You’re going to fall if you’re thinking that way. The assurance of the believer salvation is not, “I’m so smart. I’m so holy. I’m so this. I’m so that.” No, no, it is confidence in God and in His wonderful, amazing promise.
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In the gospel of John, there are five dramatic places where Jesus told us why He came, each beginning with the words, “I have come.” So, why did Jesus come?
JESUS CAME TO BE A SERVANT: For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 6:38)
Jesus came down from heaven, down from His place of complete majesty and glory and refusing to enjoy its splendors for a time. Jesus came as a submitted servant to do the will of God the Father.
JESUS CAME TO DIVIDE MEN: For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind. (John 9:39)
Jesus is the great divide of humanity; we either accept Him or reject Him. Our choice does not determine who Jesus is; it determines who we are. What we think about Jesus says more about us than it does Him.
JESUS CAME TO GIVE LIFE: I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
In Bible terms, eternal life isn’t just long life, it is a quality of life we enjoy right now in Jesus Christ. For the Christian, eternal life doesn’t begin when we die but as soon as we receive it as a gift from our rescuing God. Jesus came to give us this life.
JESUS CAME AS A LIGHT: I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. (John 12:46)
We sing this idea in the song, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”: “Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light.” It wasn’t only the streets of Bethlehem that were dark, but the whole world was in spiritual darkness until Jesus came. He brings light, not only to the world, but to every life who will receive Him.
JESUS CAME TO BRING THE TRUTH: For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. (John 18:37)
Jesus came to earth for a purpose greater than making people feel good. He came to bear witness to the truth. With the eye of your heart, look at the Babe in the manger, and consider why He came. Is He not greater than you and greater than us all? If He is, the fact of His coming matters more than any good feeling we might have or do not have. His person and His truth give us something greater to live for – something greater to give Him.
O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!
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What Is the Day of the Lord? – with David and Inga-Lill GuzikToday’s episode is co-hosted by David Guzik and his wife, Inga-Lill.
What is the Day of the Lord?From Fredericka:
Question for Pastor Dave… and can you let me know by email his answers.
Is there a difference between the “day of the Lord” in 2 Peter 3:10 and the “day of God” in 2 Peter 3:12? There are also other references to such a “day” as in Revelation. How do all these relate to each other, or do they relate at all?
Let’s start with a look at those passages in 2 Peter 3:
2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
2 Peter 3:11–12
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
Here is the quick answer: No, there is no difference between:
- The Day of the Lord (as in 2 Peter 3:10 and many other passages)
- The Day of God (as in 2 Peter 3:12)
- The Day of Christ (as in Philippians 1:10; 2:16)
- The Day of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:5)
- The Great Day (Jeremiah 30:7, Revelation 6:17)
- The great day of God Almighty (Revelation 16:14)
The term day of the LORD (used more than 25 times in the Bible) does not necessarily refer to one specific day. It speaks of “God’s time.” The idea is that now is the day of man, but the day of man will not last forever. One day, the Messiah will end the day of man and bring forth the ultimate day of the LORD. A significant aspect of the day of the Lord is the Great Tribulation described in Matthew 24:1-31.
However, the phrase the day of the Lord and related phrases could be used of several seasons of God’s judgment, when God obviously intervened and set things right.
- Sometimes the Day of the Lord was judgment on the enemies of God and Israel (as the judgment of Egypt in Jeremiah 46:10 or Ezekiel 30)
- Sometimes the Day of the Lord was judgment against Israel or Jerusalem itself (as in Ezekiel 13:3–7 or Joel 1:15)
- Sometimes the Day of the Lord is the ultimate day of judgment (Joel 2:28–32; 3:14)
Here is an example of it being used in an ultimate sense:
Zephaniah 1:14-16
The great day of the LORD is near;
It is near and hastens quickly.
The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter;
There the mighty men shall cry out.
That day is a day of wrath,
A day of trouble and distress,
A day of devastation and desolation,
A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
A day of trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities
And against the high towers.
When we are right with God, we want the day of the LORD. We long for Him to show His strength because we know that we abide in Him. When we are not right with God, we dread the day of the LORD, because when God shows Himself strong, His strength may work against us. In Joel’s day Judah was not right with God, so the day of the LORD would be nothing but darkness and gloominess to them.
Prophetically speaking, the Day of the Lord is what Jesus called the Great Tribulation, and the ultimate return of Jesus in glory at the end of that period. It is the season of God’s great triumph – again, God’s Day as opposed to man’s day.
Does the “honeymoon” phase fade away after several years of marriage?David Guzik: Why don’t you start by sharing what you often tell people about our first year of marriage? That’s supposed to be the “honeymoon” phase. How’d that work out for you?
Inga-Lill Guzik: For us, and mainly for me, that was one of the hardest years of our marriage, because there were so many adjustments, so many changes, and so many new things. I even have amnesia from those first few months.
DG: Maybe that’s good.
I-L: Yeah, that could be good. But I would say that I think the aspect of the honeymoon phase, where there’s this exuberant happiness and joy and everything is amazing and fun, depends on who you are as a person. It depends on what sways you emotionally. I think that a honeymoon phase comes and goes. I think it’s a great thing when it’s there, and it’s just normal when it’s not there.
The question is, do you strive to keep the honeymoon phase as long as you can? No, I think it’s an aspect of the marriage. And I think the honeymoon phase is something that should fade into a deeper love, a deeper understanding of each other, and a deeper sense of living with each other with the knowledge that you finally have once you’ve gotten married.
DG: There’s a fellow here in the city where we live named Dr. Jeff Schloss. He has done some interesting research. I don’t think he’s terribly unique in this; probably other people are doing the research as well. He talks about the biochemical things that happen in a person, first when they fall in love and are in that infatuation stage. That eventually progresses to a different biochemical thing going on within the body, transitioning into something that’s more suited to permanence and a long-lasting commitment.
So, I do think that there’s a sense in which a relationship changes, but it changes into something that’s better, especially for the long term. The specific question is, does it fade away after several years of marriage? Well, it should transition into something more suited to permanence and a long-lasting relationship. I really think that is God’s purpose for that.
I-L: I think that love, when you start out, is more of a friendship. It’s more companionship. Then it’s infatuation. And then it goes deeper into caring, concern, love, sharing, aspects of decision making, looking to the future, what should we do, what should we not do?
I feel that honeymoon phase can be overrated, and it can be disappointing if it doesn’t last, if that’s what you think it should do. I think you should look to grow deeply in every area and aspect of your marriage from day one.
DG: Yes. Right on.
What type of Biblical advice would you give a young man about how to find a life partner?What type of biblical advice would you give a young man about how to find a life partner in this day and age?
DG: Wow, it’s relationship day.
I-L: It is relationship day. That’s great.
DG: You know, I never get these questions when it’s just me. People probably aren’t interested in what I have to say about that, and I don’t blame them, really. So, what advice would you give to a young man about trying to find a life partner?
I-L: You are in a difficult place in the world and in the culture today. I think for a young man to find a godly woman, there’s going to be some hoops to jump through. It’s going to take some time. It’s going to be emotional. And it’s going to be practical. It’s going to have to have a lot of elements to it. It’s not as easy as it used to be. Because before it used to be that when you hit the age of twenty-one or twenty-two, people knew you were looking to get married. It’s not like that today. There are a lot of people who don’t want to get married until later, and you don’t know.
If you are a person who wants to find somebody, I think it’s important that when you ask somebody out on a date, let them know that you are looking. I think people today want to know what your motives and intentions are when you’re going out with them on dinner dates or activities. I think the best thing to do is be part of a church that has activities. It’s not just about going to church. It’s a good place to meet somebody but it’s a hard place to get to know somebody. You have to do things together. You have to be part of what the church is doing activity-wise, whether you help out with the children or the youth, or help out with ushering, which is a great place to meet people and welcome them to the church.
But trust God. Be at a place where you are marriable right now. And know what you’re looking for. That’s so important. Don’t be one who just settles. Be intentional about what you’re looking for in a woman. And pursue that. Make that your purpose.
DG: Great answer. Let me add just a couple of things. Number one, it’s fine to look for someone to marry, who can be that life partner. But you also have to concern about being the right kind of person. It’s not just a matter of finding the right person. It’s saying, “Look, am I the kind of person that someone would want to marry?”
The other aspect is this. It’s possible to over-spiritualize the process, where you just wait around. We kind of love these stories. You know, “I met her, and God spoke to me and said, ‘That’s the one.’” Those stories turn creepy pretty fast. But if you take any creepy element out of it, we love to hear that God spoke, and that was the one and it worked out in a wonderful and appropriate way. We love those stories. But part of the reason why we love those stories is that we assume that if there’s something so supernatural to it, somehow God is guaranteeing it’s going to work out.
And you and I have known couples who have had those stories, and their marriages haven’t lasted. So, you can over spiritualize it. But just like Inga-Lill said, it’s just doing practical things to get out and meet people.
I-L: Yeah. I don’t think there’s so much a problem with the romantic aspect and the love aspect. Like we were saying earlier, I think that comes over time. That’s not something you practice until you are married. You can allow for compliments, and be happy to see each other, but so many elements of the practicality of doing things together will come after you’re married.
This process definitely takes lots of prayer, but don’t over spiritualize it. Ask God to help you be intentional and to be sensitive about what kind of woman you would want to live with for the rest of your life. And be the kind of man who someone else would want to live with the rest of your life. Clean things up, get things ready.
DG: Dress a little nicer.
Was the Passover lamb understood to be a young sheep or young goat (a lamb or kid)?The Passover lamb could be taken from the sheep or from the goats (Exodus 12:5). In the Old Testament and the New Testament, was the Passover lamb always understood to be either a young sheep or goat (a lamb or a kid)?
Exodus 12:5 – Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.
DG: This verse refers to the very first Passover in Israel. But to my knowledge, after this first mention in Exodus 12, the Bible includes no reference of a Passover sacrifice being anything other than a lamb. In other words, using a goat was allowed, but seemingly, they never did it. Or at least they didn’t do it after that first initial Passover. If anything, that was simply due to custom, but not by any specific command of God. I think it just became a matter of custom to sacrifice a young sheep instead of a goat.
God gives certain commands to Israel or to any group, and we develop traditions and customs. Sometimes those customs or traditions can be very strong. It doesn’t mean that they’re wrong or right. It just means that they should be recognized for what they are.
I wonder what it would be like in a neighborhood in ancient Israel if somebody said, “We’re going to sacrifice a goat, not a lamb.” They could argue that it was allowed by law of God, but maybe they would have gotten some “side eye” from their neighbors or something.
How do you recommend making it work when married to an unbeliever?How do you recommend making it work when married to an unbeliever? I got saved 12 years after marriage.
I-L: Well, that’s a tough one.
DG: It’s a challenge for sure. Fundamentally, for the person who’s born again, Jesus Christ is the center of their life. Our life is Christ, it’s hidden in Christ. He’s our Lord, He’s our master, He’s our Savior. And to have a married life with someone who doesn’t have the same goal and purpose and center of their life, it definitely forms a challenge. But one thing to take seriously is the responsibility to be the best spouse you can, just like the Bible instructs, so that maybe God can use your conduct to help win your partner to the Lord.
1 Peter 3:1-2 – Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.
The indication there is not so much that the unbelieving husband in a marriage to a believer is going to be won by the wife’s preaching, but by their godly life and love.
I-L: Yeah. And just like in any other aspect of marriage, your husband is not your project. There might be things you can influence him about. There might be things you can talk to him about, in which you see from different perspectives and have different values or direction. But the attitude should never be talking down to him. Rather, you can say, “This is what I have come to believe lately. I’ve learned this or I’ve understood this. Can you look at it from my perspective, and then let’s talk about where you’re coming from?”
I think it’s important to recognize that we don’t compromise when it comes to sin. We don’t want to sin. But we can compromise a lot when it comes to ideas and the practicality of things. We don’t have to have our own way. It doesn’t have to be his way or my way. We can learn to communicate better by just laying things out on the table. We can say, “Hey, let’s figure out what looks best from each perspective and come to a compromise of decision making that doesn’t have to do with sin.” I think that the more gracious we can be, the better. Each marriage needs grace, and each woman needs graciousness in her speech to her husband. It’s very easy to become irritated and say things in a way or a tone that can be discouraging. Then communication becomes the battleground and talking to each other becomes a source of pain and frustration for both. And if both can fix it, then that’s great, but if not, do your part to communicate well from your end.
We do have a very real marriage. But this is this is something that you and I both do. We started this very early on in our marriage. That was to respect each other. Because this person that I have chosen – nobody held a gun to my head that I remember – I’ve chosen to live with and to love and support him. He is first my brother in Christ. He is first another human being that God has made. With my life, and how I treat him, and how I behave within the marriage will affect everything about you. And so, we treat each other as best we can and know how. And when we do something wrong or say something wrong, we are usually quick to say, “I said that wrong” or “You know, that didn’t come out right.” Or you wait a little bit of time for things to work out and get over it, and then you just say, “I’m sorry.” Forgiveness and graciousness are huge in a marriage. It is a daily aspect of marriage.
Where do you think that America and African countries that didn’t exist in Bible times, fit into the end times events described in the Bible?DG: There are two aspects to this. First, in a very general sense, the Bible does mention the nations and the peoples of the earth. In that general sense, they are included. But secondly, there are some references in the Old Testament prophets of the coastlands. I’ve heard people say that that refers to distant places, such as, theoretically, the United States or African places. I don’t really know.
But certainly, they fall under the general sense of the nations. When you read the word Gentiles in the Old Testament or in the New Testament, that word is the nations. The concept in ancient Israel was that there was Israel, and then there were all the other nations besides Israel.
Even though we are more distant geographically, we’re still included in that broad promise that the nations will see the glory of the Lord. And as far as what role we might play in any kind of specific prophetic scenario, that changes from decade to decade and from political development to political development. We can look and observe, but we hold such things with a loose hand, and just focus on God’s big picture. And that is that the glory of Jesus will be exalted over all the nations. That’s His promise.
I’ve heard a lot of people prophesy by saying that God told them something to do. Does God talk to people like that today?This is a complicated question because I do believe that God communicates with people today. Now, obviously, the fundamental way that God communicates with people is in and through His Word. I often tell people, don’t try to hear a word from God. Read His Word, meditate on His Word, and it’ll speak to you. I mean, this is God’s Word that you don’t have to wonder about. It is the word of the Lord.
Now, that being said, I do believe that God communicates with people today. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin. And in some way, that’s communicated to a person. “I’m a sinner. I need to trust in Christ. I need to repent.” Would you say that the Holy Spirit is speaking that to the person? Well, I don’t know, but He’s communicating it in some way.
I don’t think that we have to go around seeking for God to speak to us in a way other than His Word, but there are times in places where He may. And look, Inga-Lill, you know how it has been for our life. I-There have been times when God has brought very specific words of prophecy to us that have served to confirm what God was already showing us and leading us to do. Those aren’t everyday occurrences, by any means. A lot of people are far too flippant in the way they talk about the Lord speaking to them. “Yeah, the Lord told me this, the Lord told me that, the Lord told me the other thing.” We should be very sober minded about that. I like to tell people that what they should say instead is, “I think the Lord told me this.”
I-L: Or, “I have a sense that God is saying this.”
DG: Yes.
I-L: I think that removes some of the awkwardness from it. When you say that it gives people a little bit more understanding that God can speak perfectly, but we can hear wrongly, or we can misinterpret what we think He’s saying. Even with the Bible, we can read something and can go off in a different direction than what normally is said, and it could be very confusing to people.
DG: And the New Testament makes it very clear that any so-called prophetic word should be judged, or if somebody senses the Lord is speaking to them about something. I wouldn’t take action on anything I felt the Lord was speaking to me, unless I felt like that had been judged and confirmed.
I-L: Okay, yeah. I don’t think that that’s the whole the normal, everyday conversation.
DG: No, no, you’re right.
I-L: But if that’s happening in a meeting, or a church service or a gathering, then that’s a whole different thing. You might be out for coffee, and somebody says, “Hey, I think God told me that I need to do this or that.”
DG: Yeah. But let’s just emphasize again that there’s no doubt that God has spoken to us authoritatively in His Word. And that’s what the emphasis should always be upon.
How do you escape feeling like prayer is just a list of things you say to God or ask God for?How do you escape feeling like prayer is just a list of things you say to God or ask God for? Sometimes it feels like it’s just a mandatory list of things I have to say.
I-L: I think that’s a very observant aspect of the Christian life at times. In my own life there have been times when I literally would have a list. I would work down my list of things that I wanted to be specific about asking God for. I don’t really think is anything wrong with that. The Bible says to bring your requests before the Lord, and I think that’s a good thing. I think that’s part of the communication that we have with Him. I give God what’s weighing heavy on my heart or in my mind, and the things I feel I need to pour out and leave there before Him. And then, as we always say, “May Your will be done in all these issues.”
If it just seems like that’s the only thing you do in prayer, and there’s no worship, there’s no asking for forgiveness, there’s no thanksgiving, then you might want to say I need to add to my prayer time more of those elements, besides asking God to do things for you.
But I think it’s part of relationship. Now that you work at home much more, and I see you sitting in the living room, I feel like I can talk to you whenever I want. And sometimes you’re like, “Wait, I’m on the phone, or I’m doing something,” or, we just use sign language, but I talk to you because you’re there. I think that’s how natural our relationship with God becomes over time. We just talk to Him all throughout the day when we are thinking about things. And then we may also add our specific requests or the people we’re praying for or the things that are happening in our lives.
DG: You know, it’s our habit to pray together most every morning. And we pray for the same things a lot.
I-L: A lot. Yeah.
DG: I mean, one reason is because Jesus told us to be persistent in prayer. But another reason is because these are things that are dear to us. These are things that are important to us. So, we want to persist in prayer. I get the sense of the question that it can feel just like you’re going through the motions. But what Inga-Lill said is spot on. It’s very helpful to mix things up and to realize that prayer is much more than just us giving requests to God. It’s thanking Him. It’s praising Him. It’s reading His Word. It’s honoring Him. It’s claiming promises. That’s wonderful to do as well.
What is the age of accountability for children? What verses in the Bible support the idea of the age of accountability?DG: The Bible does not give an age of accountability. But it does give a principle of accountability. People who know more, have more guilt. The more we know, the more responsibility we have, and the greater our guilt is before God. On that basis alone, an infant has less accountability before God than a full-grown human being. Someone who may have some special needs or challenges concerning their thinking or thought process, they may have less accountability as well.
We see the principle of accountability given throughout the Scriptures. One very interesting passage is in the book of Romans. The Apostle Paul says that once he was alive without the law. The only way that I can make sense of that is by Paul having some kind of life or some kind of status before God before he was fully accountable before God.
It’s a habit of a lot of people today to sort of reject the idea of any kind of age of accountability. But I think that there’s a lot to it and a lot that’s neglected. The Bible does give a principle of accountability, which I suppose could be different from person to person, depending on their ability to understand and what has been shown to them.
What should you do if your spouse says they are no longer in love with you and wants a divorce?What should you do if your spouse says they are no longer in love with you and wants a divorce?
I-L: I’m hoping that this is not what’s going on in your life, but if it is, our prayers will go out to you. We will pray for you next time we pray together, and we’ll keep you in mind. But if this is just a hypothetical question, and you’ve met people that say this to you, I think you have to go back to communication.
What is the best thing to do in this situation in order to make things right? Why has it come to this point? It didn’t happen overnight, so fixing it isn’t going to happen overnight. It’s going to take some time and effort.
The reality is that there might not be any love left between two people. But divorce doesn’t have to be the solution. If you are amicable and can live together and can work towards supporting each other during this difficult time, do that. It may simply have to do with life in general. Life could be hard. Maybe you think that it’s your spouse’s fault, or it would be better if your spouse was different. Work on things together. Don’t allow for this separateness or this wedge to come in and make the space between you be so difficult to live with.
Be the giver. Be the one who works towards peace. Be the one who works towards a greater sense of belonging to each other than what you have. It doesn’t have to be all warm and fuzzy love all the time. But it can be mutual respect, honoring one another, deferring to one another, looking for ways to bless each other, as one human being to another.
Marriage is so much more than just two people dancing around the kitchen and cooking. I mean, when was the last time we did that?
DG: Yeah.
IL: But we live with each other in a way that blesses each other. We look for ways to bless the other person all day long, every day. If you’ve stopped looking for ways to bless each other, get back to it or start doing it.
I think that divorce is acceptable at times. We don’t have to go into that yet. You have a whole teaching on that.
DG: Yeah, there are certain circumstances under which God definitely gives allowance for divorce. But on top of all that you said, Inga-Lill, marriage relationships are complicated.
IL: Yes.
DG: It’s very rare that it’s just one problem. Now, there may be one main problem, but in the complexity of marriage relationships, there can be all kinds of problems at work. I’m not saying what I’m going to say right now answers everything, but it speaks to one aspect. We often think of love as just a feeling that we have inside for another person. But there’s a very real sense in which it’s more helpful and more accurate, biblically speaking, for us to think of love as a choice we make.
We tend to love the things that we take care of, that we invest into, that we concern ourselves with. People have that with pets all the time. They get some kind of pet, and they don’t really have much affection for the pet at first, but they start take caring for it, feeding it, helping it, and making sure it’s healthy and enjoyable, and all that stuff. And then they learn to love that pet all the more.
Of course, there are major differences between a human being and an animal. But there’s a sense in which love can be cultivated when we choose the things that lead to love.
IL: Yes.
DG: Again, I know that that doesn’t answer everything, because relationships are very complicated, but that principle has been helpful for me.
IL: Yeah. And I think that when the difficulty is not so much happening to you, but to your spouse, that’s when you pray for them more. That’s when you that’s when you kind of back off and give the Holy Spirit some room to work in their personal life. Maybe even express that to them, “Hey, I know you’re having a hard time. I want you to know I’m praying for you.” Because you’re married, this is something you should be going through together, working towards each other together.
But sometimes each party has to first work on things between themselves and the Lord, and work on the things that are happening with them right at the time. There could be underlying sin, but it doesn’t have to be. It could just be life. This world is very dark, and those things can come down on upon any one of us at any time. But recognize that if you’re in this together, you can absolutely and should fast and pray for your spouse and your marriage regularly, because it’s under attack. That good?
DG: Very good.
How do I know I’m still saved after backsliding from the Lord?DG: I would just say this. Is your trust in Jesus Christ right now today? In some sense, forget about the past. Are you trusting in Christ today? Or are you looking to yourself for your salvation – or to any other thing? To receive that standing of right relationship with God, we need to trust in the person and the work of Jesus Christ, especially what Jesus did at the cross and in His resurrection.
If that’s true of you, then you can say, “I have the assurance that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. I have that assurance of Jesus’ promise that, ‘All who come to Me I will no way cast out.’” You have the assurance from Jesus that He said, “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I’ll give you rest.” If you can say, “I’ve done that, I’ve come to Him, I put my trust in Him, I’ve called upon the name of the Lord,” you have His assurance. If you’ve moved from that position in the past, more’s the pity for that, but today you can say “No, today I’m trusting in Christ. I have that assurance today.”
I-L: I think that is a huge comfort for any one of us. I cannot do anything that disqualifies me from the Lord’s work on the cross for me. And therefore, I can’t add to it either. So, if it’s behavior that needs to change now that you are coming back to the Lord, then ask for strength to do those things that you know God wants you to do. Just like you can fall out of good habits, you need to fall back into good habits. That might be more what you’re thinking about when you start feeling good about yourself again. Nothing changes God’s love for you or His full act of redemption on the cross for you. Just like David said, if you’re still trusting in Him today for that salvation, then you do the works of salvation, based on that reassurance, and I think that helps a lot.
What are your thoughts on starting gender-oriented programs at church such as men’s weight-lifting and women’s cardio and or handyman services (men) and cooking classes (women)?DG: I think that there’s no universal answer to that question. I don’t think it’s right to say that all churches should have such things, or that all churches should never have such things. I think it’s something for the church leadership to be open about and hopefully led by the Holy Spirit in such things. And they should be very realistic to look at the fruit that comes forth from it.
When I say fruit, I don’t just mean asking if people enjoy such things. Because it’s not the church’s responsibility to provide people with everything they might enjoy. But are these things really building disciples? Are they building fellowship among the people of God? I don’t see any automatic harm in those things, though there may be a potential harm. Nor do I see any automatic benefit in those things, though there’s a potential benefit. So, I wouldn’t make it a rule for churches, either yes or no. But if they feel led by God’s Spirit to do something, then they should be very honest about taking a look at the true spiritual fruit that may or may not come through such things. Because again, the main mission of the church is to make disciples. The church may do very practical things toward that end, but it should be contributing toward that end.
I-L: Yeah. I think that’s so true when you do these extracurricular activities put on by the church. They should have a lifespan. It shouldn’t feel like you start one of these classes, and you can never end it. Just like it can feel like Bible study starts and it’s never ending.
DG: It’s really easy for programs to kind of become eternal at a church.
I-L: Exactly. Make sure that these classes should have a beginning and an end, so that you can take the time to evaluate if they’re meeting those criteria. I think it’s great to have things like those every so often. It should not be the purpose or the goal of the church to look to have them. But if it comes up naturally, and somebody has been going to your church for a while and they say, “Hey, would you be interested?” I think it’s a decision that every leadership should focus on. And it should include opportunities for leadership to evaluate what’s going on in these classes.
DG: When we led the Bible College in Germany, you had cooking classes.
I-L: I did!
DG: Well, that was a Bible college setting, and it wasn’t properly church. That was really fun. We felt like we were kind of pouring some life skills into young people that that needed them. Those cooking classes were awesome.
I-L: That was pretty fun.
It seems like sharing with friends about Jesus is not enough, and it seems to be getting nothing done. Should Christians just sit back and say, “God is in control”?DG: From the way you present the question, I would say yes, sit back and say, “God is in control.” Because it sounds like you’re saying that you are sharing with your friends. You are hopefully led by the Holy Spirit in bringing the good news of Jesus Christ, and maybe telling them about the good things that God is doing in your life. So you’re already speaking to them, it just seems to not be effective in leading them to the Lord. Then I would say, yes, there’s a place just to stand back and say, “Lord, it’s not my job to convert this person. It’s Your job. I have testified faithfully. I will do so in the future as You give me the opportunity. And so now I’ll leave it with You.” That’s kind of my initial reaction to that. What do you think?
I-L: Well, I think that there’s a sense when we share naturally with people about the Lord, we can expect a natural response. Sometimes people don’t care about what you say at all, no matter what you share with them. So don’t expect people to say, “Oh, thank you for sharing Jesus with me today; I didn’t know that.” That’s rarely going to happen.
But in those times when you’ve shared whatever God puts on your mind at the time, or whatever you think you want to share as a natural part of the conversation, it’s those things that they think about when they’re by themselves. Those things can be brought to their attention again by the Holy Spirit, and that may reiterate what you said. They might even have questions. I feel always feel like it’s much better to ask somebody that you might have shared with, “Hey, I know we talked about God last time. Was there anything you wanted to ask me, and didn’t at the time, but since you maybe have had time to think about it?” And if they say, “No, nothing,” then you say, “Great, well, that’s good.” Or if they have a question, they might ask it then, and you can add to what you’ve already said or answer questions that they might have. So be open, but I wouldn’t just sit back.
DG: Okay, so what would you do, other than sitting back?
I-L: Well, I would look for opportunities to share my personal experiences with Christ with somebody else.
DG: So you would maybe speak to somebody who doesn’t yet believe, almost as if they were a believer and just tell them about what God’s doing in your life?
I-L: Absolutely.
DG: I like that.
I-L: I think that people want the real you and not the “witnessing you.”
DG: Yeah, you feel like you don’t have to shut off right your relationship with the Lord. You speak with them.
I-L: Yeah. You can just say, “Today I was reading, and something came to my mind and I just want to share it with you.” Or you might have been asked to pray for somebody and God answered, then you can share, “Hey, I was praying for somebody. This is very cool. Let me share it with you.” So, make your witnessing about Jesus a natural outflow of your normal conversations.
DG: I always remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians. He said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” So that’s what we do.
I-L: Very cool.
Are angels spirits? Where in the Bible is this addressed?DG: Hebrews 1:14 tells us that angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation. So yes, angels are what we would call spirits or spirit beings. What does that exactly mean? I don’t know if we know. I don’t know if I can tell you exactly what a spirit being is. It’s a being that is real, that has a mind, that has will, that has emotions, but apparently doesn’t have a flesh-and-blood body the way that we know it. We do know that angels can at times assume a human body, but that seems to be rare. Their main existence seems to be as ministering spirits sent forth to minister salvation on behalf of those who will inherit salvation.
I have a close friend who said she has accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior, but she is still living in sin with her boyfriend. If Jesus comes back, will she get left behind? I’m worried.DG: It’s not an easy question to answer. We don’t see a light on everybody’s forehead that changes from red to green when they’re born again. We don’t know, looking from the outside in. What we do know is this. 1 John talks a lot about this principle. A Christian, someone who is genuinely born again, can’t be comfortable in habitual sin. Now, do Christians occasionally sin? Of course. And I believe that a Christian can fall into habitual sin, at least for a season, but there’ll be tormented in their conscience about it. But I don’t believe that someone who’s truly born again, can be comfortable in habitual sin.
I don’t know about your friend’s life. I don’t know about their conscience. I don’t know. Maybe your friend is just absolutely tormented by their sin and the Spirit is striving with them. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s just sort of a cover, and they don’t really care. But a person’s attitude towards sin, and especially sin in their life, is one indicator of whether or not they’re born again. It’s not the only indicator, by any means, but it’s one indicator.
A lot of this comes from passages in 1 John. I’d recommend that you read that book carefully and slowly. That’s the best way I could explain it to you. We don’t really know looking from the outside in. But I think that principle is true, and it abides.
I-L: And the follow-up to that is, “If Jesus comes back, will she get left behind?”
DG: Oh, okay. I believe if someone is born again by God’s Spirit, if they are a believer and in God’s kingdom, then they will go when Jesus comes.
I-L: Absolutely. If only those who are finished and ready and sinless get to go, I think there would be very few people in heaven. But I think there will be a lot of people in heaven who have done their utmost to live before God with as little sin as possible, and who have been forgiven of sin every day, completely because of what Christ did for us on the cross. Our belief is in what He did, and we each receive that it was for me. Only He knows.
Why are people so selective in their beliefs in the Bible when it comes to tithing? Some say they don’t tithe because they believe it isn’t taught in the New Testament.DG: I’ll give you my perspective on this. I would say that tithing is definitely taught in the New Testament. And when we say tithing, we’re talking about giving 10% of our income to God’s work, to the kingdom of God. God’s work could be represented a lot of ways. It could be a ministry, it could be charitable works to other people, but it’s 10% of your income given away. Tithe means ten percent.
I would say that the New Testament teaches tithing, but it does not emphasize tithing. Instead, it emphasizes the principle of what we would call giving. I think that’s really the difference. The emphasis in the New Testament is not on a strict 10% tithe, but on giving and generosity in general. I’ll tell you how many Christians in the early church understood that.
There were Christians in the early church who said things like, “We as Christians are not under the tithe. We can give more.” I’ll be straightforward with you. I believe that for some Christians to give 10% would be disobedience. God has so blessed them that God would want them to give more. And for other Christians, 10% is a goal that they’re shooting for and working towards. The New Testament clearly teaches us that our giving should be proportional. Paul wrote that in a letter to the Corinthians. He says that as one has been blessed, that’s how they should give.
I-L: That makes sense.
DG: So, if our giving is to be proportional, then 10% is a great benchmark for proportion. But, I’ll agree, tithing is not emphasized in the New Testament. The principle of generosity is.
I-L: Generosity comes from a heart that is affected by the goodness of God and the generosity of God. It’s a heart that evaluates, “What I have can be used greatly for something else. I don’t need this much, or I need to live on less, or I need to keep this in perspective in my life.” And God has a wonderful way of doing that through His Spirit. Trust that you can’t outgive God. You can’t give more than He thinks you should. But you can under-give. You can withhold from God. And nobody wants to be in that position when you withhold from God.
DG: Malachi talks about robbing God. I’ll tell you a story. This is a secondhand story, so I didn’t hear it firsthand. There was a pastor who used to teach about tithing a lot. And there was one couple in his church who was really annoyed by that. They were not happy with the fact that he talked about tithing a lot. So, one day they came up and after the sermon, and they were really kind of bugging the pastor about this. And the pastor just said, “Okay, let me let me get this clear. You don’t want to give in proportion to how you’ve been blessed?” And they said, “No, we don’t want to do that.” Because that’s what tithing is, it’s giving, and the percentage is 10%. So the pastor said, “Well then, fine. May you be blessed in proportion to how you give.”
I think that gets back to a principle. It’s not meant to heap manipulation or guilt upon people. But we shouldn’t fear being too generous before the Lord. We should fear being manipulated into giving. Absolutely. But we shouldn’t fear being too generous.
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But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. (Romans 7:8)
Romans 7 powerfully shows the weakness of God’s law when it comes to solving our sin problem. In fact, sin within us has a way of taking opportunity by the commandments. Paul described the way in which the warning “Don’t do that!” may become a call to action because of our sinful, rebellious hearts. It isn’t the fault of the commandment, it’s our fault.
In his book Confessions, the great theologian of the ancient church Augustine described how this worked in his life as a young man. I’ll paraphrase a bit from his well-known book: “There was a pear tree near our vineyard, heavy with fruit. One stormy night we naughty youths planned to steal the pears. We took off a huge load of them – not to eat them, but to throw them to the pigs, but we ate just enough to have the pleasure of forbidden fruit. They were nice pears, but it wasn’t the pears that my miserable soul craved, for I had plenty better at home. I picked those pears just to steal them. The only feast I got was a feast of iniquity, and I fully enjoyed it. What was it that I loved about stealing? Was it the pleasure of acting against the law? The desire to steal was awakened simply by the prohibition of stealing.”
What Augustine wrote about the pears rings true. Once God draws a boundary for us, we are immediately tempted to cross that boundary – which is no fault of God or His boundary, but the fault of our sinful hearts.
So, sin within us can take opportunity by the commandment. The weakness of the law isn’t in the law – it is in us. Our hearts are so wicked that they can find opportunity for all manner of evil desire even from something good like the law of God.
There was a beach hotel in Florida worried that people would fish from the balconies. They put up signs, “NO FISHING FROM THE BALCONY.” After that, they had constant problems with people fishing from the balconies, with lines and sinker weights breaking windows and bothering other guests. They finally solved the problem by simply taking down the signs – and no one thought to fish from the balconies.
Because of our fallen nature, the law can end up working like an invitation to sin. This shows how great the evil of sin is – it can take something good and holy like God’s law and twist it to promote evil. Sin warps love into lust, an honest desire to provide for one’s family into greed, and the law into something that ends up prompting sin.
As Paul so beautiful shows in Romans, this is why we need Jesus. God’s law is good and has its purpose. But only Jesus can solve our sin problem. Look to Him today.
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For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. (Romans 6:5–6)
It is a simple and powerful declaration: by faith in the person and work of Jesus, we have been united together with Him. This close union is both in His death and in His resurrection. God has both experiences for us. Some are eager to be united together in the glory of resurrection but are unwilling to be united together in His death.
At the same time, some Christians are focused solely on the “crucified life,” failing to see that it is a part (and an essential part) of a bigger picture: preparation for resurrection life.
Another part of “united with Christ” life is that our old man was crucified with Him. For the believer, the death of the old man is an established fact. It happened spiritually when we were identified with Jesus’ death at our salvation. The old man is the self that is patterned after Adam, deeply ingrained in rebellion against God and His commands. The system of law is unable to deal with the old man, because it can only tell the old man what the righteous standard of God is. The law tries to reform the old man, to get him to “turn over a new leaf.” But the system of grace understands that the old man can never be reformed. He must be put to death, and for the believer the old man dies with Jesus on the cross.
In place of the old man, God gives the believer a new man – a self that is instinctively obedient and pleasing to God; this aspect of our person is that which was raised with Christ in His resurrection, patterned after Jesus (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10).
God uses our death to the old man, the sin nature, to liberate us from sin. Strictly speaking, we don’t battle the old man. We simply reckon him as dead. We still must deal with the flesh, which is distinct from the old man but has learned much from our nature inherited from Adam. But we deal with the flesh as free men and women in Jesus Christ.
Our slavery to sin can only be broken by death. In the 1960 film Spartacus, Kirk Douglas played the escaped slave Spartacus, who led a brief but widespread slave rebellion in ancient Rome. At one point in the movie Spartacus says: “Death is the only freedom a slave knows. That’s why he is not afraid of it.”
We are set free from sin because the old man has died with Jesus on the cross. Now a new man, a free man, lives. Today, live united with Jesus Christ, reckon the old man dead, and yourself a new man or woman in Jesus.
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Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)
Among many today, a literal belief in Adam and Eve is unfashionable. Yet, if we are to agree with the Apostle Paul, we should believe in a literal Adam (Romans 5:14). More importantly, if we are to agree with Jesus, we should believe in a literal Adam (Matthew 19:4-6).
If we believe what the Bible tells us about Adam, we see that he was created innocent of all sin. When God said that all things were good, He said it after creating Adam. But Adam didn’t stay innocent. When he rebelled against God’s command to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he disobeyed in the one thing God told him not to do. Every day, we are tempted with a wide assortment of sin; but Adam could only sin in one way – and he found it.
When we feel guilty because of sin, we often resolve to never do that sin again. The idea is, “I’ve don’t something bad, but I can make a new start of things and do better.” Can you imagine that Adam and Eve felt the same thing? They probably said to each other, “We’ve done something terrible. But we never have to do it again. Let’s make a clean start from this point on and never disobey God again.” Obviously, if they ever made such a promise, they failed. So do we.
Unfortunately, man’s history from the time of Adam’s sin is a downhill slope. Things have gone from bad to worse. We find ways to advance in technology and cultural sophistication, but all that progress seems to make better and more sophisticated ways to sin. Adam and Eve must have been stunned to find not only had they sinned once but also now they were in the grip of sin. Since we are all born sons of Adam or daughters of Eve, we are caught in the same grip.
Humanity has accomplished many great things. We’ve put men on the moon, and we’ve destroyed whole cities with nuclear weapons. No matter what we accomplish or how much progress we make, we just can’t stop sinning. When Adam and Eve fell, they unleashed the second most powerful force that is ever-present in the universe: the sin and rebellion of man.
The only thing more powerful than the sin of man is the love of God. Romans 5:20 tells us, where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. We can’t stop sinning, but we can’t out-sin the grace of God. No one is rejected before God because they are too great a sinner; they will be rejected because they have not trusted in the person and work of Jesus and received His grace – God’s provision for sinners like Adam and like us.
Are you believing Jesus now? Have you thanked Him for His grace today?
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Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. (Romans 4:4-5) Maybe it was Augustine who said, “What is grace? I know until you ask me. When you […]
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For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24) In Romans 3, Paul explains the bad news – all humanity is, by nature, guilty of breaking God’s law and therefore in wrong relationship with Him. He […]
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Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4) In this section of his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul wrote as if speaking to those who have generally moral lives, yet don’t think they need the salvation […]
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For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17) In August of 1513, a German monk teaching at a seminary was lecturing on the book of Psalms, but his inner life was nothing but turmoil. In his studies, he […]
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O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD. (Isaiah 2:5) The first four verses of Isaiah 2 paint a beautiful picture of the glory of the coming reign of the Messiah. These wonderful promises tell us that during the reign of the Messiah, there will be no more […]
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Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him. (Acts 28:30-31) These last two verses of the book of Acts tell us that Paul […]
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher – God’s blessings to you! I pray you are blessed in your walk with God, your family, and your service unto God, His people, and a needy world. Here’s a quick thought from Acts 28: But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the […]
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Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island. (Acts 27:25-26) Some two years before this, Paul was arrested in Jerusalem on the false charge that he had started a riot on the temple mount. In Roman […]
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I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are […]
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher – Good Monday to you! Of course, I don’t know if you are reading this on a Monday, but that’s the day it is sent to you. I pray you are blessed in your walk with God, your family, and your service unto God, His people, and a needy […]
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So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged… I appeal to Caesar.” (Acts 25:10-11) It was a complicated situation. Paul was held in Roman custody in the coastal city of Caesarea, waiting for a trial over a crime he didn’t commit, based on false accusations from those who hated […]
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Now as he [Paul] reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now, when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” (Acts 24:25) Antonius Felix began life as a slave. His brother Pallas was a friend of the emperor Claudius; through such influence, […]
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher – Good Monday morning to you! That’s when I’m sending this to you, but I really don’t have any idea when (or if) you’ll read this. Whenever you are reading this, please know that I pray that God continually fills you as you keeping serving Him in whatever opportunities […]
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But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” (Acts 23:11) This must have been a difficult night for Paul. His greatest desire was to see the salvation of his fellow […]
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Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him saying to me, “Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.” (Acts 22:17-18) Most of Acts 22 is Paul’s impassioned sermon to a […]
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher – I pray this email finds you receiving some rest and refreshment as you continue to serve God, His people, and a needy world. Here’s a quick thought from Acts 21:37-39: Then as Paul was about to be led into the barracks, he said to the commander,“May I speak […]
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And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem. (Acts 21:15) Paul and his companions were on their way to Jerusalem. They had traveled a long way, mostly across the Mediterranean Sea. Now they were on the last part of their journey, going from Caesarea on the coast inland toward Jerusalem. Luke traveled […]
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And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia—also Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. These men, going ahead, waited for us at Troas. (Acts 20:4-5) It’s one of those little sections of the Bible that we sometimes dread, or even skip over – […]
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher – God bless you today! I pray that this email finds you receiving some recovery and renewal after a weekend where you may have been busy serving Jesus, His people, and a needy world. In my brief word today, I would ask you to consider Acts 19:20: So the […]
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Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. (Acts 19:11-12) Acts 19 tells the story of the amazing work God did in Ephesus, and in the whole […]
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Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” And he continued there a year and six months, teaching […]
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher – Blessings to you in the beginning of a new week! When Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica, their success in preaching the gospel made the leaders of the local synagogue angry and envious. As they accused these Christians before the rulers of the city, the evil men from […]
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Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. (Acts 16:6-8) […]
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher – Here’s a brief thought from Acts 15. In verse one, we read Certain men came down from Judeaand taught the brethren,“Unless you are circumcisedaccording to the custom of Moses,you cannot be saved.” Some Jewish Christians came to the congregation in Antioch and taught that Gentiles could become Christians, […]
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Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they. (Acts 15:10-11) The apostles and leading […]
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Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. (Acts 14:19-20) Paul […]
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher – I pray this email finds you receiving some rest and refreshment as you continue to serve God, His people, and a needy world. Here’s a quick thought from Acts 13:2: As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and […]
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Dear Reader: Once again, a foundation has generously pledged a matching funds grant to Enduring Word this summer. Your generosity counts for double, and helps us with all our work, especially translating my commentary into many languages. To partner with us in this special opportunity, click here. So, being sent out by the Holy […]
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Dear Reader: Once again, a foundation has generously pledged a matching funds grant to Enduring Word this summer. Your generosity counts for double, and helps us with all our work, especially translating my commentary into many languages. To partner with us in this special opportunity, click here. Now when he [Herod] had arrested him, […]
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher – It’s been a long time since I’ve sent one of these emails to you all – I apologize for the long delay and hope once again to get in the rhythm of sending you a note of encouragement every second week. I do hope your weekend of serving […]
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Dear Reader: Once again, a foundation has generously pledged a matching funds grant to Enduring Word this summer. Your generosity counts for double, and helps us with all our work, especially translating my commentary into many languages. To partner with us in this special opportunity, click here. Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek […]
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The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. (Acts 10:9) This short verse from Acts 10 doesn’t seem like something to notice in the chapter. Dig a little deeper and you see an amazing description of how […]
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Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the […]
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Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. (Acts 9:31) Acts chapter 9 began with a zealous man named Saul breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord […]
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And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. (Acts 9:26-27a) A few years after he was wonderfully converted, Saul (also known as Paul) made a […]
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Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket. (Acts 9:23-25) Saul of Tarsus – who […]
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Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?” […]
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And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something […]
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…He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake. (Acts 9:15-16) This was a great call upon the life of a man specially used by God. In all history, there […]
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Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine […]
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Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for […]
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When Was Satan Cast Out of Heaven?
When Was Satan Cast Out of Heaven? From Linda:
When were Satan and his angels cast out of heaven?
That’s an interesting question, and my most direct answer would be, “not yet.” But I think there is a lot of explanation in order. The most direct reference to Satan being cast out of heaven comes from Revelation 12:7-10:
Revelation 12:7-8
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
[8] Nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer: This shows us that up until this happens, Satan does have access to heaven, where he accuses God’s people before the throne (as seen in the book of Job 1:6-12, and Revelation 12:10:
Revelation 12:10
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
It troubles some to think that Satan has access to heaven, because of the mistaken teaching that God can allow nothing unholy in His presence. But the Bible clearly says that while Satan appears on earth (Luke 4:1-13), and describes him as the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), it also says that Satan has access to heaven, where he accuses God’s people before the throne (Job 1:6-12).
So, we can say that in some way, Satan has access to both heaven and earth. The passages such as Job 1 and Revelation 12:10 show that he has access to heaven, and passages like the temptation of Jesus in Luke 4 and 1 Peter 5:8 show us that he has access to earth:
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
One “problem passage” in regard to this is something that Jesus said in Luke 10:18:
Luke 10:18
And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven: The success of these commissioned disciples – especially their authority over demonic spirits – caused Jesus to speak of the fall of Satan, when he fell as quick and dramatic as lightning from heaven.
The Bible actually mentions four falls of Satan:
- From glorified to profane (Ezekiel 28:14-16).
- From having access to heaven to restriction to the earth (Revelation 12:9).
- From the earth to bondage in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-3).
- From the pit to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).
In Luke 10:18 Jesus spoke of Satan’s first fall, from glorified to profane. Fall like lightning from heaven doesn’t mean that Satan fell from heaven, but that his fall was as dramatic and sudden as a bolt of lightning from heaven.
According to several passages, Satan still has access to heaven. Yet the success of the disciples against demonic spirits was confirmation that Satan had fallen from his place of authority and power, and though was still powerful, was in an inferior place.
Satan’s fall was God’s immediate judgment upon that rebellious spirit (though not complete or final judgment, which still awaits). Every time the kingdom of Jesus is presented in truth and power, it is like another judgment upon Satan and all who share his rebellious spirit.
In remembering the fall of Satan, Jesus also warned them against pride. After all, if Satan could fall like lightning from his place of high spiritual status and privilege, so could they.
Why didn’t God say it “was good” the second day of creation? Why didn’t God say it was good on the second day of creation? It was the only day when He did not say it was good.
I don’t think I have an answer for that. I really don’t know. Maybe if I dug into it deeper, I could give you a substantial answer. But really, I don’t know why. Sometimes it’s possible for us to read too much into something like that. Yet if God through the first six days of creation pronounces it “good” every day, except for the first day, I think there is something there to pay attention to. But as for a specific reason, I don’t believe I could tell you. Maybe I’ll dig more into it and be able to address it as a lead question at a later time.
What does it mean to pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18)? What does it mean, in Ephesians 6:18, to pray in the Spirit? I was told that this is the speaking in tongues, yet the Spirit is given to His people in various ways, like in 1 Corinthians 12.
Ephesians 6:18- Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
This is a famous passage on spiritual warfare. The Apostle Paul is guiding or counseling believers on how to enter the warfare through prayer. I would define it like this. To pray in the Spirit is simply to pray under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and in step with the Holy Spirit. It is to pray, being led by God’s Spirit.
Can prayer in the Spirit include communicating God or praying with the gift of tongues? I believe it certainly can. Now I know this may be controversial for some of our viewers because there is not unanimous agreement among Christians today, or throughout church history, regarding the gift of tongues and its validity for today. For a lot of reasons which I won’t go into right now, I do believe that the gift of tongues is a gift that God makes available and gives to His people today.
So, I certainly believe that praying in the Spirit includes the gift of tongues, but by no means should it be restricted to that. I believe at any time that we pray in sync or in step with the Spirit, as the Holy Spirit would want us to pray, that we are indeed praying in the Holy Spirit.
Can I be made perfect in love (1 John 4:18)? Please explain being made perfect in love. I sometimes have flare-ups of fear and anxiety, but through prayer and Scripture regain my confidence. This verse convicts me during these moments of weakness. I don’t want to be in this category of not being made perfect in love. How can I resolve this?
1 John 4:18 – There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Thank you for this question. I would say that “being made perfect in love” is a way of describing our spiritual growth, growth in grace, and our sanctification. We’re growing in love. Since love is so central to the Christian life, one could say that maturing and growing in the Christian life is maturing and growing in love. And when I say love, I mean true love. I don’t mean the falsely sentimental kind of love, or just being nice, or mere kindness. No, real love goes beyond that. To grow in love is to grow in Jesus Christ; to grow in Jesus Christ is to grow in love.
I’ll be very straightforward with you. You will not be completely perfected in love until you are completely sanctified and completely grown up into the image of Jesus Christ. And that’s not going to be until you leave this life for the next. Until then, God wants each of our lives to be growing in grace, growing in the love of God, growing in the likeness and the image of Jesus Christ.
Love is such a central part of the Christian life and experience. It’s the basis of our own relationship with God; not the love we have for Him, but the love that He has for us. It’s the basis of our own relationship with God. And it is a wonderful measure of our Christian growth.
One more thought. I believe the ancient Greek word used in this context, being made “perfect” in love, that word for “perfect” can also be understood as maturity or being fully grown. The idea of absolute perfection can be overemphasized with that term; it really has more to do with maturity and growing up into maturity.
Is it ever good to break a vow made to God or man? I watched your teaching on breaking promises. You mentioned that it might happen that we need to break a vow to God or man. Can you give an example? Do you mean remarriage because of repentance involves keeping vows?
Some vows that we make are either ungodly or unwise. If we make an ungodly or unwise vow, the key to that vow is not keeping it, it’s repenting of it. I’ll give an example from the book of Acts. In Acts 23, we’re told of a group of 40 assassins who vowed before God that they would not eat or drink until they had murdered the Apostle Paul. These men made a vow. They said, “We’re not going to eat or drink until we’ve murdered the Apostle Paul.”
I’ll just say – that was an ungodly and an unwise vow. Instead of saying, “Well, I made a vow; I have to keep it,” they should have repented of such an ungodly, unwise vow. Now, I know that’s an extreme example. But in a lesser sense, it’s possible for us to do the same thing today.
You asked regarding remarriage, repentance, and keeping vows. Of course, marriage is a vow. It’s a serious promise and a serious vow. But it is not an absolute vow or promise.
If you want more information on this, I recommend that you watch my YouTube video, “Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage”. Please listen to that video. I very carefully go through what God’s word says in its entirety about marriage, divorce, and remarriage.
So yes, I believe that the marital vow is a serious, important vow for which God will hold us to account. But it is not absolute, in the sense that it can never be broken. God specifically told us of at least two occasions upon which the marriage vow could be broken. He permits divorce in the case of adultery of a spouse, or the abandonment by a spouse. This is simply in God’s word: God gives permission to break the vow of marriage in those circumstances.
We need to take all of what the Bible says about this – not just a few verses, as though we can erase some other verses from the Scriptures. We need to take the whole counsel of what God’s Word says about these things. But there is such a thing as an unwise or an ungodly vow, and we should not be a part of such a thing.
Are there books of the Bible that we should read more than others? I want to congratulate you, because I don’t know if I’ve ever been asked that question before. When I think about it, that’s a great question.
My immediate reaction is to say yes, if you’re going to read any books of the Bible more than others, read the Gospels more than others. Now, I do not want to imply that the Gospels are more inspired by God than the other books in the Bible. God forbid. Friends, we believe what the Bible tells us – I believe it, and I hope you believe it – that all Scripture is given by inspiration by God and is profitable for the believer. We believe that. It’s profitable for the unbeliever too; it can lead them to believe. All Scripture is inspired by God. Nothing in the Scriptures indicates that any section of our Bible is more inspired than the other. The Bible is big book, but we don’t go around thinking, “This part is more inspired than the other part.” It doesn’t work that way.
Yet I would say, if you are going to read any part of the Bible more than other parts, there’s just something wonderful about the Gospels. Again, that would be my only suggestion to you. I do think that it’s good for us to read widely in the Scriptures, to read through the Scriptures as we can. But to answer your question directly, I would recommend the Gospels.
If you want to do something serious in your reading and understanding the Bible, try this. Read through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. I’m not saying do it on a year plan or something like that; you can if you want to. But here’s the essential thing. Get yourself a notebook, or a note-taking app on your phone, and write a one-sentence summary of every chapter of the Bible. Limit it to one sentence, because that will make you think about it and analyze it. Write a one-sentence summary of every chapter of the Bible. Do that through the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. It will really deepen your understanding and knowledge of the Bible. I’ve done that at least twice. To be honest, it’s been many years since I have done that. But doing that somewhat early in my Christian life and ministry years was a great benefit to me.
Is speaking with the dead speaking with demons (1 Samuel 28)? I hear many Christians say that when someone tries to talk with dead people, they’re talking with demons. When I read that Saul talked with Samuel and he was already dead, I get confused. How was it possible that he was already in another place? When people do it, are they really with demons or with spirits just as Saul?
I am so impressed by the caliber of questions that get asked by our viewing audience. That’s a great question.
Let me give you my understanding of the situation described in 1 Samuel 28. King Saul asked the Witch of Endor to conjure up Samuel the prophet. I believe what you see in this story is a rare one-time thing. There are people who would disagree, but I believe that it was truly Samuel who visited Saul in the Witch of Endor on that occasion.
Why do I believe that? First, because in 1 Samuel 28, the Bible text simply calls him Samuel. It doesn’t say a pretend Samuel or fake Samuel, or a spiritual deception. It just says that Samuel appeared. Here’s the second thing. I believe that it was Samuel really appearing because the Witch of Endor was terrified. She was shocked. I would say that this medium or witch normally trafficked in the fake and phony, in deception and in false apparitions – like most psychic things, but not all. There is a real demonic realm, a real psychic metaphysical realm, which sometimes those practitioners are terrified to encounter. The medium was terrified when Samuel appeared.
Here’s another thing. The man or the apparition, the one called Samuel, in this account in 1 Samuel 28, only spoke the truth. He announced that judgment would come upon Saul the next day, and it did, in fact.
Here’s the final reason why I think it was Samuel. Maybe this isn’t so much of reason, but an interesting observation about the situation. It made absolutely no difference. Samuel spoke a true word warning of judgment to Saul. This was an invitation for Saul to repent. And Saul completely ignored it. He went on to his fate, resigned to it.
There’s nothing in the text of the account of 1 Samuel 28 which tells me this was anything other than a real appearance of Samuel. Now, how do I account for this? I don’t account for it. I just say it was a rare, unique one-off. God specifically commissioned Samuel to return from the realm of the dead. I would say at that time he was in Hades, the area of blessing and comfort in Hades. This place is mentioned in Jesus’ parable in Luke 16. He calls it the bosom of Abraham, this place of warm embrace for the people of God. God sent Samuel from that place of blessing and comfort to speak a word of judgment to Saul, and to tell Saul that he was going to be with Him in the realm of the dead the very next day.
We don’t know how this was possible; I just believe it was a one-off miracle. I believe this was something God did in a very unique way. God gave a unique warning to Saul in this way.
If somebody tries to speak with the dead today, I believe they’re going to get one of three responses. Number one, they will get nothing, because the dead can’t speak to them. Number two, they could get something from their own imagination. I believe that’s possible, of course. Or number three, they could get a deceiving message from a demonic spirit. That’s why we shouldn’t seek after communication with the dead – not at all. God does not want us to seek after any kind of informational correspondence with those who have gone to the realm of the dead. What he did with Samuel in 1 Samuel 28 was a unique one-off.
Why did almost all the prophets live at the same time? Is there any reason why almost all the prophets lived at the same time?
God emphasized the prophetic ministry during the days of the kingdom of Israel, probably because they were so far gone and needed to hear His word so desperately. But the Bible gives us a record of prophets among Old Testament Israel, going back at least to Moses. Moses was a prophet, and he gave an enormous amount of God’s word to the people of Israel.
The prophets that you’re probably speaking of, actually lived over a span of a few hundred years, concentrated at different places. But I think that the writings of the prophets come to us in that period because the people of God needed so much correction and so much instruction.
Another very simple answer is this: the Divine Will. I know it doesn’t answer your question to say, “Well, God wanted it that way.” But in some respect, that really is the answer. We know that there were prophets before the “classic” prophets that we think of, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos Obadiah, and so on. We know there were prophets before that. Moses was a prophet. The books of Joshua and Judges certainly mention prophets. 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings mention prophets, but then again, we’re getting into the time of the prophets.
But here’s what I would say. Let’s take for an example a prophet who existed before the classical writing of the prophets. That’s the prophet Nathan, in the days of David. Why do we not have a book of the prophet Nathan? I can’t give you any fancy answer other than just to say, God didn’t want it that way. I understand that answer isn’t necessarily satisfying, but I think it’s true. God didn’t want there to be a book of the prophet Nathan. Whatever God spoke to and through Nathan the prophet was not for all of God’s people at all times, except for the rare lines that are recorded in 1 & 2 Samuel.
I hope that makes some sense to you. God spoke legitimate words through the prophets, in both the Old and New Testaments, which He did not intend to be for all His people in all times, but the words that are recorded in our Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, those are. In some sense, I could see where it’s not a tremendously satisfying answer to the question, but it’s really the best that we have.
Since the Book of Enoch is quoted in Jude, should that book be in our Bible? Do you believe that verses in the Book of Enoch which mention Judas to be inspired? If they are inspired, then why don’t we believe that the rest of the book is inspired as well, although it narrates strange things?
The book of Jude, also known as the book of Judas in some other languages, quotes the Book of Enoch. That has led some people to wonder whether that means that the entire Book of Enoch is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and whether it should be included in our collection of the Hebrew Scriptures. I don’t think so, and I’ll explain why. By long canonical tradition, the Book of Enoch was not accepted as Holy Scripture by the Jewish people, or the Hebrew compilers of the Hebrew Scriptures, for centuries before the time of Christ. It was never broadly recognized by our Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, or our New Testament, the Greek Scriptures. There are always a few outliers, but it was never broadly recognized that the Book of Enoch belongs in the collection of the Hebrew Scriptures.
We regard Jude’s quoting of Enoch, as we would regard Paul quoting the Greek poets or philosophers in the book of Acts. In the book of Acts, we have a record of Paul quoting Greek poets or philosophers. That does not mean for a moment that everything those writers wrote was inspired Scripture, or even the single work which Paul quoted from. But God wanted those lines, those verses, those words which Paul quoted in that context to be regarded as inspired Scripture.
We do rely on the canonical wisdom of God expressed through His people when it comes to the Hebrew Scriptures and the Greek Scriptures. And the Book of Enoch has always lied outside of that, broadly speaking. Again, you can always find some outliers who said it should be included. But that was never the broad opinion of the people of God.
Just because an author is quoted in a particular place, we don’t assume that everything they wrote belongs in the Scriptures. That’s a simple principle which can be applied to many different passages.
If Solomon was the wisest man, why did he end up failing God at the end of his days? If Solomon was the wisest man on earth at one point, why did he end up failing God at the end of his days? I’m not sure that this is where there’s a distinction with wisdom and discernment.
This is a wise question to ask. Solomon is presented to us in the early chapters of 1 Kings as an unbelievably wise man. He prayed and asked God for a gift of wisdom, and God gave him that gift. He had what we might call supernatural wisdom from God. And that wisdom is displayed in the early chapters of 1 Kings.
But there comes a point when Solomon begins to marry foreign women and enter into political alliances with them. He begins to worship pagan gods because of the influence of these pagan wives that he took. We’re told that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. That’s 1000 bed partners. Now, I think this is what it shows us.
First, it shows us that just because you start out wise, it doesn’t mean you remain that way. We usually think of young men being the ones who fall because of lust and sexual immorality. And certainly, there’s more than enough young men who do. But don’t forget in the Bible, for example, that it was young Joseph who resisted the temptation of Potiphar’s wife. But it was old David who fell into sin with Bathsheba. It was old Solomon who fell into sin with his many pagan wives.
Solomon was a man who, sadly, at least in this regard, became less wise in his old age. It should not be like that, but sometimes it is like that. And the other thing is this. The lusts of the flesh, especially as they might be expressed in sexual immorality, are a lure. Sexual immorality has a way of making smart people stupid, and wise people fools. That’s the story of Solomon. If the wisest man who ever lived, or at least the wisest man on the earth at that time, fell through giving in to the lusts of the flesh, how much more should regular everyday people, like you and myself, be on guard? I think that’s the great lesson to learn. Just because we have wisdom doesn’t mean that we are predestined to apply it or to use it.
If some of the apostles were married, how did that work for their family life? I know at least one of the apostles was married, and they traveled three years with Jesus. Is it because they were close to home a lot of the times? How did that work for their marriages?
I would say yes. Jesus did much of His ministry in the region of Galilee. For the most part, the disciples came from the region of Galilee. They weren’t all that far away from home when they traveled with Jesus. That’s one perspective about it.
But there’s another take on it. It may have just been understood that these were men who were going away for education. What they received from Jesus, by following Him around as His disciples, was something like the way people received a rabbinical education, or a seminary education in today’s context. I think we see many people going away on business trips or for school or something else. No doubt it put a strain or stress on their marriage relationship. I don’t doubt that at all. But they weren’t all that far from home, for most of Jesus’ men, since the majority of Jesus’ ministry was done in the region of Galilee. These were all men from that region. In addition to that, it was understood that this was like going away to get an education. So, I think it was a sacrifice that they as families were willing to make.
What are the seven Spirits of God? The book of Revelation refers to the seven Spirits of God, but I’ll be very upfront with you: there is no categorical answer to that. There is no specific passage that says, “These are the seven Spirits of God.” But there is a passage that speaks of the seven Spirits of God, or at least seven characteristics of the Spirit of God. I believe the best way to understand this is from Isaiah 11:2. I believe this passage describes seven aspects of the Holy Spirit. I discuss this in my commentary on Revelation 1.
Here we have: 1. The Spirit of the Lord, 2. The Spirit of wisdom, 3. Of understanding, 4. The Spirit of counsel, 5. Of might, 6. The Spirit of knowledge, and 7. Of fear of the Lord.
I don’t think these are seven different Spirits of God, but the Spirit of the Lord has at least these seven characteristics, and He has them in fullness and perfection. I really think that’s the idea behind that phrase, “the seven Spirits of God.”
Did God create Adam in Israel? Did Noah’s ark float adrift and land in what is now called Israel? Did God create Adam in Israel? Did Noah’s Ark float adrift and land in what is now called Israel?
I’ll answer your question in two ways. No, and no.
First, did God create Adam in Israel? The answer to that question is No. Because if we’re going to take the Bible seriously and literally in its description of historical events, there was a radical difference in the topography and geography of the world before the Flood and after the Flood. So, it doesn’t exactly work to apply national or regional boundaries to things before the Flood and expect them to be the same after the Flood. We’re not told where this is exactly. Take the example of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. I think these rivers existed after the Flood but were named after rivers before the Flood; they were not necessarily exactly the same rivers. If we were to take the descriptions of the Tigris and Euphrates as they’re described in the book of Genesis, we would say No, the Garden of Eden was not in the land of Israel. The Garden of Eden was not in Israel; it was in the pre-Flood world.
Did Noah’s Ark float adrift and land in what is called Israel? No, the Bible tells us specifically that it landed on Mount Ararat. Mount Ararat is in the area of the world around Armenia and Turkey. By the way, I just want to remind everybody that there is remarkable evidence in the Scriptures, but even more so there is remarkable evidence in history of appearances of the Ark of Noah in the mountains of the world in that area. In my commentary on Genesis 6, 7, and 8, I go through the remarkable sightings throughout history of unusual structures high up on Mount Ararat. But again, that is not in the land of Israel.
Do you think God has a sense of humor? I would say absolutely. He created us. He bears with me. I think sometimes God could look at some of us and give a little chuckle. Yes, I believe that God has a sense of humor. We are made in the image of God. I think that there is something potentially so pure and good and helpful and right about a sense of humor. And that would be something which we received from God as part of His image.
So, I would say yes, God does have a sense of humor. Aren’t we happy about that? Because it means that He bears with us with great long suffering.
Is the war described in Ezekiel 38-39 different from the Battle of Armageddon? What is your view on Ezekiel’s war and Armageddon? My understanding is that there are two separate wars, one before the Tribulation and the other after the Millennium.
Yes, I would agree with you that the battle with Gog and Magog described in Ezekiel 38-39 seems to me quite distinct, and a different thing than the battle of Armageddon. Whether or not it’s the same as the thing mentioned at the end of the Millennium, there’s some discussion on that to be had. But I would say that we are definitely talking about different battles here. There are many ways in the Bible’s description of these events, in which they are different.
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Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (Acts 9:5)
Saul of Tarsus was a rising young rabbi in the Jewish community of the first century. His world radically changed one day as he traveled to Damascus. Not far from the city, Jesus revealed Himself to Saul, and Acts 9:5 records three essential truths Saul learned in one moment.
First, Jesus identified Himself to Saul: I am Jesus. At the time, Saul’s life was consumed with a hatred of the followers of Jesus. He though Jesus was a dead criminal who deserved to die. But when Jesus spoke to Saul from heaven, he learned the truth: Jesus Christ was alive, risen from the dead, just as the followers of Jesus claimed.
Second, Jesus told Saul who he was really attacking: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Saul thought he fought against a group of deceived fanatics. He instantly discovered that he was attacking God Himself, the voice that spoke to him from heaven.
Finally, Jesus told Saul how futile and self-defeating his persecution was: It is hard for you to kick against the goads. This statement from Jesus was first recorded in Acts 22:10 and 26:14, and was probably added here by later copyists. The picture was powerful.
A goad was a long, extremely sharp stick used to get an ox going the way you wanted when plowing. One jabbed the hind legs of the ox with the goad until the ox cooperated.
Essentially, Saul was the ox; Jesus was the farmer. Saul was stupid and stubborn – yet valuable, and potentially extremely useful to the Master’s service. Jesus goaded Saul into the right direction, and the goading caused Saul pain. Yet instead of submitting to Jesus, Saul kicked against the goad – and only increased his pain.
Something was goading Saul’s conscience. Despite all his outward confidence, there was something bothering him inside. He kicked against it to be sure, but it was still there. The unease may have started with Stephen’s prayer (Acts 7:57-60).
It is not too much to say that if we will not ask the two great questions of these verses (“Who are You, Lord?” and “What do You want me to do?”) and will not obediently listen to God’s answers, then we act like stupid oxen.
We may complain that God compares us to oxen, and indeed it is an unfair comparison. After all, what ox has ever rebelled against God as we have? God almost owes an apology to oxen!
Yet, notice the compassion in Jesus’ words to Saul, and to us: It is hard for you. “Saul, this rebellions way is a hard path you have chosen. I have come to show you a better way.”
Jesus was the persecuted one, yet He cared that it was hard on Saul. Even when your sin makes it hard for you, Jesus cares – and calls you to a better path.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Acts 9
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher –
A short encouragement for a new week:
Then Midianite traders passed by;
so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit,
and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver.
And they took Joseph to Egypt. Genesis 37:28
Joseph had dreams – literal dreams! He dreamed that even though he was one of the younger sons in his family, his older brothers would bow down to him. God spoke to both Joseph and his family in this dream, revealing something of Joseph’s destiny.
The brothers didn’t like that at all. They thought they could defeat God’s plan as revealed in Joseph’s dreams. Therefore, they cruelly sold Joseph to some passing traders and he became a slave in Egypt.
The brothers probably laughed as the Ishmaelites went their way to Egypt, feeling good that they didn’t kill Joseph and that they made a little money in the process. Best of all, they thought they had defeated the dream, the revelation from God.
Here’s the lesson for us as Bible preachers and teachers, as servants of God:
- God’s word about Joseph was proved true – no matter what his brothers did to Him.
- God’s word about Jesus was proved true – no matter what others did to Him.
- God’s word about you will be proved true – no matter what others do or have done.
Take peace in the thrilling truth that your life, your times, your ministry, is in God’s hands and no one else can defeat what God has planned for you.
Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik
Click Here to Receive Email from David for Pastors, Preachers, and Bible Teachers
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Er aber sagte: Wer bist du, Herr? Der Herr aber sprach: Ich bin Jesus, den du verfolgst. Es wird dir schwer werden, gegen den Stachel auszuschlagen! Da sprach er mit Zittern und Schrecken: Herr, was willst du, dass ich tun soll? Und der Herr antwortete ihm: Steh auf und geh in die Stadt hinein, so wird man dir sagen, was du tun sollst!” (Apostelgeschichte 9,5-6)
Als Saulus, der Verfolger, eine Stimme Himmel hörte, die vom Himmel zu ihm sprach, fragte er, wer da zu ihm spreche. Die Antwort vom Himmel war eindeutig: Ich bin Jesus, der, den du verfolgst. Diese Worte hatten eine enorme Bedeutung für Saulus. In diesem Augenblick wusste er, dass Jesus tatsächlich lebte und von den Toten auferstanden war – denn ein Toter kann nicht vom Himmel aus zu ihm sprechen! Saulus wusste auch, dass er, als er die Anhänger Jesu verfolgte, eigentlich Jesus verfolgte, der aus dem Himmel zu ihm sprach.
Fast alle Leute haben Fragen, die sie Gott gerne stellen würden. Vor einigen Jahren wurden die Menschen in einer Umfrage gebeten, drei Fragen zu nennen, die sie Gott am liebsten stellen würden. Die fünf häufigsten Antworten waren:
– Wird es jemals einen dauerhaften Weltfrieden geben?
– Wie kann ich ein besserer Mensch werden?
– Wie sieht die Zukunft für meine Familie und mich aus?
– Wird es jemals möglich sein, alle Krankheiten zu besiegen?
– Warum gibt es Leid auf der Welt?
Es ist seltsam, dass die Menschen Gott diese Fragen stellen wollen, wenn sie doch bereits in der Bibel beantwortet werden. Aber das sind eigentlich nicht die wichtigsten Fragen, die wir uns stellen sollten. Saulus hat zwei berechtigte Fragen gestellt, Fragen, die meiner Meinung nach jeder von uns stellen sollte.
Erstens: Wer bist Du, Herr? Wir müssen diese Frage mit einem demütigen Herzen stellen und wir müssen sie an Gott richten. Jesus hat uns genau gezeigt, wer Gott ist, und er kann diese Frage beantworten. Paulus verbrachte den Rest seines Lebens damit, die Antwort auf diese Frage besser verstehen zu wollen (Philipper 3,10). Du kannst dir diese Frage jeden Tag stellen: “Herr, ich möchte Dich besser kennenlernen. Zeige mir, wer Du bist, wie Du in Jesus offenbart und in Deinem Wort beschrieben wurdest.”
Zweitens: Was willst du, dass ich tun soll? Dies ist eine Frage, die aus einem Herzen kommt, das sich Gott voll und ganz unterordnet. Nicht viele Leute trauen sich, Gott diese Frage wirklich zu stellen, aber wenn wir sie stellen, müssen wir sie voller Hingabe und Entschlossenheit stellen.
Als Saulus diese Frage stellte, sagte Jesus ihm nur, was er in diesem Moment als Nächstes tun sollte. Das ist häufig die Art und Weise, wie Gott unser Leben lenkt. Er zeigt uns einen Schritt nach dem anderen, anstatt sofort die Einzelheiten seines großen Plans zu erläutern.
Die Frage die Saulus stellte, war sehr persönlich. Er stellte die Frage mit einem “Ich”: “Herr, was willst Du, dass ich tun soll?” Wir sind oft sehr daran interessiert zu erfahren, was Gott von anderen erwartet. Aber das hingegebene Herz fragt: “Herr, was willst Du, dass ich tun soll?”
Kannst du Gott diese beiden wichtigen Fragen stellen?
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How Can I Love God More?
How Can I Love God More? From Susan:
I need help with understanding what it means to love God. From your commentary on Mark 12 I gather it is not a warm fuzzy feeling but a decision however I still do not fully understand. Could you explain this further for me please?
Love is Commanded Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. (Matthew 22:37-38)
- Jesus commanded love to God quoting the Hebrew Scriptures (Deuteronomy 6:5)
- Jesus commanded love to God as the first and greatest commandment
- Jesus commanded love to God with our complete being
So, we are commanded to love Jesus this way. Paul even wrote, If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! (1 Corinthians 16:22)
- This love declares a choice
- This love is then consistently demonstrated
- This love is evident in cherishing
Love is Responsive We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
This really is the cause of loving God – not trying to work it up within ourselves, but in receiving God’s love and allowing our love to Him to be the natural, logical response.
Love Needs Attention Remember what Jude wrote: Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 1:21)
Things to Practically Do to Love God More Let’s say that you can’t make yourself love something or someone; but you can cultivate love toward someone or something.
- Consciously receive God’s love to you. Remember, We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
- Give God your time; set Him before you constantly.
- Give God your attention and care.
- Give God a truly listening ear.
- Give God your honor and your obedience.
- Give God your appreciation; value Him for all the good He has done for you and be thankful for all that good.
- Give God your dependence and trust; let Him care for you.
- Give God your praise; speak highly of Him before others.
One More Thing When we truly love someone, we don’t wish to change him. Stop trying to change God into what you want Him to be!
Are all Christians supposed to preach the gospel in the streets? Are all Christians supposed to preach the gospel in the streets? I’m very shy, and I feel anxious. And when I try to share the gospel, normally I don’t know where to start or how to explain it because it’s too complex. Sometimes I think I’m a hypocrite because there are people preaching the Gospel in the streets to strangers, and I live my Christian faith inside a building. Could it be that preaching is like a gift that I don’t have?
God bless you. What a great question. Christians from different backgrounds and different traditions may have different thoughts on this, but I’ll give you my perspective on this.
It sounds to me like you’re feeling guilty that you don’t have what the Bible calls the gift of evangelism. There is a very discernible spiritual gift of evangelism. In fact, it’s one of the gifted offices that God gives the Church, as described in Ephesians 4, and other passages of Scripture. Not everybody has every gift. And if you don’t have the gift of evangelism, that’s okay.
Now, I say that the gift of evangelism is most appropriate for what I would call “cold call” evangelism. What is “cold call” evangelism? The term “cold call” comes from the world of sales, when a salesperson would pick up the phone and call somebody who has expressed no interest in the product, with no previous connection whatsoever. They call them out of the blue and ask, “Are you interested in buying our product?” That kind of sales is tough, because you’re not dealing with preexisting leads; you’re not dealing with people who have expressed any kind of interest in the service or product that you’re offering. And that’s kind of like street evangelism, a cold call evangelism. You have no idea if the person has any interest in spiritual things or in Jesus Christ; you’re just telling them to repent and believe.
I believe that type of ministry is, for the most part, the purview of people who have the gift of evangelism. However, I do believe that every Christian is called to evangelism in the sense of the relationships with the people that we have around us.
I want to challenge you and every one of our viewers. Stop feeling guilty about not being a street preacher and start asking God to give you evangelistic opportunities in your daily life. You could make this a daily part of your prayer. Every morning when you’re getting things ready for the day you can say, “Lord, bring somebody across my path today who needs to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, who needs to hear something of the love and the affection of Jesus. And if that person comes before me, give me the grace and the ability to speak a word to them in Jesus’ name.” Then keep your eyes open for what opportunities God may arrange. See, now you’re not just preaching in the streets, you’re not just knocking on doors, having no idea if people have an interest at all. But now when an opportunity comes your way in your daily life, you know with certainty that the Lord is behind it. And you can say, “Okay, Lord, now help me to do this.”
That’s what I would encourage you to do. Stop feeling guilty that you’re not a street preacher, and that that’s not your spiritual gift. But ask God to give you evangelistic opportunities in the daily flow of your life, with the people you may meet during your workday, or your studies, or your community or neighborhood, or wherever you are. Ask God to give you those kinds of opportunities. And when He does, ask Him for the strength and the ability to serve God by faithfully ministering forth His Word.
I do think that it’s very good for every Christian to be able to explain the good news – that’s simply what the word “gospel” means: the good news – of what God has done to save us in Jesus Christ. It’s something that you need to be able to formulate in a way of explaining on your own, but it should have these basic steps: An understanding our need for a Savior, and of what God has provided for us in the person and work of Jesus. In other words, a little bit about who Jesus is – He’s the Son of God, and He’s God the Son – and what Jesus did to rescue us, especially what Jesus did at the cross, and in His resurrection. At the cross, Jesus was our substitute. In this resurrection, Jesus triumphed over sin and death.
I think it’s a very good thing for you to develop an easy, natural way for yourself to explain the good news. There’s nothing wrong with working on it, writing it out, or repeating it. Being able to talk about it in natural, memorable way, you can freely say, “Hey, I know what the good news is. Here’s the message.” Hope that’s helpful for you. Great question.
Ezekiel 18 & 33 mention that sons won’t die for the sins of their fathers; each will die for their own sins. Why then were Bathsheba’s first son and the righteous son of Jeroboam killed? Ezekiel 18 and 33 mention that the sons won’t die for the sins of the fathers; each will die for their own sins. Why then were Bathsheba’s first son and the righteous son of Jeroboam killed?
When God says that judgment won’t come upon the sons for the sake of the father, I think what God mainly has in mind is eternal judgment. Because let’s be honest, sometimes children directly die because of the sins of a parent. We read about these tragedies from time to time, don’t we? A parent who drives drunk with the children in the car, crashes, and their children are killed because of it. That is a situation of children dying directly because of a parent’s sin. We know that is sometimes true, tragically so, on a human level in the here and now.
I think God’s Word in Ezekiel has the most pointed and direct application towards eternal judgment, not whatever crisis or tragedy may happen on this earth. It is true that the first son of David and Bathsheba died under the judgment of the Lord. But that baby did not end up in hell. David specifically says that he, as someone who was heaven-bound, anticipated that he would see that baby in the life to come.
So, we know that that child, even though it was in some sense under the judgment of God, it was under the judgment of God temporarily, not eternally.
That’s the distinction I would make for you. Because we know directly of at least some situations where somebody has perished directly because of the sin of a parent, I find the most pointed application of those passages in Ezekiel to pertain to the eternal realm, not the temporal realm.
Does Jesus have an issue with entertainment? Jesus does not have an issue with entertainment. Jesus has an issue with idolatry. And Jesus has an issue with impurity. Sometimes entertainment can be impure, and Jesus has an issue with that. But other times, even entertainment that is not impure can also be idolatrous. We give too much of our time, attention, focus, resources, or money towards entertaining ourselves. That is often an expression of idolatry.
Let’s just remember, anything can become an idol. I’m recording this for you here on location in New York City. I’m recording from my iPhone. There are people for whom their phone is their idol. They sort of cherish it and carry it around everywhere that they go. I also have a laptop computer right in front of me. I like my laptop computer. There are people for whom their laptop computer is their idol. I believe my phone and my computer are good things that God uses, but they can become idols. So, entertainment can be idolatrous. And when it is an idol, Jesus is against it; He has an issue with it.
So that’s how I would express it. I would say that Jesus does not have a problem with entertainment per se. I think good entertainment is a gift from God. Look, if somebody does it, without immorality and without idolatry, it’s a good thing to laugh at a good joke. It’s a good thing to be entertained by a pleasant story, whether that story is a verbally expressed, written down, or comes to you on a video or a film – these are gifts from God.
I think that there is a sense in which an entertainer can legitimately be doing God’s work by bringing joy and pleasure to humanity, as long as it’s not immoral or idolatrous. Maybe we could think of some other issues to avoid in it, but those are the two things that come immediately to mind. But I don’t think Jesus has an issue with entertainment. In fact, in some sense, it’s a gift from God.
How do you view discipleship in the context of a church in a practical way? I think that churches should be teaching people to do the things we should do as disciples of Jesus Christ. Good, healthy churches should be doing that, such as the church that I belong to in Santa Barbara, California. By the way, I am not a pastor over congregation anymore. I have not been for the last five years. I used to be the lead or senior pastor of the congregation of Calvary Chapel of Santa Barbara. I turned that over to another man five years ago, but we’re still part of that congregation. I still teach there from time to time. We just love being a part of that congregation. I think that’s a healthy church that is producing disciples. How it produces disciples is by simply training people through teaching the Word of God, through small group studies, through men’s and women’s Studies, through one-on-one discipleship, through example given again and again. They’re teaching people how to do the basics of the Christian life, how to read your Bible, how to pray, how to tell others about Jesus, how to endure through suffering, how to honor God with spiritual disciplines, such as fasting and other things. These are things that in one way or another are addressed over the years through normal discipleship in a church family.
I think that’s what we do in discipleship. We just show people what it means to be followers of Jesus Christ. Well, you say to read your Bible; how do you read your Bible? You say to pray; how do you pray? You say to tell other people; how do you do that? You say to grow in grace and in holiness; how do you do that practically? Fortunately, churches that have a focus on the Word of God and teaching the Word of God have a real advantage when it comes to this.
The Bible says, “No one has ever seen God.” How do we explain Jacob’s experience in Genesis 32:30? Genesis 32:30 – So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”
No one has directly seen God in His heavenly glory at any time. When people have had visions of God, or maybe even been carried up to heaven – such as the examples of Isaiah, John, or maybe Paul – they saw some representation of God Himself, but they did not see God in His unveiled glory, face to face. That is what it means when it says that no one has seen God.
But people have seen God represented in some form on Earth. First, is it not true that anytime somebody saw Jesus they saw God? Let’s not forget that Jesus is God.
So, to say that no one has seen God anytime is true regarding God in His unveiled heavenly glory. It’s not true regarding God concerning His representation of Himself on Earth in the person and form of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, was and is God. When anybody looked at Jesus, they saw God.
That is analogous to the experience that Jacob had. In fact, we can make the argument that what Jacob experienced in Genesis 32 was a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. This was Jesus appearing before He was conceived in Mary’s womb and born as a baby in Bethlehem. We know that Jesus existed before He was conceived, but there came a point in time when He added humanity to His deity. But apparently, there are more than a few situations in the Old Testament where Jesus appears as God in bodily form. Those are pre-incarnate appearances of Jesus Christ. But no man has ever seen God the Father in His unveiled glory in heaven.
What should be our attitude towards wolves in sheep’s clothing? What should our attitude be towards wolves in sheep’s clothing? I have a friend who says that he never reads the Bible. He barely has time to pray, even a little bit. He seems to be a manipulator, is sometimes rude, and he never apologizes. When I confront him about his issues, he gets angry and says that he can be filled with Holy Spirit despite not reading the Word or praying. I don’t know whether to be merciful or to stop praying for him and avoid him.
Let me be very upfront with you on this. I cannot categorically say whether or not you should have any further contact with this person unless I were to know a lot more about the situation. But your question was most pointedly, “How can we know, or what should our attitude be towards somebody who is a wolf in sheep’s clothing?” Because I want to make a distinction here. There are false believers, pretend believers, but pretty much the only damage they’re doing is to themselves. Now you could say that nobody ever only damages themselves. And I understand that, but I would say predominantly, the only damage that they do is to themselves. So, there are some people who are like that.
But there are other people who do a great deal of damage to others. Based on how you describe this gentleman, you have every reason to believe that either he’s not a believer at all in any true sense, or if he is a believer, that he is very much a believer who is out of fellowship with God and needs to repent and get things right with God. From how you describe the situation, that’s what I would say. But he may not be having a negative impact on other believers. That’s what wolves do.
I would make a distinction between goats, which aren’t true sheep at all, and sick sheep, which are sheep of the Lord, but they’re very sick; they’re not well. There are goats, there are sick sheep, and then there are wolves. The difference is that the wolves are attacking the flock of God, seeking to devour and destroy them. And if this is the case with the friend you mentioned, then you have every reason to distance yourself from them, not be involved with them, to not continue any some sort of service or ministry toward them, unless you believe yourself to be very much providentially and inspired by the Holy Spirit to do so.
I hope I’m making the distinction here. In one category, you have some people who are not believers at all, they’re goats. Then you have other people who are believers, but they’re sick; they’re sick sheep. But then you have a third category – those are the wolves. They are not true sheep, and they are a danger to the other sheep. In how you describe this gentleman, I can’t really tell if he’s a danger to somebody else. All I can say is to prayerfully approach this and let God in His providence by the guiding and leading of the Holy Spirit direct you on this. I would pray that God will give you wisdom on this.
Is it ok to ask God to give me a husband? Is it okay to ask God to give me a husband? Some people say I shouldn’t because it’s just my decision. But I think He’s able to do anything. Having children and a husband is one of my biggest dreams.
If we were to sit down and have a much longer conversation, maybe I’d get a little more understanding of this. But based on what you write, I would say, by all means you should pray that God would lead you to a godly husband. Why not? Let’s not forget what the Scriptures say. “You have not because you ask not.” And I don’t believe that’s the only reason for unanswered prayer, but it’s certainly a significant reason for unanswered prayer. We don’t have because we do not ask. There’s nothing wrong, and there’s everything right, if you sense a desire, if you sense a need, or even a sense of calling to be married and to have children, then it’s perfectly okay for you to pray that prayer. “Lord, bring me a godly husband. Bring me to a godly husband or bring a godly husband to me; Lord, I’m going to let You decide how exactly it happens. But Lord, would you bring me together with a godly man who could be a husband for me, and perhaps a father to children?” I would have nothing wrong with that prayer.
Look, this is the course of life that God calls most people into, but not all, by any means. Let’s make no mistake – there is an important place within Christianity for those who are single. In Christianity, those who are unmarried can and do glorify God. In Christianity, Jesus was single, and Paul was single. These are important things to remember. Yet at the same time, we also acknowledge that it is the calling and plan of God for most Christians to marry and to have children.
If this were not the case, it would be the end of the age. “Be fruitful and multiply” means a lot of things, and that’s part of what it means. So, while we do recognize the important place that Christianity gives to calling and life fulfillment for the single, it’s okay to pray, “Lord, it seems to be Your will for most of Your followers to be married. I think that might be me as well. So please bring me a godly husband,” or wife, of course, if you’re a man.
What should I do if I’m struggling with a vow I made to God? As a Christian that has promised God to quit drinking coffee, I’m still struggling and failing. What should I do? I’ve prayed and asked God in prayer, and I’m having a very difficult time.
Let me say a few things about this. First, I want you to reevaluate your vow. You have in some way made a vow before the Lord. And that vow is something that you’re having a struggle with. When we’re having a struggle with a vow or a promise before God, sometimes the problem is that we made a vow that we shouldn’t make. Now, listen to me carefully on this: When we make a vow or a promise before God that we should not have made, don’t ignore it. Don’t just forget about it. Instead, repent of making the vow, talk about it with God, and repent before Him, and ask God to give you the wisdom to not do such things in the future.
I think it is misguided and sometimes a hindrance in Christians lives when we have broken vows that we do nothing about. We don’t repent of them. We don’t rededicate ourselves to them. We just ignore them. Believer, I want to challenge you now: if there are broken vows in your life, get them resolved before God. Either rededicate yourself to the vow, or if you realize now with maybe greater wisdom and insight, “I should have never made that vow,” that’s okay, too. But instead, go back and say, God, I made a foolish vow, I repent of it. Consider me to be released from this because I repent of making that vow.
So that’s the first thing I’d like you to do. Now, if you do that, and pray about it and seek God about it, “Lord, was this a wise vow or unwise vow?” If you feel confirmed that this is a vow that God wanted you to make, then you should do what often helps us whenever we’re trying to establish a spiritual discipline or do very practical things in our walk that would demonstrate some level of self-denial: Make yourself accountable to another person. Find another person who’s going to ask you twice a day, “How are you doing with the coffee thing?”
So again, first evaluate your vow and find out, whether this vow is something to rededicate yourself unto, or whether this is a vow you need to repent of, and call off before the Lord? And if you determine that this is something that you want to continue doing, and you believe this was glorifying to God, then I really believe that the right thing for you to do is simply to make yourself accountable to somebody else. And this will be a sincere help to you in keeping the vow.
What was Timothy’s background? Can you go over the significance of Timothy’s ministry? Did he have a mom who was Jewish that became a Christian and a dad who was Greek? Wouldn’t his dad have had different views?
Timothy is a remarkable man in the Scriptures. We often present him as being a young man, and he might have been young, relatively speaking. But by the time Paul put him in ministry in Ephesus, he could very well have been in his late 20s or 30s, which, by the way, is relatively young. But we shouldn’t think that he was a teenage preacher or something like that, even though it’s possible that he could very well have been in his teens when he started his work with the apostle Paul.
We know from Paul’s letters to Timothy that Timothy’s mother was a believer, but from a Jewish background. We’re not told anything about the faith of Timothy’s father, so we just don’t know about him. We assume that Timothy had a Greek father, because there’s nothing mentioned about the Jewish faith or religion of his father. And there’s also no mention of a spiritual influence from the father. Paul, in his letters to Timothy, makes mention of the godly influence that Timothy’s mother and grandmother had upon him. Now I don’t have any doubt that they had a godly influence upon him regarding Judaism, which would have been obviously godly and preparing the ground for Timothy to come to faith in the Messiah. But it’s also very possible, maybe even likely, that Timothy’s mother, and grandmother came to faith in Jesus before him, and schooled him in the faith in Jesus Christ.
The assumption is made that Timothy’s father was a Greek because Timothy’s name was Greek, and because he was not circumcised when he originally started traveling with Paul. Circumcision would have been a mark of a Jewish upbringing, so that decision to leave him uncircumcised seems to be more influenced by a Greek parent, probably his father, since we know that his mother was Jewish.
Timothy was of adult age when he started following Paul, and following Jesus through the work of Paul, and being part of Paul’s missionary team. So, I don’t doubt that he was probably beyond the age of being under his father’s control or command. Here’s another possibility, too. We can’t say for certain; there are a lot of unanswered questions about this; sometimes our curiosity goes beyond the Scriptures itself. But it may be that Timothy’s father was deceased, and that’s why no mention is made of him.
So, there’s a lot of things that are possible here. Timothy had an interesting and exciting role in the New Testament, being a part of the Apostle Paul’s missionary team, and then serving the Lord in the city of Ephesus, which was an important and influential collection of churches in the Roman province of Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey.
Is it necessary to have your child formally dedicated to God at church? I’m going to answer the question exactly as you presented it: Is it necessary? No.
But I would say it is necessary for Christian parents, in heart and in daily life, to treat their children as if they are dedicated to God and to truly dedicate their children to God. But that’s what’s important. Raising your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, praying for your children, praying with your children, reading the Scriptures with your children, raising them in the Scriptures, raising them in the community of God’s people. All these things are very important things for Christian parents to do for and with their children. But the Bible nowhere it commands a dedication ceremony of a child. I think it’s a good thing to do. I think it’s a delightful thing to do. I think it’s entirely consistent with the Scriptures. But the Scriptures nowhere command it.
I understand that our viewers may come from many different church backgrounds, including backgrounds that believe in the baptism of infants, or the christening of infants, as it would be called in the Anglican Communion. This, I think, is unbiblical. Again, I would love to talk more about it sometime. This is a subject that fascinates me. I understand that in some sense, this is just a different doctrinal perspective, and Christians have different doctrinal perspectives all the time, I understand that. But let me just say this: I believe that there is a particular danger in the teaching and the practice of infant baptism. I believe that there are millions of souls in hell who believed that they were saved simply because they were baptized as children.
Now I know that there are people who practice infant baptism who would say, “No, don’t associate that with us. We’re not trying to be guilty of that; we’re not saying that people are saved just because of baptism.” But it’s hard to get away from that feeling that gets communicated to people which assumes that if you were baptized as a baby, you’re going to heaven.
If you are a pastor or an elder in a church that does practice infant baptism, here’s my encouragement towards you, for whatever it’s worth: Regularly preach to your people that you’re not saved just because you were baptized as a child. Being baptized as baby does not ensure your salvation. You must individually come to Jesus Christ with faith and repentance, responding to the call of God on your life.
If a pastor will regularly – not just once a year, but regularly – tell his people, and warn his people, that you’re not going to heaven just because you were baptized as a baby, then I would say that the practical potential harm of infant baptism is dealt with. And then it’s just a matter that we disagree about. So again, there is no command for an infant or child dedication. But I think it’s a wonderful and lovely practice that certainly allowed and permitted in the Bible.
Can we see God or His influence in our dreams? Can we see God or His influence in our dreams? If so, how can we recognize God’s presence or influence in our dreams?
I believe that it is possible for God to speak to somebody in dreams. I know that people disagree with this. There are some people who say, “No, God does not speak to anybody today, except through His written Word. That’s the only way God speaks to people today.” Listen, friends, I don’t feel like I need to lay out my credentials as someone who believes in God’s Word. I have a verse-by-verse commentary on the entire Bible, that is my life’s work, which is used by a lot of people. A lot of people find it a valuable Bible resource. I don’t have to prove my Bible credentials. I believe in God’s word, I believe in the importance of God’s word, I believe in the sufficiency of God’s word. But to say that the only way that God can communicate with a human being today is through His written Word. I think just falls short.
I think that the Holy Spirit can bring a spirit of conviction upon a person, consistent with the Word of God, fulfilling with the Word of God, but it doesn’t necessarily come from the pages of Scripture. And if the Holy Spirit can do that, then the Holy Spirit can speak to people in other ways.
Now, I know that people think this is a dangerous thing to talk about, lest people start thinking every crazy thing that comes in their head is the word of God. And I agree, that is a danger. We need to speak out against that. But I just want to highlight what a strange thing it is to say that the only way God can communicate with a human being today is through the words in His written Word. That would imply that if there is a sense of conviction of sin that comes into a person’s life apart from the direct reading of God’s word, that it must be from the devil; it can’t be from God, it can’t be from the Holy Spirit. What a strange way that would be to talk about God and His work in the world.
So, I understand that there’s some room for danger in speaking about this. It’s possible for this idea to be abused. But I can’t get away from the thought that, yes, it’s true that the Holy Spirit can speak to somebody through dreams. And how do you know? Well, first of all, always, always, always, we judge things by the word of God. We judge things by His written, revealed Word. This is the standard and the measure for everything. Then I believe that there’s a secondary standard that we use, once it’s past that grid. We just simply ask if it is consistent with the wise counsel or advice of other godly people that God would put my life. I would not be quick to make any kind of real important decision or radical decision purely based on a dream. Now, maybe a dream or something like could be a confirmation for how God was leading providentially or in some other way, but I would not decide purely based on a dream.
Can God speak to us through repeated themes in daily life? Can you discuss the meaning behind receiving the same messages from multiple avenues of shared faith? For example, unrelated devotionals, study groups, YouTube, etc.
I’ll be honest, it’s a little bit hard for me to get exactly the sense of your question. But I would just say this. When the same idea keeps coming before me from several different sources, it gets my attention. And it makes me say, “Hey, maybe the Holy Spirit’s shining a spotlight on something for me.” Let’s give the example of being persistent in prayer. If I hear that theme from repeated sources in my daily life, and it draws my attention to the issue of persistence in prayer, then I think it’s fair enough to say, “Lord, are you trying to get my attention on this? Let me let me consider this for a while. Let me prayerfully consider and see if God is not trying to get some attention in my life, regarding persistence in prayer.” So that’s simply how I would answer that. I believe that sometimes God does do that God tries to get our attention by bringing repeated themes in front of us. So that may be the case with you or someone you know, from time to time.
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Als er aber hinzog, begab es sich, dass er sich Damaskus näherte; und plötzlich umstrahlte ihn ein Licht vom Himmel. Und er fiel auf die Erde und hörte eine Stimme, die zu ihm sprach: Saul! Saul! Warum verfolgst du mich?” (Apostelgeschichte 9,3-4)
Auf dem Weg nach Damaskus geschah etwas Spektakuläres. Als Saulus, der Verfolger, kurz vor Damaskus stand, umstrahlte ihn plötzlich ein Licht vom Himmel. Wie Paulus später erklärte, geschah dies zur Mittagszeit, wenn die Sonne am hellsten scheint. Doch Paulus sagte, dass dieses Licht heller war als der Glanz der Sonne (Apostelgeschichte 26,13).
Es war nicht nur ein Licht; Saulus hörte auch eine Stimme. Nach Ansicht von F.F. Bruce glaubten die Rabbiner jener Zeit mehrheitlich, dass Gott nicht mehr direkt zu den Menschen sprach, wie er es zu Zeiten der Propheten getan hatte. Doch hier, auf dem Weg in der Nähe von Damaskus, hörte Saulus eine Stimme die direkt vom Himmel kam.
Die Stimme sprach ihn zunächst persönlich an: Saul, Saul. Wenn Gott einen Namen zweimal wiederholt, zeigt er damit eine große emotionale Betroffenheit, aber nicht unbedingt Zorn (wie bei Martha, Martha in Lukas 10,41 und Jerusalem, Jerusalem in Matthäus 23,37).
Dann stellte ihm die Stimme eine Frage: Warum verfolgst du mich? Als das himmlische Licht ihn überwältigte, konfrontierte die Stimme Saulus mit seinem eigentlichen Verbrechen: Er verfolgte Gott, und nicht die Menschen. Saulus dachte, dass er Gott diente, indem er die Christen brutal verfolgte, aber hier entdeckte er, dass es Gott war, den er bekämpfte. Dies hat sich in der Geschichte leider bewahrheitet. Oft machen sich diejenigen, die überzeugt sind, Gott einen Gefallen zu tun, in Wirklichkeit der schlimmsten Verfolgung und Misshandlung schuldig, die es je gegeben hat.
In dem Satz “Warum verfolgst du mich?” sollten wir nicht nur das Wort “Mich” beachten. Wir sollten auch das “Warum” beachten und erkennen, dass Jesus fragte: “Warum verfolgst du mich?” Das heißt: “Saulus, warum tust du so etwas Sinnloses?”
Dies war eine außergewöhnliche Erfahrung für einen Mann, der ein außergewöhnlicher Prediger werden sollte. Dieses spektakuläre Ereignis muss als sehr ungewöhnlich angesehen werden. Normalerweise begegnet Gott den Sündern nicht mit einem himmlischen Licht und einer hörbaren Stimme die vom Himmel kommt.
Wie reagierte Saulus auf diese überwältigende Erfahrung? Er stürzte zu Boden. Das geschah nicht aus lauter Ehrfurcht vor Gott, sondern war einfach eine spontane Reaktion aus Angst um sein Leben – er war angesichts des himmlischen Lichts so erschrocken.
Viele Leute denken, dass Saulus von einem Pferd fiel, auf dem er ritt. Doch weder in diesem Bericht in Apostelgeschichte 8, noch in Apostelgeschichte 22,3-11, noch in Apostelgeschichte 26,12-20 wird ein Pferd erwähnt oder dass Saulus auf irgendeinem Tier geritten ist. Es mag sein, dass er geritten ist, aber das wird im Text nicht ausdrücklich erwähnt.
Mir gefällt, was Adam Clarke dazu geschrieben hat: “Viele Menschen nehmen an, er sei geritten, und die Maler stellen ihn auf diese Weise dar; aber das entbehrt jeglicher Grundlage. Maler sind in fast allen Fällen schlechte Kommentatoren.”
Saulus hat Gott nicht gesucht, aber Gott hat ihn gesucht. Bist du nicht froh, dass Gott dich geliebt hat, bevor du ihn geliebt hast?” (Apostelgeschichte 9,3-4)
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And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:5-6)
When Saul the Persecutor heard a voice from heaven, he asked who it was speaking. The answer from heaven was clear: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Those words came with a flood of meaning to Saul. In that instant, he knew that Jesus was in fact alive, risen from the dead – because a dead man doesn’t speak from heaven! Saul also knew that when he persecuted the followers of Jesus, he actually persecuted Jesus who spoke from heaven.
Most everyone has questions they would like to ask God. Several years ago a survey asked people to choose three questions they would most like to ask God. The top five responses were:
– Will there ever be lasting world peace?
– How can I be a better person?
– What does the future hold for my family and me?
– Will there ever be a cure for all diseases?
– Why is there suffering in the world?
It is strange that people would want to ask God these questions when, in some way, they are already answered in the Bible. But they really aren’t the most important questions for us to ask. Saul asked two rightquestions, questions that I believe each one of us should ask.
Question: Who are You, Lord? We must ask this question with a humble heart and ask it to God. Jesus showed us exactly who God is, and He can answer this question. Paul spent the rest of his life wanting to know more completely the answer to this question (Philippians 3:10). You can ask this question every day: “Lord, I want to know You more. Show me who You are, as revealed in Jesus, explained in Your word.”
Question: What do You want me to do? This is a question from a surrendered heart. Not enough people dare to really ask God this question, but when we ask it, we must ask it with submission and determined obedience.
When Saul asked this question, Jesus only told him what to do right at that moment – the next thing to do. This is often the character of God’s direction in our lives. He directs us one step at a time instead of laying out at once the details of His grand plan.
Saul’s question was personal. He asked the question with a “me”: “Lord, what do You want me to do?” We often are quite interested in what God wants others to do. But the surrendered heart asks, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Can you personally ask God these two important questions?
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Acts 9
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What Does It Mean to “Crucify the Flesh”?
What Does It Mean to Crucify the Flesh? From Carol – Pastor David, can you explain what the phrase “Crucifying the flesh” means? It’s from a prayer by Spurgeon: “Gracious Father, daily remind me that crucifying the flesh is a slow and painful process only brought about by Your Spirit’s power.” Thank you.
Galatians 5:24-26 – Keeping in step with the Spirit.
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
- And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires: God has a place for our flesh, with all its passions and desires. He wants us to nail it to His cross, so that it may be under control and under the sentence of death.
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Crucified is an important word. Paul could have simply chosen the word “killed,” but he used the word crucified because it speaks of many things:
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It reminds us of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
- It reminds us that we are called to take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24).
- It reminds us that the death of the flesh is often painful.
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It reminds us that our flesh must be dealt with decisively.
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Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh: This speaks of something that the believer does, being directed and empowered by the Spirit of God. It was not and is not the sovereign, “unilateral” work of God.
- The old man, the self inherited from Adam, is crucified with Jesus as the sovereign work of God when we are born again. Romans 6:6 says, Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him. We are simply told to reckon, or account, the old man as dead (Romans 6:11), we are not told to put him to death. But the flesh is another matter. We are called to choose to work with God to do to the flesh exactly what God did all by Himself to the old man: crucify the flesh.
- “Please notice that the ‘crucifixion’ of the flesh described here is something that is done not to us but by us… Galatians 5:24 does not teach the same truth as Galatians 2:20 or Romans 6:6. In those verses we are told that by faith-union with Christ ‘we have been crucified with him’. But here it is we who have taken action.” (Stott)
iii. Boice on have crucified: “The verb is in the active voice and points rather to what the believer has himself done and must continue to regard as being done.”
- The problem of our flesh will not be finally dealt with until we are resurrected. Until then, we are to constantly “nail it to the cross,” so that it hangs there, alive yet powerless over us. “To resist the flesh… is to nail it to the Cross. Although the flesh is still alive it cannot very well act upon its desires because it is bound and nailed to the Cross.” (Luther)
- With its passions and desires: In Jesus Christ, you can live above the passions and desires of your flesh. The resources are there in Jesus. Look to Him. See your life in Him. If you are one of those who are Christ’s, then you belong to Him – not to this world, not to yourself, and not to your passions and desires.
- If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit: We can better understand what Paul wrote here if we understand that the ancient Greek words for walk are different in Galatians 5:16 and 5:25. The first (peripateo) is the normal word for walking, used there as a picture of the “walk of life.” The second (stoicheo) means “to walk in line with” or “to be in line with.” Paul here is saying, “Keep in step with the Spirit.”
- The idea is, “The Spirit has given you life. Now let Him direct your steps.” Or, as the Revised English Bible has it, “If the Spirit is the source of our life, let the Spirit also direct its course.”
- “The verb stoicheo means ‘to be in line with, stand beside a person or a thing, hold to, agree with, follow’. The present imperative indicates that this is to be the habitual practice.” (Morris)
- Let us not become conceited: Paul concluded this section of walking in the Spirit with this warning, knowing that some will become conceited in their own walk in the Spirit. This can be a masterful stroke of Satan. We can think of a child of God finally walking in the Spirit – then Satan tempts him to be conceited about it. Soon, he is sure that he is almost always right and everyone else is wrong. It often happens gradually, so Paul warned, “Do not become conceited.”
- Morris on conceited: “To be conceited, to be sure that we are always right (even if that means that other people are always wrong!) is a perennial temptation to believers… It is easy to assume that because we are Christ’s we will always say and do the right thing. Paul is warning his readers that believers can be too confident that they are right in what they are contemplating.”
- Provoking one another: When we are conceited – always sure we are right, always confident in our opinions and perceptions – it definitely provokes other people. It will rub them the wrong way and be the source of many conflicts.
- Envying one another: When we are conceited, we also are open to the sin of envy. If we know someone is more right, or more successful than we are, we resent it and envy them.
- This whole chapter lends itself to a searching examination of ourselves. We often think that our problems and difficulties are all outside of ourselves. We think that we would be fine if everyone just treated us right and if circumstances just got better. But that ignores the tenor of this chapter: the problems are in us, and need to be dealt with by the Spirit of God. Augustine used to often pray, “Lord, deliver me from that evil man, myself.” With that kind of reality check, we can see a new world, and a new life – and not one other person or one other circumstance has to change. All we must do is yield to the Spirit of God, and begin to truly walk in the Spirit.
St. Patrick’s Day Message Today, as I’m recording, is March 17th, which is recognized as St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick’s Day is a day of Irish culture and heritage. But most pointedly it remembers Patrick of Ireland, a man who was a wonderful Christian evangelist, pastor, and believer.
I want to recommend a St. Patrick’s Day message from a good brother named John McCarthy. John is a big wave surfer from Ireland. He has a wonderful ministry called Cliffs of Hope. I encourage you to watch his great St. Patrick’s Day message. Please do pray for this message as it connects briefly with the war in Ukraine & Russia which feels so close to all in Europe. I think it’s a great way to remember St. Patrick’s Day.
Did Old Testament sacrifices for sin apply to those who had committed murder? In the Old Testament, did the sacrifices for sin apply to those who had committed murder or other sins that required capital punishment?
This is an interesting question to answer. I can’t give you actual details on how these things were carried out in Old Testament times. There may be a difference between the theory and the practice. But I’ll give you my understanding of the sacrificial system and the law of ancient Israel.
In theory, someone who committed murder could have their sin atoned for by the sacrifice of a bull or a goat or a lamb, as prescribed by the sacrificial system, yet they would still have to pay the civil penalty for their sin.
In other words, atonement through animal sacrifice did not wipe away the earthly and immediate consequences that a person might face because of their sin. I think that’s a very important distinction to make. There is the penalty that we pay for our sin as a consequence of our sin in this world, and then there is the penalty or the guilt of our sin before God. God may forgive our sin in His eyes, yet there is still a consequence that we must pay for that sin in this life. It’s not enough for us to say, “I’m forgiven before God;” there may be consequences to pay.
Let me give a silly illustration. You’re driving down the road, and if you’re like me, sometimes you go over the speed limit. I hope there’s no law enforcement personnel watching this right now. But it’s true. Sometimes when I drive, I go over the posted speed limit. And let’s say I’m going over the speed limit, just by one or two miles an hour, of course, but I am a pulled over by a policeman because I’m going too fast. As I see those red lights in my mirror, and I know I’ve been going too fast, I pull over to the side of the road and pray a prayer of forgiveness: “Father, You say in Your word that if we confess our sin, You’re faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Lord God, I pray that you would forgive me of this sin now.” Let’s say I do all that, and I am truly forgiven before God of that sin before the policeman ever reaches my car window. I’m forgiven before God. But it doesn’t mean that the policeman is not going to rightfully and righteously write me a ticket for however fast I was going.
Do you see the distinction? In theory, a person could make sacrifice for their sin, even an egregious sin such as murder. They would receive forgiveness before God but would have to pay a penalty on the human level, in the community, that would be righteous and good before God.
Again, I want to stress that I’m speaking in theory here. In practice, I don’t know if it would ever work out that way in the Old Testament, but at least in theory, it could happen.
Is it ok to belong to a church which holds core Christian beliefs, but differs doctrinally on things like Cessationism? Is it okay to belong to a church that has the core Christian beliefs, but there are doctrinal differences? Specifically speaking, the church I attend is Cessationist, but I am not.
There are specific areas of biblical doctrine which are important, but maybe not essential to salvation. The issue of cessationism is one of those things. For those of you who are unfamiliar with that term, let me explain. Broadly speaking, in the Christian world, there are two different camps of biblical and theological thought. One is called Cessationism, and the other is called Continuationism.
Cessationism has the idea that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased. Maybe it was when the Apostles died or when the New Testament was finally completed. But at some time in the ancient world the miraculous gifts ceased with the passing of the Apostles, and God has not distributed miraculous gifts of the Spirit since that point. That’s one idea.
The other idea is sometimes called Continuation, or Continuationism. It’s the idea that these miraculous gifts, at least in some way, have continued throughout the centuries. Even though they may have been neglected or passed over, it’s not because God has withdrawn them or caused them to cease.
Now, this would make a difference in the way that a church operates. You can’t have a church that is Continuationist and Cessationist all at the same time. It’s something that the leadership of the church must make up their minds about.
So, if you are persuaded, as I am, that the Continuationist position is biblical and right, would it be acceptable for you to be a part of a Cessationist church? Maybe, if it’s the best church that you can practically attend. And by practically, I mean the distance or service times or other things which make it practical for you to attend that church. I think this is pretty much what we should do in selecting a church. Look, you’re not going to find a church that perfectly suits you. Maybe you will, sometimes. But even if you think you found a church that perfectly suits you, give it a little bit of time; there’s probably something in that church that will begin to annoy you, or you might consider to be less than perfect.
You’re not going to find a church that perfectly suits you. So, what do you need to do? You’ve got to find a church that best matches your understanding of biblical doctrine and practice. And when I say it “suits” you, I’m not just talking about things of individual preference or choice, like the style of music, the architecture, and so on. I mean things that are important in doctrinal practice. I’m not saying that those things have no importance in doctrinal practice, but they’re somewhere lower on the list. If you can’t find a church that perfectly matches what you think is important in doctrinal practice, then find a church that best matches what you believe in doctrinal practice.
But if you were to attend a church that is Cessationist in its approach to ministry, and you were convinced this was the best church for you and your family to attend, even though you didn’t agree with them on that particular point of doctrine, I think it would be very important for you to go to that church, and not subvert that teaching of the leadership of the church. In other words, do not make it your mission to change that position in that church. Leave that up to the leadership of the church.
Now, if they were to approach you and ask you your opinions, let them know; but don’t be spreading it around. Don’t be trying to gain a following. Don’t try to subvert the leadership of that church on that particular issue because you disagree with it. Respect the leadership of that church. And I say this as someone who has a continuationist.
If for some reason I found myself in belief that the best church for me and my family to go to was a church that believed in and practiced Cessationism, I would not try to subvert the leadership of the church by persuading the people or the leadership to another position, I would be respectful of the leadership of that church. So, I hope that’s clear enough and helps you understand it. God bless you for that question.
Did women go through circumcision like the men we read about like Abraham and Moses? I can answer that question very directly and pointedly: No, they did not. They absolutely did not. There was no female equivalent to circumcision in the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant. Of course, that doesn’t mean women were excluded from the covenant. It’s just that circumcision, that particular sign and seal of the covenant, was not given to women.
The practice of female circumcision is really a form of mutilation. It’s practiced by some religions, I believe, including some segments of Islam. I have no idea if that’s instructed by Islamic leaders or the Quran or anything. According to my limited understanding, it’s practiced by some Islamic people today in the world.
Nowhere does the Bible command that. I would say that it would be act of violence against women to do such a thing. So no, there is no circumcision equivalent for women in the Old Testament under the Old Covenant.
Is the account of the sun standing still in Gibeon literal or poetic (Joshua 10:12)? In Joshua 10:12, the account of the sun stopped in Gibeon, was this interpretation, literal or poetry of the earth not rotating was the purpose of this so that the Israelites could see during their battle?
Joshua 10:12 – Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
I believe that the sun appeared to stand still. What was actually happening in the cosmos? I don’t know. A slowing of the rotation of the Earth, a miraculous refraction of light, some other strange astronomical phenomenon? I don’t know. But I would just say this: by appearance, it looked like the sun stopped in the sky, and did exactly what you speak about. It gave extra hours of light for the Israelites to carry out their war against the Ammonites.
This is clearly an example of what we would just call anthropomorphism or a human-centered description. It’s describing things as they appear, without trying to get into astrophysics, and all the rest of it. By appearance, the sun stood still in the sky. Exactly what was happening in the cosmos with that? I can’t tell you. People can suggest things, but I don’t exactly know.
Where does Zechariah 14:12 fall on the prophetic timeline? Is it about a nuclear event? Zechariah 14:12 – And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.
Zechariah 14:12 describes an aspect of the Messiah’s triumphant return. This is the coming of Jesus described in Revelation 19, when He comes with the armies of heaven, to conquer, and to establish His victory at Armageddon. Several passages of Scripture, mainly in the Old Testament, tell us more about this Triumph of the Messiah when He returns. There’s an aspect of it that happens at Jerusalem, another aspect that happens at Armageddon, the Valley of Jezreel, and a third aspect of it that happens at Bozrah, which is the modern-day Kingdom of Jordan, in some way connected with Petra in the ancient lands of the Edomites. So we have activity happening in these three places: Jerusalem, the Valley of Jezreel, and Bozrah.
Now, Jesus triumphs in military conquest over the enemies of God and the enemies of His people. And when I say His people, I mean it in two senses: first, His church, His gathered people, His ones that are redeemed because of their faith in the Messiah; and secondly, the people chosen for a particular role in God’s unfolding plan of the ages, that is, the Jewish people. And in defending them, He strikes out against the enemies of God, the enemies of those who are called and have some purpose in God’s unfolding plan.
Zechariah 14:12 describes the victory of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, over these enemies. I don’t want to sound flippant about this, but I’ll just explain it simply. I don’t think that it has reference to a nuclear weapon, because I don’t think Jesus needs nukes when He comes back to triumph over a sinful and rebellious world, when he comes in His glorious return. Now, by the word and the power of His mouth, He may command a similar effect to a nuclear weapon. That’s conceivable; that’s possible. What is described here, of flesh and eyes and tongues dissolving, describes somebody being shattered in their person. We think about this in CGI movies and comic book movies and things like that, but something analogous of that will happen to the enemies of the Lord.
Again, I don’t think it’s a nuclear weapon because Jesus doesn’t need a nuke. But He could command, by the word of His mouth, an effect very similar to that against the enemies of the Lord. This doesn’t describe a battle between human armies, nor does it describe what rebellious humanity tries to do against Jesus Christ, returning in glory. I believe it describes this great return of Jesus and does not describe a nuclear weapon.
I have no doubt that when Jesus does return in glory with tens of thousands of His saints, when He returns with His church in glory – not previously when He returns for His church – I don’t have any doubt that humanity will try to shoot Him out of the sky with nuclear weapons. But of course, it’ll all be in vain. Such attempts can do nothing but come to futility, because the Lord laughs against all those who oppose Him, and His victory will be clear upon that day.
Does John 8:7 mean we can’t call a person out of their sin because we are sinners ourselves? John 8:7 – So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
No, I don’t believe that the words of Jesus in John 8:7 indicate for us that, as sinners ourselves, we can’t call a person out for their sin. What it means is this: we can’t condemn a person to death for their sin if we are sinners. Now, I’m leaving the whole issue of capital punishment outside of this. That takes place with due process of law, was allowed for under the Old Covenant, and it’s also spoken of in a permitted sense in the New Testament. I’m leaving that out.
What this is dealing with is for us to take justice into our own hands – not in the hands of the legitimate civil government – and to execute it upon somebody else. That’s what casting a stone was in the context of John 8. The context is the woman taken in adultery who was brought to Jesus. The religious leaders asked Jesus, “Hey, what should we do with this woman? Should we execute her as according to the law? Should we let her go?” Jesus saw through their hypocrisy. He saw that it was a setup.
Jesus said so brilliantly, “He who is without sin, let him throw the first stone.” Now to throw a stone at this woman wasn’t to insult her, or to say something bad against her, or to rebuke her for her sin. It was to initiate the actual execution of this woman. And Jesus says no. He especially spoke to that particular crowd, because they were not without sin in that very matter. They were the ones who, in some regard, had sinfully set up this woman, just to make a terrible example of her before Jesus and to use her as an excuse to try to trap Jesus. But of course, Jesus would not be trapped in this situation. He would not allow such a thing to happen. So really, that’s what we’re dealing with here. The casting of a stone wasn’t to offer a criticism or a rebuke or a correction; it was to actually execute somebody. And that’s what Jesus spoke against.
I have a sinful past. How can I have a good testimony before those who don’t believe? If in the past I sinned deliberately, and my testimony was ruined, but I repented from my heart, how can I clean my testimony before unbelievers and be used as an instrument to bring people to Christ?
What a wonderful question. God is building a beautiful, powerful testimony in you right now. And that beautiful, powerful testimony is not the testimony of a sinless life. None of us have such a testimony. Only Jesus had such a testimony. But what He’s building in you right now is a life and a demonstration of genuine repentance. So your job, day by day, is to build that testimony of repentance.
I want to imagine myself as someone who’s looking at your life directly from the outside. I don’t know how long ago these particular sins happened in your past. I don’t know if they’re a month ago, a year ago, five years ago. But if it was only a month ago, we wouldn’t blame a person who looked at your life and said, “Well, this person used to be all bound up in those sins a month ago. Now they’re living differently. This person appears to be different. Now, let’s see if it lasts.”
Every day that you walk in the repentance that God has so beautifully gifted you with, you are building a powerful testimony. We do not need to have a testimony of perfection. We need to have a testimony of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, and you’re building that up day by day. So just keep doing it. Keep walking in a right relationship with the Lord, abiding in Him, and be encouraged that God is building a beautiful, wonderful testimony in and through you.
What are some examples of “weights” that should be set aside (Hebrews 12:1)? In your commentary on Hebrews 12:1, you describe “every weight” as something that may not be sin, but something that may hinder us, something we may lay aside. Would you please give some examples of what those things might be?
I’ll give some examples. I’m always a little bit self-conscious throwing out examples like this, because somebody may hear a word of condemnation from me when I just throw out possibilities. I’m not trying to condemn anybody for the following practices. I’m simply saying that these things may become a weight which prevents somebody from going forward with Jesus Christ.
One example is a hobby; a hobby could be obsessive. Somebody whose hobby is fishing, or hunting, or doing some kind of craft, or painting, or whatever. If that person becomes so obsessed with their hobby, it is not in itself a sin. But if it so dominates their life that it keeps them from truly following after Jesus Christ and giving honor unto Him, then it’s a weight that so easily ensnares us.
Again, I hope nobody is saying to hearing me say that fishing, or a hobby, or hunting, or crafting, or something else, necessarily does that to us, but they could. If it is keeping us from following after Jesus, then it’s a weight that so easily ensnares us.
Another example is the responsible consumption of alcohol. Again, we all know that the Bible says getting drunk or intoxicated is a sin. Is alcohol permitted for some Christians to drink? Well, yes, but could it become something that becomes a weight in their life that they should lay aside? Yes.
I could name any number of things: hobbies, relationships, certain forms of food, and so on. These are all things that have the potential to become weights which so easily ensnare us. They are things that aren’t necessarily, in and of themselves, bad or evil or forbidden. But it matters what place they have in our life.
And there are times when God will very jealously speak to our heart about something that He wants us to deny ourselves just for His sake, just for His cause. Again, I, I understand this is hard for us to comprehend sometimes. Sometimes we’re so focused on our liberty as Christians, we don’t realize that God has the liberty to put His finger on something in our life, and to say, “Dear child, this practice for this season, I call you to lay it aside, for My sake.” If God were to say such a thing for you, if He in His providence were to guide you in such a way, would you listen? Could you hear Him? I hope so.
These are the kinds of things I would categorize under this idea of every weight. They are things that in and of themselves are not necessarily sinful, but which can be hindrances to our walk with God. Whether or not they are hindrances is really between the believer and their Lord. Maybe a trusted friend could give you insight from the outside. But that’s the general message.
In 1 Corinthians 7:5, why do the KJV and NKJV Bibles say “fasting and prayer,” but other Bible versions only say “prayer”? Why does the King James Bible say, “fasting and prayer,” in 1 Corinthians 7:5, and just “prayer” in other versions, like the New American Standard, ESV, etc.?
1 Corinthians 7:5 NKJV – Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
The King James and New King James versions of the Bible are based on a different textual tradition of the Greek New Testament. I’ll use imprecise terminology for this, but the King James and the New King James are based on the Byzantine textual tradition, while these other translations, such as the New American Standard, ESV, NIV, and so on, are based on the Alexandrian Textual family. This passage is just different in those texts or families of manuscripts.
The valid question is, which is a better reflection of what the Apostle Paul first wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? That’s the whole question of textual comparison and criticism. And how do we determine that? Well, I don’t think we determine it by an automatic answer, by assuming that either the Alexandrian Textual family is always correct, or the Byzantine Textual family is always correct. I think that these things must be judged on a case-by-case basis.
Good commentaries and Greek resources will tell you which manuscripts those texts are found in, the weight of those manuscripts, other kinds of consistencies or inconsistencies in the textual tradition, and a determination can be made by that. Off the top of my head, I can’t tell you which one I would consider to be a more accurate translation. I’d have to do some research and dig into that.
I do believe that we must consider these different readings on a case-by-case basis. I don’t automatically assume that one is always superior over the other.
Are we obligated to say “in the name of Jesus” at the beginning or end of each prayer? Are we really obligated to say “in the name of Jesus” at the beginning or end of each prayer? Sometimes my prayers are really short, and it doesn’t feel natural.
God bless you. What a great question. I love that. Listen, some of the best prayers are short prayers. Make no mistake about it. I like the prayer of Peter when he was sinking under the water, after having walked on the water, at least for a few steps. He just cried out, “Lord, help me!” That’s a short prayer, but it was a great prayer. Prayers don’t have to be long to be effective before God. Peter probably didn’t have time to say, “Lord, help me – in Jesus’ name.”
Let me just make this plain. Saying the words, “in Jesus’ name” does not make a prayer in Jesus’ name. To pray in the name of Jesus has a few connotations. Number one, it means to pray in Him as our mediator and our access before God. I know that most of the world doesn’t use checks anymore, you know, written out checks where you write in amount. They’re used more commonly in America, but other places in the world don’t use them at all. But a check is basically a piece of paper with your bank account information on it, and you write somebody’s name on it, indicating, “Pay to the order of this person.” If you were to take a check to the bank from me, you’re not asking for that money in your name; you’re asking for that money in my name, because my name is on the check. You’re asking on the basis of my resources and bank account, not on the basis of your resources and bank account.
So, for that simple reason, to pray in the name of Jesus is simply to pray on the basis of Jesus’ merits, Jesus’ access to God, Jesus as our mediator. It’s not to come to God and say, if I were the one praying, “Hey, Lord, it’s David. I’m so awesome. Listen to my prayer!” It’s to come in the name of Jesus say, “Lord, I come in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ. He’s the one that’s awesome. And He’s given me the permission to come in His name.”
Now, that attitude of heart in prayer is far more important than actually saying the words, “in Jesus’ name.” There are prayers that are legitimately made in the name of Jesus, that never have the words, “in Jesus name,” attached to them. And then there are other prayers that could say “in Jesus’ name” all day long, but that person’s heart isn’t coming in Jesus’ name one bit.
I hope that that is clear to you, that there’s a difference between praying in my name, or in the name of a saint, or in the name of a pastor, or in the name of somebody else and what we’re doing. We come in Jesus’ name, not in the name of a saint, not in the name of Mary, not in the name of anybody else. We come in the name of Jesus. If that is established in the heart, to pray on His ground, and to the best of our ability according to His heart, that’s truly a prayer in the name of Jesus. That’s what it means to pray in the name of Jesus, and you can pray a very short prayer that in your heart is prayed on the basis of Jesus and what He has done and what He has asked.
Why did Jesus teach using parables? I’m currently studying Mark 12. Jesus hasn’t used any parables since Mark 4. To your way of thinking, why is He using the parabolic teaching method here?
If you’re really interested in the use of parables, it’s probably more helpful to focus on the Gospel of Luke. Now, of course, Jesus uses parables in the other Gospels. Not so much in the Gospel of John, but in Matthew and Mark, of course. But Luke is the Gospel that most focuses on parables.
I think that Jesus’ purpose in parables was not merely to put information into illustrative terms. But it was also to hide the truth in pictures which the spiritually sensitive would understand and grasp. This is explained in the Gospels, when the disciples ask Jesus the purpose of His use of parables. Again, it’s to use pictures that could be understood by those who have some spiritual sensitivity. Those who did not have the spiritual sensitivity might not understand what Jesus was saying at all. And there were times when that was perfectly okay with Jesus because it would mean that those who did not understand would not be building up the guilt for themselves of having specifically rejected something that they understood.
So, I don’t think there’s any one reason for the use of parables. In some regard, they’re illustrative stories. But in another regard, they were ways of Jesus presenting the truth so that it could be heard and understood by those with spiritual sensitivity.
For a deeper explanation, check out my commentary on Luke 8.
Is the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel 38 the same as the Gog and Magog of Revelation 20? The succinct answer to your question is: I don’t know. Maybe. I suspect not. There’s a lot involved in that question. I don’t think I can give a definitive answer. But when you piece it all together, especially considering what Ezekiel 38-39 says about what will happen in the aftermath of that battle, it’s hard for me to reconcile the battle with Gog and Magog that’s described in Revelation 20. Again, because of the aftermath: there are years and years of burying the dead after the battle described in Ezekiel 38-39. From my understanding of the battle described in Revelation 20, there’s no time for that. None of that happens after that. So, I would make a distinction between the two. I don’t know if I can be absolutely certain on it. But I would say I suspect they are not the same. I see too many distinctions between them.
Why does 1 John say, “no one has ever seen God,” yet in John’s Gospel Jesus said, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father”? 1 John says none has ever seen God. Yet in John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.” Please comment.
When it says that no one has seen God in 1 John, it’s the same author who wrote the Gospel of John. We understand that John is speaking about is that nobody has seen God in the immediate sense. There is no person dwelling on Earth who has seen God the Father, face-to-face, enthroned in glory in Heaven. It’s just not going to happen. So that’s something that awaits us in the world to come, not this world.
But what is God like? What’s His nature? What’s His character? We can see that reflected in the person and work of Jesus Christ. There’s a sense in which we can see God in Jesus, and people could, but not to see Him in the immediate sense, face-to-face before the throne of God. So that’s what John is speaking about there.
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As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:3-4)
Something spectacular happened on the way to Damascus. As Saul the persecutor came near Damascus, then suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. According to how Paul later explained, this happened at mid-day, when the sun shines at its brightest. Yet Paul said that this light was brighter than the sun (Acts 26:13).
It wasn’t only a light; Saul also heard a voice. According to F.F. Bruce, the rabbis of that day mostly believed that God no longer spoke to man directly, as He did in the days of the prophets. Yet here on the road near Damascus, Saul heard a voice from heaven.
The voice first addressed him personally: Saul, Saul. When God repeats a name twice, it is to display deep emotion, but not necessarily anger (as in the Martha, Martha of Luke 10:41 and the Jerusalem, Jerusalem of Matthew 23:37).
Then the voice asked a question: Why are you persecuting Me? As the heavenly light overwhelmed him, the voice confronted Saul with the true nature of his crime: He persecuted God, not man. Saul thought that he was serving God in viciously attacking Christians, but here he discovered that he was fighting God. This has been sadly true through history. Often those who are convinced they are doing God a favor actually are guilty of some of the worst persecution and torture ever seen.
We shouldn’t only emphasize the word “Me” in the phrase why are you persecuting Me? We should also notice the “why” and see that Jesus asked, “why are you persecuting Me?” That is, “Saul, why are you doing such a futile thing?”
This was a remarkable experience for a man who would become a remarkable discipl. This spectacular event must be regarded as unusual. God does not normally confront sinners with a heavenly light and an audible voice from heaven.
How did Saul react to this overwhelming experience? He fell to the ground. This wasn’t because of honor or reverence for God, it was simply a reaction of survival – he was terrified at the heavenly light.
In the minds of many or most people, Saul fell from a horse that he rode. Yet this account in Acts 8, nor the telling in Acts 22:3-11, nor the account of Acts 26:12-20 make any mention of a horse or of Saul riding any kind of animal. It may be that he rode, but the text does not specifically say so.
I like what Adam Clarke wrote about this: “Many persons suppose he was on horseback, and painters thus represent him; but this is utterly without foundation. Painters are, in almost every case, wretched commentators.”
Saul wasn’t looking for God, but God sought him out. Aren’t you glad that God loved you before you ever loved Him?
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Acts 9
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher –
Just a quick thought today from a familiar passage:
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit
into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1)
After identifying with sinners in His baptism, Jesus then identified with them again in severe temptation. Because this was a necessary part of His ministry, so Jesus truly was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness.
There was a remarkable contrast between the glory following Jesus’ baptism and the challenge to be tempted by the devil.
- At His baptism, Jesus enjoyed the cool waters of the Jordan; now with His temptation Jesus faced the barren wilderness.
- Then there were huge crowds; now there was solitude and silence.
- Then the Spirit rested like a dove; now the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.
- Then Jesus heard the voice of the Father called Him “Beloved Son”; now He heard the hiss of Satan the tempter.
- Then Jesus was anointed; now He was attacked.
- Then the water of baptism; now the fire of temptation.
- First the heavens opened; now it was as if hell opened.
Here’s one point to draw for servants of Jesus to draw from the life of our Savior:
Each season was led by the Holy Spirit and was in the will of God.
Don’t think that a hard season means you’re out of God’s will or no longer in step with the Spirit.
Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik
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Saulus aber, der noch Drohung und Mord schnaubte gegen die Jünger des Herrn, ging zum Hohenpriester und erbat sich von ihm Briefe nach Damaskus an die Synagogen, in der Absicht, wenn er irgendwelche Anhänger des Weges fände, ob Männer oder Frauen, sie gebunden nach Jerusalem zu führen. (Apostelgeschichte 9,1-2)
Wir haben Saulus zuletzt in Apostelgeschichte 8,3 gesehen, wo es heißt, dass er die Gemeinde verwüstete, überall in die Häuser eindrang, Männer und Frauen fortschleppte und sie ins Gefängnis warf. Das Bild das hier in Apostelgeschichte 9 von Saulus gezeichnet wird, ist das eines wütenden, gewalttätigen Mannes, der von seiner eigenen Gerechtigkeit absolut überzeugt ist. Saulus drohte und hetzte noch immer gegen die Jünger des Herrn. Beachte bitte, dass Saulus die Jünger des Herrn hasste.
Dieser zornige Mann ging zum Hohepriester, um die Erlaubnis zur Fortsetzung seiner Angriffe zu erhalten. Saulus verfolgte die Jünger mit der direkten Zustimmung der höchsten religiösen Autoritäten. Er bat den Hohenpriester ihm zu erlauben, seine Mission fortzusetzen, und erhielt auch ein entsprechendes Schreiben.
Der hier erwähnte Hohepriester war Kajaphas. Im Dezember 1990 wurde in Jerusalem ein Ossuarium (ein Miniatursarg aus Stein oder Keramik zur Aufbewahrung der Gebeine eines Toten) entdeckt. Es war mit dem Namen dieses Kaiphas beschriftet und stammte eindeutig aus dieser Zeit. Darin wurden die Überreste eines 60-jährigen Mannes gefunden, von dem viele Forscher glauben, dass es sich um denselben Kaiphas handelt. Wenn dies stimmt, sind dies die ersten physischen Überreste (wie Knochen oder Asche) einer bestimmten Person, die im Neuen Testament erwähnt wird.
Von hier aus setzte Saulus seine Arbeit fort und weitete sie auf die Stadt Damaskus aus, die etwa 210 Kilometer nordöstlich von Jerusalem liegt – also eine Reise von insgesamt sechs Tagen. Saulus war bereit, Opfer zu bringen, um Christen anzugreifen. Seine Absicht war nach Damaskus zu reisen und dort alle zu suchen, die auf dem Weg waren – das heißt alle, die Jesus nachfolgten. Das zeigt, dass es in Damaskus eine christliche Gemeinschaft gab, die groß genug war, um sich Sorgen zu machen. Das Christentum – der Weg – breitete sich überall aus.
Viele Jahre später erinnerte sich Saulus an seine Zeit als Verfolger. In Philipper 3,6 erwähnt Saulus (Paulus), dass sein Eifer ihn zu einem Verfolger machte. In Galater 1,13 fügte Paulus weitere Informationen über seinen Hintergrund hinzu: Denn ihr habt von meinem ehemaligen Wandel im Judentum gehört, dass ich die Gemeinde Gottes über die Maßen verfolgte und sie zerstörte.
Viele von Euch wissen, wie diese Geschichte ausgegangen ist. Dieser wütende, gewalttätige Mann, der die Christen und den Messias, dem sie dienten, hasste, wurde schließlich selbst zum Christen. Was wir hier in Apostelgeschichte 9,1-2 lesen, erinnert uns daran, dass es sich nicht etwa so verhielt, dass Saulus Jesus suchte, als Jesus ihn suchte. Wir könnten sagen, dass Saulus sich gegen Jesus entschied, während Jesus sich für Saulus entschied.
Ich hoffe, dass Du Dich “für” Jesus entschieden hast – dass Du Buße getan und geglaubt hast und Dein Vertrauen darauf gesetzt hast, wer Jesus ist und was er getan hat, um Dich für jetzt und immer zu retten. Denk einfach daran, dass Du Dich nur für Jesus entscheiden kannst, weil er sich zuerst für Dich entschieden hat; dass Du ihn nur lieben kannst, weil er Dich zuerst geliebt hat – selbst wenn Du wie Saulus schwer gegen ihn gesündigt hast. Seine Liebe ist so stark.
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What Is Mountain-Moving Faith?
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What is mountain-moving faith? From Jackie via Facebook:
Hi David, I have a question. If I have been given authority from Jesus to move mountains, to see miracles happen, and so much more, why then when I pray for such things aren’t they happening? What am I doing wrong?
Jesus spoke of “moving mountains” in two passages: Matthew 17, in regard to the deliverance of the demon possessed boy, and in Mark 11 (also in Matthew 21) in regard to the cursing of the fig tree.
In both situations:
- Jesus did something remarkable
- His disciples marveled
- Jesus explained how He did the remarkable thing
- Jesus inspired the faith of His disciples
- Jesus obviously used a metaphor – a figure of speech
Matthew 17:19-21 – The Deliverance of the Demon-Possessed Boy
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
[20] Because of your unbelief: Jesus laid the inability of the disciples to cast out the demon at their unbelief. To be successful in a battle against demons, there must be trust in the Lord GOD who has complete authority over the demons.
[20] If you have faith as a mustard seed: The faith that we must have has more to do with what kind of faith it is than with how much faith there is. A small amount of faith, as small as a mustard seed (a very small seed), can accomplish great things if that small amount of faith is placed in the great and mighty God.
Little faith can accomplish great things; but great faith can accomplish even greater things. What matters most is what our faith is in, the object of our faith. “The eye cannot see itself. Did you ever see your own eye? In a mirror you may have done so, but that was only a reflection of it. And you may, in like manner, see the evidence of your faith, but you cannot look at the faith itself. Faith looks away to itself to the object of faith, even to Christ.” (Spurgeon)
[20] You will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there”: According to F.F. Bruce, Jesus used a phrase that was common among the rabbis of His day. They would call (to paraphrase) a distinguished rabbi a “mountain mover.” Jesus told us that faithbrings us into this status, this place in God’s work.
Mark 11:20-24 – The Cursed Fig Tree
Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
[22] Have faith in God: Jesus explained that this miracle was really the result of a prayer made in faith, and He encouraged His marveling disciples to have this kind of faith, trusting that God would hear them also.
[22] In God: Jesus made it clear that prayer must be offered in faith, and faith must be in God. Faith is trust, confidence, and reliance upon someone or something.
Some, using Greek transliterations, have said Jesus was really saying that we must “Have God’s faith.” But Greek scholars object to this understanding of the phrase “have faith in God.”
[23] Whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed”: Mountain was a popular figure of speech for any insurmountable problem; Jesus said that as we believe, God could overcome any obstacle.
- “The phrase about removing mountains was a quite common Jewish phrase. It was a regular, vivid phrase for removing difficulties.” (Barclay)
- This promise of God’s answer to the prayer made in faith was made to disciples, not to the multitude. “Nor should we interpret Mark 11:24 to mean, ‘If you pray hard enough and really believe, God is obligated to answer your prayer no matter what you ask.’ That kind of faith is not faith in God; rather it is nothing but faith in faith, or faith in feelings.” (Wiersbe)
1 John 5:14-15 – Our Confidence in Prayer
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
[14] If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us: In this, we see the purpose of prayer and the secret of power in prayer. It is to ask; to ask anything; to ask anything according to His will; and once having so asked, to have the assurance that He hears us.
- First, God would have us ask in prayer. Much prayer fails because it never asksfor anything. God is a loving God, and a generous giver – He wants us to ask of Him.
- Secondly, God would have us ask anythingin prayer. Not to imply that anythingwe ask for will be granted, but anything in the sense that we can and should pray about everything. God cares about our whole life, and nothing is too small or too big to pray about. As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Next, God would have us ask according to His will. It is easy for us to only be concerned with our will before God, and to have a fatalistic view regarding His will (“He will accomplish His will with or without my prayers anyway, won’t He?”). But God wants us to see and discern His will through His Word, and to pray His will into action. When John wrote this, John may have had Jesus’ own words in mind, which he recorded in John 15:7: If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. When we abide in Jesus – living in Him, day by day – then our will becomes more and more aligned with His will, and we can ask what you desire, and more and more be asking according to His will. Then we see answered prayer.
- If something is God’s will, why doesn’t He just do it, apart from our prayers? Why would He wait to accomplish His will until we pray? Because God has appointed us to work with Him as 2 Corinthians 6:1 says: as workers together with Him. God wants us to work with Him, and that means bringing our will and agenda into alignment with His. He wants us to care about the things He cares about, and He wants us to care about them enough to pray passionately about them.
[15] We know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him: When we ask according to God’s will, when we pray the promises of God, we have this confidence; and so pray with real and definite faith.
- Prayer should be so much more than casting wishes to heaven. It is rooted in understanding God’s will and promises according to His Word, and praying those promises into action. For each prayer request, we should mentally or vocally ask, “What possible reason do I have to think that God will answer this prayer?” We should be able to answer that question from His Word.
- The most powerful prayers in the Bible are always prayers which understand the will of God, and ask Him to perform it. We may be annoyed when one of our children says, “Daddy, this is what you promised, now please do it,” but God is delighted when we pray His promises. It shows our will aligned with His, our dependence on Him, and that we take His Word seriously.
It is not necessarily wrong to ask for something that God has not promised; but we then realize that we are not coming to God on the basis of a specific promise, and we don’t have the confidence to know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
Jackie, I don’t know that you are doing anything “wrong” in your prayers. Maybe you are; maybe you aren’t. Maybe you are misunderstanding your will for God’s. Maybe you were misunderstanding your timing for God’s timing. Just remember these things:
- So, the purpose of prayer is not to accomplish our will, but God’s.
- Using the Bible, we should try to understand God’s will the best we can.
- With the best understanding of God’s will we have, we pray in faith.
- If we have misunderstood God’s will in any way – or the timing of His will – we trust God to take care of that.
- We believe that God can work miracles when we pray according to His will!
Prayer for Ukraine Someone has asked if we can pray for Ukraine. I’d be delighted to do that. If you’re watching this on video later, maybe you also can just pause for a moment and join me in prayer. I believe that it’s meaningful and powerful when God’s people agree together in prayer. So, I’m going to pray, and I hope I’m praying in a way that you can agree with right now. We’ll pray for God to do some great things in this situation.
Father in heaven, we pray for the people and the leaders of the nation of Ukraine. We pray that You would give them supernatural grace and wisdom and strength. We especially pray for believers, for Your people in that nation. We pray that You would make them shining lights to bring many to faith in Jesus Christ, in this time of great calamity and warfare. Lord, we pray also that You would move upon the nations attacking Ukraine – Russia, Belarus, whoever it would be, Lord. We pray that You would move upon their leaders to work toward a peaceful resolution. We ask that You grant to the Christians in those nations the wisdom and passion in prayer to properly pray for their leaders, and to live as citizens in their country.
Lord, we are reminded that in Ukraine is not the only place where there’s war in the world right now. There are wars in Africa, in the Middle East, in Asia, and other places of the world, Lord, we are a sin-soaked collection of humanity. God, we pray that You would work in and through Your people, and that You would work powerfully by the Holy Spirit, to bring peace and just resolution to these causes, to comfort the hurting, and to show the triumph and the love of Jesus Christ in it all. Do it, Father, we pray, in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
Thanks for that encouragement to prayer.
Does the Orthodox Church preach heresy? Is it sinful to join the Orthodox Church? I have a friend who recently switched from a non-denominational evangelical church to an American Orthodox Church. I decided to research what the Orthodox Church believes, and I attended a couple Sunday services with my friend. The rituals don’t bother me, but I’m seeing some traditions and rules that do. Should I be concerned for my friend as a Christian believer? Does the Orthodox Church preach heresy? Is it sinful to join?
Here’s the issue. When you talk about the Eastern Orthodox Church, you are talking about a broad range of denominations, church traditions, local congregations, and generations. I think it’s impossible to generalize as a whole, and say, “The Orthodox Church is this; the Orthodox Church is that.” Of course, there are some general things you can say, but overall, it has most to do with the individual congregation.
A person can certainly find Jesus in the Orthodox Church. If somebody wants to put their focus on Jesus, worship Jesus, be a disciple of Jesus, and follow Him with their life, they can do it in the Orthodox Church. I don’t have any doubt about that.
Now, I’ll say that there are many traditions and aspects of the liturgy of the services of the Orthodox Church which do not resonate with me at all. For me, it’s not a meaningful place to meet with Jesus. But somebody can go to a church as an outworking of vain tradition, no matter what their church tradition is. There really must be an emphasis on the individual seeking after Jesus Christ as He is revealed in His Word.
So, am I uncomfortable with some of the Orthodox emphasis on some of their liturgy and iconography? Yes, I am. But again, I know that somebody can find Jesus there. That’s the issue, I would say. Is your friend using their time in their presence in the Orthodox Church to press into Jesus? If they’re doing that, then I think that that can be okay. But if they seem lost in the traditions or the liturgy, without it really pressing them towards Jesus, then I think there could be some concern.
The Orthodox Church represents the majority of Christians that come from the east, and especially Eastern European countries, like Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey. It is said that more people were martyred for their faith in the 20th century than in all previous centuries combined. They were killed for being Christians. Maybe there was a political motivation; maybe it was just a genocidal thing. But if that statistic is true, we need to understand that it was the Eastern Church who bore the brunt of that. For that alone, our Orthodox brothers and sisters deserve commendation. They deserve gratitude on behalf of believers.
Before creation, what was God doing in eternity past? That is a great question. I can think of a few things that God was doing in eternity past before creation.
First, God was planning a plan of redemption and preparing for it in every aspect.
Another thing God was doing was enjoying a relationship of love and fellowship between the persons of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is one God in three Persons. We’re not tri-theists. We don’t believe in three gods, but we do believe in one God in three Persons. In some way that’s honestly difficult for us to comprehend, there was rich and meaningful fellowship among the members of the Trinity, in the person of God the Father, the person of God the Son, and the person of God the Holy Spirit. We know this because Jesus, in His great prayer in John 17, referred to the glory that He enjoyed with God the Father before the creation of the world, which is really a staggering statement.
So, God was doing whatever He did with the angelic beings. We really don’t know much about the origin of the angelic beings. Maybe there’s an entire backstory to the angelic beings that we know nothing about. We’ll learn about it in eternity future.
We do only know aspects of what God was doing. We know that God was planning and setting the groundwork for His plan of the ages. I say setting groundwork literally, because it speaks of the Lamb of God who was slain from before the foundation of the world. God was setting in motion His amazing plan of the ages and enjoying fellowship between the persons of the Trinity. That’s what I would say God was doing before anything existed.
Is Lent biblical? No, it’s not biblical. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad. Many of the practices people do during Lent are fine and are biblical, like special times of prayer, special times of devotion, or special ways to mortify the flesh, whether it be a fast or another form of self-denial. Those things in and of themselves are biblical. But the Bible nowhere prescribes a season of 40 days before Easter Sunday for Christians to do these things. That’s purely a creation of Christian tradition. It’s not in the Bible at all; it’s Christian tradition. Again, the practices that many people do during Lent are in and of themselves biblical. But the practice itself of doing something in these 40 days before Easter is not biblical one bit.
Here’s what we need to remember about Lent. We need to remember the principle of freedom in Jesus Christ. People are absolutely free in Jesus to observe Lent if they want to. And they are absolutely free in Jesus to not observe Lent if they don’t want to. This isn’t something that’s commanded or prescribed by Scripture. We have freedom in Jesus Christ either way. So, if you want to do it, great – do it unto the Lord. Don’t think it makes you any better or superior to any other brother or sister, but just do it unto the Lord. We have freedom in Jesus Christ either way.
Is Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus non-historical? Why do some Christian scholars regard the birth of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 1-2 to be non-historical? Why would the Holy Spirit through Matthew write about Jesus’ birth only for it to be an allegory?
First, let me say, the phrase “Christian scholars” is somewhat loaded. What do we mean by that phrase? Do we mean a scholar who happens to be a Christian? Do we mean a scholar of things Christians are interested in? Do we mean a scholar who is thoroughly Christian in their scholarship? I’m a little wary of the phrase “Christian scholarship,” because I think that it’s it needs to be more carefully defined, to be honest.
I would understand those who deny the historical nature of the Gospels in particular, to be outside the bounds of the Christian faith. I’m very serious. I know that’s extreme; I’ll admit that it’s extreme. When we refer to the clear historical narratives of the Scriptures, I understand some would push back and say it’s not so clear and historical; they would say it’s allegory. There’s a great deal of work done on this by a professor at a college here in Santa Barbara, named Robert Gundry. He wrote a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew saying that these things in Matthew didn’t actually happen. He argues that Matthew was using rabbinic forms of literature to make up stories and apply them to Jesus. I would just reject that in very strenuous terms. He’s saying that the historicity of the biblical record doesn’t even matter; it’s just the story that it tells.
Why do some scholars or students of the Bible do this kind of thing? For example, in Gundry’s case, he looked at the account in Matthew about the Magi visiting Jesus, and the account in Luke of the shepherds visiting Jesus. He decided the story of the shepherds was legitimate, but that Matthew had done a Jedi Rabbi mind trick with his account of the Magi’s visit, saying that Matthew took Luke’s account and transformed the visit of the shepherds into the visit of the magi, to fulfill the Old Testament Scriptures. In Gundry’s case, he said, “Well, Matthew wasn’t really lying, because everybody knew he was doing this that.” I would push back against that. I think this is a historical reductionism that’s very dangerous.
Basically, the reason why scholars often do this, is because they are uncomfortable with some of the supernatural elements that are in the Gospels. Sometimes scholars do this because they feel that there is contradictory matter in the gospels, and so they want to resolve with a claim or contradictions.
But I would just strenuously disagree with that approach. Now, I’m the first one to admit – I spoke about it in our lead question today – the Bible is filled with metaphor, with figures of speech. I’m looking out at the mountains from my window. I don’t believe that Jesus meant we would actually cause a mountain to be uprooted from the ground and cast into the sea. He’s using figures of speech and metaphors. We understand the Bible uses such language.
But when it tells us that things happened in history, they happened. It’s just that simple. The reason why they do it may be either to excuse what they suppose are grandiose claims of the supernatural, or to resolve what they think are contradictions. I don’t think either of those are worth doing.
Why is there so much repetition in Proverbs? We’re reading through Proverbs, and it seems a lot of the chapters repeat the same themes many times: avoid harlots, evil friends, etc. Do you think these are these repeated for emphasis?
Well, yes. But again, there’s a sense in which Proverbs wasn’t written just to read through chapter by chapter. It’s meant be taken with you, to meditate and chew on the verses throughout the day, maybe a couple proverbs a day. If someone does that, then it’s going to be weeks until they run across things of the same theme.
There are people I know who have taught the book of Proverbs thematically. In other words, they get all the Proverbs that relate to friendship, or to sexual immorality, or to the use of money, and they’ll collect them all together and teach on those themes from the book of Proverbs. I think that could be a very fruitful way to study the book of Proverbs. But yes, the repetition would generally be for emphasis, and for a shedding of a slightly different light on these subjects.
And it’s also this: does it not remind us here of our tremendous need to be reminded of things? You and I can come back again and again, and think we know this or that, but we repeatedly need to be reminded of things. Friends, that’s something I would really want to encourage you with right now. You might be thinking that what we really need in your life is a new revelation. Listen, God has given you a wonderful revelation in the Bible. And God will guide you providentially along the way; don’t worry about that. He’ll guide you as you need to be guided, but give your attention to what God has already revealed.
How can I deal with intrusive thoughts? This is a difficult matter of sanctification. God bless you for engaging this battle. Many people completely deny or neglect the battle that goes on in the mind of the believer, and this we should not do. We should continue on in this battle regarding the mind and regarding our thoughts. We should do what it says in 2 Corinthians: take every thought captive unto the obedience of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5 – Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Dealing with our thought life is sort of a higher ground in our sanctification or holiness process, but it’s an important ground for us to walk upon.
Now, practically, what can you do? First of all, don’t be discouraged when the same thought keeps intruding again and again. You’re not doing something wrong. Just keep battling back again and again. This is just the nature of it. There’s a lot of bad thinking that we can be dealing with, but let’s just consider thoughts of hatred or bitterness towards others. We can lay them before the Lord, come before Him, ask God to deal with these things, confess them before God, and be free of them. And then the next day – or sometimes the next hour – they come back. It doesn’t mean you failed to do it right the first time. But these are just things that we must deal with continually. So don’t be discouraged because of the repetitive nature of this battle. That’s the first thing I would tell you.
The second thing I would tell you is this. I’m not trying to say this as a cure-all, but it is a help-all. It will help you in every way. I’m not saying it’s going to cure everything, but it will help you: Memorize Scripture. The best thing you can do is to saturate your mind with the truth of God’s Word. Remember that phrase, I always think of it because we sing a song like it in the King James Version: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee.”
If you want perfect peace, keep your mind on God and His Word. Make Scripture memorization and Scripture meditation a priority. And again, I want to stress that I’m not bringing this before you as a cure-all. You’re still going to have to deal with intrusive thoughts. But it is a help-all; it will help you in that battle.
Number one: Don’t be discouraged that it is such a battle.
Number two: Memorize Scripture and meditate upon Scripture.
Number three: Realize that this is good ground that you’re fighting on. God bless you for doing that.
Is it proper to have communion at home? Is it proper to have communion at home when watching a service online, if you cannot be there in person?
I’m going to give you my answer, which I acknowledge will be different from the answer that people from other church traditions give. But you’re asking me, so I’m going to give you my answer. I recognize and respect those brothers and sisters from other church traditions who might believe differently from me on this.
I would say yes, it is proper. Now, I don’t think it’s ideal. Ideally, communion is practiced in the community of God’s people coming together for services of worship. That is the normative setting put forth in 1 Corinthians, where Paul talks about communion more than in any other epistle.
So, that’s the ideal setting. But when we are prohibited from doing that, or even in addition to doing that, I don’t see any problem with a husband and wife having communion at the table at home, with a family having communion led by the husband, the father, as the priest of the home.
Again, this is not to exclude the Lord’s table in the congregational setting, but in addition to it, or when it’s impossible for Christians together, for whatever reason. I’ve thought about making a video sometime to simply lead somebody in communion at home. It would not be to substitute what a person would do at church, unless that substitution was absolutely necessary for a medical or other practical reason, and there was no way they could attend the worship of God’s people and partake in communion together.
How can a new believer get grounded in the Bible? How can a new believer (me) go about getting grounded in Scripture? I’m worried about getting too influenced by certain theological leanings.
First let me say, God bless you. Welcome to God’s family. I’m thrilled that you’re a new believer, that you’re somewhat new in your following of Jesus Christ. Welcome to the family of God. I don’t know how long it’s been; maybe it’s been a few months, maybe it’s been a few years. But I’m very pleased that you are counted among the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ, those who properly take the name “Christian.”
Now, how do you get grounded in Scripture? The most pointed way to do it is to read your Bible. I know that sounds simple and may even sound trite; I apologize if it sounds trite to you. But there’s no substitute for the simple reading of the Bible. In this modern age, some people would rather listen to an audio Bible. That’s better than not reading, but I don’t think it absolutely replaces reading. I wouldn’t be excited about a Christian who never read their Bible, but only listened to it.
So, read your Bible, and think about it as you read it. If you need good Bible study helps, they’re available. Maybe my Bible Commentary would be helpful for you. You can find it at enduringword.com. Just read through a Bible passage and look at my comments on it. Or look at the comments or teaching of another good, reliable teacher, someone who doesn’t seem to have a doctrinal “axe to grind.” What I mean by that metaphor of an axe to grind is they want to bring everything in the Bible back to a specific issue again and again. Try to find teachers who to the best of their ability will let the text of Scripture speak for itself. But there’s really no substitute for personally reading and thinking about the Bible yourself.
Now, when you read the Bible, there will be some things you don’t understand. There are two ways to read the Bible. One way is to read the Bible, and don’t go further until you understand it. Now, that’s one way to do it, but that’s not the approach that I normally suggest to people. I would say, when you come to something you don’t understand, just keep on going. You’ll read it again. The next time you read that passage, you’ll probably understand a little bit. The third time you read that section, you’ll probably understand a little better. Make regular Bible reading a normal part of your Christian life and find some good preachers and teachers that you can trust and rely on. I’d like to think that my own teaching and my own Bible Commentary is helpful for that. But I understand that it may not connect with everybody. It won’t hurt my feelings if you find somebody else more helpful, but try to find people that don’t seem to have doctrinal “hobbyhorses” or favorite topics, who are bringing everything around to a particular point.
Why did God send Balaam to the Moabites but then got angry when he went (Numbers 22:20)? For greater depth, I would recommend that you look at my commentary on Numbers 22.
Here’s the basic idea: God told Balaam, “Don’t go.” But Balaam was stubborn, and he sort of demanded that God let him do he wanted to do. He basically told God, “I’m going to do this, I really want to do this. God, can I do this.” And basically, God allowed Balaam to do what his sinful heart wanted him to do. Really, God’s direction of Balaam, to go ahead and go with those men, was a concession to Balaam’s sinfulness. And it was a way for God to bring judgment upon Balaam, which he eventually did.
God did this with Balaam because He was giving him over to judgment, and because Balaam refused to obey what God had said. Let me just give an analogy. Sometimes people pray, “God, would you give me this?” and God says, “No, it’s not for you.” They keep praying, “Oh, God, please give it to me,” and God says again, “No, it’s not for you.” They continue asking for it, and finally, sometimes God will say, “Fine, go ahead, take it. See how it works out for you.” And there’s a sense in which that’s what God did with Balaam.
Is it ok to ask God to send us a dream or a sign before making an important decision? Is it okay to ask God to send us a dream or a sign before making an important decision in our lives? Sometimes I even read some verses that could talk about my situation, but I don’t know that the answer for some specific and personal decisions in my life, such as the place where I should live or work.
I think that’s a very good question. Thank you for asking it. Is it okay to ask God to send us a dream or a sign?
I would give you this quick answer: No. Now, do I believe that God could give somebody a dream or a sign? Yes. But I don’t think it’s right for us to ask for it, or to seek after it. I think asking for it and seeking after it can open us up to some paths of deception that are better left closed. So, if God chooses to do something like that, then let that be God’s business. When we’re asking for it, when we’re looking for it, I think we open ourselves up either to create it within ourselves, or to just go our own way and pursue things that we shouldn’t pursue.
So, if you want to hear the voice of God and have His guidance, read His Word, live out your Christian life, and He will guide you. And maybe, along the way, God may do something supernatural to direct you – a dream or sign or something like that. Maybe He will, but I wouldn’t ask for it and I wouldn’t seek after it. Just ask God for the discernment, if He does give you such a thing.
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Als sie wieder aus dem Wasser herauskamen, nahm der Geist Gottes Philippus fort und der Hofbeamte sah ihn nicht mehr. Aber er setzte seine Reise voller Freude fort. Philippus fand sich in der Stadt Aschdod wieder. Er verkündete die Botschaft Gottes dort und in jeder Stadt auf dem Weg, bis er nach Cäsarea kam. (Apostelgeschichte 8,39-40)
Manchmal tut Gott ungewöhnliche Dinge. Hier ist ein Beispiel aus Apostelgeschichte 8. Philippus war das Werkzeug, das Gott dazu benutzte, um einem äthiopischen Mann auf einer Straße in der Wüste die gute Nachricht von Jesus Christus zu bringen. Nachdem er den Mann zum Glauben und zur Taufe geführt hatte, stiegen Philippus und der Neubekehrte aus dem Wasser. Dabei geschah etwas Ungewöhnliches: Der Geist des Herrn zog Philippus fort, so dass der Kämmerer ihn nicht mehr sah. So verschwand der Evangelist einfach aus dem Blickfeld des äthiopischen Kämmerers.
Der von Gott inspirierte Bericht zeigt ganz klar, dass dies ein Werk vom Geist des Herrn war. Philippus wurde auf übernatürliche Weise von dem Ort, an dem er den Mann getauft hatte, weggebracht. Aber Philippus kam nicht in den Himmel, sondern wurde in Azotus gefunden. Es war ein Wunder das ihn von einem Ort zum anderen brachte.
Dies war ein seltsames, vielleicht einmaliges Ereignis in der Heiligen Schrift. Aber etwas Ähnliches geschah, als das Boot der Jünger sofort an sein Ziel kam (Johannes 6,15-21), und etwas Ähnliches wird auch geschehen, wenn die Gemeinde bei der Wiederkunft Christi mit ihm zusammen entrückt wird (1. Thessalonicher 4,15-18).
Was geschah mit dem äthiopischen Kämmerer? Er setzte seine Reise voller Freude fort. Dass er sich auch nach Philippus’ seltsamem Aufbruch noch freute, zeigte, dass sein Glaube fest in Gott und nicht in Philippus verwurzelt war.
Was geschah mit Philippus? Er tat das was ein Evangelist tun sollte und predigte in allen Städten, bis er nach Cäsarea kam. Das zeigt, dass Philippus nicht nur in samaritanischen Städten zu predigen begann, sondern auch in heidnischen Städten – wie Cäsarea. Dies war der Beginn der Ausbreitung des Evangeliums bis ans Ende der Welt – wie Jesus es in Apostelgeschichte 1,8 befohlen hatte.
Denk jetzt noch einmal über dieses ungewöhnliche Wunder nach. Wenn Gott solche überraschenden Dinge tut, gibt es zwei falsche Arten, darauf zu reagieren. Manche reagieren darauf indem sie zweifeln und nicht daran glauben und sagen: “Wie kann Gott nur so etwas tun?” Manche reagieren indem sie versuchen, diese bemerkenswerten Ereignisse neu zu erschaffen und wollen es selbst erleben, und lassen sich dadurch ablenken.
Wir sollten weder den einen noch den anderen Fehler machen. Ja, wir glauben, dass Gott ungewöhnliche Dinge tun kann und dies auch tut. Ja, wir konzentrieren uns auf Jesus und seine gute Nachricht und lassen uns nicht von dem Wunsch ablenken, ungewöhnliche Dinge, die Gott tut, selber erleben zu wollen.
Philippus ist ein großes Vorbild für uns. Er erlebte dieses Wunder höchstpersönlich. Doch nachdem er es erlebt hatte, begann er mit der Verkündigung des Evangeliums. Er hat nicht darauf gewartet, dass Gott ihn auf wundersame Weise woanders hinbringt! Kein Wunder, dass Philippus der Einzige ist, der den Titel “Der Evangelist” trägt (Apostelgeschichte 21,8).
Du solltest nicht darauf warten, dass Gott ungewöhnliche Dinge tut. Kümmere dich um das, wozu er dich berufen hat, und lass Gott sich um die ungewöhnlichen Dinge kümmern.
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Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)
We last saw Saul in Acts 8:3, where it says that he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. The picture of Saul here in Acts 9 is of an angry, violent man absolutely convinced of his own righteousness. Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. Notice that Saul hated the disciples of the Lord.
This angry man went to the high priest to get approval for further attacks. Saul did his persecuting work under the direct approval of the highest religious authorities. He asked and received letters from the high priest authorizing his mission.
The high priest mentioned here was Caiaphas. In December 1990 an ossuary (a bone box) was discovered in Jerusalem. It was inscribed with the name of this Caiaphas and positively dated to this period. Inside were discovered some of the remains of a 60-year-old man, whom many researchers believe was this same Caiaphas. If true, these are the first physical remains (such as bones or ashes) of a specific person mentioned in the New Testament.
Here Saul continued and expanded this work to the city of Damascus, about 130 miles or 210 kilometers northeast of Jerusalem – a six-day journey altogether. Saul was willing to sacrifice to attack Christians. His intention was to travel to Damascus, look for any who were of the Way – that is, any who were followers of Jesus. This shows there was a Christian community large enough in Damascus to be concerned about. Christianity – the Way – was spreading everywhere.
Many years later, Saul remembered his days as a persecutor. In Philippians 3:6, Saul (Paul) mentioned how his zeal made him a persecutor. In Galatians 1:13, Paul added more regarding his background: For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
Many of you know how this story turned out. This angry, violent man who hated Christians and the Messiah they served eventually became a Christian himself. What we read here in Acts 9:1-2 reminds us that Saul wasn’t seeking Jesus when Jesus sought him. We might say that Saul was decided against Jesus when Jesus decided for Saul.
I hope you have decided “for” Jesus – that you have repented and believed, and put your trust in who Jesus is and what He did to rescue you for now and eternity. Just remember that you can only decide for Jesus because He decided for you first; that you can only love Him because He loved you first – even if you’ve sinned greatly against Him as Saul did. His love is that powerful.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Acts 9
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Ask Me Anything: March 3, 2022
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What an interesting time it is in Europe, as there has been an invasion by Russia into the nation of Ukraine. We should pray that God’s will is exercised, in and through His powerful judgment, through His mercy, through His love. We pray that God’s justice and grace would prevail. We pray especially that God’s people, His church, the community of His people, can be a very strong light and a beacon of hope in troubled times.
Being a follower of Jesus Christ does not mean that we are immune to the suffering, pain, and difficulties of this world. We pray that God would preserve us from such things, and we rejoice every time He does. But we don’t have a transactional relationship with God. We can’t say, “I’ll submit my life to Jesus Christ and serve Him, as long as He makes everything comfortable for me and gives me the things that I really want,’ as if God is my servant, instead of me being His servant. We don’t think that way in the Christian life. Times of great turmoil and catastrophe in the world are times for the church of Jesus Christ to provide a beacon of hope, and the message of good news in Jesus Christ.
What is the difference between soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23)? 1 Thessalonians 5:23 – Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s a valid thing for us to consider this aspect of humanity. What are we as human beings? Are we a three-part being of body, soul, and spirit? Or are we a two-part being, with a body and a combination of soul/spirit? This is an area of some controversy, but I believe that the evidence biblically is that there is a distinction between soul and spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 is an excellent example of the distinction between soul and spirit. Now, I don’t know if we can describe in detail what all the differences are. There is no absolutely consistent definition of soul and spirit throughout the Scriptures. There are several places in the Bible where soul and spirit are used to refer to the same thing, the non-material part of a human being. We as human beings are made up of more than our material being. There is also a non-material, spiritual, metaphysical aspect, something that goes beyond the physical aspect.
There are places in the Scriptures where soul and spirit are used synonymously to refer to that non-material part. But there are other places, including 1 Thessalonians 5:23, which seem to make a clear distinction between soul and spirit. I will freely admit that the Bible doesn’t really give us much of a specific definition of what the soul is, as opposed to the spirit. But I will share some thoughts.
I believe that the soul is the non-material part of our being which all humanity shares, no matter what their relationship is with Jesus Christ. In other words, a person can be spiritually dead, dead to true life in Jesus Christ, yet their soul is alive. And they can enjoy non-material things in this world, such as music, literature, ennobling art, and other wonderful, good, soul-ish pursuits. There are non-material things which are commonly enjoyed by humanity, no matter a person’s spiritual condition.
Some people define the soul as that which reflects the mind, the will, and the emotions. Of course, those three things belong to all people; they are common to humanity, no matter the spiritual condition of any individual.
The spirit is the aspect of a person which is made to respond to relationship with God. The true spiritual aspect of a person is in some sense dead before it’s made alive in Jesus Christ. That’s the distinction I would make, although we must recognize that there are several passages of Scripture where the two terms are used to basically mean the same thing. But there are some other passages where there really does seem to be a difference to me.
Should believers refer to themselves as sinners saved by God’s grace? Is it scripturally correct for believers in Christ to refer to themselves as sinners saved by God’s grace, in light of Scripture passages such as 2 Corinthians 5:16, Galatians 2:20, and Romans 6:6-7?
I think there is some nuance in this. There is a way that a Christian can refer to themself as a sinner, which I think is consistent with biblical truth. And there is another way that a Christian can refer themself as a sinner which I think would be a contradiction, somewhat of a denial of biblical truth.
We must recognize that even though we are no longer characterized and dominated by a sin nature when we are born again. When we’re born again, our sins are not merely forgiven, and we thank the Lord that they are. But beyond our sins being forgiven, we are also given a new nature. The nature we were born with was patterned after rebellious Adam. But we receive a new nature, we become a new person, when we’re born again. Old things have passed away, all things become new. This new nature is patterned, not after Adam, but after the image of Jesus Christ Himself.
Nevertheless, our salvation is not yet complete until we are resurrected and glorified with God in heaven. Until we have that glorification, we will continue to sin. So, we don’t want to act as if we stop sinning on this side of eternity.
As believers, we can and should have a life that’s no longer dominated by sin. We should have a life that experiences victory over sin – not perfectly, of course, but in some measure for certain. But sin will remain until our salvation is complete, and we’re together in heaven. No more sin in heaven will be a wonderful thing. But it will not be until we are in heaven.
In that sense, we can say that we acknowledge that we are still sinners, yet we have been forgiven, justified, adopted. We are on the track to receive the completion of our salvation, our glorification and resurrection. But we will sin until then.
However, if a person uses the terminology that they are a sinner, in the sense that there’s really no difference between someone who is born again and someone who isn’t born again, I think there are some problems with that. For example, sometimes we use the same a cliche that goes something like this. “A Christian is just a beggar telling other beggars where they can find bread.” I understand the sentiment behind that expression. But the Christian is not the same as they were, with the only difference being the addition of spiritual bread in their hand. No; that believer has been forgiven of their sins. They’ve been given the Holy Spirit who empowers them and gives them victory over sin. They have been given a new nature, patterned after the nature of Jesus Christ. They’ve been adopted into the family of God. They’re not just a beggar who has received some bread. Again, I understand the sentiment behind those kinds of cliches or sayings. They’re trying to keep Christians in a humble place, close to their roots. But it’s not technically true.
Here’s another one that’s not technically true. Years ago, I would occasionally see a bumper sticker that would say something like, “Christians aren’t perfect. They’re just forgiven.” Again, I understand the sentiment behind that statement. The sentiment is, look, let’s be humble as Christians; we don’t think we’re perfect. We don’t think we’re holier than thou. I don’t have any complaint with the statement, “Christians aren’t perfect.” Of course, we’re not perfect. I don’t have any problem with the statement, “Christians are forgiven.” Of course, we’re forgiven. In that statement, the one word I have a problem with is, “just.” Christians are just forgiven. Again, we receive all those things in Jesus Christ.
There is a bit of a tension at work here. We don’t want to act as if we have received the completion of our salvation and the elimination of sin in our lives on this side of eternity, but neither do we want to define ourselves by those things.
I would probably err on the side of declaring who we are in Jesus Christ, being adopted into His family, being filled with God’s Spirit, being justified by faith through His marvelous grace, and so on. I would probably err on that side. But I don’t have a problem, if it’s properly understood, with a Christian explaining that they are still a sinner.
Why did Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey? What is the significance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey or colt? And what about the palm branches throughout the Old and New Testament?
This question concerns the event known as the Triumphal Entry, also referred to as Palm Sunday. It’s that day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem in something of a parade, and He was riding a donkey or a colt. I think that this was rich with meaning in several aspects. Jesus was riding a donkey or a colt, which was a relatively small, mounted animal. It was not even as large as a mule, and it was certainly not a majestic stallion or a war horse that a conquering general would ride.
First, this is significant because it was prophesied by the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9). And the Gospels make that claim that this was prophesied.
Secondly, it’s important because it shows that Jesus came not as a conquering general. The Romans were very familiar with the concept of what they called, “the triumph.” We might call it the Triumph parade. This was a glorious procession in which a victorious general was presented to the nation of Rome, and he was declared to be great and powerful. There would be soldiers and captured slaves and models of their victories and all kinds of pageantry. At the center of it was the conquering general being presented with these magnificent horses, demonstrating His power. Jesus was something of a mirror opposite to that. He came as a humble King. He came as a servant King. He came as a King that would conquer, most certainly. Jesus Christ has conquered and will continue to conquer and will ultimately conquer, but He conquers through His sacrificial love. He came as a humble King. That’s really a large part of this idea behind the donkey or the colt. It’s a humble animal, although the donkey and the colt had some association with roles loyalty and being a royal mount. But it was it wasn’t the mount of a general or a warlord.
Do palm branches have any Scriptural significance? An Old Testament association with the palm branches doesn’t immediately come to mind. But I do know that there was a very definite association of palm branches with the Maccabees. They were a group of Jewish separatists and freedom fighters, breaking an independent Jewish state away from the governments of that time who sought to oppress them. In those days, the palm branch was a symbol of a national, independent Israel. I’m sure that that was some of the significance in what we know as Palm Sunday. This messianic hope was placed upon Jesus Christ, and was expressed, at least in some regard, by the idea that He would deliver the people from the Roman government’s oppression.
Should believers give publicly or privately (Matthew 5:16, 6:3-4)? Matthew 5:16 – Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 6:3-4 – But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:16 to let our good works be known among men. I think He is speaking of good works in a very general sense there, such as acts of love, kindness, faithfulness, and goodness, which we would do for other people and with other people. I think that’s fundamentally what Jesus had in mind there.
In Matthew 6:3-4, I think Jesus is speaking more specifically about the practice of giving and being generous with our finances. It’s very important for our giving to be done in a way that would not draw attention or glory to ourselves. When we do good works for the purpose of self-glorification, then Jesus explains in the Sermon on the Mount that we have our reward.
What Jesus spoke about earlier in Matthew 5:16, was doing good works, not for self-glorification, but for God’s glorification. I really think that’s the line. There seems to be something unique about the dynamic of giving financially out of our material substance; it’s easier to do that to the glory of me, instead of the glory of God. And that’s what God wants us to avoid.
In general, there’s a sense in which our good works can and should be publicly known, as they can be examples of things done unto the glory of God. But as much as it’s possible for us, we need to avoid doing good works in a way that would bring any glory or credit or a spotlight upon ourselves. No, instead, we’re to do it in secret, so that God gets the glory.
We need to consider this as well. When our generosity is ostentatious to other people, when it’s out there, in their face, and well known, sometimes it puts the people who are receiving the generosity into a difficult and awkward place. And we never want to do that. That’s not love either. We need to make a distinction between of making things public for the glory of God and making things public for the glory of me.
Why aren’t there more in-depth studies on hermeneutics in the church? Why aren’t there more in-depth studies on hermeneutics in the church, especially since for pastors, this is a required area of study to be a good workman?
I think part of it the reason is because it’s not always easy to simply explain principles of good biblical interpretation. I think many people are more familiar with the habits of good biblical interpretation, without necessarily being able to explain those habits. And of course, if we’re going to teach something, we need to be able to explain it well.
I think the most important thing to do is to model good hermeneutics by good Bible teaching and preaching. When we as Bible teachers and preachers do a bad job with the text that’s in front of us, I think it really gives people bad examples about how to interpret the Bible. Every pastor or teacher should, by their example, be showing good hermeneutics. But I agree with you. There’s an awful lot of opportunities for us to teach people how to do a better job with understanding hermeneutics.
Hermeneutics is the science or the study of biblical interpretation. How do we understand the Bible? How do we let a passage speak for itself and get a meaning from it that is true, and that is also helpful and applicable for our lives? Those are some of the questions being asked by hermeneutics.
Why isn’t this prevalent? In our modern age, we have in some ways given up on hermeneutics, on any kind of methodology or science of biblical interpretation. It seems like the only thing people care about is what a passage or a verse “means to me.” Look, we need to get beyond this. What a verse “means to me” is not necessarily what it actually means. We need to be able to say, “This is what the passage means.” Now, application of a biblical passage can certainly be much more subjective in our understanding. But it means what it means. It’s not for us to pick and choose what we think is the meaning. So, if we’re going to talk about the Bible, share it in home Bible studies or Bible study discussion groups, I think it’s very important for us to do our best to be people who understand the Bible rightly.
A big part of the work God has given me to do in my life is to produce, improve, and distribute a Bible Commentary. It’s available for free online, and much of it is also available in print. We are thrilled that a lot of people are taking advantage of these resources and my Bible Commentary, the Enduring Word Bible Commentary. No Bible Commentary is going to be a good fit for everybody, but I’m blessed that there are a fair number of people who find my commentary the Bible to be helpful, at least in some way. So, if you need help in your understanding of the Bible, go to enduringword.com. I think you’ll find my commentary to be clear, simple, easy to use, and helpful both for those who have been studying or teaching the Bible for many decades and for people who are new to the Bible. I’ve really endeavored to write with clarity and simplicity, so I hope that I can model good hermeneutics and good biblical interpretation.
Do you believe Russia is Rosh in Ezekiel 38-39? In the minds of many people, Gog and Magog are associated with modern-day Russia.
Ezekiel 38:1-3 – Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.’”
Ezekiel goes on to describe why God is against him. The princes of these lands, mentioned here in Ezekiel 38-39, come against God’s covenant people, the people of Israel. When I say God’s covenant people, I don’t mean the New Covenant, although the ultimate salvation of Israel is an aspect of the New Covenant. I’m talking about the covenant that God made with Israel, going back to the days of Abraham, and also expressed in the Old Covenant, the covenant made at Sinai.
Here’s an excerpt from my Bible commentary on Ezekiel 38:
The phrase “prince of Rosh” has also been translated as “chief prince,” with the idea that the word “rosh” describes the greatness of the prince, not a place where the prince rules (Rosh). Translators and interpreters do not agree if it should be “prince of Rosh” or “chief prince.”
If Rosh is understood as a name of a people or place, it has no other connection or reference in the Old Testament. There are many who think that Rosh speaks of Russia or the Russians, but the only direct evidence of this is the similar sound of the names.
There is no biblical or historical connection between Rosh and Russia, other than the similarity in the sounds of their name. I don’t think that’s enough to go on to make an identification. It’s much more likely that Rosh there simply refers to a chief prince or a great prince. There is much better ground for making an identification between Gog and Magog with Russia. Gog is a person, and Magog is his place. Gog seems to be a strange enemy of Israel here. Gog and Magog are normally and historically associated with some of the lands that make up modern-day Russia. But I don’t see a connection between Russia and Rosh. The only connection there seems to be is the similar sound of their names.
Is there any significance of Jesus’ tunic not having a seam in it? Is there any significance of Jesus’ tunic not having a seam in it right before his crucifixion, where the soldiers are casting lots for his clothes?
I’ve heard some people try to make this a spiritualized thing, saying that this seamless tunic speaks of eternity, or something that’s without end. I’ve heard other people tried to make the association that this indicates that Jesus wore expensive clothing; I’m less amenable to that idea.
I think it’s just something remarkable about the clothing of Jesus, that would be noticed by an eyewitness. One of the marvelous things about the biblical record in general, and the record of the Gospels in particular, is how many small details are included, which would only be noticed by an eyewitness. In other words, if you were making up a story, you would never put in such small, seemingly tangential, or irrelevant details such as this.
So, I don’t look for a great symbolic significance to the seamless garments of Jesus, other than to show that it was valuable enough that the soldiers would want to gamble for it, thus fulfilling the prophecy noted in Psalm 22, where prophetically David spoke of people casting lots for the clothing of the crucified Messiah. I’m sure there’s that relevance to it. It indicates that the value was high enough to make it worth gambling for, which was prophetically fulfilled.
Was Joseph the only one in the Bible who had premonitions of the future? It we take that idea broadly, there were many people who had some premonition of the future. Just about any one of the prophets, for example. Even Abraham was given a premonition of the future in the vision he had of the smoking oven and the burning torch, which God told him would represent in some way the destiny of the covenant people that would come from him. Moses was given direction or premonition of the future; he’s called a prophet. Elijah spoke prophetically. So, there were many people.
I can’t think of many others in the Bible who had dreams that were premonitions of the future. Notably, the wife of Pontius Pilate had a dream, where I believe God spoke to her and warned Pilate to have nothing to do with this righteous person, Jesus Christ, who would be on trial before him. But unfortunately, tragically, Pilate rejected that divine message. He went right ahead with his trial of Jesus Christ. There are certainly people and places who were given what we might call prophetic insight into the future. “Premonition” sounds a little too vague. I think this is God simply speaking to people about the future. Joseph’s revelations were not premonitions, they were revelations from God. And that’s the distinction I would make.
Does the war of Ezekiel 38-39 happen before or after the Rapture? I’ll give you my opinion on that. I don’t think the Scriptures tell us enough to be clear. This is one of those very interesting prophetic events to which, at least in my mind, there is no firm biblical grounding on a timeline. I’ve seen some people make the case that it happens before the Tribulation. Some people make the case that it happens during the Tribulation, and others at the very end of the Tribulation. There’s also some case to be made that the entire battle happens at the end of the Millennium. But again, there are some complicated issues involved in that.
Ezekiel 38-39 describes how God dramatically delivers Israel from attackers from the north, some of whom made up lands that are at least in part encompassed by modern-day Russia. I don’t think that the Scriptures speak specifically enough for us to really understand and say with any kind of certainty when exactly on the prophetic timeline the battle happens.
Do you think the Rapture will come soon, if World War Three breaks out in the whole Russian-Ukraine war situation? I’ll give a very succinct answer to this. I don’t think that any particular war or conflict is a sign of the end. But in general, God has given us many reasons to believe that Jesus Christ is coming soon. And we have the specific command from Jesus Christ, that we should watch and be ready for the return of our Savior Jesus Christ. That gives us reason enough to say that we should expect the coming of Jesus Christ.
If you expect that Jesus is coming soon and make yourself ready for His coming, if your life is right, and you’re doing what you can to preach the gospel, love others, and live with a sense of urgency about the present age, then your life is no loss if you go to heaven by natural causes before the return of Jesus Christ. God wants us to live in a state of anticipation and readiness; not maniacal fervor, but certainly anticipation and readiness.
When God said, “I’ll cause My goodness to pass by you,” what did Moses actually see? I’m going to recommend that you go to my commentary on Exodus 33 for a deeper explanation about this, but I’ll give you a bit of a suggestion from it.
I would say that what Moses saw was the “after-effects” of God’s presence and glory. Think about a comet. It’s a ball of rock, iron, or metal blazing through the sky, orbiting planets and traveling throughout the solar system. A comet has a tail behind it, but the tail doesn’t have much substance. It’s mostly gas, yet there’s a reality to it. The tail of the comet isn’t technically the comet itself; it’s what passes behind the comet.
I would say that, in a sense, Moses saw behind God. God passed in front of him. Moses was able to see the after-effects, after God’s passing. Again, I explain this in my commentary in greater depth, so I recommend that you go there and read the explanation that I’ve given.
But that’s basically what it was that Moses saw. Moses did not see God in all His glory or see His face. Now, the phrase is used, “Moses met with God face to face,” but that’s used as an expression of speech, meaning “with great and tremendous intimacy with God.” But we remember what the Scriptures tell us, “No man can see God’s face and live.” So, Moses didn’t see that. But he saw, if you will, the after-effects, the tail of the comet, so to speak, from the presence of God.
Why does Satan make so few personal appearances in the Bible? I think it’s because Satan generally knows that a lot of his best work is done in disguise. There are times when Satan wants the direct attention and glory around him. But many times, Satan feels that his best work is done “under the radar,” so it’s not as obvious that he’s at work. I think Satan does a lot of work in this world under the radar, out of obvious view. I think that is a large part of the equation.
If people were more aware of the directness of Satan’s work, they would be less inclined to do the things he would want them to do. Certainly, there would be some people who, the more obvious Satan was, the more they would be attracted to him. But I don’t think that would apply to most of humanity. God has put something of an enmity between us and the grosser parts of satanic darkness. That’s why, the Scriptures tell us, Satan often appears as an angel of light when he does make an appearance.
Was Melchizedek a preincarnate appearance of Jesus? Bible scholars debate this question. I do not believe that Melchizedek was a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus, although I’ll agree it’s possible. I very well could be wrong on this. It’s not something that I really want to fight about passionately. But I lean more towards the category of Melchizedek simply being a very powerful type, or representation, of Jesus Christ, while being a human being just like any of us.
I think there is a case to be made, especially from some of the things that are said about Melchizedek in Hebrews, that he was, in fact, a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus. But as much as I am kind of blown away by the description of Melchizedek in Hebrews, I don’t think that interpretation is demanded by the biblical text. So, I lean towards the idea that Melchizedek is simply a type or prefiguring of Jesus, and that he was a human being, just as in some ways Moses or Joseph prefigured Jesus but were not actually a pre-incarnate appearance.
In the book of Job, God let Satan do bad things. What rules are Satan and God playing by? In the big picture, Satan plays by God’s rules. In other words, God has established limitations to what Satan can do. Ultimately, Satan must play by God’s rules. Ultimately, everybody plays by God’s rules. God is God, and that’s just how things go.
Now, what rules does God play by? Well, God isn’t under rules in that effect. But we would say this: God has a plan. God has a purpose. God has a plan of the ages. His plan is, in one respect, to use the Church to reveal His many-sided wisdom to angelic beings, as a lesson to them. Now, that’s not the only purpose in God’s eternal plan, but Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 3 speak of this.
God has an unfolding plan of the ages. God is allowing Satan to do his work, because ultimately, it advances what God wants to do in His unfolding plan of the ages. Many of us instinctively that the ideal world would be a world of innocence, where sin never existed, and there was never any pain or suffering. We think that this would be the ultimate world. I just want you to know that is not God’s idea. God, in His perfect, wonderful plan of the ages, lets us know that greater than the world of innocence is the world of redemption. And you can’t have a world of redemption unless there’s sin and pain and suffering to redeem us from.
How can someone be an agent to lead others to Jesus Christ? Teresa asks (paraphrase): A dear sister in Christ, who is a new believer, has a much-loved brother-in-law who has pancreatic cancer and liver cancer. His days are very few. How can this dear sister lead her brother-in-law into the arms of God through Jesus Christ?
Friends, this is a very significant question. How can someone be an agent to lead others to Jesus Christ?
First, we need to pray. Teresa indicates that prayer is being offered in this. Thank the Lord for that. Dedicated prayer and fasting needs to be made in such a case. If someone is approaching death and doesn’t know Jesus Christ, we should pray, pray, pray that they would come to a knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Secondly, when we have opportunity to speak to them, we must speak to them about putting their hope in Jesus and taking hope away from themselves. Oftentimes when people know that they’re going to die, this is easier. When you know you’re going to die, it’s easy to take hope off yourself. You know that you need an outside hope. You know that you need a Savior. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. But there’s a very real sense in which only those who truly believe that they need a Savior will come to Him. So, to give our lives to Jesus Christ, and to receive the salvation He offers, there must be a sense of need. There must be a turning from sin and self. And there must be a placing of our trust, our faith, our hope, in who Jesus Christ is, and what Jesus Christ did to save us, especially what He did at the cross, and in His resurrection.
I would speak very simply and straightforwardly, covered with prayer. No one can come to God unless they are drawn by the Holy Spirit. People don’t come to God primarily because of the eloquence of a preacher, or the power of the surroundings. If somebody truly comes to God, it’s because the Spirit of God has moved upon their heart. So, prayer plays an essential role in this.
We want to be able to explain to people – as simply, lovingly, and clearly as possible – their need for a Savior, and what God has provided for us in the person and work of Jesus Christ: who Jesus is, and what Jesus did to rescue us, especially what He did at the cross and in His resurrection, at the empty tomb. This is what we need to trust Him. And again, to genuinely put our trust in those things is to remove any trust that we can or want to save ourselves. We must turn away from sin and self.
Teresa, I’ll pray for this friend of yours, a dear sister in Christ, and for Jerry who has this severe form of cancer. And if you’re reading this, pray for Jerry, that he would come to a true abiding living faith in Jesus Christ.
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Als sie aber auf dem Weg weiterzogen, kamen sie zu einem Wasser, und der Kämmerer sprach: Siehe, hier ist Wasser! Was hindert mich, getauft zu werden? Da sprach Philippus: Wenn du von ganzem Herzen glaubst, so ist es erlaubt! Er antwortete und sprach: Ich glaube, dass Jesus Christus der Sohn Gottes ist! Und er ließ den Wagen anhalten, und sie stiegen beide in das Wasser hinab, Philippus und der Kämmerer, und er taufte ihn. (Apostelgeschichte 8:36-38)
Philippus erklärte dem Mann, wer Jesus ist und was er für uns getan hat, und der Mann war bereit, auf die gute Nachricht zu reagieren. Der Geist Gottes war durch das Wort Gottes am Werk, und es war wunderbar. Als Philippus die gute Nachricht verkündete, tat er wahrscheinlich dasselbe, was Petrus am Pfingsttag tat: Er gab denen, die es hörten, die Möglichkeit, im Glauben zu reagieren und sich taufen zu lassen (Apostelgeschichte 2,38).
Der Äthiopier stellte also eine Frage: Siehe, hier ist Wasser. Was hindert mich daran, mich taufen zu lassen? Das zeigt, dass der Äthiopier tatsächlich glaubte und dass er getauft werden wollte, um seinen Glauben zu bekennen. Er sah die Wahrheit Gottes und wusste, dass sie für ihn bestimmt war.
Philippus bestand jedoch darauf, dass der Äthiopier von ganzem Herzen glaubte, bevor er sich taufen ließ. Dies beschreibt in kurzen und einfachen Worten, wie wir auf das Evangelium reagieren sollten: nämlich von ganzem Herzen glauben.
Wenn wir nur mit dem Kopf und nicht mit dem Herzen glauben, ist das nicht genug. Wir wissen vielleicht intellektuell, dass Jesus für die Sünden der Welt gestorben ist, aber wissen wir auch in unserem Herzen, dass er gestorben ist, um uns von unseren Sünden zu reinigen?
Der Mann im Wagen hat geglaubt. Er sagte: Ich glaube, dass Jesus Christus der Sohn Gottes ist. Dieses Glaubensbekenntnis ist in seiner ganzen Bedeutung das, was jeder, der zu Gott kommen will, glauben muss. Wir müssen an Jesus als Person glauben, an alles, was er als Christus ist und getan hat. Wir müssen glauben, dass er der göttliche Sohn ist und dass er der Sohn Gottes ist, der vom Vater gesandt wurde, um all die zu erlösen, die von ganzem Herzen glauben wollen.
Als der Äthiopier “Jesus Christus” sagte, bekannte er, dass Jesus der Messias (der Christus) ist. Er stimmte mit seinem Verstand und seinem Herzen zu, dass Jesus der Knecht ist, der die Sünde auf sich nimmt, so wie es Jesaja beschrieben und Jesus erfüllt hat.
Man könnte sich fragen: Woher konnte der Mann auf dem Wagen wissen, dass er wirklich von ganzem Herzen glaubte? Die Antwort darauf besteht nicht darin, den Grad des Engagements zu messen, sondern darin, dass man Jesus einfach alles anvertraut und überlässt, was einem bewusst ist. Mit der Zeit werden weitere Bereiche des Lebens sichtbar werden; und dann können wir Jesus mehr und mehr vertrauen, wenn wir sie sehen.
Hast du von ganzem Herzen geglaubt? Wenn ja, wurdest du bereits mit Wasser getauft? Beides ist wichtig. Jeder von uns sollte dem guten Beispiel des Äthiopiers in Apostelgeschichte 8 folgen.
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Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea. (Acts 8:39-40)
Sometimes God does unusual things. Here is an example in Acts 8. Philip was God’s instrument in bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to an Ethiopian man on a wilderness road. After leading the man to faith and baptism, Philip and the new convert came up out of the water. When they did, the unusual thing happened: the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more. The evangelist simply disappeared from the sight of the Ethiopian eunuch.
The inspired record is clear that this was a work of the Spirit of the Lord. Philip was supernaturally transported away from the place of baptism. But Philip didn’t go to heaven; instead, Philip was found at Azotus. It was a miracle of transportation.
This was a strange, perhaps unprecedented event in the Scriptures. But a similar thing happened when the disciples’ boat came immediately to its destination (John 6:15-21), and a something like this will also happen when the church is caught up together with Him at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18).
What happened to the Ethiopian eunuch? He went on his way rejoicing. This joy of the Ethiopian, even after Philip’s strange departure, showed that his faith was firmly rooted in God, not in Philip.
What happened to Philip? He did the work of an evangelist, and he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea. This shows that Philip started preaching not only to Samaritan cities, but also the Gentile cities – such as Caesarea. This was the very beginning of the gospel’s spread to the end of the earth – as Jesus commanded in Acts 1:8.
Now, think again about this unusual miracle. When God does such surprising things, there are two wrong ways to respond. Some respond with doubt and unbelief, saying “How could God possibly do such a thing?” Some respond with distracted focus, trying to re-create and re-experience these remarkable events.
We should not fall into either error. Yes, we believe that God can do and does do unusual things. Yes, we keep our focus on Jesus and His good news, and not allow ourselves to be distracted with the desire to re-create unusual things God does.
Philip is a great example to us. He directly experienced this miracle of transportation. Yet, having experienced it, he got to the work of evangelism. He didn’t wait around for God to miraculously transport him somewhere else! No wonder Philip is the only one with the title, “The Evangelist” (Acts 21:8).
Don’t wait for God to do unusual things. Get busy with what He has called you to do, and let God take care of the unusual things.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Acts 8
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How Many Heavens Are There?
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Live from Älgarås, Sweden!
- I’m gathered here with pastors and Christian workers. (One of our group will stop by in this session).
- It’s an interesting and momentous time to be in Europe, where today the Russian Federation has invaded Ukraine. It’s the most serious military event in Europe for many, many years.
- I really don’t have much to say to the specific situation. I think that there are a lot of voices out there speaking to the unfolding events, and I am grateful for many of them.
- I also think there is an ongoing need for the general spiritual health and building up of God’s people in and through His word, and that will remain our focus.
How Many Heavens Are There? From Teresa:
How many heavens are there? How does one learn about them in the Bible?
The passage that raises the thought is 2 Corinthians 12:2:
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
What did Paul mean by the third heaven? Here’s the quick answer:
The third heaven doesn’t suggest different “levels” of heaven (although this is what some ancient Jewish Rabbis believed). Instead, Paul used terminology common in that day, which referred to the “blue sky” as the first heaven, the “starry sky” as the second heaven, and the place where God lived and reigned as the third heaven. This is noted by commentators such as Adam Clarke and others.
In many languages the words for “sky” and “heaven” are the same.
Biblical uses of the ideas behind the “three heavens.”
- First Heaven
In several places, the Bible uses the word “heaven” (at least in the original Hebrew or Greek) just as we would use the word “sky” or what we might call the “blue sky.”
- Genesis 6:7 and Matthew 6:26 – birds of the air/sky/heavens
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James 5:18 – Elijah prayed, and the sky/heavens brought rain
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Second Heaven
Deuteronomy 4:19 – the night sky as a “heaven”
And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.
- Third Heaven
Deuteronomy 10:14 – speaks of the highest heavens
Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.
Psalm 148:4 – speaks of the heavens of heavens
Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
Hebrews 4:14 says that when Jesus ascended to heaven, He passed through the first two heavens
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
- One More Point: Heaven is an Actual Place
Hebrews 8:1 – Heaven is an actual place
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
So, when Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:2, he simply spoke of the heaven where God lives.
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
Jesus walked on water, and the disciples thought it was a ghost (Matthew 14:26). Does this prove that ghosts are real? Matthew 14:26- And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
I don’t think that it at all proves that ghosts are real. We would define “ghosts” as the dead coming back to Earth, and walking or dwelling or moving among living people, as some sort of spiritual projection.
No, I don’t think that it proves that ghosts are real at all. All it proves is that the disciples had a superstitious belief in what is said to be ghosts. Nowhere in the Bible do we find the idea that the dead can live or walk among us as ghosts, in any sense. That idea is completely foreign to the Bible.
At the very end of the book of 1 Samuel, I believe that God sent Samuel back on a very specific mission, to announce judgment to King Saul, but I wouldn’t describe it as a ghost. There was no mystery to it at all. Saul knew who it was. The medium who called up Samuel knew what was going on and received much more than she ever bargained for as the result. Also, Samuel came to bring a very specific announcement of judgment.
When Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, you wouldn’t define those as ghosts; they seemed to have a bodily appearance. So, we just don’t see this idea of ghosts appearing in the Bible. No, all that Matthew 14:26 demonstrates is that the disciples had a superstitious belief in ghosts, not one that was informed from the Scriptures themselves.
Is the parable of the ten virgins prophetic? Matthew 25:1 – “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.”
Yes, I think it is prophetic. In the passage, Jesus specifically points to it having a prophetic meaning. I will refer to my Enduring Word Bible Commentary on Matthew 25.
In this passage, Jesus is following up from Matthew 24, where He gave a parable that was meant to emphasize the need for believers to be ready for the coming of Jesus. He flows right into Matthew 25, with another parable stressing the same point.
I strongly believe that the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 is prophetic. However, we need to be careful not to read too much into this parable. For example, when you look at the parable of the ten virgins, you see that five were wise and five were foolish. That doesn’t necessarily refer to a specific proportion of believers who will be found faithful at the end. The main point of parables is to give a general sense, not minute detail in meaning or interpretation. The general sense of the parable of the ten Virgins is very clear: there’s really no dispute about it. The general sense is, “Be ready,” just as Jesus says here in verse 13.
Matthew 25:13 – Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
That’s really the lesson for us. So, yes, I do think it’s prophetic. But we run into some trouble when we interpret the parables by assigning a highly theological significance to each individual point, instead of just understanding them as a whole.
When the Bible talks about Magog, is it referring to Russia? Yes, probably. Gog and Magog are a ruler and the people or nation of the ruler. Most commentaries that I’ve read agree that Gog and Magog refer to what we would call the nation or the community of Russia. I can’t say how much of that would align with the exact geographical boundaries of Russia today. I haven’t heard a compelling argument that it means anything other than Russia, its leaders, and its people.
How should we discuss Creation and the age of the Earth with children? How do I approach what the Bible says about Old Earth, New Earth, dinosaurs, and millions of years, especially when talking about it with children?
I believe that the most straightforward understanding of the Bible lends itself to seeing a young Earth. Now, I’m not going to define a young earth by a specific number of years. I’ve heard estimates, such as the classic Ussher chronology, that the Earth is about 6000 or 7000 years old. Of course, there are other chronologies where people suggest the Earth’s age is 10,000 or 20,000 years. But there’s a big difference between those relatively low numbers and the multiple millions or billions of years that are understood under Old Earth conceptions.
I don’t know about you, but I am grateful for scientific discovery. And I say to scientists, go out and learn, and do the very best you can. I believe that the more you learn, the more you know, and the more it will bring you into alignment with the truth. I do not at all think that the problem is that science knows too much. If there is a problem to be said about this, it’s that science doesn’t know enough, and that it needs to keep digging.
Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
Part of our human glory is expressed in the simple pursuit of knowledge. That’s a good thing, and we want to encourage scientists to do that. At the same time, we recognize that there are things in this universe that God has concealed. It doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t search after the answers, but that the answers are just not going to be known, at least not for a long time.
I would teach about these things in an open way to children. I know that there’s debate among Christians on this, but in my own home I would just say that some people say that the earth is very old, but we believe that the earth is relatively young; but there was time enough for the dinosaurs and other things.
I don’t let those things bother me; I’m comfortable putting them side by side. I don’t think that we should make children suspicious of scientific discovery and research. Although, let’s face it, there are more than a few scientists who are worthy of skepticism. But we shouldn’t reject those general principles of seeking out after science and its principles.
Are there different types of prophets and prophecies? Is there one definition in Scripture for prophet or prophecy? Are there different kinds of prophets or prophecies?
I would say there are different kinds of prophets or prophecies. There were prophets that God gave to the Church who were on a foundational level. Ephesians 2:20 says that God has laid a foundation in and through the apostles and prophets.
Ephesians 2:20 – having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.
Once God has laid that foundation, I don’t think we need to lay further foundations on top of it. It just doesn’t work that way. There was a calling and office of foundational apostles and prophets. That is never going to be replicated. You will not have a prophet who speaks with authority to the entire church worldwide today. We have a Bible for that today. We don’t need an extrabiblical authoritative voice, in the sense of being authoritative for all believers and binding their conscience. That was different with the prophets of the Old Testament and the New Testament who were called by God.
Now, since we have the completed canon of God’s revelation, I do believe that God has people that He uses to give forth prophetic words. I don’t particularly like to call such a person a prophet, it because I think it makes people weird when they receive such a title. If I introduce myself as “Prophet David Guzik,” you would have reason to just look at me very differently than if I just referred to myself as David Guzik, or Pastor David Guzik.
In our modern time, prophets are subject to the measure of truth among Christians, which is the Bible itself. Therefore, these modern-day prophets do not speak with universal authority. I would absolutely reject the idea that any prophet would speak today with equal authority to Scripture. It is not going to happen. The Bible excludes it.
Is street evangelism effective? I’m looking to understand more about evangelism. I find myself feeling skeptical about street evangelism, and those indicating that saying a prayer counts them as saved.
I understand your skepticism about street evangelism. I would say that there’s always some place for street evangelism. It has value as being a proclamation of the Gospel, of course. But if in general a culture isn’t receptive to street evangelism, then maybe more effort should be put into forms of evangelism that are more likely to be received by the culture. When a missionary goes into a new country, they look around and consider how they could, with honesty and integrity, develop an evangelist connection to the people there in culturally relevant ways. They also find out which methods aren’t culturally relevant.
I don’t put a big emphasis on street evangelism. I respect the people who do it, and I do think there is a place for it. But I think it is more for the purpose of providing Christian witness, which has its place and is important, than it is actually an instrument of effective evangelism.
You express skepticism about the idea of a prayer counting people as saved. On the one hand, I know what you’re talking about. We don’t want to encourage or cultivate or promote the idea of a superficial conversion or commitment to Jesus Christ. Not at all. However, we do believe what the Bible says:
Romans 10:13 – For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
If a person calls upon the name of the Lord, they shall be saved. Now, it isn’t as simple as saying the words; it must be something that goes beyond your words and into your heart and life. But that work has a beginning point. The beginning point of the heart and the life is with a proclamation, confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord. Saying a prayer to be saved is not the only thing that counts. There must be repentance; there must be a life that is surrendered to God and in alignment with His will. But it’s a beginning. And it can be cherished as a beginning, for what it is.
If the eternal punishment for sin is eternity in hell, why did Jesus die on the cross instead? If the eternal punishment for sin is burning alive in hell for all of eternity, why isn’t Jesus burning alive in hell forever for our sin? His suffering on the cross wasn’t forever.
Great question. It’s the simple difference between a perfect payment and an incomplete payment. As imperfect human beings, any payment which you or I would make for our sin problem would by nature be imperfect and therefore incomplete. If a payment is imperfect and incomplete, it must be continually repeated. That’s what happens when somebody pays for their sin for eternity. You could say that every soul receiving divine punishment in hell could be freed from hell if they could offer a perfect payment for their soon. But that’s the problem. They can’t offer a perfect payment for their sin. It’s impossible because they are not perfect beings.
But we thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for His wonderful, amazing plan by which He has sent forth His Son, in His divine perfection, to be that perfect atonement for sin which we needed. Because Jesus could offer a perfect payment, it needed to be once for all. It did not have to be repeated. But where an imperfect payment is made, it has to be repeated again and again, and in this case, for all of eternity.
Is it possible for the devil to steal someone’s life? Many Christians say that no one dies before their time set by God. But I have to wonder if some people have their lives stolen (examples: murder, suicide, abortion, drunk driver accident, etc.).
I think this is a matter of perspective. On the one perspective, you could argue that the Bible says the devil has come to steal, kill, and destroy, and we see the devil doing that work – stealing people’s lives, killing them, and destroying their lives. If so, people might wonder how it could be said that that person’s time is set by God, if the devil can steal it in some way?
The devil can only operate within the broader arena, or boundary fence, of God’s permission. That’s just how it works. The devil can’t do anything without God allowing it to happen. There are things that happen in this world, that aren’t directly done by God, but God definitely allows them to happen.
God must give permission, but it can still be the devil doing the activity of the work. So, we can say that both things are true. There is some sense in which the devil does steal somebody’s life. But ultimately, the devil can’t do anything without God’s permission or allowance. So that’s how we understand that.
In 2 Corinthians 13:14, why is grace attributed to Jesus, love to God, and fellowship to the Holy Spirit? 2 Corinthians 13:14 – The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
This verse is a wonderful blessing from the Apostle Paul. So, why did Paul order “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit” in that way? Why is grace attributed to Jesus, love to God, and fellowship to the Holy Spirit?
I don’t think there’s any firm answer on that. You could say, “The grace of God the Father, the love of Jesus Christ.” I think if there’s any reason, obviously we would say it’s because of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
But we would also say that there was a particular grace, unmerited favor, given in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We would say there was a remarkable love shown by God the Father in giving the Son. And surely, it’s the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit that brings us together.
So, you could interchange these attributes; the members of the Trinity are not in competition on these things. But it’s just something that the Holy Spirit wanted to emphasize.
Dmitri: Yes, and we also think in regards of the Law. John 1:17 – “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
David: That’s fantastic. That really highlights the area where Jesus is sort of preeminently identified with grace. So even though John wrote that passage, Paul was very much aware of that principle in writing 2 Corinthians.
Dmitri: Yeah, it’s amazing, isn’t it? The Christian life is all about grace. Truth and grace. And this is a wonderful combination can be found only in Christ.
David: That’s right. The law came by Moses, but grace and truth by Jesus. Fantastic.
Dmitri: A free gift. That’s certainly something we cannot deserve.
David: We never could deserve it. No, we can only receive it freely by grace.
Dmitri: What a blessing. It was a free gift. And we read these passages in the Bible.
David: Yes, fantastic. Thank you so much. What a blessing.
What advice would you give concerning sermon prep, series selection for a new church, and essential resources for a bi-vocational teacher? I’m getting ready to be one of the core group and elders of a church plant. What advice would you give in regard to sermon prep, series selection for a new church and essential resources for a bi-vocational teacher?
First off, God bless you, and congratulations on being part of this church plant. I think it’s an important work that God gives us to do to. Planting churches is a good work. I’m happy to hear that you are part of the core group. In my life and my ministry, I have been part of two church plants. I know what a blessing it is. It’s a thrill. It’s truly exhilarating in the Lord, to be a part of that.
So let me give you a couple pieces of advice, first regarding sermon prep and series selection. When people plant a church, they often suppose that they’re going to build a strong and successful growing church by being mighty in the pulpit. They think, “If I’m a Spurgeon in the pulpit, then people will come and be drawn to it.” Let’s face it, we’re not really Spurgeons in the pulpit, are we? We’re who we are, and God has a place and a blessing for us.
But here’s what I’m saying. You’re going to build a successful church plant more by one-on-one discipleship, cultivation of a strong core, and getting out there with your people and connecting with them, than by being a “giant” in the pulpit.
Now, I hope that nobody misunderstands what I’m saying. I’m obviously a big believer in preaching. That’s the majority of my ministry, and it has been for decades. I am a preacher, and I love to preach. And I know and I understand the importance of preaching. But preaching is not by any means the only thing that God uses to build a church. I think it’s an important component, maybe even an essential component. But it’s not the only thing. So don’t lock yourself up in the study for 30 hours, assuming that you’ll just emerge with a holy vision upon your face, and then be capable and equipped to impact the community. Get out there and rub shoulders with and connect with your people broadly.
When it comes to the preaching, make these the key goals for your preaching: clarity and simplicity. I think those are powerful and eloquent all in their own.
As far as essential resources for a bi-vocational teacher, my Bible Commentary is available at enduringword.com or blb.org. Many bi-vocational pastors tell me that they rely on it as a helpful resource, especially because of the way that my commentary is laid out. It’s laid out in what I regard to be a very easy-to-use format. You can scan it quickly and easily find the information that you want. It’s written in an expanded outline format, instead of a normal paragraph format. I think that that can be a helpful resource for a busy bi-vocational pastor. My heart genuinely is extended towards bi-vocational pastors, who have another job in addition to whatever they do as a pastor. That’s how most, or an awful lot, of the pastors in the world are, and God loves them, and God uses them in the work that they do.
What does it mean to take communion in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11)? What does it mean when Scripture warns us not to take of the bread and wine in an unworthy manner? We’ve been taught that this means not partaking in communion for being unmarried with children.
1 Corinthians 11:27 – Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
I would disagree with that application of this verse. 1 Corinthians 11 talks about taking communion in an unworthy manner. What it really refers to is just that: the manner in which they were receiving communion. They were receiving it in a rude, disrespectful, selfish manner. In other words, they were crowding the table of communion, they were greedy at the table of communion. The actual manner in which they were sharing this fellowship meal at which they had communion was unworthy of the great thing that God had done for them at the cross in Jesus Christ.
It doesn’t mean that sin necessarily disqualifies a person from the Lord’s table. When we’re sinners, we need what the Lord’s table gives to us. Now, let me give a caveat here. If a person is in known, harbored, cherished, unconfessed sin, that’s a different matter. Then there’s almost a mockery in the receiving of communion. It’s mockery in the sense that it’s saying, “Lord, I take this bread and cup, which speaks of the great sacrifice that You made at the cross for my sin, but I have no intention of giving up my sin.” That is, in some ways, a mockery of what Jesus came to do for us.
But if a person is repentant of their sin, sorrowful for their sin, I would say they are welcome to come to the table of communion. It’s not the presence of sin that should exclude a person from the Lord’s table. It’s their attitude towards such sin: cherishing it, holding it, and refusing to repent of that sin.
How can I encourage my unsaved Catholic family members? I became a newborn believer eight months ago. I was Catholic for 38 years. My husband and daughter still identify themselves as Catholics and refuse to come to church with me. They don’t go to Mass (only occasionally), and aren’t trying to get closer to God, either. I’ve been praying for them to find the truth but nothing [has changed] yet. Should I encourage them to at least go to Mass on a regular basis?
There are a few dynamics to your question that limit my ability to give a great answer to this. But let me try. If your husband and daughter had any kind of meaningful connection with Jesus Christ, in and through the Mass, that maybe you could pray that them going there is better than nothing. But if you sense or know that there is no real meaningful connection to Jesus Christ for your husband and daughter as they go to Mass, then I would not encourage them to go. I would not discourage them from going, but I would not encourage them.
Here’s why. For a person to attend religious services with a hard heart, rejecting Jesus Christ, especially when there’s an emphasis on ceremonialism, and perhaps an absence of the perceived presence of the living God, then their attendance or religious services can cause more harm than good. That’s the thing I would want to know in your situation. Do you think or know if it’s likely, or possible at all, that your husband or daughter would truly receive something of Jesus in going to Mass? And I would base my answer on your response. But let me say, Angela, I am thrilled that God is moving in your life. And I want to assure you that God is moving in your life, so that you can be praying for and be a witness and testimony to your husband and your daughter. And who knows what great things God may do in and through them?
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Die Schriftstelle aber, die er las, war diese: »Wie ein Schaf wurde er zur Schlachtung geführt, und wie ein Lamm vor seinem Scherer stumm ist, so tut er seinen Mund nicht auf. In seiner Erniedrigung wurde sein Gericht aufgehoben. Wer will aber sein Geschlecht beschreiben? Denn sein Leben wird von der Erde weggenommen!« Da wandte sich der Kämmerer an Philippus und sprach: Ich bitte dich, von wem sagt der Prophet dies? Von sich selbst oder von einem anderen? Da tat Philippus seinen Mund auf und begann mit dieser Schriftstelle und verkündigte ihm das Evangelium von Jesus. (Apostelgeschichte 8:32-35)
Ist es nicht erstaunlich, wie perfekt Gott die Dinge arrangiert? Gott forderte Philippus auf, seinen erfolgreichen Dienst zu verlassen und in eine abgelegene Wüste zu gehen. Dann sah Philippus einen Wagen, und der Mann im Wagen las gerade das Buch des Propheten Jesaja. Dann bat der Mann Philippus darum, ihm dabei zu helfen, den Text zu verstehen – was für eine göttliche Fügung!
Obendrein las der Mann im Wagen aus dem erstaunlichen prophetischen Abschnitt Jesaja 53, der vom leidenden Knecht des Herrn spricht. Er las folgende Worte vor: Er wurde wie ein Schaf zur Schlachtbank geführt: Im Rahmen von Gottes wunderbarem Plan las der Äthiopier die erstaunlichen und konkreten Prophezeiungen in Jesaja 53, in denen beschrieben wird wie der kommende Messias sich opfert und unsere Sünden auf sich nimmt.
Dann stellte der Mann auf dem Wagen eine wichtige Frage: Ich bitte dich, von wem sagt der Prophet das, von sich selbst oder von einem anderen Menschen? In Bezug auf diese Passage aus Jesaja 53,7-8 hatten die damaligen Juden unterschiedliche Auffassungen darüber, wer dieser leidende Knecht war.
– Einige dachten, der leidende Knecht sei das Volk Israel selbst, da Israel in Kriegen, im Exil und in der Verfolgung viel gelitten hatte.
– Einige dachten, der leidende Knecht sei Jesaja, der über sich selbst schreibt.
– Einige dachten, der leidende Knecht sei der Messias, aber es fiel ihnen schwer, dies zu akzeptieren, weil sie nicht daran glauben wollten, dass der Messias leiden würde.
Diese drei Vorstellungen konnten nicht alle gleichermaßen wahr sein. Wenn es auch sehr unwahrscheinlich ist, ist es durchaus möglich, dass die Passage in Jesaja 53 auf Israel als Nation und auf Jesaja als Propheten zutraf, dennoch ist klar, dass es in Jesaja 53 um den Messias, Jesus Christus, in seiner Rolle als leidender Knecht des Herrn geht. Es ist nicht hilfreich, so zu tun, als ob alle Auslegungen einer Bibelstelle richtig wären, und Philippus hat es vermieden, diesen Fehler zu begehen.
Philippus erklärte, wie diese Worte aus Jesaja 53 von Jesus, dem Messias, handeln. Er erklärte es dem Mann im Wagen, indem er mit dieser Schriftstelle begann. Es war einfach, von dieser Bibelstelle ausgehend über Jesus zu sprechen, also tat Philippus, was er tun sollte – er verkündete ihm Jesus.
Es war eine göttliche Verabredung, die all das, was in der Apostelgeschichte 8 geschah, veranlasste. Durch andere göttliche Verabredungen hat Gott Jesus Christus zu Dir gebracht. Derselbe Jesus hat als Knecht für Dich gelitten. Nimm heute im Glauben all das an, was er für dich geopfert hat, um dir eine wahre Beziehung zu Gott zu ermöglichen.
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Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. (Acts 8:36-38)
Philip preached Jesus to the man in the chariot, and the man was ready to respond to the good news of who Jesus is and what He did for us. The Spirit of God was at work through the word of God, and it was wonderful. As Philip explained the good news, he probably did as Peter did at Pentecost, giving those who heard an opportunity to respond in faith and be baptized (Acts 2:38).
So, the Ethiopian asked a question: See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? This shows that the Ethiopian did in fact believe, and that he wanted to be baptized to declare his belief. He saw the truth of God and knew that it was for him.
However, Philip insisted that the Ethiopian believe with all his heart before being baptized. In brief and simple words, this describes how we should respond to the gospel: believe with all your heart.
If we only believe with our head and not our heart, it isn’t enough. We may intellectually know that Jesus died for the sins of the world, but do we know in our heart that He died to cleanse our sins?
The man in the chariot did believe. He said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This confession of faith, taken in all that it means, is the essential belief for anyone who will come to God. We must believe in the person of Jesus, in all that He is and has done as Christ. We must believe that He is the Divine Son, and that He is the Son of God sent from the Father to accomplish the salvation of all those who will believe with all their hearts.
When the Ethiopian said “Jesus Christ,” he confessed that Jesus is the Messiah (the Christ). He agreed with his mind and heart that Jesus is the sin-bearing servant that Isaiah described and Jesus fulfilled.
One might ask: How could the man in the chariot know that he really believed with all his heart? The answer isn’t found in measuring percentages of commitment, but in simply trusting and surrendering to Jesus all one is aware of. More areas of trust will become apparent over time; and then we can believe Jesus as we see them.
Have you believed with all your heart? If so, have you received water baptism? Both are important. Each of us should follow the good example of the Ethiopian in Acts 8.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Acts 8
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Are Believers Rewarded Now or in Eternity?
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Are Believers Rewarded Now or in Eternity? Marlene asked,
Concerning Proverbs 11:18, do you know if the reward we receive will be on this side of eternity also? Or is the reward meant to be in Heaven only? Thanks for your comment on this and be blessed.
Proverbs 11:18
The wicked man does deceptive work, but he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.
a. The wicked man does deceptive work: When someone works with deception and dishonesty, it is evidence of wickedness. The wise and honest person knows that work must be done in a way marked by honesty and integrity.
b. He who sows righteousness will have a sure reward: Those who do their work in righteousness – marked by honesty and integrity – will see the sure reward of their work. Their righteous work is like good seed that has been sown.
- Believers will be rewarded both now and in the life to come
Matthew 19:27
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
2. An example of earthly reward: Jeremiah 29:11-14a
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity;
3. A description of heavenly reward: 2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Also, the people of Hebrews 11 were motived by heavenly reward.
- It could be the crown of life.
- It could be the crown of victory.
- It could be the reward of hearing “well done, good and faithful servant.”
- It could be the reward of a greater sphere of authority in the kingdom age.
- It could be the reward of a greater capacity to enjoy eternal fellowship with God.
- It could be things we can’t even imagine.
4. We may not be rewarded as we expect; there will be some surprises in the way God rewards.
Matthew 19:27-28
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
We will be rewarded, both in this life and in the life to come.
We can’t dictate or choose our rewards (or our trials!).
No one will out-give God – God will reward His people both now and then.
When we get to heaven, will we see the Father and the Holy Spirit, or just Jesus? I’ve been following a theology lecture series at a local church. This week’s topic was Christology. The speaker, a pastor, made two statements that I’m not sure about. Number one: “When we get to heaven, we will not see God or the Holy Spirit because they are spirits, but we will see Jesus.” Number two: “While Jesus was on earth as a human, He was unable to do miracles on His own; all of His miracles were done by the power of the Holy Spirit.” To my thinking, the Scriptures don’t affirm those statements (Genesis 1:26; Exodus 33). What are your thoughts on this?
First, I would not say that when we get to heaven, we will not see God or the Holy Spirit because they are spirits. We will certainly see Jesus. But I will be a little bit picky here: I don’t like how you phrase this question. You say we will not see God, or the Holy Spirit. I know what you mean: when you say God, you mean God the Father. I get that’s what you mean, but that’s not what you wrote.
When we see Jesus Christ, we are seeing God. We’re not seeing God the Father, we’re not seeing God the Holy Spirit, but we are seeing God. Sometimes in theology, we need to get a little picky about how we phrase things. I would rephrase your statement: “When we get to heaven, we will not see God the Father or God the Holy Spirit because they are spirits, but we will see Jesus.”
However, I would disagree with that statement, because we don’t know what our capabilities will be in Heaven. Maybe there is a way for spirits in heaven – even spirits that have a resurrection body, as we will have in Heaven – to see or perceive the presence of other spirits. I would not be so certain about saying that we will not see God the Father or God the Holy Spirit, because they are spirits. We don’t know what our capabilities will be. Right now, in our human bodies and our human capabilities on this side of eternity, we could not see God the Father. That’s why the New Testament says, speaking of God the Father, that “no one has seen God, because God dwells in invisible, unapproachable light.” Nor can we currently see the Holy Spirit – because He’s spirit. But we don’t know what our capabilities of perception will be in our resurrection bodies in Heaven.
Was Jesus able to do miracles by His own power, or only by the power of the Holy Spirit? Now I’ll answer the second statement: “While Jesus was on earth as a human, He was unable to do miracles on His own; all of His miracles were done by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
I would categorically disagree with that statement. Because Jesus was not unable to do miracles in His divine resources– He certainly could have if He chose to. Look, if you’re God, you’re able to do anything. Jesus Christ did not stop being God. The second person of the Trinity, God the Son, did not stop being God, when He added humanity to His deity, and came as the incarnate God-Man on this earth. No, He was able to do whatever He wanted.
Now, He may have chosen not to do things in the power of His deity, and instead chose to do things as a human being in reliance upon the Holy Spirit. But that’s a far cry from saying He was unable to do things. Do you see the difference there? I think there’s a legitimate place to argue whether all or most of the ministry of Jesus was done simply as a man filled with the Holy Spirit. To whatever extent that’s the case, it’s not because He was unable to do them in divine power, but because He chose to lay aside those rights and privileges. He chose not to access those powers. He was always God, but He chose not to operate in the power of His divine nature and divine resources. I’m okay with that kind of approach to this question, whether that was an absolute principle in the ministry of Jesus, or it was mostly how He operated. There are a few things He did which certainly look kind of divine. What Jesus did in the Transfiguration seems to smack of divinity. We can point to a couple other places as well. But whether we would say it was all or most, I would say that for the most part, Jesus chose to do His ministry based on His human nature, with human resources, relying on the Holy Spirit. But it was never a matter of inability.
I could see where you’d feel I’m getting awfully picky about these wordings. But listen, when we’re talking about important theological concepts, if we’re going to talk about them straightforwardly and honestly, we need to realize that our specific words matter. We need to be careful about how we phrase things. We also need to realize that sometimes we’re not careful in how we phrase things, and work to phrase them better.
Was Revelation written before or after the destruction of the Temple? Was revelation written before or after the destruction of the Temple? What evidence leads you to this conclusion?
Tradition can be a form of history. Oftentimes when we say tradition, people think what we mean is legends or fairy tales, but that’s not necessarily true. There can be accurate history lying behind traditions.
According to early church tradition, John wrote the book of Revelation at the end of his life, maybe somewhere around 90 A.D., while he was an exile on the island of Patmos. Now, we don’t know that for certain because the Bible itself does not tell us that. It tells us that John was on Patmos when he wrote, but it doesn’t exactly tell us that he was there in exile.
I’ve read a few things that tried to make the case that Revelation was written before the destruction of the Temple, and I regard that as possible. But I would say there’s more weight to the church traditions that we have, that it was written later. But in the end, the Scriptures don’t tell us for sure, and we don’t have the kind of historical evidence that would really make us confidently say it was one way or another.
I would say that it was likely written as the last book of the New Testament, maybe sometime in the 90s to 100 A.D. But I don’t think that we can exclude the possibility that it was written earlier before the destruction of the Temple. There are mentions of the Temple in the book of Revelation. Some people assume that means the Temple must have been standing. But if John wrote Revelation 20 or 30 years after the destruction of the Temple, he may be very well have been looking forward to a rebuilt Temple, which is mentioned or associated prophetically in a few passages.
In the intertestamental period, there were no prophets until John the Baptist. Could there be a similar period of no prophets from the Apostles’ time until the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11:3 appear? I don’t think so. I think it depends on how one specifically defines a prophet. There were non-apostolic prophets in the days of the early church. The book of Acts, 1 Corinthians, and other New Testament epistles describe to us that, at least in some sense, prophets were active in the early church. Their role was not as authoritative revealers of God’s eternal word intended for the entire Church throughout all ages, but God used them to communicate things by His Holy Spirit to specific congregations, as we see in Paul’s reference to the work of the ministry of prophets among the Corinthian Christians.
But there is no scriptural book given to us of the writings of the Corinthian prophets. Whatever God by the Holy Spirit legitimately spoke through the prophets at work in the church in Corinth in apostolic times, God did not want those words preserved. Why? Because the Holy Spirit was genuinely inspiring those prophets, but what they spoke was not God’s eternal word intended for all His people throughout all ages. It was something particular or peculiar to that time and that place. This is the difference that I would emphasize. We must make a distinction between prophets who speak forth God’s eternal word for all generations and all peoples, and, on the other hand, prophets through whom God speaks to a particular place and congregation, but not in universal way for all God’s people at all times.
If we define a prophet in strictly that universal sense, then I think there’s an argument to be made from what you’re saying. God has not spoken universally to all His church in all places at one time, through a particular prophet in the period you mentioned, but we could see a renewal of that in Revelation 11:3.
We highly esteem God’s eternal Word. We believe that “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our Lord stands forever.” That was not true of what the Holy Spirit spoke through the Corinthian prophets, for example. I don’t believe that such prophets in the early church functioned only in the Corinthian church; they were also present in the Roman church and the Ephesian church.
How would you explain biblical obedience to Jesus? I would just simply not try to overthink it. To overthink something is to try to go into the minutest, strangest detail. When Jesus said to pray privately or in your closet to God, then we should just find a private place to pray. When Jesus said that we should give, we should give. Obedience is not trying to overthink it; as simply and straightforwardly as we can, we are to do the things that Jesus commanded us to do.
Biblical obedience to Jesus goes beyond the specific commands given by Jesus. Those are important and precious to us, of course. But we also understand that Jesus, the Spirit of Christ, was speaking through the foundational apostles and prophets, so His commands would include everything that we see in the New Testament, the Greek Scriptures.
Biblical obedience is simply saying, “When Jesus says to do something, then I’m going to lean on the Lord and press into Him for strength, but God helping me, I’m going to do what Jesus told me to do. When Jesus told us to not do something, then leaning into Jesus, depending on Him to the best of my ability, I’m going to try to not do what Jesus told me to not do.”
Can you explain single and double predestination? Is it biblical and what are your thoughts? The Bible describes for us how God has predestined His people to receive and experience His saving work in many different aspects. Romans 8 says that those whom He foreknew, He also predestined, called, justified, adopted, and ultimately glorified. All these things are aspects of God’s predestined plan. It’s a plan He has thought out beforehand; it’s planned by God ahead of time to work in and through the life of His people.
Let’s use the example of somebody being predestined to Heaven. It’s sort of cheating the idea of predestination to call it this, but we’ll use this example. God has directed that person to Heaven; that is single predestination. Double predestination includes single predestination, that God has predestined some people to Heaven. But double predestination also says that God has predestined others to Hell.
The Bible nowhere specifically teaches that. You could say that there have been some individuals who were predestined to destruction, among them most notably Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, but for humanity as a whole, the Bible never says that God predestines people to Hell.
In fact, Jesus said that God prepared Hell for the devil and his angels. Those who go to Hell go there by their own choice. God doesn’t say, “I prepared a place for them,” even as He would say He’s prepared a place for His people in Heaven.
So, single predestination says God has ordained certain people to go to Heaven. Double predestination says that God has ordained certain people to go to Heaven, and He has ordained certain people to go to Hell. I find biblical support for the first statement. I do not find biblical support for the second statement.
There are people who object, saying, “It’s simply a logical necessity. The Scriptures don’t have to state that God predestined everybody to Hell whom He has not predestined to Heaven. It’s a logical necessity, even though the Scriptures don’t say it.”
My response would simply be – If the Bible doesn’t say it, then I don’t have to say it. I like something that the old Puritan commentator John Trapp said. He may have been a double predestinarian himself; I don’t exactly know. But he said, “Where the Bible has no tongue, we must have no ears.” In other words, we can’t pretend to hear things that the Bible doesn’t say. And it doesn’t say that God has predestined, in humanity at large, people to go to Hell. He has predestined some for Heaven, but not to go to Hell.
So, I would disagree with the idea of double predestination. I would be considered a single predestinarian. I don’t have any problem resting in that. I would never claim double predestination as a logical necessity.
Does the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree have implications for the life of the believer? What is the significance of the story of the fig tree which was dried out by the Lord Jesus? Does it have implications on the life of born-again believers today?
Yes, it certainly does have implications for the life of the believer today. Jesus saw a fig tree which had leaves but no fruit. I’m not an expert in horticulture, but I’ve seen it in a fig tree that’s at our house. I’ve also talked to Israeli tour guides about this and asked them about this question. On these fig trees that Jesus was concerned with, the fruit at least begins to appear before the leaves do. You won’t have a healthy, properly functioning fig tree with leaves but no fruit; if there are leaves, there will be fruit.
Jesus cursed the fig tree that had leaves, but no fruit. I think this He cursed the fig tree on a case of false advertising. The fig tree “advertised” as if it had fruit, but it actually had none. That’s a form of hypocrisy. If we have an outward appearance that we have a fruitful life for God, but in actuality we do not, that’s hypocrisy. You could say that Jesus cursed the fig tree as a demonstration of His judgment upon hypocrisy in the life of a believer.
By the way, you can say that the cursing of the fig tree was the only destructive miracle that Jesus did, or at most, one of the few. And He directed it, number one, against hypocrisy, and number two, against a tree, not against a human being. So that’s the implication: don’t advertise that you’re something before God which you’re not. Don’t put forth an image of spirituality or godliness when you really have no reality behind that in your life.
Can you provide an example of God chastening a believer whom He loves (Hebrews 12:6)? Well, in the Old Testament, David was chastened by the terrible effects the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba. That was God’s chastening in his life. You could say that Abraham was chastened for the lies he told to Pharaoh, and later to Abimelech. This was something very dangerous for both Abraham’s wife, Sarah, and for Abraham himself. The agony Peter went through after denying Christ was a form of God’s chastening.
God’s chastening can come in many ways. Just like we can’t pick our trials or our rewards, we can’t pick our chastenings either. All those things are up to God Himself. I think that God may chasten believers in many different ways. And I need to be a little bit careful here, because if you say, “God may chasten believer by this, you’re not saying that everybody who experiences that is undergoing the chastening of God. Maybe they are, and maybe they’re not okay.
Let me give you an example. It is possible that God could chasten an unbeliever by allowing them to experience financial difficulty and stress. They’ve been lost in materialism, yet God wants to bring them back, so He gets their attention by allowing some kind of financial crisis or difficulty. I think that principle is true. But there is a danger of immediately assuming that everybody who has financial difficulty is being chastened by God. Well, maybe they are, and maybe they aren’t. We don’t always know. We usually don’t know.
So, I could give examples, but the examples need to be taken cautiously. It’s dangerous for us to come into other people’s lives and say, “You know why God has allowed this” and assume we know what God’s purpose is in it. Sometimes we know, but sometimes we don’t. And we need to be careful with that.
God hates divorce, so how do I pray for a believer who’s going through a messy divorce with an unbeliever? First, I would acknowledge that it’s true that God hates divorce. But He does allow it under specific circumstances. One of the circumstances under which God will allow divorce is the abandonment of an unbelieving spouse. This may be exactly what’s happening to this believer of whom you’re speaking; I don’t know the situation. It would require a deep dive, with pastoral wisdom, into that person’s circumstances, where you take the principles of Scripture, measure them against that person’s life and current situation, and giving them Biblical understanding concerning those things. Having not done that in the life of this person, I would just say that it may be that this is a permitted divorce.
So, what does that mean? Well, just because divorce is permitted, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the right thing for a believer to do. They must be listening to and guided by the Holy Spirit. That’s one thing that you can pray for your friend: “Lord, give them wisdom by your Holy Spirit. Lord, if You don’t want them to get this divorce, and if You want them to do something else, because You’re working behind the scenes in a powerful way, then Lord, give them wisdom to proceed.”
But also, pray for the compassionate love of God. Maybe this believer you’re speaking of is escaping a somewhatabusive situation. Maybe it’s serious enough that they need to do this, they need to move on. Maybe their partner has so violated the marriage covenant that it would merit that kind of response. In those situations, you want to pray for healing. You want to pray for God to keep their hearts soft, and for God to pour out His grace and love so that person would not stay in a relatively traumatized state. Those are some of the things you could pray for somebody in the situation of divorce.
Doesn’t “prophet” signify “teacher”? No, it doesn’t. That is sometimes a common interpretation, especially from those who believe that any kind of miraculous prophetic gift ended with the age of the Apostles. But the Bible has the terminology and individual words for “teaching” and “preaching” and “prophecy.” To say that “prophecy,” as the Bible understands it, is just “good teaching” or “Bible teaching,” is to mis-define the word.
God uses these different words for a reason: prophecy, teaching, and preaching all have their reasons. As 1 Corinthians explains to us, prophecy is speaking forth the heart and mind of God, especially in a situation that brings encouragement, strength, and comfort to others.
Do people need to speak in tongues to be filled with the Holy Spirit? The quick answer to that is: No. You could say that the gift of tongues is a physical manifestation of being filled with the Holy Spirit. But it’s not the essential evidence. I would say the essential evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is twofold.
First, being a witness of Jesus Christ. God has really done something in your life, and you’re a witness of that work. That’s what Jesus spoke about in Acts 1 and at the end of the Gospel of Luke. He promised that He would give the Spirit; He would pour out the Holy Spirit on people; He would baptize them by His Spirit so that they would be witnesses.
Secondly, I would look forward to the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5. I give a deeper explanation in my teachings on 1 Corinthians 12 and 14, which you can find on my YouTube channel or at enduringword.com. The gift of tongues is a gift of communication with God. It’s a way for the believer to communicate with God in a way that transcends their human intellect. There are some people who, for whatever reason – maybe it’s their personality, their level of maturity, or any number of other reasons – just don’t feel a need for that gift. They feel perfectly satisfied with their ability to communicate with God on a normal verbal level in their own intellect. In a sense, you could say that person doesn’t need the gift of tongues; they’re not aware of their need.
I more so prefer that people have an awareness of need. I have more praise to give to God than I can articulate. I have prayers that I want to pray but I don’t know what to pray or how to pray. I need some divine inspiration by the Spirit of God to pray in me and through me. These are reasons to seek after the gift of tongues. I think there has been a fair amount of damage in the Christian world, especially in some charismatic circles, by demanding that the gift of tongues is the evidence of the filling Holy Spirit. It makes people seek the gift of tongues simply to prove, either to themselves or to other people, that they really are filled with the Holy Spirit. And I don’t think that that’s a good or a valid reason to seek that gift; I think it invites a lot of fakery and going through the motions.
How did Jesus learn obedience through suffering, as the Scripture says? Hebrews 5:8 – Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
The book of Hebrews gives this dramatic statement that the Lord Jesus Christ learned obedience by the things which He suffered. Think of the many ways that Jesus suffered. Think of how He suffered by being so close around simple humanity. Think of how He had to suffer with the frustrations He received from His disciples. Think of how He had to suffer when His own family rejected Him. Think about how He had to suffer. Of course, I’m not even getting to the great suffering that Jesus experienced in His death – the arrest, the beating, the mocking, the discouragement, the crucifixion, all of it.
Jesus suffered greatly. God the Father, working in and through God the Son, enabled Him to learn obedience through those sufferings. In other words, suffering was an appropriate or befitting instrument in the hand of God the Father, to shape obedience in God the Son. The whole point of this is, as it’s put forth in Hebrews, how dare we despise suffering as a tool that God might use in our life? I think these are important points for us to consider.
The letter of James begins by saying that we should count it all joy no matter what trials we fall into, and immediately follows that with a recommendation that believers pray for wisdom. I think there’s a connection between the two things. We particularly need wisdom from God when we’re in a trial and we’re suffering. Part of what we want wisdom from God for is simply this, “God, do You want to deliver me from this suffering? Or do you want to deliver me in this suffering?” God can work powerfully for His glory either way. But that’s a question many people don’t even ask. They just assume, because they want the trial to end, that it’s God’s will for the trial to end immediately. But God may be working a larger purpose. Then again, there are other people to whom God would give deliverance and victory from their specific trial right there in that moment, if they would trust Him for it. So, what’s the solution? We need wisdom from above.
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Jesus: The Perfect Shepherd
One of the most loved passages in the Bible is Psalm 23 – that is the psalm that begins, “The LORD is my shepherd.” People know and love that psalm, so many are familiar with the idea that God is like a shepherd to His people.
However, that’s not the only place where the Bible speaks of God as our shepherd. Look at Isaiah 40:11:
He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.
Because His people are so needy, God loves to call Himself a shepherd. Many of the greatest men of the Bible were shepherds and their character points to Jesus Christ.
- Abel was a shepherd, and he is a picture of Jesus, the sacrificed shepherd.
- Jacob was a shepherd, and he is a picture of Jesus, the working shepherd.
- Joseph was a shepherd, and he is a picture of Jesus, the persecuted and exalted shepherd.
- Moses was a shepherd, and he is a picture of Jesus, the freedom-giving and guiding shepherd.
- David was a shepherd, and he is a picture of Jesus, the shepherd king.
When God cares for His sheep, He does the first and most necessary thing – feed them. Isaiah said, He will feed His flock like a shepherd. Sheep need food, and God’s people need spiritual food – the Word of God. Like a perfect shepherd, God gives His people spiritual food in His word, and His Spirit will lead us to it if we listen to Him.
Sheep must be directed to the good pasture and then must be moved on to new pasture when they have stripped the grass bare. God’s people need as much carefully directed feeding as sheep need! Some people even say that there are few creatures that have less power to take care of themselves than sheep have.
Not only does Jesus the shepherd feed His sheep; Isaiah 40:11 also says, He will gather the lambs with His arm. Our LORD shows special care for the lambs. The youngest and weakest are not despised – they are given special care by the LORD who gathers them, and then promises to carry them in His bosom – that is, close to His heart. Jesus does not cast the weak lambs over his shoulder, as a shepherd might carry a fully grown sheep; He carries them in a safe and tender place. The shoulders are for power, and the back is for carrying burdens, but to embrace a lamb in your bosom – that is a place of love.
It is the LORD Himself who does this. He does not delegate this work to an angel, or even to His ministers or preachers. God promised that He, working through His Spirit, would do the work of carrying His lambs. This Shepherd carries a rod and staff for discipline and protection, and He knows how to use them. Yet, our Great Shepherd also knows how to gently lead those who are with young.
Jesus has three great titles regarding His work as a shepherd.
- John 10 says that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is good in His care and sacrifice for the flock (John 10:11-15).
- Hebrews 13 says that Jesus is the Great Shepherd. He is great in His glorious triumph over every enemy (Hebrews 13:20).
- 1 Peter 5 says that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).
So, Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd. Yet, there is another aspect to the work of Jesus as shepherd. Matthew 25 tells us that at His return, Jesus will divide the sheep from the goats. Jesus is the perfect Shepherd, and this means that Jesus is a perfect judge, and He knows those who are truly His people and those who are not.
Jesus Christ is the perfect Shepherd. But, is He your Shepherd? Are you responding to Him as a sheep should respond to its Shepherd?
- Let the perfect Shepherd Jesus feed you – receive His word.
- Let Jesus comfort and care for you – believe His promises.
- Let the perfect Shepherd Jesus lead you – follow His lead.
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Take Him as He Was
Take Him as He Was At a certain point in His ministry, Jesus was so popular in the region of Galilee that the crowds mercilessly pressed upon Him. To more effectively teach, Jesus used a boat for His pulpit. The crowd gathered on the shore and Jesus sat in a boat and taught them, just a few yards offshore.
After a long day of teaching the multitude, Jesus wanted to finish. Instead of returning to shore where the crowds gave Him no rest, Jesus said to the disciples, “Let’s go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.” So the rest of the disciples climbed into the boat, and Jesus went with them.
I love how that is phrased in Mark 4:36. Here are the words: They took Him along in the boat as He was.
They did not stop for supplies or send a messenger ahead. They were all tired and hungry – especially Jesus – but they took Him along in the boat as He was.
For a moment, picture that scene with me and consider some of what it means that they took Jesus along in the boat as He was.
We must take Jesus as He was. Almost every world religion has something kind to say about Jesus. They want to take Jesus, but not as He was.
Some people take Jesus as they wish He was. They imagine Him as “Jesus the flower child” or “Jesus the unapproachable” or the “Jesus of my particular cause.” Most of the time when people do this, they create a Jesus of their imagination by what they leave out of His teaching or life. People do the same thing when they create “Jesus the moral reformer” or “Jesus who never offended anyone.” But we can’t do that; we have to take Jesus as He was.
Some people take Jesus as others present Him. But even the best sermon about Jesus falls short of Jesus Himself. Teaching about Jesus is good if it helps us to take Him as He was, but no one’s teaching – no matter how good – can do the whole job. This is why we have to come to the word of God and Jesus the Word, again and again, asking God to help us take Jesus as He was.
Some people take Jesus as they see Him in the lives of others. Every Christian has the responsibility to reflect Jesus in their life, but no one does it perfectly. If you look at a strong area of my life, you may see some of Jesus reflected there. But if you look for Jesus in a weak area of my life, you will not see Him as well. If we only take Jesus as He is reflected in the lives of others, we won’t get a true representation of who He is. We have to take Him as He was.
A.W. Tozer wrote, “What comes to our minds when we think of God is the most important thing about us.” If we will be correct about what comes to our minds when we think of God, we must look to Jesus – and take Jesus as He was.
Not as we wish Jesus was.
Not as others may present Jesus.
Not as you might see Him in the lives of others.
So, spend some time and read the Bible, especially the gospel records of the life of Jesus. Read them, study them, and learn who Jesus was. Then, make sure you take Him as He was.
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The place in the Scripture which he read was this:
**“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
In His humiliation His justice was taken away,
And who will declare His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.”**
So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. (Acts 8:32-35)
Isn’t it amazing when God perfectly arranges things? God told Philip to leave a successful season of ministry and go to a complete wilderness. Philip then saw a chariot, and the man in the chariot was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the man asked for help in understanding – what a divine appointment!
On top of all that, the man in the chariot read from the amazing prophetic passage of Isaiah 53, speaking of the Lord’s suffering servant. He read the words, He was led as sheep to the slaughter: In God’s wonderful planning, the Ethiopian was reading the amazing and specific prophecies in Isaiah 53 describing the sacrificial, sin-bearing work of the Messiah to come.
Then the man in the chariot asked an important question: I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man? Regarding this passage from Isaiah 53:7-8, the Jews of that day had different ways they understood the identity of this suffering servant.
– Some thought the suffering servant was the nation of Israel itself, as Israel had suffered greatly in wars, exile, and persecution.
– Some thought the suffering servant was Isaiah writing about himself.
– Some thought the suffering servant was the Messiah, but they found this hard to accept, because they didn’t want to think of the Messiah suffering.
All three of these ideas could not be equally true. Though there was a lesser sense in which the Isaiah 53 passage was true of Israel as a nation and true of Isaiah as a prophet. Yet, there is no mistaking its main and greatest sense: Isaiah 53 speaks of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, in His role as the LORD’s Suffering Servant. It isn’t helpful to pretend that all interpretations of a Bible passage are equal, and Philip avoided this error.
Philip explained how these words from Isaiah 53 spoke of Jesus, the Messiah. He explained it to the man in the chariot beginning at this Scripture. It was easy to talk about Jesus beginning at this Scripture, so Philip did what he should – he preached Jesus to him.
It was a divine appointment that arranged all this in Acts 8. By other divine appointments, God has brought Jesus Christ to you. This same Jesus suffered as a servant for you. By faith, receive and cherish today all that He sacrificed to bring you into right relationship with God.
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Der Heilige Geist sagte zu Philippus: »Lauf hinüber und geh neben dem Wagen her.« Da lief Philippus hin und hörte, wie der Mann aus dem Propheten Jesaja las. Er fragte ihn: »Verstehst du auch, was du da liest?« Der Mann erwiderte: »Wie soll ich es verstehen, wenn es mir niemand erklärt?« Und er bat Philippus, einzusteigen und sich neben ihn zu setzen. (Apostelgeschichte 8,29-31)
Der Heilige Geist wies einen Diener unter den ersten Christen an, ein Projekt, das in Samaria sehr gut lief, zu verlassen und in eine trostlose Wüste zu gehen. Dort sah Philippus einen Wagen, in dem ein angesehener Mann saß – ein Jude aus Äthiopien. Dieser Mann bekleidete in der Regierung der Königin von Äthiopien ein wichtiges Amt. Nachdem er ein wenig Zeit in Jerusalem verbracht hatte, befand er sich nun auf dem Heimweg.
Der Heilige Geist, der Philippus in die Wüste führte, sagte zu ihm: “Lauf hinüber und geh neben dem Wagen her.”Es erforderte viel Mut, aber Philippus tat, was der Geist ihm sagte. Der Äthiopier war ein reicher Mann, ein Mann mit Macht und zumindest in gewisser Weise eine Berühmtheit. Doch Philippus wusste, dass er Jesus genauso sehr brauchte wie das für alle anderen Menschen galt und gilt.
Wir schrecken oft davor zurück, mutig über Jesus zu sprechen, und die Gesellschaft lässt uns wissen, dass wir nicht über solche Dinge sprechen sollten. Aber die Welt schreckt nicht davor zurück, uns ihre eigene Botschaft zu verkünden. Wir sollten der Welt gegenüber genauso deutlich über Jesus sprechen, wie die Welt uns an ihrer Sünde teilhaben lässt.
Als Philippus sich dem Mann näherte, hörte er ihn lesen, denn in der Welt der Antike war es üblich, laut zu lesen. Als er das hörte, wusste Philippus, dass der Text, den der Äthiopier las, aus dem Propheten Jesaja stammte.
Philippus wusste, dass Gott ihm eine offene Tür und ein Herz geschenkt hatte, das intensiv auf diesen Moment vorbereitet worden war. Offensichtlich hatte Gott diese Begegnung arrangiert. Philippus war ein erfolgreicher Evangelist, weil er wusste, wie er den Willen des Heiligen Geistes in die Tat umsetzen konnte. Er ließ sich wirklich vom Geist, und nicht von seinen eigenen Launen und Gefühlen leiten.
Philippus stellte dann eine wichtige Frage: “Verstehst du auch, was du da liest?” Es war gut, dass der Äthiopier die Bibel las, aber wenn er sie nicht verstand, nützte es ihm wenig. Aber Gott hatte jemanden (Philippus) geschickt, der ihm half, das was er las, auch zu verstehen.
Der Äthiopier antwortete: “Wie soll ich es verstehen, wenn es mir niemand erklärt?” Dies ist genau die Frage, die sich jeder stellen sollte, der die Bibel verstehen will. Wir sollten uns nie schlecht fühlen, wenn wir jemanden brauchen, der uns viele Dinge erklärt, bevor wir sie verstehen.
Hier sind zwei Regeln, die Du beachten solltest, um Deine Bibel besser zu verstehen. Erstens: Suche Dir gute Lehrer. Es ist wunderbar, wenn wir alleine dazu in der Lage sind, die großen Wahrheiten der Bibel zu verstehen, aber dieser Abschnitt zeigt uns, dass Gott unter den Nachfolgern Jesu auch einen Platz und eine Aufgabe für Lehrer vorgesehen hat.
Zweitens müssen wir ganz tief in den Text der Bibel eintauchen, um sie besser verstehen zu können. Schmetterlinge flattern über die Blumen im Garten hinweg und bringen nichts zustande, aber Bienen stürzen sich direkt in die Blume und erbeuten dabei wichtige Nahrung. Wir werden nichts erreichen, wenn wir nur über unseren Bibeln schweben; wir müssen in sie eintauchen.
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher –
You made it through another weekend of serving God, His people, and a world that needs Jesus so much! Here’s a brief word from Acts 8 that might just encourage you today.
Then Philip opened his mouth,
and beginning at this Scripture,
preached Jesus to him. (Acts 8:35)
Philip had a wonderful opportunity to preach. The high official from the court of the Queen of Ethiopia was reading from Isaiah 53 about the Suffering Servant, and he asked Philip to explain what it meant.
Given the opportunity, Philip did what we all should do. He spoke, beginning at this Scripture. When we begin with the Bible, we let the words and themes of Scripture dominate the words and themes of our message.
It wasn’t hard to do, because the Suffering Servant passage from Isaiah 53 powerfully points to Jesus Christ. It was easy to talk about Jesus beginning at this Scripture. Because the whole Bible points to Jesus in one way or another, we really can begin at any passage and find where it leads to Jesus.
How did Philip preach Jesus to him using Isaiah 53? With that passage he could explain who Jesus was (He was “like a lamb”) and what Jesus has done for us (“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter”). Explaining who Jesus is and what He has done for us is the essence of the gospel.
Too many preachers today focus on what we must do for God, but the gospel begins with and is founded upon what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.
The next time you have the opportunity to preach or teach, remember these two things:
– Begin with the Scripture.
– Preach Jesus.
That always makes for a good sermon!
Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik
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Can We Hold Back the Holy Spirit?
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Can We Hold Back the Holy Spirit? From Donald…The Prophet Jeremiah said it was like fire shut up in his bones, that if Jeremiah tried to hold back it would weary him. So, if a person who is so full of joy because of what God has done for them tries to hold it back, it would weary them. So, the way that individual lets it go is by shouting and dancing. So, was Jeremiah and the person full of joy influenced by the Holy Spirit?
- Jeremiah was certainly influenced by the Holy Spirit.
- Jeremiah was not someone filled with joy, at least as we normally think of it.
- Jeremiah’s ministry was a great burden, and he had little visible fruit.
- The passage referred to in Jeremiah 20 tells us what a burden the prophet felt his ministry was, at least at times.
- There is no shouting and dancing in this Jeremiah 20 passage.
Jeremiah 20:7
O LORD, You induced me, and I was persuaded;
You are stronger than I, and have prevailed.
I am in derision daily;
Everyone mocks me.
Jeremiah 20:8
For when I spoke, I cried out;
I shouted, “Violence and plunder!”
Because the word of the LORD was made to me
A reproach and a derision daily.
Jeremiah 20:9
Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.”
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And I could not.
At the same time, Jeremiah was not a defeated man. In this same context he found confidence and strength in God, as Jeremiah 20:11 shows:
Jeremiah 20:11
But the LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome One.
Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail.
They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper.
Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.
With your teaching of the Sabbath, how do you get around the 3rd commandment? From David on Facebook:
With your teaching of the Sabbath, how do you get around the 3rd commandment?
It’s really the 4th commandment, found in Exodus 20:8-11:
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
- The principle of the Sabbath goes back to creation; the law of the Sabbath was given to Israel and was not universally given by God.
- Remember that the ten commandments were given as law to Israel, not to the world in general.
- Remember that the ten commandments are part of the Mosaic Law – to be understood in light of how Jesus Christ fulfilled the law. The Sabbath law, even included in the ten commandments, are part of the law that included animal sacrifice and priestly service.
- Remember the meaning of the word “Sabbath” – it means rest. We truly “remember the rest” when we see it fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Is it Biblical to say that if one follows Christ Jesus that they will be financially wealthy? From Teresa on Facebook:
I have another question & hope to be showed thru the Scriptures, if not being financially wealthy is a curse by God?
- Riches are an obstacle to the Kingdom of God:
Matthew 19:23-24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
- Riches are not an insurmountable obstacle to the Kingdom of God:
Matthew 19:25-26
When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- Many men in the Bible were both godly and rich, including Job, Abraham, Jacob, David, Joseph of Arimathea, and others.
- One key to overcoming the obstacle of wealth: setting your heart in the right place. Where are your greatest desires? Do you own your wealth, or does your wealth own you? Better yet, do you live with the real awareness that all you have belongs to God?
1 Timothy 6:9
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
- Another key to overcoming the obstacle of wealth: generosity.
How can we determine which ancient manuscript of the Bible is most accurate? The Critical Text of Revelation 17:16 says that the horns AND beast will hate the harlot. Textus Receptus Bibles say that the horns upon the beast will hate the harlot. Which is correct?
I can give you a quick answer to that question: I don’t know. And I wouldn’t know apart from doing some deeper research.
This question refers to a phenomenon in understanding the manuscripts of the Bible. We understand that there are two main families of manuscripts. Sometimes these different families of manuscripts go under different names. The Majority Text or the Alexandrian Text would be one family. The other family of ancient Greek manuscripts is called the Byzantine Text or the Received Text. These two families of manuscripts come from different geographies and slightly different traditions. There are many more manuscripts within the Byzantine or Received Text tradition, while there are older existing manuscripts in the Alexandrian family of manuscripts.
When we come across a difference in the readings between the two families of manuscripts, how do we know which one is correct? Here’s what we should not do. We should not say one family of manuscripts is always right and the other family of manuscripts is always wrong.
Personally, I have an appreciation for the Greek manuscripts that come from the Byzantine tradition where there are many more manuscripts. But I don’t think it’s wrong or ignorant for other people to favor the Alexandrian collection, which includes older manuscripts. I think these determinations must be made on a case-by-case basis.
I can’t answer off the top of my head because I’m not super conversant with this particular issue, but here’s the principle by which I would dig into the question. I would go to the Greek resources that we have – I have them in print, but you can also get them online – and simply look at which manuscripts include which readings, which dates, which families, which numbers of manuscripts, and so on. I believe that these textual questions must be determined on a case-by-case basis, comparing the two texts and deciding which manuscript tradition seems stronger, better, or more likely. That’s how I would determine that.
What criterion should we apply in discerning purported prophetic voices? What criterion should we apply in discerning purported prophetic voices? The Old Testament suggests perfection is required. But the New Testament suggests possible leeway, provided they’re consistent with Scripture.
First, we judge any purported prophetic word by the Scriptures themselves. That’s the first grid by which we judge things. The Bible tells us to test the spirits, to test and to judge prophetic words; they shouldn’t just be received. This is a big problem in the charismatic or Pentecostal world of today: bizarre, extravagant, and sometimes just plain stupid words of prophecy are presented, and they’re not judged or evaluated at all. Again, this is a big problem among those who believe in the continuation of the gifts of the Spirit.
The first and ultimate criteria by which any prophecy, teaching, or assertion should be judged is by the Word of God. If it contradicts what the Bible says, then you know it’s not from God. So that’s one grid to run it through.
Secondly, I also think that God gives discernment to leaders and individuals and churches. A pastor, elders, and the leadership team, should be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and be able to discern. Someone may try to make a prophetic announcement that isn’t dealt with at all in the Scriptures. If that’s the case, then I really would leave it up to the discernment of leaders within a church fellowship.
A third grid to run it through is that if somebody makes an assertion about something happening in the future, then that thing has to happen. Now, I will say that it’s easy for us to overthink what God predicts about the future, and for us to assume a fulfillment, rather than just take exactly what it says. I regret that I really can’t think of a good example of this at the moment. We need to be guarded and measured, but we shouldn’t be too quick to say something is not going to happen. Now, if somebody gives a specific date for something to happen, then you’re going to know whether it happened or not. If somebody speaks about something in the future, whether it’s for the distant future, or the near future where it can be specifically judged, that’s exactly what we should do. But we should understand that maybe it’s not always clear.
In one sense, the bigger question is what to do with someone who gives a prophetic word that is judged to be false, or not of the Holy Spirit or of God at all? Well, I don’t think that we should take them out back and stone them as the Old Testament for Israel would describe. And I don’t think that we should necessarily excommunicate that person from the Body of Christ. That person should be humble about it, and repentant where appropriate or necessary. But I think that we should say, “Hey, listen, don’t do that. Don’t speak on your own initiative and call it the Lord.” Because really, that’s what’s happening in almost every case where a purported prophetic word is given and it’s not of God. It’s somebody speaking on their own initiative, but then claiming that it’s of God in some way. So, that’s what I would recommend in those situations.
Does the War of Gog and Magog occur before or after Christ’s Millennial Reign? Why do some End Time Prophecy teachers say that the War of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38 occurs BEFORE Christ’s 1000-Year Reign, when Revelation 20:7-10 describes the same war as occurring AFTER this period?
In my mind, what we see in Ezekiel 38-39 really has no definite marker in the New Testament. Now, there is the reference that you mentioned in Revelation 20:7-10. But there are some people who think, and I think it could be true, that this refers to a second or further war. Gog and Magog are used as a picture for those set against God in general. Revelation 20 is drawing on that picture and expanding it. Not just one or two nations will come against God at the end of the Millennium: it’s all the earth. So, Revelation 20 doesn’t use Gog and Magog in strictly the same sense as it’s used in Ezekiel 38. I think it’s just a little hard to pin down.
When does the Ezekiel 38 scenario happen? I can’t say for sure. I could make a case for it happening at some earlier point in God’s unfolding plan or for some point at the very end of the Millennium. I just don’t think there’s a great deal of certainty. Some people may argue that there can be more than one fulfillment of a prophecy, and that there may be a second fulfillment of it. I think it’s fair to make the case that it could be completely fulfilled by what is seen in Revelation 20.
Did God or the people of Israel decide to send spies into the land? How do we reconcile parallel accounts, such as Deuteronomy 1 and Numbers 13-14? I got some pushback in my Bible study last Saturday reading Numbers 13-14 about the spies sent out. I use your commentary as a resource to help facilitate the group. I shared that it was not God who sent the spies, as recounted in Deuteronomy 1. But Numbers 13 says that it was the Lord who spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan.” How can I reconcile this?
It’s not easy. We are dealing here with parallel accounts, and we need to reconcile them properly. The Deuteronomy account would imply to us that the desire to send out the spies came from the people. The Numbers account would imply to us that the instruction to send out the spies came from the Lord speaking to Moses.
Here’s how I reconcile this in my mind. I think that the initial impulse came from the people. They said, “Let’s do it, let’s invest, and let’s see if this land is as God has promised it would be to us.” I would regard this as being something of a declaration of unbelief, lacking in faith, saying, “Is God really true to His word?”
But here’s the other aspect. I also believe that once the people said that, then God gave direction to Moses on how it should be done. In other words, it’s analogous to how the people of Israel asked for a king. If you remember, in the book of 1 Samuel, the impulse to have a king came from the people. The people didn’t want God as their ruler and king; they wanted to have a king like the other nations. Now, after the people made that determination, God then said, “Okay, this is how I’m going to bring a king to you.”
So, I believe that the initial impulse to send out the spies came from the people, but then God said, “Okay, this is how we’re going to do it.” God gave specific instructions to Moses such as selecting one man from every tribe and sending them forth to do their mission in a specific way. That’s how I connect these two ideas. The original impulse came from the people, and then God afterwards directed them in how it should be done. It’s more of a “both/and” equation, and less of an “either/or” equation.
What do you think about people that feel like it is important to cover their head during church service? Is it up to the individual? First, there is no New Testament idea of men covering their head during a church service. There is the New Testament idea as indicated for us in 1 Corinthians, of women wearing head coverings or veils. Many people ask, “Since this instruction is given to us in 1 Corinthians, why don’t we do that today?” I’ll explain to you exactly my thinking here.
The principle of the head covering in 1 Corinthians is important and continues to this day. The principle being recognized is that women are under God’s authority, and under the authority of God’s appointed leaders in a local congregation, which I believe would be men, by biblical instruction. The head covering was a symbol of being under authority. That’s what a head covering meant in the context of Corinth and the Mediterranean world. It was a way of saying, “I am under authority.”
Now, the principle of recognizing authority still stands. That principle still extends to the women of a congregation recognizing the authority that God has given to the called, appointed, qualified men in a congregation. But a head covering does not carry the same meaning in our culture today. So, the principle goes across all time for the church, while the expression of the principle can differ from place to place or culture to culture.
In our culture, a married person wears a wedding ring on their left hand. In other cultures, people wear a wedding ring on the ring finger of the right hand. Well, which one is a way to say that a person is married? It depends on the culture. The principle of having some identifying mark that lets everybody know I’m married is good. But the way it’s expressed can differ from culture to culture. That’s how I regard the head covering.
People might argue that I’m making the principle culturally subjective, but I’m not. I’m making the expression culturally subjective, which we all do. For example, I would suppose that very few of my viewers greet one another with a holy kiss in their church, as described in Paul’s letters. There may be a few; I’ve been in some churches in Bulgaria or Romania where they take that instruction seriously, and they give you a holy kiss. We understand the principle of what Paul says there, “Greet one another with a warm greeting.” A warm greeting was expressed by a holy kiss in those cultures. It’s not the kissing that’s important, it’s the principle. In the same way, I’m arguing that it’s not the actual head covering that’s important; it’s the principle.
Now, is it permissible for somebody? I would say that if a woman wants to wear a head covering in a congregation today, she has full freedom to go ahead. There’s no command against it. But here’s the condition: don’t suppose that you’re observing the biblical principle of recognizing God’s leadership for a local congregation just by wearing a head covering.
Let me give you a hypothetical example. Imagine a woman who’s very fastidious about wearing a head covering. But at that church, she’s doing everything she can to take control and to undermine the leadership and to put herself forward. She’s keeping the outward cultural expression of that command, in New Testament times, but she’s not keeping the principle at all.
So, as long as the principle is observed, biblically speaking, I think women are free to wear or to not wear a head covering, as might please them. But I don’t think there’s a command to do it. The principle is commanded, not the outward expression. But neither is there a prohibition of it. I think it’s just a matter of individual conscience and what somebody would choose to do.
Did Jacob physically wrestle with an angel all night? Was this an allegory? Did Jacob physically wrestle with an angel all night? Would that mean that Jacob had abnormal strength and stamina to wrestle with something that wasn’t a human? Or is this an example of an allegory?
I do believe that Jacob physically wrestled with a being. However, I don’t think that it was fundamentally an angelic being. I think it was a what we call a Christophany or, in a more general sense, a theophany. This was an Old Testament appearance of Jesus Christ before His incarnation. We know that Jesus, as God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity, existed before His conception in Nazareth and His birth in Bethlehem. In His pre-incarnate existence, it seems clear from the pages of the Old Testament that there were times when the Angel of the Lord or some divine physical appearance occurred. This was nothing other than Jesus Christ appearing in human form before His incarnation. I believe that that’s who Jacob wrestled with.
I don’t know that God gave Jacob supernatural strength. In a way, I think Jacob had supernatural strength: the supernatural strength of stubbornness. Let me tell you, that is a supernatural strength, isn’t it? Some people have that divine gift of stubbornness like crazy.
So, we understand that Jesus wrestled with Jacob. By the way, I think the phrasing of this is very important. It doesn’t say that Jacob wrestled with the angel; the angel there would be Jesus Himself. But rather, it says that the Man, as he called it, wrestled with Jacob. This was initiated by God Himself. It was initiated by God Himself, to break Jacob of his self-will, to bring him to an end of himself.
I think Jacob very much had the supernatural strength, if you want to call it that, of self-will and stubbornness. And that’s what God broke down in Jacob, over this long, extended wrestling match.
I believe this was an actual appearance of Jesus, and Jesus measured His strength against Jacob to exhaust him fully and completely.
What does it mean to “grow in grace” as in 2 Peter 3:18? 2 Peter 3:18a – But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
That’s a wonderful question. I think it’s very important to grow in the grace of God. The grace of God is a principle and a truth that we should know and be growing in. As believers, it’s important for us to have a growing understanding and appreciation of the grace of God.
I wrote a book about grace, called “Standing in Grace.” Most of my books are Bible commentaries, but this one is all about grace. I wrote it and self-published it; no real publisher has ever picked it up. But I think it’s a good book, and you can order it from our online store. You can also find it in Kindle format on Amazon.
I think that grace is also used in a general sense. “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” is saying to grow spiritually, grow in your life and your relationship with the Lord. There is a real and genuine way in which we should grow in our understanding and experience of the grace of God.
Where in Scripture do people find the idea of praying, “I decree and declare”? There are passages of Scripture which speak very strongly about our authority in Christ in prayer. But that’s the kicker: We don’t have this authority resident within us. We can’t go around saying, “I want this, I want that, I decree this, I decree that,” in and of ourselves. Our authority in Jesus only goes as far as the authority and the will of Jesus Himself. I could decree something all day long, but if it’s not in the will of Jesus, it’s not going to happen.
The Bible speaks to us about our authority as believers. 1 John 5:14 – Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. Jesus said in John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” And in John 16:23, “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.”
These and similar passages really give us wonderful and important promises about prayer. We should be filled with faith when we pray. However, we need to recognize that our faith is not in our authority, in our will, in our analysis, but in God’s perfect wisdom and strength.
They might also get such an idea from passages like Matthew 16:19 and Matthew 18:18, where Jesus speaks of “binding and loosing.” I believe those passages specifically refer to the authority he was giving to the apostles of the first century, to be the rabbis for a new work of God’s kingdom.
I think those are the passages that would lead people to think that we can decree this or that. But we must come back to the principle that all the authority which a believer has is authority that’s given to them in Christ, and it can only be properly exercised in Christ.
What does it mean to be poor in spirit, as in Matthew 5? I’m going to refer to my commentary on Matthew 5 and the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus spoke about poverty of spirit, and made this wonderful promise, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
Jesus promised blessing to His disciples, promising that the poor in spirit are blessed.
This is not a man’s confession that he is by nature insignificant, or personally without value, for that would be untrue. Instead, it is a confession that he is sinful and rebellious and utterly without moral virtues adequate to commend him to God.
When we talk about ourselves being poor in spirit, there’s a sense in which we are bankrupt debtors before God. And we need His help. We need Him to come and make us alive.
The poor in spirit recognize that they have no spiritual “assets.” They know they are spiritually bankrupt. We might say that the ancient Greek had a word for the “working poor” and a word for the “truly poor.” Jesus used the word for the truly poor here. It indicates someone who must beg for whatever they have or get.
We are talking about people who are genuinely poor and recognize their poverty of spirit before God. We recognize that we are people of deep and profound need before God. We come to Him as beggars, as people who need. That is the starting point, and you could say that it’s a theme throughout a person’s walk with God. But God wants to make us blessed, to be richly thriving in spirit before Him. It’s not that we ever lose our essential need or dependence upon God. But we see that Jesus Christ brings us what we could never have in and of ourselves.
What’s your view of amillennialism? I think it’s an incorrect understanding of the Scriptures. It takes many clear and direct Old Testament passages and needs to allegorize them. Amillennialism is a way of saying, “No Millennial Kingdom.” It believes that all the promises of God about a Millennial Kingdom are merely symbolic and teaches that we are in the Millennium right now. Again, I disagree.
I don’t think the reign of Jesus is limited to 1000 years, but I believe the Bible refers to a specific 1000-year period where Jesus is doing something very important and special. The Book of Revelation specifically tells us that during this 1000-year period of Jesus’ reign, the devil is bound and prevented from any activity. Well, that’s not the world we see today, either described in the Scriptures or what we see with our own two eyes. For that reason, I would say that we are not in a symbolic Millennium right now. Of course, the kingdom of God is among us, and there is a real presence of God’s kingdom on earth right now. But not in the fully realized sense that the Scriptures speak so clearly about.
So those are some fundamental reasons why I would disagree with Amillennialism. I think that they have an incorrect view of the nature of God’s Kingdom, and the presence of God’s Kingdom among us in our current day.
What is the difference between a Levite and a priest? The Levites were a tribe in Israel. The 12 sons of Jacob were the 12 tribes of Israel. The tribe of Levi, from which we get the Levites, was one of the 12 tribes in Israel. The priests came from one family within the tribe of Levi: that one family was the family of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Aaron was the first High Priest of Israel, and all priests descended from Aaron and his direct family.
So that’s the difference. The priests were a much smaller group, all descended from one man, Aaron, the High Priest, who was the brother of Moses. But the Levites were an entire tribe of people.
Essentially, the Levites were there to serve the priests. Now, that’s not all they did; the Levites had other functions as well. But one important function of the Levites was to serve the priests, and to help them in the administration of their duties. The difference is between a tribe and one family within that tribe.
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Ein Engel des Herrn aber redete zu Philippus und sprach: Steh auf und wandere nach Süden auf der Straße, die von Jerusalem nach Gaza hinabführt; diese ist einsam. Und er stand auf und machte sich auf den Weg. (Apostelgeschichte 8,26-27a)
Es gibt nichts Besseres als eine Zeit, in der Gott kräftig wirkt. Man spürt Gottes Gegenwart und sein wunderbares Tun an jedem einzelnen Tag, manchmal sogar in jeder einzelnen Stunde. Manche Menschen nennen solche Zeiten “Erweckung” oder “geistliches Erwachen”, aber wie auch immer man sie nennt, sie sind wunderbar.
Apostelgeschichte 8 beschreibt genau eine solche Zeit in Samaria, einer Stadt in der Gegend zwischen Judäa und Galiläa. Eine Beschreibung dessen, was dort geschehen ist, befindet sich in Apostelgeschichte 8,6: Und die Volksmenge achtete einmütig auf das, was Philippus sagte, als sie zuhörten und die Zeichen sahen, die er tat. In Apostelgeschichte 8,8 heißt es einfach, dass in der Stadt große Freude herrschte.
In Zeiten in denen Gott so offensichtlich Wunder tut, gebraucht er Menschen wie dich und mich. Philippus war ein solcher Mensch, der von Gott in Samaria gebraucht wurde. Er sah die Ausgießung des Geistes Gottes und erlebte das Wunderbare was dort geschah, live und in Stereo.
Deshalb ist es merkwürdig, dass der Engel des Herrn ihm sagte, er solle an einen anderen Ort weiterziehen. Durch diesen Engel des Herrn sagte Gott zu Philippus, er solle aufstehen und in Richtung Süden gehen.
Ich frage mich, ob Philippus dies zunächst für eine schlechte Nachricht hielt. “Dieses erstaunliche Werk, das Gott in Samaria tut, verlassen? Das möchte ich nicht tun. Warum kann ich nicht noch viel länger hierbleiben und an allem teilhaben?”
Ich frage mich, ob die Menschen in Samaria, die gerade erst zum Glauben an Christus gekommen waren, das für eine schlechte Nachricht hielten. “Philippus kann uns nicht verlassen. Gott hat ihn so intensiv gebraucht. Wie kann das Werk Gottes weitergehen, wenn Philippus geht?”
Ich frage mich, ob die Aufforderung des Engels durch die Gegend in die Gott Philippus schickte, noch seltsamer wurde: das ist die Wüste. Wenn ich den Ruf hören würde, einen so gesegneten, fruchtbaren Dienst zu verlassen und an einen trostlosen Ort zu gehen, würde ich vielleicht denken, dass es der Teufel ist, der da gerade zu mir spricht und nicht der Herr. Es scheint töricht, einen Ort zu verlassen, an dem der Dienst so prächtig blüht und gedeiht, und mitten in die Wüste zu gehen.
Würde mir das passieren, dächte ich vielleicht “Nicht jetzt” oder “Nicht ich” oder “Nicht dort”. Einen fruchtbaren Dienst hinter mir zu lassen, um in eine Wüste zu gehen, ist aus menschlicher Sicht verrückt, aber es ist weise, wenn Gott es so will.
Deshalb liebe ich die Worte, mit denen die Apostelgeschichte 8,27 beginnt: “Und er stand auf und machte sich auf den Weg.” Philippus liebte Gott mehr als den Erfolg von Gottes Werk. Ich bin mir sicher, dass er ein wenig traurig war, wegzugehen, und unsicher darüber, was Gott mit ihm vorhatte. Aber Gott führte ihn, und Philippus folgte ihm. Es sollten gute Dinge geschehen.
Das Werk in Samaria ging genau so weiter, wie Gott es wollte. Gottes Arbeiter werden durch andere ersetzt, aber Gottes Werk geht weiter.
Lieber Freund, bleib immer in der Nähe von Jesus. Genieße die Zeiten voller Frucht und Segen, aber mach sie nicht zu Deinem Götzen. Gott wird mit dir sein, wohin er dich führt – wie Philippus gerade herausfinden sollte.
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Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. (Acts 8:29-31)
The Holy Spirit directed a servant among the early Christians to leave a successful work in Samaria and go to a desolate wilderness. Once there, Philip saw a chariot carrying an important man – a Jewish man from Ethiopia. This man had an important position in the Queen of Ethiopia’s government and was returning from a visit to Jerusalem.
The Holy Spirit who led Philip to the desert then said to him, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” It took a lot of boldness to do it, but Philip did what the Spirit told him to do. The Ethiopian was a rich man, a man of power, and at least in some way a celebrity. Yet Philip knew he needed Jesus just as much as anyone else.
We often shrink back from speaking boldly about Jesus, and the world lets us know we shouldn’t talk about such things. But the world does not hesitate to preach own message to us. We should be just as bold to the world about Jesus as the world is bold to us about sin.
Coming near, Philip heard him reading because it was common in the ancient world to read aloud. Listening, Philip knew the Ethiopian was reading the prophet Isaiah.
Philip knew God gave him an open door, a prepared heart. Plainly, God had arranged this meeting. Philip was effective as an evangelist because he knew how to flow with what the Holy Spirit wanted to do. He was truly led by the Spirit, not by his own whims and feelings.
Philip then asked an important question: “Do you understand what you are reading?” It was good for the Ethiopian to read the Bible, but unless understanding was brought to him, there was little benefit from his reading. But God had brought someone (Philip) to bring understanding.
The Ethiopian man answered, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” This is the proper question of anyone who wants to understand the Bible. We should never feel bad if we need to be taught before we can understand many things.
Here are two principles to understand your Bible better. First, find good teachers. It is wonderful when we come to understand the great truths of Bible on our own, but this passage shows us that God also has a place and a purpose for teachers among the followers of Jesus.
Second, to get more understanding from our Bibles, we must plunge in. Butterflies wander over the flowers in the garden and accomplish nothing, but bees plunge right down into the flower, and they carry away essential food. We won’t get anything if we just hover over our Bibles; we must dive right in.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Acts 8
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Conflict Resolution with Pastor Bill Walden and Pastor John Bonner
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Today’s Live Q&A is guest-hosted by Pastor Bill Walden, senior pastor at Calvary Chapel Vallejo, CA, and Pastor John Bonner, director of Calvary Chapel Bible College in Cajamarca, Peru.
Bill Walden: In pastoral ministry, we deal with people a lot. People have disagreements, and that’s okay, but sometimes disagreements turn into conflict, or create hard feelings, name calling, misunderstanding, or people losing their temper. It can turn into a very ugly situation, and feelings are hurt. Afterwards, sometimes we just don’t know how to deal with that situation. We might stay in the church but sit on the other side of the church and avoid them. We might not want to engage on social media with someone with whom we have had a conflict. Again, I’m not talking just about disagreement, but a situation where there’s hurt feelings. Sometimes people will leave a church over a conflict. Sometimes we might gossip about them, or they might gossip about us. That can happen in a sanctimonious way in asking others to pray for us because we said this or did that.
The Bible talks about the darts of the enemy. Sometimes thoughts come from the pit, and we think, oh boy, my reputation is probably spoiled. We experience many layers of emotions when disagreement goes to the point of conflict. We may even feel like we can’t reenter any kind of relationship with that person.
The Lord has given us methods and commands about this. First, I’d like to share two passages with you, and then I’ll invite Pastor John to make some comments as well. In Ephesians 4:3, the apostle Paul writes to the church of Ephesus, “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Now, the apostle Paul doesn’t say, “endeavoring to create unity,” because as Christians, we are organically and supernaturally linked together: we are one body in Christ, so we have unity.
Instead, he is strongly exhorting the Christians to keep that unity. In other words, to guard, or maintain, or protect, or practice, or desire the unity. I was chatting with a Four-square pastor one time, and he said, “Endeavoring is a sweat word. It takes a lot of work.”
Paul tells the Ephesians to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Let me substitute some other verbs in there: try hard to keep the unity, make it your aim to keep the unity, be deliberate about keeping the unity, make every effort to keep the unity. Strive to keep the unity; there is a holy striving that we can do.
But we sometimes go from disagreement to conflict and hurt feelings. In a moment of anger or seeming insult or being misunderstood, things are said or done. Now there are hurt feelings and people are kind of separated. We’re responding to these really strong emotions. These emotions can keep us from wanting to try to reconcile with a brother or sister. I’m sure you’ve seen it many times, Pastor John. Our emotions keep us from following through on this commandment. Any thoughts?
John Bonner: It’s a very hard thing. We are emotional creatures; the Lord has made us this way. I think many times He allows us to go through conflicts with our brothers and sisters in the Lord. It has been said, “Ministry would be wonderful if it weren’t for the people.”
Bill Walden: “The church would be great if it wasn’t for the people.” Wherever there are people, there’s going to be disagreement, and disagreement is okay. Disagreement doesn’t mean that unity is broken, but conflict is when unity begins to splinter. So how do we endeavor to reconcile with brothers or sisters when we have a certain level of fear that things might go badly? We don’t want to enter back into that hurtful relationship, especially since feelings were hurt, and accusations spoken.
Proverbs 14:10 – “The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy.”
Nobody can know how I feel, except God and me. My heart knows when it feels sad. My heart knows when it feels joyful. But other people can misread us and even assign ill motives to us and misunderstand us. Maybe we didn’t respond to them the way that they had hoped. They don’t consider that maybe we have a headache that day and were just kind of struggling.
They consider it like, “Oh, you’re rejecting me; you don’t like me; you don’t love me.” It’s so easy for us to miscalculate and misinterpret people’s responses. One thing leads to another, words are said, and accusations started. These things happen, and it’s tragic.
We are called to strive to protect and maintain that unity. But one of the things that keeps us from doing that is fear about how the problem going to be healed, and whether the other person will cooperate.
First, God commands us to do resolve conflict. We are not invited to maintain the unity of the Spirit only if we feel like it, or when we finally see some sign of evidence that the other person is willing to resolve it. We are called to be determined and deliberate and willing to do the work. When somebody hurts my feelings, I need to be able to say to myself, “I have these emotions, these thoughts, and these fears. But I need to be willing to do whatever it takes.”
Romans 12:18 – “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
I can only do my part, and that will require faith. First, I need to believe that this is a command. And then I need to step back into what may feel like a boxing ring. But maybe the boxing ring has turned into a garden, and I don’t know it yet. But I need to be willing to do whatever it takes to step back into that relationship, and not try to practice self-preservation or self-protection or anything like that.
Matthew 16:24 –Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Our natural response in conflict is to avoid it. We hope it goes away, or hope God speaks to the other person and changes them. We pray that God shows the other person that we were right, and they were wrong.
John Bonner: As with most things as believers, I think this requires an element of trust, humility, and faith. We trust that God has been working with this other person, and that He’ll give us the words to speak. Yes, there is a big risk involved and nobody wants to get hurt. Obedience to the Lord often requires that we put ourselves in that situation, and say, “Okay, Lord, here I am; I’m going to take this step of faith and talk to this person again.”
Bill Walden: Yeah, for that first part of endeavoring to keep the unity in the Spirit, we just need to be willing to do the work. I don’t see that God asks us to figure it all out. He is not saying, “Be willing to do the work when I give you a guarantee that the other person will change,” or “Be willing to do the work when you get the perfect plan.” I don’t see that. The Bible just says, “Endeavoring.” Make the effort; be deliberate about it. Like Nike says, “Just do it.”
In Matthew 14, Jesus and the disciples had had a very long day of ministry, when Jesus fed the multitudes with the fish and the loaves. Afterwards he told His disciples to get in the boat and to row across the Sea of Galilee, as it was starting to get dark. It says then that Jesus went up onto the mountain to pray. By about the fourth watch of the night, which according to ancient timetables was between three and six in the morning, the disciples had been rowing contrary to the wind all night long, and then a storm arose. And Jesus came walking to them on the water.
The connection in my mind is this: they had a very good reason to be afraid. Some of them were seasoned fishermen. At least some of them had probably seen storms like this; on rare occasions, waves can reach heights of up to ten feet on the Sea of Galilee. They weren’t overly sensitive; they had a legitimate fear.
Sometimes when we’re in conflict with people, it feels like we’ve been overwhelmed by 10-foot waves pushing us back down again. We don’t know what’s going to happen if we try to resolve things, but we don’t want to go back into that. Similarly, the disciples had a legitimate fear, and then they saw Jesus walking on the water. They knew Jesus well, but at this moment they thought He was a ghost. They had never seen Him that way. He was coming for their rescue in a way that they didn’t recognize.
Matthew 14:27 – But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
Sometimes I think it’s helpful to consider what Jesus didn’t say. He didn’t say, “Be of good cheer; you have a strong boat.” He didn’t say, “Be of good cheer; you’re seasoned fisherman.” He didn’t say, “Be of good cheer; the storm is going to pass.” He didn’t say any of those things to bring them peace or calmness. He said, “Be of good cheer; it’s Me.” As I understand it, He didn’t even correct them for being afraid. Any thoughts, John? I’m sure you’ve taught this passage many times.
John Bonner: I was just thinking that He told His disciples in verse 22, to prepare and get into the boat and go with Him to the other side. If Jesus says we’re going to go to the other side, then we are going to go to the other side. There are no “ifs,” “ands,” or “buts;” we’re going to get there. The fact that they thought they were going to perish in the storm tells me that they didn’t take Jesus at His Word. And that’s what we need to do. We need to believe what He says; if He says we’re going to get to the other side, we know that He’s going to get us to the other side.
Bill Walden: Circumstances cause them to forget His promise. When I’ve been in conflict with somebody, it feels like a storm. But the remedy for all of us is to be of good cheer; Jesus is with me, and He’s with you. That’s the first place that I need to go.
Let’s connect those two passages together. I need to be willing to do the work. But when fear wants to redirect me somewhere else, and to forget about the promises of God, I can lose my peace. I can be willing to do the work, and then suddenly it’s challenging. The remedy is that Jesus is with me, so I can be cheerful. I need to remember what He has said: He will never leave us and never forsake us.
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Da antwortete Simon und sprach: Betet ihr für mich zum Herrn, dass nichts von dem, was ihr gesagt habt, über mich komme! (Apostelgeschichte 8,24)
Simon lebte als Zauberer unter den Samaritern, und sprach das, was Philippus und die andere verkündeten ihn an. Doch die Art und Weise, wie Simon sich verhielt (Apostelgeschichte 8,18-19), und wie Petrus ihn zurechtwies (Apostelgeschichte 8,20-23), zeigte, dass es in Simons Glauben an Jesus und an seiner Bekehrung etwas gab, was nicht aufrichtig war und fehlte.
In Apostelgeschichte 8,24 sehen wir noch etwas Anderes, was mit Simon nicht stimmte: Er weigerte sich, sich vor Gott zu demütigen und wirklich Buße zu tun. Stattdessen lehnte er es ab, die Verantwortung für seine Sünde zu übernehmen – und tat dies mit geistlich klingenden Worten.
Als Petrus Simon zur Rede stellte, sagte er: “Betet ihr für mich zum Herrn, dass nichts von dem, was ihr gesagt habt, über mich komme!“ Anstatt wirklich demütig vor Gott zu treten, bat Simon Petrus dafür zu beten, dass ihm die Folgen seiner Sünde erspart blieben. Das zeigt, dass Simon zwar durch den Heiligen Geist eine echte Überzeugung spürte, aber noch nicht bereit war, sein Leben voll und ganz in Gottes Hand zu legen. Petrus konnte für Simon zum Herrn beten, aber er konnte Simons Herz nicht Gott übergeben, das konnte er nur selber tun.
Die Tür zur Umkehr und zur Möglichkeit, mit Gott wieder ins Reine zu kommen, stand Simon offen, er hätte nur noch hindurchtreten müssen – aber Petrus konnte es nicht für ihn tun. Wenige Verse zuvor hatte Petrus Simon kühn herausgefordert: “So tue nun Buße über diese deine Bosheit und bitte Gott, ob dir die Tücke deines Herzens vielleicht vergeben werden mag” (Apostelgeschichte 8,22). Petrus sagte zu Simon: “Bete zu Gott”, und Simon bat Petrus: “Bete für mich”.
Als Simon Petrus bat, “Bitte bete für mich”, war das eine Möglichkeit, Petrus zu bitten, etwas zu tun, anstatt es selber in die Hand zu nehmen.
Denke immer daran, dass der Prediger nicht für Dich glauben, und auch nicht für Dich Buße tun kann. Schließlich hat der Prediger selbst genug damit zu tun, von der eigenen Sünde umzukehren! Der Prediger kann für dich beten, aber du solltest auch selber für dich beten – so wie Petrus es Simon aufgetragen hat.
Wir wissen nicht, was aus Simon wurde. Die kirchliche Überlieferung besagt, dass er einen schlechten Weg einschlug und später zu einem gefährlichen Irrlehrer unter den ersten Christen wurde. Wir wissen nicht, wie genau diese Berichte sind; es ist möglich, dass Simon Buße tat und seine Beziehung zu Gott wieder in Ordnung brachte.
Wenn wir das Gefühl haben, dass der Heilige Geist uns darauf aufmerksam macht, dass da etwas nicht stimmt, ist es üblich, sich der Verantwortung zu entziehen, etwas gegen die Sünde zu tun, auf die er uns aufmerksam macht. Wenn der Heilige Geist zu mir über Stolz spricht, geschieht es häufig, dass ich anfange, in anderen Menschen Stolz zu sehen und zu glauben, dass sie davon umkehren sollten.
Wie in der Situation mit Simon ist es möglich, dass ich, wenn ich demütig und reumütig zu Gott beten sollte, lieber jemand anderen bitte, für mich zu beten.
Übernimm heute die Verantwortung für Deinen Weg mit Gott und Dein Wachstum in Jesus. Wenn der Heilige Geist Dich auf etwas aufmerksam macht, was Du ändern solltest, dann gib die Verantwortung nicht an jemand anderen weiter.
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher –
You made it through another weekend of serving God, His people, and a world that needs Jesus so much! Here’s a brief word from Psalm 52 that might just encourage you today.
Psalm 52 carries a lot of pain. David was outraged when a wicked man massacred innocent priests. Given the burden this psalm bears, it’s wonderful to see this toward the end of Psalm 52:
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. (Psalm 52:8)
Most of us won’t experience the same kind of violent crisis that prompted this psalm, but we have our own burdens and wounds. There are more than a few pains to carry when you give yourself to serve God, His people, and a needy world. No matter what weight you’re under, this is for you to say in the name of the God you serve:
I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God.
The traumatic events David responded to happened at the tabernacle (1 Samuel 21:1-7). Maybe when David was there, he saw a healthy green olive tree that was even more blessed because of where it was planted (in the house of God).
David said, “No matter what I’ve been through, I’m going to be like that green olive tree. I’m going to flourish as I trust in the mercy of God, and God helping me I do so forever and ever.”
All the wicked and those who set themselves against God’s work will one day pass and perish. Be encouraged that by God’s mercies, you can be like the green olive tree in the house of God – flourishing, growing, fruitful, life-giving, vibrant.
Ask God for this mercy today – and walk in it forever and ever.
Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik
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Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. So he arose and went. (Acts 8:26-27a)
There’s nothing like a season where God moves in power. There is a real sense of God’s presence and effective working day to day, and sometimes hour to hour. Some people call such seasons “revival” or “spiritual awakening,” but whatever one calls them, they are wonderful.
Acts 8 describes just such a season in Samaria, a city in the region in between Judea and Galilee. One description of it is in Acts 8:6: And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. Acts 8:8 simply says, there was great joy in that city.
In such wonderful seasons of God’s work, He uses people like you and me. Philip was just such a man used by God in Samaria. He saw this outpouring of God’s Spirit and experienced the miraculous first-hand.
That’s why it seems striking when angel of the Lord told him to move on to another place. Through this angel of the Lord God told Philip to arise, and go toward the south.
I wonder if Philip first thought this was bad news. “Leave this amazing work God is doing in Samaria? I don’t want to do that. Why can’t I stay here much longer and be part of it all?”
I wonder if the new Christians in Samaria thought this was bad news. “Philip can’t leave us. God has used him so mightily. How can the work of God go on if Philip leaves?”
I wonder if it was even stranger because of where God told Philip to go: this is desert. If I heard a call to leave such a blessed, fruitful ministry and go to a desolate place, I might think it was the devil speaking and not the Lord. It seems foolish to leave a place of prospering ministry and to go a desert road.
If it were me, I might think, “Not now” or “Not me” or “Not there.” Leaving fruitful ministry to go to a desert is crazy from man’s perspective, but it is wise if God directs it.
That’s why I love the words that begin Acts 8:27: So he arose and went. Philip loved God more than he loved the success of God’s work. I’m sure he was a bit sad to leave and was uncertain about what God had in front of him. But God was leading, and Philip followed. Good things were going to happen.
The work in Samaria continued just as God wanted it to. God’s workmen change, but God’s work goes on.
Dear friend, stay close to Jesus. Enjoy seasons of great fruit and blessing, but don’t make an idol of them. God will be with you where He leads you – as Philip was about to find out.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Acts 8
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A Miracle Message for the Masses?
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From Marlene:
I am struggling with a church I love to go to. The sermons seem fine, but the Instagram postings are a different story… they would often talk like “God has a miracle waiting for you today, so you believe it” and stuff. When I asked about it, they said that Jesus spoke differently to the crowds than to His disciples, and He gave the crowds the milk whereas His disciples got the meat. Where would we draw the line? To me it doesn’t sound right to catch people that way… maybe David could elaborate on that?
- I’m glad that the sermons are fine at your church!
- You’re right to be wary of this approach.
- We believe God works miracles! Yet, we can’t “promise” miracles at any specific time and place.
- It’s dangerous to win people with the spectacular, with miracles and such.
- I think your pastor and your church has good motives -to win people to Jesus.
- Yet, our call isn’t to “win converts” but to “make disciples”!
- What you win them with is what you win them to – you’ll have to keep the miracles coming, or you’ll have a lot of disillusioned people.
- Jesus did NOT have a different message for the crowds than He had for the disciples. Both were radically called to follow Him.
Luke 14:25-27
Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
So, we’re not anti-miracle – we are pro-miracle!
We believe that over time, followers of Jesus will see Him do amazing, miraculous things.
But we can’t promise specific miracles or specific timing for miracles.
We must tell the truth about what it means to follow Jesus – making disciples, not just converts.
Is the Earth 6000 years old? Will the Millennial reign be the 7000th year? Do you think that the earth is 6000 years old? When Jesus comes back and reigns for 1000 years, do you think that will be the “Sabbath” or the 7000th year?
There is no way for us to know the age of the Earth with precision, biblically speaking. Interestingly, scientists feel like they have an exact answer to that question; they’ll say something like it was 14.354 billion years ago, but among scientists there is no universal agreement upon this. Their general consensus is that the earth is millions, if not billions, of years old. They feel they can have precision about this great period of the past, but the Bible just doesn’t tell us.
There are people such as the famous Archbishop James Ussher who, by referring to the genealogies of the Old Testament and the book of Genesis, calculated that the Earth was in present day reckoning somewhere around 6000 years old. But I don’t think that we can regard Ussher’s chronology as being exhaustive or absolutely correct.
Generally, I am part of the group that would say that I believe in a relatively young earth. I don’t exactly know what “relatively young” means. But I believe that it’s not unreasonable and certainly within God’s capability to create an earth with age built into it. I could give you several examples.
We know that there were trees in the garden of Eden. Now, please don’t cut down the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; God said, “Don’t eat the fruit of it,” but I’m sure we weren’t supposed to cut it down either. But if you were to cut down a tree in the garden of Eden, would it have rings in the middle? Well, I think it would.
When Adam was created, he had markers of age. Adam was not created as a fertilized egg, who grew from there. Presumably, he was created as a fully grown man, maybe 25 or 30 or 35 years old, whatever it would be.
So, if God created the trees of the garden of Eden with age built into them, and He created the human beings who populated the Garden of Eden with age built into them, then I don’t see any absolute reason why God could not do the same for the Earth itself. I know that answer may offend some people, but I don’t see the great offense in it. I would simply say that we have a relatively young Earth. I wouldn’t say 6000 years; I would just say relatively young.
Because of that, I don’t put a lot of stock in the idea that each millennium of human history is represented by 1000 years, that we’ve had 6000 years of human history, and that now we’re about to embark on the 7000th year, which will be the start of the 1000-year reign of Christ, or the Millennium. I don’t really put much stock in that idea. I wouldn’t throw it out or say it’s impossible, but I don’t put a lot of stock in the concept.
Why will animal sacrifices be resumed during the Millennium? First, I recommend that you read through my commentary on the final portion of the book of Ezekiel, from chapters 40-48: https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/ezekiel-40/
I give a much more exhaustive answer in my commentary, but I’ll give you a summary here. Animal sacrifices are resumed, but not for the atonement of sin. That would be wrong. You might even say that would be blasphemous. I know blasphemous is a strong term, but to do animal sacrifices for the atonement of sin, after the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, is to in some way either deny or at the very least lessen the greatness of the work of Jesus.
I do not believe that the animal sacrifices in the book of Ezekiel and Revelation have to do with atonement; that was once for all provided by the work of Jesus at the cross. However, we need to understand that atonement for sin was not the only purpose or reason for animal sacrifice. Animal sacrifices could be offered as an expression of total dedication unto the Lord. Animal sacrifices could be offered as fellowship offerings with God. Animal sacrifices could be offered in fulfillment of a vow. Animal sacrifices could be offered to praise God and give Him honor.
So, I would have to say that it is resumed in light of these other aspects of sacrifice, and not to atone for sin. But let me bring up one other matter regarding this. I think it’s also very important to point out that, although this work is finished, there is also a commemorative aspect to these sacrifices. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to a place like Colonial Williamsburg, where people dress up in historical costumes and reenact things from hundreds of years ago, to give people in the present day a sense of what it was like in the past.
I believe there’s a bit of a sense of historical reenactment in the renewed sacrifices, to show the people who populate the earth during the Millennium what it was like to serve God and to honor God in previous generations and previous millennia.
During worship, are emotional responses like dancing a work of the Holy Spirit? If some get happy during the praise and worship service, and people start to dance or run around the building, we call it shouting. Is this the work of the Holy Spirit? Or is this just their emotions?
There’s a principle that we gather from the New Testament: “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (1 Corinthians 14:32). This is one of several places in the Scriptures which teach us the principle that God does not overwhelm a person or control their physical actions by the filling of the Holy Spirit. The spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets.
In other words, being indwelt by the Holy Spirit is not like demonic possession. One potential evidence of demonic possession is uncontrollable action with the body. This is not what the Holy Spirit does. I believe it’s possible for the Holy Spirit to genuinely move upon people, and their reaction to that moving of the Holy Spirit might be peculiar. For example, a person may be under intense conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, and they start trembling or shaking, maybe even violently. Friends, it’s not the Holy Spirit that’s making them shake; what they’re probably doing is resisting the work of the Holy Spirit. There’s something physiologically happening inside of them because they areresisting the work of the Holy Spirit.
For that reason, I don’t think the Holy Spirit makes someone run around the room or makes someone dance. Now, a person could be so filled with joy that they want to dance, but they want to do it, and they’re in control. They can stop dancing or running around the room if they want. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
Within the Christian world, there is a whole spectrum of what connects with or resonates with people in worship. Some people are content with a reverent heart directed towards God in silence, or maybe with a little bit of ceremony, a little bit of incense, a little bit of liturgy, and that’s fine. But there are other people who are much more energetic in their expression of worship, and that is more meaningful to them. I don’t think you can say that the Holy Spirit has caused or forced either of these types to respond this way. It has more to do with the personality and the response of that individual person.
Finally, it’s up to the individual to be sensitive to their surroundings. If I am in a worship service, and half the room starts dancing, it’s not going to be a distraction if I start dancing. Well, let me take that back. It would be a distraction if I started dancing because I’m a terrible dancer and everybody would notice; but in general, it wouldn’t be a distraction if one more person started dancing within the room.
Now, if you have a room where no one is dancing, and one person goes up to the front and starts dancing, they are immediately going to draw the attention of everybody in the room upon them. That is not right. Often, it’s selfish; I won’t say always, but often. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey everybody, look at me. Look at what I can do. Stop thinking about the Lord as you sing the song, and start thinking about me, the dancing guy or the dancing queen in the front row.”
We shouldn’t have this desire to draw the congregation’s attention to ourselves in worship. The attention should be on the Lord. The things which draw attention and the things which don’t are very much connected to context. As I said, if half the room is already dancing, it’s not going to matter if one more does. But if nobody in the room is doing it, then it’s going to draw attention to oneself. That kind of thing doesn’t have a heart to edify or to honor the entire body of Christ present at a congregational meeting.
No, I don’t think that these physical manifestations are directly the work of the Spirit. I think it’s a human reaction to what the Holy Spirit is doing, chosen in some way or another by the person. It’s really a matter of context to determine whether these things are good or should be allowed. We especially need to take care when it would be done in a context that would draw attention to ourselves.
Has David Guzik visited Israel? Which structure from Bible times stands out the most to you? Have you ever visited Israel or Jerusalem? If so, what’s one of the structures that stands out to you today from the time of Jesus?
Yes, I have been to Israel and to Jerusalem several times. It’s been a great pleasure to go to Israel. Right now, I’m in the Middle East, but not in Israel. I won’t be visiting Israel on this trip. While I have been to Israel many times and I love to visit Israel, it’s also good to get out and see what God is doing in the broader region of the Middle East. I do believe God loves Israel and has a wonderful plan for them. Meanwhile, God is working in other nations in other places around the Middle East, and in this Gulf region where I’m at. It’s good for me to see that and to be reminded of that.
Now, what are the structures that stand out to me today from the time of Jesus? I’ll just give you one example. It is the area that is normally called the Southern Steps. This is the area right outside the southern wall of the Temple Mount. What makes this area so special is that they have uncovered some of the original marble steps that led up to the Temple Mount. It was the entrance for the common people to reach the Temple Mount. It would have been the way that Jesus and His disciples, along with innumerable other people, would have gone up to the Temple.
To look at those steps, to see the setting and arrangement, and to realize that my Savior, Jesus Christ, walked upon these very steps, is staggering to think about. In many places, it is the original stone from the time of Jesus, and Jesus walked on these original steps. There are many memorable places in Israel. I look forward to visiting Israel again later this year.
How can we encourage the Body of Christ to be less individualistic? Greetings from Nairobi City, Kenya. I just discovered your ministry a few days ago. I’m a pastor here in Kenya. I see a lot of ministries going towards getting the individual believer to discover and pursue their personal purposes and destinies. It doesn’t seem to matter to many that the Christian life is to be lived in the experience of the Body of Christ corporate, with each serving others and being served by others. How can we adjust from being seekers of our personal blessedness, to be willing to participate in the blessedness of the Body of Christ? Your thoughts?
Thank you for such a wonderful question. I think it’s a very perceptive and helpful question for the present day. I can’t say this for sure, but I wonder whether this focus on the individual being blessed has been exported from American Christianity, and received or imported into the African Christianity where you are ministering in Kenya?
I think it’s sort of a hallmark of Western Christianity, especially in America, that we are very focused on the individual. Now, there are good parts to the individual emphasis of American Christianity, and I could talk about the good parts of it. But there are also inherent dangers and weaknesses. The idea that the whole purpose of Christianity is to bless me, to make me happy, or for me to discover my purpose is misguided. Furthermore, it does not lead to true happiness and fulfillment.
Jesus created us to be fundamentally servants to one another. We find our greatest fulfillment in life when we esteem others greater than ourselves, as Paul said in Philippians. Many people are chronically frustrated because they can’t seem to find the focus or purpose or destiny for their life. But the best thing they could do is to forget about trying to find it. Why don’t you just go out and be a blessing to some other people? Look for other people to bless, to prefer others greater than yourself, as Paul writes again in Philippians. It’s this attitude of laying down one’s life, of serving others, of having that real Jesus style and nature, which is really the path to great fulfillment. Friends, the happiest people you’ll ever meet in your life, are going to be the people who understand these servant principles in the life in ministry of Jesus.
I think we can be people who constantly exhort other people on these lines. We can demonstrate the right way to live this out through our own lives. We’d be lying if we said that this mentality of individualism that’s abroad in our culture doesn’t infect us. We want to be those who put others first. Or what’s the order that some people talk about? God first, others second, and myself third, and maybe that’s a pretty distant third.
I know that goes against the spirit of our age. In America and the Western world, the spirit of the age says, “You’d better look out for yourself first, and take care of yourself first. Don’t let anybody get one over on you, and don’t let anybody see your weakness. Get whatever you can from them.” There needs to be a place where we say, “No, I’m going to follow the purpose and the plan of Jesus.” Let me tell you, true joy of life is found in that.
I hope that God gives you continued grace and wisdom to be able to really present the servant nature and the servant style of Jesus. I would recommend to you some resources by a man named Gayle Erwin, especially his book, “The Jesus Style.” You can find these resources for free online in text and audio books at servant.org. Gayle is a remarkable man with a very generous heart to make his resources available broadly and often at no cost.
This servant lifestyle really is the pathway to a life of love and joy and peace. It’s exhausting to constantly “look out for number one.” It’s blessed to put God first, others second, and ourselves third.
Can animals be demon-possessed? That is an interesting and somewhat difficult question. I have had no practical experience with an animal which I thought was demon-possessed. I can say from the Bible, that there was an occasion when Jesus cast a group of demons into a herd of pigs, so there’s at least some biblical precedent for these demonic spirits to inhabit animals. Whether that was a one-time occasion, or it’s something that can happen at other times, I don’t know. But I don’t think we need to live in fear of such things.
Whether a demonic spirit can inhabit the body of an animal in some way, it doesn’t turn away the truth that the Bible says, “Greater is He who is within you than he who is in the world.” It doesn’t matter if that demonic spirit is in the world possessing an animal of some kind or not. The Spirit of God is mightier within us, and He has more power than any demonic spirit.
Ultimately, we don’t have much biblical mention of this, but we know that it has happened on at least one occasion.
What’s the difference between fallen angels and demons? There’s some debate on this question among Christians. I come out on the side where I believe that fallen angels and demonic spirits are the same thing. I would say that demonic spirits are fallen angels. Again, I don’t want to act like that opinion is without controversy in the Christian world. There are certainly some who would disagree and say that fallen angels and demonic spirits have different origin points and are different things altogether. To me, it makes the most sense to say that these demonic spirits are fallen angels. That is my best understanding of the Scriptures.
Can demons hear our thoughts? The Scriptures do not specifically answer this question. My guess is that angels or demonic spirits cannot hear our thoughts or read our minds, but they are such constant and experienced observers of human nature, both generally and individually, that they can reliably guess what we think at any moment. They can’t do this perfectly, of course; only God is perfect. But I think that they are such expert observers of human nature, concerning both general human nature and specific individuals, that they can reliably guess what we are thinking.
I heard one preacher put it this way. He said, “Listen, if my wife can know what I’m thinking, then maybe the devil can as well.” I think that’s kind of a humorous way to put it. I hope that man wasn’t equating the devil with his wife. But I think you understand what I mean. My wife can’t actually enter into my mind or read my thoughts by some kind of mystical mind transfer or something like that. However, she doesn’t have to. She’s lived with me long enough. She’s seen me enough. She knows my mannerisms, my cues, my habits, and my patterns well enough to where she can reliably guess what I’m thinking. The same principle can hold true for demonic spirits as well.
What are your thoughts on inerrancy versus infallibility of Scripture? What are your thoughts on inerrancy versus infallibility? And why does it seem that only American Christians care about inerrancy?
First, I would push back on the idea that it’s only American Christians who care about inerrancy. I’ll agree that the debate in the present day is stronger in America. But throughout history, it’s been widely believed that the Bible doesn’t have errors. That’s what we’re talking about. Inerrant means that there were no errors in the autographed original text manuscripts. The Scriptures we have today are extremely reliable copies of those autographs, though admittedly not perfect copies. That has been the widely held tradition, even if the specific word “inerrancy” wasn’t used.
The word “inerrancy” came into fashion in theological circles in the 20th century, in response to what you might call theologically liberal attacks against the integrity of the Scriptures. They said things like, “No, the Bible is wrong. Creation didn’t happen the way it said it happened. Oh, the Bible’s wrong. Noah’s Flood couldn’t have happened the way it says it happened in the Bible. No, the Bible’s wrong. God couldn’t have asked Abraham to do this.” They carry that argument on and on, even down to the person and work of Jesus.
People say, “Well, the Bible’s wrong when it says that Jesus rose from the dead; we know people don’t do that.” They just believe that the Bible was filled with a lot of errors.
In response to that, in the 20th century, there were people who formulated the idea that the Bible is without error. Again, we go back to its autographed copies. It is without error in what it says, what it affirms, and what it teaches. When the Bible teaches history, it’s true history; when it teaches poetry, it’s true poetry; when it teaches prophecy, it’s true prophecy. And we can just rest in this.
Now, the term “inerrancy” has fallen into disfavor in some circles. It’s thought of as radical, crazy, or fundamentalist. Some circles believe they are more sophisticated than that. Look, if you don’t like the term inerrancy, maybe you would prefer to say, “I believe the Bible is infallible, without failure in any way, without error.”
The question is, do you believe that the Bible’s wrong about anything? If you don’t believe the Bible is wrong about anything, then I can argue you’re inerrant. You believe that the Bible is right in everything. I don’t care about the specific terms so much, but the concept behind the term is very important.
If you think that the Bible is wrong about something – wrong in its history, wrong in its laws, wrong in its prophecy, wrong in its poetry – then be honest and say it. I am hesitant with people who don’t want to use the term inerrant, and maybe they’re critical of those people who do use that term, while at the same time, they’re very coy about whether or not they think there are errors in the Bible.
Look, let’s just be clear. If you think there are errors in the Bible, then just say, “I think there are errors in the Bible. And here is what I think this is an error.” That’s ok; then we know where you stand. But there’s no reason to be coy about at all. That’s my perspective.
You are correct that the word “inerrancy” became a thing in the 20th century. Those battles have been more pronounced in America. But parts of the world are just not fighting those battles because they believe the Bible. When you find Christians in Africa who are right on, I don’t think they’re agonizing over an error; they just believe the Bible’s true. That’s what inerrancy is: it’s believing the Bible is true.
In Europe, inerrancy isn’t much of an issue, because so many churches have surrendered in that battle that it’s not an issue. I’m speaking generally. The attitude is, “Yeah, we all know the Bible is filled with errors, so why should we fight over it?” Curiously, this battle has been fought been more in North America, specifically in the United States. There have been people who promote theological liberalism and an undermining of the integrity of Scriptures, and there have been other people who say, “No, we’re not we’re not going to do that.”
You’re right that this battle has been most dramatically fought in America, and the term itself is fairly recent, but the concept goes back throughout church history.
Did creation happen in six literal 24-hour days? I believe that the Bible is without error. The Bible is true in what it says. When the Bible teaches history, it’s true history. When it teaches poetry, it’s true poetry, and so on. Here’s the debate with Genesis 1-2. There are some people who really honor and respect the Scriptures, who argue that this section is not written historically, it’s written poetically. They would argue that it was never intended to be understood in a literal, historic sense.
There are other people who argue that the greater evidence is on the side of Genesis 1-2 being written more in a historical sense than a poetic sense. They would tend towards something like six literal 24-hour days.
If God intended to create the world in six literal 24-hour days, I don’t have the slightest doubt that He could do it. It’s not beyond the scope of God’s capability to do so. To me the issue rides on whether we regard Genesis 1-2 as a fundamentally historic narrative in its literary approach, or as a poetic narrative. Some scholars would say that, at least in some sense, it’s a combination of these genres.
I’m no expert on the nuances of Hebrew literature in the original. I lean towards regarding it as historic. I lean towards regarding Creation as happening in something like six 24-hour days.
I believe it’s important for every Christian to argue strongly that God is the Creator. We are not created by fate or chance or blind evolution. I don’t think that people who support the Old Earth or Day Age theories are correct, but I don’t think that they’re heretics. I think they’re wrong. But I reserve heresy for beliefs that will drive a person to Hell. I don’t think God is going to send anybody to hell for being mistaken about that. I don’t mean to say that I think it’s an insignificant issue. But I long for people to emphasize the idea that God is the Creator. I think that Genesis 1-2 is fundamentally a narrative with poetic elements in it, and it leans towards something like six 24-hour days.
Do we receive Jesus and the Holy Spirit by invitation or simply as a gift? Do we invite the Holy Spirit or Jesus in, or are they given to us, and we receive them?
Here’s your answer: Yes. We do both. We invite them in, and God gives them to us. We can’t create the infilling of the Holy Spirit in ourselves. It just doesn’t work that way. This is not something that human beings can manufacture. It’s something we receive from God.
Normally, God does not bestow or pour out His Holy Spirit upon unwilling or unreceptive people. I fully allow that there are some exceptions. But in general, the way God works is to create within a person a desire and willingness, and they ask, and God bestows.
I don’t see any contradiction between our asking and receiving and God bestowing. The problem or contradiction would arise if this somehow put us in control of the giving or the reception of the Holy Spirit. No, never could we be in control. This is God’s work, but it is a work that we must receive from God.
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Doch Petrus erwiderte: „Dein Geld soll zusammen mit dir verderben, weil du glaubst, du könntest Gottes Geschenk kaufen! Du hast kein Recht darauf, weil dein Herz vor Gott nicht aufrichtig ist. Kehre dich ab von deiner Verdorbenheit und bete zum Herrn. Vielleicht vergibt er dir deine bösen Gedanken. denn ich sehe, dass du voll Bitterkeit bist und gefangen in der Ungerechtigkeit” (Apostelgeschichte 8,20-23)
Gott wirkte mächtig in der Stadt Samaria, und einer derjenigen, die davon berührt wurden, war ein Zauberer namens Simon. Nachdem er seinen Glauben kundgetan hatte und getauft worden war, sah Simon was die Macht Gottes vollbrachte und wollte die Fähigkeit, den Heiligen Geist weiterzugeben, kaufen.
Petrus entgegnete Simon scharf: „Dein Geld soll zusammen mit dir verderben”. Simon war so weit vom dem entfernt, was Gott wollte, dass er es verdient hatte so heftig zurechtgewiesen zu werden. Es muss herausfordernd gewesen sein, die Dinge so klar zu sehen und auf den Punkt zu bringen, wie Petrus es hier tat. Nur wenige Menschen würden heute einen scheinbar jungen Christen so stark zurechtweisen. Doch Petrus war bereit, Simon die Wahrheit in Liebe zu sagen, auch wenn es für Simon und die Umstehenden schwer zu ertragen gewesen sei muss, sie zu hören.
Petrus zeigte ganz genau, worin die Sünde von Simon bestand: Du dachtest, die Gabe Gottes könne man mit Geld kaufen! Natürlich lag Simon mit diesem Gedanken falsch. Die Gaben Gottes sind Geschenke, die wir durch den Glauben empfangen. Was wir von Gott empfangen, hat Auswirkungen darauf, was wir mit unserem Geld tun; aber wir können die Gaben Gottes nicht mit Geld kaufen.
Die Worte, die Petrus benutzt, um Simon zurechtzuweisen, führen zu einer wichtigen und interessanten Frage: War Simon ein echter Christ, war er wirklich wiedergeboren?
Es gab einige Anzeichen dafür, dass Simon sich bekehrt hatte – zumindest sah es oberflächlich betrachtet so aus.
– Simon schien zu glauben was Philippus verkündet hatte (Apostelgeschichte 8,13).
– Philippus nahm Simon als eine Art Anhänger auf (Apostelgeschichte 8,13).
– Simon nahm an Versammlungen von Christen teil (Apostelgeschichte 8,18).
Aus diesen Gründen sah Philippus in Simon einen Christen – einen Nachfolger Jesu – und taufte ihn (Apostelgeschichte 8,13). Ebenso wenig, wie es uns heute möglich ist, in das Herz eines Menschen zu schauen, konnte Philippus nicht in Simons geistliches Herz sehen und mit völliger Gewissheit sagen, dass er aufrichtig gläubig war; aber er hatte genug gute Gründe dafür geliefert, um seine Worte glaubhaft klingen zu lassen.
Dennoch ist es möglich, die Aussage von Petrus “Du hast weder Teil noch Anteil an dieser Sache, denn dein Herz ist nicht recht vor Gott” als Hinweis dafür anzusehen, dass Simon nicht richtig umgekehrt und zum Glauben gekommen war. Das was wir hier über Simon erfahren, ist eine Warnung, dass es nicht ausreicht, sich auf den Glauben an Jesus zu berufen und ein paar “christliche Dinge” zu tun, um mit Gott im Reinen zu sein. Wir müssen wiedergeboren werden, und ob all das was wir über Jesus sagen oder für Gott tun, der Wahrheit entspricht, wird sich in unserem Leben zeigen und mit der Zeit sichtbar werden.
Diese Warnung befindet sich im 2. Petrus 1,10: “Deshalb, liebe Freunde, bemüht euch zu zeigen, dass Gott euch berufen und erwählt hat! Wenn ihr das tut, werdet ihr niemals stolpern oder von Gott abfallen.“ Wir werden nicht durch das gerettet, was wir tun. Es ist vielmehr so, dass die Art und Weise, wie wir leben zeigt, ob wir wirklich errettet sind. Simon schien zu glauben; sein Leben zeigte, dass er es nicht tat.
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Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” (Acts 8:24)
Simon was a sorcerer among the Samaritans, and in some way he responded to the message preached by Philip and others. Yet, the way Simon acted (Acts 8:18-19) and the way Peter rebuked him (Acts 8:20-23) showed there was something insincere and incomplete in Simon’s faith in and surrender to Jesus.
We see something else not-quite-right with Simon in Acts 8:24: he refused to humble himself before God and truly repent. Instead, he avoided responsibility for his sin – and did it with spiritual-sounding words.
When Peter confronted Simon, he said pray to the Lord for me, that none of these things come upon me. Instead of genuinely humbling his heart before God, Simon asked Peter to pray he would be spared the consequences of his sin. This shows Simon felt a true conviction from the Holy Spirit but was not yet willing to humble his own heart before God. Peter could pray to the Lord for Simon, but he couldn’t humble Simon’s heart for him.
The door of repentance and getting right with God was open to Simon if he would take it – but Peter could not do it for him. A few verses before, Peter boldly challenged Simon: repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you (Acts 8:22). Peter told Simon “pray God” and Simon asked Peter, “pray for me.”
When Simon asked Peter, “please pray for me,” it was a way to ask Peter to do something, instead of Simon doing something himself.
Always remember that the preacher can’t believe for you, nor can he repent for you. After all, the preacher has enough repenting to do on his own account! The preacher can pray for you, but you better also pray for yourself – as Peter told Simon to do.
We don’t know what became of Simon. Church tradition says that he continued down a bad path and later became a dangerous false teacher among the early Christians. We don’t know how accurate those traditions are; it is possible that Simon did repent and get his heart right with God.
When we feel convicted by the Holy Spirit, it’s common to evade the responsibility of doing something about the sin He speaks to us about. If the Holy Spirit speaks to me about pride, it’s easy for me to start seeing pride in other people, and feeling they should repent of it.
Like the situation with Simon, it’s possible that when I need to humbly pray to God with a repentant heart instead I ask someone else to pray for me.
Today, take responsibility for your walk with God and growth in Jesus. If the Holy Spirit speaks a word of correction to you, don’t pass it off on someone else.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Acts 8
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Should We Pray for the Souls of the Dead?
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Should We Pray for the Souls of the Dead? From Taryn –
Hi–thank you guys so much for your ministry. I wanted to ask: I know that the concept of praying for the souls of the dead is based on verses from the Apocrypha and is not biblical, but when I was younger I reasoned to myself, “well, God is outside of time, so I’ll pray for them for before they died, and He can ‘apply’ it to back then.” Is this also unbiblical?
First, this is an understandable and natural thing for people to do. In everyday life we find a way to push away thoughts of death and eternity. We don’t take is seriously. But when someone we know or love dies, we suddenly are confronted with the reality of death and eternal life. People we love face eternity, and if there was anything we could do to help them, we would want to do it.
But here’s the truth: The Bible tells us what our eternal destiny is determined by what we do in this life. Our prayers for the souls of dead give expression to our own love, care, and concern for them – but they don’t really do the dead any good.
2 Corinthians 6:2
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Hebrews 9:27-28
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.
Ezekiel 18:20:
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
I understand that Roman Catholic theology may see this differently. They make much of the idea that God gave Peter – and every subsequent Pope or Bishop of Rome – the “keys” to heaven and earth. Therefore, in some sense, many Roman Catholics think that the pope has power over heaven, hell, and what they describe as purgatory. This is not Biblically true. Once a person passes from this life to the next, no person on earth – including the Pope – has the power to change their eternal destiny, not even in the power of prayer.
So again, this is something that we should view with some compassion. If there is a person who, in their grief, asks God to bless the soul of their deceased loved one, we understand, and we should be respectful of their grief.
Yet in the big picture we understand that our eternal destiny is settled in this life, in the here and now. God tells us nothing of “second chances” in the life beyond. Today is the day of salvation, and one of Satan’s most destructive lies is that there is no hurry.
What are the practical implications of being made “whole” in Christ? Since Christ completes us (Colossians 2:9-10) and makes us whole (Isaiah 53:5), we are no longer “broken,” even though we sometimes sin. Are brokenness and weakness the same thing?
For those who have been given new life in Jesus Christ, the healing and restoration of our brokenness has already begun in us, by the work of Jesus. However, our salvation is not yet complete. Therefore, it is acceptable and proper for us as Christians to recognize the brokenness and weakness that remains in us, while at the same time acknowledging the profound work that Jesus Christ has done within us.
Sometimes theologians talk about the “already,” and the “not yet.” Many things in the Christian life fulfill that description. We are already born again by God’s Spirit and have new life in Him. But the working of that new life is not yet complete. There’s a sense in which it is still in the category of the “not yet.”
We believe that we are complete in Jesus Christ. Part of that is already accomplished fact, and part of that we say in faith, knowing that “He who has begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” That verse from Paul’s letter to the Philippians reminds us that the work of God is not completed in us until the day of Christ Jesus.
In the Christian life, we hold these things in tension. We don’t let it take us off-track by overemphasizing one or the other. We can overemphasize the fact that we have it now or we can overemphasize the fact that it is not yet complete. We hold both as complementary truths.
What is the “good work” mentioned in Philippians 1:6 that God began in us and will continue to work in us? Philippians 1:6 – Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
The good work that God has begun in us is the work of salvation. We understand that when God speaks of salvation in our life, it is a broad concept. It is not only our rescue from an eternal hell, and the right to be with God in an eternal heaven. Of course, that’s a precious and vitally important part. But the good work begins with the new life right here and right now: the forgiveness of sins, the membership that we have in God’s eternal family, the fellowship with God’s people that we enjoy, the adoption as sons and daughters into God’s family, the active righteousness of Jesus Christ that has been bestowed on us; I could go on and on.
The good work that God is going to do in us has already begun, and He promises to complete it in eternity. Our salvation is a definite reality in the present day. We don’t want to deny that. But the New Testament speaks of our salvation in three tenses: in the past, the present, and the future. We have been saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved. All three of them are concurrently true. The good work that God has begun is the work of salvation in all its expressions: in our sanctification, in our holiness, in our growth in grace. These are things that should have a definite beginning in the life of the believer.
Now, this leads us to a significant question: What do we say of someone who claims to put their faith in Jesus Christ, yet there is no evidence of even a beginning of God’s good work of salvation? It’s fair for us and for that individual, especially, to ask the question, “Wait a minute, is this really true?” If God’s work in my life is real, there should be evidence of at least its beginning in my life. We don’t look for its perfecting yet; the perfecting and completion of our salvation isn’t going to happen until the day of Jesus Christ. But there should be evidence of the beginning of it.
Can an Orthodox Jew go to Heaven without accepting Jesus as the Messiah? When an Orthodox Jew dies that is still waiting for the Messiah to come the first time, will they go to heaven?
Nobody who has consciously rejected God’s way of salvation in Jesus Christ is going to go to Heaven. That’s just the simple truth. Now there is a genuine discussion in the Christian world concerning people who have never heard the gospel, to whom Jesus Christ has never been presented. In theory, I could certainly include some Orthodox Jews in that category. They’ve just never heard the good news of Jesus. But again, that’s another discussion, because you can argue that they have the Old Testament – the Torah, the Tanakh, the Hebrew Scriptures – right there in front of them.
But the Bible is clear: anybody who rejects the person and work of Jesus Christ is not going to Heaven. That is plain. For the present moment, we’re going to leave aside the discussion concerning those who have never heard. I would assume, although I couldn’t absolutely state, that the theoretical Orthodox Jew you’re describing is someone who has rejected the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Understand this. If we claim to love, honor, and trust God, but reject Jesus, then there’s something wrong in that claim. Because Jesus is the perfect expression of God to humanity. He is who He was when He walked this earth, and He remains so to the present day. The Bible goes so far as to tell us that if we want to know what the invisible God who dwells and reigns in Heaven is like, we must look at Jesus Christ. Therefore, if someone knowingly rejects Jesus, it is to reject God. For them to turn their back on Jesus is for them to turn their back on God.
Anyone who has consciously rejected the person and work of Jesus Christ is not going to Heaven. They will have eternity in separation from God, no matter what their religious background is. That would apply even to the Jewish people, the covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
God desires a repentant heart more than animal sacrifice (Psalm 51:16). Were there sins that the blood of animals didn’t cover? Psalm 51:16 – For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.
The blood of animals could not cover any sin completely or perfectly. The sacrifice was an anticipation of the future payment, the future fulfillment to be brought about by Jesus the Messiah. There was no complete covering of sin from any animal sacrifice.
Here’s one way that we know this, explained in the book of Hebrews. We know this because the animal sacrifices had to be repeated continually. If a perfect payment for sins was made, the payment would not have to be repeated. We understand this principle by present-day financial debts. If you perfectly pay a financial debt, and your balance is at zero, how much more do you have to pay? Absolutely nothing. But if you don’t perfectly pay a financial debt, you must always pay more.
Only the work of Jesus could perfectly pay for even a single sin. Animal sacrifices were always intended to be temporary and imperfect, and to point forward to the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus Christ would make. He was the perfect sacrifice.
How should Christians view medical marijuana? I will certainly agree with the idea that there can be a legitimate medicinal use for marijuana and the chemicals that are in marijuana, such as CBD. I believe that there’s a legitimate medical use for marijuana and some of the things that are in it. Here’s where I think we need to take care.
First, since marijuana is a mood-altering, and at least temporarily a personality-altering, substance, if it’s to be taken medicinally, it should be taken according to the directions of a medical doctor. Taking an aspirin on your own doesn’t do anything to alter your mood or personality, but marijuana does. If it’s going to be taken medicinally, it should be under a doctor’s direction and according to a doctor’s order. I don’t think somebody should self-medicate with marijuana, just like they shouldn’t self-medicate with alcohol. It’s just not proper. We shouldn’t self-medicate; it should be done under the direction and under the advice of a doctor.
But under those circumstances, I can certainly see why there may be a legitimate medicinal use for marijuana and its inherent substances. I’m no expert on these things, and I don’t want to act as if I am an expert. But from what I do know, apparently there are ways to get the medical benefits from the substances that are in marijuana, without the aspect of getting high, or having a temporarily altered state of consciousness or awareness or personality.
I think that’s an important thing to recognize. As much as somebody can do it without altering their consciousness or personality or awareness, the better it is for them. I don’t have a sophisticated vocabulary when it comes to talking about drugs and the effect that they have, so forgive me for the imprecision of my vocabulary.
What are some good things you’ve seen come out of the madness of the last three years? On the one hand, it’s very sad that there seems to be less confidence in our human institutions than ever before. Less confidence in governments, in public health organizations, in people who claim to speak for science, in economists, and all these things. There is less confidence in human institutions, and I understand that there’s a downside to that. But friends, isn’t there a wonderful upside to that?
Our confidence in God and His Word can and should be at an all-time high. We understand who God is and what He’s doing in this world. Even though we don’t understand the details, we understand that God is at work in the world. Anything that contributes to just a greater confidence in God and His work at all is something that we can and should be grateful for. So that’s one thing.
I also see that God has given a whole new toolbox of opportunities to churches and ministries in our day and age. We know how to do online ministry better than ever. We’ve worked through tough issues. Maybe some of us in the world of church and ministry feel like we fumbled them or haven’t handled them well. But you will hopefully be equipped to handle similar things better, should they come up in the future. There’s a lot that we’ve learned during this time.
But I would also say this: in Jesus Christ, times of pressing and trial don’t kill us – and even if they were to kill us in the here and now, they wouldn’t kill us for eternity. Rather, they press us on toward the Lord. They are the cause of growth and death to self. Friends, those are always good things.
I see that God is doing good things. He’s shaking the institutions and the confidence of man. He’s bringing us to a greater understanding of what we can do to trust in God and in His work. He’s giving us a new toolbox of ministry that we can use. And He’s really working in this to help us die to self. Death to self is always a good thing in the Christian life.
What is your favorite worship hymn? There are so many wonderful hymns, but my favorite would have to be, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Have you ever sat down and read the lines to that beautiful hymn? “Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see / Cherubim and seraphim casting down their crowns / All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea.” We could go on and on. But there are so many great and wonderful hymns.
I don’t know if you’ve ever done this, but for a season in my devotional life, I would read and even sing a lot of hymns. It was a wonderful part of my devotional routine. My devotional routines are sort of always changing. I haven’t had been locked into the same devotional routine over the decades. My emphasis now is to read and meditate on a lot of the Psalms, and of course, I daily spend wonderful times of prayer, and prayer with my wife. But hymns are beautiful.
In Genesis 17, why did Abraham circumcise Ishmael? Was this part the New Covenant? In Genesis 17, Abraham circumcises his sons as a sign of the new covenant. We see that he includes Ishmael in that. What does that mean? Are Ishmael and his descendants part of the new covenant?
I’m going to correct you on a few things in your question.
First, you say that “Abraham circumcised his sons as a sign of the New Covenant.” But here’s the point. No, circumcision is not a sign of the New Covenant. It is, as stated, the sign in the seal of the Abrahamic covenant. I’m sorry for kind of picking on this point, and I don’t mean to pick on our questioner personally. But I see a clear distinction in the Bible between the Abrahamic Covenant, the Old Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the New Covenant. And I’m not saying that there’s no overlap between these four covenants; there is certainly some overlap, but they are distinct covenants.
Ishmael and Isaac had circumcision impressed on them because they were members of Abraham’s household. Now, not every person in Abraham’s household received the covenant and passed it on to their descendants. This is why we speak of the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, followed by the 12 covenant sons of Jacob, who became the 12 tribes of Israel.
Everyone in Abraham’s household was circumcised, including his servants. We understand that they didn’t share in that covenant in the same way. They shared in the blessing of Abraham by being part of his household, but they did not receive the Abrahamic Covenant as an inheritance to pass on to their subsequent households.
Again, that’s talking about the Abrahamic Covenant. We must recognize that circumcision is said to be the sign and the seal of the Abrahamic Covenant. Nowhere does it say that it is the sign or the seal of the New Covenant. As a matter of fact, nowhere does the Bible say that baptism is the sign of the New Covenant; nowhere. That is completely absent. The Bible does not say that baptism is the sign or the seal of the New Covenant. And friends, if I am misinformed, and somebody can give me a chapter and verse where it says plainly that baptism is the sign in the seal of the New Covenant, I’d be happy to see it.
In fact, I would say that Jesus gave us a specific sign of the New Covenant: the bread and the cup of the Lord’s Supper of communion. He said, “This is the sign of the new covenant.” The New Covenant was not given a sign in baptism, but rather in the Lord’s Supper.
The covenant of circumcision was applied to all the males in Abraham’s household; obviously, Ishmael could not be excluded from that, so he was included, as well was Isaac, who was the covenant descendant of Abraham. The covenant connected with circumcision was the Abrahamic covenant, which later transitioned into the Old Covenant, because it was also a command under the Mosaic law. But the Mosaic law was made with the covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
I just want to make it clear that the covenant of circumcision is never said to be a sign in the seal of the New Covenant.
Can we create art and a beautiful home if it’s for God’s glory? I’ll give you a very quick and direct answer to that question: Yes, absolutely. Art and beauty are things that glorify God. These are things for which God gives us a desire, as men and women who are made in His image. Being the people of God, we should have an even greater heart for these things. We serve a beautiful God who has put a lot of beauty into this world. It’s proper that whatever domain God gives us authority over is marked by the order, the beauty, and the art in which God expresses Himself so beautifully and powerfully throughout all creation.
I would give an unreserved Yes to your question. These are things that should belong to us as Christians. God bless you in your desire to create art and to make a beautiful home. I think it honors God, and it gives glory to Him. I think it delights God. These are wonderful, legitimate pursuits for a believer.
Who decided that the Holy Spirit is a personality? Who decided that the Holy Spirit is a personality? I am having a hard time believing it should be Spirit and not the spirit of God in me as an imager of Him.
I’m glad you asked this question; it comes up from time to time. Who decided that the Holy Spirit is a personality? I would simply say that God decided. The Holy Spirit is presented to us repeatedly in the Word of God as a distinctive Person; not as a force, not as a thing or a power that just dwells in us, but as a Person. Therefore, it’s entirely appropriate to speak of the Person and the work of the Holy Spirit. Now, I understand that for some of us, it’s difficult to get our head around the idea. How can a Spirit be a Person? But this is no problem for God.
We know that in some respects, even though angelic beings can and sometimes do take on a material appearance, they are spirit-beings, and they’re certainly persons. So, there is a definite personality to the Holy Spirit. Repeatedly in the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit is referred to with the pronoun “He.” You’ll never see the pronoun “She” applied to the Holy Spirit. God identifies the Holy Spirit in the masculine and as a Person. Of course, we’re not trying to say the Holy Spirit is a man, but God represents the Spirit of God to us as a Person, and in the masculine, not in the feminine or neuter sense. We’re also told that the Holy Spirit can be grieved, He has a will, He makes decisions, He guides and leads. These are all things that persons do, not non-personal powers.
As much as possible, we want to take our understanding of who God is from the Bible itself. And God helping us, that’s exactly what we’ll do. When we do that, we understand that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not an impersonal force or power.
How should Christians think about psychotropic medication such as used to treat depression and anxiety? I can give my opinion, and I’m happy to do that with the caveat that I’m not a doctor. I haven’t done in-depth research on the subject. All I can speak to you is what medical doctors have spoken to me, and some of what I have observed.
First, there can be a real and legitimate place for psychotropic medications, things that deal with real problems and difficulties in brain chemistry. Because although there is certainly a spiritual aspect to the brain and the mind, there’s also a biological aspect to it. So, there is a legitimate place for such medications, we can believe that. At the same time, we can believe that, in general, they are wildly over-prescribed. I think both things can be true.
I’m not going to speak to the individual use. That has to do with an individual’s assessment by a hopefully wise and ethical doctor. But we can also say that, in general, these things can be widely over-prescribed in the Western world.
A medical doctor once gave me his own personal estimate about Santa Barbara, the community where I live, that approximately a third of our city is on antidepressants. Without wanting to deny the legitimate use of such a thing to any individual, you can say that, in general, such things can be over-prescribed.
God has put our spirit in connection with our bodies, and bodies can need medical treatment. Sometimes the medical treatment that our body requires can affect things that are non-material like our mind and our brain. There’s a legitimate place for that kind of treatment and inquiry.
What promises in the Bible are for the Jews only? Different Christian traditions, and different Christian approaches to interpreting the Bible, will give you different answers to that question. I’ll give you the answers that I understand from my own study of the Scriptures.
The promises of being restored to the land of Israel belong to the covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Again, there are differing opinions of that in different Christian traditions, but that’s my understanding. God gave straightforward promises of the land to the covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Throughout all the Hebrew Scriptures, and extending even into the New Testament, there are promises that remain for those covenant descendants.
Another promise is that before the glorious return of Jesus Christ there will be a turning of the Jewish people to their Messiah, Jesus Christ. We find this referenced many times in the Old Testament, and many times in the New Testament. That promise is for the Jews only. There is no such general promise to all the Gentile nations, not in the same way or manner.
God gave a special privilege and stewardship to the Jewish people, the covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They would be the carriers of His revelation to the world, the people who would bring forth the Messiah, and they would have an enduring role in His unfolding plan of the ages. God has ordained all these things for the Jewish people. Their status as being the chosen people doesn’t mean they were chosen for universal salvation but for this enduring role in God’s unfolding plan of the ages. That choosing of them that has been sometimes a blessing and a burden at the same time.
Can you recommend some good history books? In the midst of the confused “cancel culture” relativism of today, what are some true history books that you may recommend?
I’m going to recommend to you the best Christian history that I’ve ever read. It’s in two volumes, and it’s called “A History of Christianity” by Kenneth Scott Latourette. This is an amazing development of the history of Christianity. I would recommend it without any reservation.
There are others. Dr Bruce Shelley’s book, “Church History in Plain Language,” is good. I would encourage you to read broadly and read discerningly. I’m not into “presentism,” which means judging or writing off figures of the past because of modern ideas and convictions, even if those modern convictions are godly and biblical. We need to understand the past as it is; not to excuse, and certainly not to condemn, but at least to understand things in their context.
I’m 18 and I desire to propose my girlfriend this year. Can you offer me some biblical and practical advice? I don’t know much about your situation. I don’t know if you have a way to make a good living for yourself already. I don’t know if you can provide for a family in the way that a man should be able to provide, or at least substantially provide; maybe your wife will need to work for a period of time. I don’t know if you’re in a position to provide or if you’re in a position to lead, so I can’t speak to those things.
Let me just tell you how it was for me. My wife and I got married when we were relatively young. I was 20 years old when we got married. And for me, it was a blessing. Now, I can’t apply that to everybody. Every life situation is different. The last thing I want to do is push someone into marriage before it’s time for them. But I’ll say what it was for me. It was a blessing for me and my wife to “grow up” together. Let’s face it, when you’re in your 20s, you still have growing up to do. I suppose, in some sense, we have growing up to do our entire life. But it was a blessing for my wife and myself to build a life together.
I know that that just isn’t a matter of choice. We can encourage people to get married young, but some people might say, “Well, I would love to, but I’m not young anymore.” And other people might say, “I want to get married young, but I don’t want to marry the wrong person.” Absolutely.
But I would say it’s a good thing, if God brings you the right person, to build a life together in your young years. That’s something that God can really use. Practically, spend time with people who have marriages that you admire. Don’t expect to have the same marriage that they have right away. It takes time to build such a thing. But God will use those years and build something wonderful and beautiful.
I have no idea how long your engagement will be, or when you’re planning on getting married. But my prayer for you is that God blesses you, gives you wisdom, and guides you and your soon-to-be fiancée, and that you really try to spend time and learn from people who have marriages you respect, because that is indeed a great blessing.
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Als Simon sah, dass der Heilige Geist gegeben wurde, wenn die Apostel den Leuten die Hände auflegten, bot er ihnen Geld und sagte: »Gebt auch mir diese Macht, damit die Menschen den Heiligen Geist auch empfangen, wenn ich ihnen die Hände auflege!« (Apostelgeschichte 8,18-19)
Gott ging unter den Menschen in Samarien umher. Die gute Nachricht hatte sich endlich über Jerusalem und Judäa hinaus ausgebreitet und war nun zu den Samaritern gekommen. Sie kam zuerst durch Philippus nach Samarien, aber schließlich kamen auch die Apostel Petrus und Johannes dorthin, um zu sehen, was Gott tat. Während sie die Samariter lehrten und ihnen dienten, beteten sie auch dafür, dass sie mit dem Heiligen Geist erfüllt würden.
Ein Mann namens Simon – ein Zauberer – glaubte ebenfalls, aber seine Art Jesus nachzufolgen war eher oberflächlicher Natur. Er bemerkte, dass Petrus und Johannes denen, die glaubten, die Hände auflegten und sie den Heiligen Geist empfingen. Vielleicht gab es irgendein äußerliches Anzeichen dafür, dass sie den Heiligen Geist empfangen hatten. Was auch immer geschah, es beeindruckte Simon.
Simon, der (hoffentlich ehemalige) Zauberer, wollte auch in der Lage sein, den Menschen die Hände aufzulegen, für sie zu beten und sie den Heiligen Geist empfangen zu lassen. Er wollte es so sehr, dass er ihnen Geld dafür bot es auch zu können.
Dabei dachte Simon, dass der Heilige Geist lediglich eine Kraft sei, die man kaufen oder verkaufen könne. Er wollte das Wirken des Geistes kontrollieren, und er betrachtete den Heiligen Geist als eine Kraft, die er nach Belieben einsetzen konnte. So funktioniert der Heilige Geist Gottes aber nicht. Er ist keine unpersönliche Kraft; der Heilige Geist ist eine Person, die in uns lebt und das Leben eines Gläubigen beherrscht. Er wollte dies, damit die Menschen den Heiligen Geist auch empfangen, wenn ich ihnen die Hände auflege: es ging Simon nicht darum, selber den Heiligen Geist zu haben, was er wollte war vielmehr die Fähigkeit, die Kraft des Heiligen Geistes an andere weiterzugeben so wie es ihm gefiel. Dies würde ihm viel geistliche Autorität verleihen.
In der christlichen Geschichte hat dieser Mann Simon den Begriff “Simonie” geprägt. Simonie ist das Wort für die Sünde, die darin besteht, kirchliche Ämter oder Privilegien, zu kaufen oder zu verkaufen. Weil das dem entspricht was Simon tun wollte. Diese Sünde war in der Kirchengeschichte weit verbreitet und wird auch heute noch manchmal praktiziert.
Aber auch wenn sie nicht im eigentlichen Sinne kirchliche Ämter oder Privilegien kaufen oder verkaufen, denken und handeln viele Menschen immer noch wie dieser Simon. Ich kann mir mindestens zwei Arten vorstellen, wie manche heutzutage das tun, was Simon tun wollte, und ihm damit nachfolgen.
Simon wollte die Macht Gottes nutzen, um mächtig und erfolgreich zu werden. Viele Menschen haben heute die gleiche Art von “geschäftlicher” Beziehung zu Gott. Sie werden Gott gehorchen und ihm dienen, wenn das bedeutet, dass Gott ihnen gibt, was sie haben wollen.
Simon hat entweder vergessen oder nie gewusst, dass der Heilige Geist eine Person, und nicht nur eine Kraft ist. Wir “kontrollieren” den Heiligen Geist nicht und benutzen ihn nicht, wie wir wollen. Wir überlassen uns Gottes Geist und er benutzt uns, wie er will.
Empfange heute den Heiligen Geist – gebe Dich ihm hin, anstatt zu versuchen, ihn für das zu “benutzen”, was Du für richtig hältst
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher –
I hope your weekend was blessed, and there was at least some encouragement in whatever way God gave you to serve Him. Here’s a quick thought from Psalm 25:
For Your name’s sake, O LORD,Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. (Psalm 25:11)
David, the great king and psalmist of Israel, wrote Psalm 25 These brief lines teach those of us who serve God and His people in the ministry of the word some important things.
First, when David asked, “For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great,” we see a strong expression of humility. He expected pardon for God’s sake, not his own. He humbly recognized the greatness of his own iniquity.
As pastors, preachers, and Bible teachers we need to speak of sin. But when we speak of sin and of sinners, it’s not “they,” it’s “us.” We are sinners, just like the people we speak to. It can be said that like David, our sin is great.
– Our sin is great when we consider against Whom it is committed: the God of all glory.
– Our sin is great when we consider that it is against a just and fair law.
– Our sin is great when we consider it is committed by those who are made in the image of God.
– Our sin is great when we consider the amount of our sin.
Second, notice David’s strange (but true) spiritual logic: pardon my iniquity, for it is great. We can only imagine a criminal in a court of law appealing to the judge on this basis. “Your honor, find me not guilty, because my crimes have been many and large.”
David seemed to know the freedom and peace that comes from saying, “Lord, I know that I am a great sinner; but You are an even greater Savior. I humbly submit myself to You and ask you to pardon my iniquity.”
We need to preach the big reality of sin, and the even bigger reality of the God who pardons sin. We need to preach it to ourself before we ever preach it to anyone else.
Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik
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But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” (Acts 8:20-23)
God moved powerfully in the city of Samaria, and one of those touched was a sorcerer named Simon. After proclaiming his belief and being baptized, Simon saw the power of God at work and asked if he could buy the same power.
Peter responded to Simon strongly, saying “Your money perish with you.” Simon was so wrong that he deserved this strong rebuke. Peter’s bold discernment must have been difficult or awkward to watch. Few people today would rebuke what seemed to be a young Christian so strongly. Yet Peter was willing to tell Simon the truth in love, though it was hard for Simon and those standing by to hear it.
Peter also summarized Simon’s sin: You thought the gift of God could be purchased with money! Of course, Simon was wrong to think this. The gifts of God are received freely from Him, by faith. What we receive from God will affect what we do with our money; but we can’t purchase the gifts of God with money.
Peter’s rebuke to Simon leads to an important and interesting question – was Simon a true Christian, genuinely born again?
Simon gave some evidence of conversion – at least to outward observation.
– Simon seemed to believe in the preaching of Philip (Acts 8:13).
– Philip received Simon as some kind of follower (Acts 8:13).
– Simon attended meetings of Christians (Acts 8:18).
For these reasons, Philip saw Simon as a Christian – a follower of Jesus – and baptized him (Acts 8:13). Like us today, Philip could not actually see into Simon’s spiritual heart and know with complete certainty that he was sincere in his faith; but he had demonstrated enough to make his proclamation of faith credible.
Yet, it is possible to take Peter’s statement “You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God” as evidence that Simon was not a true convert with repentance and sincere faith. The case of Simon is a warning that to truly be right with God, it isn’t enough to claim a belief in Jesus and do a few “Christian things.” We must be born again, and the truth of our new life will be seen in our life and seen over time.
This warning is found in 2 Peter 1:10: Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure. We aren’t saved by what we do, but the reality of our salvation is seen in how we live. Simon seemed to believe; his life showed otherwise.
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What Day is the Sabbath?
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What Day is the Sabbath? *Good morning,
My name is Gregg and I live in Texas. I have to put my questions on paper rather quickly because my short-term memory is very bad. I have learned to accept this diagnosis, but I do realize my time is limited and I would like to ask my questions before I lose the ability to do so.*
I follow Pastor Guzik on my phone using YouTube and Spotify for your daily podcasts. He and Enduring Word have truly been a blessing in my life.
My question is… What day do you consider the Sabbath to be? Just today I saw that the Catholics changed it to Sunday by decree. I don’t want to continue my practice of observing Sunday as Sabbath if that is the case. So I ask what is the actual day for the Sabbath that I should be observing?
Thank you again for the amazing work you all are doing. I am praying for this ministry daily.
So, What Day is the Sabbath?
To answer most directly, the Sabbath is Saturday – the Seventh Day.
Exodus 20:8-11: The fourth commandment: Remember the Sabbath day.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
- [8] Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: The command is to respect the seventh day (Saturday) as a day of rest ([10] you shall do no work). This rest was for all of Israel – for the [10] son and the servant and the stranger – even including cattle.
It was remarkable in the ancient world to have a day without work. It was said there were three amazing things that an ancient visitor to Israel would find: a sea without fish, a temple without a god, and day without work.
It is remarkable that this included all, including the [10] son and the servant and the stranger.
- To keep it holy: God commanded Israel – and all humanity – to make sure that there was sacred time in their life,separated time of rest.
- In their traditions, the Jewish people came to carefully quantify what they thought could and could not be done on the Sabbath day, in order to keep it holy.
- Ancient Rabbis taught that on the Sabbath, a man could not carry something in his right hand or in his left hand, across his chest or on his shoulder. But he could carry something with the back of his hand, his foot, his elbow, or in his ear, his hair, or in the hem of his shirt, or in his shoe or sandal. Or on the Sabbath Israelites were forbidden to tie a knot – except, a woman could tie a knot in her girdle. So, if a bucket of water had to be raised from a well, an Israelite could not tie a rope to the bucket, but a woman could tie her girdle to the bucket and pull it up from the well.
iii. In observant Jewish homes today, one cannot turn on a light, a stove, or a switch on the Sabbath. It is forbidden to drive a certain distance or to make a telephone call – all carefully regulated by traditions seeking to spell out the law exactly.
- Jesus often challenged the man-made interpretation and impositions upon the Sabbath. It seems that Jesus looked for ways to break Sabbath traditions, while never breaking God’s command of the Sabbath.
- For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth: God established the pattern for the Sabbath at the time of creation. When He rested from His works on the seventh day, God made the seventh day a day of rest from all our works (Genesis 2:3). It’s as if God said, having too much to do isn’t an excuse from taking the rest you need – I created the universe and found time to rest from My work.
- When God told them to remember the Sabbath, He told them to remember the rest. “The term ‘Sabbath’ is derived from the Hebrew verb ‘to rest or cease from work.’” (Kaiser) The most important purpose of the Sabbath was to serve as a preview picture of the rest we have in Jesus.
- Like everything in the Bible, we understand this with the perspective of the whole Bible, not this single passage. With this understanding, we see that there is a real sense in which Jesus fulfilled the purpose and plan of the Sabbath for us and in us (Hebrews 4:9-11) – He is our rest, when we remember His finished work we remember the Sabbath, we remember the rest.
iii. Therefore, the whole of Scripture makes it clear that under the New Covenant, no one is under obligation to observe a Sabbath day (Colossians 2:16-17 and Galatians 4:9-11). Galatians 4:10 tells us that Christians are not bound to observe days and months and seasons and years. The rest we enter into as Christians is something to experience every day, not just one day a week – the rest of knowing we don’t have to work to save ourselves, but our salvation is accomplished in Jesus (Hebrews 4:9-10).
- The Sabbath commanded here and observed by Israel was a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ (Colossians 2:16-17). In the New Covenant the idea isn’t that there is no Sabbath, but that every day is a day of Sabbath rest in the finished work of God. Since the shadow of the Sabbath is fulfilled in Jesus, we are free to keep any particular day – or no day – as a Sabbath after the custom of ancient Israel.
- Yet we dare not ignore the importance of a day of rest – God has built us so that we need one. Like a car that needs regular maintenance, we need regular rest – or we will not wear well. Some people are like high mileage cars that haven’t been maintained well, and it shows.
- Some Christians are also dogmatic about observing Saturday as the Sabbath as opposed to Sunday. But because we are free to regard all days as given by God, it makes no difference. But in some ways, Sunday is more appropriate; being the day Jesus rose from the dead (Mark 16:9), and first met with His disciples (John 20:19) and met with them again on the following Sunday (John 20:26). Sunday was a day when Christians gathered for fellowship (Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2).
Under Law, men worked towards God’s rest; but after Jesus’ finished work on the cross, the believer enters into rest and goes from that rest out to work.
So, what day is the Sabbath?
- The Sabbath is the seventh day.
- The Sabbath is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and He is our rest.
- We are free to recognize any day of the week as a day of rest. We have the liberty to choose Saturday, Sunday, or whatever – because we are free in Jesus and every day is holy unto Him.
- The earliest Christians gathered on Sunday, and set the first day of the week aside as a day of worship. This isn’t commanded – but it is a pattern we see in the gospels, in Acts, and the New Testament letters.
Should a new believer be baptized as an adult, even if they were baptized as a baby? I got baptized as a baby, but I got saved just last year at 41. Do I need to be baptized again? I’d love to, but I don’t know when and where yet.
Yes, you should be baptized as an adult, as someone who has made a credible profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Methodists, Anglicans, and many Reformed brethren believe in baby baptism and christening.
Brothers and sisters, I believe that infant baptism (pedobaptism) is an unbiblical practice. Different Christian traditions justify it for different reasons, but I’ve dug into it deeply, and I don’t think they are valid reasons. Therefore, to anyone who was baptized as a baby, I would recommend that when you come to faith in Jesus Christ, you should seek to be baptized. You should be baptized as a believer because, as meaningful as your baptism was for your parents and your family when it happened, you were not baptized as a believer. You had not yet put your faith in Jesus Christ. So yes, I would strongly recommend that you be baptized as a believer.
Before the ultimate resurrection, does only a believer’s spirit go to Heaven? If a believer dies and goes to heaven before the resurrection, will they be spirit only in heaven until we are all resurrected together?
Maybe. We don’t have enough biblical evidence to give a firm answer to that question. We do know that at least our spirit to goes to be with the Lord, because we have that great promise that, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” Whether we are present with the Lord, with some kind of temporary body, or whether we are present with the Lord merely as spirits awaiting our resurrection body, we don’t know for sure. The Scriptures don’t tell us.
I’ll give you another possible solution to this idea. It may very well be that the problem really resides in how time connects with eternity. We understand that there’s a difference between time and eternity, that Heaven doesn’t keep time the same way we do on earth. For us, the Day of Resurrection is still off in the future. We understand that. But maybe when we die and enter the eternal realm, maybe the Day of Resurrection is right now. Maybe everything just “fast-forwards” to that day. I don’t know; nobody really knows. I can’t give you a firm answer because the Bible just doesn’t tell us. But we know that we do go to be with the Lord. Whether or not the bodily resurrection happens immediately or waits for later, or it happens immediately, we just can’t tell for sure.
What was the purpose of Samson having great physical strength? Is there any type of archeological evidence of Samson as a historical person? God’s purpose in giving Samson physical strength was that he would smite the Philistines, to win deliverance militarily for Israel against them. Samson was not at all a spiritual leader. He was somebody who God endowed with unique strength to be sort of like a one-man army.
God raised up other deliverers in the days of the judges, but they led groups of other people. Samson was unique. God gave him unique physical strength, and he was a one-man army. There was never anybody like Samson, before him or after him.
God raised up Samson to help the tribes of Israel not be conquered and overwhelmed by the Philistines, so that, according to God’s promise, they could exist as a coherent people until the time of Jesus the Messiah. Let’s never forget that if the people of Israel had perished before Jesus the Messiah came, there would be a real sense in which God’s plan was thwarted and set aside. So, God went through extraordinary and sometimes miraculous measures to keep the people of Israel alive and existing as a people.
I do not believe there is any archaeological evidence for Samson as a historical person. I think the earliest archaeological evidence for specific persons in the Bible goes back to the time of David. I don’t think we have archaeological evidence of specific persons before the time of David. That isn’t surprising at all, if you think of how little would survive for all those thousands of years.
If the Holy Spirit dwells within all believers, then why do people interpret the Bible differently? Good question. It’s true, we all have the Holy Spirit within us. But we don’t have all of the Holy Spirit that there is to have, so to speak. And more importantly, the Holy Spirit doesn’t have all of us.
In Heaven, we’re all going to interpret the Bible the same way. In Heaven, our eyes will be completely opened. In Heaven, there will be no more questions to this effect. That will belong to the realm of Heaven.
But in the here and now, we’re not perfect. We do the best we can. As a Bible interpreter and commentary, I do the best I can, but I know that I’m still learning and growing. I know that doubtless there are certain places where I get it wrong, although not consciously. If I was aware of any place in my Biblical understanding where I was wrong, I would change it.
So really, it’s that simple. We are not yet perfected in our body, or soul or spirit. We certainly have the Holy Spirit, but He does not have all of us. We are not completely or perfectly yielded, and we still have to deal with the world, the flesh and the devil. But in Heaven, we’re all going to interpret the Bible just the same: perfectly and correctly.
Do believers need to receive the Holy Spirit a second time, after putting their faith in Jesus? Do we have to receive the Holy Spirit a second time after receiving Jesus as our Savior, in order to be filled with Him? And if so, how can we receive it?
I want to be clear that when anybody puts their faith in Jesus Christ, when they surrender their life to Jesus Christ, they have the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures say that “if anyone does not have the Spirit of God, he doesn’t belong to Hm.” When a person is born again, they have the Holy Spirit.
But I don’t think the filling of the Holy Spirit is effectually finished at one time. We have the continual opportunity to be filled with the Spirit, to walk in the Spirit, to be constantly being filled with the Spirit, as it says in Ephesians 5.
I don’t believe that God intended the giving and bestowal and filling of the Holy Spirit to be a one-and-done event. I think that in God’s heart and mind, it was to be something that would happen often and continually.
In the Christian tradition, sometimes this has been spoken of as a “second blessing,” or a significant secondary experience that somebody might have with the Holy Spirit. Because I believe in an ongoing experience with the Holy Spirit, of course, I believe in a second experience with the Holy Spirit, and an infinite number of experiences beyond that. That doesn’t in any way deny what we receive from the Holy Spirit when we’re born again; rather, it flows from it.
Did the Magi visit Jesus in Bethlehem before or after His presentation at the Temple? Did the Magi visit Jesus in Bethlehem before or after his presentation in the temple? Luke 2:39 says that the family returned to Nazareth. Where does Matthew fit into Luke’s chronology?
The presentation of Jesus at the Temple happened only eight days after the birth of Jesus. That was the day appointed in the Law of Moses for that to happen. Because Jesus was someone who perfectly fulfilled the law Moses, He obviously did it on the correct day. Therefore, I believe that the visit of the Magi would have been after Jesus was presented in the Temple as described in the Gospel of Luke.
Why then does it say in Luke 2:39 that the family returned to Nazareth? For whatever reason, Luke decided to skip over the flight of the family to Egypt. They certainly did return to Nazareth, eventually, but Luke just didn’t include that part of the story. Sometimes we twist ourselves in knots when we’re comparing the Gospels, asking why one Gospel doesn’t include something that the other Gospel does. But this is just a characteristic of the four Gospels.
God gave us a perfectly inspired fourfold account of the life of Jesus. We can speculate about reasons, perhaps, but we don’t really know for sure why each Gospel will include some things and exclude others. Luke obviously passes over the flight to Egypt which is described in the Gospel of Matthew. You could also ask, why doesn’t Luke mention the visit of the Magi? Again, the answer is that we just don’t know. Ultimately, it was because of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But on a human level, we can’t really say why; it could have been for any number of reasons.
Is it biblical to pray to the Holy Spirit, or should we primarily pray to the Father? I’m interested in the exact wording that you use for your question. You asked, “Is it biblical to pray to the Holy Spirit? Or should we primarily pray to the Father?”
Primarily, we should pray to the Father. This is the primary pattern of prayer that’s given to us in the Scriptures. We pray to God the Father, by the mediation of the Son. Jesus is the one who gives us access to God the Father, through the inspiration and the empowering of God the Holy Spirit. That’s the primary pattern for prayer.
Nevertheless, let’s not forget, the Holy Spirit is God. It is not dishonoring to the Godhead to pray to the Holy Spirit. Of course, it’s not the primary pattern of prayer. If somebody was in the habit of only praying to the Holy Spirit, and not praying to God the Father, we would regard that as strange.
We see very plainly that the primary pattern for prayer is to pray to God the Father, through the mediation of God the Son, in the power and the empowering of God the Holy Spirit. But again, since the Holy Spirit truly is God, we are not forbidden from praying to the Holy Spirit or worshiping the Holy Spirit. It’s just a matter of proportion, to consider what’s primary and what’s secondary.
Are catechism and confirmation classes good? I’m part of the student ministry at my church and we use the Heidelberg Catechism teach confirmation classes. What are your thoughts about the catechism and confirmation in general?
The Heidelberg Catechism is good. Obviously, it’s Reformed in its doctrine. While I am not Reformed in my doctrine, I don’t consider myself anti-Reformed. There are certainly places where I disagree, and maybe even strongly disagree, with Reformed theology. But these are my brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m not on a crusade against Reformed theology. I think it’s good that you guys are going over the Heidelberg Catechism. It’s a good way to learn theology.
Now, concerning the format of a catechism, which includes memorizing questions and hopefully biblical responses to those questions, I might have some disagreement at certain points of time, but if it works well, that’s great. This isn’t a biblically commanded form of teaching or training. But it’s certainly not commanded against. So, I think we can be pragmatic when it comes to these things. Does it work? Is it an effective way to teach Christians the basics of biblical doctrine and theology?
Catechisms are forms of Christian education that have been used for centuries, going back to early church times, to teach the people of God. They have a rich legacy. Whether or not they’re helpful and useful in our modern day, I leave it up to individuals to understand that.
Next, let’s address the whole idea of confirmation. Confirmation is essentially based on the premise of infant baptism. The churches that teach infant baptism tend to be the same ones that have confirmation. They realize, “We baptized this person, but they may or may not be a true believer at all.” What do you do with that? Well, you seek to bring them into the faith, to educate them and confirm them in the faith, through the process of confirmation. A good confirmation class can be great. It can be a great path to discipleship. It may take some of those young people who were baptized as babies and bring them to a real, living faith in Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord for that. But these are forms and systems. We can merely evaluate them and ask whether they work well for the purposes of what we’re doing or not.
Did those raised from the dead in Matthew 27:52 get a glorified body? Matthew 27:52-53 – And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went to the holy city and appeared to many.
This is one of the strangest verses in the New Testament. The Scriptures do not tell us whether these people died again or not. That’s how you would measure it. One of the great differences about a resurrection body, compared to our present body, is that a resurrection body will never die. So, did somebody receive a body in which they never died again? The Bible does not tell us. We are given only these mysterious and cryptic verses in Matthew chapter 27, telling us that when Jesus died on the cross, amazing things happened. There was sort of a tearing of the continuum between time and space, and so much so that even some people were at the very least resuscitated. Were they resurrected with the resurrection body? We don’t really know. But they were resuscitated. Maybe they were resuscitated and died again a few days later. Maybe they were resurrected and then just gathered to the Lord in Heaven. We don’t exactly know. We can’t really say.
We need to be careful that we don’t speak where the Scriptures are silent. It’s not wrong for us to think about it or to ask the questions or speculate a bit. But when we do so, it’s good to note that where the Scriptures don’t specifically tell us, we can’t give an absolute answer. We just do the best we can with it. In this case, we don’t exactly know, so it could have been either way.
Is the “rest” spoken of in Hebrews 4:9-11 physical or spiritual? Does the rest spoken of in Hebrews 4:9-11 refer to something more than physical rest? Can it also refer to the believer’s rest from his or her former works of the flesh in the old nature?
Hebrews 4:9-10 – There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
Absolutely. That’s the whole point of that passage in Hebrews 4. The author is speaking of “works” in the sense of what we would do to justify ourselves or to earn our way before God. In fact, I would say that the primary sense here is a spiritual rest. That’s really what it’s talking about: the rest which we have from our unceasing efforts to try to find approval and acceptance with God. Jesus Christ has provided this rest in who He is, and what He did for us, especially what He did at the cross and in His resurrection. It’s just that simple.
So not only does Hebrews 4:9-10 include the idea of spiritual rest, I would say that it primarily deals with the idea of spiritual rest. The physical rest of the Sabbath was and continues to be good for the human body and human soul to have one day of rest out of seven. But most pointedly it looked forward to the real rest, the Sabbath rest, which we would have in the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. That is one reason why Christians are not under obligation to keep the Sabbath after the same pattern as the Jewish people under the Old Covenant.
What is the “mystery” Paul spoke about Ephesians? The mystery Paul speaks about in Ephesians involves at least a couple things.
First, it refers to the fact that God would bring together Jews and Gentiles in one new body. Though the Old Testament does not say so, it would be easy to suppose when reading the Old Testament that salvation coming to the Gentiles would happen by them all becoming Jews. But we find a mystery in the New Covenant. Biblically, a mystery was something that wasn’t known until God revealed it in apostolic times. This mystery of God’s will was not to just fold all the Gentiles into Judaism, but rather to make a new people, a people who were not fundamentally Jewish or Gentile, but who were fundamentally Christians. That’s one aspect of the mystery.
Another aspect of the mystery is that God has an eternal purpose. Ephesians 3:10-11 tells us that God has an eternal purpose: to teach wisdom to angelic beings in and through the church. Isn’t that remarkable? God is displaying His manifold, many-faceted wisdom to angelic beings. Ephesians 3 refers to them as “principalities and powers,” which is the New Testament terminology for angelic beings. It’s wonderful to see that this is part of God’s great purpose. There may be other aspects to the mystery, but it entails at least those two.
At the Transfiguration, how did Peter, James, and John know who Moses and Elijah were? What a great question. Moses and Elijah certainly didn’t have name tags, and photographs weren’t yet invented. How did they know they were looking at Moses and Elijah?
I think the best answer is that they just knew. I don’t know if I could strictly say that Moses and Elijah had resurrection bodies, because Jesus was the first fruits of the Resurrection, and that hadn’t happened yet. Maybe they had bodily image or form.
In the eternal, we’re just going to know each other. In Heaven, when we’re gathered with God’s people throughout all generations, we’re just going to know who we are. We’re never going to forget a name in Heaven. Won’t that make it Heaven right there? We’re going to know. I think this is just part of some of the perfection of Heaven. Who I am will radiate out of me, and people know who I am, and who you are will radiate out of you, and we will know, perfectly. I think this is just reflective of God’s people in the world beyond. We will know.
Another example of this is in the story Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus. They’re gathered together in Hades, which isn’t Heaven, but it is the world beyond. They seem to know who Abraham is. I think this is just something that’s known.
It reminds me of a story that I once heard about Charles Spurgeon. One day, a lady came up to Charles Spurgeon, and asked, “Spurgeon, are we going to know each other in Heaven?” And Spurgeon replied, “My dear lady, you’re not going to be more stupid in Heaven than you are on Earth.” I think that’s pretty good answer. I think this is something that belongs to the world beyond.
Is it biblical to expect every believer to have a private heavenly language to speak directly to God? I believe in the validity of the gift of tongues for today. I believe it’s a gift that God gives to many, but certainly not to all. And the purpose of the gift of tongues is for somebody to communicate with God, either praise, prayer, or intercession, on a level which transcends their intellect. Honestly, there are some people who don’t really sense any need for that. They don’t desire it and feel fine with their own ability. In that sense, those people don’t need the gift of tongues. But if someone does feel a need for it, then they should seek God to give them this gift.
Therefore, I don’t think it’s biblical to expect every believer to have that gift. In 1 Corinthians, Paul very specifically asks a rhetorical question, where the anticipated answer is no. He asks, “Do all speak in tongues?” And he says, “No.” And he’s talking about believers. So no, it’s not reasonable think that God intends the gift of tongues to be for every believer.
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Und Gott wird abwischen alle Tränen von ihren Augen, und der Tod wird nicht mehr sein, weder Leid noch Geschrei noch Schmerz wird mehr sein; denn das Erste ist vergangen. (Offenbarung 21,4)
Das ist fast mehr, als wir zu begreifen in der Lage sind. Die Verheißung ist groß, aber einfach. Es wird ein Tag kommen, an dem wir mit unserem Herrn im Himmel vereint sein werden, und Gott alle Tränen von unseren Augen abwischen wird.
Die Verheißung lautet, dass jede Träne einen guten Grund hat, denn wir vergießen viele Tränen aus vielen verschiedenen Gründen. Denk einmal an einige der Tränen, die in der Bibel vergossen wurden. Tränen, von Menschen die getrauert haben, wie bei Maria und Martha (Johannes 11,33) über den Tod ihres Bruders. Tränen einer Mutter über ihren verstorbenen Sohn (Lukas 7,13). Vielleicht hast Du auch schon geweint, als jemand, den Du liebtest, aus dieser Welt in die nächste gegangen ist. Eines Tages, im Himmel, gibt es keine Tränen mehr.
Es gibt die Tränen die aus Mitgefühl und Barmherzigkeit vergossen werden, wie die Tränen, die Jesus und Jeremia mit Blick auf Jerusalem weinten (Matthäus 23,37; Jeremia 9,1). Da sie wussten, dass das Gericht über die heilige Stadt kommen würde, konnten weder Jesus noch Jeremia seine Tränen zurückhalten – sie freuten sich nicht über das bevorstehende Gericht. Wahrscheinlich hast Du selbst schon aus Mitgefühl und Barmherzigkeit geweint, als Du gesehen hast, wie andere Menschen leiden mussten. Eines Tages, im Himmel, gibt es keine Tränen mehr,
Es gibt noch viele andere Arten von Tränen. Tränen weil Menschen zu Unrecht verfolgt werden und leiden (Hiob 31,31). Tränen der Angst und Ungewissheit (Psalm 6,7). Tränen weil jemand seine Sünde erkennt und bereut (Psalm 39,11-13). Tränen aus Enttäuschung und dem Gefühl, dass Gott ganz weit weg ist (Psalm 42,4). Wahrscheinlich sind Dir all diese Tränen selber nicht unbekannt Eines Tages, im Himmel, gibt es keine Tränen mehr. Welche Tränen auch immer über die Wangen der Sterblichen kullern, im Himmel werden sie für immer getrocknet sein.
Es ist nicht so, dass unsere Tränen nur schlecht sind. Gott erinnert sich an jede einzelne davon und würdigt sie. In Psalm 56,9 betete David: “Du zählst, wie oft ich fliehen muss; sammle meine Tränen in deinen Schlauch! Stehen sie nicht in deinem Buch?“
Die wunderbare Verheißung in Offenbarung 21,4 lautet: All das, was einmal war, ist vergangen. Die Herrlichkeit des Himmels zeichnet sich durch all das aus, was es dort nicht gibt – keine Tränen, keine Trauer, keinen Tod und keinen Schmerz. In diesem Fall ist weniger sicherlich mehr. Wir kommen mit einem Schrei auf diese Erde. Wir verlassen sie mit einem schwachen, kraftlosen Stöhnen. Dazwischen gibt es eine Menge hilfloses Jammern und Klagen. Aber die Hallelujas des Himmels werden die Stimme des Kummers für immer übertönen.
Welchen Schmerz Du auch immer erträgst, denk daran – auch das wird vorübergehen. Wenn Du in Jesus bist und auf seine Güte und das vertraust, was er am Kreuz für Dich vollbracht hat, ist dies das Schlimmste, was Du je erleben wirst. Tragischerweise ist dieses Leben für all jene, die Jesus ablehnen und versuchen, ohne ihn vor Gott zu bestehen – selbst mit all den darin befindlichen Tränen – das beste, was sie je erleben werden.
Sorge dafür, dass es in der vor Dir liegenden Ewigkeit “keine Tränen mehr” gibt.
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And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:18-19)
God was moving among the people of Samaria. The good news finally extended past Jerusalem and Judea and had now come to the Samaritans. It first came to Samaria through Philip, but eventually the apostles Peter and John came to see what God was doing. As they taught and served the Samaritans, they also prayed that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Someone named Simon – who was a sorcerer – also believed, but his discipleship was rather superficial. He noticed that when Peter and John laid hands on those who believed, they received the Holy Spirit. Perhaps there was some outward evidence of this giving of the Holy Spirit. Whatever happened, it impressed Simon.
Simon the (hopefully former) sorcerer wanted the same ability to lay hands on people, pray for them, and have them receive the Holy Spirit. He wanted it enough that he offered them money for the ability.
In this, Simon thought that the Holy Spirit was merely a power that could be bought or sold. He wanted to control the working of the Spirit and he regarded the Holy Spirit as a power he could use as he wanted. That isn’t how the Holy Spirit of God works. He isn’t an impersonal power; the Holy Spirit is a Person who lives in us and rules the believer’s life. He wanted this so anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit: Simon did not really desire the Holy Spirit for himself, but the ability to impart the power of the Holy Spirit to others at his will. This would give him much spiritual authority.
Through Christian history, this man Simon inspired the term “simony.” Simony is the word for the sin of buying or selling church offices or privileges, because to buy or sell such spiritual things works in the same spirit as this Simon. This sin was common in church history and is still sometimes practiced today.
But even when they don’t formally buy or sell church offices or privileges, many people still think and act like this Simon. I can think of at least two ways some today follow Simon:
Simon wanted to use God’s power to make him powerful and successful. Many people today have that kind of “transactional” relationship with God. They will obey and serve God if it means God will give them what they want.
Simon either forgot or never knew that the Holy Spirit is a Person, not just a power. We don’t “control” the Holy Spirit and use Him as we want. We surrender ourselves to God’s Spirit and He uses us as He wants.
Today, receive the Holy Spirit – surrender yourself to Him, instead of trying to “use” Him for what you think you want.
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Correcting My Mistakes
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Correcting My Mistakes Kim from Facebook writes:
I have used and greatly appreciated David Guzik’s commentaries for many years! In finishing the commentary on Leviticus this morning, I found this sentence: Melchizedek was praised when he gave Abraham a tithe of all (Hebrews 7:4-10).
Am I mistaken in understanding that in fact ABRAHAM was blessed when he tithed to Melchizedek?
- Kim is absolutely right.
- What I wrote is in error – I simply put the names “Melchizedek” and “Abraham” in the wrong place.
- The bigger matter here is tithing and giving, from an old covenant and new covenant perspective.
How I Think About Errors and Corrections
- My commentary is under constant revision and hopefully, improvement. When I go through a book again, I try to make it better. What is interesting about what Kim noticed is that it comes from a commentary that I most recently revised and had proofread – Leviticus (right now I’m working on Numbers).
- We get suggested corrections all the time. Almost always the people are really kind, like Kim was – I have used and greatly appreciated David Guzik’s commentaries for many years!
- Something good: it helps work some humility in me!
- There’s a lot of material! 11,000 pages, 4.2 million words.
- We have literally tens of millions of people who use the commentary – that’s a lot of eyes, and people will notice things.
- I used to get a lot more down about them – now, I appreciate that we (1) have such a big “crowdsourced” team of proofreaders (2) It makes the commentary better.
- We do have proofreaders who are really good – but no one catches everything, and this includes works put out by major publishing houses.
- In this sense, my commentary has “improved” a lot over the years, but I’m glad that I didn’t wait for these proofreading improvements to put it out. I would like to believe that the commentary has done some good for some people, even if sometimes in a “rough” form.
We have a process, a procedure for making corrections, because the correction needs to go out in at least three places (not counting Blue Letter Bible).
So Kim – thanks for pointing out the error, and we will make the correction.
Is John 11:52 a reference to spiritual Israel, physical Israel, or both? John 11:49-52 – And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
This is fascinating. Caiaphas made this statement considering that, in a cold-blooded, political, pragmatic sense, it was better for one man to unjustly be put to death than for the whole nation to suffer under the Romans or perish. By the one man, there’s no doubt that he meant Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus Christ.
We read John’s comment about that statement in verse 51: “Now he did not say this on his own authority, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.” Now, when John mentions “the nation” in verse 51, he’s talking about Israel, that Jesus would die for Israel. But John wanted to be very clearly understood that he didn’t think that Jesus died only for Israel. That’s why he adds on in verse 52, “And not for that nation only, but also that he would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.”
So, in verse 51, “the nation” refers to the literal, tribal, ethnic Israel, and in verse 52, “the children of God who were scattered abroad” refers to the Gentiles who would come into the Kingdom. John is speaking of both the literal, ethnic nation of Israel, and of the Gentiles, those scattered abroad who would come in later. That’s a remarkable statement. John is trying to make sure that everybody understood that when Caiaphas was referring to Israel, but not only ethnic Israel (the Jewish people, the covenant descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), in God’s understanding, when he said that it was better for the nation for Jesus to die and to give His life for the nation.
At the Last Supper, did Jesus and disciples eat the Passover Meal in the way Exodus 12:11 describes? Exodus 12:11 – ‘And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover.’
That is a great question. No, Jesus and His disciples did not eat the Passover as it was described in Exodus 12:11, with a belt on their waist, sandals on their feet, and a staff in their hand; and they did not eat it hurriedly. You might think they were disobeying God’s command in Exodus 12. But the rabbis had long interpreted that command in Exodus 12:11 as applying to Israel at the Exodus, at the first Passover when they were escaping Egypt. It did not apply to Israel once they came into the Promised Land. Certainly, Jesus’ disciples partook of Passover in the Promised Land, in Jerusalem itself.
The rabbis understood that the reason to eat with your sandals on your feet, staff in your hand, and belt around your waist, was because you had to be ready to move; you were leaving out of Egypt and destined eventually for the Promised Land. That was not the case once they came into the Promised Land.
So, the rabbis said, and I think this is correct, “Now that we’re in the Promised Land, chill out. Eat the Passover while reclining. Take it easy; don’t eat it in haste. Eat it with your slippers on, so to speak. Be comfortable, because now God has brought us into the Promised Land.” By the time Jesus partook of Passover with His disciples, the Jewish people had for centuries been receiving Passover reclining at tables. No longer did they receive Passover according to the commands of Exodus 12:11, which were understood to be meant for that moment of the original Passover, and not for Israel to celebrate it in that particular way throughout all their history.
Do we have dominion over angels, and can we dispatch them? A couple different passages refer to these things. Hebrews 1:14 talks about believers receiving help and ministry from angels: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” It is the job of at least some angels to help, serve, and assist God’s people. Now, if that was the only thing the Bible told us about angels, then maybe somebody we could say that maybe, in some sense, believers have the right to direct, have dominion over, or to dispatch angels.
However, when you look at the Scriptures in the bigger picture, God is the lord of angels; believers are not. God dispatches angels on behalf of believers. At least some angelic beings serve believers and are ministering spirits sent forth to help them. But nowhere does the Bible say that we command them. God commands angels on behalf of His people.
I think it can be an example of maybe some spiritual pride, or a bit of spiritual arrogance, for someone to say, “I can command angels; angels answer to me; I’m going to tell them what to do,” and so on. I don’t think that’s the biblical way to approach it.
So that’s how I would say it. We do understand and receive the truth, because the Bible says it, that in some sense, there are some angels who are given to serve and help and minister on behalf of believers. But it doesn’t mean that believers have authority over them.
I’ll add one more Scriptural thought to the mix. In 1 Corinthians 6:3, Paul appeals to the fact that we will judge angels, not right now, but when we are resurrected and glorified with the Lord. Part of our resurrection glory will include being in some way above the angels; we will judge angels. But 1 Corinthians 6:3, Paul puts that in the future tense, not in the here and now.
I would strongly discourage believers from thinking, speaking, or acting as if they had dominion over angelic beings, to order or dispatch angels to do this or that. Talk to God, and God will dispatch angels as He sees fit.
Do we have birthdays in Heaven? What a great question. I love thinking about Heaven and what life is going to be like when we get there. But let me give you an answer to that: I don’t have the slightest idea. Maybe, who knows?
First, I don’t know that time works the same way in Heaven that it works here. Here on earth, it’s kind of easy. There are approximately 365 days to a year, so we know our birthday comes after one revolution around the sun. But we don’t know how time works in Heaven.
Sometimes we speak of Heaven as being timeless. I don’t know if that’s exactly true because the Bible does give us some markers regarding time. For instance, it talks about there being a half-hour in Heaven. But we just don’t know how time works in Heaven. We don’t know if there will be anniversaries of things. We don’t know if there will be a cyclical calendar like that. And even if there was, would we remember the day of our birth in Heaven? Maybe we would remember the day of our being born again, our second birth. Maybe we would remember the day that we came to Heaven, as sort of a new beginning.
Maybe we won’t remember those things in Heaven at all; I don’t know.
It’s kind of hard to think about and talk about it, because we don’t know how time works in Heaven or in the eternal. We need to be very measured in how we speak about that. But I must say, it’s not often that I get questions about which I can say: I never thought of that before. Great question.
Can someone with the gift of tongues exercise it whenever they choose? Can someone with the gift of tongues exercise it whenever they choose? Or is it when the Spirit prompts us to do so speaking in the context of private life use?
1 Corinthians 14:2 – For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
The Scriptures only give us some hints about this question; there’s no clear answer to it. But from those hints, we know that a believer who does speak in tongues does so in their communication with God. Remember what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:2, that whoever speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men but unto God. Whatever the gift of tongues is, it’s not fundamentally a tool for interpersonal communication on a horizontal level. It’s a tool of communication on a vertical level between the believer and the Lord. “Whoever speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men but unto God.”
The hints in Scripture lean towards it being a gift, and that somebody who has the gift can use it whenever they please. Some spiritual gifts are like this. If someone has the gift of preaching or the gift of teaching, they can essentially use it whenever they please. The gift of mercy is a gift that someone can use whenever they please.
There are other gifts which are not like that. When the Bible describes the gift of miracles, or the gift of healing, there’s no indication Scripturally that it’s something which just resides in a person. I mean, if someone were to have the genuine biblical gift of healing, I don’t think they could go into a hospital and just empty the whole place out. We don’t have any Scriptural indication of that being the way the disciples acted. They use those gifts in a particular situation, as the Holy Spirit would lead them. But not every gift was like that.
Some gifts seem to be somewhat “resident” and other gifts seem to be more “spontaneous,” based on what the Holy Spirit is doing in that specific moment. I would put the gift of tongues into the category of being “resident” in a believer, for a couple reasons. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:18, “I thank my God that I speak with tongues more than you all.” That’s a hint; it’s not a clear statement. But it seems to indicate that Paul could speak in tongues whenever he pleased.
Here’s another hint. When Paul talks about the gift of tongues in the sense of it being a tool of edification for the believer, I think that’s another indication. 1 Corinthians 14:4 – He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
I don’t think the gift of tongues is something that God “does” to a person. It’s more of a “resident” gift, so to speak, which someone has. As they simply walk in the Spirit, they can use that gift as God would give them the ability.
Does the Catholic Bible mention purgatory or the Stations of the Cross? The Roman Catholic Bible is mostly the same as the Bible that most Protestants would use, with the addition of the Old Testament Apocrypha added to it, which includes extra books like 1-2 Maccabees, Esdras, Wisdom of Solomon, and a couple other books. I would regard those as extra-biblical books. Some of them have historical or devotional value, but they’re not on the par of Scripture. Some Protestants include those apocryphal books in their Bible.
I’m not an expert on the Apocrypha. I think that there’s a few allusions to something like purgatory in some of the apocryphal books, but there’s nothing clear, concrete, or definite. The idea of purgatory comes more from theological development in the Roman Catholic Church. It’s not fundamentally a Scriptural thing. It’s not something that came forth clearly from the Scripture, such as the deity of Jesus Christ. No, it’s something that came forth over centuries of theological development.
Some of the Stations of the Cross describe clear biblical events; others are things that just happened in tradition. However, the arrangement and order of the Stations of the Cross is nowhere spelled out in any Bible, whether it be the widely accepted Protestant Bible, or the Catholic Bible which includes the Old Testament Apocrypha.
It’s also noticeable that the New Testament is largely the same in the Roman Catholic and Protestant Bibles. The added books belong to the Old Testament, not to the New Testament, so it doesn’t affect the Stations of the Cross at all. The Stations of the Cross are a traditional development of Roman Catholics, but they are not delineated anywhere in the Bible, whether it be a Roman Catholic Bible or a Protestant Bible.
Is Preterism a heretical, aberrant teaching? Is there any place for Partial Preterism? There are people who are far better read developed on these subjects than I am, but I’ll give you my understanding.
I would not regard Preterism as heretical. Let me explain why. I reserve the terms “heresy” or “heretical” (sometimes I call it the H-bomb) for grievous error: something for which you will go to Hell if you believe it. Something truly heretical would be so divergent from biblical teaching, from the Gospel of who Jesus is and what Jesus came to do for us (especially what He did at the cross and in His resurrection), that if you believe it, you will go to Hell. I reserve the term “heresy” for that.
However, I do believe Preterism is aberrant. I believe it’s incorrect. Now, there are varieties and degrees of Preterism. Some people believe in Full Preterism. To give a bit of background, Full Preterism would believe that everything Jesus spoke about in the Olivet Discourse, which we primarily take to be Matthew 24-25, was fulfilled in Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Partial Preterism says that most of what Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24-25, was fulfilled in 70 AD, when the Romans conquered Jerusalem. Now, you could say that, in some ways, I am a partial preterist. In some sense, I think that what Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse, had application and some fulfillment in AD 70, when the Romans conquered Jerusalem. But I don’t think the events in AD 70 came anywhere close to fulfilling what Jesus said would happen in the Olivet Discourse. I believe it was a foreshadowing and a partial fulfillment of those things.
I believe that Preterism is a wrong teaching, in the sense of being aberrant. I would not describe it as heretical, because I’m working to be straightforward with my definitions. I regard “heresy” as something for which someone believing it will go to Hell. If someone teaches a heresy, and you believe it, you’re going to go to Hell for believing what teacher said. I am much more reserved in my use of the term heretic than some other people might be. But I try to be upfront with that.
Concerning a potential place for Partial Preterism to be accepted in Christian doctrine, I think it’s in the recognition that what Jesus spoke about in the Olivet Discourse was fulfilled in a limited way in 70 AD, yet not completely; there is still a much greater and a perfect fulfillment to come.
Where does a believer go directly after they die? Do they go straight to Heaven, or do they wait for the Rapture? They go straight to Heaven. Paul said very clearly in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. It isn’t to go into “soul sleep” or into suspended animation.
Now, the body of the deceased believer may await its resurrection. There is a sense in which that resurrection of the body may still be future for the believers gone to Heaven. This concerns how Heaven intersects with time here on this earth; we don’t always know all the answers to that question.
Even if the bodily resurrection waits for the end of the age, that believing person’s soul or spirit is with the Lord. Because we are more than our bodies. The immaterial part of our being – soul, spirit, or whatever term you want to use – is what Paul referenced very clearly: “To be absent from the body is to be present the Lord.” In Luke 23:42, Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise;” he was not waiting for future resurrection. I could give other examples.
We immediately go to be with the Lord, even if our body awaits upcoming resurrection.
How did Abraham and Lot know that the visiting men were angels? (Genesis 17-19) How did Abraham and Lot immediately know, in Genesis 17 and 19, that the men who came to visit were angels? And was it Jesus or the Father who visited Abraham in Genesis 17-18?
Abraham knew that these were angelic beings because of the wings that were on their back. No, I’m joking. They didn’t have wings.
But my question back to you would simply be, “How do we know that Abraham or Lot knew that they were angelic beings?” Maybe they did. Maybe they didn’t. But how do we know? I don’t immediately recall those chapters of Genesis stating that Abraham knew he was speaking to angelic beings.
When the two angelic beings went on, and Abraham was left alone with the Lord, he spoke to Him as if he was God. So, Abraham knew that was the Lord. That was an appearance of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God made manifest or visible, not the Father. The Father fulfills that aspect spoken of God, that God is invisible, whom no man has seen. God is Spirit. That’s the Father.
The Son has revealed God, whether it was in the Incarnation, beginning at Nazareth and the conception, born at Bethlehem, and walking this earth for 33 years, or whether it was in pre-incarnate appearances of God, which are scattered throughout the Old Testament. When God appears in physical human form, it’s Jesus Christ, either pre-incarnate, or at the Incarnation.
Now, Lot would have had some reason to believe that these were angelic beings because of the supernatural power they displayed, but not at first. I would guess that Abraham didn’t necessarily know that those two men were angels, although later he knew that it was the Lord that He spoke to when the other two moved on. I would guess that Lot didn’t know at first that these were angelic beings, but that he probably figured it out later. How they appeared made no difference. They didn’t have wings or leave a trail of feathers behind them. They looked like regular human beings. Connect it to the idea in Hebrews 13:2, where the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us that we should show hospitality and entertain strangers because by doing this, some people have shown hospitality or entertained angels without knowing it. So that’s something else to keep in mind.
Should pastors identify certain false teachers and charlatans by name to warn the flock? Should pastors identify certain false teachers and charlatans by name in order to warn the flock? I think there are examples where Paul named false teachers if I’m not mistaken.
You’re correct, there are examples where Paul named false teachers. Demas is the one who comes to mind immediately, and there were a few others. But here’s the thing that complicates it a bit. There are also places where Paul did not identify specific wrong doctrines with names. For example, in Galatians 2, Paul talks about certain men from Judea who came to Antioch and started causing trouble, including trouble with Peter and Barnabas and some other people. Paul never tells us who those certain men from Judea were. They had names; Paul knew who they were. It’s not like these were strangers or anonymous people to Paul, but he doesn’t point out who they were. And there are a few other places where Paul deals with doctrinal issues in churches, without specifically naming the people who are promoting these doctrinal errors or problems.
I would simply say this to you, and especially to any pastor out there listening to this. There is a time for pointing out the name and naming names of false teachers and charlatans, and there’s a time and place to not specifically call people out by name, but to speak in general, either leaving people deliberately unnamed or just talking about their ideas.
We must be led by the Holy Spirit. I think there’s something wrong if a person is always naming names, and there’s something wrong if a person is never naming names. It needs to be done on a Spirit-led basis, because we have examples of both in the New Testament. Nowhere do we learn the names of any of the scribes or Pharisees who opposed Jesus in the Gospels. Isn’t that interesting?
We have accounts and instances of both. Therefore, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and give us wisdom along the way, to know when it’s appropriate to name false teachers and charlatans, and when it’s better to either leave them unnamed or just speak about their ideas.
What is the strongest passage of prophecy that can be used to prove the Bible is inspired? What’s the strongest passage of prophecy that can be used to prove the Bible is inspired? What is the text even the critical scholars can’t dispute? For me it is the 70 sevens of Daniel.
There is a fair amount of controversy over the chronology of Sir Robert Anderson, which brings the 70 sevens of Daniel down to the exact day that Jesus entered Jerusalem. I can’t say with absolute certainty that the calculations of Sir Robert Anderson, written in his 1894 book, “The Coming Prince,” are correct. But I do believe what John Walvoord says about them, that they haven’t been categorically disproven. They may very well be true.
If you want to use prophecy to show the inspiration of the Bible, here are some great places to start.
First, look at the prophecies concerning the coming and ministry of Jesus. The best place to start is with these prophecies that concern the coming and the ministry of the Messiah, and how amazingly they were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
If you’re looking for something a little more esoteric, the prophecies of the destruction of Tyre and Sidon in Ezekiel were specifically and amazingly fulfilled. The prophecies in Daniel 10-11 about the kingdoms and empires that would succeed the Babylonian Empire are so impressive that most scholars who don’t believe the Bible is inspired by God, insist that they had to be written after the fact.
Those are the top three passages I would suggest to you. Look them up on my commentary to read more about their fulfillment.
What are your thoughts on Dispensationalism? First, let me define Dispensationalist. I believe that anyone who believes that there is a difference between Israel and the Church is, in some sense, a Dispensationalist. So, I believe there’s a difference between Israel and the Church. In that simple sense, I am a Dispensationalist.
The world of Dispensationalism is a big world with a lot of frankly crazy ideas out there. Please don’t identify me with everybody who claims to be a dispensationalist. Some of those people have a very strange understanding of the Bible. There are some dispensationalists who will tell you that Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is not for believers today, but it was only for Israel, according to the dispensations. I say, that’s nuts.
So, again, I am a dispensationalist in the basic sense of believing that there is a difference between the Church and Israel. If you do believe there’s a difference between the Church and Israel, you are in some sense a Dispensationalist. If you don’t believe there’s a difference between the Church and Israel, then you could say you’re not a Dispensationalist; maybe you’re a Covenant theologian or something like that.
My thoughts are that Dispensationalism is the most straightforward way to understand and make sense of the Bible. It’s the right way to understand the Bible, to let the Bible speak for itself as much as possible, without putting our own interpretations on it.
I do not at all have confidence in what many of our Reformed brethren call Covenant Theology. The Scriptural backing for Covenant Theology, as explained by our Reformed brethren, is tiny. It’s minuscule. They’re hanging huge systems of theology on the tiniest Scriptural foundation. I liken it to trying to hang a piano from a nail that you pound on the wall. They attempt to hang an immense theological weight on the few biblical passages which speak about an overarching covenant of grace and works that God is working out through all eternity in His plan to the ages. I don’t see it. I don’t agree with the Reformed understanding of Covenant Theology, though I very much believe in God’s unfolding plan expressed through the covenants in the Scripture.
What does “I AM” means in the Hebrew? (Exodus 3, John 8) How is “I AM” the name for God? To the best of my understanding, “I AM” is simply a statement of the existence and the self-existence of God, that God is an independent being, not dependent upon anybody else. He is the God of gods, He is the ultimate, the first cause, the origin of all, the Logos. “I AM.” There was never a time He was not. God’s self-existence, His absolute uniqueness, His simplicity, God’s eternity, it’s all wrapped up in that simple declaration, as it is in the Greek Scriptures, “Ego eimi,” “I AM.” “I exist.”
For humans and angels, we are all beings that depend upon something else. There were times when we were not, but not God. He’s eternal. He is the “I Am,” and always has been, and always will be.
It also has a sense of, “The Becoming One.” God is to His people what His people need. There are many nuances to that great declaration of God in Exodus, “I Am.” We also see that Jesus took that title very consciously upon Himself in John 8.
Why did Moses at 40 years old think he would save Israel if God had not called him yet? We can only speculate. The Bible tells us that Moses was the adopted son of Pharaoh. We also have pretty reliable extra-biblical tradition, from Josephus and other sources, that Moses was also the Crown Prince of Egypt. He was the one destined to take over when the present Pharaoh died. That being the case, you could see why Moses would think, “When I take the throne over Egypt as Pharaoh, then I can deliver my people.”
To me, that’s a very logical explanation why Moses would think he would be Israel’s deliverer, even though after 40 years had still not done anything active to deliver them. He was waiting to take the throne of Egypt, waiting for the current Pharaoh to die before he could enact the deliverance that was on his heart for Israel.
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Principles of Leadership: Handout
Principles of Leadership:
Leading to the End:
Principles of Leadership by David Guzik: Handout Session 1 – Vision: Creating and Maintaining Taught by David Guzik at Reach Jacksonville on Saturday, May 1, 2021
Session 1 Purpose: To see the importance and value of clear vision and purpose for our leadership. To learn how to create and use statements of purpose, vision, and mission.
Introduction: How Do You Get People to do the Impossible? Nothing Really Gets Done Without Purpose, Vision, and Mission With any leadership role, you must be able to answer the following questions for yourself, and those whom you lead should also be able to answer them.
- What is this all about?
- Where are we going?
- How will we know we have arrived or are making progress?
- Why is it worth it?
Defining Purpose, Vision, and Mission Purpose: Why are we doing this?
Vision: What is our preferred future?
Mission: What do we need to do to reach that future?
A solid sense of purpose, vision, and mission helps you to know:
- What you should do
- What you should not do
- What success in doing will look like
Consider that only 3% of all people who have goals write them down.
- 87% of people drift through life without definite goals or plans.
- 10% have goals, but just keep them in their heads.
- The 3% who have goals that are written down accomplish from 50 to 100 times more during their life than the 10% who have goals and keep them in their heads.
This ought to motivate us to:
- Set definite goals,
- Establish a plan of action for their fulfillment, and then
- Commit those goals to writing.
Biblical Thoughts on Purpose, Vision, Mission Some Commonly Quoted Bible Passages About Vision Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18, KJV) Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But happy is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18, NKJV)
Then the LORD answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” (Habakkuk 2:2)
- Write it out—so that you can process it yourself
- Make it plain so that others can read it
- Make it practical so that he who reads it can do something with it
God Operates with Purpose To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (Ephesians 3:10-11)
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. (Genesis 3:15)
Jesus as an Example of Life with Purpose, Vision, and Mission. But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” (Mark 1:38)
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. (John 12:46)
Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37)
Paul as an Example of Life with Purpose, Vision, and Mission Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)
For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (1 Corinthians 1:2)
But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)
Finally, notice that Peter wrote that we are redeemed from aimless conduct – therefore our life should have an aim, a purpose (1 Peter 1:18).
Practical Thoughts on Vision What Is Vision? * A Vision is the preferred future, a desirable or ideal state * Vision is a preferred future that comes from the heart, as well as the head * A Vision exists within each of us, even if we have not put it into words
Why Defined Vision is Important * Defining vision forces us to take a stand for a preferred future * The power of defined vision is in the way it forces us to hold ourselves accountable for acting in a way that is congruent with our defined vision * Defined vision organizes meaning for the members of the ministry * It articulates the goal that provides direction, aligns key players, and energizes people to achieve a common purpose * It is a compass for decision-making
Corporate Examples of Vision Statements * Steve Jobs, Apple Computer: “Start a revolution in the way the average person processes information.” * Fred Smith, Federal Express: “A vision of truly reliable mail service.” * The Nordstrom Family: “Seek to create an experience with our stores.” * John F. Kennedy: “By the end of the decade, America will have a man on the moon.”
Biblical Examples of Vision * Nehemiah: To build the wall * Moses: To take Israel to the Promised Land * David and Solomon: To build the temple * Jesus: Creation, salvation, re-creation
Fundamentals of Vision * A vision is fundamental to the success of any organization * The purpose of vision is to help create the future * A vision must be effectively communicated
The Idea of an Organizing Principle This is a brief statement that condenses and summarizes your Mission and Vision. It is a common thread that runs through who you are and what you are about to do.
Some examples (past and present):
- Ford Motor Company ~ Where Quality is Job 1
- Federal Express ~ The World on Time
- Motorola ~ Quality Means the World to Us
- Calvary Chapel Oxnard ~ Becoming More Like Jesus, by Learning and Living God’s Word
Steps to Define Your Vision 1. Pray: Ask the Lord to make your calling and vision clear.
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Spend time recording initial thoughts, dreams, life-long desires, and abiding urges.
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Answer this question: “What really excites me in terms of how I would chose to spend the rest of my life?”
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In 20 years, where would you like to be and what would you like to be doing?
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What do you believe is your specific calling and the gifts God has given you to accomplish it?
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What is your strongest spiritual gift?
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Get alone for a couple days for fasting and prayer over all this.
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Record your thoughts about all of the previous steps.
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In the fewest words, summarize #8.
Discussion Questions 1. Do you consider yourself a visionary person? Do you find it easy to think about the future and how things should or might be then? If you are not a visionary person, do you still need to have vision for your leadership and ministry?
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What happens to a ministry when it lacks vision? Have you seen or experienced this up close?
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Who are some good examples of visionary leadership that you have seen? Do you think these people were visionary by nature or do you think it developed in them? How did they communicate vision? How important is that?
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How can you be confident that vision is from the Lord and not from self-interest? Is it possible to be totally confident?
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If you had to train 5 people in visionary leadership, what would you do?
William Shakespeare – Henry the Fifth (Act 4, Scene 3) [1599] St. Crispian’s Day Speech (Battle of Agincourt – October 25, 1415) WESTMORELAND
Of fighting men they have full three score thousand.
EXETER
There’s five to one; besides, they all are fresh.
SALISBURY
These are fearful odds.
WESTMORELAND
O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!
KING HENRY V
What’s he that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland?
No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark’d to die, we are enough
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made And crowns for convoy put into his purse: We would not die in that man’s company That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named, And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian:” Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say “These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.”
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, But he’ll remember with advantages What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Session 2 – Controversy, Change, Conflict Taught by David Guzik at Reach Jacksonville on Saturday, May 1, 2021
Session 2 Purpose: To give Biblical understanding and practical instruction on how to lead through seasons of controversy, change, and conflict.
A. The Bible Tells Us of Three Necessary Things in Controversy and Conflict 1. You need to have a hardened face: Isaiah 50:4-7. This prophecy finds its fulfillment in Luke 9:51-56.
a. To have this kind of focus meant that Jesus had to have courage, and to make it through a time of conflict, we need to have courage
b. When you get your focus and harden your face, not everyone will receive you
c. When you get your focus and harden your face, you will be tempted to get your focus off where it should be and onto vengeance
- Damage control is not our focus
- Self-defense is not our focus
- Political manipulation is not our focus
- If we make any of these things our focus, Satan has won a great victory
2. You need to have a blind eye and to have a deaf ear: Ecclesiastes 7:21-22.
a. Have a blind eye and a deaf ear when it comes to disputes that aren’t your business.
b. Have a blind eye and a deaf ear when it comes to what the gossips are saying.
c. Have a blind eye and a deaf ear when it comes to what others are saying about you.
d. Have a blind eye and a deaf ear when it comes to defending yourself against false accusations.
Some quotes from Charles Spurgeon
- “If we treat others as enemies, they will feel obliged to play the part.”
- “It would be better to be deceived a hundred times than to live a life of suspicion.”
- “Brethren, shun this vice by renouncing the love of self. Judge it to be a small
matter what men think or say of you, and care only for their treatment of your Lord. If you are naturally sensitive do not indulge the weakness, nor allow others to play upon it.”
Thinking About Conflict Conflict and Compromise
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In life and leadership, those closest to you will likely inflict your worst hurts as a leader.
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If you don’t, you’ll protect and isolate; depriving yourself of the blessing of deep relationships and from being able to be a good leader.
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This is part of the pain and the burden of leadership.
Thinking About Compromise 1. The principled leader will never compromise with error, especially when that error hurts people.
- Yet, there are many things that are not matters of Biblical truth, character, or justice. It’s common to have controversy and conflict over these matters. In many of these situations it is wise for a leader to compromise in order to build consensus.
James 3:17: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield,
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This brings us to an important leadership principle: A leader must build consensus.
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Some refer to politics as the Art of Compromise. And in many ways, it is. It is the ability to take people with different priorities, values, agendas, and worldviews – and then forge a unit out of them that is able to agree on something. That is willingness to yield (James 3:17), which is compromise.
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The problem is that some people can’t make a distinction between the two. Some view all compromise as immoral and others are willing to compromise on everything, including their values. The good leader is able to make that distinction.
Two Examples from Lance Ralston: 1. John Quincy Adams could not and would not compromise for consensus. 2) Abraham Lincoln was brilliant at forming a consensus through compromise.
A Few Thoughts from the Book “Well Intentioned Dragons” In this book, Marshall Shelley described a few kinds of “dragons” that may cause difficulty in a church. These same personalities and perspectives may be seen in many places other than in church.
- The Bird Dog – always pointing out problems and faults
- The Wet Blanket – always being negative
- The Entrepreneur – always ready with an enthusiastic program
- Captain Bluster – always over-excited and exaggerating
- The Fickle Financier – using money as a weapon (or as a tool)
- The Busybody – who wants to tell everyone how to do their job
- The Sniper – Who attacks from a distance and never face-to-face
- The Bookkeeper – Keeps a record of every wrong
- The Merchant of Muck – the person with the “gift” of criticism
- The Legalist – for whom nothing or no one meets the standard
STICK TO YOUR WORK Anonymous
Stick to your work.
Do not flinch because the lion roars; do not stop to stone the devil’s dogs; do not fool away your time chasing the devil’s rabbits.
Do your work!
Let liars lie, let sectarians quarrel, let critics malign, let enemies accuse, let the devil do his worst; you do your best and see to it that nothing hinders you from fulfilling with joy the work God has given you to do.
He has not commanded you to be admired or esteemed.
He has never bidden you to defend your character.
He has not set you at work to contradict falsehoods about yourself that Satan’s servants or God’s servants may start to peddle, or to track down every rumor that threatens your reputation.
If you do these things, you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord.
Keep at your work.
Let your aim be as steady as a star.
You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded, rejected, misunderstood, or assigned impure motives.
You may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends, and despised and rejected of men. But see to it with steadfast determination, with unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being until at last you can say as Jesus did, “I have finished the work which You have given me to do.” (John 17:4)
A Few Steps to Help Resolve Conflict 1. Respect * You need to respect those you are in conflict with, so as wrong and misguided as they may be, they think they are doing right before the Lord. That doesn’t make them right, but you need to acknowledge that they think their goals are good (even if it means getting rid of you) * You need to respect those you are in conflict with, so listen. Can you state their concerns or complaints in a way they would agree with?
2. Rely * Rely on the Lord; make it His battle, not yours * Rely on others; get some counsel
3. Repent * Repent before the Lord, and especially ask Him to search your heart (Psalm 139:23) * Repent before those in the conflict, even if you are only 1% of the problem
4. Remind * Remind yourself and those in the conflict of the Biblical principles and shared vision connected to the conflict * Make it about obedience to God in these agreed to principles, not about personalities
5. Record * Consider recording things in a journal * Have someone present as a record * Consider recording meetings * Recall principles of agreement in a meeting
6. Remember • God is in control, and in some way – you need this
Session 3 Class Notes: Well Done, Leading to the End Taught by David Guzik at Reach Jacksonville on Saturday, May 1, 2021
Session 3 Purpose: To learn and understand what it takes to finish well, to carry out godly leadership to the end of what we should do.
Caleb: A Biblical Example of Finishing Well * Joshua 14:6-9: Caleb Remembers Moses’ Promise. * Joshua 14:10-13: Caleb Seizes God’s Promise.
Paul – Another Example of Leading Well to the End * 2 Timothy 4:6-7: Paul’s triumphant confidence. * 2 Timothy 4:8 Paul’s crown of righteousness.
Jesus: The Ultimate Example of Finishing Well * John 13:1: At the Last Supper * John 19:30: At the Cross
Practical Thoughts on Leading to the End Consider: Leading to the end means something different today than it did 30 or 50
years ago.
Five Principles for Leading Well to the End 1. Continue Learning “Leaders are fundamentally going to have to change the way they lead and manage people. The speed of change is only going to get faster. Their experience is not as valuable as it used to be—only their ability to adjust, adapt.”
“It’s not what you’ve been taught that matters. It’s how fast you can learn.” When you’re through learning, you’re through. (Kraft, Leaders Who Last)
Ways to Continue Lifelong Learning
• Read
• Write
• Ask Questions
- What here is new or different from what I previously believed or taught?̈
- Can you share with me how you arrived at your conclusions?
- What prejudices might I have that could make it difficult for me to hear and understand this person?
- What personal application is there in what I am seeing and hearing?
2. Stay Others Centered 3. Deflect Derailments – Stay on Track
Dave Kraft’s list from Leaders Who Last: Seven Habits of Highly Ineffective People
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They spend too much time managing and not enough time leading.
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They spend too much time counseling the hurting people and not enough time developing people with potential.
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They spend too much time putting out fires and not enough time lighting fires. 4. They spend too much time doing and not enough time planning.
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They spend too much time teaching the crowd and not enough time training the core.
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They spend too much time doing it themselves and not enough time doing it through others.
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They make too many decisions based on organizational politics and too few decisions based on biblical principles.
4. See and Use Your Advantages 5. Make It Better for Those Who Follow
- What can you do to make it better for who follows you?
- What can you do to help them start in a good place?
Summary: Five Characteristics of Leaders Who Finished Well 1. They maintained a vibrant, personal relationship with God right up to the end. 2. They maintained a learning posture and learned from various sources.
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They lived by identifiable goals and were characterized by a good degree of self- control in their mind, will, and emotions.
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They saw the need for meaningful, supportive personal relationships. They devoted time to developing a network of such intentional relationships, starting with their marriage and family.
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They had clear vision, strong Biblical convictions, a great sense of perspective, and a lifelong commitment to pleasing and honoring the Lord through a daily, deliberate surrender to the Lordship of Christ in all things.
(From Bobby Clinton: Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need to Succeed in Life)
Conclusion: Matthew 25:19-23: Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant © 2021 By David Guzik for Enduring Word – ewm@enduringword.com
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Wir freuen uns über deine großzügige Spende für Enduring Word zum Jahresende.
Klicke bitte hier, um zu spenden.
Doch Gottes Erbarmen ist unbegreiflich groß! Wir waren aufgrund unserer Verfehlungen tot, aber er hat uns so sehr geliebt, dass er uns zusammen mit Christus lebendig gemacht hat. Ja, es ist nichts als Gnade, dass ihr gerettet seid! Zusammen mit Jesus Christus hat er uns vom Tod auferweckt, und zusammen mit ihm hat er uns schon jetzt einen Platz in der himmlischen Welt gegeben, weil wir mit Jesus Christus verbunden sind. Bis in alle Ewigkeit will er damit zeigen, wie überwältigend groß seine Gnade ist, seine Güte, die er uns durch Jesus Christus erwiesen hat.(Epheser 2,4-7)
Gott lebt in der Herrlichkeit der zeitlosen Ewigkeit, aber sein Werk berührt Dein Leben im Hier und Jetzt, heute. In diesem kurzen und herrlichen Abschnitt aus dem Epheserbrief geht der Apostel Paulus darauf ein, wie Gott Einfluss in unserem Leben nimmt – und dass in der Vergangenheit, in der Gegenwart und in der Zukunft.
In der VERGANGENHEIT sind wir gemeinsam mit Christus von den Toten auferweckt worden. Jesus hatte Anteil an unserem Tod, damit wir an seinem Leben nach der Auferstehung teilhaben können. Der alte Körper wurde mit Jesus am Kreuz gekreuzigt, und nun sind wir in Jesus eine neue Schöpfung, in der das Alte vergeht und alles neu wird (2. Korinther 5,17). Aber Paulus war gezwungen, uns an etwas anderes zu erinnern, nämlich daran, dass dies ein Werk der Gnade Gottes ist (aus Gnade seid ihr gerettet), das in keiner Weise mit dem zusammenhängt, was wir verdienen oder verdienen könnten. Unsere Errettung (Rettung) aus dem geistlichen Tod ist ein Werk Gottes, das er für die vollbracht hat, die es nicht verdient haben.
In der GEGENWART haben wir schon jetzt einen Platz in der himmlischen Welt, weil wir mit Jesus Christus verbunden sind. Wir haben einen neuen Ort, an dem wir leben, einen neuen Bereich für uns – wir sind nicht die, “die auf der Erde wohnen” (wie in der Offenbarung meist die bezeichnet werden, die von Gott getrennt leben), sondern unsere “Heimat ist im Himmel” (wie in Philipper 3,20 steht). Beachte bitte, dass Paulus nicht gesagt hat, dass wir mit Christus Jesus in der himmlischen Welt sitzen – das wird eines Tages geschehen, wenn wir auferweckt werden. Vielmehr sitzen wir in Christus Jesus in der himmlischen Welt. Da wir voll und ganz in und durch Jesus leben, sitzen wir, wie er, in der himmlischen Welt.
In der ZUKUNFT wird Gott uns weiterhin den unermesslichen Reichtum seiner Gnade vor Augen führen. Gott wird nie aufhören, uns auf der Grundlage der Gnade zu behandeln, aber er wird für immer damit fortfahren, uns ihren Reichtum in der Ewigkeit zu offenbaren. Dies ist kein verrückter, aus der Hoffnung entsprungener Wunsch, sondern die feste Zusage eines treuen Gottes. Darauf kannst Du Dich verlassen.
All dies ist ein Erbe, an dem sich diejenigen, die in Christus Jesus sind, festhalten können. Das ist Gottes Werk, das er für sein gläubiges Volk vollbracht hat, und in Jesus sollten wir es für uns in Anspruch nehmen. Weil Jesus Christus unser Messias und Retter ist, gilt Folgendes für uns:
– In Jesus können wir frei von der Schuld und dem Schmerz der Vergangenheit leben.
– In Jesus können wir mit einer Kraft in der Gegenwart leben, die alles andere übertrifft.
– In Jesus können wir voller Hoffnung in eine sichere Zukunft blicken.
Wie viele unserer alltäglichen Ängste würden einfach verschwinden, wenn wir uns jetzt an das halten würden, was Gott uns mit Blick auf die Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft versprochen hat?
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And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)
It’s almost more than we can take in. The promise is big, but simple. There will be a day when we are united with our Lord in heaven, and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
It says every tear for good reason, because we shed many tears for many different reasons. Think of some of the tears shed in the Bible. Tears of bereaved love, such as Mary and Martha (John 11:33) over the death of their brother. Tears of a mother over her deceased son (Luke 7:13). Perhaps you have cried when someone you love passed from this world to the next. One day in heaven, no more tears.
There are the tears of sympathy and mercy, such as tears Jesus and Jeremiah wept over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37, Jeremiah 9:1). Knowing the judgment to come on the holy city, neither Jesus nor Jeremiah could help weeping – they did not rejoice in coming judgment. It is likely that your own face has been stained with tears of sympathy and mercy over the suffering of someone you love. One day in heaven, no more tears,
There are many other kinds of tears. Tears of persecuted innocence, shed when the righteous suffer (Job 31:31). Tears of fear and uncertainty (Psalm 6:6). Tears of contrition and penitence for our sins (Psalm 39:11-13). Tears of disappointment and neglect (Psalm 42:3). You have probably wept many of these every tears. One day in heaven, no more tears. Whatever tears roll down the cheeks of mortals, in heaven they will be dried forever.
It’s not that our tears are all bad. God remembers them and cherishes them. In Psalm 56:8, David prayed, You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle. Perhaps some of us have bigger bottles in heaven, but God saves our tears.
The wonderful promise of Revelation 21:4 is The former things have passed away. The glory of heaven is distinguished by what it does not have – no tears, no sorrow, no death, no pain. This is a case where less is certainly more. We come into this earth with a cry. We leave it with a weak, feeble groan. In between there is a lot of helpless wailing. But the Hallelujahs of heaven will drown out the voice of sorrow forever.
Whatever pain you are going through, remember – this too shall pass. If you are in Jesus, trusting in His goodness and work on the cross for you, this is the worst it will ever be. Tragically, for those who reject Jesus and try to make their own way before God, this life – even with all its tears – is the best it will ever be.
Make sure that there are “no more tears” in your long-term future.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Revelation 21
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All Things New: Preparing Your Heart for a New Year
God Loves New Things The start of a new year is always a good time to pause and think about what new things God may want to do. I’m firmly convinced that God likes doing new things. It’s isn’t that God gets easily bored. Many people today need a constant rush of the new and different or they can’t pay attention, but God isn’t like that.
God Is Making All Things New If you want some proof of God’s love for new things, look at what God said at almost the end of the Book of Revelation: Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
This comes at the end of the Book of Revelation:
- After God’s people have been gathered to heaven
- After the Great Tribulation
- After the rise and fall of the Antichrist
- After the Battle of Armageddon
- After the glorious return of Jesus Christ
- After the judgment of the nations
- After 1,000 years of the personal reign of Jesus on earth
- After the end of Satan’s evil career
- After the final judgment
- After the new heaven and new earth
- After the New Jerusalem
After all that, God is not finished making things new.
This was so amazing to John that he stopped writing and had to be specifically told to keep on writing. The One on the throne had to say to John, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
New Things throughout the Bible God so loves new things that new things will be part of heaven! All through time, we see that God loves new things:
- In Leviticus God asked for a new grain offering (Leviticus 23:16)
- In Numbers God gave Israel new wine and new grain (Numbers 18:12)
- In Psalm God tells us that He loves a new song (Psalm 33:3, 40:3)
- In Isaiah God declares new things for His people (Isaiah 42:9, 43:19)
- He gives us a new name (Isaiah 62:2)
- He will make a new heavens and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17, 66:22)
- In Jeremiah God makes us part of a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31)
- In Lamentations God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23)
- In Ezekiel God gives us a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:26)
- In Matthew Jesus looks for new wineskins to use (Matthew 9:17)
- In John Jesus gives us a new commandment (John 13:34)
- In 2 Corinthians God makes us a new creation and makes things new (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- In Revelation God promises a New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2)
- God even made sure Jesus was buried in a new tomb! (John 19:41)
God’s Message for You So, hear God say it to you today: “Behold, I make all things new.”
In one sense there is nothing really special about the first day of the year. When I was a little boy, I thought the first day of summer was much better than the first day of the new year. Still, something about the new year speaks to our God-given love of new things
It is true that we can take that love for new things and make it an idol; but the basic desire a new thing is because we are made in the image of God
But still, God says to you today: “Behold, I make all things new.”
It’s worth it to be happy about a new year, to be excited about it, to receive it with faith, and happiness, and some celebration.
New Things Ahead This Year Think of what God wants to make new in this New Year:
- New mercies, new grace
- New blessings
- New opportunities
- New conquest over stubborn sins
- New faith replacing old fears
- New life for many
I don’t doubt that God also has new challenges, new responsibilities, and new accountabilities for you this year – but whatever new comes to you from the hand of Jesus will be a blessing.
After all, notice who it is in Revelation 21:5 who said, “Behold, I make all things new.” – it was Jesus Himself.
Jesus is an expert at doing new things; what He did on the cross, in dying for our rescue, in being buried, and in rising again from the dead was all completely new.
Be blessed in this new year – and let Jesus the carpenter build some new things in your life this new year.
© 2021 By David Guzik for Enduring Word – ewm@enduringword.com
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Can Free Will and Predestination Be Reconciled?
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Can Free Will and Predestination be Reconciled? Bill asked (last week in the side chat, a question we didn’t get to):
How do you reconcile free will with predestination as described in the Bible?
We have two principles at work here:
Principle 1:
God is in control and all things happen according to the good pleasure of His will, according to the counsel of His will. This is true both in what God directly performs, and what God allows.
Ephesians 1:5
having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
Ephesians 1:11
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will
Principle 2:
God speaks to us and deals with people with real choice, not as pre-programmed robots. From how the Bible speaks to us, we have every reason to believe that our choices matter.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Mark 8:34
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
I understand that our more Calvinistic or Reformed friends will say, “The people in Acts 2 can only repent because God leads them to repent.” Or they will say, “The people in Revelation 22 can only come because God leads them to come.” Or they will say, “The people in Mark 8 can only desire to come after Jesus because God gives them the desire.”
For the moment, let’s not contest any of that – that God must work in a person before they can repent, or come to Jesus, or desire to follow Him. Nevertheless, God doesn’t repent for a person. God may give the gift of repentance, but He won’t repent for someone – they must do it. God may draw a person, but they still must come. At some point, human response – faith; trusting in, relying on, clinging to Jesus – is essential.
I want you to notice that Bill asked about free will, and I responded by talking about real choice. I don’t like the phrase “free will” and I try to avoid it. There are many ways in which our will is not free; our will can be bound in many ways. For me, “free will” is questionable; but “real choice” is essential.
What I want to know from the reformed or Calvinistic believer is this: “Forget about free will. Tell me if men and women have real choice. Tell me if people can choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ and the good news.” If human beings don’t have a real choice – if someone believes that God’s predestination means we are programmed in some way, robots in some way – then just tell us.
So, we’re left with these two principles:
Principle 1:
God is in control and all things happen according to the good pleasure of His will, according to the counsel of His will. This is true both in what God directly performs, and what God allows.
Principle 2:
God speaks to us and deals with people with real choice, not as pre-programmed robots. From how the Bible speaks to us, we have every reason to believe that our choices matter.
Bill asked, “How do these reconcile?”
To be honest, I don’t try to reconcile them. I hold them as complimentary truths, and I believe that God (1) works all things according to His will, and (2) made human beings in His image, who have the capability and responsibility of making real, meaningful choices.
Someone once asked Charles Spurgeon, “How do you reconcile predestination and free will?” Spurgeon answered, “Why do I need to reconcile friends?”
In God’s great, sovereign plan, His predestination and the real choices of human beings work together in the accomplishing of His plan.
- If my understanding of God’s sovereign plan cancels out the truth of our having real choice, something went wrong.
- If my understanding of our having real choices cancels out the truth of God’s sovereign plan, something went wrong.
I’ll be honest – this works for me. I’m ok with recognizing the truth of both principles and leaving it to God to work out the details. I don’t feel that I must sacrifice one for the sake of the other. I’m sympathetic to those who feel more bothered – even tortured – by this issue, but that’s just not where I’m at.
How should I distribute tithes and offerings between more than one place? How would I know if splitting the tithes and offerings between two places for God would be acceptable? Are there any Scriptures to show me?
This is a great question. God bless you for being a giver. God bless you for tithing and offering unto Him. I think this is glorifying to God. It reflects the heart of God for His people, that we should be generous people. God is a giver, and we should be givers.
You asked about knowing how to distribute your tithes and offerings, ways by which you can show your generosity. The Scriptures talk about this in passages like 1-2 Corinthians and the Pastoral Epistles. For example, in 1 Timothy, Paul explains that those who labor in God’s Word should receive double honor; he says that they should be compensated in a particular and special way. Obviously, the early church didn’t have many resources to support pastors and teachers of the congregation. But as much as they were able to, they regarded their support as a priority for the church.
In 1 Timothy 5:18, Paul quotes from the Old Testament, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and concludes that those who labor in the Word should be rewarded by those who receive the Word. There are many Scriptures to that effect in the New Testament.
I would say that your priority in giving should be to those either in your congregation, such as the pastor who ministers the Word to you, or perhaps to other ministries which bring God’s Word to you in some way or another. The priority should be your local church and those ministries that bring you God’s Word.
The principle some Christians use is to bring their tithe, or 10%, to their local church; and what they give beyond that tithe or offering, they may distribute to other ministries which help the poor and needy, and do good in the world, in Jesus’ name, to the afflicted and disadvantaged. Those are wonderful things for believers to give unto. But I think there is a clear Scriptural priority. It doesn’t tell us exactly what that should be. Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit for you, personally, to know what that should look like. But it should be a prioritized upon the local church where you are fed the Word of God by your pastor, and perhaps, if you want to include by extension some other ministries or outlets from which you also receive the Word of God and are fed spiritually.
I can’t give you an exact number or proportion of how much to give, but I would refer you to those relevant passages in 1 Corinthians 9 and 1 Timothy 5.
What is the difference between loving God with our heart and our soul? We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Now, I think we must take that as an entirety. God is telling us to love Him with our entire being. I don’t think the reason for listing the different categories was so that we could separate those categories or have a different love for God in our heart than in our soul, mind, or strength. No, the idea is that we should give an entire love to God, from our entire person and our entire being. I really don’t think Jesus’ purpose or intention in that was to make a division between those things, or to get you to focus a different kind or different proportion of love to different things. The package together speaks to us very powerfully that we are to love God and honor Jesus Christ with everything that we are, in everything that we have: mind, strength, soul, heart. All those things go together.
Can the devil take our lives before our appointed time, if we depart from God’s will? Are our lives in God’s hands always? Can the enemy take our lives before our appointed time, if we depart from God’s will for our life?
First, the devil does not hold the keys to life and death. Now, I’m not saying that the devil is unable, with permission from God, to be the agent of somebody’s death. The Bible tells us that the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But the devil is not the ultimate power over life and death; God is.
God is sovereign over life and death. Because God has that power, we believe it’s impossible for the enemy to do that in the life of a believer. The devil has no authority over the life of a believer in any sense. God allows the devil to do what he can and cannot do. It may happen that God allows the devil to be the agent by which an unbeliever meets their death. But it only happens under the allowance of God.
Regarding believers, I do not believe that the enemy can take our lives before our appointed time if we depart from God’s will for our life. I don’t think it works that way for the believer. The power of life and death is in God; it’s not in the devil. Anything that the devil may be able to do in his terrible work of stealing, killing, and destroying, he does only under the allowance of God in a particular situation.
Is it better for a Christian to marry an unbeliever than to live together outside of marriage? My 55-year-old believer friend wants to marry her live-in boyfriend of eight years. He’s a non-believer. Her pastor told her that it’s better to marry than to fornicate. She trusts her pastor implicitly. How do I respond?
Well, this is difficult, because this situation involves a believer living in significant compromise. There’s the option of making things better, and there’s the option of working towards making things best. I also have some questions that would be more suited to her particular life situation. I believe that there have been some situations, especially if younger children are involved, where it would be better for a believer to marry the unbeliever that they’re living with, in order to provide a better and more proper home, even though it’s not good or it’s not best that they would marry an unbeliever. Based on the age of your friend, it may be that there are no young children involved, and this may be only out of convenience. I would have to know more about the situation in question.
But certainly, the best thing would be for her to only marry another believer in the way that the Bible speaks. We understand that the Bible says that a Christian, a believer, should marry only another believer. But it’s not because those who have yet to believe upon Jesus Christ are all filthy, terrible marriage candidates, and there could never be any happiness or peace in that marriage. That’s not the reason why.
There are some people who are not yet believers, who would in fact make a good husband or wife for somebody who’s a believer. Unbelievers are not automatically disqualified from marrying believers because they’re all rotten, terrible people, and a Christian should never have anything to do with somebody who does not yet believe. No, that’s not the reason.
The reason is that if someone is truly a disciple of Jesus Christ, then the ultimate purpose and goal of their life is following Jesus and honoring Him. That’s what we mean by being a believer: somebody who is a disciple of Jesus Christ. How can they really be joined together with someone who does not have the same life purpose at all?
The biblical principles about these things need to be understood and applied in ways full of wisdom and full of awareness about the real-life situation. It would seem probably best for your friend not to marry this person, and for your friend to marry someone who is a believer. I know that’s far easier said than done. I can say that very flippantly. In this situation, there are two sins at work, honestly. You have the sin of fornication or sexual immorality, which is living with someone with whom she has not made the commitment of marriage; and you have the sin of marrying an unbeliever. Frankly, it is not always easy to know which sin should be chosen in this. Obviously, the best choice is to choose neither and instead to live in a way that would honor God. It will take a radical obedience. But this is what God calls His people to if we would be true disciples of Jesus Christ. I’m going to try to remember to pray for your friend, because it’s big thing that she’s going through. I pray that God would give her wisdom to really honor Jesus with her life.
Are trespasses and sins the same thing? Essentially, they’re the same thing, but the wording of it indicates a slight distinction. A trespass is to go over a boundary. Think of people trespassing onto property where they shouldn’t go. Trespassing is going over a boundary that you should not pass; a line is drawn, and you cross it.
The technical definition of sin is to miss the mark. There’s a target and you miss it; you’ve missed the mark. So, they’re very similar, with a slight distinction. The same action could be described as both going over a boundary and missing a mark. The Scripture often uses these as general terms, without any emphasis on a specific aspect of it, to describe sin and its many effects.
Is Charles Darwin’s scientific theory of evolution a lie from Satan? Is Charles Darwin’s scientific theory of evolution, a lie from Satan? Does science lie to us about macro evolution and monkeys that became humans?
Let me be specific here. I appreciate that you made the distinction in your question about macro evolution. Because the principle of evolution is true. Biological organisms on Earth evolve. That’s unquestioned. There’s a difference between what could be called “micro evolution” and “macro evolution.”
Micro evolution is where a dogs adapt, sometimes through natural selection, sometimes through purposeful or guided selection, into all different kinds of breeds and aspects of dogs. That’s micro evolution. Then there’s macro evolution, which would be something like, to use a silly hypothetical, an amoeba becoming a dog becoming a human.
Micro evolution is true; it’s glorious and should be studied to the highest extent. Macro evolution really has no concrete scientific evidence behind it, to my knowledge. Friends, I’m trying to be very transparent with you: I’m a pastor, Bible teacher, and Bible commentator; I’m not a scientist. But if there is persuasive evidence for macro evolution, meaning one species of organism literally becoming another species, like a reptile becoming a mammal, then I’m unaware of it, and it’s certainly not widely publicized, if there is such evidence for that.
So, there are aspects of Charles Darwin’s work and evolutionary theory, which are understood and true. But the aspect of macro evolution, proposing that human beings evolved from single-celled organisms over a process of thousands of years, without a god involved at all? Friends, that is a lie from Satan. And it’s been a very damaging and troublesome lie. It’s been damaging and troublesome because at one time, at least in the Western world, human beings lived with a vital awareness that they were creatures and had some responsibility towards a Creator. That understanding seems to be completely absent in the present day, and our world is not the better for it.
Therefore, I don’t believe that macro evolution is true at all. I know that there are people who try to propose the idea of theistic evolution. That proposal is very troublesome to me from a biblical perspective. I don’t buy into it at all. But again, we’re not trying to express any difficulty with the concept of micro evolution, or just simply what happens through natural selection.
What is a good Bible reading plan or devotional for the new year? That’s a great question. I would challenge our viewers with something that I’ve often said. If you want to do something good in your reading through the Bible, get a journal or notebook with plenty of pages, and begin going through the Bible chapter by chapter. I think it’s good start at Genesis and go all the way through to Revelation. I won’t tell you how much to read every day, or to do it within a year, although January 1 is a great day to begin.
Start reading through the Bible chapter by chapter and write a one-sentence summary of every chapter of the Bible. Write it with your own hand. Even if you do it electronically, write it yourself. That’s the goal: a one-sentence summary of every chapter of every book of the Bible. It will make you read the Bible thinking, “Hey, I’ve got write a one-sentence summary of the steps. So, what’s this chapter about?” It’s kind of scary how often we read our Bibles on “autopilot;” when we’re done, we can tell you almost nothing of what we just read.
So, my constant recommendation to people in their Bible reading is read through the Bible, one chapter at a time, and to write a one-sentence summary of every chapter of the Bible. When that’s done, you’re going to have a really cool notebook. That’s why I say you should write it out with your hand, because you want a cool notebook when you’re done. But if you want to key it into your phone or whatever, it’s not nearly as satisfying, but that’s up to you. Write a one-sentence summary of every chapter of the Bible.
How do you get victory over a besetting sin? That’s a great question. Really, it’s a discipleship question. If I were to give you a really detailed answer, it would mean sitting down with somebody over a cup of coffee and talking maybe for a couple hours and doing some deep probing about where things are at in your life. But I can give you some general principles.
First, give attention to the basics of the Christian life: reading your Bible, regular prayer, getting together with other Christians, giving your time in some way to serve God and His people. Give attention to those basics in the Christian life, even if you’re still struggling with that sin. You need spiritual strength in your life. And I believe that God has ways appointed by which He builds spiritual strength in our life. Part of that is found in the basic Christian practices of discipleship. Spending time in God’s Word, not just reading it on autopilot, but really thinking about it and meditating upon it. Scripture memorization. Remember that phrase from Psalm 119? “Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Prayer. Give attention to the basics of the Christian life.
Secondly, make sure you’re putting a genuine focus upon Jesus Christ in your life. I have experienced for myself and have seen it in many other people as well: people who are so troubled by a besetting sin that they put far more focus upon their besetting sin and a desire for victory than they put upon Jesus Himself. Friends, we should not be in that place. Keep a focus on Jesus. I’m not saying give no attention to the besetting sin; God forbid. But make sure that you’re pursuing Jesus, and that you’re relying as much as you’re able on the power of the Holy Spirit.
Give attention to the basics, put a focus upon Jesus, and thirdly, in some cases, it’s wise to make yourself accountable to another brother or sister in Christ. Accountability is not a magic bullet or a magic solution. Accountability only works as much as you want it to work, as much as you’re willing to be honest, open, and transparent about it. It also depends somewhat upon the capability of the person who’s supposed to be holding you accountable. So, accountability with another person is good. But I think it’s even more important to give attention to the basics of the Christian life, to keep a focus on Jesus, and then have some accountability.
I’ll give you one other solution. Don’t neglect fasting as you face besetting sins. Fasting is a way that we help subdue the strength and the power of our flesh. It’s a way that we tell ourselves “No” for the glory of God. Don’t neglect that as a tool to find increasing strength in the battle against sin.
Does the Bible ever tell Jews not to be circumcised or observe the Jewish feasts? Does the Bible ever tell Jews not to be circumcised and to observe the Jewish feasts? I know it says Gentiles don’t have to live like Jews. But should Jewish people still follow Jewish traditions and feasts? Jewish people certainly have the liberty to follow Jewish traditions or feasts, but they should not feel that it makes them any more right with God. If a Jewish person wants their male children to undergo ritual circumcision, they have perfect liberty to do it. They just shouldn’t think it makes them any more right with God. They have perfect liberty to keep the feasts, especially as they are fulfilled in Jesus Christ: Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and all the rest of them. They just shouldn’t think that it makes them any more right with Jesus Christ. That’s really what we’re talking about here. The simple truth is that we are put in right relationship with God, not by the things we do – whether by good moral works, ceremonies, or traditions – but by who Jesus is, and by His perfect obedience to the Father in what He did for us, especially at the cross. They have freedom to do as they please; if they want to observe the Jewish rituals and feasts, that’s wonderful; praise the Lord. But it just doesn’t make them any more right with God.
Why is wisdom called “she” in Proverbs? Can you please tell me why wisdom is called “she” in Proverbs? I thought the Holy Spirit is wisdom. This is very confusing.
I don’t take that as a big deal. Wisdom is honored as a “she” just because, let’s face it, women often reflect a lot of wisdom. But it’s not being used for the Person of God. Wisdom here is being personified, such as somebody might personify faith, or goodness, or something like that. Wisdom is being personified, but it doesn’t mean that it’s saying that God is “Lady wisdom”. It’s simply a personification of a biblical virtue and pursuit. It really doesn’t reflect the Holy Spirit or any other member of the Godhead being a woman. It’s simply personifying wisdom as a woman, in the idea of “Lady wisdom,” wisdom that teaches us. For many people, real wisdom was first imparted to them by their mother.
It’s a beautiful and touching figure, to personify wisdom as a woman. But nowhere in the Bible is saying that God is equal to wisdom, or that God is the “lady wisdom,” personified in the book of Proverbs.
Does Zechariah 12:10-14 refer to Jesus as King, Prophet, Priest? When Zechariah 12:10-14 refers to the families of David, Nathan, and Levi in mourning, is this representative of Jesus being our King, Prophet and Priest?
Yes, absolutely. This is prophetic of Jesus when Zechariah 12:10 says, “Then they will look upon Me whom they have pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn.” Absolutely. That is prophetically referring to the nation of Israel coming to Him in repentance.
Like many prophecies, it could have a near fulfillment and an ultimate fulfillment, or a lesser fulfillment and a greater fulfillment. The ultimate and greater fulfillment of this is what the Apostle Paul wrote about in Romans 9-11, of Israel eventually coming to faith in their Messiah. When Jesus looked over Jerusalem on the same day as the Triumphal Entry, He said that He would “not return to you until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
There will come a time when Israel recognizes their Messiah for who He is: Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. Yes, this is speaking prophetically of Jesus. I would recommend to you my commentary on Zechariah 12 at enduringword.com/bible-commentary/zechariah-12/, or on Blue Letter Bible at blb.org, to read a more detailed explanation of what we’re talking about.
Could death be considered a form of healing? For the believer, I would say yes, it is. When the believer passes from this life to the next, they will go to Heaven where there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more suffering, no more weakness of the body. We are resurrected in Jesus Christ. That’s healing.
I’ll never forget what I read in one of these old Puritan commentators; I think maybe it was John Trapp. He talked about a man who was on his deathbed. He was in some pain, and his family was gathered around him. They asked him, “Well, how do you feel?” And this man said, “Almost better,” and he died soon after that. That’s grace. That’s the kind of grace I hope to have, if I’m ever on a deathbed in those circumstances, just be able to say, “Listen, I’m hurting right now. But I’m almost better. The solution to my problem is almost at hand. And that’s resurrection.”
I believe that God’s salvation for us is given to us in body, soul, and spirit. It will ultimately be completed at the resurrection, where we will have a body that will never ever again experience weakness or sickness or disease of any kind. That is ultimate healing. We are grateful that in the here-and-now God does wonderful works of healing. We’re grateful for that, and we long for God to do more of those and not less of them. But we know that, ultimately speaking, the problem of weakness and sickness and pain in this body is ultimately solved by resurrection.
Is it Biblical to “decree and declare”? Is it Biblical to “decree and declare”, and to redeem the earth or the place we intend to be?
I’m not big on this. I would have to speak to each individual case. Could it be that God had made a specific promise to a believer, which they were able to discern by the Holy Spirit, and they stand on that promise even to the point of saying, “I declare and decree?” It could; I don’t want to exclude the possibility. But I’ll be very honest with you. To me, it seems like a lot of this is just arrogance or ignorance from Christians. It’s just big talk. They really don’t have a promise or an assurance from God. We can rest with great confidence on the promises of God. Those promises come to us primarily in and through His Word. I do believe that God can, by the Holy Spirit, communicate a promise to His people today. But that is subjective. I think Christians should be careful. We do not have dominion over the entire earth as individuals, in the sense that some people seem to think that we do. I’ll just leave it at that.
Could you recommend a book to read this new year? Could you recommend a book to read this new year, please? Maybe something you’ve read recently that you really enjoyed.
I’m going to recommend an old book to you. Look for this book, “The Jesus Style” by Gayle Erwin. Gayle is a good friend and a godly man. Let me tell you, this is an outstanding book. It’s easy to read; Gayle has a wonderful conversational style. I strongly recommend that you read this book. It’s a great book for the new year.
Can we receive a refreshing of the Holy Spirit? Absolutely I do. Ephesians 5 says that we should be filled with the Holy Spirit. To be honest, I’m not an expert, or have much familiarity with the New Testament Greek, but I know how to read the people who do have great expertise in it. That phrase, “Be filled with Holy Spirit,” is given in the sense that it should be a continual experience. I think that we should pray every day, “God, fill me with the Holy Spirit.” Now, it’s not in the sense that we weren’t filled before. We don’t say, “Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit,” with a sense of denying that we’ve been filled before. We ask it in the sense of wanting to receive Him anew every day. We want to receive that filling of the Holy Spirit. As some people have put it, we are “leaky vessels” who need a continual filling of the Holy Spirit.
I would recommend that every day you make it a concerted part of your prayer to say, “Lord, I want to be filled with the Spirit today. I want to walk in the Spirit today.” That’s a great prayer to pray coming into the year 2022.
Are there apostles today? Ephesians 5 and 1 Corinthians 14 mention apostles being a gift to the church from Jesus. Are there apostles today?
It depends how you define “apostle.” If someone wants to define apostles as the foundational leaders of the Church, who have the authority to command the Church Universal, and whom God used to relay Scripture to the Church, no, there are not apostles like that on the earth today. And there have not been since the first century.
Someone might want to say that God has used certain people to be leaders, not only of congregations but of movements, or to be special ambassadors (the word “apostle” means an ambassador) which God has given certain to the Church throughout the generations and perhaps today in the present age. Okay, there’s some allowance for that. But here’s my problem with it. Whether people have taken the title of “apostle” upon themselves, or have received it from other people, I have never seen it happen without some weirdness involved. I’ve had people try to convince me that I’m an apostle. No, thank you. I think anybody who truly was an apostle, would have the sense to not use that title. Things get weird when the “apostle” comes in. And I don’t mean weird in the sense of crazy. But it’s like a power move or an authority move, where that person requires to be called “apostle.” That makes things weird, either for the person who’s receiving the title, or for the person who’s giving the title.
Ephesians 2:20 says that God built the church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and we have the apostolic record right here. It’s funny. I don’t think I’m an apostle, not by any means, but I believe that I have apostolic authority when I’m preaching From the Word of God, because this is the record of the apostles and prophets. So, if somebody wants to make the argument that there are apostles today, in a lesser sense, not in the foundational New Testament sense, I think it could be true. But at the same time, I avoid the naming of it, because it just seems to make things off kilter. It causes strangeness, either in the people calling someone “apostle” or the one who receives the title of “apostle.”
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Ask Me Anything – Christmas Edition
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Is it OK for our kids to believe in Santa? That’s a good question. There is an early childhood belief in things that aren’t real. Young children can believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, elves, giants, and so on, in the world today. You could just talk about these things with your children. I personally don’t see great harm in it. I understand there may be wonderful believers who strongly disagree with me. Friends, I would respect your judgment with your children and with your family, and I wouldn’t dream of questioning it. If somebody gave a contradictory opinion to me on this and said, “Well, I’m not going to do it the way David suggests with my family,” that’s fine; I wouldn’t protest.
I believe God gives us wisdom and capability for our own family in these things. But I don’t see the harm in allowing young children to have some sense of make-believe, or a sense that there are strange and mysterious things out there in the world. I don’t see great harm in that. Now, I think that’s something only appropriate for young children. I couldn’t give you an exact age, maybe 7-9 years old. As they get older, it’s good for children to learn the definite difference between make-believe things and real things. As children become older, they should understand that Santa belongs to the world of make-believe things. You can even use the Santa story as a great entry point to teach them about St. Nicholas. The real Saint Nicholas was an actual man who was courageous and stalwart for the truth and the ancient counsels. At that time, there was great controversy over the deity of Jesus Christ, in the time of the Nicene Creed. Lessons like that have been taught.
Personally, I do see some good in allowing young children to have a sense of make-believe. I don’t find harm in it. Later, it’s important for them as they get older to understand the difference between the make-believe world and the real world. Again, that’s my opinion. These are things to which the Scriptures don’t speak specifically, so I would trust the judgment of every individual family to figure these things out for themselves.
How is it possible for God to redeem all things? I’ve heard it said that God will redeem all things. But how is that possible? We know that not all of mankind will be redeemed and certainly not Satan or the other fallen angels.
Preachers, pastors, and Bible teachers often speak in what I might call “shorthand.” We use phrases and expressions to describe concepts which may not be the best way to state things. We’re trying to describe something that’s true and biblical, but maybe we don’t phrase it in the best way.
Let me explain what I mean by that in this: I don’t believe that God will redeem all things. But I do believe that God will resolve all things. Everything will be resolved. Everything will put be put in its right place. Those who reject the offer of salvation in Jesus Christ will be put in their right place. Their status and condition will be resolved. And Satan will be put in his right place.
Technically, I would choose to say that all things will be resolved in Jesus Christ and put in their proper place, more than I would use the expression that all things will be redeemed. “Redeemed” kind of gives the idea of “saved.” From the Book of Revelation, we know that Satan, and the Antichrist, and the false prophet who promotes the work of the Antichrist, this ungodly Trinity from hell, will be resigned to Gehenna, the Lake of Fire forever and ever. That will be their resolution. They won’t be redeemed in the sense of being purchased out from darkness and brought into the light. But their status will be resolved.
How do we worship in spirit and truth? Can you give an example? In John 4:23, Jesus said, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
To worship God in spirit means that there’s an aspect of our worship that must be truly spiritual. In other words, it’s not all about the material. Rather, the essence of worship is about what is spiritual in nature. Some people need every material thing to be absolutely correct in their mind before they can worship God: the lighting, the ambience in the room, the musical style, the chairs, etc., must have a certain quality or feel a certain way.
All those things are material things. The essence of worship is not found in those material things. The essence of worship is found in what we offer up to God in spirit. Having too great an emphasis on all the material aspects of worship is dangerous and unhealthy.
Those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. To worship God in truth means that we must worship God in a way that’s consistent with who He truly is. He is God. The true God is the God who is revealed to us in the Bible, in the Holy Scriptures. That is the God who truly is.
Though no one does it perfectly, we must endeavor to the best of our ability to worship God as He truly is. We must worship God, not as we imagined Him to be, not as the culture tells us He is, and not as we wish He was, but as the Bible reveals Himself to us. That is the God who actually exists. And therefore, that’s the God whom we worship.
We worship God in spirit, and worship Him in truth. We shouldn’t be singing false things about God. Now, I will say this about singing false things about God. We should allow some measure of poetic license in the songs that we sing; maybe not much, maybe just a little bit. But there should be some measure of poetic license. So, allowing for that, the songs we sing about God must be true. The things we say in our worship must be according to His Word.
What does “your life is hidden with Christ in God” mean (Colossians 3:3)? Colossians 3:1-4 – If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Think of it this way. There is a sense in which, right now, Jesus Christ is hidden from the world. Now, there is also a sense in which Jesus Christ is quite evident to the world, but certainly there’s a sense in which Jesus Christ is enthroned in Heaven right now. We can’t see Him with the physical eye. He is enthroned in Heaven, risen, and seated at the right hand of God the Father on high. And He is hidden.
Well, as Paul says, our citizenship is in heaven; our identification with Christ is in heaven. There’s a real sense in which Christ is enthroned in glory, and we are in Him; we are raised with Him to heavenly places. Our life is found in those heavenly things more than it is found in earthly things.
We understand that the Bible teaches us a very practical Christian faith. We live in a real world, and we’re connected to the real world. Nevertheless, our very practical Christian faith has a heavenly connection with Jesus Christ, who is hidden from the world’s view right now. Even as Jesus Christ is enthroned and somewhat hidden from the world, we are in Him in that sense.
So, our life should be vitally connected to Jesus Christ who is enthroned in the heavens. He abides in us, and our life is hidden with Christ in God. We are very much identified with and connected to the enthroned Jesus Christ in Heaven.
Did the Magi visit Jesus on the day of His birth or at a later time? The Magi visited Jesus later. Nowhere in the Scriptures does it say that they visited Jesus on the night that He was born. It seems that the Magi saw a unique star, whatever the exact astronomical figure in the sky was: a convergence of planets, a meteor, or something expressly put up there by God, we don’t know. They saw this unique feature of astronomy on the night that Jesus was born. Whatever it was, it helped them mark their journey from the east, which would have been the ancient Persian Empire, probably near modern-day Iran or maybe Iraq. From the Persian Empire, they traveled to Bethlehem.
They first met with Herod or his representatives in Jerusalem. Herod, in his murderous rage, sought to kill any children who might be potential threats to his throne. He gave the command for all the boys two years old and younger in the region of Bethlehem to be murdered.
This leads us to believe that, even with a margin of error, the Magi probably came several months or even a year after the time that Jesus was born. There’s no evidence at all that the Magi came the night that Jesus was born. I talked about this once in a Christmas Eve sermon. A dear woman named Carolyn came up to me afterwards and pointed out that when she was growing up in her home, her father, who was a wonderful believer, would arrange the nativity and always put the Wiseman on the other side of the room. He did this because he wanted to point out that they weren’t there the night Jesus was born; they were still afar off and came to visit later.
So, the Magi did not visit Jesus on the day of his birth, but rather, they came anytime between 6-18 months later; I don’t think it could have been much more than two years.
Were there really three wise men (Magi) who visited Jesus? The Scriptures do not mention that there were three wise men. It is assumed because there were three gifts mentioned.
Absolutely. That is correct. The Bible does not tell us how many wise men or Magi there were. It does tell us that there were three gifts, of course: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. People have speculated that there were three wise men because of the three gifts.
By the way, according to Roman Catholic legends, the skulls of those three wise men are contained in an elaborate box that sits on the altar of the Kölner Dom, the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Cologne, Germany. Of course, they do not have the real skulls. We don’t know how many wise men there were, and we don’t know their names. But just as a mark of historical interest, the German city of Cologne (Köln) is a marvelous city to visit. If you do visit, you must see the Cathedral, the Dom, and look at the altar, specifically the golden box that’s on the altar. It is said to hold the three skulls of the Wise Men, but of course, it’s not the case. It’s just a tradition or superstition.
Does Christmas have any connection with the Jewish Festival of Lights (Hanukkah)? No, it really doesn’t. Seasonally, it’s connected. But let me make a connection between Christmas and Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. Hanukkah is not a holiday or feast that’s found anywhere in the Old Testament. The events that are commemorated at Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, happened in the period after the Old Testament (the Hebrew Scriptures, the Tanakh) was compiled.
It refers to God’s miraculous provision of oil, used as fuel for the lights, to rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem after it was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes. It’s a beautiful story.
I find it interesting that there is Scriptural evidence in the Gospel of John of Jesus recognizing Hanukkah. It talks about Him being in Jerusalem, for the Festival of the Dedication, which is the way they referred to Hanukkah in New Testament times.
Here’s my point: Jesus commemorated a Jewish holiday that was not commanded in the Hebrew Scriptures. To me, that gives allowance for Christians who would like to commemorate Christmas. Because let’s face it, the Bible gives absolutely no command for Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The Bible doesn’t give us a date for the birth of Jesus or tell us how to celebrate it. For that reason, some Christians have said that we should not celebrate Christmas.
I believe we have freedom in Jesus Christ. If you want to celebrate Christmas, you have liberty. I think Jesus’ participation in the Festival of Dedication (which we recognize as Hanukkah), as detailed for us in the Gospel of John, gives us the principle that it’s okay to commemorate things that really happened, but aren’t necessarily commanded to be commemorated. It’s okay. I don’t think it’s commanded; but it’s okay to do it. That’s the only connection I would make between Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, and Christmas. Both are extrabiblical celebrations which are permitted.
Did King Herod ever find out if the Magi found Jesus alive? No, Herod must have died shortly after this. I would think that Herod probably assumed that whoever it was that the Magi is sought after would have been killed in the slaughter of the innocents commanded by King Herod. That’s my guess; we’re speculating a bit here, but my speculation would be that he wouldn’t have known. Herod died shortly after that time, and he would have had good reason to assume that the child who the Magi sought had been killed in the slaughter of the innocents.
Why was Jesus never called Immanuel after His birth? Both Matthew 1:23 and Isaiah 7:14 refer to the Savior’s name as Immanuel, so why was Jesus never called that after His birth?
In ancient Near Eastern cultures and in the Scriptures, a person’s name was much more than a handle by which they were referred. A name was a very powerful representation of a person’s character, who they were, and what kind of person they were. When the Scripture says prophetically in Isaiah, and in its later fulfillment in Matthew 1, that the Savior’s name will be called Immanuel, it doesn’t mean that that would be His literal, given name. Rather, it describes His character, His person, and who He was.
When I was growing up, there was a figure of speech commonly used: saying that somebody’s name was mud. It meant that that person had a bad reputation. It never meant that people went around calling him Mr. Mud; it meant that their name was associated with a very bad reputation.
Likewise, the Savior’s name would be called Immanuel to depict His character but would not need to be used as His given name.
What does it mean when Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily”? Colossians 2:9 – For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
First, this verse tells us that Jesus Christ is God. Think about both of those terms “all” and “the fullness” together; it tells us absolutely, comprehensively, that whatever God is, it is contained in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is not some junior God or lesser God. He is God. Of course, we understand this as part of the wonder and amazement of the Trinity: God the Father has all the fullness of the God, God the Son has all the fullness that God, and God the Holy Spirit has all the fullness of God. There’s one God in three Persons, but in no sense is Jesus Christ a lesser partner in the Godhead. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him bodily.
I have no doubt that Paul wrote that to answer or refute some of the false teaching that was coming before the believers in Colossae. That teaching would have been an early form sort of a pre-Gnosticism, which would have not had much appreciation for Jesus Christ bodily. That’s why Paul says, notice this, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” In other words, there is a tendency for some people to think that because Jesus Christ had a real flesh-and-blood body, that somehow, He was less than God. And Paul is answering, “No, that’s not true at all.”
We do not accept that division between the body and the spirit that says, “There’s nothing good or nothing Godly in the body.” No, the body is affected by the fall, but that’s fallen humanity. That’s not the perfect humanity of Jesus Christ.
For more resources, refer to my Enduring Word Bible Commentary on Colossians 2, or my other audio/video resources on Colossians, available at enduringword.com.
Does God still heal people? What’s your view on healing a sick body? Do you think it’s possible to still get healed?
Yes, it’s perfectly possible. God still heals people today. Here’s my understanding of healing. I believe that absolute and perfect healing was provided for the believer by the Person and work of Jesus Christ, especially what He did at the cross and in His sufferings. By His stripes we are healed.
The perfection of that healing is given to us in our resurrection. Ultimately, the Christian will never face sickness or death or weakness in any way; we will have a bodily perfection in the resurrection. God delights to give a preview of that work through acts of healing which come before the resurrection.
I believe, I’ve seen, and I know that God heals people today. He doesn’t necessarily heal every person in every circumstance. Sometimes He heals people, and we go, “God, why did you do that?” And there’s other times when it seems that God does not immediately heal somebody, and we wonder, “Lord, why didn’t you do that?” We don’t have the answers to all those questions. But God remains a miracle working God.
If God forgets the sins of His people, why are they still judged when everyone is judged? Who all gets judged when God judges everyone, if He forgets our sins when we are saved?
Revelation 20 describes the Great White Throne Judgment. There are many people who believe that judgment concerns only those who are not saved and have not found rescue or salvation in Jesus. Everyone will face a judgment of some kind. Those who are the people of God will face a judgement of their lives. The Bible says that we will face the judgment seat of Christ, the Bema Seat, and be judged by the fruitfulness of our lives. But that is not a judgment for eternity. That’s not a judgment of our sins; that’s a judgment relevant to reward. So, we will each face some kind of judgment, but believers will not be judged on the basis of their sins.
What is a “homemaker” as referenced in Titus 2:5? What did this look like culturally, and are there Biblical examples of this? Titus 2:4-5 – That they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
I would say this: the place of a woman in a home, as a wife or mother, is not exactly the same as the place of a man, of a husband or father. A woman, as a wife and mother, has her own things to contribute to the making of a home. If we speak in generalities, we understand that women tend to set sort of the temperature or tone of the home. A wife and mother can bring so much light and vitality and creativity to the home. We’re not trying to say for a moment that it’s impossible for men as husbands and fathers to do this, but in a general way of speaking, women cherish and build and make the atmosphere of a home.
This is something the Bible says that older women in the church should be training younger women how to do. Of course, it would be crazy to think that this means that a Christian woman who is not married or doesn’t have children is worthless. But many Christian women will be married and will have children; it’s been that way through the centuries, and it’s even true today. They have a particular role in making a home: in making the home a vital, godly, comfortable, nourishing, restoring place for their husband and for their children. And again, this doesn’t mean that the husband has no role in this, of course, but the wife has a vital, essential role. I think that was true culturally in Bible times, and I think it’s true culturally today. I think it should be true that a Christian wife and mother should say, “God, how do You want me to contribute to making my home into a place of peace, a place of rest, a place of blessedness, a place of laughter, a place of happiness, and a place of that honors You? How do You want me to make the home?”
Does the Christmas tree go back to the groves of Asherah? Does the Christmas tree go back to the groves of Asherah? Is that bowing down to an idol?
No, the Christmas tree doesn’t go back to the groves of Asherah. It’s true that different cultures in biblical times and places have used trees in pagan worship, and sometimes sexually immoral worship. But that isn’t the origin of the Christmas tree. I understand that the Christmas tree originated with Martin Luther; I think there are a few different ideas or legends about the origins of the Christmas tree. So no, the historical development of the Christmas tree really has nothing to do with pagan religions of Bible times or any other time. Whether or not you want to have a Christmas tree, you’re free to have a Christmas tree in Christ, and you’re free not to have one. But no, I do not believe it’s true at all. Even though people make claims about this, I don’t think those claims have a solid historical foundation.
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Wir freuen uns über deine großzügige Spende für Enduring Word zum Jahresende.
Klicke bitte hier, um zu spenden. Maria aber bewahrte alle diese Dinge in ihrem Herzen und dachte oft darüber nach. (Luke 2:19) Die Hirten von Bethlehem erlebten etwas was nur sehr, sehr selten geschieht – den Besuch des Engels des Herrn, der ihnen eine gute Nachricht verkündete: die Geburt eines Kindes, das zugleich der Messias und Gott ist. Derselbe Engel gab ihnen ein Zeichen, um diese gute Nachricht zu bestätigen: Sie würden das Kind in Windeln gewickelt in einer Futterkrippe finden.
Diese Hirten gingen sofort nach Bethlehem und sahen dort das Zeichen, das die Aussage des Engels bestätigte. Dann gingen sie durch das ganze Dorf und erzählten es jedem, der ihnen zuhörte. Die Menschen in Bethlehem wunderten sich über diese bemerkenswerte Nachricht, doch scheinbar ohne in irgendeiner Art du Weise darauf zu reagieren. Bei Maria, der Mutter von Jesus, war das anders. Sie bewahrte alle diese Dinge in ihrem Herzen und dachte oft darüber nach. An der Art und Weise, wie Maria auf die Nachricht der Hirten reagierte, sind mindestens drei Dinge es wert, sie sich genauer anzuschauen.
Maria beschloss, den Bericht der Hirten in ihrem Herzen zu bewahren, sie dachte oft darüber nach. Ein Großteil der Menschen in Bethlehem vergaß diese bemerkenswerte Nacht schon bald, aber Maria entschied sich, dies nicht zu tun, sondern die Erinnerung in ihrem Herzen zu bewahren. Sie hatte eine besondere Beziehung zu diesem kleinen Jungen, der da in ihrem Bauch heranwuchs und so fiel es ihr leicht, sich an die Aussage der Hirten zu erinnern. Wenn wir eine besondere Beziehung zu Jesus haben – in seine Familie aufgenommen und als seine Brüder oder Schwestern angesehen werden – dann werden wir uns auf eine ganz besondere Art und Weise an ihn erinnern.
Maria beschloss, diese Dinge in ihrem Herzen zu bewahren. Sie erinnerte sich nicht nur an den Bericht der Hirten und an alles, was er bedeutete, sondern sie bewahrte diese Dinge auch liebevoll in ihrem Herzen auf. Was Maria wahrscheinlich besonders berührt hat, war die Tatsache, dass Gott den Hirten die Nachricht durch einen Engel überbracht hatte. Es war die Botschaft des Engels Gabriel gewesen, die Maria in die ganze Geschichte hineingebracht hatte (Lk 1,26-38). In den folgenden neun Monaten schwiegen die Engel. Dass Gott wieder einmal durch seine Engel wirkte, um das Ziel zu erreichen, den Messias in die Welt zu bringen, muss Maria erneut an Gottes große Liebe erinnert haben.
Maria beschloss, oft über diese Dinge nachzudenken; sie bewegte die Erinnerung in ihrem Herzen. Die Verheißungen, die Josef und Maria in Bezug auf dieses Kind gegeben wurden, waren so groß, dass sie kaum zu glauben waren. Man könnte sagen, dass es ein Leichtes gewesen wäre, daran zu zweifeln – aber Gott gab Maria einen guten Grund all das zu glauben. Maria hatte ein Babybuch, das lange vor der Geburt des Babys geschrieben worden war. Als Maria hörte, dass sie den Messias gebären würde, verbrachte sie sicherlich viel Zeit damit, über all die Verheißungen, die es in den hebräischen Schriften über den Christus, den Messias, gab, nachzudenken und zu grübeln. Sie dachte über die Verheißungen bezüglich des Triumphs und der Qualen des Messias nach, über die Herrschaft des Messias und die Zeit in der er leiden würde.
Wie Maria kannst auch Du all die Dinge hören, die Gott über seinen Sohn sagt – dass er Christus, der Herr, Messias und Gott ist. Du darfst dieses Wort Gottes in deinem Herzen und in deiner Seele bewahren, und oft darüber nachdenken. Damit zeigst du dir selber, dass du zur Familie Jesu gehörst.
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Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:5-7)
God lives in the glory of timeless eternity, but His work touches your life in the here and now, in the present day. In this brief and glorious passage from Ephesians, the Apostle Paul touched on God’s work in our life – in the past, in the present, and in the future.
In the PAST, we have been made alive together with Christ. Jesus shared in our death so that we could share in His resurrection life. The old self was crucified with Jesus at the cross, and now we are new creations in Jesus with the old things passing away and all things becoming new (2 Corinthians 5:17). But Paul was compelled to remind us of something else, that this is the work of God’s grace (by grace you have been saved), in no way connected with what we might earn or deserve. Our salvation (rescue) from spiritual death is God’s work done for the undeserving.
In the PRESENT, we sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We have a new place for living, a new arena of existence – we are not “those who dwell on the earth” (as the book of Revelation often calls those separated from God), but our “citizenship is in heaven” (as in Philippians 3:20). Notice that Paul did not say that we sit in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus – that will happen one day, when we are resurrected. Rather, we sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Since our life and identity is in Jesus Christ, then so as He sits in heavenly places, so do we.
In the FUTURE, God will continue to show the exceeding riches of His grace to us. God will never stop dealing with us based on grace, but He will forever continue to unfold its riches to us through eternity. This is not a crazy, hopeful wish; it is the sure promise of a faithful God. You can count on it.
All of this is a heritage that those who are in Christ Jesus can cling to. This is God’s work done for His believing people, and in Jesus we should lay claim to it. This is for you in your Messiah and Savior, Jesus Christ:
– In Jesus, we can live free from the guilt and pain of the past.
– In Jesus, we can live with surpassing power for the present.
– In Jesus, we can live with a secure hope for the future.
How many of the anxieties of your day would simply pass away if, right now, you took hold of what God has promised for your past, present, and future?
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Ephesians 2
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Dear Pastor, Preacher, or Bible Teacher –
I pray that this email reaches you finding some refreshment in his holiday season. Those of us who serve God’s Church know that often these weeks are exhausting and filled with pressure. These weeks can also be discouraging, but I hope that this word from the prophet Amos will both encourage and inspire you:
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD,
“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
and the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
the mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
and all the hills shall flow with it.” (Amos 9:13)
The book of Amos is filled with many strong warnings to God’s people. In their prosperity they forgot God, but God did not forget them. He sent prophets like the simple farmer Amos to turn the people back. God knew that they would not turn back and He said so through Amos. Nevertheless, God would not abandon His failing people, and He promised an ultimate restoration. Here, in the rich images that came easily to a farmer like Amos, God promised remarkable reinvigoration of the nation.
He announced that The days are coming and under God’s inspiration, the prophet Amos ended his words to the nation on this note of high hope, looking forward to a day of great prosperity and abundance in Israel. Under the reign of Jeroboam II, they had material abundance, but not in the Lord. God promised to restore them to prosperity from Him and in Him.
Indeed, the days would come When the plowman shall overtake the reaper. With this phrase, Amos described how miraculous and amazing God’s blessing and restoration would be.
First, when God releases blessing and restoration, fruit comes abundantly. Normally, the plowman and the reaper work apart, their effort separated by many months. But under these unique seasons of blessing and restoration, those normally separated seasons bump into each other. The crops were so big that the plowman and the reaper didn’t have time to let the other finish their work. We should pray for such seasons of abundant fruit.
We also see that when God releases blessing and restoration, fruit comes from unexpected places. Normally, grapevines don’t grow well on mountains or high hills, but in the days of Israel’s restoration even the mountains shall drip with sweet wine and all the hills shall flow with it. We should pray for such seasons of unexpected fruit.
When God releases blessing and restoration, fruit comes with great quality. Amos looked forward to the day when the wine that came abundantly and from unexpected places would be sweet wine. Without being a wine connoisseur, Amos used this phrase to describe good and high-quality fruit from the work. We should pray for such seasons of good fruit.
When God releases blessing and restoration, the work is blessed – but it is still work. The plowman, the reaper, the treader of grapes, and him who sows seed still had their work to do. God doesn’t just do it all for them, but under God’s blessing and restoration the work is done with energy and joy. The plowman doesn’t just wait around; he gets busy even if he starts bumping into the reaper.
These seasons of unexpected blessing do not mean that God’s people sit on their hands and do nothing. There is still work for the plowman and the reaper, but it is glorious, blessed work.
The great English preacher Charles Spurgeon described this kind of blessed work: “I meet with my brethren in the ministry. who are able to preach day after day, day after day, and are not half so fatigued as they were; and I saw a brother minister this week who has been having meetings in his church every day, and the people have been so earnest that they will keep him very often from six in o’clock in the evening to two in the morning. ‘Oh!’ said one of the members, ‘our minister will kill himself.’ ‘Not he,’ said I, ‘that is the kind of work that will kill no man. It is preaching to a sleepy congregation that kills good ministers, but not preaching to earnest people.’ So when I saw him, his eyes were sparkling, and I said to him, ‘Brother, you do not look like a man who being killed.’ ‘Killed, my brother,’ said he, ‘why I am living twice as much as I did before; I was never so happy, never so hearty, never so well.’”
Even when we are not in such blessed times, the work of God deserves our energy and effort. We don’t work for God only when it seems glorious, but even when it is more difficult. We are ready in season and out of season. Yet without apology we look forward to and enjoy special seasons of God’s blessing – and especially, we pray for them.
Blessings to you in Jesus’ Name – David Guzik
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He Became Poor: A Christmas Message
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There are many ways to understand Christmas and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is one way to understand Christmas from 2 Corinthians chapter 8, verse 9 which says:
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
One might say that in this verse, we have a Christmas tree full of gifts that help us understand who Jesus is and what He did for us. We have:
- The riches of Jesus
- The poverty of Jesus
- The manner of His poverty
- The reason for His poverty, and
- The result of His poverty.
Jesus Was Rich First, we learn that Jesus was rich. When was Jesus rich? It was before He added humanity to His deity, was conceived by a miracle in Mary’s womb, and eventually walked this earth. Jesus, as the eternal Second Person of the Trinity, as God the Son, lived in the splendor of heaven and was surrounded constantly by the glory, power, and majesty of God. These things make any amount of wealth on earth seem poor. He was rich in possessions, rich in honor, rich in power, rich in love, and rich in happiness.
Jesus Became Poor Secondly, He became poor. Look at the whole nativity scene. The newborn King did not sleep in a cradle of gold but in a feeding trough set in a humble stable. Jesus was wrapped in the swaddling bands of poor children. His whole life was lived humbly. At a very young age, Jesus lived a few years as a refugee from His own country. Raised as the son of a humble carpenter, Jesus had no fancy clothes, no home of His own, and often relied on others for food. Jesus didn’t even own His own grave.
The Manner of Jesus’ Poverty Third, notice the manner of His poverty: He became poor. It does not say that Jesus was made poor. Instead, He became poor as it was completely voluntary on His part. Every moment of His life on this earth, Jesus made the conscious choice to live as a relatively poor man.
The Reason for Jesus’ Poverty Fourthly, see the reason for His poverty: yet for your sakes He became poor. There was a real reason why Jesus did this. It was not for His own sake at all that Jesus did this. It was for your sakes He became poor.
The Result of Jesus’ Poverty Finally, look at the result of His poverty: that you through His poverty might become rich. Because of Jesus’ poverty (in all that was related to it), those who put their trust and surrender their lives to Jesus can become rich. As we do, we have a share in the eternal, heavenly wealth of Jesus because He came and took a share in our poverty.
Because of all this, it is true of all those who put their trust in Jesus:
- As Jesus was rich in possessions, so are we – especially rich in contentment.
- As Jesus was rich in honor – so we have the honor of being sons and daughters of God.
- As Jesus was rich in power – we also are the children of the God of all power.
- As Jesus was rich in love – so we have the love of God poured out into our hearts.
- As Jesus was rich in happiness – so are we with the peace that passes all understanding.
Receive the Riches of Jesus So, 2 Corinthians 8:9 is undeniably true: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
Yet, consider this: Jesus Christ rose from the dead and has ascended to heaven – Jesus isn’t poor any longer.
If Jesus did all this for you when He was poor, how much more do you think He will do for you now that He is once again rich in every way?
Today, find contentment in the riches given to you by the poverty of your Savior, Jesus Christ.
© 2021 By David Guzik for Enduring Word – ewm@enduringword.com
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Are Christians Really Being Persecuted? 10 Persecution Myths and Misunderstandings
Myth 1: It’s only persecution when people are getting killed. Through the centuries, millions of Christians have been murdered for being Christians. But the persecution didn’t only “count” when they were being murdered. There are many other ways that Christians have been persecuted.
There are many examples in the New Testament of believers being persecuted but not killed. They were forced to be refugees (Acts 8:1). They were beaten (Acts 5:40). They were deprived of rights (Acts 16:23-24). They faced financial penalties and fines (Acts 17:9).
So, in both Bible times and since then, up to the present day – when Christians have their families disown them because they are Christians, that is persecution. When children are denied admission to university because they come from a Christian family, that is persecution. When believers lose their jobs because they are Christians, that is persecution. When followers of Jesus have to pay special taxes because they are Christians, that is persecution.
We might say that compared to suffering death, those are minor forms of persecution – but they are still persecution. Persecution doesn’t begin with murder. When it comes to persecution, actual martyrdom is like the tip of the iceberg – it’s the part everyone notices, but there is much more that people overlook.
Myth 2: As long as someone else is persecuted worse, we shouldn’t complain. I hear many people say things like this: “If you think you’re being persecuted, you should talk to believers in North Korea or in parts of Africa.” In one sense, this is true. After all, we never want to imagine persecution when it doesn’t exist, and we don’t want to exaggerate whatever persecution we might face.
It is also true that we are full of care the sympathy for our brothers and sisters around the world who face worse persecution than we may face.
However, the thinking, “As long as someone else is persecuted worse, we shouldn’t complain” is really kind of crazy. Can you imagine using this logic with someone whose pastor was murdered or imprisoned? Can you imagine saying this to them: “Well, don’t complain. In Africa twenty pastors were murdered”?
Just because others are being persecuted worse does not mean that we are not facing persecution, or that we should be silent about our persecution.
Myth 3: Persecution has to be violent to be “real” persecution. Hebrews 12:4 describes early Christians who had not yet shed blood in their resistance to a sinful society, yet they were still being persecuted. It wasn’t violent, but it was real.
When governments or other forces in society carry out laws, policies, or pressures that will hinder the expression or growth of Christianity, that’s persecution. It might be mild persecution, or it might be severe persecution. It might be violent persecution or non-violent persecution. Yet it is still persecution, and it’s real.
The government or the societal force doesn’t have to claim that the purpose of their law, policy, or pressure is to persecute or destroy Christianity or the church. They might have an entirely different purpose in mind. What matters is not their motivation, but the effect.
No matter what the intention is, if the result of a law, policy, or pressure is to weaken and restrict Christianity either in the individual or in the community of Christians (the church), that is persecution.
Myth 4: Persecution has to directly impact everyone before it is real persecution. There have been very few times in the history of the church when all the Christians in a particular state, nation, or empire were all being persecuted at the same time. Most always, persecution is a local matter. Even when Christians were persecuted in the days of the Roman Empire, in some regions it was worse for Christians than in other regions. It often depended on how zealously a local official wanted to carry out the laws and penalties from Rome.
Therefore, it’s wrong to think “Well, not all of us are being persecuted, so it’s no big deal.” When it comes to an attack on God’s Church, I believe that an attack on one is an attack on all.
Myth 5: Persecutors openly hate Jesus Christ and Christianity. Through history, we see that some persecutors have claimed to be Christians, and others have claimed to have “nothing personal” against Christianity. Some persecutors simply don’t care about what Christians believe.
In fact, the persecution of Christians was and is normally done for the claimed greater good of society. The people who persecute almost never say, “We hate Jesus Christ and we want to destroy Christianity.” It almost always comes like this: “There are some big problems that need to be fixed in our society, and the Christians are unfortunately in the way. We hope they will get on board with the changes that need to be made.”
An example of this is found in the history of persecution in the Roman Empire. At certain times in the first 300 years of Christianity, the emperors of Rome said that every Roman had to take an oath of loyalty to Caesar and the Rome. This is what they had to do: go before an official, burn a pinch of incense before a statue of the emperor, say “Caesar is Lord,” and receive a certificate that proved they had done it.
The Roman emperors did this because they felt that it was important to bring the people of the Empire together to bring unity. Most Roman officials didn’t care what Christians actually believed – they just needed them to do the thing. If the Christians wanted to pray to Jesus on their own time, they could – but they had to burn the incense and say, “Caesar is Lord.” To the Romans, this wasn’t really a religious matter – it was a matter of public safety, public order, the public good.
Myth 6: Christians are persecuted without reason. Through history, when Christians are persecuted, almost always the persecutors think and say they have good reasons to do it. Rarely do the persecutors say, “We hate Christians, so we want to attack and hinder Christianity.”
The Muslim who murders Christians claims a good reason to do it. The Communist who murders Christians claims a good reason to do it. In the Roman Empire, they claimed good reasons for persecuting Christians.
In the Western world, those who persecute Christians and work against them think they are doing good. They earnestly believe they have good reasons. These reasons will often be stated in terms of public health or safety.
It could be said like this: “What you Christians teach from the Bible is responsible for hatred towards homosexuals and transsexuals. They are being beaten, murdered, and committing suicide because of what you claim the Bible teaches. For the sake of public safety, public health, you can’t teach that anymore. If you do, you will be fined or punished.”
When that happens, those who make those laws will think they have good reasons for punishing Christians for making the community worse.
Myth 7: Christians should always silently accept persecution. There are times when Christians certainly should simply endure persecution without objection. Jesus did this when He was arrested, tried, beaten, and crucified. He silent like a lamb before its shearers (Isaiah 53:7). There were also times when Paul and his companions silently received persecution, making no immediate objection (Acts 16:19-24).
However, it is wrong to think that the Bible says that this should always be the way Christians respond (or don’t respond) to persecution. The Bible tells us to make a defense for the faith (1 Peter 3:15). Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would tell us what to say when we are brought before religious and governmental officials (Mark 13:11).
Paul appealed to his rights as a Roman citizen and made a defense (Acts 16:35-40, Acts 22:24-29).
In history, early Christians were strong defenders of the faith – they tried to persuade both the officials and the people of the Roman Empire that the accusations made against Christians were not true, and that Christians were in fact a blessing to the empire, not a problem. They were not silent, and they tried to persuade others that it was wrong and unnecessary to persecute Christians.
Myth 8: Persecution always unites the Church. I believe that it is difficult for us to understand persecution, especially those of us in the Western world. We have directly faced so little persecution for so many generations that we can sometimes have romantic and overly heroic ideas about times of persecution. We don’t understand how frightening it is.
We also don’t understand how times of persecution are often times of painful division among believers. Almost always, when a government officials or other people in power start persecuting the church, there are some in the church who say, “What they are doing isn’t unreasonable. We can accommodate this.” Others disagree, and division can be common. It isn’t always easy to see who is right and who is wrong; who is being reasonable and who is being unreasonable. Persecution often divides Christians, separating among those who think there is a way to accommodate, and those who think there is no way to accommodate.
Myth 9: Persecution never “Works.” We are absolutely certain that in the long term, Jesus always wins. His promise is true: He will build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18).
However, in the short term – to our human eye of observation – there are times when persecution seems to work. It is sad, but true: sometimes Christians renounce the faith. Or, at least those who completely appeared to be Christians renounce the faith in times of persecution.
Sometimes Christians leave as refugees. This has been the sad case in the last 50 years of so in the Middle East. Many, many Christians have left their homelands in the Middle East to live with greater safety in the USA, Canada, or Europe.
And sometimes, because of persecution, places and regions that were once dominantly Christian do not have much a Christian presence or influence for hundreds and hundreds of years. Did you know that the whole region of North Africa was once strongly Christian? Now, under the sway of Islam and with few Christians, it seems (to our human observation) that persecution “worked.”
Of course, that isn’t always the story. When missionaries were kicked out of China in the early 20th century and Chinese Christians were persecuted, God used it all to remarkably strengthen and multiply Christians in China. All this came through a lot of suffering and pain, but it came. But through history and across the world, this isn’t always the story when persecution comes.
Myth 10: Persecution is the worst thing that can happen to Christians. Whether persecution is minor or major, whether it is just beginning or has been around a long time we can take comfort in the truth that persecution is not the worst thing that can happen to believers!
The abiding truth is that Jesus Christ is Lord, and there are aspects of His glory that only shine forth in season of persecution. Persecution has a purifying influence on the church. We don’t say this lightly; the purification that comes to the church through persecution is painful! Yet even in that pain, believers can join Jesus in the fellowship of His sufferings.
We can follow the amazing progression that Paul wrote about in Philippians 3:10. First, Paul said: “That I may know Him.” Knowing Jesus is wonderful! Then Paul said he wanted to know “the power of His resurrection.” What amazing power that is! But look what Paul wrote next about knowing Jesus: “and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” That sounds really painful; but there is a glory in that pain, because in it and through it I truly come to know Jesus better.
Because of all this, we know that as difficult as persecution can be, it isn’t the worst thing that can happen to believers. Ongoing spiritual, doctrinal, and moral compromise is really much worse.
Here are the ten myths about persecution together: 1. It’s only persecution when people are getting killed. 2. As long as someone else is persecuted worse, we shouldn’t complain. 3. Persecution has to be violent to be real persecution. 4. Persecution has to directly impact everyone before it is real persecution. 5. Persecutors openly hate Jesus Christ and Christianity. 6. Christians are persecuted without reason. 7. Christians should always silently accept persecution. 8. Persecution always unites the Church. 9. Persecution never “Works.” 10. Persecution is the worst thing that can happen to Christians.
© 2021 By David Guzik for Enduring Word – ewm@enduringword.com
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Jesus: The Greatest of Men
Man of the Year There is a magazine which used to be popular and at one time they got a lot of attention for their “man of the year” issue. Of course, “man of the year” meant there had to be a “man of the decade” then a “man of the century.” When the year 2000 came they even selected a “man of the millennium.”
That magazine always gets a lot of publicity for their choice. It’s kind of interesting to debate who has had the greatest influence over a period of time. But when you take a look at the whole of history, there’s no doubt who the most influential person has been. Hands down, it is Jesus of Nazareth. The prophecy Gabriel made to Mary proved true, recorded in Luke 1: And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
He Will Be Great “He will be great.” There has never been a greater man than Jesus to ever walk this earth. He was the most important, most influential, wisest, most ethical, and most consequential person to walk this earth.
If the record of the Bible regarding Jesus isn’t enough for you, read what Time Magazine wrote of Jesus a few years ago: “The single most powerful figure – not merely in these two millenniums but in all human history – has been Jesus of Nazareth…a serious argument can be made that no one else’s life has proved remotely as powerful and enduring as that of Jesus.”
The Influence of Jesus’ Life The fact of Jesus’ overwhelming influence and greatness is beyond dispute. But an interesting question is, “Why? Why does this man have this great presence?” A paragraph written by Fred Bock titled “One Solitary Life” asks this question:
“Born in an obscure village, He was the child of a peasant woman. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty years old, and then for three years He traveled around the county, stopping long enough to talk and to listen to people, and help where He could.
He never wrote a book, He never had a hit record, He never went to college, He never ran for public office, He never had a family or owned a house. He never did any of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself.
But when He was only thirty-three years old, the tide of public opinion turned against Him, and His friends rejected Him. When He was arrested, very few wanted anything to do with Him. After the trial, He was executed by the State along with admitted thieves. Only because a generous friend offered his own cemetery plot was there any place to bury Him.
This all happened twenty centuries ago, and yet today He is the leading figure of the human race, and the ultimate example of love. Now it is no exaggeration to say that all the armies that have ever marched, all the navies that have ever set sail, all the rulers that have ever ruled, all the kings that have ever reigned on this earth, all put together have not affected the life of man on earth like One Solitary Life.”
Jesus: The Son of God Why has Jesus had more influence than any other person? Because though He was a man, He was more than a man. Jesus was who He said He was: the unique Son of God, deity and humanity joined together in one Person. This is the only rational explanation for such an unlikely figure to have had such amazing influence.
So, behold the Man: Jesus Christ, the greatest of men. * First, recognize His greatness. * Then, look away from every lesser person (including yourself) and put your trust in this greatest of men – trusting in all He is and all He has done for His people. * Next, take comfort in the greatness of your Savior. * Finally, worship Jesus Christ, the greatest of men.
© 2021 By David Guzik for Enduring Word – ewm@enduringword.com
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Denn Gott wollte in seiner ganzen Fülle in Christus wohnen. (Kolosser 1,19)
Wir lieben die Weihnachtszeit, und wir reden gerne über das Christkind. Es gibt in der Geschichte viele Aspekte die uns gut gefallen. Wir denken an zwei relativ junge Menschen, die da draußen in der Fremde und in großer Not sind. Wir denken an die bescheidene Unterkunft, in der sie sich befanden – denn in der Herberge war kein Platz für sie – was im Gegensatz zu der Herrlichkeit seiner Geburt stand, von der der Engel gesprochen hatte, auch wenn dies nur von einigen wenigen Hirten gehört wurde. Wir denken an das Jesuskind, das fest in den Stoff eingewickelt war, den Maria wahrscheinlich den ganzen Weg von Nazareth mitgebracht hatte, weil sie wusste, dass sie ihn brauchen würde. Wir denken an ein Baby, das in einer sternenklaren Nacht in einen Futtertrog für Tiere gelegt wurde, um dort zu schlafen.
All das ist wunderbar und wahr, aber es kratzt nur an der Oberfläche dessen, was Gott in dieser Nacht Großartiges tat. Das Kind, das in dieser Futterkrippe schlief, war kein gewöhnlicher Mensch. Gott hatte sich erniedrigt, um nicht nur als Mensch zu uns auf die Erde zu kommen, sondern um voll und ganz zu spüren, was es heißt, ein Mensch zu sein.
Theoretisch hätte Jesus als 30-jähriger Mann auf die Erde kommen und sofort seinen Dienst in aller Öffentlichkeit antreten können. Schließlich kam der erste Adam als Erwachsener auf die Erde; vielleicht würde dies auch beim zweiten Adam geschehen. Aber es war gut, richtig und wichtig für Gott, die Menschlichkeit zu seiner Gottheit hinzuzufügen, und zwar in Art und einer Weise, die ihn die gesamte Bandbreite dessen, was es heißt ein Mensch zu sein, spüren ließ, einschließlich der Hilflosigkeit und Abhängigkeit eines Babys.
Aber versteh das Ganze bitte nicht falsch: Kolosser 1,19 gilt für das Jesuskind in der Krippe genauso wie für den Jesus, der als Erwachsener am Kreuz hing: Gott wollte in seiner ganzen Fülle in Christus wohnen
Das ist eine Aussage, die es in sich hat. Hier werden die beiden starken Worte “ganzen” und “Fülle” miteinander verbunden. Setzt man diese beiden Worte zusammen, so bedeutet das alles. Es gibt nichts, was vom Ganzen und von der Fülle ausgelassen wird, und diese beiden Worte sagen uns, dass in ihm – das heißt in Jesus Christus – alles vorhanden ist, was Gott wirklich zu dem macht was er ist, nämlich Gott.
Hinter dem altgriechischen Wort, das Paulus gewählt hat und das wir mit Fülle übersetzen, steckt eine ganz bestimmte Vorstellung. Das altgriechische Wort hieß pleroma und war im theologischen Vokabular der antiken Welt, ein anerkannter Fachbegriff der das Gesamtpaket der göttlichen Kräfte und Eigenschaften beschrieb. Paulus nahm all das, was in diesem einen Wort enthalten war, und sagte: “All diese Fülle – all das, was Gott zu dem macht, was er ist – all das wohnt in Jesus.”
Beachte bitte, dass die Fülle sich in Jesus Christus befindet. Nicht in einer Gemeinde, nicht in einem Priester oder Pfarrer, nicht in einem Gebäude, nicht in einem Sakrament, nicht in den Heiligen, nicht in einer Methode oder einem Programm, sondern in Jesus Christus selbst. Alle, die mehr von Gott und allem, was er ist, wollen, können es in Jesus Christus finden.
Vor so langer Zeit schlief all das in jener Nacht in Bethlehem in einer bescheidenen Krippe.
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But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
The Bethlehem shepherds had a rare experience – a visitation from the angel of the Lord, announcing good news: the birth of a baby who was both Messiah and God. The same angel gave them a sign to confirm this good news – that they would find this baby wrapped in torn cloths, laying in a feeding-trough for animals.
Those shepherds immediately went to Bethlehem and saw the confirming sign. They then went throughout the village and told everyone they could. The people of Bethlehem were amazed at this remarkable news, but they seemed unchanged by it all. Mary the mother of Jesus was different. Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. There are at least three things to note about Mary’s reaction to the news from the shepherds.
Mary chose to remember the shepherds’ report, she kept all these things. Others in Bethlehem soon forgot that remarkable night, but Mary made the choice to remember. She had a special relationship to that baby boy, so it was easy for her to remember. If we have a special relationship with Jesus – adopted into His family and regarded as His brothers or sisters – then we will remember Him in a way that others do not.
Mary chose to treasure those things in her heart. She not only remembered the shepherds’ report and all it meant, she also held those things in her heart with affection. Mary was probably especially touched by the fact that God brought the word to the shepherds through angelic messengers. Mary’s whole connection with these events began with a message from the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:26-38). In the nine months following, the angels were silent. It must have been like a reminder of the love of God for Mary to know that God was once again working through His angels to accomplish the purpose of bringing the Messiah into the world.
Mary chose to meditate on those things; she pondered them in her heart. The promises made to Joseph and Mary about this baby were so big that they were hard to believe. You might say that they were easy to doubt – but God gave Mary reason to believe. Mary had a baby book written before the baby was ever born. When Mary heard that she would bear the Messiah, surely she spent so much time thinking about and pondering over all the promises in the Hebrew Scriptures about the Christ, the Messiah. She would think about the promises of the Messiah’s triumph and His agony; about the Messiah’s reign and His suffering.
Like Mary, you can hear what God says about His Son – that He is Christ the Lord, Messiah and God. You may treasure that word from God; think deeply upon it, and keep it upon your heart and affections. In this you show yourself to be part of Jesus’ family.
You can know what Mary knew.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Luke 2
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What Does the Bible Say about Cremation?
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What Does the Bible Say about Cremation? Magda sends this question:
I have a question for you. Many years ago, our pastor at that time gave his opinion on the question of being cremated. He explained that in the days of Jesus on earth, the people that were criminals were thrown in a fire to be burnt outside the city. So there is a bad connection to being burnt. Also, most people were buried. He said that to be laid in the earth is like burying a seed that comes to life when Jesus comes to fetch us. I am a widow for just over a year now and my husband requested to be cremated. Probably because it was the cheapest option. I would love to know your opinion about this.
- The Bible really doesn’t say anything specific about cremation.
- It’s true that the ancient Hebrews would have been horrified at cremation, given their thinking of how a dead body should be cared for.
- It’s also true that some early Christians – in the first few centuries of Christianity, and then beyond – thought that cremation was (a) an imitation of pagan Roman customs (b) a denial or disrespect of the Biblical principle of resurrection.
- The Bible says that God will resurrect these bodies.
1 Corinthians 15:35-38
But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44
So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
- It’s true – God has a plan and a purpose for these bodies.
- Our salvation is total: soul, spirit, and body.
- In some way, our resurrection body will come from these bodies that exist right now.
- Yet, the bodies of believers are “destroyed” all the time, either through violent destruction or through the decay of time.
- Cremation does to the body in 30 minutes what 30 years in the ground does.
Anglican Book of Common Prayer:
In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our brother, and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him and be gracious to him, the Lord lift up his countenance upon him and give him peace. Amen.
- We will all turn to dust anyway, and in some way God will take the molecules of our body and reassemble them into a glorious resurrection body.
- God doesn’t need a well-preserved corpse to do this!
- Since there is no specific Biblical command against cremation, I think Christians are free to choose it if it does not violate their conscience.
- Tradition – both Jesus and Christian traditions – speak against the practice of cremation, but the Bible specifically does not.
- We have freedom in Christ about this.
Remember the Resurrection!
Before he was resurrected, did Lazarus just sleep or go to Hades? In John, why did Lazarus just sleep in his grave during the time he was dead? The other Lazarus and the rich man in Luke both went to the afterlife in Hades, before the cross.
When Jesus spoke of Lazarus sleeping, he was using a euphemism, which is a softer way of speaking. He meant that Lazarus was dead. That’s all there is to it. We use the same phrasing today. In fact, the English word “cemetery” comes from the ancient Latin, meaning sleeping place or dormitory; it’s a place where people would sleep. That’s what Christians called graveyards; they call them sleeping places. So, this is both a biblical and a traditional way of speaking of the dead.
We’re talking about the account here in John 12, when Lazarus died, and Jesus came to Bethany after three days, told Lazarus to come forth from the tomb, and he was resurrected. Lazarus was genuinely dead.
Now to answer your question, “Where was Lazarus?” Why wasn’t he in Hades, like the rich man and Lazarus were in the story Jesus told in the Gospel of Luke? Why wasn’t Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, in the same place? We don’t know; maybe he was. We don’t know where the soul or the spirit of Lazarus was when his body was put in the tomb in the time after his death. His body was in the tomb, and he was definitely dead. Jesus referred to him as “sleeping” as a common way of speaking of the dead. We find the Apostle Paul using the same terminology in 1 Corinthians 15. Sleep is just a peaceful, respectful, softer way of speaking of death, sometimes used in the biblical culture and writings.
What does “partakers of the divine nature” mean (2 Peter 1:4)? 2 Peter 1:4 NKJV – By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
This is a very wonderful verse, and we can just walk through it step by step. Maybe it would be beneficial for us to look at this verse in a different translation:
2 Peter 1:4 NLT – And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
I think that’s a good way to translate the same thought. God has given us wonderful promises in His Word. The promises in His Word are the gateway for us to receive what God has given us in Jesus Christ. By faith, we receive what God has promised. By the way, that’s the way you receive anything that anybody has promised to you: you receive it by faith. God has promised these things to those who believe in who Jesus is and what He came to do for us on the cross. He has given them the promise that, in some way, they will become partakers of the divine nature and will share in God’s nature.
This is heavy ground to walk upon. What does it mean that we will, in some sense, share the very nature of God? I’ll be very straightforward with you: I don’t know if we can explain all that that means, but I can explain to you some of what it means. Some of what it means is simply that Jesus Christ indwells us. If God the Son, the living Savior Jesus Christ, dwells within me, then certainly in some sense I share in the divine nature. There may be more dimensions to that understanding than that. But if the living God lives in me, then in some way I share His nature. I have a new man in me, as Ephesians says, who has been patterned according to Jesus Christ. In this way I share in the divine nature.
How do I receive and experience that? I experience it through believing the promises that God has made me, especially the promises given about who Jesus is and what Jesus did for us, especially at the cross and in His resurrection. Having received this divine nature, it is a doorway and pathway for us to escape the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. All I’m doing here is looking at these verses, comparing them with a different or easier translation, and believing what they say.
There is some sense in which we, as believers in Jesus Christ, share and partake in the divine nature. That doesn’t mean we’re gods; of course not. That would be strange and even foolish to think or to say. It doesn’t mean that we become God, but that in some way we share in His divine nature. What a beautiful and powerful thing.
Is God the Father greater than the glorified Jesus? During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He declared that the Father was greater than Him. Does Jesus still declare that the Father is greater than Him, in His glorified state in Heaven?
This is a very interesting question. When Jesus was on the earth, He was in obvious submission to God the Father. Just those titles, Father and Son, imply some kind of hierarchy. We never want to think that this means that Jesus, as God the Son, is somehow less than God the Father. A difference in hierarchy doesn’t mean a difference in nature or value or purpose – not one bit. A company might have a CEO, who runs the whole thing, and somebody else who sweeps the parking lot. In man’s eyes, one seems much greater and better than the other; this person makes a lot more money and can hire and fire the other one. But in God’s eyes, concerning what those people actually are, both are human beings of equal value and worth before God. A person’s value or status doesn’t depend on where they are in a hierarchy.
So, during Jesus’s earthly sojourn, His earthly pilgrimage, He lived His life as a Son submitted to His Father. In that sense, He could freely say that the Father was greater than Him. In His glorified state, we would still say that at least in some sense, the Son is still submitted to the Father. Now, we don’t know every dimension of this. There are lines we could travel down, which would take us too far, and imply some kind of separation in the Godhead or the Trinity.
But we do know this: Jesus in the eternal state is spoken of as being seated at the right hand of God the Father. That is a position of high standing and privilege. Yet notice that Jesus is stated in reference to His position in terms of the Father, which at least minorly implies a sense of hierarchy. We also know that the Second Person of the Trinity is spoken of as the Son in Heaven, in eternity future.
So, I think there’s still some sense of hierarchy between the Father and Son. Again, we would never imply, even in the smallest way, that they’re different in their essential nature. But God the Father is still the Father and God the Son is still the Son, even in Heaven.
There is big debate happening now about whether that was true from eternity past. This is something that people like to debate and argue about, but I’m not going to get into it. Ultimately, we must make sure that we never disrupt that teaching of the essential equality among God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In essence, in what they are, there’s not senior God and junior God; they are all equally divine, and equally God.
Why didn’t Jesus write one of the gospel accounts Himself? You’re not the first to ask that question. People want to know, since Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each wrote a gospel, why didn’t Jesus write His own story? Why didn’t Jesus write about His life Himself? I think that’s a fair question.
But remember, Jesus spoke, in a few places, as one who did not give testimony of Himself. Instead, His works, and the Holy Spirit, and others gave testimony. Jesus did say that if He did give testimony Himself, it would be true. That is absolutely true, of course. But I think God, in His providential plan, intended that other people would give testimony of Jesus, and even quote Jesus relevant to what He said about Himself.
There was a time when people said, “Jesus didn’t write one of the Gospels, because Jesus didn’t know how to write.” Can you imagine that? People thinking that God the Word, Jesus Himself, the Logos, wouldn’t know how to read and write? What a strange idea that would be. No, no – it has nothing to do with that. God, in His providence and wisdom, understood that it was better for others to give testimony of Jesus by writing gospel accounts than for Jesus to give it Himself. Perhaps this was to keep people from accusing Jesus of self-glorying; it would be a testimony from others and not of Himself.
Where did the idea for halos in Christian art come from? I’m holding a copy of an ancient depiction of Jesus [see video]. In this depiction, Jesus’ hands are in the traditional posture of a teacher, according to the iconography of Eastern Christianity, and behind the head of Jesus is something that would be known as a halo.
I’m no expert on ancient art or depictions of Jesus, but it’s my understanding that halos were used in art to identify either Jesus or saints. The halo was used so that everybody would know, when looking at the picture, that this is someone who was holy. A halo would indicate either Jesus or a saint. I don’t know where that idea came from, other than that the artists who were making a painting or other depiction of biblical characters wanted it properly understood who the people were.
Now, you might say, “Well, with Jesus, it’s easy, because everybody knows what Jesus looks like.” By the way, we just put a video on the YouTube channel called “White Jesus?”. It was prompted by an examination of a book, given to me by my daughter, called “Son of Man,” which includes depictions of Jesus in a few different cultures. If you’re interested in this idea of what Jesus looked like, and how He has been depicted in art, you can watch the video on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/3P1Qk9HSsMs
Anyway, in these artistic depictions of Jesus, maybe the artists thought, “Okay, if we’re showing a crowd, we want to show who the saints are, so we’ll do that with a halo. And if these human saints should have a halo, then of course Jesus should have a halo. We don’t want to make Him seem any less than them.” So, even though there was sort of a traditional way to depict Jesus in artwork, perhaps that was also done because it was done for the saints as well.
What does it mean to be chosen (elect)? Calvinists teach that only those who are chosen will be saved. Paul the Apostle seems to have been chosen. Can you explain this? I’m not a Calvinist, but this has always been challenging to me.
This is the biblical idea of election. When we elect something, we choose it. I choose to hold this bottle of water in my hand; you could say that I have elected to hold this bottle of water in my hand. The idea of election is a biblical idea. The Bible says that God has those whom He has chosen. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you may or may not know it, but Jesus Christ chose you. And in some sense, He chose you from all eternity, to love Him, to walk with Him, to believe in Him.
Now, of course, the great debate goes, “How does God’s eternal choosing of the individual intersect with the individual’s choice to believe upon Jesus Christ or not?” The answer is that God just makes these things flow together perfectly. He does not violate our will. He does not force Himself upon us. Yet He works in us and through us to bring us to faith.
We are to gain rest and assurance from the fact that God isn’t making up His mind about us as He goes along. It’s not as if He’s on your side now, but if you mess up a little bit, He’s going to choose somebody else. No, we are to find assurance, peace, and security in the fact that, in ways beyond my comprehension, I am elect in Him from before the foundation of the world. By the way, that is really the wonderful status of our election. We are elect in Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate Chosen One, the ultimate Elect One. We are chosen. We’re chosen in Him; we’re chosen from before the foundation of the world. God has His people whom you could call the chosen, the elect. This is something that we can take great peace in. Everybody who is saved, everybody who’s going to go to heaven, is chosen, and will put their faith in Jesus Christ. How those two things interact and intersect, maybe we don’t know in fullness; we just know that they’re true.
There’s a story that pastors like to tell to illustrate this concept; you can take it for what it’s worth. But sometimes these illustrations can be helpful. Salvation is about far more than going to Heaven. Salvation has a real impact on this life right here and now, but it certainly includes the idea of going to Heaven. Let’s speak about it in those terms at this moment.
Here’s the illustration: Think about salvation as going through a gateway into Heaven. Walking up to the entrance of Heaven, written on the top of the gateway, it says something like, “All those who believe on Me will be saved” and “Whosoever will come to Jesus Christ.” It’s an open invitation that brings us in. When we walk through that gateway into Heaven, and turn around and look back at that gateway, and over the back of it is written, “Elect from the foundation of the world.” Well, you could see where both things could be written over either side of the gateway. This is just a story to illustrate the point, but things like this can be helpful. Both things can be written on God’s gateway for us into salvation in Jesus Christ.
How do I continue trusting God amidst tragedy? With so much tragedy in the world and in my family’s life, I’m starting to question God’s promise to be our Shepherd. How do I stop this apostasy in my heart?
God bless you, and I’m sorry to hear about the pain and tragedy that you are experiencing in your own life, in the lives of those whom you know and love, and which you see in the world today. But let me just tell you that God never promised to insulate us from all the tragedy and sorrow in this world. That’s never in the promises of God for us. Christians, those who really love God, can and do suffer greatly at times. This is just the truth of what life is like in a fallen world.
Sometimes, that suffering is directly tied to our testimony for Jesus Christ: for example, if someone is persecuted or has all their goods taken or is fired from their job because they are a believer. There are other times when it’s not so easy to draw a line: someone might develop a terrible illness and suffer greatly from that, or suffer a great accident, or has something terrible happen in the life of one of their children.
Jesus did not come as our Shepherd to protect us or insulate us from all suffering and pain, but so that the suffering and pain we endure has meaning and is ultimately redeemed by the work of Jesus Christ. You know that great verse from Romans 8:28: “For we know that God works all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28 does not say that all things are good, but that God works things together for all good. In other words, any tragedy or crisis can be seen as a terrible event in and of itself, in isolation. But God didn’t say, “All things in isolation are good.” He said He will work all things together for good.
I want to assure you that in Jesus’ name, as someone who’s part of God’s family, when it’s all said and done, and you look back on all things from the heavenly perspective, you will say, “Yes, Lord, You had a way that You worked it all together for good, in ways that I couldn’t see or understand.”
I would recommend that you read or listen to my teachings on the Book of Job, available on my website, enduringword.com. I don’t want to tell you to ignore the middle chapters, of it, but the most important parts of the book of Job are the first three or four chapters and the last three or four chapters. Listen to that teaching, to gain a perspective on what God can and will do through tragedy. Now, we don’t have that teaching up on the YouTube channel; for now, it’s only audio and only available on enduringword.com. Maybe in the future, we’ll put that audio teaching up on the YouTube channel, so it’s more accessible to people. But I think you may benefit from that teaching. Again, God bless you. You’re struggling with things that many believers struggle with, and that’s okay. You can bring that pain, and grief, and confusion to God, who is a Shepherd who loves you.
What’s the best way to understand the Trinity? There’s no perfect illustration or explanation of the Trinity, but I’ll give you the ones that work best for me. Maybe this will be helpful to you in some way.
There is one God. The Bible clearly presents this God to us. That God is known in the Hebrew Scriptures as Elohim, or Adonai, or specifically by His covenant name, Yahweh, the one God. Now, this one God is revealed to us in three Persons. These Persons are not sequential, but they are standing. We know from both the Greek Scriptures, known as the New Testament, and the Hebrew Scriptures, known as the Old Testament, that God the Father claims to be Yahweh, God the Son claims to be Yahweh, and God the Holy Spirit claims to be Yahweh. And we know that Yahweh is One. So, in some way, that kind of goes beyond our conception. We have one God in three Persons.
Let me explain for you. We are not tri-theists. We don’t believe in three gods; we believe in one God, in three Persons. There’s a big difference between being a tri-theist and a Trinitarian. A tri-theist believes in three different gods; a Trinitarian believes in one God in three Persons.
That’s probably the best way that I can explain it. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, and especially in the Greek Scriptures, the New Testament, we learn that God the Father is Yahweh, God the Son is Yahweh, and God the Holy Spirit is Yahweh. I think this is the best way for us to understand the whole dynamic of the Trinity.
Why doesn’t the Gospel of John include the miracle where Jesus met Simon and Andrew? Do you know why the fishing miracle, where Jesus meets Simon and Andrew, is not included in the Gospel of John, as it is in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke?
I don’t exactly know. The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly why. I can suppose why: Most people believe that the Gospel of John was the last of the four Gospels written. If that’s the case, it may very well be that John had access to the other four Gospels, and he was careful to not repeat some things that the other Gospels mentioned. Now, of course, some things are included all four Gospels, like the Transfiguration, and the death and Resurrection of Jesus.
But I think that there were many things about which John said, “Hey, Matthew, Mark, and Luke did a good, God-inspired, and anointed job of telling us the story of Jesus. I’m here to fill in some of the things they didn’t speak about.” There’s a great line at the very end of the Gospel of John, where he says that if we were to write a book of everything that Jesus said and did, the world could not contain the number of books. That’s really a wonderful thing to think about. There is even more that Jesus did and said, which we will have eternity to find out about in Heaven.
So, I would just make that suggestion. It’s not something I can say with certainty, because the Scriptures themselves don’t tell us. But it’s likely, since the Gospel of John was written last, that John didn’t want to include some of the things that were already included in the other Gospels.
Will Christians who die while sinning go to Heaven? Will Christians who die while sinning go to Heaven or Hell, if they die a sudden death before they have time to repent of that particular sin?
The quick answer that question is: Yes, they will go to Heaven. Let me explain it by the way that you ask the question. First of all, you define these people as Christians; they are in Jesus Christ and born again by God’s Spirit. They are saved because they put their faith in Jesus Christ: in who He is, and especially what He has done for them at the cross and in His resurrection. They are believers. Yes, they will go to heaven.
Now you say, “Well, what about these people? They died while they were in the practice of sin. Maybe they died while speeding; speeding is breaking the law. Let’s say the speed limit was 100 kilometers an hour, but they were going 130 kilometers an hour and they got in a traffic accident and died. Surely, they must be going to hell.”
No, they won’t go to Hell. Because every Christian is a combination of sinner and saint. We aren’t saved by our holy lives. We are saved so that we can live holy lives. The way of thinking comes from Roman Catholic tradition, as I understand it. It’s the idea that there are mortal sins and venial sins. If someone dies with an unconfessed mortal sin, then they’re going to Hell. Again, that’s Roman Catholic tradition; it’s not what the Bible says. We are not saved by our performance, and we can’t become unsaved by our performance. Now, it’s true that a sinful life, especially a habitually sinful life with no repentance and no conscience, may indicate that someone was never saved to begin with. Their life has never been transformed by Jesus Christ. But if we’re not saved by our performance, we can’t become unsaved by our performance.
A true believer, who dies in the commission of sin, will not go to hell. That’s simply not a biblical look. We don’t have the ability or the time to specifically repent of every sin that we commit. Think about it for a moment: The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. If you define sin as some way that you fall short of the glory of God, then friends, there’s probably 1000 ways that you’ve already fallen short of the glory of God today. Do you have either the ability or the time to call every one of those ways out and specifically repent of those before God? You don’t.
Now, I don’t say that to diminish the importance of repentance. We must repent of known sin when we come to God initially to place our faith in Jesus Christ, and as believers we must repent as an ongoing practice, as the Holy Spirit convicts us. But repentance is not a way that we earn salvation; no, not at all. Repentance is a demonstration of genuine faith in Jesus Christ.
There’s a lot to that question, but we don’t need to belabor it. In the way that the question was presented, it’s a firm no: Genuine Christians who die while sinning, before they have time to repent for that sin, will go to heaven. That’s all there is to it. Now, it is possible for a genuine Christian to be in sin, at least for a season. But this is something we can understand and have some peace in biblically. We must realize that we are not saved by our sinless performance. We cannot lose our salvation by the commission of a specific sin.
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What’s Wrong with White Jesus?
What did Jesus look like? People have thought about that question for a long time. The Bible says little or nothing about the appearance of Jesus during His earthly ministry. Isaiah 53:2 is one of the few passages that makes any reference to the how the Messiah would look:
He has no form or comeliness;And when we see Him,There is no beauty that we should desire Him.(Isaiah 53:2)
This passage from Isaiah really doesn’t tell us much. First of all, it is written in “prophetic poetic” style, so while it describes a real person (the Messiah, Jesus Christ) and some of the real events of His life, it describes them with some poetry.
Yet, these words tell us that there was nothing remarkable in the physical appearance of Jesus Christ, the Messiah spoken of in Isaiah 53. Jesus didn’t attract people because of His form or comeliness (an old word for an attractive appearance). There is no beauty that we should desire Him means that Jesus attracted people because of who He was, not really by how He looked. We can suppose that Jesus looked like a normal, healthy man of His place and time.
Yet in some sense, we think we know what Jesus “looked like.” So much so, that sometimes we will look at a man who has a certain kind of hair and beard and facial appearance and say, “He looks like Jesus.”
I think it’s interesting that one of the earliest depictions of Jesus – found painted on a wall in a catacomb – pictures Him as the Good Shepherd, without any beard or long hair.
Though, we must say, this was probably more an effort of the artist to say, “Jesus was and is the Good Shepherd” more than the artist trying to say, “this is what I think Jesus looked like.”
Other paintings from the catacombs seem to picture Jesus in what seems to us as a more traditional appearance.
But there are other relatively early depictions of Jesus that show Jesus in a more traditional way.
One of my favorites is the famous “Christus Pantokrator” of the magnificent Hagia Sophia of Constantinople, modern day Istanbul.
I also like the way that the Dutch painter Rembrandt displayed Jesus – there was some true artistic genius there, at least in my opinion.
In the modern world, Jesus has been presented in all kinds of ways, including what some people call the “white Jesus.”
Maybe you have seen some of the pictures that portray Jesus as a person with relatively white or pale skin, and sometimes even with blue eyes.
I received something that made me think about this all over again. A few months ago, my daughter gave me a book she found in a charity shop in England. This is the book – Son of Man – and being a wonderful daughter, she knew that her dad would be interested in it. And I was interested – this book was published by the British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in 1939. There is no author listed, but there is an introduction by Bishop Walter Carey, if I can make the name out correctly. The book is subtitled, “Pictures and Carvings by Indian, African, and Chinese Artists.”
I want to share with you some of the images from that book.
From the Africa section, here are some images: (1) A carving of Mary and the infant Jesus,
(2) A carving of Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss, and
(3) a carving of Jesus on the cross.
You’ll notice in these that the Bible characters – Mary, Judas, Jesus, and those at the cross – have a distinctive African appearance. Of course, Africa is a huge continent, so we say that the character look like some of the peoples of sub-Saharan Africa.
From the India section, we see (1) a painting of Mary and the infant Jesus
and (2) a painting of the woman who anointed with oil the feet of Jesus.
We also see a painting of Jesus with the woman at the well.
Again, in each of these the Bible characters are portrayed as if they came from some part of India – and this is also true of their depictions of Jesus.
From the China section, we see a painting of the story Jesus told about the rich man and the poor man named Lazarus,
and a painting of Jesus washing Peter’s feet at the Last Supper.
We also see a painting of Jesus and His disciples at the Last Supper.
Once more, in each of these the Bible characters – including Jesus, or maybe especially Jesus – are shown as if they are Chinese.
What was my reaction to all these pictures and carvings, depicting Jesus and Bible characters in an African, Indian, or Chinese context? Like many of you, I thought they were beautiful. They didn’t offend or stumble me in the slightest. In fact, I think the point of this little book was and is amazing – that Jesus Christ can and should be received and understood in each culture, all across the globe. After all, Jesus is – as John 4:42 says – Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the World.
He’s the Savior of Africa, the Savior of India, and the Savior of China – even if many people in those places don’t understand or receive that yet. And of course, Jesus Christ is the Savior of Europe and North America – there’s no other Savior for the world.
As it says in the introduction to Son of Man [paragraphs 2 and 3]:
So, what are we to make of “White Jesus”? You know, these kind of pictures?
Well, if you really think that Jesus looked like modern European or North American person, please understand that He looked like an average man of His place and time – a Jewish man of the near east about 2,000 years ago. His skin was probably something of an olive complexion and He was probably of normal size and appearance. How Jesus looked was not what set Him apart – and He certainly didn’t have a halo behind His head.
Yet, don’t be completely down on the images of “White Jesus” – in the same way that you should not be down on the images of “African Jesus,” or “Indian Jesus,” or “Chinese Jesus” – we take these depictions of Bible characters in these different cultures as a way of saying, “The Bible speaks to us in our culture. It isn’t just the book of one time and place; the Bible speaks universally.” When it comes to Jesus, it is a way of saying, “Jesus is our Savior also. We belong to Him, and in some sense, He belongs to us.” He is the “Son of Man,” the Savior of the World.
Understood in the right way, these ethnic depictions of Jesus are powerful and beautiful – including, I suppose, “White Jesus.”
One last thing: the most detailed depiction of Jesus in the Bible is found in the book of Revelation 1:13-16:
…in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
Obviously, that description uses a lot of powerful, poetic, symbolic imagery – but it reminds us that maybe instead of focusing so much on how Jesus looked as His first coming, maybe we should think more about how He looks now, gloriously enthroned in heaven, and how He will look at His second coming.
You can be ready for His second coming by receiving Him as He came at His first appearing – as the Son of Man, the Savior of the World, who lived and died and rose again to win rescue for His people.
© 2021 By David Guzik for Enduring Word – ewm@enduringword.com
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Philippus ging in die Stadt Samaria und erzählte den Bewohnern von Christus. Die Menge hörte ihm bereitwillig zu, und sie sahen auch die Wunder, die er tat. Viele böse Geister wurden ausgetrieben und fuhren mit lautem Geschrei aus. Außerdem wurden viele Menschen geheilt, die gelähmt oder verkrüppelt gewesen waren. Darüber herrschte große Freude in der Stadt. (Apostelgeschichte 8,5-8)
Philippus war in vielen Dingen wie Stephanus – er war einer der Männer, die auserwählt waren, den Gemeinden auf praktische Art und Weise zu dienen, als der Streit um die hellenistischen Witwen entbrannte (Apostelgeschichte 6,5). Er gehörte zu denen, die vor der Verfolgung fliehen mussten, und landete in Samaria.
Als er erst einmal in Samaria angekommen war, wusste Philippus, was er zu tun hatte: Er erzählte den Bewohnern von Christus. Nachdem viele der Juden das Evangelium erneut abgelehnt hatten, sehen wir, wie Gott das Angebot des Heils in Jesus, angefangen bei den Samaritern, auf andere Völker ausweitet.
Das war nun Samaria, die Assyrer etwa 750 Jahre zuvor dieses Gebiet im Norden Israels erobert und alle wohlhabenden und bürgerlichen Juden aus der Gegend verschleppt. Dann zogen die Assyrer aus der Ferne eine heidnische Bevölkerung heran. Diese Heiden heirateten in die untersten Schichten der verbliebenen Juden im Norden Israels ein, und aus diesen Menschen entstanden die Samariter.
Im Allgemeinen hassten die Juden jener Zeit die Samariter. Sie betrachteten sie als gefährliche Mischlinge, die der Anbetung des wahren Gottes einen großen Schaden zufügten. Zwischen einem Großteil der Juden und der Samariter herrschte seit langem ein tiefer Hass.
Die Erfahrung die Jesus mit der Samariterin am Brunnen machte (Johannes 4) und seine Geschichte über die Barmherzigkeit eines Samariters (Lukas 10,25-37) veranschaulichen die natürlichen Spannungen zwischen den Juden und Samaritern jener Zeit. Erinner Dich daran, dass Jakobus und Johannes (und auch die anderen Jünger) einst dachten, die Samariter seien nur dazu gut, im Gericht Gottes verbrannt zu werden (Lukas 9,51-56).
Doch Philippus erzählte ihnen von Christus. Weil Jesus in ihm gewirkt hatte, war in seinem Herzen und seinem Verstand kein Platz für diese Art von Vorurteilen. Er war verhielt sich gegenüber den Samaritern nicht rassistisch.
Philippus kam und verkündete das Evangelium, wobei Zeichen und Wunder als eindrucksvolle Bestätigung folgten. Philippus beeindruckte die Menschen, als die sie die Wunder sahen, die er tat. Als sie auf das Evangelium reagierten und zu Jesus fanden, herrschte große Freude in der Stadt.
Zweifellos bestand ein Grund für diese Frucht darin, dass Jesus während seines Dienstes in Samaria den Samen in den Boden gelegt hatte (Johannes 4,1-26). Jetzt brachte Philippus die Ernte ein.
Erinnere Dich an den Grund für den Aufenthalt von Philippus in Samaria – er war dort, weil die Christen in Jerusalem um Jesu willen verhaftet, verprügelt und sogar ermordet wurden. Er und andere flohen vor der Zerstörung und der Gefahr.
Die große Freude in der Stadt resultierte aus dem großen Kummer und dem Schmerz, den es in Jerusalem gab. Sie entsprang der Realität der geistlichen Macht (den Wundern, die er tat). Aber sie entwickelte sich am Stärktsen, als Philippus ihnen Christus verkündete.
Auch heute kann Gott den Schmerz seines Volkes, die Kraft des Geistes und die Momente nutzen, wenn wir anderen von Christus erzählen.
Remember the whole reason Philip was in Samaria – because Christians in Jerusalem were being arrested, beaten, and even murdered for the sake of Jesus. He and others fled the destruction and danger.
The great joy in that city came from great sorrow and pain in Jerusalem. It came from the reality of spiritual power (the miracles which he did). But it especially came as Philip preached Christ to them.
Even today, God can use pain of His people, the power of the Spirit, and the preaching of Christ.
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For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell. (Colossians 1:19)
We like the Christmas season, and we like to put our thoughts on the baby Jesus. So many aspects of the story appeal to us. We think of two relatively young people out among strangers and in great need. We think of the humble nature of their surroundings – no room in the inn – contrasted with the angelic glory of His birth announcement, even if it was heard only among a few shepherds. We think of the baby Jesus wrapped tight in fabric Mary probably brought with her all the way from Nazareth, knowing she would need it. We think of a little child on a starry night laid down to sleep in a feeding bin for animals.
All this is wonderful and true, yet it only scratches at the surface of the greatness of what God did on that night. The child sleeping in that manager was no mere man. God had humbled Himself to come not only in humanity, but in the full experience of humanity.
Theoretically, Jesus could have come to the earth as a 30-year-old man and began His public ministry immediately. After all, the first Adam came to the earth as an adult; perhaps the second Adam would also come that way. Yet it was good and right and important for the God to add humanity to His deity in a way that connected with the full experience of humanity, including the helplessness and dependence of a baby.
Yet make no mistake; Colossians 1:19 is just as true about the baby Jesus in the manger as it was true about the man Jesus on the cross: it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell.
It is a broad statement – combining the two mighty words all and fullness. Put those two words together and you mean everything. There is nothing left out from the all and from the fullness, and these two words tell us that in Him – that is, in Jesus Christ – there is all of what makes God really God.
There was a definite idea behind the ancient Greek word Paul selected, the one we translate fullness. The ancient Greek word was pleroma, and it was a recognized technical term in the theological vocabulary of the ancient world, describing the total package of Divine powers and attributes. Paul took all that was implied in that one word and said, “All of this fullness – all of this stuff that makes God who He is – all of it dwells in Jesus.”
Notice that the fullness is in Jesus Christ. Not in a church; not in a priesthood; not in a building; not in a sacrament; not in the saints; not in a method or a program, but in Jesus Christ Himself. All who want more of God and all that He is can find it in Jesus Christ.
So long ago, all of that slept in a humble manger on that Bethlehem night.
Click Here for David’s Written Commentary on Colossians 1
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Are Babies Born Sinners?
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Are Babies Born Sinners? Loretta asked:
Mr. Guzik, I have recently been exposed to a teaching that denies “original sin” and even more so ABSOLUTELY denies the teaching of “imputed sin” this came about when the question was asked “Are babies born sinners?”
The belief they tend to hold is that babies are NOT born sinners but that (they, we) become sinners upon committing our first sin. I have always believed in original sin and that we also stand guilty “in” Adam as we also stand righteous “in” Jesus when we are born again. If I’m wrong, please clarify this for me and if I’m correct then is this teaching heresy? I don’t want to be led astray and I certainly don’t want to be a part of a ministry that is at the very least teaching things that are unbiblical. Thanks in advance!
Romans 5:12 tells us that we “all sinned” in Adam.
Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
In addition, death is evidence that someone has been “under sin.” The fact that babies are subject to death – even in the womb before birth – shows that there is some sense in which babies are under sin.
Psalm 51:5
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
If person only becomes a sinner once they sin, we should remember that when we take a full definition of sin – anything that misses the mark, that falls short of the glory of God – then one could say that babies sin very early! Babies are really selfish, and don’t mind tormenting a mother with their demands until they get what they want.
Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
It is true that we are born with an Adamic nature, and that we sin because we are fundamentally sinners. Nevertheless, there is reason to believe that God does not condemn individuals on the basis of having the Adamic nature alone – guilt under their own sins is the basis for judgment:
The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. (Revelation 20:13)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
[Paul did not write, “Everyone born with a sinful nature falls short of the glory of God]
We have to ask the right question:
- Why are we sinners? Fundamentally, because we were born sinners, with a sin principle inherent in us, inherited from Adam and Eve.
- Why are people without Christ condemned? Not because of their inherited sin nature, but because of the sins they have committed.
One more thing: It’s right and fair for us to be made righteous by the work of another man (Jesus) only because we were made sinners by the work of another man (Adam).
Did Job’s 3 friends know that Satan went before God seeking Job’s demise? I don’t know. There’s nothing in the text of the book of Job that tells us that either Job or his friends knew what was going on in the spiritual realm. We don’t know for sure if Job was the author of the book of Job, but if Job was its author, then maybe that was revealed to him later. But during the time Job went through his suffering, and certainly during his friends’ experiences, they did not know. And that was part of their presumption.
The friends of Job were good in the sympathy and the comfort that they offered Job, and in general, they had a proper moral perspective. They knew that calamity or crisis in a person’s life can often be connected back to sin, although not all the time, of course, or even most of the time. But they acted as if it was an absolute principle. They believed that Job’s calamity came upon him because of some particular sin. And that just wasn’t the case. So, they really didn’t serve Job or his need well.
No, they did not know what was happening behind the scenes.
When the Bible says “Adam,” was it referring to an individual or the human race as a whole? The Hebrew word ‘adam’ means both the name of Adam and also the name of mankind. Context usually determines whether it’s speaking about Adam as an individual, or the human race as a whole. When Paul uses the term in Romans, he’s definitely speaking of Adam as an individual. And by the way, Paul very much believed that Adam was a real person. There was no symbolic Adam or metaphorical Adam for Paul. Adam was a real person, as far as both Paul and, more importantly, Jesus, were concerned.
I have great concern when anybody denies the validity of a historical Adam. This is something that’s been creeping into otherwise conservative and faithful people who really believe the Bible it’s written. More and more accommodation is being given to this idea that maybe Adam wasn’t an actual person, and was maybe just a metaphor. Friends, no. This is a very important idea. If Adam was not a real person, then Jesus was wrong, and the Holy Spirit who inspired Paul was wrong, because they present Adam as a real person, as an individual.
Can you explain what the 7 thunders in Revelation said? The book of Revelation is comprised of revelations which the Apostle John received. In Revelation 10:4, John hears seven thunders, and is commanded not to write them down.
I think one thing which God wants to show us through this is the simple principle that we’re not going to understand everything prophetically. Friends, I believe in Bible prophecy; the Bible does have a lot of content in it that speaks of the future, and what’s going to happen in the future. The Bible is a prophetic book. It has a lot of predictive prophecy in it, but we need to be humble in our understanding of prophecy. I think that’s part of what God was communicating when He allowed John to see or hear something but forbade him to write it. Some things will just be left unexplained in prophecy. We really won’t know them until they happen.
It maybe there’s more significance to this verse than that, but I think at the very least it has that significance: to keep us humble about our understanding of prophecy.
Why was Manasseh considered a half tribe? Was Manasseh considered a half-tribe because they were part of the tribe of Joseph along with Ephraim, or because part of their tribe decided to live east of the Jordan River and some on the west?
The tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh decided to settle on the eastern side of the Jordan River, in what is today the modern-day Kingdom of Jordan. The other half of the tribe of Manasseh settled on the western side of the Jordan River. We call Manasseh the half tribe because there were two halves that made up the whole. Ephraim is never called a half tribe. Ephraim is always understood to be a tribe just as it is.
Ephraim and Manasseh were counted as whole tribes, but in the land allotment upon entering the Promised Land, half of the tribe of Manasseh settled on the east side of the Jordan River, and the other half of the tribe of Manasseh was on the western side of the Jordan River.
Can demons physically hurt humans? Yes, they can. In thinking through the answer, the first thing I want to do is to view it through the biblical lens. There are stories of people being demon-possessed and being greatly harmed by demonic spirits that possess them. But to me, though a record of people’s experiences is meaningful, it’s not ultimately determinative. So, I go back to the Scriptures.
Think of the man mentioned in the three Synoptic Gospels, whom we know as the Gadarene demoniac. This man who was chained in the tombs of Gadara. The Bible tells us that this man used to harm himself. That was physical harm that was occasioned by demon possession.
There are just some strange things that seem to happen in the spiritual realm. I decided a long time ago that I don’t really need to have an explanation for every strange spiritual experience. There are going to be some spiritual experiences, and things that happen, about which all you can say is, “Wow, that’s strange. Wow, that was really out of the ordinary.” And that’s okay.
But on the biblical basis of the record concerning the Gadarene demoniac, we would say that, yes, it is possible for demons to physically hurt human beings.
In Job’s day, was it not known that Satan goes before the throne of God seeking our souls? We have no way to answer that. Maybe people knew that sometimes that happens, or that Satan can have audience with God to talk about what’s happening on the earth. Maybe that was known among people, and maybe it wasn’t. But in the book of Job, we have no way to know. We have no indication that that’s what Job knew or thought of his particular situation.
I would expect that they did not have a very sophisticated understanding of the realm of the spirit in those early days of God’s revelation. When it comes to understanding the Old Testament and what they understood about the spiritual realm, I come back to this verse again and again: 2 Timothy 1:10 says that “Life and immortality came to light through the gospel” of Jesus Christ. In other words, we understand far more about life and immortality and the spiritual realm in the light of Jesus Christ.
What happens to someone who doesn’t know God then suddenly hears the word of God, like a Bible verse? Well, that could simply be the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can communicate truth to people, and sometimes to people who don’t know that they’re seeking God yet. Think of what the Holy Spirit did to Saul of Tarsus, later known as the apostle Paul, when he was on the road to Damascus. Saul wasn’t seeking God at all. He was persecuting God. And yet God, in the person of Jesus Christ, spoke to him and said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” So, yes, the Holy Spirit can reveal Himself. We long for the Spirit of God to reveal Himself to people.
James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom from above is… good fruits.” Are these the same good fruits as mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23? James 3:17 – But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
I don’t know whether James had the fruit of the Spirit in mind when he wrote that, but I think the Holy Spirit had the fruit of the Spirit in mind. We believe that God used human authors, including their intelligence, personality, and thought processes, in bringing forth the Scriptures. But we also believe that the Holy Spirit was operating on a level which went beyond what the writers themselves understood.
I can’t tell you whether James was trying to make the connection with the fruit of the Spirit that were later mentioned. By all indication, James was one of the first books of the New Testament written. It was written before Galatians, which was one of Paul’s earliest letters. So, if James was probably written before Galatians, then James wasn’t anticipating that. Nevertheless, I think the Holy Spirit is making that connection, and I think it’s valid to connect those things.
Do you have any tips on reading through the difficult chapters of the Bible? The advice I would give for reading some of these more difficult chapters of the Bible is this: if you have time, go deep. Make a deep study of them. Go to a commentary. Go to the Enduring Word Bible Commentary at enduringword.com or blb.org. Search online for David Guzik, or the Enduring Word Bible Commentary.
So, you could go deep, or you could try to just get the big principle. The big principle might be something like “God is a God of order,” or “God moves through real people” if you’re going through genealogies. In other words, unless you’re really going to take the time to dig deep, which there’s value in doing, don’t try to find some deep spiritual meaning in every other word. Just look for the big picture and draw an application from that.
From building instructions, like building the tabernacle, we can see that God is a God of order and organization. That’s a great thing for us to know and recognize and grasp. In the genealogies, we can remind ourselves that these things recorded in the Bible truly happened to real flesh and blood people this isn’t make-believe or fairy tales or stories.
Either determine that you’re going to dig deep, or you’re just going to draw a general principle from the expanded passage. Don’t get into the trap of feeling that you must find a deep meaning in every other verse. Sometimes the Bible communicates its important meaning to us in broad strokes, and it’s okay to approach it that way.
What qualifies as a graven image? Within the second commandment, what qualifies as a graven image? I know we’re not to bow down to them, but we’re also not to make them. I just want to be careful in reference to art.
This is a question that Christians have answered quite differently throughout church history. There are people, both Christians and Jews, who to this day will not make a representation of Jesus Christ, because of course Jesus is God. They say it would be a violation of this command to make a graven image of God. Technically speaking, a graven image is something that is carved or engraved. But this principle is rightly applied to other arts as well.
Here’s the issue on which it turns. Some people have interpreted this as being two commands, the first command being, “Don’t make a graven image,” and the second being, “Don’t bow down to a graven image.” There are other people, with whom I tend to agree, who say that the idea is, “Don’t make an image to which people will bow down, for the purpose of people bowing down to it.” Do you see the distinction there? One would say, “No image of God whatsoever, and don’t worship any image.” The other one would say, “Don’t make an image for the purpose of, or likely to end up, being an object of worship. I believe that’s essentially one command.
In reference to art that we would make today, I think we have a responsibility to make art that doesn’t intend to be prayed toward, worshiped, or regarded as a true or real representation of the living God. Any artwork we create which depicts Deity in any way, including that of Jesus, should be done in a way that acknowledges that we’re only creating impressions, and not actual images.
You’ll have to decide whether this is two commands or one command? If it is two commands, then God is saying to make no representation of Him at all. If it’s one command, then He’s saying to make no representation with the purpose or likelihood of being bowed down to.
Were there any true believers before the Reformation? I can answer that question very simply: Yes, of course. We believe there were true believers in the times of Jesus and the disciples, which obviously were before the Reformation. But God has always had His remnant. Even during terrible times when the church and the institutions of Christianity became very corrupt and were more active in turning people away from God than towards Him, God has always had His remnant.
There have been times when the institutional church has been more godly or less godly, more wicked or less wicked. But God has always had His people, His remnant in the earth. That’s something that we can count on. So yes, absolutely, positively – there were many true believers before the Reformation.
Can you explain the act of repentance towards others? Can you explain the act of repentance towards others? Will God forgive pastors who abuse and never repent to their victims, and only to God?
This question really applies to a broader perspective. You’re asking about pastors who abuse and don’t repent toward their victims, but it could be true of any sin that somebody commits. The principle would be the same.
Repentance is the mark of a godly man or woman, yet we’re all in the process of being sanctified. If somebody greatly harmed somebody else, and did not repent of it, it would not necessarily mean that they weren’t saved. It would mean that they weren’t right with God at that point, and it would mean that there was definitely great work for them to do still. But it does not mean that they’re not going to heaven or that their own sins won’t be forgiven.
Every one of us who is born again as a child of God is a combination of saint and sinner. We are justified while, at the same time, sinners. That position should never be used as a justification for not caring about the sins we commit, or for not being committed to set things right. But we don’t earn our salvation through our repentance.
Now, a humble repentant heart is a definite indication of a godly man or woman. Some serious sanctification needs to be done in a believer who appears to be unrepentant. This question applies to the greater sense of forgiveness and repentance in general.
Are aliens real space creatures or just demons who trick people? The Bible does not speak to this. I can give you my best guess, but I can’t give you a Bible answer to this question. I would be more inclined to believe that they’re demonic deceptions, but I can’t exclude the possibility of life on other planets. To me, demonic deception seems a more plausible explanation of what’s happening with claimed alien encounters. Let’s just leave it with that.
Do you believe Christians should live as free people but not with a cover of vice (1 Peter 2:16)? We need to live our life before God with a sense of freedom. We’re not bound by the fear of man, the tyranny of death, or by bondage to sin. We are free men and women in Jesus Christ. Yet the freedom that we have in Christ does not give us any excuse to sin. We should do the very best we can to live godly and God-honoring lives, and to use our freedom with a godly purpose.
Jesus Christ has set you free, therefore use that freedom in a good and godly way. Christians are free in Christ, but we use that freedom in a way that brings glory to God.
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