There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
Friends may be unfaithful, but the Lord will not turn away from the gracious soul; on the contrary, He will hear all its desires. The prophet says, “Keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. A man’s enemies are the men of his own house.” This is a wretched state of affairs; but even in such a case the Best Friend remains true, and we may tell Him all our grief.
Our wisdom is to look unto the Lord and not to quarrel with men or women. If our loving appeals are disregarded by our relatives, let us wait upon the God of our salvation, for He will hear us. He will hear us all the more because of the unkindness and oppression of others, and we shall soon have reason to cry, “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy!”
Because God is the living God, He can hear; because He is a loving God, He will hear; because He is our covenant God, He has bound Him-self to hear us. If we can each one speak of Him as “My God,” we may with absolute certainty say, “My God will hear me.” Come, then, O bleeding heart, and let thy sorrows tell themselves out to the Lord thy God! I will bow the knee in secret and inwardly whisper, “My God will hear me.”
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning Beautiful Christian Life LLC may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through its links, at no cost to you.
Cut flowers. I have mixed feelings about this.
Yes, I love it when the fairer sex in our home carry in bunches of bulbs, roses, lavender, and hydrangeas from the garden. They brighten and cheer us all, but I think we all feel a bit sad when we cut flowers. We know that we have cut them off from their life source. We stand them in vases of water, but this can only slow the process of death and corruption. The flowers droop, the petals fall, the vibrant colors fade to brown, and then the whole bunch is crammed into the curbside bin with the other rubbish.
Christmas. Exchanging lavish gifts. Putting up a pine in the living room and decorating it to the tunes of Bing Crosby. Drawing together the family. Eating festive foods like ham on the bone, fruitcake, and rum balls. Why do people do this? “Because we have always done it, going back generations.” Yes, but what made our forebears do all this in the first place? What made them celebrate? It was of course the birth of Christ. Christmas was a general celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago.
Like cut flowers, Christmas is drooping because we have cut it off from the source.
But Christmas is drooping. We still do the good old things, but the petals are falling and the colors are fading. We can see a future when it will be tossed out altogether. Why? Because we have cut Christmas off from the source.
Let’s get back to the source. Let’s go back to the things that made us celebrate in the first place. We can’t reconnect cut flowers to the plant, but we can all reconnect to the Christmas history. It’s important to do this. Not to save Christmas—although that may come to be a delightful side effect—but ourselves. To be saved from meaninglessness, our sins, death, fear, and estrangement from God.
Isaiah 9:2-6: God Will Send a Child
In 740 BC the nation of Judah was frightened. To the north, the brutal Assyrian Empire was growing rapidly in power, and it seemed only a matter of time before they would descend to ravage Judah’s villages and homes. Then God told them not to fear because he was going to send them a child:
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest…. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9:2-3, 6;all Scripture quotes from NIV)
“The government will be upon his shoulders.” And this great prophecy was fulfilled with the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem (Luke 1:31-33). He will carry the world in the direction he wants to carry it. He will rule—the future is on his shoulders. God’s people don’t have to live with fear and uncertainty.
The character of a ruler is of the greatest importance.
But what is the character of this Savior? God said through Isaiah to not be afraid because he will rule; but, what kind of ruler would he be?
The fact is, the kings of the day were never good men. Israel’s first king, Saul, was fearful and impatient; he disregarded God’s laws and turned to necromancy. David was Israel’s archetypal “good king,” yet even he succumbed to adultery and a murderous cover-up. Solomon succumbed to the idols of his gargantuan harem. Rehoboam was a hot-headed fool. And so on. There were very few useful kings in Judah, and all of them were flawed.
So we can understand if Judah heard Isaiah’s words cynically: A great king? Universal rule on his shoulders? Yes, but will he be good?
We too know all about bad leaders. Kaiser Wilhelm led the world into the sickening First World War. Mussolini led Italy into fascism and inspired Spain’s Franco and Germany’s Hitler to do the same. The Japanese warlords ravaged Southeast Asia. Lenin, Stalin, and Mao butchered their people. Petty leaders like Pol Pot, Idi Amin, and Ratko Mladic were genocidal maniacs. Then there are arch-terrorists like Osama bin Laden and nuclear gangsters like Kim Jong-un.
Even the “good” leaders are fatally flawed.
The British and French general staffs of World War I were homicidally reckless with the millions of young lives under their command. The British Parliament’s appeasement of Hitler in the 1930s paved the way to the great slaughter of World War II. Roosevelt was manipulated by Stalin. Churchill was magnificent but never acknowledged his limitations. Kennedy led his nation into Vietnam. Nixon lied. Thatcher was “never wrong.” The Presidents Bush brought blitzkrieg upon Iraq without any follow-up strategy.
The point is that even our best leaders have deeply flawed characters. The best of them, given universal rule, would eventually bring great harm upon the earth.
The Great King’s four titles describe his nature and mission.
What, therefore, is the character of Isaiah’s Great King whose shoulders will bear the government of the universe? Isaiah tells us. This King will have four titles, and each title describes his nature and mission.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9:6)
Wonderful Counselor could in the Hebrew be two separate titles, “Wonderful” and “Counselor,” but most translations take “Wonderful” as an adjective. The adjective pele refers to something extraordinary, marvelous. The noun yoētsis built on a verb meaning to counsel, to advise.
When God supernaturally divided the Red Sea with a great wind, the astonished nation sang:
“Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Exod. 15:11)
The word for wonders in Exodus 15:11 is the same word used in Isaiah 9:6. The child whose shoulders would bear universal rule would not be like any wise counselor on earth. His counsel—his wisdom—would be extraordinary, awesome. The world would be astonished by his wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
Human counsel is severely cramped. We don’t know everything. We can’t peer into people’s hearts. We can’t predict what will happen in the next hour, let alone the next decade. And we interpret everything according to our own likes and dislikes.
God knows everything, and his counsel is always true and correct.
God is not limited in this way. He knows everything. He knows our secret thoughts. He knows the future, because he determines the future. His only bias is towards holiness. His counsel is always true and correct.
And God knows things that are counterintuitive—that mere human understanding fails to see. God knows, for example, that human weakness can equate with tremendous spiritual strength (2 Cor. 12:10). God knows that what might seem foolish in human eyes might actually be infinitely wise (1 Cor. 1:18-25). This is why God’s counsel is wondrous, astonishing!
This really helps us. We can’t see how God is carrying the world in a good and right direction. Dreadful and appalling things have happened on earth and are happening. The weak suffer. Powerful tyrants get their wicked way. Our own families are struggling. We doubt God’s ability to rule, his wisdom, and even his goodness.
Yet, at the end of time we will see exactly how every appalling calamity has been used by him to bring about a good and perfect result. His wisdom will astonish us. In the meantime, we trust.
The Child would come to fight for his people as their mighty hero and champion.
The Hebrew words for “Mighty God” are ēl gibbōr. The world ēl relates to strength and is the generic Hebrew word for God. The adjective gibbōr means manly and vigorous. The gibbōrīm were the mighty men of David’s army: the heroes and champions who would slay a score of enemies before breakfast. These are the men you wanted fighting on your side and protecting you.
In Deuteronomy 10:17 Moses said, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God (ēl gibbōr).” And in Isaiah 10:20-21 ēl gibbōr is fully equated with “the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.” The child would be called Mighty God because he is God—God come to fight for his people as their mighty hero and champion. This is the God who bears the government on his shoulders, mighty enough to overcome all evil by absorbing all evil on the cross.
The Great King will also be a loving father to his people.
“Everlasting Father” translates into one Hebrew compound word,avīad, which occurs only here in the Bible. The first part, av, means father. The second part, ad, is an adverb that means “always.” Isaiah’s compound word means “father forever,” “Everlasting Father.”
God will be a Father to us. Like a father he gives us life. Like a good father he perfectly protects, provides, and leads us. Like a great father he has great love and tender affection for us. Like a perfect father he gives up himself—his life even—for his beloved children.
So the great King, who bears the government on his shoulders, will also be a loving father to his people. He will be their father forever and will never pause in his fatherly duties.
Isaiah’s Great King is a leader who brings about the end of fighting and ushers in delightful abundance.
The Hebrew words for Prince of Peace are sar-shalōm. A sar is not necessarily “a son of a king” but a leader in general: an official or chief. The sar is the captain of the army of the Lord in Joshua 5, and David leading the down-and-outs of Israel at the Cave of Adullum in 1 Samuel 22.
Don’t forget that shalōm doesn’t just refer to an absence of war, but to the positive blessings of prosperity and abundance. Isaiah’s great king is a Leader who brings about the end of fighting and ushers in delightful abundance.
Note that all four titles are divine titles. They could never be applied to any mere human king. Only God can be the Wonderful Counselor. Only the Eternal and Self-existent God, the Creator, can be the Everlasting Father. Only God can be the Prince of Peace who brings final and lasting stillness to a sin-ravaged world. Mighty God speaks for itself!
The child, on whose shoulders universal government rests, is God. Isaiah is pointing to the incarnation—God taking on flesh, coming to earth, born as a baby—Jesus Christ.
Jesus meets all our needs perfectly.
See how perfectly Jesus meets our needs. Do you need direction, light, and the truth? He is the Wonderful Counselor. Do you need a mighty champion to defeat the enemies of sin and death? He is Mighty God. Do you need permanent fatherly affection and protection? He is Everlasting Father. Do you need to be reconciled to God and your neighbor to enjoy peace and prosperity? He is Prince of Peace.
Jesus the Mighty Savior will defeat all of our enemies: the world, the flesh, the devil, and death itself—enemies that we ourselves are helpless to defeat. He wins our salvation and safeguards our salvation.
It is no surprise that our ancestors feasted and rejoiced and gave gifts at Christmas. The birth of this Mighty Savior was cause for celebration. Yet, our nation has cut the flower of Christmas from this source. Yes, the festivities will go on, for a time of inevitable fading.
How much better it is to rejoin ourselves to the source of Christmas. To look again to the child of Bethlehem. To trust that the government is on his shoulders. To hear, and know, and enjoy the truth of his four magnificent titles.
To make him your Wonderful Counselor, your Mighty God, your Everlasting Father, and your Prince of Peace.
This article was originally published on Beautiful Christian Life under the title “Do You Need to Reconnect with the Source of Christmas?” on December 21, 2018.
Habakkuk 1:1 — J. Vernon McGee has an interesting take on Habakkuk:
I call him the doubting Thomas of the Old Testament because he had a question mark for a brain. His book is really unusual. It is not a prophecy in the strict sense of the term. It is somewhat like the Book of Jonah in that Habakkuk told of his own experience with God—his questions to God and God’s answers.
You’ll notice that Jonah reads easier than Habakkuk – Jonah is in prose (story-form), and Habakkuk is in poetry (thought rhyme, not sound rhyme).
Habakkuk 1:4 — Most Bibles don’t include the quote marks to indicate the dialogue going on in this book:
Habakkuk 1:1-4 – Habakkuk’s 1st Affirmative Constructive: “Judgment doth never go forth” (in contrast to Nahum’s recitation of judgment, Habakkuk says, “Why isn’t it happening yet?”)
Habakkuk 1:5-11 – The LORD’s reply: “I raise up the Chaldeans”
Habakkuk 1:12-2:1 – Habakkuk’s response: “The wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?”
Habakkuk 2:2-20 – The LORD’s reply: “Because (Babylon) hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee”
Habakkuk 3 – Habakkuk’s prayer: “Revive thy work! … Yet I will rejoice in the LORD”
Habakkuk 2:4 — ”The just shall live by his faith” is quoted in Hebrews 10:38, Romans 1:17, and Galatians 3:11.
Revelation 9:3 — Some people have identified the locusts with helicopters, and Revelation 9 with the Gulf War. While the breastplate of iron and the sound of wings could fit, the heads, faces, hair, teeth, and tails don’t seem to fit. We need to make sure we’re reading the text and not reading current events into the text (Nahum’s traffic prophecy)!
Revelation 9:16 — In addition to the locusts, a 200-million-man army is heading to slay a couple billion people (Revelation 9:18). Yet, in spite of this, we see the same situation as in the Old Testament.
Revelation 9:20 – “… yet repented not” of their 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th Commandment sins.
Psalm 137:8 — Sounds a bit like Habakkuk – weeping about the suffering coming to Israel (Psalm 137:1), and looking forward to the Babylonians being destroyed.
Psalm 137:9 — Sounds a little harsh, even for the Old Testament. GotQuestions.orgnotes that it shows a) total destruction, b) it will be a fulfillment of Isaiah 13:16, c) it is an expression of intense emotion, and d) it is restrained – the psalmist is not engaging in revenge himself (Romans 12:17) but leaving it to God.
Proverbs 30:10 — An ancient warning against “tattle-tales.” John Gill notes:
Doeg the Edomite accused David to Saul, and the Pharisees accused the disciples of Christ to their Master, (1 Samuel 22:9) (Matthew 15:2); the apostle’s advice is good, and agrees with Agur’s, (Romans 14:4).
It also seems to address the universal problem of pride. Many of us try for superiority by any means, yet God continually warns about trying to puff ourselves up.
Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.
I was on the Faith & Finance podcast with Rob West, talking about giving guidelines to fight materialism. (You can read all 11 guidelines here.) We don’t need to be victimized by the world’s materialism, especially at Christmastime. By taking our focus off the human receiver and putting it on the divine giver, Christmas can become a symbol of God’s giving heart rather than people’s grabbing hands.
Here’s a clip from the interview, about why we need to keep hearing “God Owns It All”:
In what has become a bit of a Christmas tradition, pastor and author Max Lucado was the guest preacher at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church, tasked with bringing a message to a church led by a wolf and populated by goats. It’s not the first time he’s done so, too, with Lucado speaking at the infamous heretics’ church in 2022, 2021, and 2020.
There’s nothing wrong with accepting an invitation to speak to the milquetoast megachurch, but it should be followed up with a letter of trespass and a request you never come back, the result of openly rebuking Osteen and his congregation with a fiery and prophetic rebuke.
Instead, Lucado openly praised them, saying how much he loves them and their ministry.
Max Lucado preached at Lakewood yesterday and GUSHED over Joel and Victoria Osteen, praising their ministry and saying how much he loves them and their church. For more on the story https://t.co/BG0cpMupxkpic.twitter.com/AgQ4s56yDR— Protestia (@Protestia) December 18, 2023
One of my friend’s favorite Christmas songs is “Mary, Did You Know?”
In it the birth mother of Jesus is asked if she knows the importance and uniqueness of her baby boy.
What did Mary think as Jesus grew to heal the sick, calm the storm, and walk on water? You see, friend, that tiny babe was actually the Creator of the universe! Later in life, Mary had to endure watching her innocent son being nailed to a cross. But the Bible story doesn’t end there. Mary soon came to know He died for her sins, as well as yours and mine, so one day we might join Him in Heaven.
Yes, Jesus may have entered His creation quietly, but He left in a rumble that echoes to this day.
And His next earthly visit won’t be as a humble child. It will be as Mighty King and Conqueror!
“…the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.’” Luke 1:30-31 (Read the whole chapter)
Have you ever known a woman who is pregnant and whose baby is due around Christmas? Along with general anxiety regarding the delivery and health of her child, I wonder about other feelings and thoughts she may have. Will she rue that his or her birthday falls so close to Christmas? Will birthday celebrations get lost or muted amidst the hubbub of late December? Will the child feel cheated for not receiving gifts during another month of the year?
These matters only matter because of the holiday. What about the first Christmas? Have you ever wondered how Mary felt? Her anticipation must have been unique.
Mary learned of her pregnancy from the angel Gabriel. I wonder what Mary thought Jesus’ birth would bring. Did she expect hosts of angels trumpeting the news? Mary likely prepared her home for the delivery, expecting to have Jesus there. Did she anticipate a painful, awkward donkey ride to her in-laws’ town of origin? Could she ever have anticipated delivery in a barn? I wonder if she pondered how her God-child would look, act, live. Would he be like most kids? Could she ever predict he would be cherished and spurned, followed and chased, worshiped and demonized? Even with the Spirit of the Lord upon her, could she know that Jesus’ birth, while humble and simple, would be celebrated by millions upon millions for millennia? Could she have known that he would die a brutal death for her and our salvation?
We see these truths through history, and look forward to celebrating them. Yet like Mary we may not be able to predict all Christmas might bring, for we do not celebrate rituals, but the Christ-child, and when He is center to the party, angels may appear.
Dear God, thank you for the model of Mary who not knowing all that was to come still entered into your plan to save the world. May my anticipation for Christmas this year be enlarged by her example. Amen.
Thought: Ask people near you what they anticipate from God this Christmas. Ask them what they think was going through Mary’s head as delivery day approached.
What are your expectations for Christmas this year?
And so the sympathetic high priest is Jesus Christ, who in the days of His flesh felt what we feel. And of course, the climax comes when He offered prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears. What incident in His life does that speak to you about? Does that remind you of the Garden of Gethsemane? Sure. That was the greatest climax of His suffering for there He began to bear the sins of the world didn’t He? There He began to feel the crush of sin upon Him. He began to feel Satan bruising Him, and it hurt. Do you remember the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before He went to the cross? He went into the Garden to pray and He agonized there and He sweat as it were great drops of blood and He cried to the Father. And His heart was grieving and broken at the prospect and the pain of bearing sin. And He felt the power of sin and He felt temptation. He felt everything Satan could throw at Him, and He got it all even on the cross. He felt everything you’ll ever feel.
One of the most famous backsliders in the history of the church is Simon Peter. This man, who had followed Jesus faithfully in the midst of hunger, storm, and public unrest, denied Him when He made that final journey to the cross. He publicly and boldly denied that he ever had known Jesus of Nazareth. Could such a man, who had turned His back on his Savior, his Lord, his friend, ever again be confident that he would one day enter into that inheritance promised by God?
How can a faith system delivered by an all-powerful God be so splintered? Why are there so many Christian denominations? What might lead to this kind of division?
To see more training videos with J. Warner Wallace, visit the YouTube playlist.
Description:Without question, the book of Revelation is difficult to understand. Questions about the anti-Christ, the Millennium, and many others a are sharply disputed among Bible teachers today. But there is one question that seems to be overlooked in our search for signs of the end-times: When was the book of Revelation written? In this message, Dr. Sproul explains the importance of properly dating the book of Revelation as we seek to understand the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.
With Pope Francis’ encouragement, the Vatican’s doctrinal office issued a document on Monday (Dec. 18) allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always aboundingin the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (15:58)
If we really believe and if we are truly thankful that our resurrection is sure, that we will be transformed from the perishable, dishonorable, weak, natural, mortal, and earthy to the imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual, immortal, and heavenly—we should therefore prove our assurance and our thankfulness by being steadfast, immovable [negative] and always abounding [positive] in the work of the Lord.
Hedraios (steadfast) literally refers to being seated, and therefore to being settled and firmly situated. Ametakinētos (immovable) carries the same basic idea but with more intensity. It denotes being totally immobile and motionless. Obviously Paul is talking about our being moved away from God’s will, not to our being moved within it. Within His will we are to be always abounding in the work of the Lord. But we should not move a hairbreadth away from His will, continually being careful not to be “tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14).
Gordon Clark gives a helpful paraphrase of this verse: “Therefore we should mortify emotion, be steadfast, unchangeable, not erratic and scatterbrained, easily discouraged, and should multiply our good works in the knowledge that the Lord will make them profitable.”
If our confident hope in the resurrection wavers, we are sure to abandon ourselves to the ways and standards of the world. If there are no eternal ramifications or consequences of what we do in this life, the motivation for selfless service and holy living is gone.
On the other hand, when our hope in the resurrection is clear and certain we will have great motivation to be abounding in the work of the Lord. Perisseuō (abounding) carries the idea of exceeding the requirements, of overflowing or overdoing. In Ephesians 1:7–8 the word is used of God’s lavishing on us “the riches of His grace.” Because God has so abundantly overdone Himself for us who deserve nothing from Him, we should determine to overdo ourselves (if that were possible) in service to Him, to whom we owe everything.
What a word Paul gives to the countless Christians who work and pray and give and suffer as little as they can! How can we be satisfied with the trivial, insignificant, short-lived things of the world? How can we “take it easy” when so many around us are dead spiritually and so many fellow believers are in need of edification, encouragement, and help of every sort? When can a Christian say, “I’ve served my time, I’ve done my part; let others do the work now”?
Reasonable rest is important and necessary. But if we err, Paul is saying, it should be on the side of doing more work for the Lord, not less. Leisure and relaxation are two great modern idols, to which many Christians seem quite willing to bow down. In proper proportion recreation and diversions can help restore our energy and increase our effectiveness. But they also can easily become ends in themselves, demanding more and more of our attention, concern, time, and energy. More than one believer has relaxed and hobbied himself completely out of the work of the Lord.
Some of God’s most faithful and fruitful saints have lived to old age and been active and productive in His service to the end. Many others, however, have seen their lives shortened for the very reason that they were abounding, overflowing and untiring, in service to Christ. Henry Martyn, the British missionary to India and Persia, determined “to burn out for God,” which he did before he was thirty-five. David Brainerd, one of the earliest missionaries to American Indians, died before he was thirty. We know very little of Epaphroditus, except that he was a “brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier” of Paul’s who “came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life” (Phil. 2:25, 30). He became so lost in godly service that he literally became sick unto death because of it.
Until the Lord returns there are souls to reach and ministries of every sort to be accomplished. Every Christian should work uncompromisingly as the Lord has gifted and leads. Our money, time, energy, talents, gifts, bodies, minds, and spirits should be invested in nothing that does not in some way contribute to the work of the Lord. Our praise and thanksgiving must be given hands and feet. James tells us, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).
Our work for the Lord, if it is truly for Him and done in His power, cannot fail to accomplish what He wants accomplished. Every good work believers do in this life has eternal benefits that the Lord Himself guarantees. “Behold, I am coming quickly,” Jesus says, “and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done” (Rev. 22:12). We have God’s own promise that our toil [labor to the point of exhaustion] is not in vain in the Lord.[1]
58 Paul concludes this triumphant chapter with a moral message—one that all of us ought to apply to our lives daily. Earlier he had shown how lack of belief in the doctrine of the resurrection led to the Epicurean lifestyle of finding pleasure in eating and drinking and in immoral behavior (see comments at vv. 33–34). The converse is that belief in the resurrection leads to a “purpose-driven life” of service for the Lord. We know that our service for him will not be in vain because we are on the winning side in the battle of life. Though we all struggle at times, the battle against sin and Satan is worthwhile because in the end, they will be defeated.
Paul’s use of “in vain” (kenos, GK 3031) picks up his use of that adjective in v. 14, where he indicated that if Christ has not been raised, then Paul’s preaching is in vain and our faith is in vain. But because of the resurrection of Christ and the assurance of our future final victory over death, life even with all its difficulties is never in vain.
It is no wonder, then, that Paul encourages believers to “stand firm” and “let nothing move [them].” He began this section on the resurrection by reminding the Corinthians that they had stood firm in the apostolic doctrine preached to them about the death and resurrection of Christ; now he closes with an exhortation to remain firm in that knowledge and to let it shape their everyday lives. May it do so for us as well![2]
58 In light of the sure hope of resurrection, and now especially in light of Christ’s triumph over sin and the law as well, Paul concludes, as is his wont, on a strong word of exhortation. The opening “so then” (NIV, “therefore”) is the last of the long series of these inferential conjunctions in this letter.408 For its use with this vocative see two earlier moments (11:33 and 14:39). The vocative in this case is accompanied by the term of endearment, “my dear [= beloved] brothers and sisters.”410 Despite Paul’s misgivings over their theology and behavior, and despite their generally anti-Paul stance on so many issues, from his own point of view they are ever his “dear brothers and sisters,” and that because, even though in one sense they are his dear children in the Lord (4:15), in the much greater sense predicated on the theology of the preceding doxology he and they are brothers and sisters, because they have the same divine parent.
The surprising feature of this exhortation is that, unlike before (vv. 33–34), it is not directed toward ethical behavior as such, but toward the work of the gospel. Probably, therefore, it is to be understood as a word to the congregation as a whole vis-à-vis those who are leading them astray by denying the “resurrection of the dead” (v. 12). On the contrary, Paul urges, not only must they not go that route because of what Christ has effected (vv. 20–28, 45–49, 54–57), but they must in general remain loyal to the gospel as he preached it among them. He makes this point in two ways.
First, on the negative side, “Let nothing move you.” This translation combines two Greek words, “steadfast” and “immovable,”412 which together urge that they not “move from the hope held out in the gospel … that you heard” (Col. 1:23). This urgency is almost certainly in direct response to the denial of the resurrection by some. It urges by way of exhortation what was affirmed at the beginning of the present issue (vv. 1–2), that the gospel of Christ is that on which they have in fact taken their stand.
Second, on the positive side, “Always give yourselves fully414 to the work of the Lord.” It is not absolutely certain what kind of activity Paul had in mind by the phrase “the work of the Lord.” Minimally, it may refer more broadly to whatever one does as a believer, both toward outsiders and fellow believers. But along with the next word, “labor,” Paul frequently uses “work” to refer to the actual ministry of the gospel. Probably in their case it covers the range but leans more toward the former. That is, there are those kinds of activities in which believers engage that are specifically Christian, or specifically in the interest of the gospel. This seems to be what Paul has in mind here.
Finally, with a marvelous stroke of genius, whether intentional or not, Paul concludes on the same note with which he began this whole “reminder” (vv. 1–2). There he was concerned, because of the denial of the resurrection by some, whether his own “labor”—namely their own existence in Christ—was in vain. Now, after the strong evidence for the resurrection presented throughout, he concludes with such faith as the ground for their continued labor: “because you know that your (own) labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Thus with this language the entire chapter is tied together. The implication in all this, of course, is that if they continue their present route, they have good grounds for lacking any confidence that what they do as believers has any meaning (vv. 14–19). But Christ has been raised from the dead, and they too shall be raised to share his likeness; therefore they may not only abound in his service, but know assuredly that what they do is not in vain.
It is of some interest that Paul’s own moment of hesitation at the very beginning (vv. 1–2) is answered for him by his own arguments, so that this concluding paragraph exudes with confidence and triumph. There is little doubt as to why it is read regularly at Christian funerals. Read without comment, it has its own power. Here the Word has its own regenerative power because it expresses the truth of Christ himself. But here, too, it is a word for all seasons. Our present existence in Christ, and our present labors, are not in vain. Standing beneath them is the sure word of Christ’s own triumph over death, which guarantees that we shall likewise conquer. Victory in the present begins when one can, with Paul, sing the taunt of death even now, in light of Christ’s resurrection, knowing that death’s doom is “already/not yet.” Because “death could not hold its prey, Jesus our Savior,” neither will it be able to hold its further prey when the final eschatological trumpet is blown that summons the Christian dead unto the resurrection and immortality. What a hope is this. No wonder Paul concluded on a note of exhortation that we may confidently continue on our way in the Lord.[3]
15:58 / At last, verse 58 follows, issuing a final admonition (therefore) that Paul appears to base on the traditional materials he presents throughout this chapter. The command is not a mere work ethic. Rather, Paul once again calls for action and issues an assurance of the Lord’s preserving of vital Christian efforts (cf. 3:10–15). Thus, Paul argues for the reality of resurrection, basing his argument on God’s work in Christ and calling for the Corinthians to embrace his teaching as the basis for their future hope and current living. Paul’s use of eschatological materials is remarkably similar in 1 Thessalonians. There, in two dramatic segments of apocalyptic teaching, Paul informs the readers about the truth of God’s future and directs them to action. Here he says, Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord; and he explains that the Corinthians are able to do so, because they know that their labor in the Lord is not in vain. They have such knowledge from what Paul has told them about God’s resurrection of the dead. Similarly, in 1 Thessalonians 4:18, Paul admonishes, “Therefore encourage each other with these words”; and in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, he advises, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Paul consistently moves from eschatological teaching to ethics, from instruction about God’s future and its meaning for believers to directions for the shape and substance of life in the Christian community.[4]
An Exhortation
15:58
58. So then, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
The exhortation has little to do with the immediately preceding verses on the victory the believers share with Jesus Christ. It is an entreaty that arises from the entire chapter if not the whole epistle. The last instructions and final greetings aside, Paul has come to the end of his epistle and now admonishes his readers to do the work of the Lord.
a. “So then, my dear brothers.” The first two words introduce a concluding statement. Paul frequently uses this expression in his epistles. For the last time in this letter he addresses the recipients in a personal manner by calling them “dear brothers [and sisters].” At two other places, Paul addresses the readers as “my dear children” (4:14) and “my dear friends” (10:14). Each time he speaks to the Corinthians as a father to his children. He remains the spiritual father of the Corinthians, who through the preaching of the gospel are his offspring (4:15). Paul is their pastor who loves them despite the numerous difficulties in the church.
b. “Be steadfast, immovable.” Paul commends the believers for their steadfastness and exhorts them to continue their dedication to the Lord (compare Col. 1:23). Amid the onslaught of diverse teaching in a pagan culture, he urges them to remain firm in the Lord and not to waver. Paul tells the Corinthians to be immovable. This last word is a compound that signifies an inability to move from their spiritual moorings. Paul is not talking about retaining the status quo in the church. He wants the people to grow in their love for the Lord and to communicate this in their deeds.
c. “Always abounding in the work of the Lord.” After telling his readers not to be moved in any way, Paul encourages them to excel in the Lord’s work. To express constancy and emphasis he adds the word always which, in the original, he places last in the clause for emphasis. What is the work of the Lord? The work entails preaching and teaching Christ’s gospel, applying the contents of Scripture to our lives, edifying one another, and loving our neighbor as ourselves (compare 16:10). It consists of an earnest desire to keep God’s commandments and to do so out of gratitude for our salvation provided through his Son. As his love extends to us without measure, so our selfless deeds are done for him without measure.
d. “Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” The faithful Corinthians have a sure knowledge that the deeds done out of love and thankfulness to God will not be forgotten (see Heb. 6:10). The word labor is often used by Paul in a missionary setting and means working with his own hands for his own support (4:12) “and for activity in the Christian community as a whole.” Such labor given freely in service to the Lord is never in vain because the Lord himself blesses his servants (Matt. 19:29).[5]
15:58. In concluding this argument, Paul expressed his concern and love for the Corinthians by calling them his dear brothers. This was to remind them that love had motivated him to criticize their thinking so severely in the preceding argument. He had been concerned that they were abandoning the gospel.
Thus, Paul exhorted them to stand firm, to hold firmly to the word he had preached to them, to guard their belief in the gospel and in the resurrection of believers. He exhorted the true believers to let nothing move them because those who denied the resurrection undermined the gospel itself. If the Corinthians let themselves be dragged away by false teaching, they would deny their only hope for salvation. No matter how persuasive the opposing arguments sounded, the Corinthians were to remember the truth of Christ’s resurrection, their union with Christ, and their future resurrection.
Paul also exhorted them to give themselves fully to the work of the Lord, knowing that their labor in the Lord was not in vain. While this encouragement may pertain to godly works in general, it is tempting to see it as a more direct command to minister the gospel. The language here closely approximates Paul’s question in 9:1: “Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?” There, “work in the Lord” clearly refers to the work of preaching and ministering the gospel.
By telling his brothers that their labor in the Lord was not in vain, Paul alluded once more to the opening verses of this chapter, encouraging the Corinthians that they had not believed the gospel in vain and did not hope in it vainly. With these words his argument came full circle, affirming the Corinthians’ salvation on the condition that they believed the gospel and stood firm in it.[6]
[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1984). 1 Corinthians (pp. 446–448). Moody Press.
[2] Verbrugge, V. D. (2008). 1 Corinthians. In T. Longman III &. Garland, David E. (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans–Galatians (Revised Edition) (Vol. 11, p. 405). Zondervan.
[3] Fee, G. D. (2014). The First Epistle to the Corinthians (N. B. Stonehouse, F. F. Bruce, G. D. Fee, & J. B. Green, Eds.; Revised Edition, pp. 892–894). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz and political strategist Lucy Caldwell join ‘MediaBuzz’ to discuss whether the media is downplaying the President Biden impeachment inquiry. #foxnews
Staff Sgt. Robert George, a military training instructor at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, marches his recruits following the issuance of uniforms and gear during basic training. (Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo / Air Force)
Reports emerging from the Pentagon suggest that the United States military is entering the year 2024 with its smallest size and lowest qualification levels in nearly eight decades. This development raises significant concerns about national security and military readiness in an era of evolving global threats.
According to Daily Mail, the total number of active-duty personnel has dropped to levels not seen since the early 1940s, a period before the U.S. entered World War II.
The emerging challenges in military recruitment are becoming increasingly evident, as seen in this year’s significant shortfall of 41,000 personnel. This gap highlights the widening disconnect between the military establishment and the younger generations.
Ashish Vazirani, the acting undersecretary for personnel and readiness at the Pentagon, acknowledges the tough recruitment climate, which has compelled the armed services to lower their target numbers for active personnel in recent times.
However, the tables have turned under the Biden regime. Last year, not only did the Air Force but also the Army and Navy miss their recruiting targets. This underperformance, according to the Congressman, is symptomatic of deeper issues relating to the misplacement of priorities.
Compounding this issue is the declining pool of qualified applicants. Military leaders point to a worrying trend in the shrinking percentage of young Americans who meet the physical, educational, and moral standards required for service. Factors such as obesity, lack of high school education, and criminal records are cited as key barriers disqualifying potential recruits.
According to a report released earlier this year by four retired generals, the majority of Americans aged 17 to 24 are not eligible for military service.
According to the report, the reasons for military ineligibility are varied and relate to:
Physical health factors, including obesity. In Illinois, nearly one-third of young adults are too overweight to qualify for the armed forces. Yet such problems actually begin much earlier in life; the obesity rate among 2- to 5-year-olds in the state is 13%.
Academic factors. Military service requires a high school diploma or GED. However, nearly one in eight Illinois students fails to graduate within four years, a figure that increases to one in five among low-income students. Statewide, about seven out of 10 incoming kindergartners are unprepared for school success, according to the report.
Social and behavioral factors, such as substance abuse and criminal records. Nearly 9% of Illinoisans aged 12 to 17 report using drugs in the past month. Illinoisans 18 to 24 years of age comprise 15% of the adult population, but 33% of adult arrests.
In response to these challenges, the Pentagon is reportedly considering several measures. These include revising recruitment standards, enhancing incentives for enlistment, and investing in more targeted advertising campaigns. There is also a push to increase funding for programs that improve educational and physical fitness levels among potential recruits.
Last month, the United States Army removed the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for new recruits. In addition to lowering almost every single physical qualification for new recruits to pass their initial training, the US Army has dropped its requirement that recruits must have a high school diploma or a G.E.D. degree in a desperate effort to attract new blood into the ranks.
The military is now using white people again in their US military recruitment ads.
Back to white soldiers in the US military recruitment ads. I guess diversity was not working for them. pic.twitter.com/JWNqwWBfOv
The Pentagon has issued a “National Call of Service” to America’s younger generations, urging them to consider military service amid declining enlistment.
Military recruiters say Generation Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 generally have a ‘low trust in institutions’ and have ‘decreasingly followed traditional life and career paths.’
“While the picture of the current recruiting environment is acutely difficult, the Defense Department and the military services are working together to resolve issues, improve processes, and expand awareness of the many opportunities military service offers.
“We must reach today’s youth where they are with a message that resonates with them and motivates them to act.”
He said there should be a ‘national call to service’ by leaders and polticians.
‘Over the last 50 years the all-volunteer force has proven itself to be the best way to maintain a force capable of defending our nation,’ he said.
‘And with our combined efforts I am confident we will remain as such for the foreseeable future.”
Truth2Freedom's Blog 
