Divine Wisdom for Daily Living by Joanne Colvin

In Africa, we used to tell folks who felt sick that good water was the best medicine. However, in developing African countries, potable water wasn’t readily available except when bottled or out of a very clean well. Boiling water is the way most “sanitize” their water, while missionaries and expats usually use water filters. Here in the US, as in most developed nations, safe water is easily obtained from taps and water fountains. Yet, at restaurants, mini-marts, and even at home, many people prefer bottled or canned drinks, shunning free water. I have made a rule for myself to drink water with my meals and drink other beverages at other times. Maybe drinking water at least three times a day is what keeps me mainly healthy, as far as bacteria and viruses go. How many people today reject the free offer of soul-healing through Christ and instead embrace all kinds of new age and alternative philosophies? God offers his unique, all-powerful, supernatural, curative gospel to all people of all nationalities, of all ages, classes, races, and tribes. Yet many reject his miraculous work for something more tantalizing—perhaps following after their parents, friends, or influential personalities. When Christ works in the heart of that person, through the Holy Spirit, to open their eyes to the truth of the Bible, the healing begins immediately. We have opportunities to share the gospel’s healing salvation with believers who need refreshing encouragement and those who need Christ’s rescue from sin.

The Gospel Heals

“And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people…And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.” (Matthew 4:23; 9:35) As we see, Matthew emphasizes the gospel’s power in his record of Jesus’ ministry, which “included teaching disciples and those already familiar with his message, proclaiming truth to those unfamiliar with the message, and healing physical, emotional, and spiritual infirmities. Healing of every disease and every affliction gives an amazing foretaste of the age to come, where there will be no more disease. Jesus combined ministry that met people’s physical needs with ministry to their minds and hearts (proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom)…The compassion of Jesus is a repeated theme in Matthew and the NT, where Christians are especially admonished to show compassion to those in need…Given the helplessness and the need of the crowds, Jesus’ disciples are urged to pray earnestly that the Lord would send out laborers into his harvest, since many are ready to receive the good news of the kingdom–a prayer that is as urgent today as it was when Jesus’ original disciples heard his words.” (1)

The Gospel is a River of Life

“And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes…And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” (Ezekiel 47:9, 12) “The river brings life everywhere it goes, transforming Israel into a paradisiacal garden. It brings life to even the lifeless salt waters of the Dead Sea, recalling the transformation of the dry bones in Ch. 37. What is more, this unearthly river grows dramatically from small beginnings to become a mighty torrent that is impossible to cross. The exiles are to notice this and remember that the work of God often begins in small ways but culminates in grandeur. Jesus appealed to the images used in this passage to describe Himself. He told the Samaritan woman that He is the source of life-giving water. When the disciples were surprised that Jesus was talking with a Samaritan woman, He spoke to them of an unending harvest that had already begun, drawing on Ezekiel’s picture of trees bearing twelve crops a year. John also records Jesus’ saying that He is the source of streams of living water, adding the comment that Jesus was speaking of God’s Spirit.” (2) “The Gospel…shall come with power, and to whomsoever it so comes, they shall live spiritually…to all to whom it is accompanied by the Spirit of God it is the savour of life unto life; the Spirit that gives life, and is the means of it: indeed, the love of God is the river of water of life, Revelation 21:1, it is the spring of spiritual life to dead sinners, and what revives drooping saints, quickens their graces, faith, hope, and love; enlivens and cheers their spirits, and greatly influences true religion and godliness, and very much promotes the life and power of it: and so the grace of the Spirit is living water, by which dead sinners are quickened; the work of grace in saints is revived, and which always continues and issues in eternal life….And there shall be a very great multitude of fish…signifies the great number of living Christians, true believers, who shall appear wherever the Gospel is truly, purely, and powerfully preached…and everything shall live whither the river cometh; not only shall live as before, but continue to live, shall never die…because of the purpose of God, who has ordained them to it; and the promise of God, who is faithful to it; and because of the security of their life in Christ, to whom they are united; and because of the indwelling of the Spirit of life in them.” (3)

The Gospel’s Riighteous Fruit

[Believers] “are the trees of the Lord, trees of righteousness, good trees, that bring forth good fruit; and are often in Scripture compared to trees the most excellent, as palm trees, cedars, olives, myrtles, and wherever the Gospel comes, these trees arise, and are watered and made fruitful by it…the fruitfulness of these trees, true believers, is not owing to themselves, to their free will and power; to their own industry, diligence, and cultivation; but to the supplies of grace they receive by means of the Gospel, and the doctrines of it; which bring forth, or cause to bring forth fruit, wherever they come with power…their fruit is a tree of life, and their lips feed many, with knowledge and understanding; with the Gospel, and the doctrines of it…for the healing of them, which is only done by the blood of Christ; who is the only physician, the sun of righteousness, that rises with healing or pardon in his wings; and the whole language of this passage is borrowed from hence by John, and applied to Christ the tree of life, and the Gospel professed by true believers directs to him for healing, or for the remission of sin, and is the means of applying it, and a cheerful constant profession of Christ and his Gospel, which is the Christian’s leaf, does good like a medicine, both to the Christian himself, and to others; who are animated and encouraged thereby to go on with pleasure in the ways of God.” (4) Shall we not be like the disciples who “departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere” (Luke 9:6)?

The Gospel is like Good Yeast

“He told them another parable. ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.’” (Matthew 13:33) “The preaching of the gospel works like leaven in the hearts of those who receive it. The leaven works certainly, so does the word, yet gradually. It works silently, and without being seen, yet strongly; without noise, for so is the way of the Spirit, but without fail. Thus it was in the world. The apostles, by preaching the gospel, hid a handful of leaven in the great mass of mankind. It was made powerful by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, who works, and none can hinder. Thus, it is in the heart. When the gospel comes into the soul, it works a thorough change; it spreads itself into all the powers and faculties of the soul, and alters the property even of the members of the body.” (4) And all this from a free, readily available, refreshing drink of the gospel’s living water. The question for us is, will we pray about being fountains of gospel refreshment for others?

Related Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:3-4; Psalms 1:3; 92:12-15; 98:3; 103; Proverbs 11:30; Ezekiel 34:11-16; Matthew 11:4-6; 24:14; Mark 4:26-29; Colossians 1:3-8, 23; Revelation 20:12b-21:7; 21:22-27; 22:14.

Notes

1. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, Matthew 4:23; 9:35, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

2. The Reformation Study Bible, Ezekiel 47:3-12, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

3. Gill, John, John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Ezekiel 47:9-12, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/ezekiel-47.html.

4. Gill, Ibid.

5. Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible, Matthew 13:31-35, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mhn/matthew-13.html

November 14, 2024

Does dressing up for Halloween give you joy? Will you take your children or grandchildren trick or treating or enjoy giving out candy at home and then more candy? Have you enjoyed all the special spooky or scary stuff on TV over the last month? If ever there is a holiday that exemplifies worldly happiness, it has to be Halloween. And yet, there are many warnings about all that candy. “Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any of the following: candies that have an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes or tears in wrappers, and spoiled or unwrapped items. Homemade items or baked goods should be discarded unless you personally know who gave them. When in doubt, throw it out.” (1) In this world, we can never make assumptions about our safety or about the products we consume. How many times have we heard or said there are no guarantees in this life? But God is unchanging, and his gospel is guaranteed to result in joy, especially when we consider our eternal, heavenly home. But we can have that joy now because of God’s presence with us in good times and trials—with him who is joyful about our salvation. God rejoices over his people with gladness, quietness, and loud singing; we are to rejoice with God for Christ’s righteous, gospel salvation. Knowing that God rejoices over us should make us rejoice greatly as his beloved children who are saved through the gospel.

Old Testament Joy

Does the upcoming US election next week supersede your enjoyment of Halloween? Will you not consider God on the throne, doing his will (“on earth as it is in heaven”) through the offices of our leaders, putting individuals in power for his purposes? “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord…Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!…The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil…The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zechariah 2:10; Zephaniah 3:14-17) “The dramatic return of the Lord to inhabit his rebuilt house is cause for praise for those who have returned to Judah…The defiled city and nation is raised up by being again called the beloved daughter of Zion…Rejoicing is appropriate because of the presence of the real King of Israel, God, among his people. The human kings of Israel and Judah served only as representatives of Israel’s true monarch, who here blesses with his presence those who repent and return to him. He is not powerless, as some had claimed…The previously weakened nation is in the presence of the mighty one, God himself, who, unlike human warriors and heroes, does not lose heart. Instead of fleeing in the face of danger, God can save his people from it…God himself will rejoice over you with gladness, indicating that when God’s people seek him and follow him, and rejoice in him and trust him, then God personally delights in them. This is not an aloof, emotionless contentment, but it bursts forth in joyful divine celebration: he will exult over you with loud singing.” (2)

New Testament Joy

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey…And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’…the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’…And Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, “Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”’” (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:9-11, 15-16; John 12:15) “The church of God, and true believers in Christ, are called upon to ‘rejoice’ and ‘shout’: not merely in an external way, by showing marks of outward joy, but in a spiritual manner, for which there was good reason, as follows: behold, thy King cometh unto thee; ‘behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven’, Daniel 7:13 and also what is written, ‘poor, and riding on an ass’; …This is to be understood of Christ’s coming…in the flesh, when he came to Zion, and for her good;…because of the birth of him who is her Saviour; and because of the good things that come by him; and because of his appearing as a King, and her King; for, as he was prophesied of as such, as such he came, though his kingdom was not of this world.” (3) God rejoices over his kingdom’s people with gladness, quietness, and loud singing. As citizens of the Kingdom of God, we have Christ’s righteous, gospel salvation that gives us the greatest joy imaginable.

New Songs

“Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, ‘Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!’ Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long. …For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.” (Psalms 35:27-28; 149:4-5) “When Jesus was born, knowledge of salvation in Christ called for new songs too, beginning with the song of the angels over Bethlehem: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests’…The Gloria Patri comes from the second century: ‘Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.’ A fourth-century hymn begins, ‘All glory be to thee, Most High, to thee all adoration; in grace and truth thou drawest nigh to offer us salvation.’ In the same century Ambrose of Milan wrote, ‘O Splendor of God’s glory bright, from light eternal bringing light, O Light of light, light’s living Spring, true Day, all days illumining.’ The recovery of the gospel at the Reformation [after the peasants’ rebellion] led to powerful new songs by the Reformers, especially from Martin Luther, who wrote: ‘A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing’; ‘All praise to thee, eternal Lord, clothed in a garb of flesh and blood’; and ‘Great God, what do I see and hear! The end of things created! … prepare, my soul, to meet him.’ A few centuries later John and Charles Wesley wrote hundreds of hymns, especially Charles, who has left us ‘O for a thousand tongues to sing,’ ‘Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,’ ‘Hark! The herald angels sing,’ ‘Jesus Christ is risen today…‘And Can It Be…that I should gain an interest in the Savior’s blood?’ and many more. About the same time, Count Nikolas von Zinzendorf composed, “Jesus, thy blood and righteousness my beauty are, my glorious dress.’ These hymns capture something of the spirit of the revival movements in those days. What of our time? Have experiences of God’s grace led to the writing of good new songs today? I think so! Not all are great songs; some are poorly written and others badly man-centered. Those will fade in time. But there are many good hymns and many good hymn-writers…Margaret Clarkson…wrote, ‘We come, O Christ, to you, true Son of God and man’ and ‘Our God is mighty, worthy of all praising.’ Daniel Iverson, who died in 1977, wrote ‘Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me’… Do you have a new song to God’s glory? Most of us do not have the ability to write new songs. Don’t be sad, if that is the case. One day you will sing a glorious new song in heaven, one composed especially for the saints: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,and they will reign on the earth’ (Rev. 5:9–10). I do not think we will ever get tired of singing that.” (4) The world is going to be completely remade one day, and it won’t be fake or pretend, like a Halloween costume—it will be 100% real and permanent—what real joy we can share as we remind each other of God’s promises!

Related Scripture: Psalm 118:25-29; 148:1-14; Proverbs 29:6; Isaiah 48:17-19; 54:1; Jeremiah 50:3-5; Zeph. 3:12–13; Matthew 21:16; Luke 15:21-32; Revelation 18:20.

Notes:

1. Safety Tips for Checking Halloween Candy, California State University Channel Islands, https://www.csuci.edu/publicsafety/police/Halloween_candy.htm

2. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, Zechariah 2:10-11; Zephaniah 3:14-17, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

3. Gill, John, John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Zechariah 9:9, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/geb/zechariah.html

4. Boice, James, Boice Expositional Commentary Series, Psalm 149, Baker Books, Software version, 1998.

October 31, 2024

How often do you see or hear an ad for something that sounds enticing until you learn the price? I sometimes try out different organic mouthwashes to keep my gums in good shape, but when I shop online, the price is way, way down at the bottom of the page or not even shown until I put the item in my cart. The only reason I do that is to see the price. Some things are just not worth their price. I like the idea of buying a new car, a sofa, new dining room chairs…until I see their prices. Now, I’m content to keep what I have. However, when I find a mouthwash that has specific ingredients to heal my gums, it is definitely worth paying a high price. Even the horrible, no good, very bad taste is worth hearing my dentist tell me that my gum health has improved tremendously. The free gospel of Jesus Christ has no initial cost, yet sometimes we pay a great price for our faith—if—and only if we embrace Christ wholeheartedly. Then, we may find ourselves in a position where we will be questioned, mocked, and maybe even harassed for our faith, as Jesus was. All the more if we proclaim the gospel faithfully and publically—even when doing Bible study with others or teaching. Our best response is to pray for courage and faith to proclaim the gospel whenever and wherever God gives us the opportunity and guidance through the Holy Spirit. We may not be as bold as Peter and John when they were arrested and interrogated for their gospel proclamation, but they are a good model for us. (See Acts 4:5-21.)

Models of Faith and Courage

Paul’s and Barnabas’s missionary work can also encourage us. “But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples…” (Acts 14:19-21) “The same crowd that days before was ready to worship Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes stoned Paul, dragged him outside the city, and left him for dead. What fickle people these were! Yet they were no different from people in our time. People are always fickle until God brings true stability into their lives through the gospel. If anything of any permanence is to happen, if lives are to be changed, if the seed of the Word is to fall into good soil and bear fruit, and do it year after year—it is only going to be by the grace of God. They thought Paul was dead, but he wasn’t. He could have been. Others have died under such circumstances. But God had more for Paul to do, and so he did not die. In the same way, if God has more work for you to do, you won’t die either. God will keep you living until you do it, because the God who has ordained your salvation has also at the same time ordained good works for you to do (Eph. 2:10).” (1) In contrast to Paul and Barnabas, who were stoned, we feel like we’re going to die if someone challenges us to convince them of the gospel’s truth. That’s probably because we think that’s our job—but it’s not! Only the Holy Spirit can change a person’s heart and mind to receive and regard the gospel as truth.

Blessed for Being Righteous

At the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus taught his disciples to expect mistreatment as a result of their faith in the gospel—their faith in him. Do we want to be mocked or ridiculed? Of course not! Do we pray for this? Surely not! But we should pray to be such bold witnesses for Christ that people can’t treat our faith casually. In a recent large meeting, the resident who sat beside me was not well-known to me. But she openly and eagerly talked with me about Christ, initiating the conversation before the meeting started (which had nothing to do with the Bible or ministry). I was pleased that she knew me by my reputation of having taught the Bible for eight years here and preparing to co-lead a Christian grief support group. I have no idea what others seated around us may have thought about our conversation. But I was absolutely blessed, and that kind of blessing carries me through times when other residents belittle my faith and my biblical worldview about topics of conversation, especially about politics right now. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

The Right Kind of Righteousness

“The persecution Jesus is talking about and for which believers are to ‘rejoice and be glad’ is not the hostility that will come to them from the world because they have made themselves a nuisance, insulted people they are trying to influence, or been rude, crude, or fanatical. It is because they have become like Christ in his righteousness and are therefore being hated for righteousness’ sake, as Jesus was. When Jesus came into the world, he exposed the evil in the world simply by being righteous, and the world hated him for it. Before he came, people could get away with hypocrisy, lying, dishonesty, and pride, because others acted the same way. But when Jesus came, those dark vices were exposed for what they are, just as light always illuminates the darkness. If a Christian lives like Jesus Christ, he or she will be persecuted. But Jesus says that we are to rejoice when that happens. Why? First, persecution shows that we are in the company of those who have been faithful before us, for they too were persecuted: ‘in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’ Second, we have a ‘great…reward in heaven.’ We do not experience much real persecution for the sake of Christ today, at least not in the Western world. But this is something the early Christians understood very well, and believers in many countries that are hostile to Christianity also understand today. Peter understood it, for he refers to this beatitude twice in his first epistle, where he deals with persecution: ‘If you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed’ (1 Peter 3:14) and ‘If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed’ (1 Peter 4:14). Persecution is a common experience for Christians, but it is proof that we belong to Jesus here as well as evidence of those heavenly blessings we will enjoy hereafter.” (2) Christ’s followers will be mocked and harassed for our faith, as Jesus was, if we are true followers, proclaiming the gospel faithfully and publically. Are you (am I) willing to pray for the courage to proclaim the gospel whenever and wherever God gives us the opportunity and guidance through the Holy Spirit?

Hated but Blessed

“And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mark 13:10-13) “The time between Christ’s resurrection and His second coming is not simply a time of suffering and persecution. It is also a time of grace and of evangelism throughout the earth…Readiness to confess Christ is an important aspect of setting apart Christ as Lord. The word [defense] may suggest [the] response to abusive or derisive inquiries from hostile people. Such a response includes an explanation of the main points of Christianity. By their conduct, Christians show that accusations against them are unfounded.” (3) “Believers should always be ready to provide a rationale for their faith, but they should do so winsomely and righteously. And if they keep a good conscience, any accusations against them will prove groundless, and their accusers will be put to shame. It is sometimes God’s will that Christians suffer for doing good.” (4) What’s the gospel worth to you? “In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:15-17)

Related Scripture: Isaiah 49:6b; Matthew 10:21-22; Luke 21:19; John 14:25-26; 15:26-27; 16:13-15; Romans 2:7; 2 Tim. 3:11-15; Hebrews 11:24-26; 1 Peter 2:20-21.

Notes:

1. Boice, James, Boice Expositional Commentary Series, Acts 14, Baker Books, Software version, 1998.

2. Boice Expositional Commentary, Matthew 5:10-12, Ibid.

3. The Reformation Study Bible, Mark 13:10-13; 1 Peter 3:15, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

4. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, 1 Peter 3:15, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

October 17, 2024

I have five very special people in my life who call me Auntie because their Ugandan family is so close to me, rather than being related biologically. Three of them are attending school in the US on full scholarships. Unlike some who emigrate, they don’t think of their opportunities to study here as a right but as a gift from God through people working in the education field and others who help them financially. They will, at some point, though, most likely start expecting certain things solely because they live in the US. “America—the land of freedom and opportunity! The land where everyone’s rights are respected! The land where the son of a shiftless drunkard can grit his teeth and say, ‘I’m going to be rich and famous some day!’ Here in America we pride ourselves on the fact that everyone has the right to live his own life as he pleases—provided, that is, that he does not infringe upon the rights of someone else.” (1) Mabel Williamson’s book, “Have We No Rights,” is specifically for missionaries, so I read it before I left for Africa about twenty-five years ago. But I still consult it to remind myself of the enormous difference between America’s view of our rights and Jesus’s call to put them aside, not to be yoked or hitched to them, pulled away from him. He said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30) We have to learn from Jesus to know how we are to reconcile our deeply ingrained expectation of inherent rights and our devotion to him. I strongly disagree with the idea that “An inherent right is something that you are entitled to just because you exist. It can’t be taken away or given up, like the right to own property or the right to be free…These rights are often seen as fundamental and cannot be taken away or transferred.” (2) Anyone who has given up their right to own property or be free (in a social context) understands what I am saying. Christian martyrs give up everything for Christ. We’re not all called to be martyrs. Still, Jesus Christ does call us to live yoked to him, renouncing worldly possessions and securities, sometimes even our biological family members, to share in Christ’s eternal glory. We need to examine our earthly attachments, lessen our dependence on them, and rehearse the gospel to yoke ourselves to Christ more affectionately and consistently.

Leaving Homes and Families

“Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30) When Jesus said this, he meant that we “shall receive an hundred fold now in this time…Not that [Christ’s disciple] should have an hundred houses, brethren, but that [we] should enjoy that even in this present life, which was an hundred times better than any of the things mentioned namely, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands; it is added here, with persecutions. ‘With persecution’—signifying that this must be expected amidst the greatest happiness, and highest enjoyments of this life; though often even that which the saints enjoy, whilst they are, in the severest manner, persecuted for Christ, is an hundred times better than, yea, infinitely above, all that they part with, or lose for his sake…so that they will be doubly recompensed; once in this life, and again in the other world. (3) This is a bit clearer in Luke’s gospel record. “And he said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life…So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.’” (Luke 18:29-30; Luke 14:33) Jesus. We talk about being devoted to God, but will we lessen our dependence on worldly attachments to live the gospel, yoked to Christ more intentionally?

The Call to Discipleship

“The call to discipleship demands that one completely abandon the natural desire to seek comfort, fame, or power, and even the instinct to preserve one’s own life at all costs. The Messiah’s route of rejection and suffering blazes the trail for those who follow.” (4) “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39) “A true disciple of Christ is one that does follow him in duty, and shall follow him to glory. He [or she] is one that walks in the same way Christ walked in, is led by his Spirit, and treads in his steps, whithersoever he goes…If anyone will have the name and credit of a disciple, let [them] follow Christ in the work and duty of a disciple. If all worldly things are worthless when compared with the life of the body, how forcible the same argument with respect to the soul and its state of never-ending happiness or misery! Thousands lose their souls for the most trifling gain, or the most worthless indulgence, nay, often from mere sloth and negligence…Let us then learn rightly to value our souls, and Christ as the only Savior of them.” (5)

Paul’s concern for the Philippians is that they continue to mature in their faith. “Paul explains what spiritual progress will look like. Christian maturity does not come through special mystical insights available to only a few, but rather through the patient practice of the familiar virtues of love and service to others…But the supreme model for progress in faith is Jesus himself, and the centerpiece of Philippians is the magnificent “hymn of Christ” in 2:5–11. Jesus willingly let go of the privileges of divine glory to take up the form of a servant, and even embraced the ultimate humiliation of the cross, in order to liberate the world from sin…Those who follow Christ’s example have the hope that God will also vindicate them on the day of Christ, and thus they can rejoice. They can also be confident that God will not leave them alone to make their way through the world as best they can. Spiritual progress involves effort: they are encouraged to ‘work out [their] own salvation with fear and trembling’ (2:12). But they can do so knowing that ‘it is God who works in [them], both to will and to work for his good pleasure’ (2:13).”(6) “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” (Philippians 3:12-15) We will mature if we examine our worldly attachments, lessen our dependence on them, and yoke ourselves to Christ more affectionately and consistently, as Paul did. “Paul stresses that he is not already perfect–he is still involved in the struggles of life in a fallen world and hence he still sins; the full glory of the resurrection remains in the future…There is a balance of faith and works, of God’s call and the believer’s response…Paul’s life is purposeful, for he constantly aims toward a heavenly goal. The prize is the fullness of blessings and rewards in the age to come, most especially being in perfect fellowship with Christ forever…Paul is saying, in effect, ‘If you are really perfect/mature, you will realize you are not yet perfect/mature!’” (7) Have we no rights? What did Jesus do with his inherent rights? He died to them all for us.

Related Scripture: Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; 18:28; John 8:12; 12:25-26; Romans 8:28; Philippians 3:7; 1 Timothy 6:12, 19; Hebrews 6:1; 11:40.

Notes:

1. Williamson, Mabel, “Have We No Rights?” Chapter 1, https://www.gutenberg.org/files/24528/24528-h/24528-h.htm#Page_33

2. Inherent Rights Definitions, LSD Law, https://www.lsd.law/define/inherent-right

3. Gill, John, John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, Mark 10:29-30, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/mark-10.html

4. The Reformation Study Bible, Matthew 16:24, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

5. Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible, Matthew 16:24-28, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mhn/matthew-16.html

6. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, Philippians 4:11-13, Intro, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

7. ESV Study Bible Notes, Philippians 3:12-15, Ibid.

October 3, 2024

Our retirement community has a new phase under construction for Independent Living. When the contracting company began work, they placed a trailer on the opposite side of the road from the construction area, parallel to the road, to serve as their office. I didn’t pay much attention to it when I drove past it almost every day. But recently, they turned the trailer around to be perpendicular to the road. I was amazed at how long it is, with three doors and many windows. Somehow, the trailer that I saw daily now looked like a completely different trailer. This experience of change in our environment is probably why we like to move our furniture around from time to time or in different seasons. I used to do that a lot, but now I have no need or desire to do it. When we study the Bible with different teachers or under different preachers, we sometimes “see” things differently, freshly, and or more correctly. Why should it be any different with the gospel? We can have a fresh view and appreciation of Christ’s gospel promise by looking at it from different angles. So today, we will see the warning of the gospel for those who don’t believe. The gospel is hope and healing for all who will put their trust in Jesus and the ultimate warning for those who reject it, satisfied that they are doing well without Christ. As we embrace the hope and healing of the gospel for our sins, let’s share the gospel freely with others for their hope and healing.

Gospel Truth

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36) “There are two ways to die, according to the Bible. You may die ‘in the Lord’—Revelation 14:13 says, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on’—or you may die ‘in your sins.’ To die in sin means to die with the burden of one’s sin upon oneself and, as a result, to be forced to bear the penalty of sin, which is spiritual death. God says that ‘the wages of sin is death’ (Rom. 6:23). Physical death is the separation of the soul and the spirit from the body. Spiritual death is the separation of the soul and the spirit from God. To die in sin is to die separated from God and to remain so forever…Someone will say, ‘But that is frightening. Are you saying those things just to frighten me?’ In a sense I am, for I would like you to be so frightened by the warning the Lord Jesus Christ gives that you will turn from your sin and cleave to him. The gospel tells us that Jesus died for your sin. He died both physically and spiritually—he was separated from God—so that you and everyone else might not have to die spiritually. He removed our sin, so that all who believe on him might have eternal life and be able to follow him to heaven.” (1) The first three chapters of Romans have much to say about this truth. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18-20) “God’s anger is not selfish or arbitrary but represents his holy and loving response to human wickedness…God’s wrath is expressed for good reason since his power and divine nature are clearly revealed through the world he has made, and yet he is rejected by all people. These verses show that salvation does not come through ‘general revelation’ (what is known about God through the natural world) since Paul emphasizes the universality of sin and concludes that ‘no one seeks for God’ (3:11). The entire natural world bears witness to God through its beauty, complexity, design, and usefulness. [Therefore] no one should complain that God has left insufficient evidence of his existence and character; the fault is with those who reject the evidence.” (2)

Humanism vs. Christ’s Gospel

Last week, a neighbor of mine inquired about GriefShare, a Bible-based Christian grief-support program that I am participating in and preparing to co-lead in 2025. In her email, she wrote, “I can truly say that in my eight years of working with families, I never once had a religious question…it isn’t a religious time. It’s a time for listening and hearing what the family says and not pushing your beliefs on them.” I’m sincerely sorry for the implication that someone, at some time, “pushed” their religious views on my neighbor, who does appear to have a religion or philosophy called Humanism. While many folks do believe that God created people (humanism technically does not), they live as if their primary hope is found in people. “Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that prioritizes human beings, values reason, critical thinking, evidence-based decision making, and views individuals as responsible for giving meaning and shape to their own lives…and seeks to build a more humane, just, and democratic society…It offers a joyous alternative to religions and considers this life to be of paramount importance, providing purpose through developing one’s talents and using them for the service of humanity…[While] Biblical Christianity offers a path to hope, peace, and fulfillment in this life and beyond…Humanism emphasizes human reason, experience, and autonomy, and views individuals as the ultimate arbiters of truth and morality. Biblical Christianity, on the other hand, holds that God’s word, as revealed in the Bible, is the ultimate authority in all matters of faith and practice…Humanism sees human beings as inherently good and capable of self-realization and self-fulfillment, while biblical Christianity teaches that human beings are fallen and in need of salvation, as stated in Romans 3:23, ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’…Humanism emphasizes human-centered principles of equality, justice, and compassion, while Biblical Christianity teaches that morality and ethics are grounded in obedience to God’s commands and that true righteousness comes from faith in Jesus Christ.” (3) The biblical Christian gospel is not meant to be used as a threat or a hammer to force someone to believe in Christ. Repentance (of refusing God) holds the promise of hope and peace. However, the gospel of Jesus Christ also contains a warning to those who reject him. So we do well to embrace the hope and healing of the gospel for our sins, confessing and repenting often and sharing the gospel freely with others for their hope and healing.

Sealed or Alienated For Eternity

“False teachers of religion are deceiving thousands of people by bending the gospel to suit their own purposes. And in this regard, the human mind is ready to be deceived. If you can teach someone how to ignore sin, he will listen to you. If you can tell him how to ignore the possibility of judgment for his wrongdoing, he will listen to you. This is why the cults of deception are so popular—not because they are true, but because they alter the truth to suit the carnal desires of mankind. May God have mercy on the deceived and on the deceivers!” (4) “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 6:36) “Men naturally mind earthly things; and it is owing to the Spirit and grace of God, if they mind and savour spiritual things, or have their affections set on things above, or their conversation in heaven; and even such, at times, find that their souls cleave unto the dust, and are hankering after the things of the earth…and he that believeth not the Son; that does not believe Christ to be the Son of God, or Jesus to be the Messiah; or rejects him as the Saviour; who lives and dies in a state of impenitence and unbelief: shall not see life; eternal life; he shall not enter into it, and enjoy it; he shall die the second death.” (5) The gospel’s warning for those who reject Christ can help us appreciate His mercy for those, like us, who have been brought into the kingdom of God by God’s grace alone. This, in turn, can motivate us to seek fresh ways of approaching prayer and witnessing for Christ, with joy and peace in the hope and healing for all who will believe. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) The unchanging gospel has many facets, but none of them change God’s truth. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

Related Scripture: Psalm 19:1-6; 78:1-2, 30-31; 95:11; 106:24-27; Ecclesiastes 11:5; Jeremiah 10:14a; Matthew 5:17-20; John 3:7, 17-19, 27; Romans 1:18-25; 5:6-10; 6:23; 8:5-9, 32-39; Hebrews 3:18-19; 1 John 5:10-12.

Notes:

1. Boice, James, Boice Expositional Commentary Series, John 6:24, Baker Books, Software version, 1998.

2. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, Romans 1:18-20, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

3. Humanism vs. Christianity, Bible Truths, https://www.bibletruths.org/biblical-christianity-vs-religion-of-humanism/

4. Chambers, Oswald, My Utmost for His Highest, September 7, https://utmost.org

5. Gill, John, John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, John 3:31, 33, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/john-3.html

September 19, 2024

Do you ever wonder, as I do, how people can be so determined to believe in relative truth yet want every speech by leaders to be “fact-checked”? When I asked a friend, she reminded me that these are the folks who want what they want and are only concerned with themselves. Relative truth allows its devotees to say that whatever they believe is true for them, and whatever you choose to believe is true for you. It’s time for some fact-checking. Truth doesn’t work that way, although choices, desires, and values do. Our world has tremendous ways of fact-checking in forensic accounting and restaurant reviews, as well as identifying theft, mortgage scams, all kinds of financial scams, fake charities, and plagiarism. After all, who wants a bogus $20 bill except for its creator or a car that’s been in multiple accidents and is being sold as if it’s never been in any? If we are so concerned with the truth about that which affects us, how much more is God concerned with the truth, especially as it relates to a relationship with Christ? “Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ (John 8:31-32) “This verse is frequently quoted out of context, but…Jesus is only talking about one way to know the truth [about God and salvation], and that is by continuing to believe and obey his word, [which sets us free] from the guilt and enslaving power of sinful patterns of conduct.” (1) The gospel purifies our hearts and minds to accept reality and gives us the power to know and reject what is false so that we can avoid becoming counterfeit Christians. The more we meditate on the gospel, the greater will be our recognition of the truth, purity of heart, peace, gentleness, and desire to be true lovers of God. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)

Paul’s Exhortation to Timothy

“Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil.” (2 Timothy 2:22-26) “Although the fall brought about a destructive effect on human reason, salvation brings the ability to begin to see reality. Paul’s regular reference to the false teachers’ lack of knowledge and understanding points to the fact that they fail to grasp what is really true.” (2) The Lord taught his Old Testament people about purity through the temple’s pure gold fixtures and laws for cleansing. “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold…You shall make a lampstand of pure gold.” (Exodus 25:17a, 31a) “The instructions for the sanctuary begin with the ark, which is God’s throne, from where he will meet and speak with Moses…The mercy seat and the two cherubim are to be made of gold and fashioned as one piece, which will act as the cover for the ark…it is from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that the Lord will speak to Moses.” (3). In the Psalms, we read, “With the purified you show yourself pure.” (18:26) And Jesus started teaching his disciples about purity at the beginning of his ministry. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) But God’s people strayed and continued to stray. So Paul wrote to the church in Corinth: “I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3) James also reminded the believers in the diaspora: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17) God has given us all we need for discernment of what is pure through the gospel. Christ’s gospel purifies our hearts and minds to accept reality and provides us with the power to know and reject what is false. Every devotion this year is intended to help us meditate on the gospel for greater discernment, to be better lovers of God.

Being False

God isn’t only interested in our discernment but wants us to be completely true disciples. We return to the OT, where the writer of 2 Kings reports: “The people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God…the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right…They went after false idols and became false.” (17:7, 12, 15) The people became false like their idols. Job understood this and knew what would lead to becoming false. “If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above.” (Job 31:24-28) In the NT, Luke reports on one event in Philippi: “As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.’ And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And it came out that very hour.” (Acts 16:16-18) “Paul’s exorcism of the slave girl’s demon is a display of the gospel’s power. By this power Paul recognized the work of a demon in the slave girl and commanded it to leave her, which it did. Jesus and the gospel broke into the slave girl’s life and she was transformed. The words of the fortune-telling girl were true in a formal sense, but Paul was greatly annoyed, probably because he did not want it to appear that she was his partner in the gospel.” (4)

These Last Days

These events and truths weren’t just for God’s people in the past. We need to focus on the truth about God and our present reality as much, if not more, than they did. “Understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) “As Acts 2:17 indicates, ‘the last days’ began with the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. Thus, Paul’s prediction of times of difficulty that will occur in ‘the last days’ is already beginning to be fulfilled, even in the present situation…[Paul’s remark of the gospel’s] Power means the present, effective working of God in and through believers’ lives…In 2 Tim. 1:7, Paul linked ‘power’ to the presence of the Holy Spirit, and this power enabled perseverance through suffering and faithful defense of the gospel. The people referenced in 3:1–9 claim to know God, but their lives are devoid of the work of the Spirit, which would have resulted in holiness, perseverance, and effectiveness in advancing God’s kingdom. Avoid such people—This is the only command in vv. 1–9…the point…is to seek the repentance of such people.” (5) What makes the false teachers so dangerous is that they appear to be Christians. Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-18) (6) A gospel-centered life is like the good tree that bears good fruit. Through Christ, we can accept the reality of life here today and have the power to discern and reject what is false. Meditation on the gospel leads us to greater recognition of real truth and fulfills our desire to be true lovers of God. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22)

Related Scripture: Proverbs 6:16-19; Zechariah 8:17; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:6-7; 2:5, 16; 1 Peter 3:15; Revelation 15:6.

Notes:

1. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, John 8:31, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

2. ESV Study Bible Notes, 2 Timothy 2:22-26, Ibid.

3. ESV Study Bible Notes, Exodus 25:10-22, Ibid.

4. ESV Study Bible Notes, Acts 16:16-18, Ibid.

5. ESV Study Bible Notes, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Ibid.

6. The Reformation Study Bible, 2 Timothy 3:5, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier

7. Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

September 5, 2024

I recently viewed a National Geographic TV series on Jonestown—the Jim Jones cult event in Guyana, South America. “Peoples Temple, was an American new religious organization which existed between 1954 and 1978 and was affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Founded by Jim Jones in Indianapolis, Indiana, the Peoples Temple spread a message that combined elements of Christianity with communist and socialist ideology, with an emphasis on racial equality…Christine Miller was a member of the Peoples Temple cult…She is known for being the only Temple member to publicly urge Jones against carrying out the group’s mass murder in Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. Ultimately, she was unsuccessful in persuading Jones and died that same day, alongside 908 other Temple members…Miller is regarded in modern times by some as a symbol of courageous dissent and advocacy…Author Sikivu Hutchinson has characterized Miller as ‘valiantly and singularly standing up against Jim Jones’ and ‘speaking for the voiceless.’ (1) Was Christine Miller a Christian? I don’t know. What she stood for was respectfulness, and she told Jim Jones that she wouldn’t die until she had his respect. But her commitment to an idea didn’t survive her life, unlike the Apostle Paul’s, Peter’s, or Ruth’s, who were all armed to stand up for Christ. The gospel was the foundation for their spiritual armor, the protection they needed for the necessary battle of this life, fighting the schemes of Satan that could have deterred them from fulfilling their Christian witness. The Bible makes it clear that we are to view ourselves as the Lord’s warriors—standing up for Christ and God’s righteousness in a world of unbelief and godlessness. So, we must be prepared to dress ourselves daily with gospel armor and engage boldly to witness Christ, making it as hard as possible for Satan’s schemes to succeed.

Fighting Superhuman Evil Forces

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” (Ephesians 6:13-18) “In [Ephesians] 5:16 Paul identifies this whole age as ‘evil days,’ yet the outbreak of the Satanic onslaught against Christ’s people ebbs and flows throughout this era until the final day when the Lord of Hosts will return in power and great glory (Luke 21:27) to rend the heavens and rescue his people forever… [But] the Lord has not left his people defenseless. They have the complete armor of God from head to foot, which consists of the belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword. These are metaphors for the spiritual resources given to them in Christ, namely, the truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation, and the Word of God…These are aspects of God’s and the Messiah’s own character and work (as depicted in Isaiah) with which Christians are now equipped. For example, the Lord saw no one to deliver his oppressed people, so he put on his own ‘breastplate [of righteousness]’ and ‘helmet of salvation’ (Isa. 59:17) before coming in wrath against his enemies…The spiritual nature of the church’s resources is nowhere more plain than in its reliance upon God’s Word, which is the only offensive weapon mentioned in this list of spiritual armor. The Word of God is to be wielded like a sharp two-edged sword, in the mighty power of his Holy Spirit.” (2) “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Readiness for Battle

“Believers are protected by the righteousness of Christ [the breastplate] imputed to them, and they can stand up to the accusations of the devil, whose title in Greek means ‘slanderer.’ Simultaneously, Paul sees believers taking on the righteous character of Christ while their growing conformity to His image gives them confidence in resisting temptation. ‘Shoes for your feet’…is a clear allusion to Is. 52:7…the messenger who takes the gospel to others. [“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.”]…The peace that comes from the gospel readies one for war against evil… ‘The sword of the Spirit…is the word of God, the one offensive weapon in the believer’s arsenal…Jesus used the Word of God in His battle against the temptations of Satan in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13)… Christ’s followers also have this offensive weapon when they believe in Christ and come into union with Him. The battle theme in this passage ends with an urgent call to militant prayer (‘keep alert’) on behalf of all believers and on behalf of Paul’s ministry…It is possible that, together with ‘the sword of the Spirit,’ prayer is one more offensive weapon in the believer’s arsenal.” (3) The gospel is the foundation for our spiritual armor, the protection we need for the necessary battle of this life, fighting the schemes of Satan that might deter us from fulfilling our Christian witness. Whether or not we realize it, we need to dress ourselves daily with gospel armor, which makes it impossible for Satan’s schemes to succeed.

Get Dressed and Pray!

“The Christian armour is made to be worn; and there is no putting off our armour till we have done our warfare, and finished our course…Prayer must fasten all the other parts of our Christian armour…We must use holy thoughts in our ordinary course…And we must do it by the grace of God the Holy Spirit, in dependence on, and according to, his teaching. Our enemies are mighty, and we are without strength, but our Redeemer is almighty, and in the power of his might we may overcome.” (4) “The use of the whole outfit enables the Christian to overcome the enemy in a day of fierce conflict…He cannot afford to be slack in his dealings with God or with himself. God’s soldier is equipped with the gospel of peace for sandals, suggesting that his movements are dictated by the needs of gospel witness.” (5) “Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12) “Christ calls all his servants to warfare…If earthly soldiers do not hesitate to fight, when the result is doubtful, and when there is a risk of being killed, how much more bravely ought we to do battle under the guidance and banner of Christ, when we are certain of victory? More especially, since a reward awaits us…a glorious immortality and heavenly blessedness; it would certainly be disgraceful that we, who have such a hope held out to us, should grow weary or give way…When he commands them to ‘lay hold on it,’ he forbids them to pause or slacken in the middle of their course…there is nothing that ought to animate us with greater courage than to learn that we have been ‘called’ by God…We see soldiers, who, instead of earning wages by laboring…go and expose their life at a venture. And what leads them to this? A doubtful hope, nothing certain. And though they have gained, and have obtained a victory over their enemies, what advantage do they reap from it? But when God calls us to fight…we are made certain that the war will be good and successful. And thus Paul intended to comfort believers while he exhorted them.” (6)

This week, our community has been watching and celebrating with our local Little League Baseball team, who are playing in the National Finals this weekend. In our chapel service yesterday, our chaplain preached on Ephesians 6:10-20. He compared the protective gear of the catcher with the spiritual armor described there. The catcher position is not only the hardest position to play in baseball, but it is, apparently, one of the hardest positions to play in all of sports. Professional catchers also wear wristbands to communicate what pitch to throw to the pitcher. The catcher wouldn’t be properly prepared without a helmet, face mask, throat and chest protectors, shin guards, and heavily padded catcher’s mitt. Shoes with metal cleats help the catcher to stand securely and strongly for the entire game. Like that equipment, every part of our spiritual armor is necessary for “winning” for Christ. The gospel is the foundation—our shoes to stand securely in the believer’s battle of this life, fighting the schemes of Satan that might deter us from fulfilling our Christian witness. The most devoted, determined soldiers are sometimes promoted to the status of General or Colonel. They obviously feel that their struggles are worth all the victories and accomplishments under their direction. How much more do we benefit from our gospel conflicts in this world—surrounded by people, media, and entrapments that might discourage us from our reliance on Christ? Since…” after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever” (1 Peter 5:10).

Related Scripture: Exodus 12:11;Isaiah 11:5; 59:16-17; Luke 12:35; 21:27; Romans 8:26-27; 10:15; Ephesians 5:16; Philippians 3:9; Colossians 4:2; 2 Timothy 4:7-8; Hebrews 4:12; 1 John 5:4; Revelation 1:16; 2:12; 19:15.

Notes:

1. Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Temple)Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Miller)

2. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, Ephesians 6:13-18, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

3. The Reformation Study Bible, Ephesians 6:13-18, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

4. Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible, Ephesians 6:10-18, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mhn/ephesians-6.html.

5. Zondervan Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce General Editor, passage, One-Volume Illustrated Digital Edition.

6. Calvin, John, John Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible, 1 Timothy 6:12, Bible Learning Society, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/1-timothy-6.html.

August 22, 2024

Have you been watching the Olympics? On NBC, the producers include personal bios of some of the participants, especially those who began their competitive careers when they were very young. Some were only five years old when they started practicing and competing in gymnastics or swimming. And they knew they wanted to focus on the sport for their adult careers. I didn’t know what I wanted to focus on as an adult until I was a sophomore in college—I was basically clueless. However, after I became a Christian, I realized that God had been working in me and in my life to prepare me to be a teacher and administrator. (I’m still trying to figure out if he means for me to be a writer.) The gospel was completely new to me when I started reading the New Testament before I knew Christ—as those in Jesus’s day probably perceived it. After I became a Christian, I realized that God had been preparing his people to receive the Messiah long before Christ appeared on the scene. I agree with Nancy Guthrie and other theologians who say that the entire Bible is about Jesus Christ. Guthrie’s studies entitled “Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament” have been quite valuable in my understanding of God’s master plan. (1) God’s plan for salvation through Jesus Christ for his elect was decided before the world was created for the sake of his glory and praise among the nations. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were working even before he created the Garden of Eden to create a Covenant of Redemption. I hope that your understanding of his pre-creation work will enhance your appreciation of the gospel, as it has mine over the past two weeks. And, that we will demonstrate this by reflecting God’s holiness with loving, holy conduct and heartfelt mercy toward others.

Grace Before the Ages Began

Some Olympic athletes began or had to restart their physical discipline with a medical crisis. They had to overcome or push to develop and build the strength, flexibility, and confidence they needed—and are now incredibly skilled. I am certain that those who had God’s help had more motivation than those who were trusting in their own strength. Likewise, when we study God’s Word for increased knowledge about his ways and works, we grow in our theological and hermeneutical skills. Then we are more able to lean on our living Lord and his power to move through our trials, as Paul advised Timothy. “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” (2 Timothy 1:8-9) “There is a salvation previous to calling: there is a temporal salvation; a special providence attends the elect of God, as soon as born…they are kept from many imminent dangers, and some of them from the grosser immoralities of life; and there is a chain of providences, as the fixing of their habitations, bringing to such a place, and under such a ministry, with various other things, ways and methods, which lead on to the effectual calling: and there is a preservation of them in Christ Jesus…this was resolved upon from eternity; a council of peace was formed…all according to an eternal purpose. Salvation was not only resolved upon, but the scheme of it was contrived from eternity, in a way agreeable to all the divine perfections…[and] in pursuance of this resolution, he set up Christ as the Mediator…The time of his coming was fixed, called the fulness of time; and his sufferings and death, with all the circumstances of them, were determined by God…which was ‘given us in Christ Jesus before the world began’; it is a gift, and a free gift, not at all depending upon any conditions in the creature, and entirely proceeding from the sovereign will of God; and it was a gift from eternity.” (2)

First, The Covenant of Redemption

“We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:7) The more we submerge ourselves in God’s historical, eternal ways, the more we can reflect his holiness with loving conduct and heartfelt mercy toward others. “The covenant of redemption (sometimes called the covenant of peace) is an arrangement between the Father and the Son in which the Son promises to act in the place of sinners, becoming a security for His people, obeying and suffering in their behalf, and by His obedience to the law and its penalties, gaining forgiveness and redemption for His people…Failing to hold to a covenantal understanding of God’s redemptive work leads to distortions of key biblical concepts: Without it we have a distorted view of God….Without it we cannot make sense of the Bible as a whole. We then cannot understand the flow of history—from Genesis to Revelation—or understand why Jesus would Himself take discouraged disciples on a walking tour through Moses and the Prophets to underline their consistent message as culminating in Him (Luke 24:27)…As we look at Scripture through the lens of the covenant, we gain a clearer understanding of God and of the outworking of His eternal plan..Truly the Godhead is the greatest and holiest mystery that can be conceived.” (3)

The Holy Spirit’s Application of the Gospel

“The Holy Spirit is the chief promise of the Father in the Covenant of Redemption…’It is by partaking in the Holy Spirit, that [we] have communion with Christ [and His Father] in [their] fullness.’ When did the Father and Son agree to these commands, curses and promises? In eternity past. This was God’s predestined and predetermined plan (Acts 4:27-28). Jesus was foreordained before the foundation of the world and decreed for our glory before the ages began… ‘I was beside him, like a master workman’ (Proverbs 8:30)…The ‘I’ here is the pre-incarnate Christ. Look at vs. 22-24 ‘The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth.’ Solomon is speaking about the eternal begotten-ness of the Son. He is…Wisdom…personified. The NT clearly tells us that Jesus Christ is the Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). [‘Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.’]…Wilhelmus A Brakel…says ‘this covenant reveals a love which is unparalleled, exceeding all comprehension. How blessed and what a wonder it is to have been considered and known in this covenant, to have been given by the Father to the Son, by the Son to have been written in His book, and to have been the object of the eternal, mutual delight of the Father and the Son to save you!…Oh, how blessed is he who is incorporated in this covenant and, being enveloped and irradiated by this eternal love, is stirred up to love in return, exclaiming, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).'” (4) When we are appropriately awed by this truth, we will reflect God’s holiness with loving, holy conduct and heartfelt mercy toward others.

“The gospel was announced in promise form in the biblically recorded preaching of the prophets, in which the apostolic presentation of the gospel is rooted.” (5) Paul knew this and shared his godly wisdom for our sake. “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:1-6) Athletes who accomplish their goals at the Olympics will, no doubt, speak readily and joyfully about their success in Paris. our gospel success is meant to bring praise not to us, but to God. And, “Your understanding of the gospel is reflected in how much you speak of being God’s child.” (6) The pre-incarnate Christ never failed in his desire to do the Father’s will and assures us that we may have the same passion and power. Of this, Paul was sure. “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Romans 26:25-27)

Related Scripture: Isaiah 60:21-22; Amos 3:7; Habakkuk 1:1-3; Mark 8:38; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Ephesians 1:3-6; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Peter 1:20.

Notes:

1. Guthrie, Nancy, “Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament”, https://www.nancyguthrie.com/books-video.

2. Gill, John, John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, 2 Timothy 1:9, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/geb/2-timothy-1.html.

3. The Reformation Study Bible, Article on ‘Covenant Theology’, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

4. “The Covenant of Redemption: the Intra-Trinitarian Covenant—John 6:37-39; 17:4-6,” The Well Reformed Church, March 21st, 2021— https://www.thewellboise.com/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2021/03/The-Covenant-of-Redemption.The-Intra-Trinitarian-Covenant.pdf.

5. Reformation Study Bible Notes, Romans 1:2-3, Ibid.

6. Witten, Kevin, Sermon on 1 Peter1:17-21, “Hopeful Holiness, August 3, 2024, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Boerne, TX.

August 8, 2024

Some people live in retirement communities for greater convenience so they have the time and energy to do things other than cooking, cleaning, or maintenance. Some of us live in these communities because they provide everything we need, besides incidentals, to live a comfortable life. Some people come to Christ because it’s one aspect of life that they feel they need to live a blessed life. Others come to him because he is all they need to live in this world. The latter is the way God brings us to faith in Christ—it is the faith in which we have all we require for all life—here and beyond. The world hurls ideas, philosophies, and stuff at us, but these won’t stick or distract us if we belong to Jesus, our Provider and Captain of our souls. Streaming services, cellphone offers, lotions for ageless beauty, quick medical fixes, new tools, and even low-cost online education don’t hold the weight that will carry us through a blessed life. We can take or leave whatever is available without believing that it will change our course or bring ultimate personal fulfillment. God provides the gospel, keeping us in his love and power, raising us in the resurrection, and securely tethering us to Christ eternally. We have nothing to fear or feel desperate about in this life or the spiritual realms. Nothing that attempts to disconnect us from God will succeed. Christ’s gospel keeps us eternally through God’s power. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? …No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35, 37–39).

Walking Through Life With Strength

I walk a lot with my dog, and Spurgeon’s devotion on July 14 made an impact on me, especially as it applies to the gospel’s power. “Usually, if we are walking, we go from strength to weakness; we start fresh and in good order for our journey, but by-and-by the road is rough, and the sun is hot, we sit down by the wayside, and then again painfully pursue our weary way. But the Christian pilgrim having obtained fresh supplies of grace, is as vigorous after years of toilsome travel and struggle as when he first set out. ‘They go from strength to strength.’ (Psalm 84:7) He may not be quite so elated and buoyant, nor perhaps quite so hot and hasty in his zeal as he once was, but he is much stronger in all that constitutes real power, and travels, if more slowly, far more surely. Some gray-haired veterans have been as firm in their grasp of truth, and as zealous in diffusing it, as they were in their younger days.” (1) The gospel keeps us in God’s love and power, securely tethering us to Christ and strengthening our faith as we walk with him. Rather than grow weaker as the years add up, we grow more robust and certain in our Christian faith. “Paul lists three possible causes of separation from God’s love in Romans 8, but then he dismisses them all. First, there is sin. An honest Christian knows that although he is justified by God he is still a sinner and sins daily in thought, word, and deed…[But] the Christian has been acquitted before the bench of the highest court of all, and no one is authorized to reopen his case…Paul [also] speaks of physical suffering…Sometimes it is the physical oppression of those harassed for their faith. At other times the pressure is mental, resulting from ridicule or from the tensions of our fast-paced society…The third potential cause of separation from Christ’s love is the existence of supernatural powers. Can we be separated from God’s love through things present or things to come? Not by these things either.” (2)

Supernatural Help in Temptation

“If you are a Christian, you have also committed unto God your faith that he is able to see you through temptation. Can God keep that? Yes, that too. For we read, ‘No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it’ (1 Cor. 10:13).” (3) “It is not only that we are secure both for this life and the future but that we partake so richly of God’s present blessings. There is a partaking of his love. There is joy. There is the peace that passes understanding. There are a thousand other blessings besides…We are to be encouraged by the reality of these things in our lives. I once read the story of a little boy who went into a bank with just one penny to open an account. He went up to the teller and said, ‘Please, sir, I would like to deposit a penny in your bank.’ With a serious expression the teller took the penny and wrote out a bank book in the boy’s name. Then he handed it to the boy and the boy went off. A little while later the boy came back and stood there looking up at the teller’…Please, sir, I would just like to see if my penny is still in your bank.’ The teller held up a penny where the boy could see it. The boy smiled and went away satisfied. It is our privilege to do that with God. He is not made weary with our childish questions. So, if the time comes (as it does to many Christians) when we begin to doubt the reality of spiritual things and our security,…If we ask him, God will provide the assurance… ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 4:6–7).” (4)

God’s Keeping Power

We don’t have to fear anything in this life or in the spiritual realms that might divide or disconnect us from God. “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:37–40) “The keeping power of God…[is] sometimes been referred to as the perseverance of the saints. But it is much better to speak of it as the keeping power of God, since it is God who perseveres with us far more than we with him. Simply put, this doctrine means that God never begins a work that he does not intend to finish and that, therefore, no one whom he has called to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior will ever be lost. It is important that we understand this great truth, for, one way or another, our knowledge of it (or lack of knowledge of it) will affect our lives. If we do understand it, we will have a plank upon which we can stand, a foundation that is sure and upon which we can build…So, whoever you are and however you may have come, if you have come to Jesus as your Lord and Savior, this truth is for you…He will keep you. You can know that you will be in heaven one day as certainly as you can know that the Lord Jesus Christ himself will be there…He will be as real to you in old age as he has ever been. In death he will be even closer.” (5)

“It must be confessed [that]…the love of many [for God] waxes cold and iniquity abounds, but this is their own sin and not the fault of the promise which still holds good: ‘The youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.’ [Isaiah 41:31] Fretful spirits sit down and trouble themselves about the future. ‘Alas!’ say they, ‘we go from affliction to affliction.’ Very true, O thou of little faith, but then thou goest from strength to strength also. Thou shalt never find a bundle of affliction which has not bound up in the midst of it sufficient grace.” (6) “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” (Proverbs 4:18) “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.” (Isaiah 40:29)

Related Scripture: Psalm 34:7; 44:22; 91;11-13; Isaiah 25:8; 26:19; Isaiah 40:29, 31; Hosea 13:14; Matthew 18:14; John 4:34; 11:25-26; 18:9; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 2 Corinthians 4:7-11, 18.

Notes:

1. Spurgeon, Charles, Morning and Evening Devotions, Morning July 14, Barbour Books, 2018.

2. Boice, James, Boice Expositional Commentary Series, John 6:38–39, Baker Books, Software version, 1998.

3. Boice, Ibid.

4. Boice, Ibid.

5. Boice, Ibid.

6. Spurgeon, Ibid.

July 25, 2024

Throughout my life, I have had the desire to try new things—new, unexpected jobs, and projects that I had never done before and didn’t know how to do. I’ve had a surprising number of jobs and careers, as well as many volunteer positions. I’ve worked as the program director for an early childhood center, program director of a twenty-four-hour crisis center, business owner of a contracting company, realtor, software trainer, IT staff support, teacher of young adults, Bible teacher, missionary, and school administrator. I entered all of these positions, with the exception of realtor, without any prior experience or training. So, I wasn’t surprised that I was willing to start writing a devotional blog in 2017. What does surprise me, though, is how insecure I feel every week when I study for this blog, wondering what Scripture and doctrine the Lord would have me focus on. It’s a humbling experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world as I realize more and more that I am unable to do anything on my own. But my weekly writing isn’t the most challenging thing I do. It’s even harder to live out the gospel, depending on its power to glorify Christ. Now, that’s intimating! I suppose it’s why writing about the gospel and studying it every day this year is so helpful. The gospel of Jesus Christ encompasses all of God’s limitless power for eternal life, holiness in this life, faith in all circumstances, and uninterrupted unity with Christ. Why do we stray, trusting the world to satisfy our longings when only the gospel can fulfill our desire for significance through Christ’s infinite, victorious, supernatural power?

Paul’s Confidence in the Gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17). “Because of their lack of size, fame, or honor in the Roman corridors of power and influence, Christians might be tempted to be ashamed of the Christian message. But Paul says it is nothing to be ashamed of, for it is in fact a message coming with the power of God that brings people to salvation…the expression [‘the righteousness of God’] in Greek…refers directly to God’s right moral character, particularly manifested in his holiness and justice, and in the way that his method of saving sinners through Christ’s death meets the just demand of his holy nature.” (1) “Although the gospel is folly to the cultured and the cross appears weak in contrast to Rome’s power, Paul sees his message as divine wisdom and power…The life-giving, life-transforming impact of the gospel message through the Holy Spirit is essential because of humanity’s bondage to sin and Satan; its culpability before God’s justice; and its utter spiritual inability on account of sin…As a just and righteous judge, God on the merit of the obedience and death of His Son alone justifies, or declares righteous, sinners through true faith in Christ and not through anything that they have done, are doing, or will do…The whole of the Christian life, from beginning to end, is lived in trust and dependence on the God who graciously justifies the sinner.” (2) The world has nothing to compare to the power of God in the gospel—the power to call and grant eternal life, sanctify us, and carry us through the trials of life as we grow stronger in our faith and walk with Christ. Our desire for fulfillment can only be found in Christ’s infinite, victorious, supernatural power, as it is described in the gospel.

The Power of the Cross

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) “Paul’s preaching in Corinth focused on the saving fact of Christ’s crucifixion, a method of execution considered so crude it was not even mentioned in polite company…The Corinthians’ fascination with the rhetorical ability of the ministers rather than their message demonstrated that they were living contrary to the power of the cross.” (3) “But those who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, see more of God’s wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ crucified, than in all his other works…The message of Christ, plainly delivered, ever has been a sure touchstone by which men may learn what road they are traveling…The [world’s] despised doctrine of salvation by faith in a crucified Savior, God in human nature, purchasing the church with his own blood, to save multitudes, even all that believe, from ignorance, delusion, and vice, has been blessed in every age.” (4) Paul wrote: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12)…[Christ] having disarmed the powers and authorities,…made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross’ (Col. 2:15). “God’s power is spoken of in a dynamic and lucid way in 2 Timothy 1:12. In this verse Paul, who knew these truths, writes of God’s power to keep his spiritual deposits. He says, ‘Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day’…the verse is telling us that when we believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation we are actually trusting that God will be able to keep our spiritual deposits, and it is asserting that he will indeed keep them.” (5) The cross represents the gospel of Christ, which is full of supernatural power for all we need in this life and the next.

Preserved By God’s Power

“People should never think, ‘Maybe I am not chosen by God, and therefore maybe Jesus will reject me when I come to him.’ Jesus promises to receive everyone who comes to him and trusts him for salvation…no true believer will ever lose his or her salvation, since everyone who believes in the Son will also have eternal life and will continue as a believer until the final judgment (the last day), when Jesus will raise him up into the fullness of eternal life.” (6) “The Son’s redemptive accomplishment and the Holy Spirit’s personal application are completely effective in securing the salvation of everyone chosen by the Father. God graciously preserves true believers, ensuring their final salvation…The doctrine of perseverance does not rest on our ability to persevere, even if we are regenerate. Rather, it rests on the promise of God to preserve us. Paul writes to the Philippians, ‘I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ’ (Philippians 1:6). It is by grace and grace alone that Christians persevere. God finishes what He begins. He insures that His purposes in election are not frustrated.” (7) The golden chain of Romans 8 gives further testimony to this hope. “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). Paul goes on to declare that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).” (8) As we meditate on the gospel’s infinite power for eternal life for all believers, born and unborn, we will grow in our confidence in Christ rather than the world or the world’s values to satisfy our longings.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21) “That God should have such an incredible purpose for man calls for a doxology indeed. In it Paul stresses again the limitless power at work in the saints to achieve this goal, which is infinitely more than man could ask for himself or even imagine.” (9) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5) The more I meditate on the gospel of Christ, the more I can to shift my focus, change my thinking, and rearrange my life to reflect my faith, as challenging as that is. I want to live to reflect what I think and believe, to the best of my ability. How about you?

Related Scripture: Psalm 40:9-10; Mark 8:38; Luke 2:34; John 6:51, 58; ; 10:28-29; 17:2; Romans 9:10-11, 16; 1 Corinthians 1:22-28; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 1:3–10, 19; 3:7; 1 Peter 2:9-10.

Notes:

1. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, Romans 1:16-17, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.

2. The Reformation Study Bible, Romans 1:16-17, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.

3. ESV Study Bible, 1 Corinthians 1:18, Ibid.

4. Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible, 1 Corinthians 1:18, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mhn/1-corinthians-1.html

5. oice, James, Boice Expositional Commentary Series, John 6:38-39, Baker Books, Software version, 1998.

6. ESV Study Bible, John 6:37–40, Ibid.

7. The Reformation Study Bible, “Perseverance of the Saints,” p. 1994, Ibid.

8. The Reformation Study Bible, John 6:37-40, Ibid.

9. Zondervan Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce General Editor, Ephesians 3:12, 20-21, One-Volume Illustrated Digital Edition.

July 11, 2024