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
I grew up in The Ocean State, Rhode Island. Yes, it’s small, really small. You’re never far from the ocean. My grandparents had a summer house on Narragansett Bay and we were there constantly in the summer, every weekend. When I got older my mother let me ride my bike the 3 miles to their house. I’d spend all day in the water or on the sand.
Venice Beach, FL. Photo by EPrata
We also used to rent a house on Cape Cod in the summer and again, the beach figured prominently in the daily activities. When I became an adult, all that beachiness instilled in my impressionable veins carried through and I chose the beach at Lubec again for my annual week’s vacation in July.
The beach at Lubec is on the easternmost part of Maine which is known as the rockbound coast. Lots of rocks. Lots and lots. Sand is rare, mostly it’s rocks.
East Quoddy Lighthouse, Campobello, New Brunswick Canada (Across from Lubec ME)
I remember as a kid, I loved to stand where the water met the sand. I’d stand there and stand there, enjoying the calming rhythm of the waves coming in and out, swirling around my ankles, the sun on my shoulders, the warmth of the sand and coolness of the water all at once. But I was puzzled at how even though I didn’t move, my feet sunk into the sand as each wavelet caved around my feet. Why are my feet sinking? Why are there little holes of sand where my feet used to be?
Sand is unstable. Rock is stable.
I know you see where this is going. If you’ve ever done that, stand on a sand beach and let your feet sink, you know how unstable it is. If you’ve ever walked on a rock jetty or a rocky beach, or traipsed up a mountain and stood on the rock outcropping, you know how relieved your feet are to stand on something solid.
Jesus is the Rock.
And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4).
Jesus is the Rock. THE rock, the cornerstone!
Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, (Ephesians 2:20).
What does a cornerstone do? How important is a cornerstone?
The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. (source)
For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (1 Peter 2:6)
Our lives are unstable. Our lives are governed by weak flesh, we are bending reeds, children striving after wind, and grass that withers. After salvation we still have the flesh problem, the sin problem, and the partially darkened mind problem. We need stability. Jesus is that stability. He never changes. He never sinks. He never bends. He is the Rock.
Return often to the Rock. Stand upon Him, secure and strong. His fortress will not be shaken and the cornerstone will never crumble.
I work in a parachurch organization in which I teach children. I have a passion for these kids to know God and know His Word. My direct supervisor, as well as the head of the organization, want to only emphasize God’s love and that we are ALL children of God. I am wrestling with this because I just don’t believe that I should make saying “Jesus loves you” the main message to the kids but rather the gospel in full context (of course getting down to their level but in no way changing the message). What should I do?
It’s always great to hear from someone who’s working with children and wants to put correct theology on the bottom shelf where their little hands can reach it. Thank you for serving God’s Kingdom this way!
There are three issues I think are important to address in this situation. Let’s take a look…
We are NOT “all” God’s children. All humans are indeed made in the imago dei– the image of God. That’s definitely an important aspect of theology to teach children, and if that’s what your supervisors actually mean when they say “we’re all God’s children,” that’s super. But they need to use correct, biblical language and say “We’re all made in the image of God,” (age-appropriately explaining what that means, of course) instead of saying “We’re all God’s children.”
It’s not just a quibble over semantics. There are two very important reasons to get this right.
First, it’s simply not true on its face and you don’t want to be teaching the children a lie. I mean, Jesus once told some Jews (aka: God’s set apart people group) He was talking to, “If God were your Father, you would love me…You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.” So, obviously, people fall into one of two categories: you’re either a child of God or you’re a child of the devil. Just as a person has to be physically born into a family, or adopted into a certain family, in order for that particular mom and dad to be her parents and for her to be their daughter, “you must be born again,” – a spiritual birth (and adoption) – must take place in order for God to be your Father and you to be His child.
Second, saying “We’re all God’s children,” smacks of universalism. Universalismis basically the idea that everybody goes to Heaven when they die. No repentance is necessary, no belief in Christ, it doesn’t matter what religion you are, if any. If this is what your supervisors are teaching or wanting you to teach, I would encourage you to find employment elsewhere. This is blasphemous false doctrine that no Christian organization or its employees should be teaching.
Teaching the WHOLE gospel “Jesus loves you” is part of the gospel, and one that we need to make sure we’re including any time we share the gospel with others. It is only because of the amazing, unfathomable love of God that Christ came to earth to die in the first place. Without the love of God there would be no gospel at all. However, it is not the entirety of the gospel. The gospel also includes the components of sin, repentance, faith, and forgiveness.
Since this is a Christian organization you work for, I’m unclear on why (assuming they’re not universalists) your supervisors would not want the whole gospel taught to the children. Only three possible reasons come to mind:
1. They’re concerned that the children are too young to understand sin, repentance, faith, and forgiveness. You didn’t mention the specific age of the children you’re working with, but I got the impression from your original message to me that they are elementary school aged. I have six children of my own and have taught every age level of children from birth through high school in church, parachurch, and school settings for most of my adult life, and I can tell you that elementary school aged children are perfectly capable of grasping these concepts when they’re explained at an age-appropriate level.
I would think anyone qualified to be in a supervisory capacity at an organization like yours would – as an experienced professional – know that children this age can intellectually handle these concepts, and would – as a Christian – want them to know the whole gospel so they can be saved and take the gospel home to their families.
2. They’re concerned anything more than a generic “Jesus loves you,” is going to offend some of the parents. Tough. The gospel is offensive to sinners. They need to get over that fear of man right quick. And it’s not like the parents were tricked into putting their kids into a program they didn’t know was Christian, right? (By the way, this is not the tone I’d recommend using when speaking to your supervisors :0)
3. You’re spending too much of your time evangelizing the kids instead of teaching them the main topic(s) they’re there to learn. That’s not the impression of you that I got from your original message, but just make sure that, if, for example, you were hired to teach the kids how to play kickball, you’re teaching them how to play kickball, not turning every practice session into a Bible study.
Honestly, I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around why any organization that openly bills itself as “Christian” would only want part of the gospel presented. I would suggest sitting down with your supervisors and asking them politely why they don’t want the whole gospel presented to the children at appropriate times in age-appropriate ways. Perhaps they have a good, biblical reason for it, but I’m at a loss to imagine what it is.
Submitting to authority Submission to authority is a big theme in the New Testament. Christians submit to God’s authority, wives submit to our husbands’ authority, church members submit to the authority of their pastors and elders, as citizens we submit to our civil authorities, and, in the present day, we understand the passages about slaves submitting to their masters in light of the employee/employer relationship.
In God’s structure of authority, He is always at the top. So if any other authority in your life – husband, boss, government, pastor, etc. – wants you to do something that conflicts with God’s written Word, your response must be the same as Peter’s: “I must obey God rather than men.”
I’m still unclear as to whether or not your employers are asking you to do something that conflicts with God’s Word. After talking it over with them, praying about it, talking to your husband about it (if you’re married), and possibly seeking counsel from your pastor or a mature sister in Christ at your church, if you come to the conclusion that your supervisors are not asking you to disobey God’s Word, then the proper godly response is for you to submit to their authority and joyfully do as they ask. If you come to the conclusion that they are asking you to disobey God’s Word, prayerfully ask to meet with them again, and kindly, with Scripture, explain to them that you cannot in good conscience truncate the gospel. Perhaps God will open their eyes and they will change their policy. If not, it might be an appropriate time to tender your two week’s notice.
If you have a question about: a Bible passage, an aspect of theology, a current issue in Christianity, or how to biblically handle a family, life, or church situation, comment below (I’ll hold all questions in queue {unpublished} for a future edition of The Mailbag) or send me an e-mail or private message. If your question is chosen for publication, your anonymity will be protected.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ROMANS 5:8
Never while the stars burn in their silence can it be said that God loves the sin in the sinner. Never can it be said that the holy God loves an unholy thing—and yet God loves sinners! God loves sinners for that which He sees in them of His lost and fallen image, for God can never love any thing but Himself, directly. He loves everything else for His own sake. So, you are loved of God—but you are loved of God for Jesus’ sake! God loves lost men, not because He is careless or morally lax, but because He once stood and said: “Let us make man in our image.” Man was made in the image of God, and while sin has ruined him and condemned him to death forever unless he be redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ, mankind is a being only one degree removed from the angels. But sin, God knows, is like a cancer in the very being of man. Although once made in the image of God, he is now a dying man, sick unto spiritual death, because of the poison of sin. But extract and take out that sin and you have the image of God again! And Jesus Christ was the image of God because He was a man without sin. God sees in Jesus Christ what you would have been! He sees that in His perfect humanity, not His deity—for you and I could never be divine in that sense. When Jesus Christ came to us, He was incarnated in the body of a man without embarrassment and without change, because man was an image of the God who made him.
Tozer, A. W., & Smith, G. B. (2015). Evenings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings (p. 38). Moody Publishers.
How marvellous in all things are the ways of God to us! Was Jesus indeed in the world, and the world made by him, and the world knew him not? And did he remain hid away, and unknown, for the first thirty years of his life? Did the Son of God come on earth to do away sin by the sacrifice of himself, and yet enter not upon the full purpose of his mission until so large a portion of his life upon earth had passed away? O wonder-working God! how true is it, that thy ways are not our ways, nor thy thoughts our thoughts! Yet, my soul, though thy Jesus did not engage in his public ministry in the more open display of it by his miracles and preaching, yet surely those thirty years were of vast importance on the score of redemption. No doubt Jesus spent them in obedience to his Father’s law, manifesting a life of holiness and purity, suited and corresponding to the immaculate perfection of his nature, who did no sin, neither was “guile found in his mouth.” Convinced as I am, my honoured Lord, that the body thy Father gave thee, and thy human nature which thou didst assume for the purpose of salvation, was not produced in the ordinary method of generation, but by the miraculous influence of the Holy Ghost; so am I equally convinced that during the whole of thy life, from the manger to the cross, every act, and word, and thought of thine, manifested that thou wast holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. And shall I not then believe, that these thirty years were of some sweet, though to us secret importance, in thy covenant engagements as our surety? Can I suppose that the thirty years of my Redeemer’s life, before his being publicly made manifest to Israel, were spent in nothing in relation to the great work which he came purposely to do? Did not those seasons minister also to the cancelling the sin of his people, taking away the curse by bearing it, and by dying for it: and may we not suppose that God the Father had an eye to every minute act in the life of his dear Son, whom he had called to the work of salvation, and given as a covenant to his people, to be their head and mediator, their law-fulfiller and sin-offering? Precious Lord! silent as the Scriptures are on this great portion of thy life, yet is not their silence a call upon thy people to meditate on the subject? Give me grace, then, my honoured Lord, to be often contemplating the infinite condescension of Jesus in this part, as well as in others, in which thou must have “endured such a contradiction of sinners against thyself.” And let not this be the smallest improvement of this sweet and interesting view of my Lord, that when I call to mind how thy holy soul must have felt, during the thirty years, from the open displays of sin, in the blasphemies and daring defiances of God, the reproaches of the ungodly, and the torrent of evil all around, yet nothing stopped the gracious purposes of thine heart, in executing the errand on which thy whole mind was bent: “in dying, the just for the unjust, to bring sinners unto God.”
Hawker, R. (1845). The Poor Man’s Evening Portion (A New Edition, pp. 40–41). Thomas Wardle.
It is said that in the land of Canaan, cities of refuge were so arranged, that any man might reach one of them within half a day at the utmost. Even so the word of our salvation is near to us; Jesus is a present Saviour, and the way to him is short; it is but a simple renunciation of our own merit, and a laying hold of Jesus, to be our all in all. With regard to the roads to the city of refuge, we are told that they were strictly preserved, every river was bridged, and every obstruction removed, so that the man who fled might find an easy passage to the city. Once a year the elders went along the roads and saw to their order, so that nothing might impede the flight of any one, and cause him, through delay, to be overtaken and slain. How graciously do the promises of the gospel remove stumbling blocks from the way! Wherever there were by-roads and turnings, there were fixed up hand-posts, with the inscription upon them—“To the city of refuge!” This is a picture of the road to Christ Jesus. It is no roundabout road of the law; it is no obeying this, that, and the other; it is a straight road: “Believe, and live.” It is a road so hard, that no self-righteous man can ever tread it, but so easy, that every sinner, who knows himself to be a sinner may by it find his way to heaven. No sooner did the man-slayer reach the outworks of the city than he was safe; it was not necessary for him to pass far within the walls, but the suburbs themselves were sufficient protection. Learn hence, that if you do but touch the hem of Christ’s garment, you shall be made whole; if you do but lay hold upon him with “faith as a grain of mustard seed,” you are safe.
“A little genuine grace ensures
The death of all our sins.”
Only waste no time, loiter not by the way, for the avenger of blood is swift of foot; and it may be he is at your heels at this still hour of eventide.
Spurgeon, C. H. (1896). Morning and evening: Daily readings. Passmore & Alabaster.
THE sublime language of Jehovah in his address to Job is far above all human eloquence. Let us take a second lesson from that divine discourse. First, let us read the unrivalled description of a war-horse. 19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? 20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible. 21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. 22 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. 23 The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. 24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. 25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. He who created a creature so noble, powerful, and courageous, is not to be summoned to our bar, or questioned as to what he does. 26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? We commonly speak of instinct. What is it but the teaching of God? He who has given so much wisdom to birds and beasts is full of wisdom himself. Let us bow before him, and rest assured that what he does is ever best. 27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? 28 She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. 29 From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. 30 Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she. (Far-seeing and terrible, the royal bird belongs not to the kings of the earth though they figure it upon their banners: it is but another incarnation of the sublime thoughts of God, a further illustration of his greatness.)
JOB 40:1–14
1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. 3 ¶ Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. 5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. 6 ¶ Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? 9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? (If we fancy that we can vie with God in justice, we are challenged first to compete with him in power. All the attributes of God are equally great, and if we cannot rival one, it will be wise not to impugn another.) 10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. (Come thou poor glow-worm, put forth thy light, and see if thou art comparable to the sun.) 11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. 13 Hide them in the dust together: and bind their faces in secret. 14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee. Until we can manage providence as the Lord has done, so as to abase tyrants and deliver the oppressed, we had better learn submission to the divine will, and cease for ever from all rebellious questionings.
In heaven and earth, in air and seas,
He executes His wise decrees:
And by His saints it stands confest,
That what He does is ever best.
Wait, then, my soul, submissive wait,
With reverence bow before His seat;
And, midst the terrors of His rod,
Trust in a wise and gracious God.
Spurgeon, C. H. (1964). The Interpreter: Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible (p. 70). Baker Book House.
Proverbs 31:10-31
New American Standard Bible
10 An excellent wife, who can find her?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and linen,
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 And she rises while it is still night
And gives food to her household,
And portions to her attendants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She surrounds her waist with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her profit is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
We subscribe to the Westminster Standards as our doctrinal statement. It consists of the following documents:
The Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Larger Catechism
The Westminster Shorter Catechism
We also believe that Christian Worship is to be regulated and defined by God’s Word, the Bible.
Our worship services are designed to please and honor the Triune God of the Bible. We place Scripture reading and the preaching of the word of God at the center of worship along with Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These are God’s gifts to His church and ought to always be at the center of Christian worship. We are a congregation that loves to sing God’s praises, recite His Word back to Him, and actively engage in hearing and learning from God’s Word.
We embrace and promote a comprehensive Christian world and life view.
There is no area of life which is not under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is to God and His law which all people, including governments and civil rulers, will answer. The Word of God embraces and informs the way we view marriage, the family, children, education, politics, worship, law, government, war, the church, missions, evangelism, and worship. In the world today there is a battle of opposing worldviews. There are basically only two positions: God’s Word and man’s ideas. We stand positively for Biblical truth and negatively against man’s ideas which are opposed to Biblical truth.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope for mankind.
Exodus 21:23 — Lex Talionis is the law of retaliation. Rather than encouraging violence, the point is to limit violence by keeping it from escalating. The response must be proportionate to the crime.
Exodus 21:28-29 — Tort law is the law of negligence. For those who know, there is more responsibility.
Exodus 22:22 — While we’re rolling through the “statute law” of the Bible, it is interesting who God is protective of.
Exodus 23:4 — What else does God say about enemies? Proverbs 25:21, Matthew 5:43-44.
Psalm 29:11 — Go back to verse 1. We have a little chiasm here: the people ascribe to the LORD strength, and then in verse 11, the LORD will give strength unto His people.
Proverbs 7:10 — I’m glad I have a Proverbs 31 woman, not a Proverbs 7 woman! The man seeking a Proverbs 7 woman is as an ox to the slaughter (Proverbs 7:22). The man with a Proverbs 31 woman sits in the gates with the elders (Proverbs 31:23).
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.
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (Psalm 119:165)
Yes, a true love for the great Book will bring us great peace from the great God and be a great protection to us. Let us live constantly in the society of the law of the Lord, and it will breed in our hearts a restfulness such as nothing else can. The Holy Spirit acts as a Comforter through the Word and sheds abroad those benign influences which calm the tempests of the soul.
Nothing is a stumbling block to the man who has the Word of God dwelling in him richly. He takes up his daily cross, and it becomes a delight. For the fiery trial he is prepared and counts it not strange, so as to be utterly cast down by it. He is neither stumbled by prosperity—as so many are—nor crushed by adversity—as others have been—for he lives beyond the changing circumstances of external life. When his Lord puts before him some great mystery of the faith which makes others cry, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” the believer accepts it without question; for his intellectual difficulties are overcome by his reverent awe of the law of the Lord, which is to him the supreme authority to which he joyfully bows. Lord, work in us this love, this peace, this rest, this day.
What is the true meaning behind Jesus’ promise to the thief on the cross in Luke 23:43? In this video, we explore the meaning of Jesus’ words, “Today you will be with me in paradise,” and how punctuation plays a pivotal role in understanding Scripture. Discover the profound insights into Jesus’ promise, His spirit’s presence, and the significance of paradise. In this video, Pastor Nelson answers your question: What did Jesus mean when He said, “Today you will be with me in paradise”?
We subscribe to the Westminster Standards as our doctrinal statement. It consists of the following documents:
The Westminster Confession of Faith The Westminster Larger Catechism The Westminster Shorter Catechism
We also believe that Christian Worship is to be regulated and defined by God’s Word, the Bible.
Our worship services are designed to please and honor the Triune God of the Bible. We place Scripture reading and the preaching of the word of God at the center of worship along with Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These are God’s gifts to His church and ought to always be at the center of Christian worship. We are a congregation that loves to sing God’s praises, recite His Word back to Him, and actively engage in hearing and learning from God’s Word.
We embrace and promote a comprehensive Christian world and life view.
There is no area of life which is not under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is to God and His law which all people, including governments and civil rulers, will answer. The Word of God embraces and informs the way we view marriage, the family, children, education, politics, worship, law, government, war, the church, missions, evangelism, and worship. In the world today there is a battle of opposing worldviews. There are basically only two positions: God’s Word and man’s ideas. We stand positively for Biblical truth and negatively against man’s ideas which are opposed to Biblical truth.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope for mankind.
Because all men fall short of obeying God’s law, all men everywhere are in need of divine grace and salvation from God. This salvation is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ who died for sinners, was buried, rose again, and is alive today seated at God the Father’s right hand.
Jesus looked directly and deeply into the eyes of the pious religionists and elitist-legalists (the Pharisees and Sadducees). His omniscient, penetrating, piercing, eyes saw into their very souls. These religious zealots and lawyers sought to disprove the claims by His followers that He was sent from God. They wanted Him to immediately perform a private miracle for them, thinking, no doubt, that He would fail, giving them fodder for their attacks against Him.
Jesus, in answer to their probing demands that He show them a sign to prove His commission from Heaven, said: “When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:2-3)
The Lord’s admonishment is one of the strongest given for those who are supposedly responsible for knowing what God’s Word, the Scripture, has to say about issues and events—about circumstances—of the times surrounding their lives.
The Pharisees, in particular, were supposed to know, in-depth, God’s Word to Jews. Yet, these not only didn’t recognize the fact that the Messiah was among them, they mocked Him and wanted to–and eventually did—kill Him.
Jesus had performed miracle after miracle. The signals were in every direction that He was who He was–the very Messiah for whom all of believing Israel longed.
Rather than embracing their future King, they mocked, harassed, and ultimately murdered Him, with the help of the Roman government.
They wanted a “sign” from Him, yet He had done wonders that everyone in Israel knew about except, seemingly, these Pharisees and Sadducees who confronted Him.
This man of Galilee represented a threat to their authority of being religionists and legalists who ran things. They couldn’t have their controlling apple cart turned upside down. Theirs was a very lucrative business, and they wanted no Messiah ruining their money-making enterprises.
Saul of Tarsus, of course, was, before his Damascus Road experience, one of the chief prosecutors/persecutors who sought to end the lives of those who followed Jesus–the one whom religionists and legalists considered an imposter, but whom His followers believed and claimed to be Israel’s Messiah.
We must wonder today about those, particularly among the so-called clergy—who cannot or will not discern the times. These totally ignore, or refuse to accept, God’s Word on things to come. They spiritualize or allegorize prophecy yet future concerning Christ’s soon return to put an end to this rebellious world system.
Would Jesus say the same to these today as he said of the religionists of that day? “O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?”
The Bible consists of–as my friend, the late Chuck Missler, used to inform—about 27 percent prophecy. Of that, approximately 14 percent is yet to be fulfilled. Yet only a very few pastors in the pulpits will touch on the prophetic portions. If they do, they spiritualize it or allegorize it to such an extent that they give their congregations little indication that these are things to come, in a literal sense. They certainly don’t examine the prophetic portions about prophecies yet to be fulfilled, checking on and including issues and events of the times that are unfolding–times that even a modicum of examination and exploration would divulge are absolutely ripe with prophesied things on the very cusp of taking place.
Such things to come are bulging at the proverbial seams, trying to burst forth.
Who with a discerning spirit can deny that rebellion against the God of Heaven is raging, or that that same God, the Holy Spirit,is acting as never before as Restrainer against the evil that is ramping up moment by moment?
Who that has been given discernment by that same Holy Spirit can but recognize that worldwide hatred for Israel is coming to a head, just as the prophet Zechariah foretold?
All prophetic signs are in process of converging at this very moment during these strange and troubling, although exciting, times; they are exciting because it all means the Lord Jesus Christ must be about to call all believers into the clouds of glory to be with Himself.
The believer that Jesus Christ is who God’s Word says He is must be dedicated to observing these matters unfolding so near the time of His return to establish His righteous kingdom on this rebellious earth. It’s time for Christians to be discerners: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17)
Terry James is an author, general editor, and co-author of numerous books on Bible prophecy.
23For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Four New Testament scholars offer passage-by-passage commentary through the books of Romans, 1–2 Corinthians, and Galatians, explaining difficult doctrines, shedding light on overlooked sections, and applying them to life and ministry today. Part of the ESV Expository Commentary series.
The Bread and Wine
Paul explains what the Lord’s Supper is all about by repeating what Jesus said at the meal’s institution. He reminds the Corinthians of the tradition or doctrine that he has already passed on to them from the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 15:3) but that they have failed to maintain (contrast 1 Cor. 11:2).1 This section begins with “For” because it supports verse 22b—the reason Paul cannot commend the church is because the way they are abusing the Lord’s Supper is antithetical to what the Lord himself announced that the Lord’s Supper is supposed to symbolize. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. No Christian is inherently better than another. So how can a Christian celebrate Jesus’ cross-work in a way that snubs fellow Christians?
“This is my body. . . . This cup is the new covenant.” Professing Christians have understood Jesus’ words in several different ways.2 Contrary to Roman Catholicism, the bread and wine are not repeated sacrifices that become Jesus’ actual body and blood, nor do they convey justifying grace. Contrary to Lutheranism, Jesus’ actual body and blood are not present “in, with, and under” the bread and wine. Jesus’ actual body and blood are not present at all. The bread and wine symbolize Jesus’ death for at least three reasons: (1) This is the most natural way to understand Jesus’ two statements. (2) Jesus’ two statements parallel each other, so it is fitting for the first statement to be symbolic, since the second is symbolic: “the cup,” which represents the wine within the cup, does not become the new covenant but symbolizes what is necessary to secure it—death. (3) Jesus twice says to celebrate his Supper “in remembrance of me.” The Lord’s Supper is a precious memorial to remind people about Jesus’ sacrificial death. But it is not merely a memorial. It conveys special sanctifying grace to Christians who eat and drink in faith because Jesus is spiritually present as his people fellowship with him and each other (cf. comment on 1 Cor. 10:16).3
Jesus announced that his body “is for you”—that is, he died on our behalf and in our place. He atoned for our sins as a penal substitute (cf. comment on 1 Cor. 15:3).
Jesus’ “supper” refers to a Passover meal. The Passover meal is a type, and the Lord’s Supper is its antitype (on typology, cf. comment on 1 Cor. 10:1–22).4 The Passover meal was both a sacrifice and a covenant renewal ceremony in which Israel remembered the exodus (Ex. 12:14) and the old covenant that God inaugurated with the blood of sacrificed animals (Ex. 24:5–8). The Lord’s Supper is not a sacrifice, but it remembers Jesus’ once-for-all-time sacrificial death as “our Passover lamb” (1 Cor. 5:7; cf. Heb. 7:27; Heb. 9:12, 26; Heb. 10:10); it is a covenant renewal ceremony in which the church remembers Jesus’ new exodus for his people and the new covenant he inaugurated with his bloody death and resurrection (Jer. 31:31–34; Hebrews 8).5 When the church celebrates the Lord’s Supper, it remembers Jesus’ body and blood: his death has inaugurated the new covenant. Thus most English translations (rightly) read, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.”6
The church should continue to “eat this bread” and “drink the cup” in order to remember Jesus’ cross-work because this act of eating and drinking is a way to proclaim the gospel regularly until Jesus returns. The symbolic meal heralds the most glorious story and thus should build up believers and evangelize unbelievers.
Notes:
Paul probably wrote this letter before others wrote the Gospels. Cf. parallel accounts in Matthew 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; and Luke 22:17–20. Paul’s wording most closely resembles Luke’s.
See John H. Armstrong, ed., Understanding Four Views on the Lord’s Supper, Counterpoints (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2007); Gregg R. Allison, Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine; A Companion to Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 635–658.
Cf. Gregg R. Allison, Roman Catholic Theology and Practice: An Evangelical Assessment (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014), 299–325; John S. Hammett, 40 Questions about Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, 40 Questions (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2015), 215–257.
On the typology here, see James M. Hamilton Jr., “The Lord’s Supper in Paul: An Identity-Forming Proclamation of the Gospel,” in The Lord’s Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes, ed. Thomas R. Schreiner and Matthew R. Crawford, NACSBT (Nashville: B&H, 2011), 85–92.
Cf. Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics, ed. John Bolt, trans. John Vriend, vol. 4, Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 540–544.
The NLT clarifies, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood.”
Why do some believe in Christ’s message while others do not? In this sermon titled on the new birth, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers this by appealing to the biblical doctrine of the new birth. This new birth is an act of God by which He regenerates the hearts and minds of fallen people. From this act of regeneration comes the new life with new desires and dispositions. This new person lives a Spirit-empowered life that evidences the supernatural work of Christ. In this it is seen that regeneration does not merely change one’s standing with God, but it transforms their very hearts and minds. Because this new life is brought about by the work of the Spirit, it is kept by the work of the Spirit so that once a person has been born again they cannot lose this new nature. The new person cannot become old again, for it is the Spirit that forms and keeps them. Once the Spirit transforms the believer, they will seek a life that honors Christ. This seeking of Christ and His kingdom do not make a person new, but it is the result of the Spirit regenerating them and making them a new creation in Christ Jesus the Savior.
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Charles H. Spurgeon once stated, “Humility is to make a right estimation of one’s self.” Here are twelve good reasons to grow in humility.
1. Humility enables you to rejoice in and submit to your sovereign Creator.
A humble heart willingly and joyfully submits to God in all things because he is the Creator and we are his creation:
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Prov. 19:31)
Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. (Eccles. 5:2)
All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (Isa. 66:2)
All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” (Dan. 4:35)
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:44)
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Heb. 11:3)
2. Humility enables you to respect others.
A humble heart keeps you from thinking that you are better than your neighbor and reminds you that everyone has immeasurable value, as all people are God’s image-bearers:
Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (Rom. 13:7)
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Phil. 2:3-4)
Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (1 Pet. 2:17)
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Pet. 5:5)
3. Humility enables you to recognize your sinfulness.
A humble heart is acutely aware of the truth that we all fall short of God’s holy standard:
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” [Isa. 6:5)
[Peter] fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Luke 5:8)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 3:23-24)
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)
4. Humility enables you to forgive others.
A humble heart helps you to always be mindful of God’s forgiveness to you in Christ and your subsequent duty to forgive others who have sinned against you:
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matt. 6:12)
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. (Matt. 18:21-22)
“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25)
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph. 4:32)
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Col. 3:13)
5. Humility enables you to learn well and become wise.
A humble heart reminds you that, in order to make sound decisions and judgments and counsel others, you must listen to and receive what God wants to teach you:
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. (Ps. 25:9)
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. (Prov. 11:2)
The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor. (Prov. 15:33)
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. (Prov. 19:20)
6. Humility enables you to walk in God’s ways.
A humble heart is focused on doing all that is pleasing in God’s sight:
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Mic. 6:8)
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. (James 3:13)
7. Humility enables you to love and serve others.
A humble heart helps you focus on others, loving them, serving them, praying for them:
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” (Matt. 6:2)
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Rom. 12:10)
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant. (1 Cor. 13:4)
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:1-3)
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Phil. 2:3-4)
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Pet. 4:10)
8. Humility enables you to be served.
A humble heart allows others to care for us in our time of need:
“‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’” (Matt. 25:25-26)
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” (John 13:14-16)
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. (Rom. 12:13)
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal. 6:2)
9. Humility enables you to be heard by God.
A humble heart shows that you are truly repentant before God:
Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. (2 Chron. 34:27)
For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. (Ps. 18:27)
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isa. 57:15)
10. Humility enables you to be exalted by God.
A humble heart doesn’t seek honor but rather waits for the Lord to do the exalting:
The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground. (Ps. 147:6)
One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. (Prov. 29:23)
“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:4)
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matt. 23:12; see also Luke 14:11)
“He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.” (Luke 1:52)
“But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:10-11)
“But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:13-14)
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Pet. 5:6-7)
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:10)
11. Humility is rewarded by God.
A humble heart waits for God’s reward in his perfect timing:
But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. (Ps. 37:11)
The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. (Prov. 22:4)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3)
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matt. 6:1-4)
12. Humility enables you to worship God with a full heart.
When we begin to understand the depth of our depravity and sin and recognize the wrath we justly deserve from God, we will be filled with gratitude, joy, and wonder at such a great salvation we have in Christ our Savior:
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! (Ps. 100:4)
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (Ps. 118:28-29)
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. (Heb. 12:28)
This article was originally published on March 12, 2020.
Thomas Watson – (ca. 1620-1686), English non-conformist Puritan preacher and author
Watson was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was noted for remarkably intense study. In 1646 he commenced a sixteen year pastorate at St. Stephen’s, Walbrook. He showed strong Presbyterian views during the civil war, with, however, an attachment to the king, and in 1651 he was imprisoned briefly with some other ministers for his share in Christopher Love’s plot to recall Charles II of England. He was released on June 30, 1652, and was formally reinstated as vicar of St. Stephen’s Walbrook.
Watson obtained great fame and popularity as a preacher until the Restoration, when he was ejected for nonconformity. Notwithstanding the rigor of the acts against dissenters, Watson continued to exercise his ministry privately as he found opportunity. Upon the Declaration of Indulgence in 1672 he obtained a license to preach at the great hall in Crosby House. After preaching there for several years, his health gave way, and he retired to Barnston, Essex, where he died suddenly while praying in secret. He was buried on 28 July 1686.
What if you can’t trust the Bible? What if the biblical authors got it wrong? They’re only human, after all, and people make mistakes. What if the Bible has errors?
The answer to these questions about the Bible’s reliability is at the heart of the Christian’s confidence in God’s Word. Understanding and resolving the challenge of biblical inerrancy is crucial to maintaining the integrity of Scripture. So, what is inerrancy?
Definition of Inerrancy
Inerrancy simply means “without error,” but that statement needs to be clarified. Biblical inerrancy means that Scripture, as originally written, is entirely truthful and free from error in all it affirms.
Inerrancy doesn’t mean that every statement in the text is true, because sometimes a statement accurately recorded in the text is a lie uttered by a liar. Inerrancy also doesn’t mean that copies of the Bible are flawless. We know there are variants in the manuscript copies. Inerrancy claims that the original documents perfectly communicate truth.
Basis for Inerrancy
Though inerrancy is not directly taught in the Bible, several passages indirectly affirm the principle. Paul famously affirms inerrancy when he writes to Timothy, “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).
Paul’s phrase “inspired by God” is the Greek word “theopneustos”—theo meaning “God,” and pneustos meaning “breathed out”—literally translated, “God-breathed.” In other words, Paul is saying that Scripture is the very breath of God himself. If Scripture is the “outbreathing” of God in print, and God can’t err, than Scripture can’t err.
The psalmist concurs when he celebrates the perfection and reliability of God’s Law and testimony in Psalm 19:7:
The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The Bible’s authority stems from its divine authorship. If God is the author, as the text claims, then the text is reliable because the character of God is reliable.
But why does any of this matter?
Importance of Inerrancy
Inerrancy has profound implications for Christian living. First, it preserves the authority of Scripture. If the Bible contains errors, its authority is undermined. Inerrancy ensures that believers can completely trust what Scripture teaches.
Second, inerrancy is foundational for doctrinal integrity. Christian theology is based on the Bible. If parts of Scripture are unreliable, it’s difficult to know which doctrines are true and which are false. Inerrancy protects the consistency and coherence of Christian beliefs.
Third, having a Bible we can trust helps us make sound moral decisions. The Bible tells us what is true, noble, and right. Inerrancy ensures that Scripture’s moral teachings are reliable and applicable in every aspect of life.
Biblical inerrancy is more than a theological position; it is a vital affirmation of the trustworthiness and authority of God’s Word. By embracing this doctrine, you uphold the integrity of Scripture and ensure its rightful place as the foundation of your convictions.
Do you remember when J.D. Greear, the pastor of Summit Church in Durham, talked about certain things in Scripture that he said “God whispered” about sexual sin?[1] He was apparently basing that on Romans 1 and his emphasis was on not letting a person’s sexuality define them.[2] Since then, he has “clarified” his position since many took issue with it. Rev. Mark H. Creech took pen to paper and wrote a very constructive response to Greear’s initial sermon.
Frankly, I don’t see where God whispers about any sin. Sin is sin, as I’m sure we’d all agree. What Greear seems to miss is that in Romans 1, Paul is pointing out the natural downward spiral of society when it begins its descent into fully embracing sins of all kinds. Paul begins in Romans 1:18, pointing out the necessary and inevitable purpose of God’s wrath on societies and individuals who refuse to repent. This often starts when people simply refuse to acknowledge that God exists. This gives rise to many problems, not least of which is the belief that if God does not exist then each person is their own highest authority. Nothing matters at that point. This is in spite of the fact that Paul points out that God has made Himself known through His Creation if nothing else. His power is readily seen by anyone who wants to see it. Of course, it can be fully ignored as well.
Deciding God does not exist opens the doorway to all sorts of sin and abomination. People who are atheistic in their approach to life become hard-hearted and arrogant, often even believing they themselves are a type of “god.” Because of this attitude, they find themselves doing whatever they want to do and cheering others on who also do the same things or worse.
Please note that Paul is describing for us the way a society starts to tank. Eventually, all moral fiber is thrown out and literally anything goes. This ultimately leads to a variety of sexual sins, including homosexuality, lesbianism, and other things as well. The result is a society that is sickened with “29…unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
But all of that is based squarely on the Old Testament. We need to remember that Paul was a Pharisee and took the Scriptures seriously. He was bringing that information into the New Testament church to edify and protect Christians from the problems the world faces due to God’s impending wrath. If we go back to parts of the Old Testament – specifically Leviticus – we learn much more about what God expected from those who promised to follow His lead.
Reading through Leviticus 18 is sickening really. To think that God had to actually tell the Israelites whom He had led out of Egypt via Moses, that many of the things that were commonplace in Egypt, should not be done. It’s actually amazing that people were so depraved at that point in life that God had to explain to them in detail what they could not do any longer as they formerly did in Egypt because they learned it from the Egyptians. Says a lot about many ancient societies, and not just Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact, Leviticus 18 and following lays out some fairly clear directives from God on what was good and what was an abomination to him.
Leviticus 18, let’s take a look. In the first five verses of this chapter, God takes the time to explain that what the children of Israel saw (and may have even committed), while in Egypt was in the past. It was wrong and should not be practiced. So that there was no excuse allowing anyone to say, “I didn’t know!”, God takes the time to list things specifically. He leaves nothing out.
In Leviticus 18:6-18, God actually lists specifically what the Israelites should not do when it came to your mother, your father, your aunt, your uncle, your sister and your brother. The oft-repeated phrase we read is a warning against “uncovering a person’s nakedness.” This is a euphemism that means to have sexual relationships with that person. So, God had to specifically tell the Israelites that they needed to avoid “uncovering” the nakedness of everyone who was not their spouse.
Now, imagine, God having to tell those folks that a brother could not have sexual relations with his sister, a son could not do the same with his mother, an uncle could not do that with his sister-in-law, etc., etc., etc., until God had covered all the parameters. This even extended to a neighbor’s wife/husband by someone outside the family.
God again takes pains to explain that because other civilizations had done this (not just Egypt), this was the very reason God said the land would vomit them out. It was God’s way of judging those nations by the arm of Israel. The problem was that Israel had to ensure that they themselves no longer participated in any of those things.
Leviticus 19 presents many other moral laws that God decreed were the acceptable way to deal with people. God commanded that people were fair, did not lie or cheat others, acted graciously toward strangers/neighbors and essentially loved others as a person tends to love themselves.
In the middle of Leviticus 19, God goes back to the subject of sexual immorality discussing what would break His laws if a man lay with another woman who was already a concubine of someone else. In Leviticus 19:29, God actually has to tell the Israelites that they should not prostitute their own daughters!
I’ll remind readers that God is NOT whispering here at any point. He is issuing clear directives so that there is no misunderstanding.
In Leviticus 20, the Lord continues with his declarations about the things that constitute sin and/or abominations. Again we read about not uncovering the nakedness of a person that another person was not married to. This was forbidden and an abomination to God. God even again points out that a man who lies with a man as if with a woman, they have both committed an abomination and should be executed. There is no hint of whispering here.
God also did not whisper about the fact that a man or woman having sexual relations with an animal was wrong either. He clearly enunciated the fact that it was wrong, it was an abomination and there were severe consequences for it.
15 If a man mates with an animal, he shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the animal. 16 If a woman approaches any animal and mates with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them.
Please, someone tell me where God is whispering about any of this. I’ll wait…
But this is the problem with many in pulpits today, often leading so-called mega-churches. They have to nuance things. They have to be very subtle in the way they explain things so that people in their congregations are not offended and end up walking out the door. It reminds me of another being who approached Eve.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. (Genesis 3:1 ESV)
Interestingly, depending on the Bible translation used, the word that is translated “crafty” in the ESV is either “subtle” or “cunning” in other translations. Many of these mega-church pastors are very cunning, crafty and subtle. Their goal seems to be to couch things in a way that brings no offense, but instead, as Satan did via the serpent, endeavors to capture the hearer with subterfuge. When J D Greear essentially said that God “whispers” about sexual sin, he’s being dishonest at the very least. God does not whisper about any sin, least of all sexual sin because sexual sin is a sin that often involves another person. Many other sins are committed by one person while sexual sins often willingly include a partner.
Having said all that, it is important to also state that sin is sin. God hates all of it. Yet, He seems to have noted in Scripture that certain sins create more of a problem and fallout and are the result of the way a person thinks and designs their life. This thinking stems from a position of atheism that allows and encourages people to live as they wish. They in essence become a law unto themselves and encourage others to do the same. Too many within the visible Church today are trying to embrace people who really have no intention of seeing a need to submit to God allowing Him to change their behavior.
Not all sin is necessarily on the same level because of the ramifications of that sin. Sexual sin – whether adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, prostitution or what have you, involves more than one person. Often, as we’ve seen in society, those in favor of making homosexuality, lesbianism and now even transgenderism seen as normal, do so because they themselves need the affirmation. It is not something they keep to themselves, but it always involves others. The push under the previous Biden administration was to bring everything out into the open and normalize it all. What this ostensibly meant was that anyone who views these things as declaratively wrong and an abomination is either shouted down, censored or pushed to the edges of society so that they can no longer “offend” those who are involved in those abominations.
I agree with J D Greear on a few things, that Christians should always exercise love in reaching out to those who are outside the invisible Church. Our goal should be to express clearly the Gospel and their need for Jesus’ salvation. The idea that a person can continue to be a homosexual, but not a practicing one after receiving Jesus and His salvation is a misnomer. Paul and others make that very clear.
We also need to remember that when a society gets to the point where anything goes and is openly received and accepted (whether it’s homosexuality/lesbianism, beastiality or something else within the sexual realm), it is next to impossible for that society to come back from that. They have sunk way too low and Sodom and Gomorrah prove that. This, of course, is not to say that God cannot or won’t save people out of that lifestyle because He can and does. It is to simply say that by the time a society arrives to that point of believing that there is nothing wrong with homosexuality/lesbianism/beastiality or any other emphasis on sexual sin, it may very well be too late for that society as a whole. The only thing left is for God’s judgment to come to pass.
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