Christopher L. Scott

Kasey’s first foray into sports has been into the world of pickleball. She describes herself as a “novice pickleball enthusiast” that’s part of a gracious and welcoming pickleball community in Dallas. In this pickleball community Kasey has been surprised by the opportunities to talk about Jesus Christ and share her faith.

            One woman named Cathy commented to Kasey that Kasey’s husband is a sweet man. Cathy asked if Kasey’s husband was always that way. Kasey proceeded to describe how her husband’s kindness stemmed from his love for Jesus and Jesus’s example of sacrificial love.

            Kasey also had a unique conversation with Paul, a man she built a friendship with over many pickleball games. Paul asked Kasey about a romantic relationship he was exploring, and he was curious about how faith connects with real life. Kasey shared that following Christ means laying down all of life to follow Jesus (even if it’s difficult).[1]

            Kasey’s pickleball foray illustrates the instruction that Peter gives his readers, “always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet 3:15, NASB).[2]

            Notice the timing Peter tells us about, “always being ready.” Peter says that we shouldn’t need a piece of paper to describe our hope in Jesus. Peter says we shouldn’t need to Google our answers. Instead, we know the truth in our heart, and we should be able to share it when prompted. In the ancient city of Athens each citizen was expected to have an ability to discuss the current state affairs of the city.[3] In the same way, we should be able to engage in a discussion of our faith in Christ.

            Notice also the task that Peter tells us about, “to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” The Greek word for “defense” used here is the Greek noun, apologia, and comes from the Greek verb, apologeomai, which means “to answer back” or to make “a defense (but not an excuse).” The word literally means to be “ready for an answer.”[4] Our word for “apologetics,” which means an explanation about what we believe, comes from those words.

            But what do we defend? In this context, it appears to be our future hope despite present suffering. The curious person might not specifically ask about our hope, but because our hope is the source of everything we do—since Christ is consecrated in our hearts—our answers naturally stem from our hope. This was shown in Kasey’s story that I shared earlier.

            Notice the tools that Peter wants us to use, “yet with gentleness and reverence.” The late Bible teacher RC Sproul once wisely stated, “When we engage in debates and arguments, we sometimes allow ourselves to be overcome with the heat of the moment and generate more heat than light.”[5] The Christian is supposed to always be a gentleman or gentlewoman, even when opposed or criticized by unbelievers. This is important for us to remember because we might be gruff instead of gentle, or rude instead of reverent. It takes conscious effort to be gentle and respectful in how we answer others.[6]

            Peter teaches us that to evangelize others, we must adequately articulate the hope of our faith. I know this can be scary, but let me give you a little encouragement.

            Being able to adequately articulate the hope of your faith is easier than you might think .Jesus Christ told us that the Holy Spirit will help us with what needs to be said in situations. “For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:12). Describing our faith is easier than you think because a basic understanding of the Bible and theology helps us to do this. If we have a basic understanding of the Bible being sixty-six books, that Jesus was fully God (Col 1) while also fully man (Phil 2), that the return of Jesus is future yet undated, and that we can use the Romans Road to show how someone is saved, then we have a great amount of information we can share with others.

            Being able to adequately articulate the hope of your faith is also more important than you might think. Seventy-five years ago most people knew about the gospel because it was cultural to go to church on Sundays, they heard Billy Graham share the gospel at an event, they watched the gospel shared in the Charlie Brown Christmas, or they attended a Vacation Bible School put on by a local church. Those things are not as prevalent in our culture now, and as a result it’s even more important that we share our faith with others.

            Training to adequately articulate the hope of your faith is more accessible than you might think. We have the ability, as twenty-first century Americans, to not just own a Bible, but we have an education provided to us so that we can read it. We have been taught methods for correctly interpreting the Bible such as the inductive Bible study method. We have the freedom to meet with others for a discipleship study. We can even take free online classes provided by Christian seminaries. It’s never been easier in America to deepen our understanding of our faith and learn how to share our faith.

            Let’s return back to Kasey’s story and Peter’s letter. It’s important to recognize Peter tells us to always be ready to defend our faith. I hope Kasey’s story can encourage us to build friendships and make connections with people. This is why we must understand what we believe, know why we believe it; and be able to articulate it to others biblically, humbly, and reasonably. In this way I hope we can be ready to talk about Jesus and share our faith when prompted, just like Kasey.

[1] Kasey Olander, “Pickleball Evangelism” in DTS Magazine, spring 2025, 26–31.

[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] A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), “1 Peter 3:15.”

[4] Paul used this word in this way in Acts 22:1; Phil 1:7, 16. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), “1 Peter 3:15.”

[5] R. C. Sproul, 1 Peter (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011), 124.

[6] As we share our faith we don’t degrade others; but can and should defend ourselves. We could all benefit from Paul’s advice to Timothy, “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim 2:24–25).

Jack Martens was a band teacher of teens in San Francisco. For thirty-three years he braved the challenges of less-than-ideal teaching conditions at Ben Franklin Middle School to live out his faith. More than half of Mr. Martens’s students were from broken homes, on welfare, and from families where English was not the first language.

            It was in those circumstances that this bearded band teacher shepherded his students through the less-than-green pastures of life. “I love these kids,” he said. “And they love me. In me they can see my love for Jesus Christ.”

            Although Mr. Martens always kept a Bible and other Christian symbols on his desk, it was his interaction with the kids that was his primary witness. He ate lunch with his kids to help them talk through their problems. He stayed after school to help them with difficult fingerings on their instruments. Through the mechanics of music he was able to show his students they were capable of something beautiful.^[1]

            That story about Mr. Martens reminds us about our need to be witnesses for Christ wherever we work, live, or play. The apostle Peter tells his readers to intentionally evangelize others even when in the midst of suffering (1 Pet 3:15–16). Peter reminds his readers that to share their faith, they first must have a dedication of Jesus in their hearts. Peter^[2] writes, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts” (1 Pet 3:15a, NASB).[3] This is contrary to the fear of others Peter has just mentioned in 1 Peter 3:14. Peter is saying that we don’t let fear live in our hearts because we have placed Christ in our hearts. Peter exhorts his readers to make an inner commitment to Christ. I like how the NIV translates this phrase, “revere Christ as Lord.”

            To “sanctify” Christ means we turn everything over to him, we live only to please him, and we seek to glorify him. It means we set Jesus in a unique place as Lord and Master over our lives.

            To set Christ apart “in your hearts” means to separate from the world. The Greek word for heart, kardiais, “refers to the mind as the core of one’s feelings, thoughts, and volition; it is the basic self.”[4] Instead of having the world’s passions and desires in our hearts, we should have Christ in our hearts, and as a result we want what he wants. Peter makes it clear that before we begin witnessing about our faith (1 Pet 3:15b–16) we have to get our heart right (1 Pet 3:15a).

            Peter teaches us that to evangelize others we must fully consecrate Jesus in our hearts. When we say Jesus is Lord it’s not as if we’ve accepted him as our Savior, and then we need to take the next step to elevate him to Lord of our lives. Instead, when we make Christ Savior and accept him for who he is and what he did, we are in effect making him Lord. This is because of who Jesus is. Jesus is God (John 1:1, 14; Col 1:16-17). Jesus is sovereign (Matt 12:8 and John 5:17). Jesus is Savior (John 1:14, Heb 4:15; Phil 2:7-8). Jesus is Lord (Acts 2:21; Rom 10:9).[5]

            But what does this look like for a practical application? This is how we set Christ as Lord of our lives. We do what he wants us to do, we desire what he longs for, we avoid what he cautions us against. Another way to practically consecrate Jesus as Lord in our hearts is to ask some questions. Would Jesus do that action? Would Jesus watch that movie? Would Jesus say those words? Would Jesus treat that person that way? It is in these ways that Jesus governs us and guides us.

            Most of us have had the experience of driving “self-assist” cars. The self-assist car gives you help when you’re veering off the road, when you get distracted, or if an obstacle suddenly appears ahead of you. A self-assist car does what either you cannot do or what you’ve failed to do. You are driving the vehicle, you are conscious, but you allow the car to help you.

            I think that’s what witnessing to others looks like when we dedicate our hearts and lives to Jesus. We actively try to witness and share our faith with others. But when we have Jesus dedicated in our hearts he steps in to help us when we cannot do or say what we need to do or say.

            It’s in that way that we can dedicate Jesus in our hearts as the first step to sharing our faith just like Mr. Martens did for many years.

—

Christopher L. Scott is a pastor and author of the book, Walking Straight When Life Goes Sideways: Essential Christian Truths for Enduring Life’s Trials (Wipf and Stock). He provides hundreds of free articles, videos, and Bible study resources at his website ChristopherLynnScott.com.

^[1] This story is told by Greg Asimakoupoulos and recorded by Craig Brian Larson and Phyllis Ten Elshof in their book, 1001 Illustrations That Connect (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2008), 273–274.

^[2] Here Peter is quoting a portion from Isaiah 8:13. The original quotation was an instruction for Isaiah’s readers to dedicate their lives to Yahweh, but Peter applies the text here to Christ. Yahweh was the personal name of God used by Israel in the Old Testament. It was also the name frequently used to show God’s covenant and promise made uniquely to Israel. It was a distinct name for God which was different than the names of other gods in their culture. “The name, Yahweh, comes from the Hebrew verb YHWH which is “the verb ‘to be’, meaning ‘he is (alive, present, active)’ or ‘he brings into being’” (J. A. Motyer, “Name,” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood et al. [Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996], 801. New Testament scholar Thomas Schreiner writes, “The move from Yahweh to Christ is common in the New Testament, reflecting the conviction that Jesus the Messiah deserves the same honor as Yahweh” (Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary [Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003], 173).

[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] Grant R. Osborne, 1–2 Peter, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, vol. 18 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2011), 222.

[5] Adapted from John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 226-233.

Sharing our faith with others can be one of the most exciting things we do, yet also one of the most frightening things we do. As we share the Gospel with others we have to be prepared for the ways people might respond. They might accept what we say and become a believer. They might think about our message but not accept it. They might reject what we offer and reject us in the process.

Sharing our faith is difficult. I don’t know about you, but it seems harder for me than people often describe. One pastor I used to work for would say, “If you invite five people to church, then one will likely come.” That ratio has not been valid for me. In my experience it seems like one person comes for every fifty invitations I give to people.

I used to go to lunch with a friend named Andrew who seemed to talk about Jesus with everyone we saw when we were at lunch. He was always able to talk about God with the waitress, busboys, or the people sitting at the tables near us. (Yes, I mean “always”!) For me, I often struggle to talk about my faith with strangers and struggle to know how to bring up the topic.

I share those two examples because we want to share our faith, and we all know we should share our faith. Today we are looking at 1 Peter 3:15-16 as part of our series of articles I’ve titled: “Portraits of an Authentic Disciple: First Century Direction for Twenty-First Century Disciples.” Thus far we’ve learned that disciples of Jesus Christ embrace God’s word (2 Tim 3:16–17), embody God’s kingdom (Phil 3:17–21), and encourage one another (Heb 10:23–25). Today we learn from 1 Peter 3:15-16 that an authentic disciple of Jesus evangelizes others.

The letter we have in our Bibles called “1 Peter” was written by “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 1:1a, NASB).[1] There’s only one person in the New Testament with the name Peter. It’s the Peter that was personally called (Matt 10:1-4) and commissioned by Christ (Jn 20:19-23). He spent three years with Jesus Christ and another thirty years as an apostle leading the church. As an apostle, the church was built on his teaching (Acts 2:42; Eph 2:20).

The letter we have in our Bibles called “1 Peter” was written to “those who reside as aliens” (1 Pet 1:1b). The people are described as “aliens” which means they were spiritual sojourners, exiles, and foreign residents. They are spiritual aliens on earth because their citizenship is heavenly.  

The letter we have in our Bibles called “1 Peter” was written to the people who lived in “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Pet 1:1c). These were provinces of Asia Minor located north of the Taurus Mountains. This is in modern Turkey. These people were experiencing unofficial, unjust suffering because of their Christian faith.

First Peter 3:15–16 is part of an extended teaching on the life of suffering that Christians face (1 Peter 3:13—4:19). With that backdrop of suffering, I want us to look at 1 Peter 3:15–16 and what it teaches us about sharing our faith with others.

            “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame” (1 Pet 3:15–16). Peter teaches us that believers who experience unjust and unofficial suffering dedicate Jesus in their hearts, defend Jesus with their words, and describe Jesus with their behavior. This means that every believer is called to be an apologist. We’ll explore more about what that looks like in the coming weeks.

[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.

If you told a non-Christian that attending church was good for him, do you think he would do it? Research recently conducted shows that regularly attending church is good for mental and physical health in both adults and children.

            The past few weeks I’ve shown you what the Bible says about the importance of gathering together with other Christian believers for worship. I’ve shared lots of quotes from Bible teachers which supports that Bible teaching. Now let me share one more piece of evidence.

            Research was recently conducted about the health risks of “regular church attenders” compared with “never-attenders.” Tyler Vanderweele and Brendan Case both work at The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard’s Institute for Qualitative Research. These men have found through their research that there’s a vast difference in both physical and mental health when comparing people who regularly attend a church with people who never attend church.

            The research shows similar results for both adults and children. According to the research, if you are an adult who regularly attends church, then you have an 80 percent reduced risk of suicide, 29 percent reduced risk of depression, and 50 percent reduced risk of divorce. Regularly attending church also results in a 68 percent reduced risk of “deaths of despair” for women and 33 percent reduced risk of “deaths of despair” for men. If an adolescent regularly attends church there is a 33 percent reduced risk of adolescent illegal drug use and a 12 percent reduced risk of adolescent depression.[1]

            I know that’s a lot to take in. Feel free to read it again. Here’s the conclusion we should make about those statistics: attending church is good for both adults and children. To say it another way, attending church positively affects the physical and mental health of both adults and children.[2]

            Reading statistics about the benefits of regularly attending church should not surprise us. Hebrews 10:23–25 teaches us about the local church assembly, “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” (Heb 10:23–25, NASB).[3]

            According to these often known yet frequently ignored verses, the proper response to Christ for a Christian is to hold fast to the confession of faith, stimulate one another to love and good deeds, and encourage one another as we wait for the Lord’s return. The author of Hebrews teaches us that while you don’t have to attend church to be a Christian, one of the signs that you are a Christian is that you attend church.[4]

            Pastor Mark Hitchcock says, “One of the marks of discipleship—of being a follower of Christ—is that you cherish the church. When Sunday rolls around you ought to be excited to come to church and to be here with God’s people. You ought to look forward to it.”[5] While you don’t have to attend church to be a Christian, one of the signs that you are a Christian is that you attend church.

            Hebrews 10:23–25, alongside the testimony of good Bible teachers and research, shows that it’s good to be involved in a local church. We as Christians attend church regularly because it’s what God says in his word that we must do, but it’s also good to be involved in a local church because it’s good for us. Maybe that’s why he says to do it.

—

Christopher L. Scott is a pastor and author of the book, Walking Straight When Life Goes Sideways: Essential Christian Truths for Enduring Life’s Trials (Wipf and Stock). He provides hundreds of free articles, videos, and Bible study resources at his website ChristopherLynnScott.com.

[1] Tyler J. Vanderwheele and Brenden Case, “The Public Health Crisis No One Is Talking About: Americans are rapidly giving up on the church. Our minds and bodies are paying the price” (Christianity Today, November 2021, pp. 37-42)

[2] Church attendance is not a guarantee of health, wealth, and happiness. That research suggests a reduction of bad experiences, but it does not completely remove them from life. This research does not show that there is a positive connection between church attendance and a reduction in mental and physical health problems. I realize that correlation does not show causation. There might be a third variable at play that causes reduced risks of those who attend church. With that said, I want to support people, and according to that research, the church helps people.

[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] As we’ve examined Hebrews 10:23–25 we’ve learned that there was a failure to gather that was occurring among the Christians in Rome (Heb 10:25a). The author of Hebrews teaches us that there are three aspects of fidelity to the gathering of Christians for worship (Heb 10:23–24, 25b). The first fidelity to the gathering relates to our doctrine, specifically, holding fast to our confession of faith. The second fidelity to the gathering relates to our deeds, specifically, how we stimulate others to loving actions. The third fidelity to the gathering relates to our duty, specifically, the need for us to encourage one other.The author of Hebrews tells us that we worship on the Lord’s day to prepare for the day of the Lord when Christ returns.

              Hebrews 10:23 shows us that the confession of hope is based on Christ (not us), the hope consists of doctrine (not feelings), and the hope directs believers (not unbelievers). Hebrews 10:24 tells us that stimulating others to loving actions should be community focused and should be continually directed. Hebrews 10:25b teaches us that encouragement is something we all are called to do, we all can do, and we all need to do.

[5] “Assembly Required” (Hebrews 10:23-25), Faith Bible Church,  Edmond, OK on April 11, 2021.  https://faithbibleok.subspla.sh/8mk725z Accessed January 18, 2024.

Several years ago when going on vacation, I took Warren Wiersbe’s memoir, Be Myself, with me on the trip. As you may know Warren Wiersbe was a popular twentieth-century preacher, pastor, and writer. He pastored the Moody Memorial Church, was the teacher for the Back to the Bible radio program, and published more than one hundred and sixty books before he passed in 2019. (I find it fitting that less than one year before he passed away he had, yet another, book published!)[1]

            In that memoir I remember him sharing about his first experiences preaching in local churches. Many years after his first sermons were preached, he received a note that someone had made in her diary after hearing him preach those first sermons. The woman had written in her diary: “November 30^th, Sunday. Feeling a little better today. I rested and went to church in evening. Warren Wiersbe preached; God’s Spirit was felt. I know Warren is being and will be used of God mightily. I feel it.”[2] Warren Wiersbe held onto that note for many decades and always used it as a source of encouragement for him. He wrote, “With people like that encouraging you, how can you lose?”[3] That note reminds us that encouragement costs little, and everyone is capable of it.

            As we’ve examined Hebrews 10:23–25 we’ve learned that the Christians in Rome were failing to gather (Heb 10:25a). The author of Hebrews teaches us that there are three aspects of fidelity to the gathering of Christians for worship (Heb 10:23–24, 25b). I like to use the word “fidelity” as it relates to our worship of God with other believers because the word fidelity means “the quality or state of being faithful.”[4]

            The first fidelity (quality or state of being faithful) to the gathering relates to our doctrine, specifically, holding fast to our confession of faith (Heb 10:23). The second fidelity to the gathering relates to our deeds, specifically, how we stimulate others to loving actions (Heb 10:24). The third fidelity to the gathering relates to our duty, specifically, the need for us to encourage one another. We read, “encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb 10:25b).[5] The author of Hebrews tells us that we worship on the Lord’s day to prepare for the day of the Lord when Christ returns.

            I believe this verse teaches us that encouragement is something we all are called to do. Hebrews 10:25b was addressed to the church in Rome and was intended for all believers. It was not written to only pastors, mature saints, or only new converts. The entire body is responsible for providing encouragement to others. We need to take seriously our responsibility to each other within the body. When we join the body of Christ we don’t slack off as Christians, instead we are responsible to spur on one another. Encouragement for our faith only happens when we are together, not when we are separate. We are better Christians when we are around other Christians.

            I believe this verse also teaches us that encouragement is something we all can do. Every person can offer encouragement to others. Giving encouragement requires no money or technical abilities. It’s saying, “God cares for you, and I’m here for you.” It’s asking, “Last week we prayed for your doctor appointment, so how did it go? It’s telling a young parent, “Your child is often well behaved at church. You seem like an engaged parent.”

            I believe this verse also teaches us that encouragement is something we all need to do. Most people need encouragement in their lives, and the church body should be where that happens. Many times I’ve heard about our church members feeling encouraged when they see other church members and hear the stories shared by those church members.

            One lady told me about coming to church but not going inside. She would sit in the parking lot and watch the people to “see what church people were like.” Eventually someone invited her inside and she became a believer and follower of Christ. Another person used to drop a parent off at church, then go back home. It wasn’t until the parent passed away that this person realized he needed to get in touch with God. That person now has a steady and close relationship with God and is a committed member of our church. When those people share their stories, they encourage other people in our church. Here’s the point: their presence at church provides encouragement to others, and that encouragement is something we all need to do for others.

            I’d like to close this article with this thought from pastor Ray Stedman, “Corporate worship is not an option for a Christian; it is a necessity. It certainly includes regular attendance at church meetings, but means more than that. It means a willingness to help struggling faith whenever Christians meet.”[6] You might feel like you do not need the church, but the truth is that the church needs you. People need to hear your story. Kids and grandkids need to see your commitment to God by how you gather with others in worship each week. Friends need to find out how you are doing when they see you at church. The church needs you. Let me say it again: the church needs you.

—

Christopher L. Scott is a pastor and author of the book, Walking Straight When Life Goes Sideways: Essential Christian Truths for Enduring Life’s Trials (Wipf and Stock). He provides hundreds of free articles, videos, and Bible study resources at his website ChristopherLynnScott.com.

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

[2] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Myself (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1994),62.

[3] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Myself (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1994),62.

[4] Marriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, s.v. “fidelity.”

[5] 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] Ray C. Stedman, Hebrews, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series 15 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992), 109.

I love the old joke of a light-hearted man that walked into the personnel office of a potential employer. The HR manager conducting the interview asked him, “Why are you looking for work?” The interviewee replied, “I left my last job over creative differences.” The HR manager replied, “Tell me more about that.” The interviewee then revealed, “My boss didn’t know what to make of me!”[1]

            We sometimes don’t know what to make of each other, but we are supposed to make the best of it. That’s true in life and in a local church.

            Two weeks ago we looked at a failure to gather that was occurring among the people (Heb 10:25a), and last week we looked at the first of three aspects of fidelity to the gathering of a local church (Heb 10:23–24, 25b). The first fidelity to the gathering of a local church relates to our doctrine, specifically, holding fast to our confession of faith. The second fidelity to the gathering relates to our deeds, specifically, how we stimulate others to loving actions. The author of Hebrews tells us, “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Heb 10:24, NASB). [2]

            This verse tells us that stimulating others to loving actions should be community focused.  Did you notice the words, “let us” and “one another”? The two words “one another” are what’s called a reciprocal pronoun[3] which is used to indicate an interchange between two or more groups.[4] (There are only two reciprocal pronouns in English: “each other” and “one another.”) The author is addressing multiple people in this letter. He does this to emphasize that when we gather as a group we are supposed to love the members of that group, even if it might be difficult.

            I find Charles Swindoll’s words to be helpful here, “Ministry is not limited to theological matters—most ministry has to do with translating those profound theological concepts into people’s everyday lives and experiences. It’s in that realm where ministry gets complicated. A better word is messy. Yes, ministry has its miraculous and joyous moments. But, as I’ve said for years, God is much easier to get along with than His people. And the most difficult are those who can be characterized as unrepentant troublemakers.”[5]

            The author of Hebrews tells us that our job is to encourage each other in doing good deeds. Hebrews 10:24 is not God speaking to one person about being more loving. Hebrews 10:24 is written to a group of people to encourage them to love other members of their group. In other words, this verse tells us that stimulating others to loving actions should be community focused. 

            This verse also tells us that stimulating others to loving actions should be continually directed. Notice in the text the word, “consider.” That word is translated from the Greek word, katagomen, which can be translated as, “notice,” “look,” “consider,” or “contemplate.”[6] The word here is in the present tense indicating that the people “keep on doing so.” It denotes an attentive and continuous care.^[7]

            Notice in the verse that the word, “stimulate,” is the direct object of the verb, “consider.” This Greek word, paroxusmon, is used here to mean “rousing to activity” and can be translated as “stirring up” or “provoking.”[8] The verb form of that word, paroxuno means “to cause a state of inward arousal” and can be translated as “urge on” and “stimulate.”[9]

            As we read Hebrews 10:24 it is clear that operating in love is only possible when there are opportunities for love. As Warren Wiersbe has said, “ministry is built on basic principles, not clever methods.”[10] The basic principle of loving others requires us gathering with others. I agree with the Scottish theologian William Barclay who writes, “There is no man that can live the Christian life and neglect the fellowship of the church.”[11]

            Cooking for my son requires serving food that’s not hot. He’s always been sensitive to food that is warm. So I’ve learned a simple strategy: separate the food from itself to cool it off. For example, after I steam broccoli I spread it out across a plate. To keep my food warm while his cools off, I keep my food grouped together on a plate.

            Like my food that stays warm when grouped together, the author of Hebrews tells us that when we gather together we keep each other “hot” in our passion and fervor for God. We encourage each other and stimulate each other in our walk with God and our work for God. We gather together as Christians not just because it’s what we’re told to do, but we gather regularly with other Christians because it’s what we need. It encourages us and stimulates us to perform loving deeds for others.

—

Christopher L. Scott is a pastor and author of the book, Walking Straight When Life Goes Sideways: Essential Christian Truths for Enduring Life’s Trials (Wipf and Stock). He provides hundreds of free articles, videos, and Bible study resources at his website ChristopherLynnScott.com.

[1] Inspired by and adapted from Frank & Earnest, January 10, 2022. Bob Thaves.

[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] “A pronoun (as each other) used when its referents are predicated to bear the same relationship to one another.” MW Collegiate Dict., 1039.

[4] Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 351.

[5] Charles Swindoll, What If God Has Other Plans (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2019), 161.

[6] BDAG, s.v. “katanoeo.”

^[7] Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 4 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 502.

[8] BDAG, s.v. “paroxusmos.”

[9] BDAG, s.v. “paroxuno.”

[10] Warren Wiersbe, On Being a Servant of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2007), 12.

[11] William Barclay, The Letter to the Hebrews, rev. ed., The Daily Bible Study Series (Philadelphia, PA: Westminister Press, 1976), 122.

The phrase “confession of faith” has been a staple of the Christian church for centuries. A confession of faith is a formal statement of Christian faith that describes doctrine.[1] Most of our modern confessions of faith began during the Protestant Reformation under the guidance of publications produced by Ulrich Swingli (1484–1531) in Switzerland, Martin Luther (1483–1546) in Germany, and John Calvin (1509–64) in Switzerland. However, the idea of a confession of faith that unites a local group of Christ followers goes back to the first-century book of Hebrews.

            Last week we looked at a failure to gather that was occurring among the people (Heb 10:25a). Today we will begin looking at the three aspects of fidelity to the gathering (Heb 10:23–24, 25b). The first fidelity to the gathering relates to our doctrine, specifically, holding fast to our confession of faith.

            The author of Hebrews writes, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23, NASB).[2] These verses teach us that as a local body of believers there is a specific doctrine that unites us and binds us together. This is why the author of Hebrews encourages us to hold fast to our confession in Christ, which is the doctrine we hold as believers. Let’s examine this short verse together and note three important things it teaches us about our hope and confession of faith.

            Let’s note that the confession of hope is based on Christ, not us. Hebrews tells us, “He who promised is faithful.”[3] The “hope” is based on Christ, and the hope is “without wavering.” Those two words are translated from the Greek word, akline. This word is only used one time in the New Testament. The literal translation could be “not leaning.”[4] The word is based on the idea of an upright object not inclining from perpendicular.[5] That word is used here to show that our confession of hope is steady and solid because it’s based on Christ.

            Let’s also note that the hope consists of doctrine, not feelings. The word “confession” here is probably both an expression of words and actions. One resource I use for Greek word studies lists two entries for this word. One use of this word means “expression of allegiance as an action” and can be translated as “professing” or “confessing.” Another use of this word means “statement of allegiance, as content of an action” and can be translated as “confession” or “acknowledgment that one makes.”[6] The focus here probably is on the person and work of Christ as the entire book of Hebrews focuses on how Christ is better than anything else. In other words, it’s who Christ was and what Christ did that we base our hope, not our feelings.

            Let’s also note that the hope directs believers, not unbelievers. When we gather as a local body of believers we sharpen each other in the confession of faith. It’s in this way and with this purpose that we read God’s word, we examine it, and we discuss it. This is why we all need to be in a church that teaches and preaches Scripture. You and I both know people that like to go to church to hear silly dad jokes, to affirm their beliefs about politics, or to talk about the Bible but not preach the Bible. The author of Hebrews tells us that if the church doesn’t preach Christ and God’s word, then it’s not a “church.”[7]            

            I find J. Scott Horrell’s words to be relevant here, “The blueprint for a dynamic Christian community is the Word of God. While cultural, traditional, and denominational interpretations of the church are to be appreciated, all forms of Christ’s church must be finally subject to Scripture, lest in their drift they increasingly cease to be Christian at all.”[8]

            As Christians we hold fast to our confession of faith in Christ. The doctrine we adhere to as a local body of believers is what defines us. That doctrine unites us together and separates us from other religions (Muslims, Buddhists, etc.) and cults (Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc.). While there are different elements of a worship gathering, this doctrine and confession of faith is something that unites who we are and what we do as a local body of believers.

—

Christopher L. Scott is a pastor and author of the book, Walking Straight When Life Goes Sideways: Essential Christian Truths for Enduring Life’s Trials (Wipf and Stock). He provides hundreds of free articles, videos, and Bible study resources at his website ChristopherLynnScott.com.

[1] These formal statements we call “confessions of faith” are similar to, but different than “creeds” and “catechisms.” A “creed” refers to statements made by the early church that Christians in all places and at all times have recognized. Most popular are the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Definition of Chalcedon. A “catechism” is a structured statement of faith written in the form of questions and answers. These fulfill the same purpose of confessions while also giving instruction for the ordinances and spiritual practices of both the church and individuals.  

[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] Chapter eleven of Hebrews becomes the example of this as the author lists the numerous heroes of the faith that were able to endure a life of faithfully following God because of their reliance on God, not on their own will and volition.

[4] A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), “Hebrews 10:23.”

[5] Donald Guthrie, Hebrews, Tyndale New Testament Commentary, vol. 15 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1983), 217.

[6] BDAG, s.v. “homogia.”

[7] This emphasis on Scripture reminds Christians about the unfailing promises of God. Why should we not cherish it confidently and confess it boldly? We are more likely to confess our hope courageously and continuously if we regularly meet together and spur each other on. Christ faith and witness flourishes in an atmosphere of fellowship.

[8] J. Scott Horrell, From the Ground Up (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2004), 61.

If one of the marks of an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ is encouraging other disciples, then it makes sense that disciples gather regularly with one another. That topic is addressed by the author of the book of Hebrews in Hebrews 10:23–25.

            Apparently, there was a failure to gather. The author writes, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some” (Heb 10:25a).[1]It appears some people deliberately decided not to gather[2] and had been absent from the church. These people were capable of attending the worship gatherings but had decided not to attend them.

            It appears this deliberate decision not to gather was habitual. The word “forsaking” is translated from the Greek word, egkataleipontes. This word means “to separate connection with someone or something”[3] and is often translated as “forsake,” “abandon,” or “desert.”[4] The verb is used here in what’s called a “customary present participle,” which describes a regular action that is iterative or repeated.[5]

            The decision not to gather was deliberate, habitual, and it appears this decision to not gather was also communal.This is not one person but a group. Perhaps there was a community of believers that left the Christian faith and returned back to a form of Judaism.[6]

            Choosing not to gather with other Christians was a dangerous choice for first-century Christians. Thus far we have seen the problem addressed in Hebrews 10:25a, but was this also a problem in that first-century culture? The religious culture of the Greeks and Romans believed in many gods. People sought to please and appease those gods for health, prosperity, protection, and victory in wars. This attempt to make the gods happy was done as a community, not as individuals. Thus, when people became Christians and departed from the Greek and Roman community effort to appease the many gods, those Christians were often blamed when bad things happened. An example of this was when a massive fire broke out in the city of Rome in AD 64 and the Roman Emperor at that time, Nero, quickly blamed the Christians for the fire.[7]

            In the first century, Christians were seen as having drawn away from society and had neglected their obligation to appease the various Greek and Roman gods. This meant Christians relied on one another for protection and survival against the persecutions they received from non-Christians. The idea of a private decision and private life following Jesus Christ was almost impossible in the first century. In his commentary on Hebrews, Donald Guthrie writes, “The New Testament lends no support to the idea of lone Christians. Close and regular fellowship with other believers is not just a nice idea, but an absolute necessity for the encouragement of Christian values.”[8]

            Now that we’ve seen the problem addressed in that culture and in Hebrews 10:25a, let’s look at the same problem in our times. In the last several decades we have seen a massive departure from the American Protestant church.  

            In his article, “The Church Is Losing Its Gray Heads: Why Are Boomers and Gen X Dropping Out of Church at Higher Rates than Younger Christians,”[9] Adam Macinnis cites Barna’s research that found the biggest decline in church attendance over the past three  decades has been among adults 55 and older.[10]

            What are the reasons for this departure? I believe there are two reasons people are not actively involved in a local church assembly.

            One reason is people’s priorities. Often so called Christians allow other priorities to override their time for church involvement. A few years ago I was talking with the pastor of a church in another state. He told me about various members of his church that he hadn’t seen gather for worship for months or even a year. Often when he talked to them during their impromptu meetings at restaurants, the mall, or coffeeshops, they would tell him, “We want to be a church, but we’re so busy.” This pastor shared with me that he struggled to listen to the “we’re so busy” excuse because he knew these families weren’t too busy to go on a two-week vacation to another country. They weren’t too busy to have their kids in multiple sports at the same time. They weren’t too busy to have their hair done at a salon and their nails professionally painted and manicured. They weren’t too busy to play golf every week. The pastor told me that it wasn’t that those people were “too busy for church,” but instead the problem was that they had prioritized other items over church.

            Another reason people are not involved in the local church is pride. We could call this the “John Wayne” mentality: ““I can get what I want by myself.”  Perhaps our American individuality mindset tells us we don’t need people and that we can go life alone. Therefore we don’t need to be involved in a local church.

            With all that in perspective, we must recognize that the author of Hebrews says that a Christian’s ability to persevere in the faith is dependent on meeting with other Christians for worship and encouragement. Essentially, Hebrews 10:25a says that it’s impossible to be a Christian in isolation.

[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] There is a problem in the book of Hebrews. When reading Hebrews, it’s clear the assembly was in crisis. Some people defected from the assembly, as described here. Some stopped listening to God’s Word preached in an attentive way (Heb 2:1; 3:7b—4:13; 5:11; 12:25). Some of the believers became lethargic and discouraged in their faith in a hostile culture (Heb 12:3–4). Some were in danger of turning away from Jesus and returning back to the safe haven of Judaism (Heb 3:12).

[3] BDAG, s.v. “egkataleipo”.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Daniel Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 521–22.

[6] This is the reason we see several “warning passages” in the book of Hebrews. Here’s a list of those famous warning passages: “The Danger of Drifting“ (Heb 2:1–4); “The Danger of Disobedience“ (Heb 3:7—4:13); “The Danger of Degeneration“ (Heb 5:11—6:20); “The Danger of Despising“ (Heb 10:26-39 or Heb 10:19–39); and “The Danger of Denying“ (Heb 12:25–29).

[7] The Roman historian, Tacitus, records this in his work, Annals 15:44.

[8] Donald Guthrie, Hebrews, Tyndale New Testament Commentary, vol. 15 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1983), 218.

[9] Adam Macinnis, “The Church Is Losing Its Gray Heads: Why Are Boomers and Gen X Dropping Out of Church at Higher Rates than Younger Christians,” Christianity Today (March 2022),  47–52.

[10] This is contrary to the popular belief that the church is shrinking because young people are abandoning their faith. In fact, The Barna Group has conducted research that shows that weekly worship attendance is highest among Millennials According to Barna, in 2022 approximately 39 percent of Millennials attended church regularly. See “The Turn of the Millennial” in Christianity Today (October 2022), 19.

It is important to gather with a body of other believers in worship each week. If you’re reading this I’m guessing that you know that already. This past Sunday you likely woke up early, got dressed, entered your car, and drove to church where you worshipped God with other believers.

            But if a non-Christian asked you, “Why do you go to a worship service each week;” what would you tell him? You would have to ask yourself some questions. Do you attend church because of what you get out of it? Do you attend church as a way to earn righteousness before God? Do you attend church because it’s your spiritual family and you want to spend time with your family? Do you attend church because it is what you have always done?

            Let me pose another scenario to you. What if someone said, “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.” What if someone said, “I don’t have to go to church to show that I love Jesus.” How would you respond to those declarative statements?

            Starting today we’re going to examine Hebrews 10:23–25 and explore this passage in the next several articles. Perhaps these are familiar verses for you. They are definitely relevant verses for the local church to study.

            We look at Hebrews 10:23–25 as part of our series of articles about discipleship we’ve been exploring together this year. Thus far we’ve learned that authentic disciples of Jesus embrace God’s word (2 Tim 3:16–17) and embody God’s kingdom (Phil 3:17–21). Today we’ll begin to learn how disciples encourage one another from Hebrews 10:23–25.    

            Hebrews is a unique book. Not a lot of pastors like to preach from Hebrews because it’s long (thirteen chapters), it’s difficult to preach (it contains twenty-nine Old Testament quotations  and fifty-three Old Testament allusions), and it’s difficult to interpret (Hebrews is famous for its “warning passages”[1]).

            Hebrews was probably composed around AD 62[2] and addressed to a local community of Jewish believers[3] located in the city of Rome. Hebrews 10:23–25 is part of Hebrews 10:19–25 which is one single, skillfully composed sentence in Greek.[4] Hebrews was written to encourage Jewish believers to mature in their faith by focusing on the superiority of Christ and his work.

            With that background work done let’s look at the verses briefly together. “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” (Heb 10:23–25, NASB).[5]

            Based on what we read we learn that the proper response to Christ for a Christian is to hold fast to the confession of faith, stimulate one another to love and good deeds, and to encourage one another as they wait for the Lord’s return. This means that while you don’t have to attend church to be a Christian, one of the signs that you are a Christian is that you attend church.

            I realize those are strong statements that need explanations, and we’ll do that in the coming weeks.

[1] Here’s a list of those famous warning passages: “The Danger of Drifting“(Heb 2:1-4); “The Danger of Disobedience“ (Heb 3:7-4:13); “The Danger of Degeneration“ (Heb 5:11-6:20); “The Danger of Despising“ (Heb 10:26-39 or Heb 10:19-39); and “The Danger of Denying“ (Heb 12:25-29).

[2] I believe Hebrews was written around AD 62 for the following reasons. The readers appear to be second generation believers (Heb 2:3-4), so the date cannot be earlier than AD 60. Clement of Rome utilized this letter, so it must have been written before AD 96. The temple rituals are described as still going on (Heb 9:6-9; 10:1-4), so the letter must have been written before AD 64.

[3] Throughout the letter there are no references to Gentile society, no description of a Jewish-Gentile controversy, and the entire background of the epistle is placed in a Jewish history and religion.

[4] Some scholars have called this section a “sustained exhortation.”

[5] 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.

Physicists from Stanford and the University of California Santa Barbara are trying to put one object in two places at the same time. This is called “quantum entanglement” and consists of heating and cooling a tiny piece of matter to extreme levels and measuring it to see if it can be detected in multiple locations. Einstein theorized it might be possible, and these researchers believe they can do it.[1]

            While this might sound like the stuff of science fiction, Christians have been in two places at once for more than two thousand years. How is this possible?

            Christians alive on earth are citizens of heaven (spiritually) and are living on earth (physically). Paul tells us that even though our bodies are on earth, “we are citizens of heaven” (Phil 3:20, NLT).[2] We are in two places at once.

            Philippians 3:17–21 describes how we embrace God’s kingdom as citizens of heaven while on earth. In other words, we live as residents of God’s heavenly kingdom even though we live on the earth. It’s like we are in two places at once.

            Paul writes to the believers in the city of Philippi, “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil 3:17–21, NASB).[3]

            In these five verses we learn we should follow the example of a mature believer that is less imperfect than us, reject the example of those that reject Christ, and live according to heaven’s agenda. In this way, being a member of God’s kingdom requires that we live like a member of the kingdom.

            Some parts of Scripture are hard to read, not because the text is hard to understand, but because the text is hard to apply. I would put Philippians 3:17–21 in the category of hard to read because it’s hard to apply.

            Philippians 3:17–21 is a challenging set of verses because they address behavior. This passage reminds us that discussing our creed we have as Christians is easier than figuring out our proper conduct. This passage shows us that discerning our doctrine we have as Christians is easier than following our correct duty. 

            Let’s remind ourselves what Paul says a citizen of heaven who lives on earth looks like. Based on Philippians 3:17 we learned about the model we should follow. We were taught to designate a mentor for ourselves. Based on Philippians 3:18–19 we learned about mortals we avoid. We were taught to discern what we read or hear. Based on Philippians 3:20–21 we learned about the manner we live. We were taught to distinguish our lifestyles as Christians from the lifestyle of the world. 

            Being a Christian is difficult because people look at our entire life (personal, professional, family, friends) to evaluate our claim that we are Christians. Being Christians is a challenge because all of our behavior is tied to who we are as Christians. If we worked as an accountant, as a nurse, or as a mechanic, most people would not look at our personal life to examine if we are effective at our jobs. We normally do not pay attention to someone’s personal life as a reflection of how well he can do his professional work.

            However, the opposite is true for us as Christians. How we act at church is important, but how we behave when we are at Wal-Mart, with our friends in a restaurant, or at work are all evaluated in light of the fact that we are Christians. In other words, it’s even more important that we live as Christians when not at church. And that’s because we are on earth living as citizens of heaven.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1. What areas of your life do you feel like you’re living as a citizen of heaven best?
2. What areas of your life do you feel you’re not living as a citizen of heaven?
3. How can you improve?
4. Are there teachings of Scripture you know contradict your life? How can you change that?

—

Christopher L. Scott is a pastor and author of the book, Walking Straight When Life Goes Sideways: Essential Christian Truths for Enduring Life’s Trials (Wipf and Stock). He provides hundreds of free articles, videos, and Bible study resources at his website ChristopherLynnScott.com.

[1] See Jay Bennet, “The Same Atoms Exist in Two Places Nearly 2 Feet Apart Simultaneously,” Popular Mechanics, December 28, 2015, https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a18756/atoms-exist-two-places-simultaneously/; Andrea Estrada, “Physicists Show Theory of Quantum Mechanics Applies to the Motion of Large Objects,” The Current, March 17, 2010, https://news.ucsb.edu/2010/012788/physicists-show-theory-quantum-mechanics-applies-motion-large-objects;

[2] Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015).

[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.

Christians should look different. That’s the essence of Paul’s message to the Christians in the city of Philippi in Philippians 3:17–21. Paul has told them about the model they follow (v. 17), about the mortals they avoid (vv. 18–19), and now he’s going to tell them about the manner they live (vv. 20–21). In previous weeks we’ve learned that an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ embraces God’s word (2 Tim 3:16–17), Now we are learning that an authentic disciple embodies God’s kingdom (Phil 3:17–21).

            Paul writes, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil 3:20–21, NASB).[1]

            Let’s look at the expression, “For our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20a).Paul says we are in the world, yet not of the world. It’s like saying you’re in the boat, but not touching the water.[2] This word for “citizenship” is the Greek word, politeuma.[3] It’s only used one time in the New Testament and can be translated as “commonwealth,” “government,” or “state.”[4] This noun is similar to the word used as a verb in Philippians 1:27a, “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ” (NLT, emphasis mine).

            The idea of citizenship is a metaphor that the Philippians[5] would have understood.[6] Many residents of Philippi were patriotic veterans of the army.[7] 

            After having been destroyed by wars it was rebuilt by Emperor Octavian who established it as a military outpost, populated the city with veterans of his wars, made it a Roman colony, and gave it what was called, ius italicum, which was one of the highest privileges attainable by provincial municipality.[8] The people living in Philippi were Roman citizens living in a foreign land 800 miles away from Rome.[9]

            Thus far we’ve looked at the expression Paul uses about citizenship. Next let’s look at the expectations his followers have. Paul writes, “from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil 3:20b). This eager expectation is a common theme in other parts of the New Testament. Several writers tell us about the second coming of Christ and how we are to eagerly await him (Rom 8:23; 1 Thess 1:9–10; 4:16–18; 2 Pet 3:11). We’re taught to wait patiently yet expectantly.[10]

            Now that we’ve read Paul’s expression and expectation, we next see his explanation, “who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil 3:21).

            Paul explains our situation,“the body of our humble state.” That phrase could literally be translated as “body of our humiliation.” That phrase refers to how our bodies are subjected to disease, decay, and death due to sin. But this will be changed at the resurrection of believers (Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 6:14; 15:50-53).

            Paul explains our transformation, “who will transform . . . into conformity with the body of His glory.” All believers will have to undergo a change in order to inherit God’s eternal kingdom. Those alive at Christ’s second coming as well as those who have died will experience this transformation. The late Greek scholar A.T.  Robertson has written, “The body of our state of humiliation will be made suitable to associate with the body of Christ’s glory.”[11] As Pastor Mark Hitchcock says, “We’ll get an airlift and a facelift.”[12] We will have a body like Jesus Christ’s resurrected body.

            Philippians 3:20–21 teaches us that as Christians we distinguish our lifestyle from the lifestyle of the world. Did you notice the contrast between those who are worldly in Philippians 3:18–19 with those who are heavenly in Philippians 3:20–21?

            This is one of the most important articles I’ve written in our series on discipleship. If there is one thing that hurts the church it’s this: when Christians don’t live like Christians. Paul’s message tells us that if we are followers of Christ then we should act like Christ acted. And Christ acted very different than the culture of his day. We too, are called to act different than the world we live in today.

            So let’s review.[13] Paul has given us descriptions of the worldly person in Philippians 3:18–19. These people are enemies of the cross, they are on a path to destruction, their appetite is their god, their glory is their shame, and they set their minds on worldly things.

            Conversely, Paul has also given us directions for the heavenly person in Philippians 3:20–21. In these verses we learn several things.

            First, heavenly people are embracers of the cross. We accept the gift of salvation of what Christ did for us, and we live in a way that honors his sacrifice.

            Second, heavenly people are on a path to salvation. We walk with the Holy Spirit growing in Christlikeness all the time. We live in a sacrificial way in order to honor his sacrifice.

            Third, heavenly people have God as our appetite. We desire what God desires. We desire what honors him. What pleases him pleases us.

            Fourth, heavenly people mourn over our shame. When we do shameful things we feel the shame that rightly comes into our lives not just because of what sin does to us, but because of what sin does to others and to God.

            Fifth, heavenly people set our minds on heavenly things. We don’t live for today, but we look for Christ coming. He’ll return and change us.

            These are just a small sample of the things the New Testament teaches us to do as citizens of heaven on earth. Being a member of the kingdom requires that we live like a member of the kingdom.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1. Was there a time in your life when you lived as an enemy of the cross?
2. What was it that changed you?
3. Which of these “heavenly people” descriptions does not describe you? How can you change that?
4. Which of these “heavenly people” descriptions does describe you? How did you achieve this?

—

Christopher L. Scott is a pastor and author of the book, Walking Straight When Life Goes Sideways: Essential Christian Truths for Enduring Life’s Trials (Wipf and Stock). He provides hundreds of free articles, videos, and Bible study resources at his website ChristopherLynnScott.com.

[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] John 17:14-16; 1 Cor 7:29-34; 1 Peter 2:11.

[3] The word used in this manner “is not so much a reference to their citizenship, nor even their status as a ‘colony’; it should be understood in terms of their metropolis or capital city, which lists its members among its citizens. It is a community of foreign nationals (foreigners to paganism) with a threefold meaning: (a) local (the politēs has ties to a place, a city)—our politeuma is in heaven; (b) political—like every analagous civitas, conferring liberty and equality on all its members, full rights; (c) constitutional and legal—exclusive dependency on the supreme authority of the Kyrios, Jesus,” Ceslas Spicq and James D. Ernest, Theological Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1994), 131.

[4] A word-study resource I regularly use states that in the “strict sense of the word, a politeuma is an organization of citizens from the same place, with the same rights (isonomoi) in the midst of a foreign state,” Spicq and Ernest, Theological Lexicon of the New Testament, 130.

[5] The city of Philippi was old and historic when Paul was addressing them. The city had been built by Philip of Macedon in 358-357 BC. It was one of the main stations along the main overland route that connected Rome and the East.

[6] The Philippians were “proud of their city, proud of their ties with Rome, and proud to observe Roman customs and obey Roman laws, proud to be Roman citizens,” Hawthorne, “Philippians, Letter to the” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1993),707.

[7] A.A. Rupprecht, “Legal System, Roman” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, 548.

[8] Hawthorne, “Philippians, Letter to the” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, 707.

[9] With that historical background in mind, I think we can read the same phrase in a fresh way, “For our citizenship is in heaven.” One commentary says that this word, “citizenship” describes “one’s behavior as a citizen of a nation. Paul is encouraging us to have the spiritual mind, and he does this by pointing out the characteristics of the Christian whose citizenship is in heaven. Just as Philippi was a colony of Rome on foreign soil, so the church is a ‘colony of heaven’ on earth,” Warren Wiersbe, Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2(Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 92.

[10] The Greek word used here, apekdechomai, is also used in Romans 8:23. While different words are used, the idea is the same in 2 Peter 3:11, 12; 1 Thess 1:9–10; 4:16–18.

[11] A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Philippians 3:21. Also see 1 Corinthians 15:54.

[12] Mark Hitchcock, “Walk This Way” (Philippians 3:17-21), Faith Bible Church, Edmond, OK, November 19, 2017. https://faithbibleok.subspla.sh/g66f5x5. Accessed Jan 13, 2024.

[13] The following section is adapted from Charles Swindoll, Insights on Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, vol. 9 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2017), 78.

There are many things in life we are taught that we should avoid. Don’t speed when driving a car. Don’t eat highly processed foods. Don’t spend more money than you make. Those are all good advice for life. Scripture teaches us that there are activities we should avoid, and that there are people we should avoid too. That’s the message Paul sends in Philippians 3:18–19.

In Philippians 3:17 Paul taught us (as Christians) that we need a model to follow. Now in Philippians 3:18–19 he gives us caution about mortals to avoid. We might say that Philippians 3:18–19 gives the reasons for the exhortation of Philippians 3:17. Paul tells us that there are people we need to avoid and that Christians always need to be cautious about what they read and hear.

Paul writes, “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ” (Phil 3:18, NASB).[1] Paul calls these people,“enemies of the cross of Christ,” and had previously warned the Philippians about these people, “I often told you.” When you read Paul’s letters and his activity in the book of Acts, you see that he often warned about false teachers.[2]

While there was a past warning given, now there is a present warning given, “now [I] tell you even weeping.”[3] The participle, “weeping,” is connected to the verb, “tell you.” This combination reveals to us the manner in which Paul spoke to the Philippians: sadness. Paul wept as he warned the Philippians because of the harm these people do.

            In addition to a past and present warning, there also was a problem. Perhaps the believers in Philippi that Paul had discipled were drifting from the truth. Perhaps these false teachers were strong leaders that were beginning to throw their weight around.

            These “enemies of the cross”[4]probably were not members of the church because Paul would not have included these people in his glowing thanksgiving of Philippians 1:4–8.[5]

Based on this information, I believe these likely were people that professed to be Christians since they are connected to Christ’s saving death, but did not possess Christ as Lord in their lives. The things they proclaimed about Christ showed that they did not possess Christ in their lives. In addition to that, Philippians 3:19 reveals the behavior of these people has made them enemies of the cross. These people demonstrate by the way they behave what they believe.

            Paul writes more about these people, “whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things” (Phil 3:19). This verse reveals four short curt expressions of the character and destiny of Paul’s enemies.

            We first learn about their goal, “whose end is destruction.” They are headed for eternal damnation because they have rejected the cross of Christ.

            We next learn about their god, “whose god is their appetite.” This is the deep self-centeredness in which their desires come first. These enemies of the cross only think of their physical desires. In some way perhaps they have failed to put their old life to death. Maybe they claim to embrace the cross of Christ while also enjoying the sins of their life prior to Christ.

            Then we learn about the glory they desire, “whose glory is in their shame.”They prided themselves in the things they should have been ashamed of. The combination of words here describes a shameful conduct that has excess, especially sexually.[6]

            Lastly we learn about their guide, “who set their minds on earthly things.”They have set their minds on the things of this life. As they “set their minds”to earthly things it depicts their mental attitude, their basic aims, and their inward disposition to earthly things. In other words, they focus on the earthly sphere of sin (Rom 8:5-6).

            Philippians 3:18–19 teaches us that we need to discern what we read and hear. This, essentially, is what Paul is doing here in this letter. He’s discerning how these“enemies of the cross” conduct themselves.

            This is hard because enemies of the cross sometimes look like us. They might use some of the same language such as “salvation” or “faith” or “repentance.” Yet as we learn more, we learn they don’t mean the same things that we mean.

            For example, Mormons will talk about “Scripture” or the “Trinity.” Mormons will use words like “grace” and “faith.” But the more you talk with Mormons about those terms the more you realize those terms have vastly different meaning by Mormons than how we as Christians use them. We need discernment because they used the same terms we use, but they don’t mean the same thing.

            When we hear sermons in church, read Christian books, or listen to messages on podcasts we should always be discerning and be aware of false teaching that might lead us astray. There’s a quote I’ve had in my files for a while that seems fitting for this topic, “Every car with a Christian bumper sticker is not necessarily occupied by Christians. Every neck wearing a cross is not necessarily a redeemed neck.”[7] Because of that Christians need to discern what they read and hear. We do this by filtering what we hear and read through the Scriptures God has given us and the theology the church has preserved for us.

            Paul encouraged his audience to do that, and may we too heed that same advice as we interact with the people around us.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. What have you learned from identifying and avoiding enemies of the cross?
2. Are there people in your life that might fit the description of “enemies of the cross?”
3. How can you (or should you) try to avoid them?
4. Have you ever been an “enemy” of the cross and how did you change?

—

Christopher L. Scott is a pastor and author of the book, Walking Straight When Life Goes Sideways: Essential Christian Truths for Enduring Life’s Trials (Wipf and Stock). He provides hundreds of free articles, videos, and Bible study resources at his website ChristopherLynnScott.com.

[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] Paul often warned about the dangers of false teachers (Phil 3:1). He possibly did this while he was there in Philippi ministering, through letters we don’t have, or through Epaphroditus’ unofficial comments not in print. This was similar to what he did for the believers in the city of Ephesus (Acts 20:19, 28-30, 31).

[3] In Acts 20:31 there he says he was weeping too.

[4] As we read about these people it’s important that we remember that Paul and his readers knew who these people were, but us reading 2,000 years later don’t know. One commentator, JJ Gunther, listed eighteen different scholarly suggestions about who these people might be. Peter O’Brien, Philippians (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B. Eerdmans, 1991), 27.

[5] These enemies of the cross might be the same group Paul has labeled as having wrong motives in preaching (Phil 1:15-17), Paul’s opponents headed for destruction (Phil 1:27–28), those Paul calls dogs of evil work (Phil 3:2), or the people Paul calls libertines or antinomians (Phil 3:18–19).

[6] Peter O’Brien, Philippians (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B. Eerdmans, 1991), 456–457.

[7] John MacArthur, “Traits of a True Believer, part 1” (John 13:31–38), https://www.gty.org/sermons/43-70/traits-of-a-true-believer-part-1.

Every Christian needs to follow a person that is passionately—and imperfectly—following Christ. Paul was that person for the Philippians. Paul wrote, “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us” (Phil 3:17, NASB).[1]

            Paul describes several good models to follow for Christian behavior in his letter to the Philippians.[2] He provides the example of Christ (Phil 2:5–11), Timothy who was concerned for them and worked hard to share the Gospel (Phil 2:19–24), and Epaphroditus who was a fellow worker with Paul in the Gospel even though it caused health problems (Phil 2:25–30). In addition to those, we need to also remember that Paul spent time in Philippi. In Acts 16 he established the church there, spent some time in prison, and then continued to minister to the church after he was released from prison.

            With this in mind, in Philippians 3:17 Paul tells his readers to follow him. He writes, “join in following my example.”[3]The idea of “mimic me as I mimic Christ” was something Paul often said (Phil 4:9; 1 Cor 4:6; 11:1; Tit 2:7-8). He told others to emulate him because he was following Christ, not because he was perfect.[4] Specifically, what would Paul say to imitate about himself? Perhaps his self-denying and self-giving acts (1 Cor 10:33-11:1), his willingness to suffer for others (1 Thess 1:6; 2:14; 2 Thess 3:7-9), or his ability to lose everything for Christ while also imitating Christ (Phil 3:5-9).

            Paul not only wants the Philippians to follow him, but also to follow Paul’s companions. He writes, “observe those who walk.” This is not Paul, but Paul’s companions: Timothy and Epaphroditus (see Phil 2:19, 25). They were contemporaries of Paul and other godly examples for the Philippians to imitate.

            Paul tells the Philippians to copy both Paul and his companions. He writes, “walk according to the pattern you have in us” That word for “pattern” is a different Greek word than for “example” above. The word for “pattern” in Greek is tupon. This word describes an impression left by a stroke, like “the print of the nails” (John 20:25). It often was used of a stamp on a coin or the impression of an engraving or work of art.[5] The idea Paul conveys here is that the Philippians are to follow the tangible examples of Paul and his coworkers.

            Philippians 3:17 teaches us that we need to designate a spiritual mentor for ourselves. Ideally, it’s best if this is a local person that we can talk to and be in proximity to physically. It’s best to have a flesh and blood person whom we can be with to disciple us. Often this is someone that we worship God with each week.

            All of us need a fellow fallen and frail person that is passionately (and imperfectly) following Christ that we can follow. So who do we follow if no one is perfect? We find a less imperfect person than we are and follow him or her. We do not look for someone who’s perfect but someone who relentlessly pursues Christ-likeness.

            In other words, we need imperfect mentors for imperfect disciples. For example, if you struggle with an alcohol addiction that you want to overcome, do you want someone that’s never touched alcohol or someone that had a severe addiction and overcame it with God’s grace? If you struggle in your marriage with arguments and are not sure how you can stay married, do you want a mentor that has never had a fight with his spouse or someone that’s been through many troubles but stayed married and is passionately loving his spouse?

            As we look for spiritual mentors we must remember that different Christians have different needs. Whatever our situation might be, we need to find someone who is following God that we can imitate and follow. Paul was that person for the Philippians, and I pray that we each find someone to be that “Paul” for us just as the Philippians experienced.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

• Who has been a spiritual mentor in your life, and what did that relationship mean to you?
• Is there someone in your life you’d like to offer to be a spiritual mentor to? Discuss your plan to offer to mentor that person.
• Is there someone in your life you’d like to have a as a spiritual mentor to you? Discuss your plan to ask him or her to mentor you.
• What would the format look like for you to mentor or be mentored by someone else?

—

Christopher L. Scott is a pastor and author of the book, Walking Straight When Life Goes Sideways: Essential Christian Truths for Enduring Life’s Trials (Wipf and Stock). He provides hundreds of free articles, videos, and Bible study resources at his website ChristopherLynnScott.com.

[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] As we read Philippians 3:17 we need to make sure we understand the context of it within the book of Philippians. Philippians is one of the four letters of Paul that we call “prison letters.” Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon during his first imprisonment in Rome (see Acts 26—28). Second Timothy was another letter that Paul wrote from prison in Rome. However, 2 Timothy was written during a second and later imprisonment in Rome. Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon were written while Paul was under “house arrest” while Paul wrote 2 Timothy from the “Mamertine” prison in a later imprisonment after the first. Many prisoners awaited execution in the famous Rome Mamertine Prison. It was an abandoned cistern that was only accessible through a whole in the ceiling. See Charles Swindoll, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, vol. 11 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2014), 161.

[3] The word for “example” here is summimetai which is found nowhere else in Greek literature. But it comes from the Grk word, mimetes meaning “imitator.” 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). 652.

[4] How do I know Paul was not perfect? He wrote earlier in this chapter, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:12–14).

[5]A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Philippians 3:17.

I have a family member who was born in 1965 as an American citizen, but he was not born in America. He was born 4,8000 miles away in Germany, yet his birth certificate lists him as an American citizen.

That is possible because he was born on an American Army base in Germany. As Christians, we have a similar situation to my family member who lived in one country while being a citizen of another country. We are here on earth temporarily until we arrive at our permanent home in heaven.

            Because of this we face the challenge of living like citizens of heaven on earth in a culture that does not match our Christian values and priorities. While we want to honor God with our actions, we live in a culture where people get honor from culture because of the shameful things they do. Have you ever noticed that? The more shame someone brings on himself or herself, the more fame he or she gets through media coverage, book contracts, social media following, documentary series, etc.

            Conversely, the honorable way we live on earth should bring honor to our God in heaven. We do this in many ways such as through how we love our family, how we care for our community, the effort we put into our work, and the way we use our money. People in our culture should look at us as Christians and recognize that something is different. We should be so different that they might not even understand why we do what we do.

            Paul tells us to do this and how to do this in his letter to the Philippians. “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Phil 3:17–21, NASB).[1] This text forces us to examine our behavior as Christians compared to the behavior of the world.

            In previous weeks we looked at 2 Timothy 3:16–17 about the belief we have that all Scripture is inspired by God and useful. In the coming weeks we will look at Philippians 3:17–21 which addresses behaviors we have because of those beliefs.

            Before we carefully examine the individual parts of Philippian 3:17–21 I think it’s healthy to summarize these few verses. Here’s my summary of what Paul is telling us: Follow the example of a mature believer that is less imperfect than you, reject the example of those that reject Christ, and live according to heaven’s agenda. In other words, being a member of God’s kingdom requires that we live on earth like a member of that kingdom.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

• What are some areas where people get attention and accolades because of the shameful things they do?
• What pressure do you regularly feel living as a Christian in a culture that does not match your values and priorities?
• How can you gain more confidence to live as a citizen of heaven while on earth?

[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.

Years ago I heard of a poet who left a note on his door when he would go to lunch with his friends: “Publishing poetry is fun, but my morning’s work is done, so I went out to brunch with others as a bunch, and I’ll be back at one.”[1] Now that’s a man who practiced what he preached. He applied his job (as a poet) to a task (of writing a sign on his door telling people he’d gone out for food).

            As Christians we need to be people that apply God’s word to our lives. If we say we believe in God, that we love God, and that we want to follow God, then the only logical step is to apply to our lives what he has given us.

            In Paul’s second letter to Timothy he tells us about what God has given us. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16–17, NASB).[2] In those two verses Paul tells us that if we are Christ followers we should be doers of what Christ says.

            From these two verses we learn that Scripture is supernaturally given by God for the sanctification of God’s people and preparation for ministry and life. We can conclude an authentic disciple embraces God’s word into his or her life.

            So, how do we embrace God’s word into our lives? There are three ways we do this.           

First, we read it devotionally. We might read a couple of verses, a paragraph, or a chapter a day. The amount is less important than the regular practice. For many years I read through the entire Bible each year by reading four chapters a day. Recently I spent five years reading through the Psalms by reading the same Psalm every day for a week before moving on to the next Psalm (an exception was Psalm 119, of course!).

            Second, we study it methodically. There are different ways to study God’s word, but I prefer the Inductive Bible Study method. The Inductive Bible Study method starts with “observation” and answers the question, “What’s the text say?” Then moves on to “interpretation” which asks, “What’s the text mean?” It finishes with “application” which asks, “How do I apply the text?”[3]

            Third, we listen to it regularly. Find some good podcasts or radio broadcasts that you listen to each week. Here are a few. I’ve provided the Bible teacher’s name as well as the name of the ministry in parenthesis: David Jeremiah (Turning Point), Charles Swindoll (Insight for Living), J. Vernon McGee (Thru the Bible), Chip Ingram (Living on the Edge), John MacArthur (Grace to You), or Charles Stanley (In Touch Ministries).

            I believe we learn from 2 Timothy 3:16–17, as well as the rest of the New Testament, that an authentic disciple embraces God’s word into his or her life.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

• What is your current process for reading God’s word?
• How can you learn more from what God has provided?
• How can you apply more of what God has provided?
• Is there someone you can discuss what you are reading and learning with regularly?

[1] Adapted from the text of Frank & Earnest, June 20, 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.

[3] You can learn more about inductive Bible studies in the following books: Robert Traina, Methodical Bible Study (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1980); Howard Hendricks and William Hendricks, Living by the Book (Chicago, IL: Moody, 2007); Charles Swindoll, Searching the Scriptures (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2013).

Those of us who have spent time working on vehicles remember the trusty Chilton repair manuals. Back before there was NASA level technology in our vehicles, when someone bought a vehicle he or she often also bought the Chilton manual to go with the vehicle. The Chilton manual provided descriptions and pictures for how to maintain and fix different parts of the vehicle.

            The Scriptures that God has given us are like those Chilton manuals. God has provided Scripture to make us competent in the Christian life. Paul writes about this in 2 Timothy 3:17, “so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”[1]

            In 2 Timothy 3:16 Paul has described the divine origin of scripture (where it comes from) and the divine purpose of Scripture (what Scripture is for). Now in 2 Timothy 3:17 we learn about the divine result of Scripture. The two words at the beginning of 2 Timothy 3:17, “so that,” reveal what the result should be of Scripture being given to us.

            These words are directed to Timothy yet are for all people. When Paul writes, “the man of God,” it refers to Timothy as the man responsible to shepherd and pastor this church in Ephesus. It also is directed to an official preacher of divine truth. But in a sense it applies to all of us who commit ourselves to God, rely on Scripture for Godly living, and have positions of spiritual oversight.

            These are the words directed to the preparation of all people, “may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” The word “adequate” is translated from the Greek adjective, artios. This word is defined as “being well fitted for some function” and is used “in the sense of able to meet all demands.”[2] It could be translated as “complete” or “capable” or “proficient.” [3] This word comes from an old word meaning “to fit.”[4] In Greek you can move words around in a sentence in order to show emphasis. Often a writer would move a word to the front of the sentence to emphasize it. Here, this word, “adequate,” is placed second in the sentence in Greek to show emphasis on it. The idea is this: the person of God is capable of doing what God calls him or her to do because of God’s word.

            Let’s take a moment to examine the phrase, “equipped for every good work.”[5] Paul tells us here that Scripture makes us able to meet the demands of a godly ministry. In this way Scripture makes us able to live righteously. All who follow God experience the direction Scripture gives us for the life we live as Christians. Paul explained this same idea in his letter to the Ephesians (see Eph 4:11-13).

            What we learn from 2 Timothy 3:17 is that Scripture makes us competent. I like The Message’s rendering of 2 Timothy 3:17, “Through the word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.”[6] When chaos comes, Scripture makes us competent to weather the storms in the sea of life.

            Just as we might use the Chilton manual to be competent and adequate for any work on our vehicle, Scripture does that for us as Christians. Tony Evans has declared, “Everything that you need in order to be what God wants you to be is already in Scripture.”[7]

Scripture prepares us for what is ahead. An example of this is when I preached through 1 Peter on suffering in 2023. I had prayed about the needs of our church and sensed I needed to preach about suffering to help our church members who were going through some hard situations. So in the fall of 2023, I preached fourteen sermons from 1 Peter on suffering. Then, two weeks after I completed the sermon series, I found myself in a seven-day unexpected stay in our local hospital. I didn’t know God was preparing me for suffering, but I was ready! God was using his word to prepare me for the suffering that awaited me.

            Scripture gets us ready for what God has planned ahead of us. It might be a new challenging job we never thought we’d have to take, a set of kids that we weren’t sure we’d ever have, health problems we never imagined could be so bad, or aging parents that we never thought we’d have to care for. Whatever it might be, God’s word makes us competent for what God has planned ahead for us.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

• What are some things you have done to study God’s word in order to become more competent?
• What are some ways Scripture has made you competent in life?
• Who are people in your life you’ve seen grow and become competent because of God’s word?
• What are some areas of your life you are struggling with and might look to Scripture to help you handle?

[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] 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), 136.

[3] Ibid.

[4] A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), 2 Timothy 3:17.

[5] The Greek word for “equipped” is the verbal form of the Grek noun used for “adequate” earlier. This verb, exertismenos ἐξηρτισμένος (ἐξαρτίζω) is the verb of that adjective. (Much like “build” is the verb and “building” is the noun.) Thus you might notice the audible play on words: artios and exertismenos as they sound similar.

[6] Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005).

[7] The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible, 2019), 1297.

I love clean jokes. Here’s one: How many “traditionalists” does it take to change a light bulb? The answer is four. One to change the light bulb and three to tell you how great the old bulb was.

            We all know that change is hard. Second Timothy 3:16 teaches us about the change that occurs in us as we read Scripture. This verse reveals the divine origin of Scripture, “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Tim 3:16a),[1] as well as the purpose of Scripture, “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16b). It’s in 2 Timothy 3:16b that we learn that one of the reasons God gave us Scripture is to change us.

            In 2 Timothy 3:16b we learn that Scripture provides education. Paul writes that Scripture is “profitable” and provides “teaching.”Scripture has an educational aspect as the Word gives us teaching in a positive way. This helps us to understand God’s truth. This is divine instruction and foundational doctrinal content of both Old Testament and New Testament. God’s Word also provides practical real life instruction. If we compare this with the process that most of us followed to get a driver’s license, this would have been the classroom time where we were taught the laws of driving by a teacher and instructional book.  

            But that’s not all Scripture does. Scripture is profitable for “teaching” but also for “reproof” and “correction” and “training in righteousness.” Scripture reveals to us both our creed and our conduct, our belief and our behavior, as well as our doctrine and our duty.

            In 2 Timothy 3:16b we learn that Scripture provides exhortation. Paul writes about “reproof” which is negative. This addresses someone in sin and exposes his sin to himself. It means bringing correction of error where there has been deviation from that truth. It implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.[2] If we compare this with the process that most of us followed to get a driver’s license, this would have been us driving with our learner’s permit and passing a stop sign. The adult observing us would say, “You’re supposed to stop at that sign.”

            In 2 Timothy 3:16b we learn that Scripture provides exhortation with “reproof” but also  “correction.” While “reproof” is negative, “correction” is positive. Correction addresses those in error and brings restoration to the truth when there has been an error. This is the process of restoring that person after reproof. The Greek word here, epanorthosis, is only used one time in the New Testament. However, it is used in extra-biblical literature for “righting a fallen object, or helping back to their feet those who had stumbled.”[3] In this way, Scripture points people back to Godly living in addition to pointing out sin (Pss 119:9-11; Jn 16:1, 2). If we compare this with the process that most of us followed to get a driver’s license, this would be us approaching another stop sign and stopping like we are supposed to stop, at the direction of the adult observing us.

            In 2 Timothy 3:16b we learn that Scripture provides enablement. Paul writes about “training in righteousness.” This too, like “correction” and “teaching,” is positive. That phrase, “training in righteousness” could literally be translated as “child-training.” It’s the sameword used in Ephesians 6:4 for parents to bring up their children “in the instruction of the Lord.” This is positive training in Godly behavior. It’s a system of discipline that leads to Godly behavior and a holy lifestyle. If we compare this with the process that most of us followed to get a driver’s license, it is the continual learning we experience as we drive and get better at it.

            I love this summary of what Paul teaches in 2 Timothy 3:16 from Warren Wiersbe. He writes that the Scriptures “are profitable for doctrine (what is right), for reproof (what is not right), for correction (how to get right), and for instruction in righteousness (how to stay right).”[4] He then adds, “A Christian who studies the Bible and applies what he learns will grow in holiness and avoid many pitfalls in this world.”[5]

            What we learn from 2 Timothy 3:16b is that Scripture changes us. While change is hard, Scripture is what changes us. You and I can read other books, but the Bible is a book that reads us. If we read the Bible, the Bible will read us and change us.

            As the late J. Vernon McGee has said, “Studying the Bible should bring conviction to us.”[6] Every page should be read and marked in our Bible. Pastor Charles Swindoll says “Scripture trains us to align our behavior so that it matches our new, righteous identity.”[7]

            When we read God’s Word and follow what it says, we are changed. It will mold us. And what we find is that it changes us.

            For several years I was a member of a Toastmasters Club where I was taught to give speeches. Being in a Toastmasters Club is a unique experience because you stand up each week and give speeches, but when you sit down other members of the club take turns giving you feedback on what you could do better. One week I would be told that I said the word “um” too much. The next week I would be told that I didn’t use my hands when I spoke like I should. The next week I was told I spoke too fast and needed to slow down. The next week I was told that I talked in a monotone voice and I need to vary my pitch. I think you get the point: each week I would improve but then the group found new things I could still improve upon.

            It’s like that when we study God’s Word. We read it, we grow and change, only to learn later there’s something new we can improve. We work through things. Then we start to get those handled, and we have more things we work through. It’s in that way that Scriptures changes us.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

• What’s your process for reading God’s word daily?
• How has reading God’s word changed you?
• How can you find ways to read and discuss what you reading in Scripture with others?
• What are some ways you feel God’s word is changing you right now?
• Are there some areas of your life you need God to change you? How can reading God’s Word help you to make that change?

[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] NET Bible, Full Notes Edition (Biblical Studies Press, 2019), 2279.

[3] MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd ed. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2020), 1625.

[4] Warren Wiersbe, Be Faithful (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2009), 174.

[5] Wiersbe, Be Faithful, 174.

[6] J. Vernon McGee, First and Second Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Thru the Bible vol. 50 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 124.

[7] Charles Swindoll, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, vol. 11 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2014), 241.

What we believe influences the decisions we make. For example, if we believe vaccinations are good then we will receive them. But if we believe vaccinations are harmful then we won’t receive them. If we believe it is important to vote as an American citizen, then we will register to vote and we will vote when allowed to do so.

            We could summarize this principle this way: what we believe influences our behavior. And because of this, what we as Christians believe about Scripture affects our behavior regarding what Scripture teaches. Two verses from Paul’s second letter to Timothy often inform our beliefs about Scripture.

            Second Timothy was written by the apostle Paul while he was in prison in Rome. However, this was different than the “prison letters” known as Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon which were written while Paul was under “house-arrest” in Rome. In 2 Timothy we learn from Paul that he is in prison once more (2 Tim 1:16-18), has been subjected to one trial (2 Tim 4:16), and the hour of his death was about to come (2 Tim 4:6).[1] Paul wrote 2 Timothy from the maritime prison, which was a wet, cold, and dark dungeon. While there is no biblical testimony about the death of Paul, the source closest to Paul’s death—Clement of Rome—wrote that Paul (and Peter) was persecuted and killed under Nero.[2]

            It is with this context that Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16–17, NASB).[3]

            In this context Paul was emphasizing the importance of Scripture in Timothy’s past (v. 15) as well as Timothy’s present and future ministries (vv. 16-17).

            Pastor Charles Swindoll wrote about this verse, “It is the single most significant sentence in all the New Testament regarding the Scriptures, because it touches on the watershed issue of faith in our times. What you believe about the Bible influences everything you believe and affects every decision you make.”[4]

            I think we could summarize these two verses like this: Scripture is supernaturally given by God for the sanctification of God’s people and preparation for ministry and life. It is my belief, based on these two verses, that an authentic disciple embraces God’s Word in his or her life.

            In the coming weeks we’re going to study these two verses to see what we should believe about the Bible and how that belief influences every decision we make.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

• What have you heard other people say—whether good or bad—about Scripture?
• What do you believe about Scripture?
• What are some of your earliest memories of seeing or reading the Bible?
• Do you have any significant or important memories of God speaking to you through his Word?
• How has your life changed as a result of reading Scripture?

[1] Paul Barnett, Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1999), 342-343.

[2] 1 Clement 5:1-4:5 cited in Barnett, Jesus and Early Christianity, 343.

[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] Charles Swindoll, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, vol. 11 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 2014), 239–240.

In 2008 I was working at a nonprofit doing fundraising. My boss’s name was Steve and he worked in an office adjacent to my cubicle. This was convenient as I could walk about fifteen feet from my desk into his office when I had accumulated a list of questions for him. I had only been working in this new position for a few weeks so I was still learning what my job was and how to do that job.

            One day I walked into his office with a few questions I had compiled to ask him. “Do you have a few minutes to talk about some questions I have, Steve?” He said, “Sure go ahead.” As I began to ask him questions I noticed he was packing items from his desk into boxes.

            My questions transitioned from my work to, “What are you doing, Steve?” He replied, “I’ve been let go. It’s not being handled well so I’m packing up and leaving.” He then admitted, “Hattie is going to be your new boss. Maybe you should ask her your questions. I’m glad to answer your questions and try to be helpful, but I think it would be best if you begin talking to her about these things since she will be your new boss.”

            I went to Hattie’s office and told her I heard she would be my new boss. She bluntly told me, “I don’t want to be your boss, I don’t want to do performance evaluations, and I don’t want to manage anyone.  So, let me tell you the basics of your job.” She then laid out the basic things she wanted me to do, and told me about things I could do that she didn’t want me to waste my time on. For the next five years I worked for Hattie always “sticking to the list” of things she told me she wanted me to do while ignoring all the other things that I “could do” but was told “not to do.”

            I want this series of articles on discipleship to be like that direction that Hattie gave to me. Whether you have just become a Christian or have been a Christian for sixty years, I want us to explore what the New Testament says we should be doing as Christians. This will then lead us to logical conclusions about what we should not be doing as Christians.

            Every Christian and every local church wonders about what things they should stay focused on as disciples of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we are overwhelmed as Christians. Do we sell all our things and give everything to the church like the believers did in the book of Acts? Do we go to Africa as missionaries or stay here and evangelize our families and friends? Do we still go and enjoy the same activities or watch the same movies we used to watch before we were Christians? As a local church, what is our purpose and what things do we do and not do?

            In our articles in the coming weeks we’ll look at four passages of Scripture from three different writers. Here’s a basic summary of what we’ll examine together.

            Paul teaches us that as disciples of Jesus Christ we embrace God’s Word: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16–17, NASB).[1]

            Paul also teaches us that as disciples of Jesus Christ we embody God’s kingdom: “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil 3:17–21).

            The author of Hebrews teaches us that as disciples of Jesus Christ we encourage one another: “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” (Heb 10:23–25).

            The apostle Peter teaches us that as disciples of Jesus Christ we evangelize others: “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame” (1 Pet 3:15-16).

            While this is one of many ways that we could define discipleship, I pray it is helpful for us to orient us to what we should and should not be doing as Christians. In the coming weeks we’ll explore each of these passages in detail. I look forward to the journey with you!

[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.

Several years ago the editor of a magazine contacted me and asked for an article on discipleship. I had not written much on discipleship at that time, but I thought his request would be a good opportunity for me to clarify what I believed the New Testament taught on discipleship.

            I began my work on the article by reading from Matthew 1 to Revelation 22. Anytime I saw a description or action of a disciple I wrote it down on a piece of scratch paper. After reading through Matthew 1 to Revelation 22, I had compiled a list of more than sixty identifications of what a disciple looks like based on the New Testament.

            While I compiled a list of sixty descriptions of a disciple from the New Testament, you probably are familiar with Jesus’s teaching about discipleship. We are told about discipleship from Matthew when he records Jesus saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19–20, NASB).[1] I’m guessing this is a verse you’ve read and heard discussed before.

            Steve Elliott was one of the first people to disciple me and walk with me as a new Christian. He often said Matthew 28:19–20 was the most quoted yet least obeyed passage in the entire Bible. He originally taught that to me almost twenty years ago. I believe his words are truer now than ever.

            Because of that, I’m going to dedicate the coming months to us examining what the New Testament says about discipleship. I am excited to go on this journey with you this year as we explore different passages of scripture that teach us what being a disciple looks like.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION:

• Have you been discipled by someone? If so, who was that person and what was the experience like for you?
• Have you ever discipled someone? If so, who was that person (or persons) and what was that experience like for you?
• What have you heard people teach related to Matthew 28:19–20?
• How has your church fulfilled or failed to fulfill the command of these verses?
• In what ways do believe you and/or your church can better follow Jesus’s command to make disciples?

[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.