Christopher L. Scott

Christopher L. Scott

Ministering to New Members: An Example from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-8

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Each and every one of us should and probably will have a ministry to a new Christian. By “new Christian,” I mean someone that is younger than twenty-five years old or has been a believer for ten years or less. If you are active in your faith and active in the church, at some point you will have a ministry to a new believer.
            With that reality, you face important questions: Do you know how to minister to a baby Christian? Do you know what to teach them? Do you know what to say to them, how to disciple them, or how to direct them? These questions matter deeply because the future of someone’s faith may hinge on how you respond.
            It is easy to forget that the apostle Paul spent much of his Christian life ministering to new converts. Almost all of his ministry was to those who were young in the faith. In particular, when he came to the city of Thessalonica, he was with the believers for only three Sabbaths before leaving. About a year later, he wrote 1 Thessalonians to them. Paul did not go to an established church with structures already in place. He went to people who had never heard about Jesus Christ, preached to them, and then discipled them. This letter shows us how he cared for new believers, and from it we can learn how to do the same.

            Paul was deeply concerned for the Thessalonians. After being torn away from them suddenly, he longed to know how they were doing. In verse one he confesses, “when we could endure it no longer,”[1] showing that he desperately wanted to know about their faith. He didn’t want to be ignorant of their condition. Though separated physically, his heart remained tied to them.
            Paul’s concern reveals an important truth for us today: When we minister to new believers, we must be present with them. There is no substitute for physical presence. Much like parents invest large amounts of time with young children, so also mature Christians must invest time with spiritual children. This means doing life together—sharing meals, walking, serving, and creating opportunities for teachable moments. Our presence provides the soil in which their faith can grow.

            Paul also shows his wisdom in sending Timothy. Timothy was Paul’s trusted co-worker and beloved disciple. He had already assisted Paul in planting the Thessalonian church and was uniquely equipped to return. Paul describes him as “our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ” (v. 2). Timothy’s role was to strengthen and encourage the Thessalonians. The Greek word for “strengthen” (stērizō) pictures a buttress added to a building, something that gives stability.[2] Timothy’s teaching would help stabilize the young believers in their doctrine. The word “encourage” (parakaleō) conveys the idea of coming alongside to comfort and cheer. Together, strengthening and encouraging prepared these young Christians to endure trials.

            And trials did come. Paul reminds them that afflictions are part of the Christian life. The word he uses, thlipsis, often describes severe pressure, like grapes being crushed for wine.[3] Paul himself had endured beatings, imprisonments, and accusations in Philippi and Thessalonica (Acts 16–17). He taught the Thessalonians that such sufferings were appointed by God. As he wrote, “we have been destined for this” (v. 3). This was not accidental, but part of God’s design. Paul continually prepared them by reminding them that suffering is part of following Christ.

            This leads to a second truth: When we minister to new believers, we must prepare them. Preparation means teaching sound doctrine and giving realistic expectations about trials. As Warren Wiersbe wisely observed, “The trials and testings that come to our lives as Christians are not accidents—they are appointments.”[4] New believers need to know that difficulty does not mean they are outside of God’s will. Instead, those trials can advance God’s purposes (Rom 5:3; 2 Cor 1:4). As Charles Ryrie put it, “Sufferings are by divine appointment and the remembrance of this along with steadfastness is what is needed in the time of stress.”[5]

            Finally, Paul feared that the tempter might lure them away (v. 5). Satan is relentless in trying to draw new believers away from the faith. Paul knew that young Christians are especially vulnerable. This reminds us of a third truth: When we minister to new believers, we must protect them. Satan blinds unbelievers and seeks to devour believers (2 Cor 4:3–4; 1 Pet 5:8). Protecting new Christians means warning them of temptation, helping them guard against their past sins, and encouraging them to remain vigilant. Like a military commander, Paul took spiritual protection seriously, and we must do the same.

            After sending Timothy, Paul eagerly awaited news. Timothy’s report brought immense relief. He shared that the Thessalonians had remained firm in their faith and continued in love for Paul. The word Paul uses for “good news” is normally reserved for proclaiming the gospel. That is how good Timothy’s report was—it was gospel-like in its encouragement.

            Paul explains that this news comforted him in his own affliction. He had faced hardships in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. Ministry had been discouraging and difficult. Yet hearing of the Thessalonians’ steadfast faith reinvigorated him. The very ones he had worried over now became a source of strength to him. Their obedience refreshed his spirit.

            This highlights a final truth: Young Christians minister to mature Christians through their obedient faith. When new believers remain faithful, they encourage those who invested in them. Just as soldiers standing firm on the frontline encourage their commander, so faithful young Christians give life to mature believers. Paul concludes, “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord” (v. 8). Their endurance was his joy.

            In the same way, we honor those who invested in us by living faithful lives. When spiritual mentors see us walk with God, their own faith is strengthened. The Christian life is not lived in isolation; it is a cycle of encouragement. Mature believers pour into the young, and the young build up the mature by their faithfulness. This is how the church grows strong together.

            Ministry to new believers is both challenging and rewarding. It requires time, intentional instruction, and much grace. New Christians will stumble and struggle. They will wrestle with temptation and hardship. But when we are present with them, prepare them with sound teaching, and protect them from the enemy, they will grow strong in their faith. And when they do, their faith will encourage us in return.
            The stories of changed lives—those who have been delivered from addictions, broken relationships, and hopelessness—are reminders that investing in new believers is worth it. Just as Paul found joy in the Thessalonians, we too will find joy in seeing God’s work in new Christians. Ministry to new members of God’s family is demanding, but it is also one of the greatest privileges we have as followers of Christ.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959). 100-101,158; Lockman Foundation, NASB Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999), 1749.

[3] Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959). 58.

[4] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Ready (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1979), 69.

[5] Charles C. Ryrie, First and Second Thessalonians (Chicago: Moody Press, 1959), 46.

Suffering in 1 Peter

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THE CONTEXT OF 1 PETER AND SUFFERING IN THE FIRST-CENTURY AND EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

It’s been said that every text has a context. As the text of 1 Peter directly teaches Christians why they are suffering and how to endure suffering, we must ask what was the suffering that Peter’s readers were enduring? This paper is my attempt, as a local pastor preaching 1 Peter to a local church, to understand the context of the text of 1 Peter.  

THE REGION OF PETER’S READERS AND THE LETTER’S DESTINATION

The apostle Peter addresses his letter to those “who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Pet 1:1b).[1] Most Christians probably only recognize “Galatia” and “Asia” among these five locations. Peter’s reference likely refers to a group of believers that are scattered among a large geographical area. These five regions cover approximately 300,000 square miles.[2] This is likely the entire region of modern-day Turkey. However, it is not clear if Peter is talking about Roman provinces or if he’s referring to general geographical regions. An American comparison would be if someone discusses the state of Colorado or the Rocky Mountains.

The Traveler’s Itinerary

The order of the regions Peter lists likely reflects someone arriving by sea in the port of Pontus, visiting the churches in the districts named in that order, then returning to Bithynia.[3] “The most likely scenario is that the bearer of the letter traveled roughly in a circle, delivering it to churches in each region successively.”[4]

The People of the Region

This region was economically prosperous. Thus a wide range of wealthy land owners and merchants were present alongside the poorer working class.[5] The churches of this area were likely made up of working class citizens or slaves since Peter gives each group a specific exhortation in this letter (see 1 Pet 2:11–17, 18–25). However, there is no exhortation to masters or slave owners.  

THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING

In their chapter on 1 Peter, scholars Douglas Moo and D. A. Carson say the issue of suffering “lies beneath virtually every verse of this letter.”[6] Peter’s references to trials and suffering in this letter seem to be stronger than the typical struggles of ordinary life (illness, poverty, death, etc.).[7] It appears to be persecution specifically targeted to Christians.

THE PAGAN ATTITUDE TOWARD CHRISTIANS[8]

The upper-class of Romans called Christianity a “superstition” (Acts 25:19). Christians were viewed in a circumspect and confusing manner because of their withdrawal from the activities of pagan society.[9] Various historians, philosophers, and even comedians have written about how Christians were viewed in and following the first-century. Let’s evaluate a few of these within their historical and literary context.

Characterization of Christians by Tacitus

Publius Cornelius Tacitus (AD 56–120) was a Roman historian, senator, and aristocrat. Tacitus is famous for calling Christians “hideous and shameful” as well as “a deadly superstition.”[10] Tacitus’ work, Annals, chronicles Roman history from AD 14 to 68. He likely wrote Annals from AD 115–117.[11]

            Tacitus makes it clear that Romans viewed Christians with hostility. Later in the same work, Annals 15.44.4, he accuses Christians of having a “hatred against the human race.”      

            This accusation likely is based on two practices of Christians. (We might label them as “omissions” or “withdrawals” of Christians.) First, Christians were hesitant to engage in communal acts of reverence for the emperor.[12] Second, Christians were monotheistic which meant they did not practice in or actively participate in the communal events intended to appease many of the gods and goddess of the polytheistic first-century culture. These two “withdrawals” or “omission” from the community caused confusion, suspicion that eventually led to hostility, and affliction toward Christians.

Confusion of Christians as Described by Minucius Felix

The language first-century Christians used was confusing and often misunderstood. Minucius Felix (died AD 250) was a Roman lawyer and early Christian apologist. His work, Octavius, is a dialogue between a skeptic pagan named Caecilius Natalis and the Christian Octavius Januarius. Minucius was the one, apparently, arbitrating between the two men.[13] Minucius was a friend of Octavius and apparently wrote the work we now know as Octavius for educated non-Christians. In that work, Octavius, Minucius explains some of the common things that pagans misunderstood about Christians.

            Pagans had heard Christians talk of “eating the body” and “drinking the blood” of Christ (Oct. 9). No one can blame outsiders from potential confusion, even if it was meant as satire, that Christians were cannibals. Outside pagans also, as a byproduct of a heavily sexualized culture, made wrong conclusions about “brothers and sisters” becoming “united as one” in marriage. Pagans who did not understand Christian language wrongly assumed Christians of incest because they married brothers and sisters in the Christian faith (Oct. 9).[14]

            Minucius also makes it clear that Christians had suffered greatly because of gossip about these things. Minucius recounts how many people had claimed that “Christians worshipped monsters, devoured infants, mingled in incestuous banquets.”[15] Minucius again recounts, “fables as these were always set afloat by those (newsmongers), and were never either inquired into nor proved”[16] (Oct. 18).

Criticism of Christians as Described by Lucian of Samosata

By the second century Christians were considered the objects of humor. Lucian of Samosata (AD 125–180) was a comedian famous for making fun of the practices, beliefs, and culture of Christians. In his work, On the Death of Peregrinus, Lucian makes fun of Christians for being gullible and accepting. In Lucian’s work, On the Death of Peregrinus, Peregrinus is an imposter of Christianity because he knows the people will support him when he gets in trouble. Lucian retells Peregrinus’ activities that Peregrinus intentionally does because he knows Christians will come to his aid. Peregrinus was not a Christian, but did this as a way to enrich himself. The work, while sometimes questioned for historical accuracy, is intended to mock Christians as gullible and stupid.

SPECIFIC INFORMATION REGARDING PETER’S FIRST LETTER

Peter was likely in Jerusalem for the “Jerusalem Council” of AD 49, but he did not remain in Palestine. He likely traveled to Corinth (stopping in Antioch and Asia Minor) in the early 50s.[17] After this, he likely traveled to Rome and was killed during the massacres of Christians under Emperor Nero after the Great Fire in Rome in 64.

            Peter travelled a northerly route between Corinth (1 Cor 9:5) and Antioch which is how he became acquainted with Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Peter probably trained and encouraged believers to go and share the gospel in other areas (as seen in 1 Pet 1:12, 23–25).[18]

            Clement, the Bishop of Rome, wrote in the mid 90s that Peter had come to Rome and settled there until his death.[19] Clement describes this in 1 Clement 5:4–5, “Through envy and jealousy, the greatest and most righteous pillars [of the Church] have been persecuted and put to death. Let us set before our eyes the illustrious apostles. Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours; and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due to him. Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west, and suffered martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he removed from the world, and went into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example of patience.”[20]

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS ON THE SUFFERING REFERENCED IN PETER’S FIRST LETTER

I believe the correct context about the text of 1 Peter is this: Peter’s readers were experiencing an unofficial hostility from the general Roman population. Peter’s readers had refused to engage in religious customs associated with Roman government, they abstained from immoral practices that everyone else enjoyed, they gathered regularly to fellowship around the Lord’s Supper which included eating Christ’s “body” and drinking his “blood,” and only married fellow “brothers and sisters” of their faith. Because of this, they were met with suspicion, ridicule, and hostility.[21] I agree with Douglas Moo and D. A. Carson who state, “The readers of 1 Peter were probably being criticized, mocked, discriminated against, and perhaps even brought into court on trumped-up charges.”[22]

            Based on this quotation and other references I’ve shared throughout this article, most scholars believe Peter spent the last decade of his life doing ministry to Jews in Rome.[23] Interestingly, when Paul arrives in Rome (probably in the early sixties) the unbelieving Jews in Rome were already aware of Christian teaching (Acts 28:22). Thus, some who believe Paul’s statement, “And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation” (Rom 15:20), is a reference to Peter’s ministry in Rome, which is where he was when he wrote 1 Peter.[24]

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 52.

[3] Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, revised edition (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990), 784.

[4] Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 52.

[5] Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, 784.

[6] D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 2nd edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 638.

[7] Carson and Moo, Introduction to the New Testament, 639.

[8] Everett Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 3rd edition (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003), 592–620.

[9] Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 593.

[10] Tacitus, Annals, 15.44.2–8.

[11] Darrell L Bock, Studying the Historical Jesus: A Guide to Sources and Methods (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 49.

[12] Bock, Studying the Historical Jesus, 50.

[13] Robert Earnest Wallis, “Introductory Note to Minucius Felix, Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., “Introductory Note to Minucius Felix,” in Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Part Fourth; Minucius Felix; Commodian; Origen, Parts First and Second, vol. 4, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1885), 170.

[14] Minucius Felix, “The Octavius of Minucius Felix,” in Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Part Fourth; Minucius Felix; Commodian; Origen, Parts First and Second, ed. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, trans. Robert Ernest Wallis, vol. 4, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1885), 178.

[15] Minucius Felix, “The Octavius of Minucius Felix,” 190.

[16] Minucius Felix, “The Octavius of Minucius Felix,” 190.

[17] Paul Barnett, Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), 301.

[18] Barnett, Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity, 302.

[19] Barnett, Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity, 302.

[20] Clement of Rome, “The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians,” in The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, ed. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, vol. 1, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1885), 6.

[21] Moo and Carson, Introduction to the New Testament, 639.

[22] Moo and Carson, Introduction to the New Testament, 639.

[23] Barnett, Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity, 303.

[24] Barnett, Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity, 303.

12. Ready for Anything (Heb 13:20–21)

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One of our friends recently lost her husband unexpectedly. She and her husband had retired from their jobs and moved to a new state. They left their family and friends to pursue a new retired life in a new state where they didn’t know anyone. But after ten months she is now a widow and alone in a new town.

            She wonders why God would have moved to her to Colorado to be alone. She wonders if she will be able to continue on. At times she has confessed she feels like she cannot. But she knows that God is with her and she’s said she feels him helping her each and every day.

            The author of Hebrews reminds us, “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21, NASB).[1]

            When the author of Hebrews tells us that God will “equip you in every good thing to do His will,” it reminds us that God gives us what we need to endure life. Through struggling marriages, disobedient children, layoffs from jobs, environmental disasters that damage our property, or when our family members pass away, God equips us to handle it. The word for “equip” here is the Greek word katartisai which was used by trainers to adjust parts of the body, as in “put into proper condition.”

            In other words, God will equip us to handle anything that comes our way. He’ll adjust us so that we can endure what we are going through. Yes, it will feel like we can’t handle it. And we probably couldn’t handle it without God. But God will stick with us through it. He quips us in “every good thing to do His will.” And he is “working in us that which is pleasing in His sight.”

            When we do something that betrays our friend’s trust and we wonder how we will earn his trust back, God will help us do what we need to do. When we make an error at work and it fumbles up a project and costs the company money, God will equip us to make it right. When we lose a family member and don’t know how to go on, God will comfort us and walk with us each step of the way.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

The Book of Psalms and an Overview of Hebrew Poetry

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An Overview of the Book of Psalms

Authors of the Different Psalms: David (73), Solomon (2), Sons of Korah[1] (12), Asaph[2] (12), Heman[3] (1), and Ethan[4] (1)

Dates When the Psalms Were Written: 1446-931 BC

Outline of the Book of Psalms:

-Book 1 (1-41)            -Book 2 (42-72)          -Book 3 (73-89)

-Book 4 (90-106)        -Book 5 (107-150)

The Types of Psalms

Praise. Talk excitedly about God and thank him. (Psalms 8, 19, 29, 30, 33, most of 36-51, 113-118, 120-136, 140-150.)

Lament. Plea to God to intervene in a crisis. Some lament psalms are individual and some are community. (Psalms 3, 5-7, 12-13, 22, 44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 90, 102, 123, 126, 130, 137)

Messianic. Refer to the Messiah and the hope he brings. (Psalms 2, 8, 16, 22-24, 40-41, 45, 68-69, 72, 89, 102, 110, 118.)

Pilgrim. Sung while the Jews were traveling to Jerusalem for the national feast days. These are also called psalms of ascent. (Psalms 120-134). 

Alphabetical. Several psalms are acrostic. Each verse or section begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Psalms 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 110, 112, 119, 145.)

Wisdom. These overlap with the psalms of praise, but have a special emphasis on understanding. (Psalms 1, 10, 12, 15, 19, 32, 34, 36, 49, 50, 52, 53, 73, 78, 82, 91, 92, 94, 111, 112, 119, 119, 127, 128, 139.)

Imprecatory. These are often psalms of “prayer” that can be called “oracles of judgment.” In these psalms the author prays for God’s justice to prevail on earth. These are prayers that enemies (nations or individual people) would be overthrown. (Psalms 7, 35, 52, 48, 49, 59, 83, 109.

(This section adapted from Ken Hanna, From Moses to Malachi, (Nashville, TN: WestBow Press, 2015), 281-287).

Poetry in the Hebrew Scriptures

Hebrew poetry is not about rhyme of sound, but instead about rhyme of thought. Hebrew poetry consists of “parallelism” in which lines of controlled length normally work together in sets called “bicolon” (2 lines) or “tricolon” (3 lines). The lines normally work together thematically and harmonize with each other.[5] (There also is cadence and wordplay that occurs in Hebrew poetry, but that’s largely lost in English translations.) Parallelism is a “statement and restatement of the same basic truth in different words with great art, style, and imagery.”[6] All of this is done with structure and symmetry. 

Synonymous (Iterative) Parallelism (Pss 2:3; 46:7; 103:6). The second line restates some or all of the first line in different words/images.        

“Why are the nations in an uproar

And the peoples devising a vain thing?” ~ Pss 2:1

“O Lord, how my adversaries have increased!

Many are rising up against me.” ~ Psalm 3:1

Antithetic (Contrastive) Parallelism (Pss 1:6; 13:9; Prov 27:6). The second line affirms the truth of the first line in an opposite way.

“How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust,

And [how blessed is the man who] has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.” ~ Psalm 4:4

Climatic Parallelism. The second line repeats part of the first line exactly and then adds a conclusion (Pss 22:4; 96:7).[7] These are rare.

Pss 29:1 ~ “Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty,

           Ascribe to the Lord [O sons of the mighty] glory and strength.”

Synthetic (Completive) Parallelism (Pss 2:6; 104:27). The second line completes something introduced in the first line. The second line repeats the thought of the first line and then adds a conclusion.

“Come, let us worship and bow down,

Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” ~ Psalm 95:6

[1] See Numbers 16; 26:9-11.

[2] See Ezra 2:41.

[3] See 1 Kings 4:31.

[4] See 1 Chronicles 15:19.

[5] Brian Webster, The Cambridge Introduction to Biblical Hebrew (Cambridge University Press, 2009), 296

[6] Mark Bailey, Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics, BE101, DTS.

[7] Leland Ryken, Sweeter than Honey, Richer Than God (Weaver Book Company, 2015), 70–73.

11. Strength for Contentment (Heb 13:6–8)

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Pastor Robert J. Morgan tells a story of how a rich industrialist was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting idly by his boat. The rich industrialist asked the fisherman, “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” The fisherman replied, “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today.” The rich man asked, “Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” The fisherman replied, “What would I do with them?”

            The rich man then explained, “You could earn more money and buy a better boat, so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase better nets, catch more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.”

            The fisherman looked perplexed, “Then what would I do?” The rich man proudly announced, “You could sit down and enjoy life.” The fisherman smiled, “What do you think I’m doing right now?”[1]

            Most of us—like that industrialist—struggle with contentment in our lives. In Hebrews we’re told “to be content with what you have” (Hebrews 8:5, NASB).[2] It’s hard to be content when we don’t have much, but Hebrews tells us how to be content.

            We can be content because God will never leave us no matter what we are going through, “we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:6).

            We can be content because leaders give us a good example to follow about how to be content, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7).

            We can be content because Jesus never changes and always stays the same. Jesus is content and we should be too, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

            The world’s ways often change. Its winds may blow and try to toss us around, but because of our faith in Christ we are content and stable. Like a deeply rooted tree in solid ground. We may bend and sway, but we do not move. We need nothing because we have everything in Christ Jesus.

            As Paul reminds us in his letter to the Philippians, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need” (Philippians 4:11-12). What’s that secret? “I can do all things through Him [Christ] who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  

            In every circumstance we need to focus on Christ. He is the secret to helping us endure good times and bad. When we’re rich or poor. When we’re happy or sad. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, including being content.

[1] Robert J. Morgan, Preacher’s Sourcebook for Creative Sermon Illustrations (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2007), 146.

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

10. How to Focus on Jesus (Heb 12:1–2)

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For a short period of time my wife worked two-part time jobs, I had three-part time jobs, and God had blessed us with a toddler in our lives. Due to COVID we weren’t able to place our son in daycare, so we took turns sleeping, working, and watching our son. There were lots of “Hi” then a quick “Bye.” Life was hectic. It became difficult for us to carve out time to spend together as a family.

            While my family was especially busy during that time, life is always busy. It’s easy to get caught up in our everyday life and forget to focus on our Savior Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews reminds us to focus on Christ:

            “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NASB).[1]

            Here are a few practical ways we can run the race and fix our eyes on Jesus.  

            Read his Word. Let’s read his Word every day. Not read a devotional, or listen to a sermon, or read books about the Bible, but read God’s Word directly. It can be as simple as reading one paragraph a day or one chapter a day from the Bible. It helps to use highlighters and colored pens to note what stands out to you, what it means, and how to apply it.

            Gather with his people. Let’s find a way to attend a church service no matter how big or small it might be. Make it a priority to gather with Christ’s people because as Paul said, “Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). So when we gather with Christ’s people we are gathering with Christ. When we spend time with other believers we are spending time with Him. In addition to being in a church service on Sundays we can join a small group during the week. That gives us more time to enjoy fellowship with other believers with discussion, studying his Word, and praying for each other. 

            Serve in his church. Another way to focus on Christ is to serve in his church. Because we are all one body (1 Corinthians 12) we all play a part in serving his church. It could be helping with kids in nursery, passing the offering plate, moving chairs for the church services, mowing the church lawn each week, or cleaning the church.

            As we go about our busy lives let’s focus on Christ by reading his Word, gathering with his People, and serving in his church.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

9. The Linchpin of Christianity (Heb 11:1, 6)

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“Religion and faith are just a crutch,” one of my coworkers used to tell me. “Religion and faith are for weak people that can’t handle life on their own.” I was so stunned I didn’t know what to say or how to respond. So I walked away.

            As I have had more time to think about what she said I’ve realized that faith is an essential linchpin of Christianity and it definitely is not for the weak. The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines linchpin as “an indispensable person or thing.”[1]

            The author of Hebrews describes the importance of faith for us as believers writing, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1, NASB).[2] An important note here is that faith gives reality and proof of things unseen. The late theologian Charles Ryrie defines faith this way, “Being convinced or giving credence to something or someone, especially to the truth of the Gospel.”[3] Faith treats those unseen things as if they have already been seen. It is more than just hope.

            As you read the Bible you see some of the giants of faith. Abraham left his family, possessions, and everything he knew and went to a land he had never been before. Moses went head-to-head with the Pharoah of Egypt in order to free the Israelites from slavery. David endured fifteen years of persecution from Saul. These people were heroes not because of their great accomplishments, but because of their faith. Because of the way they trusted in God and his promises when it probably didn’t make sense. And because they trusted in his promises they eventually saw God work through their circumstances to fulfill his promises because of their faith in him.

            Faith pleases God. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek him”(Hebrews 11:6). But where do we get faith? How can we grow our faith? Warren Wiersbe says, “Faith is not a feeling that we manufacture. It’s a confidence we have that God tells the truth and that truth is in His Word. The people of God who read the Bible daily and meditate on what they read will grow in faith and learn to trust God.”[4]

            My coworker thought faith was for the weak, but it is for the strong. And the more faith in God we have, the stronger we get.

[1] Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, eds., Concise Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[3] Charles Ryrie, So Great Salvation (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 1997), 144.

[4] Warren Wiersbe, The Delights and Disciplines of Bible Study (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2018), 95.

8. Why We Need Each Other (Heb 10:23–25)

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Late one Sunday evening I heard a loud hissing sound coming from my garage. As I walked into the garage I saw water pouring from the corner of the ceiling onto the garage floor. The hissing sound became louder as I had entered the garage so I walked outside and saw that a sprinkler valve had broken loose. Water was shooting straight up out of the valve and was contacting the underside of my roof, which happened to be the same location where an air vent was placed to allow for the attic airflow.

            Water was gushing from the sprinkler valve, into my attic, and from the attic into the garage. I frantically tried to turn the water valve off that was on the side of the house, but the water valve didn’t work. So I went to the street water valve and tried to turn it off there. But the valve was rusted and I couldn’t move it. I didn’t know what to do. I was new to the area and had no family that lived nearby.  

            But I had been meeting people at church each Sunday. A regularly attending church member, Sharon, lived several blocks away from me. She was riding her tricycle down my street when she recognized me from church and saw me frantically trying to stop the water damaging my home!

            She called her husband and asked him to come over and help me. He arrived with the biggest pipe wrench and crowbar I had ever seen. He used his tools and the leverage provided by them to turn off the water at the street.

            The lesson I learned is that as a body of believers we can help each other if we meet together. And we are told to participate in community together in Hebrews 10:23–25, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (NASB).[1] By meeting together we are able to “encourage one another and build up one another” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). And that only happens when we see one another in fellowship.

            Who knows how much damage would have been done to my house if I hadn’t been attending church each Sunday and getting to know people there. It was because of the few Sundays I had been attending church in our new city that I had met Sharon. And because I had been attending church I was given help when I desperately needed it.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

7. Why the New Covenant Is Better than the Old Covenant (Heb 8:6, 13)

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If you’ve lived in extreme cold you know about the difference between single-pane windows and newer double-pane windows. Single-pane windows let a cold draft in that you can feel if you place your hand near the window.

            Technology improved and window companies started making double-pane windows with argon gas between the two sheets of glass. Two pieces of glass with gas between them provide extra insulation to keep cold air out and warm air in. Anyone who has lived in a house with both can testify about the drastic difference between each of them.

            Hebrews 8 reveals that Christ has initiated a new covenant which is better than the old covenant God had made with Israel based on the Law.

            “But now He [Jesus] has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises . . .  When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear” (Hebrews 8:6, 13, NASB).[1]

            The Old Testament Law–which was part of the old covenant–had four purposes. One, it showed the sins of Israel. Two, it showed Israel their need for a savior. Three, it showed them what the savior would look like when he arrived. Four, it showed them how to live differently than all the nations around them.

            We should not be surprised that the author of Hebrews says the New Covenant of Jesus Christ is better than the Old Covenant of the Law. The author of Hebrews told us “Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant”(Hebrews 7:22). And that better Covenant is because of our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us and we are saved because of our faith in him.

            But why is the New Covenant better than the Old? The New Covenant is better than the Old because it is based on Christ’s blood which pays for the sins of everyone who believes in Him, “for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). We no longer have to offer blood offerings for our sins because Christ has offered his blood on behalf of us. The New Covenant is also better because we are ministers of it and get to participate in it, “He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6, NLT). 

            Anyone who has tried to follow God’s Law will tell you it was tiring. But anyone that has lived under grace, based on Christ’s death for us, will tell you it is liberating. Jesus Christ is the beginning of a better Covenant.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

6. The Forever Intercessor (Heb 7:22–25)

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Do you remember incandescent light bulbs? Those ones that use to burn out every few months. Now we have high tech LED light bulbs that literally, if used in the correct conditions, last for decades. In fact, there are some light fixtures where multiple LEDs are built into the fixture and the manufacture provides a guarantee that those won’t burn out.

            The priests in the Old Testament were like those incandescent bulbs: often being replaced. When Aaron died (Numbers 20:28) he was replaced by his son, Eleazar. But later Eleazar died (Joshua 24:33) so his son, Phinehas took over the priesthood. And so the cycle continued for centuries. The Jewish historian Josephus estimates that 83 different high priests officiated Judaism from Aaron to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (Antiquities, 20.227).

            But Jesus replaced the Old Testament priest system. He is now our priest forever. Hebrews 7:22–25 tells us, “so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (NASB).[1]

            There are a few important words in this passage we need to notice. Jesus is part of a “better” covenant than was used in the Old Testament. While the Old Testament priests regularly died and were replaced, Jesus continues “forever” and he holds the position of priest “permanently.” He saves us “forever” because we have placed our faith in him for salvation. This means that Christ “always” makes intercession for us.

            But what does it mean for Christ to intercede for us?

            First, Christ atones for our sins and strengthens us in temptation. Hebrews 2:17 says, “He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

            Second, Christ sympathizes with our weaknesses, gives us mercy, and helps us when we need it. Hebrews 4:14–16 says, “We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

            Jesus intercedes for us. He is our intercessor forever.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

5. He Accepts Us Because He Knows Us (Heb 4:14–16)

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I’ve done some horrible things in my life. I’ve lied to cover my reputation when I should have told the truth. I’ve refused to meet with people that felt I had wronged them and wanted to reconcile. I’ve ruined several people’s Father’s Day because of hurtful things I said to them.

            But in spite of all of the terrible things I’ve done, I can still approach God. He will always accept me when I approach His throne. The author of Hebrews tells us we can boldly approach God regardless of what we’ve done.

            Hebrews 4:14 arrives at the main argument of the book: Christ is better. He has said that Christ is better than the prophets (Hebrews 1:1–3), better than the angels (Hebrews 1:4—2:18), better than Moses (Hebrews 3:1–13), and Christ is better than the Levitical order of the priests (Hebrews 4:14—12:3).

            In Hebrews 4:14–16 we learn, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (NASB).[1]

            Like us, Christ was flesh and blood. But unlike us, Christ was without sin (see Hebrews 7:26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5). He never responded wrongly to any temptations he felt. He was perfect and never made a mistake.

            Yet in many ways, Christ was like us. He was flesh and blood like us. He ate and slept like us. He laughed and wept like us. Because of this, when we approach him we find mercy and grace because he knows our troubles and struggles. He knows our temptations and trepidations.

            This is what makes our God so special to us. He is not some Zen-like object of worship that we hope we can attain a level of some day. Instead, we enjoy a relationship with him based on what we have in common.

            At the end of Hebrews 4:16 it says, “let us draw near” to Jesus on his throne of grace. Another way to translate this phrase is “let us keep coming to” or as the paraphrase rendering of the Bible—The Message—puts it, “Let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give.”

            Regardless of what we have done, we can always approach Christ. No matter how we mess up in life nothing can prevent us from approaching God. At his throne we will find mercy and grace in our time of need. He is ready to give it – and we need it.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

4. God’s Word Always Knows (Heb 4:12–13)

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There was a saying in our house when I was growing up that my dad, sister, and I often quoted to each other: “Momma always knows.”

            Moms have unparalleled intuition. Whether lying about grades we receive on a test, coming home after curfew, not being honest about who we are spending our time with, pretending to do homework when we are actually playing video games, or finding shortcuts to do our chores, moms always know.

            Like my mom, God’s Word always knows what is going on in our hearts, intentions, and feelings.

            The author of Hebrews tells us, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:12-13, NASB).[1]

            How does God’s Word know this? As Christians we believe God superintended authors to compose and record without error the words in the Bible. That inspiration of Scripture has its source in God who is everywhere and knows everything.

            We call this his omniscience. God is all knowing. He knows all actual and possible things, and God is everywhere. We call this God’s omnipresence. He is everywhere and his word extends that omnipresence.

            There are several things we should notice about God’s inspired Word in verse twelve. It is “living and active.” This means it seeks out, is energetic, and it is powerful. It doesn’t wait for us to go to it, instead it seeks us out. God’s Word is also “sharper than any two-edge sword.” You can’t fool God’s Word or lie to it. In that way it is “piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” God’s Word goes deep through us and it is quick to discern what is going on in our lives.

            The Greek scholar, AT Robertson, says the picture painted here is of a surgeon who observes what’s going on and instantly knows what to do. The surgeon, like God’s Word, carries a bright and powerful light he uses to illuminate every dark crevice that might need work. And the surgeon carries a sharp knife for the removal of what he sees needs attention.

            In verse thirteen the author says “there is no creature hidden from his sight.” We cannot hide from God’s Word. He concludes saying, “all things are open.” Under God’s microscope the smallest sin, doubt, trouble, or insecurity is revealed. When it says all things are “laid bare” it is using the picture of someone bending back the neck as the surgeon does the operating.  

            Like my momma who always knew what was going on, God’s Word always knows what’s going on with us.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

3. No To-Do List (Heb 4:9–10)

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I get stressed out when my to-do list reaches double digits. But the to-do list for the Israelites in the Old Testament was 613 items! 

            One of those items was the Sabbath. It started where Genesis 2:2 says that God “rested on the seventh day”(NASB).[1] The word in Hebrew is shabat which means to “repose” or “cessation” from exertion.

            The Sabbath was one of 613 laws instituted as a way to help the Hebrew community trust God, to bind the Israelite people together closely, and to keep them separate from the rest of humankind. But we now live in what’s called the “age of grace.” Paul tells us about the grace we receive writing, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2). We no longer are bound to the “to-do” list of the 613 laws of the Old Testament.

            We enjoy a constant state of Sabbath rest based on grace. Works are not required for this rest we enjoy. Later in Romans Paul writes, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). We enjoy the free gift of eternal life because of our faith in Christ, not because of our works. Therefore we have rest from works.

            This rest from works is discussed in Hebrews 4:9, 10, “So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.” These two verses don’t tell us we are supposed to take a Sabbath Day rest (but I do believe that is important for us to do). The author of Hebrews uses the Sabbath as an illustration to explain his big idea of the entire book: Christ is better. Throughout the book the author says that Christ is better than the prophets (Hebrews 1:1-4), better than the angels (Hebrews 1:5-2:18), better than Moses (Hebrews 3:1-4:13), better than the Levitical priests (Hebrews 4:14-10:18), and better than the priest Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1-8:13).

            Just as God ceased from his creative activity on the seventh day (Hebrews 4:4) now believers cease from working for their salvation. This is because believers enter God’s rest through faith. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).

            We enjoy rest in Christ because our faith in him saves us, not our to-do list.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

2. Jesus Helps Us (Heb 2:14–18)

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A best-selling secular book began with three words: “Life is difficult.” Christians have a difficult life too. Among our many struggles we’re always tempted. Yes, always, but Jesus helps us in those temptations.

            Jesus became flesh like us so e could help us in our temptation and “render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil”(Hebrews 2:14b, NASB).[1] 1 John 3:8 affirms this, “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” The author and proclaimer of death, the Devil, was silenced through Christ’s human life and death.

            When Jesus became like us “He Himself was tempted” (Heb 2:18). Jesus became flesh so that he could be a helper for us. Christ is a “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God” (Heb 2:17). Christ does not condemn us for our temptation or our struggles. Remember, he’s been through everything we’ve been through. He knows what it is like to struggle with hunger, temptation, and emotions.

            As our high priest Christ “gives help to the descendants of Abraham” (Heb 2:16). That’s you and me! Through our faith in Christ we have spiritually become descendants of Abraham (Galatians 3:7, 29). When it says that Christ gives “help” to us, the writer used the verb, epilambanomai. The verb means to be concerned about, take an interest in, and to help. We should be comforted knowing God is concerned about us. He takes an interest in us, and he helps us.

            The last part of this passage says that because Jesus was tempted, “He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted” (Heb 2:18). The Greek word used for “come to the aid of” is the verb boetheo. This verb means to render assistance to someone in need or to furnish aid. All of us are in need and we should find comfort knowing that Christ comes to our aid when we need him.

            My dad loves to fish in the ocean. For years he has owned his own boat and would travel miles out into the ocean to find the good fishing spots. But one of his boats had a habit of breaking down often while far away from land. Each time his boat broke down he contacted the Coast Guard asking for help to tow him back to land. Each time the Coast Guard responded, “We receive many calls from broken boats that need a tow. You will need to find a neighboring boat to tow you in. If you become in dire danger and your life is at risk due to extreme weather or if your boat is sinking, we will come get you.” It was discouraging news to hear every time!

            Life is difficult. But unlike the Coast Guard that cannot respond to every request for help, Jesus helps us with every temptation and every struggle.  

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

1. There’s No One Better (Heb 1:1–4)

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I grew up in a small town and there wasn’t a lot of things for kids to do. One of the activities my dad signed me up for was karate. He had been going for a few months and enjoyed it because of the good exercise, character building, and peace of mind that he could defend himself.

            My Dad taught me an important lesson while I was in karate: there’s always someone better than you. In karate you might work hard to advance up the levels and earn higher “degrees” of belts (green, orange, black, etc.). However, a core teaching of karate is humility and respect because no matter how good you think you are, there is always someone out there better than you. In other words, there’s always someone else that can hurt you and defeat you.

            But when it comes to Christ, he is the best. There is no one better, more perfect, or more amazing. No one can claim to be God like him. There is no one better than Jesus.

            The author of Hebrews tells us that God “spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways” (Hebrews 1:1, NASB).[1] The “fathers” that he’s talking about here are the revered and respected forefathers of the Israelites of the Old Testament. The “prophets” describe the many parts of Israel’s history such as their laws, institutions, ceremonies, kings, judges, and priests. Bible teacher and author J. Vernon McGee comments on Hebrews 1:1-2, “Christ is superior to all the Old Testament writers, because the revelation is filled up in Him. He fulfills all of the Old Testament, and He Himself gives God’s final word to man.”

            The author continues on saying that Christ is the “heir of all things . . . made the world” and is the “radiance” of God’s “glory and the exact representation of His nature” that He “upholds all things by the word of His power” and that Christ “made purification of sins” (Hebrews 1:2-3).

            Just like I was taught in karate, there is always someone better, and he is Christ!

            The author of Hebrews finishes his opening remarks of his letter saying that Jesus is “much better than the angels” (Hebrews 1:4). The author begins this argument that Jesus is “better than” and continues throughout the rest of the thirteen chapters of this magnificent book. Hebrews describes how Jesus is better than the prophets (Hebrews 1:1-4), the angels (Hebrews 1:5-2:18), Moses (Hebrews 3:1-6), Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1-3), the priests (Hebrews 9:1-10), and the Old Testament legendary saints (Hebrews 11:3-40).

            Like my dad taught me many years ago, there is always someone better. But when it comes to our Christian faith, no one is better than Jesus.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

8. Concentration Determination (Phil 4:8–9)

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Distraction is something that we all face. The apostle Paul concluded his letter to the Philippians with a list of things for us to ponder and deeds for us to practice. He writes, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8, NASB).[1] These things are opposite of the many things that our culture tries to get us to focus on today.

            Here Paul lists six adjectives that paint the picture of what Christians should focus on daily. Greek scholar A.T. Robertson said, “They are pertinent now when so much filth is  flaunted before the world in books, magazines and moving-pictures under the name of realism (the slime of the gutter and the cess-pool [sic]).”[2] He made that statement in 1933 and it’s even more true now! Thankfully Paul gives us a list of things to focus on that is opposite of the slime and cesspool of the twenty-first century.

            The task we have as Christians is to, as Paul writes, “dwell on these things.” The Greek term used here logizomai[3] was primarily a mathematical and accounting term describing a cognitive process. Here it means to give careful attention to a matter or let one’s mind dwell on something. In this way we must direct our thoughts on the correct things.

            As I have worked with various people at different churches I’ve seen them do this in different ways. People have put Scripture on 3×5 cards, phone backgrounds, or post-it notes on mirrors. Chip Ingram, teacher on the radio program, “Living on the Edge” has a series of “truth cards” that list Scriptures and Bible truths from Gods Word for people to keep with them and memorize. The method we use to focus on these things is simply preference. The important thing is that we do it.

Paul moves on from our thoughts to our actions in verse nine. He tells them to practice right deeds, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9, NASB). Have you ever known someone that says, “Do as I say, not as I do?” Most of us don’t like that. People can smell hypocrisy like a dog can smell a BBQ in someone’s backyard a mile away. Paul had spent a lot of time with Christians in Philippi. He was in their city, he walked out to the river to talk with them, he was arrested, and spent time in their jail (see Acts 16). He knew what they were going through. The Philippians had seen his faith in action. And through the previous three chapters they read about joy and rejoicing in spite of many of the difficult circumstance Paul was facing. He mentions “rejoice” and “joy” sixteen times in the letter. Now, he’s telling them to act like he acts and to do what he does. Paul was the model for them, and he is a model for us Christians living today.

Paul uses a particular word here in verse nine, prasso,[4] which is translated as “practice.” It means to bring about or accomplish something through activity. It’s often translated in the New Testament as “do” or “accomplish.”[5] I like this picture of practice because it implies that we don’t always do it perfectly every time. But the point is that we are doing it and striving for it. As we are pondering the right things as described in verse eight, and we practice the right deeds in verse nine, then “the God of peace will be with you.” And we all know that we need more peace.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] AT Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933).

[3] Lexical form is λογίζομαι but it appears here in Phil 4:8 as λογίζεσθε.

[4] The lexical form is πράσσω but it shows up in Phil 4:9 as πράσσετε.

[5] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), p. 860.

9. Contentment Achievement (Phil 4:11–13, 19)

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Most of us struggle with contentment in our lives. But in Philippians 4:11-13, 19 the apostle Paul reveals the power he was given to be content with his circumstances.

PAUL LEARNED TO BE CONTENT

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” (Philippians 4:11–12)[1]

The Greek word Paul uses here for “content” (v. 11) is autarkes[2] which means “self-sufficient.” Stoic philosophers used this word to describe human self-reliance. One commentary reveals that this word “described the cultivated attitude of the wise person who had become independent of all things and all people.”[3] It was a calm acceptance of life’s pressures. To the Stoic philosophers of Paul’s day, contentment was the essence of all virtues. But Paul takes this word and uses it to describe how we are not sufficient on our own, but sufficient based on someone else.

            In Paul’s thirty years of ministry and thousands of miles of travel he has learned to be content. Paul didn’t have contentment early in his life (see Philippians 3 where he declared his zeal was above his fellow Pharisees), but he had to learn it through tough times. He describes his practical real-life experience saying “I have learned” and “I know how” twice in these verses. He knows how to survive, get along in life, and how to make it through tough times. It reminds me of how my dad used to teach our dogs to swim. We’d take the boat out onto the lake, then he would toss the dog into the water to teach it to swim. Some things you can learn in a classroom; some things can only be learned in the real world. 

            But what was the “every circumstance” (v. 12) that Paul describes? It was affliction (v. 14), but also likely a state of financial poverty. He calls this a secret. He writes, “I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need” (v. 12). Paul again uses the cultural background of the times in which he was living. When he writes “I have learned” it is the Greek word, myeo,[4] which literally means “I have been initiated.” This term was commonly used of the mystery religions to describe the initiation practices of a devotee who wanted to enter their secrets and privileges. The word in Greek is in the perfect tense which describes something that has happened in the past with present effects now.[5] Paul has learned this from past experiences, but it effects how he lives his life now.  

PAUL LEARNED TO RELY ON CHRIST

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Here Paul describes what is possible. The word “things” is a pronoun which means it has to be defined by something or qualified by something else (what is called an antecedent). And those “things” are what Paul has talked about in Philippians 4:12 which were humble means, prosperity, being filled, being hungry, having abundance, suffering need.

Paul says that what is possible is based on the secret (which is Christ). Again, Paul is contrasting those Stoic philosophers of his time who said that you can be content by being sufficient and reliant on yourself. Paul learned to be content in poverty not because of his self-sufficiency, but because of his God-sufficiency. Paul was not content because he was self-sufficient with his situation. He was content because of Christ who strengthened him to get through every circumstance. His circumstances changed, but his contentment did not because his contentment was based on Christ, not his circumstances. The joy Paul mentions sixteen times in this letter did not come from poverty or prosperity, his joy came from Christ.

Paul says that was possible is based on the filling power of Christ. When he says that Christ “strengthens me,” it means Christ “infuses strength into me”[6] or that Christ “pours strength into me.” The same phrase is used in 1 Timothy 1:12, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service” (emphasis added). Paul’s source of strength was Christ and that was his secret in getting by with a lot or little.

Paul described that was possible was not based on himself. The focus here is not on me and how I improve my circumstances. There is nothing here about how to get what you need. What he has learned is not “how to escape” or “how to improve” but instead, “how to make do with where I am.” This is not some self-help manual, “If you don’t like your life, change it.” I remember once talking to a non-Christian and asked him what he thought about the Bible. He told me he thought the Bible contained good principles for achieving success in life. But the Christian life is not about us, it’s about God and how He interacts with us.

Paul reveals how to get through and how to survive through the circumstances he was enduring. The self-help version of Philippians 4:13 goes like this, “I can do all things through myself because I try hard.” But Paul’s version is, “I can do all things through another person and his name is Jesus Christ.”

PAUL LEARNED TO TRUST GOD’S PROMISE

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

These are Paul’s final words as he comes to the close of his letter. He knows that the people of Philippi likely have struggles and will encounter difficulties like he did, so he gives them one last encouragement and direction on how to be content.

Notice the emphatic “my” at the beginning of the verse. We must remember the personal God helps us. Paul says, “my God” (emphasis added). He could have said, “God got me through” or “God will take care of you.” But instead he says “my God” is the one who helped me and He will help you. The God that allowed him to be put in prison is the same God that would sustain him through it.

            Notice a full promise is described. He writes that God “will supply all your needs.” That’s the promise that they need to hold on to in their lives. This is a declaration of what God will do for us. When the food pantry is bare or the bank account is empty, God will provide.

            Notice the basis for the promise. It says “according to” which is the reason or the basis for why God can supply every need that we have. It tells us why he can supply every need. And this is why Paul says he can be content and get through every circumstance: God does it. As Warren Wiersbe once said, “Contentment comes from adequate resources.”[7] And as Christians our adequate resource is God.

            God is sufficient to get us through the various trials of life. God won’t fix every problem, but He will help us through every issue. God won’t heal every sickness, but He will strengthen us to endure it. God won’t restore every broken relationship, but He will help us forgive others and live in peace. 

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] αὐτάρκης. This is the only occurrence of this word in the New Testament.

[3] Peter O’Brien, Philippians (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B. Eerdmans, 1991), 521.

[4] The lexical form is μυέω but it appears here in verse twelve as μεμύημαι.

[5] “The force of the perfect tense is simply that it describes an event that, completed in the past . . . has results existing in the present time” (Dan Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996], p. 573).

[6] Vincent, Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), p. 460.

[7] Warren Wiersbe, Be Joyful (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2008), p. 147.

7. Our Anxiety Prescription (Phil 4:8–9)

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One of the most quoted passages of our Bibles comes from the pen of Paul as he wrote to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4–7, NASB).[1]

            Paul tells these believers (and us too) that we receive piece from how we talk with God and interact with Him. I didn’t say we achieve peace or we attain peace. I was careful to say we receive peace. Peace is something that God gives us based on what we do and how we interact with God.

            Paul tells us to “rejoice” twice in this passage. Did I mention that he was in prison when he was writing this letter?[2] Nine times in just four chapters Paul talks about rejoicing even though he was in prison in Rome when writing this letter. Bible teacher Ken Hanna says, “The rattle of the chains is drowned out by the sounds of joy that mark this short letter.”[3]

            As we talk about rejoicing we need to make a distinction between happiness and rejoicing. Happiness is a personal feeling we have based on our circumstances. Rejoicing is the activity we can do regardless of our circumstances or our feelings. One commentary describes it like this, “Sometimes the trials and pressures of life make it almost impossible to be happy. But Paul did not tell his readers to be happy. He encouraged them to rejoice in the Lord.”[4] We might not feel happiness, but we can rejoice!

            If we are honest, anxiety naturally comes to most of us. But the challenge is what we do with that anxiety. Three things from Philippians 4:4-7 direct us about how cope with our anxiety. First, we have requests. “Let your requests.” We need to simply acknowledge those. Paul doesn’t say to ignore the problems or to pretend that they are not there. We need to accept reality. Second, we share them. Paul tells us those requests should “be made known.” We must make those request known to God either by talking aloud, writing them out, or sharing them with others. Third, we direct them to a person. And that person, according to Paul here, is “to God.” This is an important point because if we are not careful, we can start to direct our requests and problems to areas they should not be sent. We might reach for a bottle of alcohol or open a container of prescription drugs that don’t belong to us. Instead, we need to direct those requests to God. Here’s the amazing thing: He’s always available and He wants to listen. Do you have someone in your life that you can go to at any time and know that he or she will want to listen to you? That is God!

            Hebrews 4:14-16 says that regardless of what we have done or experienced we can always approach God’s throne of grace with confidence. When we arrive He accepts us! And when we meet Jesus on his throne we find mercy and grace to help us in our time of need! You don’t need an appointment to enter His office. Every time you call Him He answers.

            Philippians 4:4-7 is one of the most quoted passages in the Bible because it helps us with a problem almost all of us have: anxiety. But God has given us a prescription to help with that anxiety.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] See Phil 1:7, 13, 17.

[3] Ken Hanna, From Gospels to Glory (Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press, 2015),276.

[4] Robert Lightner, “Philippians” in Bible Knowledge Commentary (Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 1983), 663.

6. Family Feud in Philippi (Phil 4:2–3)

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Feuds sometimes occur in our Christian churches and there was a feud in the city of Philippi that the apostle Paul addressed in his letter to the Philippians.

            “I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:2–3, NASB).[1]

            Euodia and Syntyche were Christian women that actively did ministry in the church. But we don’t know what the issue was between these two ladies.

            In other places in the New Testament the apostle Paul was not afraid to tell people they were wrong. Paul publicly confronted and corrected Peter in Galatians and Paul condemned a man sleeping with his mother-in-law in Corinthians. Paul probably knew what the issue was between these two women, but it was not important enough for him to mention it or correct a wrong position.

            Sometimes our personalities cause conflict with other Christians. For these people living in Philippi, they lived in an important city. Philippi was given the title of Ius Italicum. The people living there were Roman citizens, had voting privileges, and they were governed by their own senate and legislature. They were proud of their city, their ties to Rome, to follow Roman law, and proud of their Roman customs. I wonder if that same pride for the city had seeped into the church and was likely part of the quarrels between these two women.

SEEKING HARMONY

So Paul tells them in effect, Whatever it is, live in harmony with the Lord. Whatever it is, take care of it.  He’s telling them not to let their pride get in the way of the harmony they should have as believers. 

            This is a strong prompting. There is no suggestion here or if you can, please do this. This is a command from Paul to these two women to resolve their disagreements. In the Greek text Paul puts their name first for emphasis. Literally, “Euodia I urge and Syntyche I urge.” Sometimes writers in Greek do this to emphasize certain parts of the sentence. Here Paul is emphasizing their names as the ones responsible to solve the solution.

            There are two options for seeking harmony in a Christian family feud: Release it or resolve it. In church sometimes you release it. Meaning you concede your want or need and allow the other person to get his or her way. Another option is to resolve it where you and the person each come to a mutual agreement on the issue. This one takes more time and effort, but is necessary on important matters.

            But Sometimes there are issues that we cannot resolve without outside help. And that is what Paul reveals next.

SEEKING HELP FOR HARMONY

            Paul calls in help for these two women in this passage asking for help from a “true companion” (v. 3). Paul asks for him to help these two women resolve their conflict.

            This true companion might be Epaphroditus, the man carrying this letter from Paul back to Philippi. It might be the bishop overseeing all the church in Philippi. It might have been a faithful, well-known leader that everyone would recognize when he was addressed this way. Whoever it was, Paul asks for his help. Sometimes we need help to achieve harmony. This person likely knows these two ladies and can help them. In our lives, sometimes we need help to resolve conflicts. Dads, moms, brothers, sisters, coworkers, counselors, all can be those third parties that help us resolve our conflicts.

            These verses remind us that feuds sometimes occur in God’s family. But when they occur we must learn to put our personalities aside and seek to solve the conflict either by releasing it or resolving it. And if necessary, we might need to include someone else to help us.       

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

5. The Joy of a Christian (Phil 2:17–18)

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Joy is part of the Christian life. Paul wrote from prison in Rome to the believers in the city of Philippi, “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all” (Phil 2:17, NASB, emphasis added).[1] Here we see the spiritual leader, Paul, sharing his joy with his spiritual children, the believers in Philippi. When I was doing some research on this letter one person said that Philippians is “the most spontaneous and intimate of Paul’s letters.”[2] And we see that here when Paul wants to share his joy with his readers.

            Joy is supposed to be shared amongst believers. That’s Paul’s focus in the next verse. “You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me” (Phil 2:18). Here we see the words “rejoice” and “joy” used again. That’s four times in these two short verses. “Joy” and “rejoice” are used sixteen times in just four chapters in Paul’s letter to the believers in Philippi.

            In these two verses Paul uses two different words to talk about joy. The first is chairo hich means “be glad, rejoice.” And the other one is synchairo which means “rejoice” as well, but it has a slight change. It has the preposition added to the front of the verb that often translates as “with.” So literally, “rejoice with someone.”

            Let’s observe the context in which Paul uses “joy” and “rejoice.” In Philippians 1:18 describes about how Paul was in prison, but he still shared the Gospel, so he rejoiced about that! Paul told the Philippians in 2:28-29 to rejoice when Epaphroditus shows up because Epaphroditus “came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life.”

            Paul tells his readers repeatedly to share in the joy that he has. No matter what is going on we can rejoice with God. We should always have something to rejoice about.

            If you struggle with joy, here are a few things you can do to be more joyful:

  • Write in a journal a list of things you are grateful about in your life.
  • Read from the book of Psalms.
  • Go outside for a walk in the sunshine.
  • Spend time with others and have at least one close friend you talk to each week.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Kenneth Hanna, From Gospels to Glory (Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press, 2015), 276.

4. Divine Motivation (Phil 3:13)

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All of us struggle with motivation from time to time. That’s why we allow God to work in us and give us the motivation we need to do and act how He wants us to act.

            Paul has just told the believers in the city of Philippi to work out their salvation in Phil 2:12, now he says that they can do this by allowing God to work in them. “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13, NASB).[1]

            The phrase beginning of this verse, “for it is God” supplies the basis for how we act out our salvation. God does it all, but he puts us to work too.

            Pastor J. Vernon McGee writes, “So God works out that which He had worked in. If God has saved you, He has saved you by faith—plus nothing. God is not accepting any kind of good works for salvation. But after you are saved, God talks to you about your works. The salvation He worked in by faith is a salvation He will work out also.”[2] The swiss reformer John Calvin famously has said, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.” James put it another way, “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:17–18).

            God puts the will and the work in us. God is the one energizing us to do the work. “The Christian life is not a series of ups and downs. It is rather a process of ‘ins and outs.’ God works in, and we work out.” (Wiersbe, Be Joyful, p. 74).

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] J. Vernon McGee, Philippians and Colossians (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 54.

3. Working Out Salvation (Phil 2:12)

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One of my favorite scenes in the movie, Fireproof,[1] is when two firemen are eating lunch and talking about marriage. One fireman takes a saltshaker, puts some super glue on the side of it, then adheres it to the pepper shaker. That scene describes God’s view of marriage—two people joined inseparably together—but it describes our relationship between salvation and works as Christians too!

            Paul writes to the believers in the city of Philippi, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12, NASB).[2]

            That statement “work out your salvation” can be perplexing for us protestant evangelical Christians because we’ve always been taught we are saved by faith, not by works. And that is true! Salvation is by faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone.

            However, that salvation leads to work. The study Bible that I use has a note that explains that the Philippians were told, “Not work for it, but work it out in the personal and church problems at Philippi.”[3] Those problems in the church are described throughout the letter. They were struggling with rivalries and personal ambition (Philippians 2:3-4; 4:2), the teaching of the legalistic teachers (Philippians 3:1-3), perfectionism (Philippians 3:12-14), and the influence of people that said sinning was okay (Philippians 3:18-19). They were working out the issues in the church.

            “Work out” means to do something as a result of what was done. You do it from a state of possession, in other words, “you have it, so this is what you do because of it.” That’s what “work out” means here in this context because we know these people Paul writes to are saved, “Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons” (Philippians 1:1, emphasis added). Paul is saying salvation and good works go together.

            And of course we need to mention this “fear and trembling” phrase too. These words are not meant to scare us. They are meant to remind us how awesome God is and that we are privileged to be called His sons and daughters. In light of that, we are to work out our salvation. Another way to translate it would be to work out our salvation with “awe and reverence.”[4]             God doesn’t want us to do things with fear in order to get saved. He has saved us and we do things from a position of security and the fear and trembling is because of how awesome He is.  

[1] “Fireman Lunchroom,” Fireproof, directed by Alex Kendrick (Albany, GA: Samuel Goldwyn Films, 2008), DVD.

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[3] Charles Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update, expanded ed. (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1995), 1470.

[4] Biblical Studies Press. The NET Bible First Edition (Biblical Studies Press, 2005).

2. Ministry When the Minister Is Absent (Phil 2:12)

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Most of us admit that the quality of our work is better when our boss is watching. We pay closer attention to details, make less mistakes, check our cell phone less often, work longer, and take fewer breaks when our boss is watching.

            Paul mentions to the Philippian believers that he wants them to live obediently to God even though Paul was no longer with them physically in person.

            These believers in the city of Philippi had been obedient to their spiritual leader, Paul, and he was grateful for it, writing, “my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence” (Philippians 2:12a, NASB).[1]

            This is a gentle reminder for all of us to act the way we should when our spiritual mentor or spiritual leader is not around. 

            Paul founded the church in Philippi on his second of three missionary journeys. It was the first church established in Europe. In Acts 16 Paul meets a lady named Lydia and other women who were meeting outside the city. He shared the gospel with them, they accepted, and he helped them start a church.

            But when Paul writes this letter—Philippians—he is under house-arrest in Rome awaiting trial before Nero. He’s chained to a soldier day and night. While under house-arrest he writes the letters Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Philippians is one of what we call the “prison letters” that Paul writes to instruct and encourage believers that were in locations he could not visit.             As the Philippians learn to obey the teachings of Paul even though he was not around, we too need to obey our spiritual mentors even if they are not present with us. Spiritual mentors might have been a small group leader that shared wisdom we needed, someone that discipled us one-to-one for a period of time and gave us guidance, a pastor that gave us instruction in a sermon, or a Bible study facilitator that helped us understand God’s Word on a deeper level. Even though those people might not be with us now, we still should abide obediently to their teachings just as the Philippians were encouraged to do.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

1. The Job of a Christian (Phil 2:14–16)

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Headlines from a local newspaper reveal the dark world in which we live. Take a quick glance at these: “Golden State killer returns to valley,” “Riverbank homeless population a rising concern for city,” “Residents want gym to pump down the volume.”[1] Two weeks later these appeared in the same newspaper, “Freight train derails near Goshen” and “Police arrest 13 men for human trafficking.”[2] These are all examples of the corrupt, dark, evil, and fallen world in which we live.

            Christians have found themselves surrounded by these types of things for 2,000 years. In one of Paul’s letters he tells the believers in the city of Philippi and he tells us alive today about our job as Christians in this dark world.

            First, Christians have a good attitude. “Do all things without grumbling or disputing” (Philippians 2:14).[3] The word “grumbling” describes an utterance made in a low tone of voice. The word “disputing” describes a verbal exchange when conflicting ideas are expressed. As Christians we must have a good attitude and not grumble or dispute.  

            Second, Christians live upright among a crooked culture. “so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” (Philippians 2:15a). The Greek word for “crooked” is skolios (σκολιός) which sounds familiar to scoliosis. Skolios is used here morally to describe someone who is crooked, unscrupulous, and dishonest. It means bent, curved, or crooked as opposed to the Christian that is straight and morally upright.

            But we as Christians are to be, “Blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach.” We are already in this state right now spiritually, but we need to prove it physically to the world. The word “blameless” relates to a solid and righteous conduct. The word “innocent” here means unmixed and pure. When it says “above reproach” it means being without fault and therefore morally blameless. The New Testament uses this word to describe the Christian community (Eph 1:4; 5:27; Col 1:22). The Greek scholar AT Robertson says this means “without a spot.”[4] Another Greek grammarian says it means “unblemished in reputation and in reality.”[5]

            Third, Christians shine among the darkness. “appear as lights in the world,” (Philippians 2:15b). Among that crooked and perverse generation, we should “appear as lights in the world.” We don’t need a Ph.D. to figure out how to look different as a Christian in our culture. The idea Paul is explaining here is to shine or produce light as luminaries or stars.

            Here are some ways we can shine bright in the darkness: quietly pray over our lunch in the breakroom at work; when some classmates or friends gossip, we politely excuse ourselves; when someone is struggling we stop what we are doing and pray with them; or we write an encouraging note in a card to a non-Christian friend that we know has been having a hard time.

            The potential to shine is easy, but it is hard work because it doesn’t come naturally, it is the opposite of everyone else, and because it often has a cost (either financially, emotionally, socially, or with time).  

            Fourth, Christians hold on to the word of life. “holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain” (Philippians 2:16). When it says “holding fast the word of life” that could be translated as “holding forth.” It likely means that we hold on to the word of life as it helps us live righteously. Pastor J. Vernon McGee describes the important point for us, “Life and light are related. When we hold forth the Word of Life, we are lights in the world.”[6]

            Our job as Christians is not to wave our “white flag” and retreat from our culture and community (even though that’s tempting to do). Yes, there are certain things we should abstain from, but we are supposed to be engaged in our culture so that we can stand out and look different. Our job as Christians—according to the apostle Paul in Philippians 2:14-16—is to have a good attitude, live upright in a crooked culture, shine among the darkness, and hold onto the word of life.

[1] The Sun-Gazette Newspaper, Exeter, CA. November 11, 2020.

[2] The Sun-Gazette Newspaper, Exeter, CA. November 25, 2020.

[3] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[4] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933).

[5] Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 3 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887),  439.

[6] J. Vernon McGee, Philippians and Colossians (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 55.

9. We Need to Weep (Rom 12:15b)

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2020 was been a year to forget for many people. I know of people that were not able to see their beloved elderly family for months, numerous people lost jobs or businesses, churches were prevented from doing ministry, and even our church went from a Sunday attendance of 225 to 75, which meant it no longer needed a seminary trained pastor like myself.

            In Paul’s letter to the Romans he told them, “weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15b, NASB).[1] The Greek word Paul uses here can be translated as “weep, cry, bewail, or mourn.” My guess is that much of the world has spent a lot of time weeping and it will continue for many more months.

            Paul’s point in this brief phrase is that we need each other, and we need to comfort each other. The book of Hebrews tells us, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deed, not forsaking our own assembling together, as in the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near”(Hebrews 10:24-25, NASB).

            When we are going through pain and suffering, we need to sit with others and weep. And we need others to weep with us. While we might not be able to embrace in a hug while inside a Starbucks or restaurant, we can still get together and share our struggles with each other. The simple act of listening helps us weep with those who weep.

            In his book, The Spirituality of Caregiving, Henri J. M. Nouwen provides guidance for how to listen, “Listening, however, is not merely a sympathetic nodding or a friendly repetition of hmm, hmm, hmm. Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of two lives.”

            He continues describing the healing effect of listening, “two lives are coming together in a healing way. It is like weaving a new pattern with two different life stories stretched out on the same loom. After a story is told and received with care, the lives of two people have become different. Two people have discovered their own unique stories, and two people have become an integral part of a new fellowship. In listening we discover that caring isn’t about the difference between pain and no pain, but about the difference between pain and shared pain.”[2]  

            Right now we need to listen to people who are suffering and weep with them. They have been weeping more than they ever have. Change, lack of touch with others, and restricted fellowship are starting to cause more and more pain. Lets listen in whatever way we can: telephone, six feet away across a table at coffee, on Facetime, or while going for a walk with a friend. We need to “weep with those who weep.”We need it and others do too.

[1] New American Standard Bible, 1995 revision.

[2] Henri J. M. Nouwen, A Spirituality of Caregiving (Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 2011), 36-37.

8. God’s Transformation (Rom 12:2)

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When I became a Christian at the age of twenty-two I started studying my Bible, regularly attending church, and spent time with other Christians. Those activities started to change my thinking and behavior. I didn’t realize it a first, but my mind was being transformed by God.

            Paul told the believers in Rome, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NASB).

            The instruction to “not be conformed to this world” is something all Christians must heed. The world’s entertainment, advertisements, and sports all direct our attention anywhere other than God. (I’m not saying those things are terrible and that we shouldn’t participate in them, but they often direct our attention away from God.)

            Instead Paul tells us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The word “transformed” here is a continual process of change from the inside out. The same Greek word is used in Matthew 17:2 when Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountain and Jesus “was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light” (emphasis added). Paul tells us we need to be completely changed and in effect be reprogrammed to think and act differently.

            The best way I know to “be transformed” is by memorizing Scripture. It can be hard to memorize Scripture if there is no context for it or need, therefore to successfully memorize Scripture you must incorporate it into your life. For example, I have always struggled with not feeling important and valuable. I have been trying to memorize Ephesians 1:4-7. Every time I feel discouraged and not important I recite those verses as a reminder that my worth comes from God, not from how others treat me or from the ministry I do as a pastor.

            Scripture memory can help us with various situations we face. Perhaps you know you need to reconcile a relationship with someone but find it difficult to restore the relationship. Consider memorizing Romans 12:18. Or you feel that you are being spiritually attacked, then you need to memorize Ephesians 6:12. If there are people you find yourself constantly judging and you want to stop, then memorize Philippians 3:9. Maybe you want to talk to people about God, but you aren’t sure how to share the Gospel, then memorize Romans 10:9-10.

            Are we being “conformed” or “transformed?” I hope and pray we can memorize Scripture and be transformed because it is the “will of God . . . which is good and acceptable and perfect.”   

7. God’s Security (Rom 8:35, 38–39)

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“I’ll always love you” is something I often tell my son. He’s only three years old, but I want him to know that no matter what he does I will always love him unconditionally. Nothing will separate him from my love for him.

            And God has the same unconditional love for us.

            Paul tells the believers in the city of Rome that they will go through tough times writing, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35, NASB). The implied answer is “no, nothing will separate us from Christ’s love!” Paul tells us about seven things that we will experience: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and threat of a sword. But those things won’t separate us from God’s love.

            Paul continues and gives us the assurance we need a few verses later, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39).

            In these two verses Paul lists ten things that cannot separate us from God’s love. Whether it be death, life, angels, principalities (which are demons), fears for today, worrying about tomorrow, the powers of hell, the sky above, the earth below, or all creation, nothing can sever us from God’s love.

            (I’ve always loved Max Lucado’s book on Romans titled, In the Grip of Grace: He Will Love You Forever; it’s a great description of Paul’s letter to the Romans and a book I recommend you read.)

            In Franklin Graham’s autobiography, Rebel with a Cause, he reveals his crazy lifestyle as a young man smoking and drinking lots of whiskey. In an article with the Citizen Times Franklin Graham reflected on his rebellious years and talked about his relationship with his father, Billy Graham. “I remember my father saying, ‘Franklin, your mother and I love you very much, and we want you to know that no matter what you do in life, no matter where you go, our home will always be your home.’”

            We too should be assured that our Father’s home will always be our home. No matter where we go or what we do, He’ll always be ready to welcome us home because He loves us unconditionally.

6. God Works for Good (Rom 8:28)

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           A guy I know went to the birthing classes with his wife when they were pregnant with their first child. He learned about the process of delivering a baby and how to help his wife during her labor contractions.

Months later when his wife’s contractions began he knew what was going on in her body based on the science of what he was taught. However, it became very clear that she knew what contractions were on a deeper level than he would ever know! My friend knew intellectually what contractions were; his wife knew what they were from experience.

            Likewise, often we know in our heads that God will work out our circumstances for good, but often we don’t have the experience in our hearts.

            Paul told the believers in the city of Rome, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them”(Romans 8:28, NLT). One of my favorite Bible teachers—J. Vernon McGee—writes about this verse, “We come now to the new purpose of God. If Romans is the greatest book of the Bible, and chapter 8 is the high-water mark, then verse 28 is the pinnacle.”[1]

            How often is this verse quoted from memory yet not experienced. Like my friend’s limited understanding of his wife’s contractions, sometimes we know that God works out things for our good, but we don’t really feel it. Especially when going through difficult times.

            We also need to remember that this is happening now. “God causes everything to work together”is a present active verb in the Greek (Paul originally wrote in Koine Greek). This is something that God is actively doing. It’s not something He does when He feels like it, when He’s in a good mood, or when we have been loyal to Him. God continually causes everything to work together for good for us.

            Another truth we need to remember is that God has a plan and “purpose” for us “because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan” (Ephesians 1:11, NLT).

            God has a plan even if we might not always understand it. Even if we can’t see Him working out circumstances, He’s using them for good. Warren Wiersbe has said, “We don’t always discern God’s plan, nor do we always understand His plan, but knowing that the Lord is in command puts peace and joy in our hearts.”[2] And that joy should be knowing in our hearts that God works out our circumstances for good.

[1] J. Vernon McGee, Romans 1-8, Thru the Bible Commentaries (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 156.

[2] Warren Wiersbe, The Delights and Disciplines of Bible Study (Colorado Springs, CO, 2018), 48.

5. God’s Help (Rom 8:26–27)

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Any parent, babysitter, or daycare worker has seen a two-year temper tantrum. It’s not a pretty sight!

            When my son used to have one of those famous two-year-old temper tantrums it was not because he was mad that I had taken away what he wanted, or that he was not getting his way. It was because something was wrong, and he didn’t know how to tell me what was wrong.

            I learned that he was either hungry, thirsty, or tired. He knew something was not right, but he didn’t know how to tell me what was wrong. Maybe he didn’t even know what was wrong. He just knew that he was unhappy.

            As Christians there are times in our lives when things aren’t the way we think they should be. We know that we should pray, but we aren’t sure what to pray for or even how to pray for it.

            Thankfully, God helps us in this area. Paul told the believers in Rome, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will” (Romans 8:26-27, NLT).

            What’s even more important, is to note that the Holy Spirit helps us with more than just prayer. “For example” in verse 26 is an explanatory phrase. Meaning, the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, and one of the ways that he helps us in our weaknesses is through prayer.

            The help the Holy Spirit gives us isn’t just a casual help. The text says that he “pleads” for us believers. The dictionary defines “pleads” as a request from someone on behalf of someone else. “To argue a case or cause” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition) or “to make an emotional appeal” (Concise Oxford English Dictionary).

            In other words, this isn’t a casual thing that the Holy Spirit does. He doesn’t help us because he has free time, or when he is in a good mood, or thinks that we deserve it. It’s something he actively does on our behalf. It’s part of who he is as a person.

            My job as a loving parent was to give my son what he needed even when he didn’t know what he needed. And our loving God, who also is our spiritual parent, helps us when we don’t know how to pray or what to pray for.

4. God’s Provision (Rom 8:1–4)

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In the first few months after my son was born I would often look at him and think about how helpless he was. As a newborn he needed help from someone to live. He couldn’t eat, clean himself after bowel movements, or describe his needs to anyone (but he could put himself to sleep).

            He depended on his mom and me for everything. Without someone to care for him he would die. He was utterly helpless.

            Like a newborn baby, every person is utterly helpless in the spiritual realm. And because we were utterly helpless, Christ came as one of us and did what we could not do on our own. Paul describes that event and its results in Romans 8.

            “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1-4, NIV).

            In this passage Paul tells us that we have “no condemnation.” Because Christ died for us and took the punishment that we deserved, we have a righteous standing before God.

            Paul also tells us what the “law was powerless” because it was “weakened by the flesh.” This meant that Christ had to come to earth to fulfill the law. We could never fill the requirements of God’s Old Testament Law. That’s why we needed Christ to come “in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.”

            There was a need for Christ and he fulfilled it. That’s why Paul tells us that we now live “according to the Spirit.” It was the Spirit who “gives life” and has set us “free from the law of sin and death.”             Like my son who was once a newborn and completely relied on his mom and me to care for him, those who are saved and who will spend eternity in heaven depend completely on Jesus Christ for that salvation. They would never have survived God’s judgement without the loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the Spirit that gives life.

3. God’s Fruit (Rom 7:4–5)

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“Yummy, yummy, strawberries” my two year-old son often says when walking out onto our back patio. He knows mom’s garden is just around the corner where ripe strawberries await him. He looks for the red ones and eats them as fast as he can pick them. When they are all gone he smiles with strawberry juice dripping from his chin onto his shirt. He’s happy with the fruit from mom’s garden.

            Every person on this earth produces fruit and God wants there to be good fruit in our Christian lives. The apostle Paul talks about the fruit of Christians in Romans 7. The Greek word for fruit is karpophoreo and it’s used in two ways in the New Testament. One use is as literal fruit (see Mark 4:28) and the other is a metaphor for conduct, which is used in Romans 7:4, 5.

            Before becoming a Christian the fruit of following sinful, passionate desires was death, “For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death” (Romans 7:5, NIV).

            The New Testament Greek scholar, A.T. Robertson, called this the “seeds of sin working for death” because the non-Christian doesn’t know God and he’s controlled by his sinful passions. Those sinful passions lead to sinful activities, and the fruit of those activities is death.  

            But when we become a Christian those sinful passions die and are replaced by God’s presence in our lives. This is described in Romans 6:4: “We were therefore buried with him [Jesus] through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”Now we are united with Christ. “For if we have been united with him [Jesus] in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5).

            This was done so that we could bring forth fruit. “So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God” (Romans 7:4).

            Fruit is showing love to others when they don’t deserve it. It’s sharing our faith with others and telling them about the gospel. It’s being kind to someone that is mean to us. The purpose of our Christian life is “so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).   

            God is happy when He sees fruit in the lives of His people. He looks at them and says, “yummy, yummy” for His people are pleasing to Him.           

2. God’s Justice (Rom 6:22–23)

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It feels American to get what we deserve. This is our concept of “justice” and we want it enforced.

            God wants it enforced too, except His idea of justice is different from ours. There is justice given to those who don’t know Him, but also a free gift given to those who do know Him. The apostle Paul explains this justice in Romans 6:22-23, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”[1]

            Let’s take a look at three important parts of this passage from Paul.

            First, Paul wrote “you have been set free from sin.” This is a one-time act. Jesus freed us from sin when He died on the cross for us, which is good because those sins meant we would die. The truth of the gospel is what sets us free and saves us, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). And in another place, “Through Christ Jesus the law of Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

            Second, Paul also wrote that his readers “have become slaves of God.” While being set free from sin is a past one-time act, this phrase tells us we have a present condition as slaves of God.

            According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, a slave is “one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence.” And the Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines slave as “a person who is legal property of another and is forced to obey them.”

            Being a slave of God means we get the gift of eternal life and live freely. “Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves” (1 Peter 2:16). 

            Third, Paul shared the “result is eternal life.” We get eternal life because we have accepted Christ’s death for us and we have been freed from sin. Unbelievers will be separated from God forever in hell (Luke 16:24-25; Romans 5:12; 7:13). But Christians receive eternal life, “For you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:9). Salvation will be eternal life with God in heaven (John 3:16, 36). This gift cannot be earned (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).             We believe in the concept of justice that people get what they deserve. But God has a different view of justice. He has freed us from slavery to sin (in which we deserved death) and we are now slaves to God. And because of that we will get to spend eternity in heaven with Him.

[1] All translations are from the NIV, 2011 revision.

1. God’s Picture (Rom 5:1-2)

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“You won’t be included in the team picture” my coach told me. I thought to myself, “How could he do this? Had I done something wrong? Made a bad decision? Been careless? Was I not trying?”  Each day I practiced my golf game and worked hard to improve. I tried my best. But my performance was not good enough.

            There were thirteen of us on the college golf team, but only five of the guys were able to travel to tournaments each week. I started out as one of the five guys. Even if I didn’t play great in the tournaments, I had peace that I was good enough to be part of the traveling team while eight of the lesser players were left home. But over time my game struggled. Eventually my performance dropped me out of the five guys that traveled each week.

            I thought when it was time to take the team picture I would be included in it. I could enjoy some peace knowing I was still part of the thirteen-guy team even if I wasn’t part of the five guys that traveled to tournaments.

            But I wasn’t. Why? My performance was not good enough. I was devastated. The golf team was my community. Now I was pushed out because of my poor performance. I tried my best, but my best effort was not good enough.

            Thankfully, my participation in community with God is not based on performance. Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Romans 5:1-2, NIV). I am grateful that it is through my faith in Jesus Chris that I have peace.

            In his book, The Bumps Are What You Climb On, Warren Wiersbe writes, “It is a great mistake to build your happiness on circumstances or things, because circumstances change and things have a way of wearing out and losing their value. True internal peace cannot be based on changing external things. We need something deeper and more satisfying.” That thing that is deeper and more satisfying is Jesus Christ, “For he himself [Jesus] is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14, NIV). The peace Christians experience is based on Christ and faith in him, not performance. Christians don’t make peace; they enjoy it.

            I am grateful it is by faith that I am saved, and that I have peace with God. I know that when it’s time for a picture to be taken in heaven, I will be included in it.

12. Consequences for Christians (John 9:6–7, 11)

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Sometimes we have to accept the consequences that come to us because we follow Jesus. A blind man in John 9 learned that lesson after Jesus healed him.

            Jesus was in Jerusalem at the temple when He saw a man that had been blind since birth (John 9:1). This blind man was probably sitting outside the temple area somewhere asking for money. He’s described as a “beggar” (John 9:8) and his own neighbors described him as “the one who used to sit and beg” (John 9:8).[1] But Jesus and the blind man are not the only characters John tells us about. In this story John also tells us about the Pharisees (John 9:13-17) and the blind man’s parents (John 9:18-23).

            In this story—the sixth miracle recorded in the Gospel of John—Jesus gave this blind man eyesight (John 9:6-7). “He [Jesus] spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.’ So he went away and washed, and came back seeing” (John 9:6–7). [2] But this miracle brought serious reactions. The Pharisees were upset that Jesus had performed work on the Sabbath (9:13-16). The blind man’s parents were amazed at what happened, yet refused to attribute the miracle to Jesus (9:18-23). The Pharisees were upset with the formerly blind man and two times called upon him for questioning (9:13-17, 24-34). We must remember this blind man is not sharing a simple testimony to a welcoming audience like at a church service. This is a testimony in front of a hostile enemy audience. The formerly blind man that can now see stands up for Jesus and the truth of who Jesus was and what He did.

            When the Pharisees asked the blind man how Jesus healed him, the blind man replied, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight” (John 9:11).

            When we follow Jesus we have to accept the consequences that come to us. The Pharisees were embarrassed by the blind beggar. Their only way to save face was to kick the blind man out of the temple (John 9:34b). This should not surprise us because John tells us the blind man’s parents were afraid to reveal how their son was healed (John 9:22) because of the Pharisees’ control of the temple. To get excommunicated from the temple was to lose their worship of God and fellowship with other believers, family, and friends. He’s losing a lot in this act by attributing his eyesight to his Lord.

            Following Jesus might cost us. But are we willing to accept the consequences of following Jesus?

[1] “People who had disabilities customarily claimed spots along a well—traveled street leading to the temple—and this is still a common sight near religious sites today” (Swindoll, Insights on John, [Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2014], 191).

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

11. How Behavior Validates Belief (John 8:31, 51, 55)

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When we read our Bibles we need to look for repetition. Most authors tell us what they want us to notice by repeating words or ideas within a passage. In John 8:31-58 I notice “word” is used six times (vv. 31, 37, 43, 51, 52, 57) by Jesus in one of His interactions with a group of people that claim to believe He is the Messiah. I think we can summarize Jesus’ use of “word” in this passage in three ways.

            First, Jesus says to keep the Word means you are a true disciple of Jesus. “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine’ (John 8:31).[1] The phrase “those Jews[2] who had believed Him” (v. 31a) describes a profession of faith that has yet to be proven. The Message puts it like this, “Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in Him.” In other words, something needs to change because of their belief. Jesus was saying that their future loyalty to His teaching will prove the reality of their present profession.[3] We follow this same line of reasoning now in the context of a local church when we accept church members on profession of trust in Christ, but their continuance in the word and following the teaching of Scripture proves the authenticity of that profession.[4] As the late Greek scholar and seminary professor A.T. Robertson once wrote, “Continuance in the word (teaching) proves the sincerity or insincerity of the profession. It is the acid test of life.”[5]       

            Second, Jesus says to keep the Word means you will never see death. “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death” (John 8:51). The words of Jesus here are placed in the strongest way to say a negative in Greek. It’s what’s called the “emphatic negation subjunctive” which declares that something is not even a potential possibility.[6] Jesus is saying that that person who keeps His word will certainly, never, ever, experience spiritual death.

            Third, Jesus says to keep the Word means you know God. “and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word” (John 8:55). Keeping the Father’s Word is synonymous to knowing God. This is similar to the relationship between a parent and son. For my son to be by son implies that he obeys me when it comes to instruction for how to live. This is especially true as a young child when he needs protection from wrong when I tell him things like “Don’t eat that” or “Don’t touch that.” When my son obeys me it shows that he belongs to me.

            Following Jesus means we follow God’s Word. One of the ways that we tell God that we believe in Him and trust Him is by doing what He says. When we are obedient to Him it shows Him that we love Him and trust Him. Our behavior in following His word shows we believe in Him.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] “The Jews” likely refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem who had been listening to Jesus’s teaching in the temple and had believed his claim to be the Messiah.

[3] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933).

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Dan Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 468-469. Also see The NET Bible First Edition (Biblical Studies Press, 2005).

10. Stone Throwing Lessons (John 8:6–11)

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Both casual and committed readers of Scripture are familiar with the woman caught in adultery that is shared in John 7:53-8:11. Jesus was teaching at the temple (John 8:2) when the religious leaders (John 8:3) brought a woman who was accused of being caught in the act of adultery (John 8:4).

            Old Testament law required punishment for this sin which was death (Leviticus 22:10; Deuteronomy 22:22-23), but this was a trap the religious leaders were setting for Jesus. The Law called for both the man and woman to be killed yet the man was absent. If Jesus allows the woman to go free, He will alienate people that wanted to follow the Law. If Jesus says to kill the woman, it would cause conflict with the Romans because according to Roman laws the Jews could not kill people.

            The gospel writer John tells us about the religious leaders’ purpose in setting this trap. “They were saying this, testing him, so that they might have grounds for accusing him” (John 8:6a).[1] New Testament scholar Leon Morris says that the Greek word for “testing” here “signifies putting to the test with a view to the tested person failing.”[2] As The Message puts it, “They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.”

            Thus far we’ve seen the place Jesus is located (John 7:53-8:2) and the problem He faced (John 8:3-6a). Next let’s see the point Jesus decides to make. “But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground” (John 8:6b–8).

            Writing on the ground was something teachers often did in that time since they didn’t have paper, chalkboards, white boards, or overhead projectors. But what was Jesus writing? Was it Scripture? Was He just doodling? Was He tracing a picture? Perhaps He was writing out the sins of the accusers?

            Even though we don’t know what Jesus was specifically writing, we do know what He was generally declaring: The accusers have to throw the first stone (Deut 17:7). But they can only throw that stone if they do not have sin in their own lives.   

            This story is significant for three reasons. First, it’s a lesson in humility. Before we judge others, we need to judge ourselves. We all have sin in our lives. Some of us have more sin than others. Some of us have more public sin than others. Ours might be a private sin we struggle with that no one sees such as jealousy or envy. Some are more public like inappropriate anger or our language. While there are times we need to confront others that have blatant sin, this story gives us a reminder that none of us are perfect. We all have struggles. And before we judge another person’s sin we need to take an inventory of our own sin. 

            Second, it’s a lesson in grace. Notice Jesus didn’t dismiss the woman’s alleged sin. He didn’t rationalize it saying, “Well, she had needs.” He didn’t do spiritual gymnastics to twist the Law to say she was okay, “Well, her husband is always gone and it’s like she’s a widow.” He didn’t find a loophole for her to sneak out of. She deserved to die according to the Law, but Jesus forgave her. Jesus extended grace to her. Jesus did not dismiss her sin, He placed His cross between her and her sin. If we explain away wrong and we say that sin is not sin, it makes what Jesus does to forgive our sin meaningless. If there’s no right or wrong, Jesus’s death is meaningless.

            Third, it’s a lesson in holiness. After everyone has left Jesus’ final words to the woman are these, “From now on sin no more” (John 8:11). He’s telling her to cease to continue an action that has already started. In other words, He’s saying, “stop your sinful habit” and “don’t return to it.” Forgiveness is not permission for someone to do the same thing again. We won’t be perfect, but our calling as believers is to strive for holiness just as Jesus tells this woman and the audience.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Morris, Gospel acc. to John, rev. ed., New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 1995), 783. The Greek word appears as πειράζοντες and the lexical form is πειράζω.

9. The Strong Grip of Jesus (John 6:35–40)

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The Gospel of John contains seven “I am” statements made by Jesus. Each of these “I am” statements reveal an important aspect of the person and ministry of Jesus. We read the first “I am” statement in John 6:35-40.

            “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day’” (John 6:35–40, NASB, emphasis added).[1]

            When Jesus says “I am the bread of life” it links Him with life in the closest fashion by declaring him as food and sustenance that nourishes and sustains our spiritual life. Three important aspects of our faith are revealed in these six verses as Jesus declares that He is the bread of life.

            First, we know faith saves and not our works because it’s God’s decision.           “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me” (v. 37a). In the first part of this verse we see God’s divine election of people for eternal life. God the Father gives people to Jesus.

            Second, we know faith saves and not our works because our approach to God is based on faith in God, not our deeds for God. “he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst” (v. 35a). When it says “not hunger” and “never thirst”, the disciple John has placed Jesus’s words in the strongest way to negate something in Greek. This is called an emphatic negation subjunctive.[2] This form of Greek is used to say someone will no way, no how, never ever, no matter what, be hungry or thirsty again.

            Third, we know faith saves and not our works because it’s something that can’t change. “the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (v. 37b). Jesus makes a promise that we won’t be cast out, but also makes a promise that He won’t reject anyone that comes to Him. This again—like earlier—is the strongest way to negate something in Greek.[3] You will no way, no how, never ever, no matter what, be cast out. Even if you forget to put in your tithe check; you’re okay. Even if you got angry and yelled at your spouse and kids; God forgives you. Even if you decided to stay home and watch TV instead of be with God’s people at a worship service; you’re still in God’s family. Whether good or bad, black or white, taxpayer or unemployed, married or single, God welcomes everyone that comes to Him. Jesus continues, “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day” (v. 39).

            Once we’re caught by Jesus we’ll never be lost. Eternal life is not eternal if we can lose it. In his book, Grace, pastor Max Lucado writes, “To live as God’s child is to know, at this very instant, that you are loved by your Maker not because you try to please him and succeed, or fail to please him and apologize, but because he wants to be your Father. Nothing more. All your efforts to win his affection are needless. You can no more make him want you than you can convince him to abandon you. The adoption is irreversible. You have a place at his table.”[4]

            Ultimate assurance in life comes when we place our lives in God’s hands. This is assurance for us because our eternal life does not rest on our ability to hold on to Jesus. Instead it’s based on Jesus’ strong grip on us.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 468.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Max Lucado, Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2014), 124-125.

8. A Defining Miracle (John 6:2–11)

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The meaning of some words is cheapened by the way we use them. The word “miracle” no longer has significance among Christians because we make statements such as, It was a miracle to find Oreos on sale or Finding a parking spot at the mall was a miracle today.

            In his book, The Case for Miracles, Lee Strobeldefines miracles this way: “miracles are outside the normal course of events. They’re a supernatural exception to the way the world usually works.”[1] Richard Purtill, who was professor emeritus of philosophy at Western Washington University taught that a “miracle is an event (1) brought about by the power of God that is (2) a temporary (3) exception (4) to the ordinary course of nature (5) for the purpose of showing that God has acted in history.”[2]

            In John 6 we read about one of many miracles that Jesus performed. Because of the miracles Jesus had already done “a large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick” (John 6:2).[3] This “crowd” included 5,000 men (John 6:10b). The two most recent miracles this crowd saw were the healing the son of a Royal Official (John 4) and healing a paralyzed man (John 5). Because a large group of people had been following Jesus for an extended period of time, the disciples and Jesus needed to find a way to feed these people.

            But there is a problem we learn about from Philip,“Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little” (John 6:7b). Two hundred denarii is the equivalent of $51,680 dollars to someone living in Washington state in 2022. (The NIV translates it as “more than half a year’s wages.”)[4] $51,680 would not be enough money to purchase enough bread for everyone to have some. Here, the problem according to Philip is simple: there’s not enough finances.

            We also learn about the problem from Andrew, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” (John 6:9). The five barley loaves of this young child were common in the Mediterranean diet. They were leavened a little, formed into small disks about 4-5 inches in diameter, and then baked. Imagine five small disks of bread with two small seasoned fish that was a meal for a small boy.

            Next Jesus speaks about the problem saying,“Have the people sit down” (John 6:10a). Thus far we’ve seen three “not enoughs.” There’s not enough money to buy food to feed the people.  There’s not enough food to feed the people. And there’s not enough faith. They are stuck. But Jesus essentially says, I am enough and in doing so He tells them to “sit down” which let them know a meal is about to come. (If you are going to have a snack you can stand; if you are going to eat a full meal you sit.) Having the people sit down also showed that the people are not participating in the preparation or provision of the meal.            

            “Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted” (John 6:11). This was a miracle following the true meaning of that word. It was supernatural and was an exception to the ordinary course of nature. The miracle was a defining moment for those who saw the Son of God supernaturally providing for needs that no one else could perform. And in the process shows that Jesus cares for us and meets our needs when we are in tough situations.   

[1] Lee Strobel, The Case for Miracles (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 252.

[2] Richard L. Purtill, “Defining Miracles,” in In Defense of Miracles: A Comprehensive Case for God’s Action in History, ed. R. Douglas Geivett and Gary R. Habermas (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1997), 71. Quoted in Lee Strobel, The Case for Miracles (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018), 27.

[3] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[4] So a denarii was roughly one day’s wage for the average worker. It represented 8 months of work since they worked six days per week. Now in our culture we work five days per week, so it’s roughly 10 months of work. And the average salary in Washington state is $62,020 per year. Which is $5,168 per month, which is $51,680 in our currency right now.

7. God’s Creative Solutions (John 5:8, 9)

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For more than three years I struggled with back pain every single day. I hoped a quick fix would remove it. Maybe an inversion table, an insole in my shoe, a pain pill, physical therapy, or a surgery. But none of those things I thought would help did. Instead, God provided a different solution (which I will share later).

            I’m sure you have pain too. Your pain might be physical like mine, or it might be emotional. A family member abandoned you. A best friend betrayed you. A coworker criticized you. Your pain might be spiritual. Someone in the church was legalistic and rigid with you. Someone from the church wasn’t there for you when you asked for help and needed it the most. Someone that was supposed to keep your confidence in the church spread your secrets to others.

            What I know about you and I is that we all have pain in our lives: physical, mental, or spiritual.

            In John 5 we read about a man that had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years (John 5:5). Many years he had hoped to be cured (John 5:7). The man had a mechanism by which he thought he could be cured, but that had not worked (John 5:2-4, 6). After seeing this man Jesus tells him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk” (John 5:8, NASB).[1] Then John tells us, “Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day” (John 5:9).

            Based on this man’s healing we learn that God sometimes fixes things in unexpected ways. We might be tight on money and think we need to get another job, but then God puts a friend in our life that shows us how to save money by cooking at home instead of eating out. We might have an old car that needs to be replaced, but the next thing we know we meet a mechanic that fixes our car for free. We might hate our job and think we need to find a new job, but then God gives us a new boss and the situation improves. Sometimes God fixes our problems in different and unique ways that we do not expect.             I told that story at the beginning of our time together about my back pain because after three years the pain slowly diminished. I wish could say that physical therapy helped it, a pill caused it to go away, or surgery was the way it diminished and it was cured. But, God has fixed it in an unexpected way: I have to keep it strong by exercising, stretch at night before I go to bed, monitor how I stand/sit/sleep, walk a lot, and eat an anti-inflammatory diet. God has almost fixed the problem, but it was not in the way I thought. I have learned—like that man lying next to the pool of water—God often fixes our problems in ways we don’t expect.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

6. The Harvest from the Gospel (John 4:35–38)

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The evangelist Billy Graham shared the gospel with an estimated 215 million people.[1] Many of them responded by placing their faith in Jesus for salvation. While his sermon might have lasted only forty minutes in which someone accepted the gospel, I wonder how many of those people had people praying for their salvation for forty years.

            Rarely does someone accept the gospel the first time we share it with them. Often it takes years of conversations, prayers, and interactions with people before they accept the gospel.

            Jesus touches on this tension in the fourth chapter of John using an agricultural metaphor, “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor”(John 4:35–38, NASB).[2]

            In these verses I believe there are three lessons that Jesus is trying to teach to His disciples and to us.

            In this passage Jesus describes a harvest ready for His disciples’ time. Farmers in the first-century divided their agricultural year into six two-month periods: seedtime, winter, spring, harvest, summer, and a time of extreme heat.[3] This meant they had to wait a minimum of four months between sowing seeds and reaping the harvest. Barley is green when it’s growing, but when it ripens it turns from green to light brown. When Jesus says the fields are “white”(v. 35) He means the fields are extremely ripe. What Jesus is telling His disciples is that they don’t have to wait four months: the field is ready now! 

            In this passage Jesus describes a harvest His disciples didn’t sow. Jesus told them they would “reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor” (v. 38). The harvest Jesus describes is a harvest that was sowed by others before His disciples. Perhaps He’s referring to the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist, or His own miracles. 

            In this passage Jesus describes a harvest for us now. People in the twenty-first century wonder about God and are curious to learn more about who He is. They ask questions such as: Is there more to life than just a better job, bigger house, nicer car, and fancier vacations? Why do bad things happen to good people? How do I get through the difficulties of life?

            As we reap the harvest in front of us we benefit from someone else’s sowing. Let’s remember that the fields around us in our family, at work, and in our community are ripe and ready for harvest.

[1] According to Samaritan’s Purse, Billy Graham preached the gospel to 215 million people in 185 different countries. See “Biography: Billy Graham” at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/media/bio-billy-graham/. Accessed May 6, 2024.

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[3] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995), 246-247.

5. A Savior for Everyone (John 4:13–14)

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Most of us are familiar with the story of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. It’s an impactful story because most of us relate to her in some way.

            This woman had to face questions that most of us face in our lives. Am I worthy of salvation? If Jesus knew about my sin, what would he say? Have I done things so wrong that I can never be forgiven? My own family doesn’t want to be with me, why would God want me to be with him? If Jesus showed up, would he know who I was? Would he talk to me?

            The big idea of this story—and I think the reason that John puts it in his gospel—is that Jesus has eternal life that He offers to everyone and anyone can have that eternal life. And when we accept that eternal life we have a testimony (regardless of our good or bad past) that should be used to bring others to share in the eternal life that we enjoy

            Jesus tells this woman,“Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:13–14, NASB).[1]

            In John 4 we learn that Jesus is offering living water to everyone. Notice a few words here. He says “everyone” (v. 13) and “whoever” (v. 14). He’s not saying, “A Jew” or “a righteous person” or a “Gentile that has converted to Jewish faith.” He’s saying everyone: Samaritans, Greeks, Romans, Sinners, righteous, men, women, “everyone”is able to come to this living water.

            John puts Jesus’s words in the strongest way possible to say a negative. The text, “shall never thirst” is a translation from the Greek which reads, ou me dipsesei, which means “no not ever.” This type of Greek construction describes something that won’t happen. There is a guarantee of Jesus that once we accept this offer, we’ll never need anything ever again. 

            In John 4 Jesus declares He’s the Savior of the world. Notice if we jump to the end of the story it says Jesus is “savior to the world” (v. 42). This is John’s way of reminding us that this was his whole purpose in writing this gospel. John makes it clear that Jesus came to bring salvation for people of all races, and this story brings out that truth. The Savior is sufficient for John the Baptist, Jesus’s disciples, Nicodemus, and the Samaritan woman. John’s telling us that the Savior—the Messiah—has arrived and he’s offering salvation to everyone in everyplace.  

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

3. Time To Be Born Again (John 3:5–8)

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Something was stirring in the minds and hearts of people. When Jesus cast out the money changers and animal sellers at the temple in Jerusalem a lot of people rejected Jesus as soon as He showed up. But others were interested in learning about who He was and what He was doing.

            One of those interested people was a religious man named Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee (John 3:1), ruler of the Jews (John 3:1), and teacher in Israel (John 3:10). He approached Jesus at night and asked Jesus what must be done to be born again (John 3:3). Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5, NASB).[1]

            Nicodemus was confused. The word “water” here likely refers to the ministry of John the Baptist, who was baptizing people in water as part of their repentance for their sins. And “Spirit” refers to the means that someone is indwelled by God and saved by God. This means that Nicodemus needs to repent in order to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. 

            Jesus gives an illustration of the difference between Nicodemus’s religion and God’s regeneration. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:6–8, NASB).
            As a religious leader Nicodemus and his friends tried to control people and their religion. But Jesus says God has arrived and the Spirit of God is moving in a new way.

            There’s a wordplay here that we miss. The word for Spirit and wind are the same word in Greek: pneuma which can mean “Spirit” or “wind.” And Jesus uses the word to describe how the wind blows where it wishes compared to how the Spirit works in His own way in which He wishes. Just like the wind works in unknown and unseen ways, the Spirit of God is working in new and unseen ways. Just as humans cannot control the wind, neither can humans control the Holy Spirit. Just as being born again is a mysterious and unseen act, so is the work of the Spirit.             J. Vernon McGee writes about this verse, “I can’t tell you exactly how the Spirit of God operates, but I can surely tell when He is moving in the lives and hearts of His people.”[2] That’s exactly what Jesus is saying here: the Spirit of God is moving in a way that no one can control and might not always understand. While the Pharisees tried to control people and religion, God and his Holy Spirit saves and regenerates who He wants.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] J. Vernon McGee, John 1-10 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 56, emphasis added.

2. Meeting a Need (John 2:3–8)

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There was a serious problem at a wedding in Cana of Galilee in the first century when the supply of wine ran out. This was a breach of etiquette in ancient near eastern culture. The groom was responsible to provide wine at his wedding celebration. There are some ancient documents that indicate a groom could face legal and financial punishment from members of a community if he didn’t provide food and wine for a week of celebration after a wedding.

            Jesus’ mother, Mary, went to Jesus and declared the problem and also asked for Jesus’ help. “When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it’” (John 2:3–5, NASB).[1]

            Here Mary recognizes the authority of Jesus to do what He desires. She knew He would do something so she goes to the servants at the wedding and essentially says, “get ready!” When there is a problem we need to prepare for Jesus’ help like Mary did. We don’t say, “God, here I am. Fix it.” We need to cooperate with God as He fixes it.

            If we are struggling to pay our bills and we ask Jesus for help, we need to prepare for Jesus to help us by preparing a budget. If our health is getting worse and we ask Jesus for help, we need to do everything that our doctor says will get us better. If our marriage is on the rocks and we ask Jesus for help, we need to seek counseling to get us ready for the transformation He might make in our marriage.

            When there is a problem we also need to obey God’s promptings to us to help others like the servants did. “Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.’ So they took it to him” (John 2:6–8, NASB).  Reading these three verses reminds us that when God puts someone on our mind or heart, we need to reach out by inviting her to coffee, call to check in, send a card in the mail, or stop by their house to check on him or her. We need to act when God works in us and shows us who needs help, just as the servants obeyed Jesus.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

1. Pointing to the Light (John 1:4–5, 6–9)

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A model from Los Angeles contacted me on Instagram asking me to give him my Instagram handle name. He wrote, “I’ll pay you for your name on Instagram.” I responded and asked how much he would offer. (I was not going to accept the money, but I was curious how much he’d offer). After he offered several hundred dollars I responded, “I’m a Christian. You can have it for free. Jesus has been good to me and blessed me with so much. You can just have my name for free.”

            I used that interaction as an opportunity to point him to the light of Jesus. This is a ministry—pointing others to the Light of Jesus—we all have and it was the ministry of John the Baptist too.

            We live in a dark world. Even non-Christians that don’t have faith in God can agree that the world is a dark place. Because of that we need to use every opportunity to point people to the light of Jesus. The people John was writing to understood this too. John the Apostle wrote his gospel at a time when the other original disciples of Jesus had been killed because of their faith in Christ. John was the only one left alive. John writes in his gospel that God sends life seen as light. “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:4–5).[1]

            God sent someone to testify about the light, “There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:6–9). This man who “testified about Him” (John 1:15a) we call John the Baptist. Now there’s a few important points here we need to understand about John as we relate ourselves to him.

            Like John, we are not the Light. Jesus was the Light. Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” Jesus was the light, not John the Baptist. And we need to remember we are not the light, but Jesus is.

            Like John, we are supposed to point to the Light. In John 1:7a we are told about John the Baptist’s position, “He came as a witness to testify about the light.” God sent John the Baptist to help the people understand who Jesus was and what Jesus came to do. John was the interpreter for the people. This is a good reminder for us because it’s not enough to just hand someone a Bible and walk off. We can’t just read them a verse and expect them to get saved. We have to help them interpret what they read and hear about Jesus.

            Like John, we won’t always be successful, but should always be faithful. John failed, in many ways if you think about it. First, he failed to get the Jews[2] to recognize Christ when He came. John had one job to do: point to the Messiah and say, “here he is!” Many did not recognize Christ when He showed up. Second, John the Baptist also failed because some people started following him instead of looking for the Messiah. In Acts 8:25 and Acts 19:1-7 Paul encounters men who still call themselves disciples of John the Baptist more than 20 years after Jesus’s resurrection and ascension to heaven![3] Even though John the Baptist wasn’t always successful, he was faithful. And we too, should be faithful to our calling to point people to the light. We tell people we are praying for them, we send them cards that have Scripture on them, and we spend time with them.

            When I told that man on Instagram about Jesus he did not reply, Yes, I want to follow Jesus. But I was faithful to my calling to point people to Christ—to the light—whenever possible. I did what John the Baptist did: I tried to point someone to the light at every opportunity available. And that’s all our job too!

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] It does not appear that any of the five groups of Jews (Essenes, Herodians, Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots) alive in the first century followed John the Baptist’s ministry

[3] Those same followers of John the Baptist exist today. They call themselves “Mandeans” and claim to be descendants of John the Baptist.

A God that Serves His People? (Isa 53:5, 9-12)

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There are some names I’m going to share that I’m sure you will recognize: Jim Jones, Charles Manson, David Koresh, Shoko Asahara, Joseph Di Mambro, Marshall Applewhite, and Bonnie Lu Nettles.

            Most of those names have something in common: a sacrifice was made by the people on behalf of the cult leader. The people would do things for the leader such as giving money, abandoning their family, inflicting harm on others, and even killing themselves.

            While those people were part of bizarre cults, there are religions in the world where people sacrifice themselves or work hard to earn their way into favor with the god they worship. Jehovah Witnesses work hard so they can hopefully become one of the 144,000 witnesses in heaven. Mormons are active in their faith hoping to one day attain godhood like Jesus. Muslims work hard to please Alah through legalistic prayer rituals & other activities.

            Christianity is antithetical to those cults and religions. As evangelical Christians we don’t sacrificeourselves for our leader, nor do we work hard to earn his favor, nor do we hope to attain a level of sainthood.

            Instead, Christianity is based on the act of our leader and our God—Jesus Christ—sacrificing Himself for us. While those cults and religions require people to sacrifice themselves for the leader, in Christianity the leader sacrificed himself for us. The prophet Isaiah writing 700 years before Jesus’s life predicted the death of our Savior for our sins.

CHRIST’S PAIN AND OUR PEACE

            In Isaiah 53:5 we learn that in Jesus’ pain He gave us peace. “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.”[1] This verse describes the punishment that Jesus went through. One classic Old Testament commentary states, “There were no stronger expressions to be found in the language, to denote a violent and painful death.”[2] One Hebrew syntax manual tells us that it is “the punishment [chastening] that brought us peace.”[3]     Christ’s chastening and punishment causes our well-being. Another way to translate “well-being” would be to use the word, “peace.” The Hebrew word there is shalom (שָׁלֹום). Christ’s wounds healed our sins. Christ’s severe punishment brought us spiritual nourishment. Christ’s pain on the cross brought peace into our lives.

CHRIST’S WORK AND NOT OUR WORK

            Christ’s work on the cross means we don’t have to work for our salvation.Isaiah continues, “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:10–12).

            In these verses Isaiah tells us Jesus died because of the Father’s desire. Notice how it begins, “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him” (v. 10a). God the Father wasn’t surprised when Jesus died on the Cross. God the Father was in heaven and made the decision to have Christ die on behalf of the sinners of the earth. Why? Because God the Father loves everyone and wants to have a relationship with us, so He sent His only Son to be the sacrifice to die for us.

            In these verses Isaiah tells us Jesus died for our sins. Towards the middle of verse ten we read, “If He would render Himself as a guilt offering” (v. 10b). This describes Jesus’s whole being, his “soul” (v. 11). The same word for guilt offering, asam (אָשָׁם֙) is used here as in Leviticus 6-7 of the guilt offering which required 120 percent restitution (Leviticus 6:5). The word is used specifically in Lev 5:15; 6:5; 19:21 to describe an offering to atone for us. 

            In these verses Isaiah tells us Jesus died for everyone. Here God the Father says, “My Servant, will justify the many” (v. 11b). Christ died for everyone. Not just men or women, rich or poor, Hispanics or blacks, Jews or Arabs, he died for “the many.” 

            In these verses Isaiah tells us Jesus died with other sinners when Jesus was arrested (v. 12). Someone was already in custody and sentenced to die when Jesus was arrested. Remember his name? Barabas. Who was he? A murderer and insurrectionist (Luke 23:25). He had been sentenced to die, so when Jesus dies on the cross with two other criminals we learn that Jesus was dying with the worst of sinners. 

CHRIST’S EXALTATION AND BURIAL

            Isaiah described the execution of Jesus and also described the burial of Jesus. “His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth” (Isaiah 53:9). In this prophecy Isaiah tells that us while Jesus was killed with wicked evil men and was supposed to be buried with those same men, this future savior would be buried as a rich man. The fulfillment of this verse was when named Joseph of Armathia takes Jesus down from the cross and places Jesus in Joseph of Armathia’s tomb (Matthew 27:57-60; John 19:31).

A GOD THAT SERVED US

            These verses from Isaiah teach us that we worship a God that served us. In Luke 22:25–27 Jesus told His disciples, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”[4] We must always remember that we serve a God that served us first. I’m not sure how many religions can claim that the god which they worship served them before they serve their god. But I believe that’s why the God of the Bible is worthy of our worship: He doesn’t need anything from us. Just the opposite, He gave to us and served us before we ever knew Him.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah, vol 2 (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI: 1877), translated by James Martin, p. 318.

[3]  Bruce Waltke and M. O’Connor, Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Eisenbrauns, Winona Lake, IN: 1990), 146. Waltke and O’Connor describe מוּסַ֤ר שְׁלֹומֵ֨נוּ֙  as an adverbial genitive which is a genitive of effect: C causes G (Ibid.).

[4] Emphasis mine.

Not Surprised at the Cross (Pss 22)

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The Ukrainian poet, Taras Shevchenko, wrote a poem titled, “It Makes No Difference To Me” that describes a Ukrainian man’s feelings toward the neighboring nation of Russia. That poem described what was happening in 2022, 2023, and 2024 as the Ukrainian people—according to Shevchenko—fight off those “evil folk” and “wicked men” that “attack our Ukraine.” 

            And while that poem described what was felt among a lot of Ukrainians in 2022 and 2023, it was not written in 2022, 2023 or 2024. That poem was composed by Taras Shevchenko in 1861 describing his feelings about the Russians and their attacks on his home country of Ukraine.[1] While Taras Shevchenko wrote a poem that described his experience in 1861 that also described the experience of Ukrainians in 2022 and 2023 and 2024, a guy named David that lived 1000 years before Jesus Christ wrote about his own experience of suffering, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, David also described the future sufferings of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

            In Psalm 22 David describes the pain he feels from suffering. He summarizes his pain in Psalm 22:11, “Be not far from me, for trouble is near; For there is none to help.”[2] This is how suffering feels at times. David is all alone. Difficult times hurt often because we are alone in them.

            In Psalm 22 David also describes pain from his enemies. He compares his enemies to wicked and cruel beasts. “Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. They open wide their mouth at me, As a ravening and a roaring lion” (Psalm 22:12-13). The “Bulls of Bashan” (v. 12) were well fed cattle. Bashan was a fertile area east of the Sea of Galilee now known as the Golan Heights. It had lush oak forests and good pastures for cattle. The “Lion” is understood to be power and force that a lion has over us.

            David says he cannot continue on because his energy is zapped. “I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And You lay me in the dust of death” (Psalm 22:14-15). This is a picture of Jesus’ body on the cross hung by nails through His hands, His body weight suspended from His hands, and His back that was tweaked with His joints slipping out of place. As His body was stretched and His joints dislodged, His heart must have struggled to pump blood throughout His body. Like David his “heart is like wax; It is melted within me” (v. 14). He’s at the end of his life. He’s got nothing left. He was at the brink of death.             

            In Psalm 22 David says he is in such pain he’s about to die. David describes his enemies, “For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet” (Psalm 22:16). When he says “dogs” (v. 16) we must remember that dogs in the culture of the Bible were not cute pets that lived in people’s houses. They hunted the streets as scavengers or traveled around in the wilderness in packs. This is a future picture of Jesus’ enemies. These bulls, lions, and dogs describe the Roman workers that executed Jesus and the Jewish leaders that lied in order to convict Jesus. Those enemies of Jesus were bigger, more powerful, and used their authority to attack Jesus and kill Him. Just as David would have been no match against bulls, lions, and dogs, Jesus was no match for the Jewish leaders that accused Him of a crime and the Roman officials that executed Him.  

            This is also a future picture of Jesus’s wounds. In this line, “They pierced my hands and my feet” (v. 16b). David is describing what would figuratively happen if a bull, lion, and dog attacked him. But in the New Testament the gospel writer, John, tells us that this literally happened to Jesus (John 20:20). 

            David also describes his agony. “I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:17-18). Here we see the people around Jesus that divided His clothing among them. This was a sign that they knew He would die. And for His clothing they “cast lots.” The New Living Translation says, “throw dice.” All four gospel writers record this detail in their telling of the crucifixion.

            As we approach Good Friday and Easter Sunday we should remember that Jesus was not surprised by what awaited Him. David had described it in Psalm 22 and Jesus was prepared for it. Jesus was ready for the suffering that was prepared for Him because He knew it was necessary for the salvation of people. And He knew that He would conquer death by coming back to life again Sunday morning.

[1] Taras Shevchenko, “It Makes No Difference To Me.” Translated by Clarence A. Manning. https://taras-shevchenko.storinka.org/taras-shevchenko’s-poem-it-makes-no-difference-to-me-tr-by-clarence-a-manning.html Accessed March 22, 2023

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Basic Dos and Don’ts to Be a More Welcoming Church

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We all know Scripture tells us to be hospitable. Paul tells us that we all should be “practicing hospitality” (Romans 12:13).[1] The author of Hebrews warns us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” (Hebrews 13:2). Peter instructs his readers, “be hospitable to one another without complaint” (1 Peter 4:9).

            But how do we do this? Furthermore, how do we teach and train others in our churches to do this? In this article I share a few dos and don’ts I’ve learned to teach our church in order to become a friendlier and more welcoming church.

DOS

Smile. A warm smile goes a long way. Nothing says “Hello” or “You are welcome here” more than a smile. As Mark Twain once said, “Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.”[2]

Make eye contact. People visiting a church are often self-conscious about what they are wearing and how they look. We can help remove some of their anxiety about looks by looking at their eyes and not at their clothes. Looking at their clothes tells them we are judging them by what they wear; looking at their eyes tells them we appreciate who they are.

Ask if they know people part of the church. If visitors came to church because of a neighbor, coworker, or family member that invited them, then say it’s great to have them visit. If we know the visitor’s neighbor, coworker, or family member, we can start a conversation about the person that we each know.

Ask what it is that they like about the church. This question shows we are interested in learning more about the visitor. Instead of us trying to “sell” our church to the visitor, this allows the visitor to tell us why the church is important to them.

Display good signs. Be sure your signs are clear from the outside of the building. Make it clear which doors are entrances. Our church has a door often used as an entrance, but we lock it when the service begins for safety reasons. We have a sign on the door that says, “This door is locked at 10:30 AM when the service begins.” Make it clear where someone is supposed to walk after he parks his car.

Provide a paper bulletin. Do not expect visitors to download an app or follow your service on their phone when they intentionally came to church to be around people. You place a barrier between the church and the visitor when the visitor is required to download an app or scan a QR code in order to access information about your church. If we are serious about kindly welcoming new people to our church, then we will spend the time and money to provide the information we want them to have in a way that we can hand to them.

Place greeters near doors. I know it’s easy to overlook, but be sure you have a few people near each door so they can greet new people as soon as they arrive. Strategically ask people you have seen regularly arrive at church early to be greeters. Don’t make an announcement that you are looking for greeters because the notoriously late person might volunteer to greet people.

Encourage after church fellowship. A simple phrase spoken near the end of the service like, “Please don’t rush out today” or “We encourage you to linger after the service and enjoy time together” communicates to new people that your church wants to get to know them.

DON’TS

Don’t use your phone or tablet. People come to church to be with people. Nothing says, “we don’t care about you” more than someone who looks at her phone instead of greeting new visitors. When we look at our phone instead of engaging with people, it tells them that what is on our phone is more important than the person in front of us.

Don’t ask if someone is new. I was an associate pastor for six months at a church of about 200 people when I saw a 35-year-old man come to church alone. I had never seen him before—especially since there aren’t many 35-year-old men that come to church alone—so I walked up and said, “You look new to our church. Welcome!” He looked at me, clearly frustrated, and said he’d been going to that church for three years. Clearly he had not been at church for the six months that I’d been working there. A better way to have greeted him would have been, “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Christopher. How are you doing?”

Don’t point out visitors to the entire church in the service. Never ask your guests to stand so that everyone can see they are new. Most people visiting a church want to sit in the back and observe the service. Do not ask visitors to participate in the service on their first Sunday.

Don’t play music after the service. When we play background music after church it discourages people from talking among themselves and subtly tells them it’s time to leave. Instead, let there be silence in the church after the service. You’ll be surprised how the awkward silence is quickly filled with conversations among people.

Don’t use insider language. While we might think the language we use is easy to follow and clear, others may not understand what we say. One church advertised their ministry groups as “Six Eight Group” and “Nine Twelve Group.” A visitor might think the first group was for kids ages “6–8” and the second for kids ages “9–12.” But those numbers were meant to describe the grades, not age. The “Six Eight Group” was for kids in grades sixth to eighth grade. And the “Nine Twelve Group” was for kids in ninth through twelfth grade. The group names might appear simple to the ministry leaders, but are confusing to new visitors.

BECOMING MORE WELCOMING

None of these “dos” and “don’ts” are hard and fast rules for becoming a welcoming church. The most important element of becoming a welcoming church is cultivating an atmosphere that values new visitors.

Sometimes simple phrases in the welcome, announcements, or sermons make a big difference. Phrases such as, “If you are visiting with us for the first time” or “We are glad you decided to try out our church today” subtly shows you are open to new people at church and that they were welcome to be there.

             Finding ways to incorporate stories into sermons about the experience of new people at your church is important as well. These stories show you value visitors and displays to your members the importance of visitors having a good experience at your church.

            Most of all, show you love visitors because of God’s love. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7). We should communicate to visitors that we are glad they are with us, that we care for them, and that God loves them. This will help them feel valued and appreciated, which is the best and most effective way to be a welcoming church.

CONGREGATIONAL STUDY GUIDE

  1. How do we think visitors feel when they attend our church?
  2. What are we currently doing to make visitors feel welcome?
  3. What “dos” rom this article should we begin?
  4. What “donts” From this article Should we stop?
  5. How are we going to implement these changes?

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] The New Dictionary of Thoughts (Standard Book Company, 1961), 625.

Comparing Genesis 1 with Ancient Near Eastern Creation Myths

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Some scholars say that the Genesis 1 creation account is a literary “polemic” which was meant to refute ancient Near Eastern creation mythologies.[1] Others say the Genesis 1 creation account is radically different and that the similarities are simply coincidental.[2] Furthermore, some even advance that the creation accounts of Babylon have influenced the narratives of the Gospels in Matthew and Mark as well as Paul’s account of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians.[3] This article will examine the similarities and differences between the Israelite creation account of Genesis 1 and the ancient Near Eastern creation myths of Egypt, Babylon, Sumeria, and Canaan.

ISRAELITE CREATION ACCOUNT

Context of the Israelite Creation Account

Moses wrote the book of Genesis after the Israelites had left Egypt while they were in the wilderness. The Israelites had just left their homes and were trying to understand who this mighty and powerful God was that had just brought them out of Egypt. Moses’ description of God and the creation of the world in Genesis told the Israelites where they came from and who created them. In this way, Moses was revealing to Israel what kind of God was forming them into a nation.[4]

Content of Creation in Genesis 1

On day one God creates light from darkness and provides light for his creation (Gen 1:3–5). On day two God separates the waters above from the waters below (Gen 1:6–8). On day three God completes his three-day process of forming the earth for life by separating land from sea and by starting vegetation life (Gen 1:9–13). On day four God replaces the light from creation on day one with light from the sun for day and light from the moon at night (Gen 1:14–19). On day five God fills the waters with swimming creatures and fills the skies with flying creatures, then blesses them with the desire to multiply (Gen 1:20–23). On day six God creates man in his image (Gen 1:26–27), blesses humanity to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:28–30), and called all he created very good (Gen 1:26–31). On day seven God completed his creation, ceased from his work, and consecrated the seventh day (Gen 2:1–3).

Structure of Genesis 1 and the Israelite Creation Account

While most exegetical studies of the Israelite creation account focus on the sequence of creation, the structure of Genesis 1 must also be examined. Genesis 1:1 is a summary statement of creation, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”[5] This is the main clause or title given for the chapter. Genesis 1:2 reveals a state of chaos, “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.”This verse contains three clauses that are descriptive and supply background information. We could see these three clauses as the “circumstances” of the earth before creation. This state of chaos reveals that the earth is without shape (Gen 1:2a), without light (Gen 1:2b), and is present with God (Gen 1:2c). This structure is vital to a correct understanding of the Israelite creation account compared to ancient Near Eastern accounts because in Genesis 1 God creates from something. For the sake of this paper, Genesis 1:1 is a summary statement of what follows in Genesis 1:3–2:3, thus something exists in Genesis 1:2 when God begins to create in Genesis 1:3. Genesis 1:3—2:3 contains the narrative sequence.[6]

            Many conservative evangelical scholars have interpreted Genesis 1:3—2:3 as narrative history, not as poetry, parable, prophetic, allegory, or myth. The syntax of Genesis 1:3—2:3 suggests it should be considered historical narrative just like one would read the account of Ezra returning to Judah from Persia, Daniel’s experience in Babylon, or the splitting of Israel among Rehoboam and Jeroboam. The Genesis 1 creation account follows the normal form of historical narrative seen throughout the Old Testament canon. This pattern reveals past events by starting with the verb first (preterite / vayyiqtol / vav plus imperfect consecutive), then subject, then object.[7] For those reasons Genesis 1 is viewed as historical narrative, not part of the wisdom genre and poetic nature of Hebrew syntax often found in the Psalms, Proverbs, and the book of Job.

A Single God Created the Earth Divine Fiat and Ex Nihilo

Systematic theologians assert that the Old Testament teaches one God created the earth divine fiat (by mere command) and ex nihilo (from nothing). In this manner of creation there was no cosmic struggle between God and something else. In the Israelite creation account God is the subject of the creative acts seen in Gen 1:1, 3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24; 2:2. He is the single supreme deity in the Israelite creation account. Not only is he the only God, but he existed before creation and outside of that creation.[8] In the Israelite creation account God does not use matter or human beings to create. Instead, Genesis 1, Psalm 33:6-9, and Romans 4:14 all affirm that God merely spoke and creation emerged.

Biblical References to the Creation Account

Various passages throughout the Bible attest to the Genesis creation account as a historical event. When Jesus was asked about the topic of divorce he said that God made human beings “male and female from the beginning of creation” (Mark 10:5-6, NLT). Paul describes God as having “existed before anything else and he holds all creation together” (Col 1:17, NLT). The half-brother of Jesus told believers that God “created all the lights in the heavens” (James 1:17, NLT). Extending the creation account beyond just the Israelites was Melchizedek who blessed Abram by “God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth” (Gen 14:19, NLT). Lastly, Revelation 3:14 describes God’s “new creation” which implies something old which had already been created. In addition to these passages, numerous others point to the biblical account of creation as a historical event.[9]

ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN CREATION MYTHS

Confusion often arises when looking at ancient Near Eastern creation myths because unlike the Israelites’ single account, many ancient Near Eastern cultures had multiple creation accounts. The myths often varied depending on which city they were told in and which god belonged there.[10]

Egyptian Creation Myths

Some believe that there were three creation myths in Egypt[11] while others believe there were four.[12] More than one creation myth creates contradictions about how the world was created and who created it.[13] Therefore, as far as the Egyptian perspective, “There is no single Egyptian account known to date that describes the complete Egyptian perspective on creation. Instead, we have to put together a mosaic of bits and pieces recorded in various documents.”[14]

            The Egyptian creation myth is “thoroughly devoted to Theogony—birth of the gods as they took their forms in the creation of nature.”[15] At the beginning of creation there was only an “infinite dark, watery, chaotic sea.”[16] The gods mentioned in the Egyptian creation accounts were Nun (who existed in the primordial waters), Atum (who emerged from the waters), Enead who was the manifestation of the creation of the material world (generated by Atum), and Re/Re-Amun (the sun).[17] Later, humanity was created by accident, and at the end of the day the creator god rested. Finally pharaoh was born as the firstborn of Re/Re-Amun.[18] Everything was done in a single day[19] mostly by sneezing, spitting, and masturbation.[20] Man was created in the image of Re, or Khnum fashioned man on a patters wheel with the breath of god (if that god was Re, Hekat, or Aton is unclear) or man sprang from the eye of Atum.[21]

Sumerian Creation Myths

The Sumerian creation myth exists because the gods needed relief from laboring for self sustenance.[22] In this myth the goddess Nammu is the one who made the earth,[23] but the creation of man was merely an afterthought as a result of the gods’ desire for laborers.[24] The resulting creation myth of Sumaria is in close connection with the Babylonian Atrahasis epic and Enuma Elish epic.[25]

Canaanite Creation Myths

There are no clear cosmologies about creation in the Canaanite materials. What is known is that El (the head of the Canaanite pantheon) and his wife, Asherah, were creators. El is described as the creator of the earth, gods, and men.[26] Later, El was eclipsed by his son, Baal, who was the storm god and later a fertility god. While little is known of the Canaanite creation account there were “battles between Baal and the Sea (Yamm) and Death (Mot).[27]

Mesopotamian and Babylonian Creation Myths

Numerous gods are named in the two Mesopotamian and Babylonian creation myths. One of the myths is the Enuma Elish epic. The beginning of creation starts with the primordial waters consisting of two gods: Tiamat (salt water god of the deep) and Apsu (fresh water god). A third god, Mummu, appeared later as “vizier” to Apsu. The fresh water and salt water mixed to make the first generation of gods. As a result of the noise of those new gods Apsu could not sleep so he decided he was going to kill the created gods. However, Ea (the god of rivers and streams) found out about Apsu’s plan to kill the new gods so he put Apsu to sleep and then killed Apsu. Ea then fathered his own gods beginning with Marduk (the god of storm).[28] Marduk is said to have become the king of the remaining gods because he defeated and killed his rival gods.[29] When defeating the god Tiamat Marduk used her body—cut in half—to separate the land and the sky.[30] Mankind was created by mixing flesh and blood of a killed god (or gods)[31] with clay. This formed man and gave the spirit of god to man.[32] The other account of Mesopotamian and Babylonian creation myths is Atrahasis. In the Atrahasis epic the god, Ea, created seven human couples to take over the work of the lesser gods. Those lesser gods were in charge of tilling the land and growing food for the greater gods. When they tired and went on strike, Ea created seven human couples to replace the lesser gods’ role in tilling the ground and growing food.[33]

CONTINUITY AND DISCONTINUITY

Continuity

            The Source of Creation. One of the common features seen in the ancient Near Eastern creation myths and the Israelite account is land emerging from the waters. In the Israelite creation account we have the earth being formless, empty, and darkness covering the deep waters (Gen 1:2). Later, on the third day of creation God allows land to “appear” because the water beneath the sky flowed into one place (Gen 1:9). The Egyptian creation account reveals that land emerged only after the water had receded.[34] Another continuity is that in the Israelite creation account mankind was formed by God; in the ancient Near Eastern myths the gods create humankind with matter from the earth. The Israelite creation says that God made human beings in his image (Gen 1:26–27) and later reveals that he “formed the man from the dust of the ground” (Gen 2:7). The Babylonian account reveals that humans were made from the “clay,” but that clay was mixed with “the blood of Kingu or two Lamga gods (craftsman gods).”[35] 

            The Sequence of Creation. Many of the creation events in ancient Near Eastern myths follow the basic structure of the Israelite creation account. While the overall storyline of the Israelite creation account is different than Egypt’s cosmology, most of the other factors of Egypt’s creation myths and other ancient Near Eastern creation myths follow a similar pattern and theme.[36] James Atwell[37] shows the Enuma Elish (Babylonian) chronology closely follows the Israelite account. Both begin with a divine spirit existing external to matter, the matter was full of darkness, and light came from the gods (Enuma Elish) while God created light (Israel). Next was creation of firmament, then creation of dry land, later creation of luminaries, the creation of man, and finally the gods rest and celebrate (Enuma Elish) and God rests and sanctifies the seventh day (Israelite).[38] Furthermore, Soden and Miller relate God’s rest and sanctification of the seventh day of creation to Egypt’s Memphite Theology (one of three or four different creation cosmologies of Egypt). In the Memphite Theology “Ptah rested when all the creating was done and all the gods were settled.”[39] As seen above, there is similarity in the chronology of the Israelite creation account to Babylonia and one of the Egyptian cosmologies.

            The Substance of Creation. The Israelite creation account also matches the Egyptian creation myths in describing “primordial waters” (or “watery”),[40] which would eventually be formed into the earth.[41] Related to the wateriness of the earth in its precreated condition is also the darkness that covered the earth. That darkness is common in the Enuma Elish[42] and Egyptian creation myths.[43] Another brief continuity occurs in the Egyptian “Hermopolis” creation cosmology where the light came from Atum (the sun-god) before formal creation of the sun.[44] The same concept of “light” before the creation of the sun is in the Israelite creation account when God created light on day one (Gen 1:3) but the sun was not created until day four (Gen 1:14–18). In addition, the Israelite creation account and ancient Near Eastern cosmologies focus on a separation between the heavens and the earth. The Sumerians said that the heavens were separated from the earth by the air-god Enil. The Babylonian Enuma Elish made heaven from the upper part of the slain Tiamat. The Egyptian myth tells of Shu, the air god, pushing up Nut (sky goddess) from Geg (earth god) which eventually separated the earth from the sky.[45] In the Israelite creation account God separated the waters of the heavens (sky) and the waters of the earth (Gen 1:6–8).

Discontinuity

Most conservative evangelical scholars would place Genesis 1 and ancient Near Eastern creation accounts into different literary genres. Most view the Israelite creation account as a literal event.[46] Unlike the ancient Near Eastern myths, the “Israelites’ knowledge of God, therefore, was not founded in the first instance on the numinous awareness of nature, as was the case in polytheism. It was based on historical event.”[47] Furthermore, the “God of Israel has no mythology.”[48] The ancient Near Eastern accounts from Egypt, Sumeria, Canaan, and Babylon are normally placed in the literary genre of myth. An ancient Near Eastern myth has possible historical reference contained within its narrative, but an ancient Near Eastern myth does not expressively affirm the historicity of particular features of its narrative.[49] According to Kenton L. Sparks ancient Near Eastern myth “refers to stories in which the gods are major actors and the setting is either in the early cosmos or in the heavens.”[50] Sparks later elaborates, “We must contend as well with the possibility that ancient myth writers sometimes believed their myths to be inspired and hence factually reliable.”[51] Therefore, before examining the stated discontinuities of the ancient Near Eastern creation myths and Israelite creation account it is important to realize some conservative evangelical scholars believe the Israelite account is talking about factual history while the ancient Near Eastern accounts are myths.

            The Source of Creation. The most striking difference between the Israelite creation account and ancient Near Eastern myths is the God (singular) of Israel versus gods (plural) of the ancient Near East. Almost all ancient Near Eastern creation myths involve a myriad of gods[52] while Israel had one God. Another strong discontinuity is the absence of combat and struggle in the Israelite creation account compared to the constant struggle and combat in the ancient Near Eastern creation myths.[53] With regard to the Israelite creation account “any notion of a combat, struggle, or force is absent in both of these creation acts”[54] As Kenneth Kitchen explains, “Genesis 1:1-2:3 presents a calm, stately vista of creation of the cosmos by one supreme deity, untrammeled by complex mythologies or subplots.”[55]

            The Substance of Creation. Unlike the ancient Near Eastern creation myths, the Israelite creation account did not deify or worship the created matter. In this way, Genesis 1 rejects the Egyptian method of deifying the sky, ground, and air.[56] The Egyptian creation myths saw the material world (created matter) as the “embodiment, physical manifestation, or terrestrial incarnation of the individual gods.”[57] For example, the sun was the god Re, the sky was Nut, the ground was Geb, dry air was Shu, moist humidity was Tefnut, the primordial sea was Nun.[58] The Israelite creation account clearly rejects this deification of the created material world. Instead, according to the Israelite creation account, man was to govern the earth and reign over everything on earth (Gen 1:28). Adding to the differences between this creation account and ancient Near Eastern myths is the relationship established between God and man. The ancient Near Eastern myths had humans being made to serve the gods and do the work that the gods had gone on strike from. Yet, in the Israelite creation account God entrusted humans to reign and govern his creation on his behalf (Gen 1:26, 28).

            Another difference is seen in how the Israelite creation account describes the beginning of the human race with a single couple, Adam and Eve. This description of the beginning of humanity is unique because, “nowhere in the ancient texts are human origins depicted in terms of a single couple being created as progenitors of the entire human race. Consequently, if the biblical text includes that idea, it is not doing so in conformity with its ancient Near Eastern environment.”[59] The closest relation to the Israelite creation account of a single couple at the start of the human race is the Atrahasis epic in which the god Ea created seven human couples. Yet the purpose of creating those couples was to take over the work of the lesser gods’ job of growing food for the greater gods.[60] The relationship between this first couple in the Israelite creation account is also a reminder that God provides for his creation when he says to Adam and Eve, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely” (Gen 2:16).[61]

CONCLUSION

This has been an examination of the Israelite creation account and ancient Near Eastern creation myths. There is a strong similarity among these accounts regarding the sequence of creation. And there are subtle continuities regarding the beginning of creation consisting of water as well as continuity of man being formed with matter from the earth.

            However, there are more discontinuities and stronger contrasts among those discontinuities. The first is that the Israelite creation account is often considered a literal and historical creation account compared to the ancient Near Eastern creation myths. Second, there is one supreme and powerful creator in the Israelite creation account while there are many gods mixed into the ancient Near Eastern creation myths. There is no supernatural struggle in the Israelite creation account because God alone created the world. Third, while the ancient Near Eastern creation myths deify the created matter (water, sun, etc.) as “gods,” the only God in the Isrealite creation account is the God which created the earth. Fourth, humanity is entrusted to rule over God’s creation in the Israelite creation account while humans are often depicted in the ancient Near Eastern myths as servants and laborers to the needs of gods. Fifth, the Israelite creation account starts with a single couple as the beginning of the human race which is completely unique from other ancient Near Eastern accounts.

            In light of the evidence presented in this paper there does appear to be some continuity between the Israelite creation account and ancient Near Eastern myths, but the discontinuities are more common and present stronger contrasts. 

            With that stated, readers need to reconcile how these similarities occurred. Was there an oral history of the creation which followers of Yahweh shared and overtime that oral history was adapted into other cultures? Was Moses taking the ancient Near Eastern creation myths (which would he would have known in Egypt) and attributed them to Yahweh? Or are the similarities merely coincidental? This paper has shown there are some similarities, but how those similarities occurred and what they mean are debated among evangelical scholars.

Bibliography

Arnold, Bill T. and John H. Choi. A Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Atwell, James. “An Egyptian Source for Genesis 1.” Journal of Theological Studies 51 (2000): 441-447.

Barton, George. “Were the Biblical Foundations of Christian Theology Derived from Babylonia?” Journal of Biblical Literature 40, no. 20 (1921): 87-103.

Bulkeley, Tim. “God as Mother? Ideas to Clarify Before We Start.” Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies 17 (2004): 107-118.

Hasel, Gerhard. “Polemic Nature of the Genesis Cosmology.” Evangelical Quarterly 46 (1974): 81-102.

Hoffmeier, James. “Some Thoughts on Genesis 1 and 2 in Light of Egyptian Cosmology.” Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Society 15 (1983): 39-49.

Johnston, Gordon. “Genesis 1 and Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths.” Bibliotheca Sacra 165 (2008): 178-194.

Kitchen, Kenneth. On the Reliability of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2003.

Miller, Johnny and John Soden. In the Beginning . . . We Misunderstood: Interpreting Genesis 1 in Its Original Context. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2012.

NET Bible, Full Notes Edition. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson and Biblical Studies, 2019.

Ross, Allen P. “Genesis.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

Sparks, Kenton L. “Genesis 1-11 as Ancient Histography.” In Genesis: History, Fiction, or Neither, 110-139. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015.

Walton, John. “A Historical Adam: Archetypal Creation View.” In Four Views on the Historical Adam, 89–118. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013.

Webster, Brian L. The Cambridge Introduction to Biblical Hebrew. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Wenham, Gordon. “Genesis 1-11 as Protohistory.” In Genesis: History, Fiction, or Neither, 73-97. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015.

Wright, George. The Old Testament Against Its Environment. SCN Press, 1962.

[1] Gordon Johnston, “Genesis 1 and Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths,” Bibliotheca Sacra 165 (2008): 194.

[2] Kenneth Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2003), 420–435.

[3] George Barton, “Were the Biblical Foundations of Christian Theology Derived from Babylonia?” Journal of Biblical Literature 40, no. 20 (1921): 96.

[4] Allen P. Ross, “Genesis” in Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 27.

[5] Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[6] NET Bible, Full Notes Edition (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson and Biblical Studies Press, 2019), 2.

[7] Brian L. Webster, The Cambridge Introduction to Biblical Hebrew (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009), 108, 264; Bill T. Arnold and John H. Choi, A Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 86.

[8] Some who do not follow the structure described in the previous section would say God also created ex nihilo because there was nothing before he began to create. Before God began to speak the world into creation (Gen 1:3) the world was formless, empty, and dark (Gen 1:2).

[9] Gen 6:7; Job 40:19; Pss 33:6–9; 102:25-26; 104; 148:1–6; Prov 8:22; Ecc 12:1; Isa 40:28; 43:1, 7; 44:24; 45:8–9; 51:13; 54:16; 65:17; Jer 51:19; John 1:3; Rom 1:20, 25; 4:17; Eph 3:9, 14–15; Col 1:16-7; and Heb 1:2–3.

[10] Tim Bulkeley, “God as Mother? Ideas to Clarify Before We Start,” Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies 17 (2004): 109.

[11] One is Heliopolis, another is Memphis, and the final one is Hermopolis. See James Atwell, “An Egyptian Source for Genesis 1,” Journal of Theological Studies 51 (2000), 449

[12] Pyramid Texts (PT), Coffin Texts (CT), Book of the Dead, and Shabaka Stone. See Johnston, “Genesis 1 and Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths,” 181.

[13] Atwell, “An Egyptian Source for Genesis 1,” 454.

[14] Johnny Miller and John Soden, In the Beginning. . . We Misunderstood (Grand Rapids, MI: 2012), 77.

[15] Johnston, “Genesis 1 and Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths,” 194.

[16] Miller and Soden, In the Beginning, 78.

[17] Johnston, “Genesis 1 and Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths,” 182.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Miller and Soden, In the Beginning, 80.

[20] Ibid., 78.

[21] Ibid., 79.

[22] Gerhard Hasel, “The Polemic Nature of the Genesis Cosmology,” Evangelical Quarterly 46 (1974): 90.

[23] Ibid., 83.

[24] Ibid., 90.

[25] Ibid.

[26] Miller and Soden, In the Beginning, 139–140.

[27] Ibid., 142.

[28] Ibid., 114.

[29] Bulkeley, “God as Mother?,” 108.

[30] Ibid. 

[31] “Man is formed from clay mingled with the blood of Kingu or two Lamga gods (craftsman gods).” James Hoffmeier, “Some Thoughts on Genesis 1 & 2 and Egyptian Cosmology,” Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society 15 (1983): 47. Also see George Barton, “Christian Theology from Babylonia?,” 88.

[32] Miller and Soden, In the Beginning, 117.

[33] Gordon Wenham, “Genesis 1–11 as Protohistory” in Genesis: History, Fiction, or Neither, edited Charles Halton (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015), 85.

[34] Hoffmeier, “Genesis 1 & 2 and Egyptian Cosmology,” 46.

[35] Ibid., 47.

[36] Johnston, “Genesis 1 and Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths,” 182.

[37] Also see Barton, “Were the Biblical Foundations of Christian Theology Derived from Babylonia?,” 93.

[38] Atwell, “An Egyptian Source for Genesis 1,” 445.

[39] Miller and Soden, In the Beginning, 93.

[40] Atwell, “An Egyptian Source for Genesis 1,” 451.

[41] Hoffmeier, “Genesis 1 & 2 and Egyptian Cosmology,” 44; Johnston, “Genesis 1 and Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths,” 178–179.

[42] Atwell, “An Egyptian Source for Genesis 1,” 452.

[43] Johnston, “Genesis 1 and Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths,” 185.

[44] Ibid., 186.

[45] Hasel, “The Polemic Nature of the Genesis Cosmology,”87. Also see Atwell, “An Egyptian Source for Genesis 1,” 456.

[46] Gen 6:7; 14:19; Pss 33:6–9; 102:25–26; 104; Isa 40:28; 43:1, 7; 44:24; 45:8–9; 51:13; 54:16; 65:17; Jer 51:19; Mark 10:5–6; John 1:3; Rom 1:20, 25; 4:17; Eph 3:9, 14–15; Col 1:16–17; Heb 1:2-3; James 1:17–18.

[47] George Wright, The Old Testament Against Its Environment (SCM Press, 1962), 22.

[48] Ibid., 26.

[49] Wenham, “Genesis 1–11 as Protohistory,” 84.

[50] Kenton L. Sparks, “Genesis 1–11 as Ancient Histography,” 122–123.

[51] Ibid., 123.

[52] Bulkeley, “God as Mother?,” 110.

[53] Ibid.

[54] Hasel, “The Polemic Nature of the Genesis Cosmology,” 88. Gordon Johnston also affirms this view saying, “More significantly there is no hint of divine conflict between God the primordial waters in Genesis 1.” Gordon Johnston, “Genesis 1 and Egyptian Myths” 179.

[55] Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament, 427.

[56] Johnston, “Genesis 1 and Ancient Egyptian Creation Myths,” 190.

[57] Ibid., 192.

[58] Ibid., 192.

[59] John Walton, “A Historical Adam: Archetypal Creation View,” in Four Views on the Historical Adam, edited by Matthew Barret and Ardel Caneday (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan: 2013), 99.

[60] Wenham, “Genesis 1-11 as Protohistory,” 85.

[61] One element of the Israelite creation account and ancient Near Eastern creation myths was examined yet was not determined which side of the evidence to be placed. This was the notion of God’s creation divine fiat (mere command). The Israelite creation account is clear that God merely “said” (Gen 1:3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24) and material creation emerged. While Gordon Johnston (“Genesis and Ancient Creation Myths”, pp. 187–188) and Gerhard Hasel (“Polemic Nature of Genesis Cosmology,” pp. 90–91) each say that creation by mere command is unique only to the Israelite creation account, Miller and Soden (In the Beginning, p. 87) and James Atwell (“Egyptian Source for Genesis 1,” p. 465) believe that creation by mere command was common in ancient Near Eastern myths. Therefore, a decision was not made as to whether creation divine fiat was a continuity or discontinuity. 

An Outline of 1 John

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I. INTRODUCTION (1:1–4)

II. GOD IS LIGHT AND THERE IS NO DARKNESS IN HIM (1:5—3:10)

A. How to Have Fellowship with God (1:5—2:2) – “God ls light” is key statement for 1:5—3:10

Summary Statement: Light (1:5)

1. Fellowship with God Is Fellowship in Light (1:5–7)

1:6—2:1 begin a series of “if” clauses. These divide into pairs of “If we say” followed by a negative statement that possibly represents the claims of the secessionists and their results (vv. 6, 8, 10). Other pairs are “but if we” (1:7), “if we” (1:9), “and if” (2:1). These are positive statements that reflect the counter claims of the author.

The three negative apodoses are intended to bring out the implications of following the opponents teaching. The three positive apodoses statements are intended to bring out the implication of following orthodox (apostolic) teaching of the author.[1]

a) Claim #1 – Those in Darkness (1:6)[2]                     b) Counter-claim #1 – Cleansed (1:7)[3]

2. Fellowship with God is Fellowship Absent from Sin (1:8—2:2)

a) Claim #2. – Those in Deception (1:8)                    b) Counter-claim #2 – Confessing (1:9)

c) Claim #3 – Those Who Defame God (1:10)          d) Counter-claim #3 – Conquering (2:1a)

B. How We Have Intimate Knowledge of God (2:3–11). This section has three requirements to have intimate knowledge of God. “The one who says” ho legon / ὁ λέγων at the beginning of 2:4, 6, 9 are three participles— are claims that indirectly reference the claim of John’s opponents. Each of these claims draw on the immediately preceded theme. For example, 2:4a is from 2:3, 2:6a is from 2:5, 2:9a from 2:8

1. By Keeping His Word (vv. 3–5) – Obedient Love

2. By Walking as Jesus Walked in His Light (vv. 6–8) – Abiding Love

3. By Loving His Brothers (vv. 9–11) – Light Love

C. How We Have a Relationship with God (2:12–17). This section gives John’s readers assurance that they are known by God. In this section John is addressing his readers with words of assurance.

1. By Being God’s Children, Not Children of the Evil One (vv. 12–14). These three verses assure John’s readers of their salvation.  

2. By Loving His Father, and Not the World (vv. 15–17). These three verses urge John’s readers to reject an evil love of the world.

D. How to Maintain that Relationship in the Future (2:18–27). This section gives strong concerns of the secessionist opponents.

1. An Anti-Christ is Coming (vv. 18–19)

2. An Anointing Has Occurred (vv. 20–23)

3. An Abiding to What Was Taught (vv. 24–26)

4. An Appeal to Continue in What Was Taught (v. 27)

E. How to Be Prepared for the Coming of Christ (2:28—3:10)

1. Abide in Him and Practice Righteousness (2:28–29)

2. Purify Yourselves in Preparation for Purity (3:1–3)

3. Practice Righteousness While Purging Evil from Your Life (3:4–8)

4. Born of God Means Being a Good Person (3:9–10)

III. WE ARE GODLY AND THERE IS NO DARKNESS IN US (3:11—5:12)

A. Commands for Love (3:11–24)

1. Love One Another Thoughtfully (vv. 11–12)

2. Love One Another Tangibly by Sacrificing and Giving (vv. 13–17)

3. Love One Another Tenaciously by Keeping God’s Commands (vv. 18–24)

B. Cautions for Life (4:1–6)

1. How to Test Spirits (vv. 1–3)

2. How to Listen to God (vv. 4–6)

C. Conditions for Godliness (4:7—5:4a)

1. God’s Character of Love (4:7–10)

2. God’s Command of Love (4:11–16a)

3. God’s Continual Love (4:16b–19)

4. God’s Children of Love (4:20—5:4a)

D. Characteristics of God (5:4b–12)

1. Task and the Work on Christ (vv. 4b–8)

2. Testimony and The Witness of God Concerning the Son (vv. 9–12)

IV. CONCLUSION (5:13–21)

A. Assurance of Christian Life that Is Eternal (5:13)

B. Applications of Christian Life That Is Eternal (5:14–21)

1. Consistent Prayer and Omission of Sin (vv. 14–17)

2. Birth of God and Distance from Evil (vv. 18–21)

Gnosticism. Denied the essential truth of the incarnation that Christ came in the flesh. It saw matter as evil and spirit as good. They believed in the deliverance of the flesh by acquiring knowledge. Gnosticism comes from the Greek word, ginoscow, “to know.” This doctrine of Gnosticism is combatted in 1 Jn 2:22; 4:3. The Gnostics believed that since all matter was evil, Jesus did not come in the flesh. Thus, they rejected the doctrine of Jesus as the god-man. It is possible, based on 1 John 1:6, 9, that the Gnostics believed they had achieved a level of sinlessness. Or like some later Gnostics, that they believed the sins they committed were not sinful.[4]

Docetism. Believed Jesus’ humanity was not real. Said Jesus only appeared to have a physical body. Comes from Greek word, dokeo, “to seem” or “to appear.” It was a branch of Gnosticism. Also rejected the incarnation. Believed the Christ—who was good—could not become flesh because flesh was bad. Also combatted in 2:22; 4:3. They said Jesus only appeared to be a man or only seemed to be a man. Was taught by Saturnius who said Jesus was without birth, without body, and without figure. 

Cerinthianism. Taught that Jesus was only a man, that the divine Christ descended on Jesus at baptism, that the divine Christ left Jesus at crucifixion. Possibly combatted in 2:23ff; 5:6. Cerinthus was an Egyptian man that came to Ephesus and was an opponent of John.[5]

Genre of the Letter

You might have noticed this letter is not a typical NT letter like Paul, Peter, James, Heb, Jude, or 1/2 Jn.

1 Jn does not conform to the normal structure of New Testament letters. There’s no greeting, no personal name, no thanksgiving, no conclusion/introduction.

Audience of the Letter People that were part of the church, in Ephesus within Asia Minor. See 1 Jn 2:12–14, 20–21, 27; 3:1–2, 13, 18; 4:1, 4, 7, 11; 5:13. But some have left the church (Jn 2:18–19, 22; 4:3).

[1] Harris, 1, 2, 3 John, 60–61.

[2] Claim titles are from MacArthur, 1, 2, 3 John, 28–30.

[3] Counter-claim titles are from MacArthur, 1, 2, 3 John, 36–41.

[4] Keener, Bible Background Commentary, 708.

[5] Carson & Moo, Introduction to the NT, 679.

[1] This outlined is based on the structure of 1 John articulated in W. Hall Harris’s commentary, 1, 2, 3 John: Comfort and Counsel for a Church in Crisis, 2nd edition (Biblical Studies Press, 2003).

12. The Test (2 Cor 13:5)

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In order to graduate high school I had to pass what was called an “exit exam.” It was a basic test of math, English, science, and social studies. My entire primary education—kindergarten through twelfth grade—was meant to prepare me to pass this test. And that test was designed in a way that it would be easy to pass for anyone that attended school and done the work.

            The apostle Paul describes a test he hopes the Corinthians would be able to pass when he writes, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5, NASB).[1] Just a reminder about the context of this letter. 2 Corinthians is Paul’s most personal of all thirteen of his letters which we have in our Bible. As Paul has spent twelve chapters getting personal with the Corinthians, now it’s their turn to get personal and evaluate themselves. Notice he uses “yourselves” three times in this one verse.

            One must ask, does this verse describe positional justification (a Christian’s salvation) or practical sanctification (a Christian’s growth)? I believe it is asking for proof of practical sanctification (which therefore proves that positional justification has already occurred). Practical sanctification occurs from the witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts (Romans 8:9, 16), when we love others (1 John 3:14), practicing righteousness (1 John 2:29; 3:19 or 3:9), and when we are separated from the world (1 John 2:29; 3:9).

            Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to examine themselves to see if Jesus is in them. Thus it causes them to reflect on Christ being in them and working through them in their daily walk with Him. It is a test meant to prove that they have placed their faith in Christ and as a result Christ lives in them.

            Paul’s words here are not intended to cause us to doubt our salvation, but instead to assure us of the faith we have already placed in Him or help us recognize that we have been given the right answers for the test. Our Christian lives should be our “exit exam” and proof that we have passed the test.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.