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
THE HISTORICAL SETTING for the world’s greatest birth appears in one of the most familiar and best-loved passages in the entire Bible. As Luke raises the curtain on the actual story of the birth of Christ in Luke 2:1–7, he reveals a narrative that is refreshingly simple, clear, and uncluttered: And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. As straightforward and unembellished as Luke’s language is, he is dealing with profound and far-reaching issues related to the coming of Jesus Christ. All scripturally informed Jews knew certain facts about the Messiah who would one day come to earth. They knew He would come from the royal line of David and reign from the throne in Jerusalem over Israel’s glorious kingdom. And one thing about Messiah that faithful Jews were certain of was set forth by the prophet Micah, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Mic. 5:2). So it’s clear that Jesus, the Messiah, had to be born in Bethlehem, even though Luke 2:1–7 does not quote or even refer to Micah. But the passage does demonstrate how God providentially arranged Christ’s birth in Bethlehem in explicit fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy. If events at the dawn of the first century had progressed just ordinarily, Jesus would not have been born in Bethlehem. But God worked in amazing and powerful ways to make the Lord’s birth occur precisely at the right time and place, thus verifying His own prophetic Word. God orchestrated Joseph and Mary’s visit to Bethlehem—and the circumstances related to it—in such a way that His Son was born exactly according to plan.
THE WORLD SETTING FOR CHRIST’S BIRTH
Caesar Augustus, a prominent emperor during the time Rome occupied Israel, was oblivious to his role in the events leading up to Christ’s birth. Yet God providentially directed the emperor’s actions precisely in accord with His prophetic timetable. The Lord of course knew when Mary and Joseph had to be in Bethlehem, and He planned for their visit to occur under the authority of a pagan emperor who was utterly ignorant of Scripture. In keeping with his literary style, Luke used the concise, general expression “in those days” to identify the times prior to Jesus’ imminent birth. Implicit in that short phrase is the Jews’ general attitude toward conditions then. They hated the occupation of their land by the Romans—unclean Gentiles who were outside the covenant. The Jews had no love for Gentiles, and particularly not for the polytheistic Romans. God’s people had disdained that brand of idolatry ever since the Babylonian captivity, and now the Romans brought images of their idols (including a deified Caesar) into Israel on patriotic banners and military armor and shields. Particularly distasteful was to see Caesar’s idolatrous image on all Roman coinage, which the Jews had to use all the time. But the emperor, simply by virtue of his powerful position, exerted his influence in many other ways. Augustus was born Gaius Octavius (often called Octavian) in 63 B.C. He was the grandnephew of Julius Caesar, who adopted him as a son and officially declared him the heir to the throne of the Roman Empire. Octavian didn’t immediately ascend to the throne after the assassination of Julius Caesar, but the young man eventually prevailed in a power struggle with Mark Antony and ruled the Empire from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14. During that period, the versatile and able Octavian demonstrated great military, political, and social skills in ending all civil wars and extending Rome’s boundaries to the edges of the known world. Those leadership skills also brought an incredible peace (the so-called Pax Romana, or “peace of Rome”) to that vast empire. Such previously unheard-of tranquility allowed for construction of a massive road system that facilitated transportation in every direction and solidified Rome’s control. That meant there were no rigid borders between provinces—no border checkpoints, but instead an ease of movement all around the Empire. That reality led to the easy, rapid spread of the gospel and was implicit in Paul’s statement to the Galatians, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Gal. 4:4). Everything on the world scene was perfectly arranged and timed for the arrival of Jesus Christ. Octavian (who acquired the title Augustus, “majestic one, highly honored one,” three years before he began his rule) was quite deferential in dealing with his subjects. He granted them limited freedom and autonomy and respected their customs and religions. He even encouraged writers to make literature nobler and passed a measure outlawing adultery; thus, he did have some moral sense. All in all, Augustus was a fascinating figure who fit amazingly well into God’s redemptive plan. He was an unwitting instrument of divine providence and a world leader who helped prepare the way for the first coming of Christ. Luke refers to one of the most important of those instruments: “a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered” (2:1). A decree was a common governmental action in those days (Acts 17:7), and it was simply an imperial edict, law, or mandate. This particular decree said that officials in all parts of the Empire must conduct a registration, or census. (“All the world” was just another way of identifying the Roman Empire.) Rome required such registrations for two reasons. One was to determine which young men were eligible for military service. The other was to assess taxes, which was the case in Luke 2. We know Luke was referring to taxation because Mary and Joseph were involved. They would not have been included in the first type of census because Jews were exempt from Roman military service. In a taxation census, the people registered their names, occupations, property holdings, and family members to the Roman equivalent of the American IRS. The Jews despised Roman taxation. If they thought the Romans had no right to occupy Israel, the Jews certainly thought the foreigners had no right to exact taxes from them. Their hatred of the Roman tax system manifested itself most intensely in the attitude Jews had toward countrymen who collected taxes for Rome. It’s no wonder average Jews like Joseph and Mary likely were not very happy with the decree for a census. The Jews hated such pagan intrusion into their private lives. But God used the census in Luke 2 to implement His eternal purpose to send His Son. Just as centuries earlier He had used Cyrus’s decree to liberate the Jews and return them to reestablish their nation (Ezra 1:1–6; Isa. 44:28–45:4), and just as He had used Nebuchadnezzar for His own purposes (Dan. 3:24–30; 4:28–37), God used Caesar Augustus and his census decree to bring Jesus’ parents to Bethlehem at the right time. History tells us that, due to various delays and difficulties, Caesar’s census was not carried out in Palestine until two to four years after it was first announced. But finally, Augustus imposed a strict deadline for compliance, and therefore average Jewish citizens like Joseph and Mary had to hasten their obedience to the edict. The Romans normally registered people in their current place of residence rather than making them return to their homeland or hometown. But in accord with Jewish custom, Mary and Joseph had to go back to Bethlehem “because he [Joseph] was of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:4). From their earliest days as a people, the Jews considered their ancestry important. They divided the Promised Land into tribal areas, and within those areas were towns and villages that belonged to certain families who owned land there. Every fifty years the various lands would revert to the original owners, so genealogies were very important. As we saw in chapter 2 of our study, the Jews kept careful, detailed records of their family histories. That way each man could identify his father’s home area and go back there for official obligations such as Caesar Augustus’ census. Therefore Jesus’ parents were providentially directed to be in Bethlehem at precisely the right time to fulfill Micah 5:2.
THE NATIONAL SETTING FOR CHRIST’S BIRTH
Whenever we think of a national setting in relation to the birth of Christ, the nation of Israel immediately comes to mind. The connection is obvious when you consider Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. On that arduous trip, they passed through many places that were significant in Old Testament history. Shiloh, the town where Hannah asked the Lord for a child (1 Sam. 1:9–11), would have greeted them. Then they would have gone through Gilgal, where Hannah’s son, Samuel, sat to judge Israel. Jesus’ parents also may have passed through the Valley of Baca, of which the psalmist had sung (Ps. 84:6). Their path perhaps wound past Bethel, with all its patriarchal memories, and Ramah, where Jeremiah pictured Rachel weeping for her children (Jer. 31:15). Next, they would have climbed to Gibeon, where Solomon worshiped, and past Mizpah, where Samuel raised his memorial stone called Ebenezer (1 Sam. 7:12). Then they would have gone through the great capital city of Jerusalem, past Mt. Moriah, and across the plateau of Zion on which Jerusalem rests. Finally, in another six miles, Mary and Joseph would have arrived at the town of Bethlehem, the home of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:9–11), the place where Rachel was buried, and, most notable, the town where King David was born. Luke succinctly summarized that momentous journey this way: “Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem” (2:4). That placed the town of Bethlehem and one specific region of Israel, Judea, right at the center of the Nativity story. To the casual observer, Luke’s name for Bethlehem may seem inconsistent with Old Testament designations. That’s because in 2 Samuel 5:7 and elsewhere, the hill of Zion in Jerusalem is called the city of David. There is, however, no discrepancy between the Old and New Testament names. Zion was the place where David ruled as king—in essence, the city of David within the city of Jerusalem. Luke was simply using the same expression, of David,” in a different way. Bethlehem is also a city of David; it’s not the city where he reigned, but it is the city where he was born. In fact, the Old Testament clearly affirmed Bethlehem as a city of David long before the birth of Christ. In 1 Samuel 16:1, the Lord commanded Samuel to choose a new king for Israel from among the sons of Jesse the Bethlehemite, and the prophet chose his youngest son, David (vv. 11–13). First Samuel 17:12; 2 Samuel 23:14–16, and Psalm 78:70–72 all directly or indirectly connect David with Bethlehem because that’s where he was born; that’s where his father’s house was. So Joseph, as a descendant of David, had to go to Bethlehem for the census. And, as we saw from the genealogies, Mary was also a descendant of David. Therefore it was fitting that they both went down to Bethlehem to register—it was for both of Jesus’ parents the house of their ancestors. But historians and Bible students have wondered whether Mary really had to accompany Joseph to the registration. We don’t know if she had to go along to sign an official document, to declare some properties, or to verify her ancestry. Scripture does not tell us. But we can infer that it must have been very difficult for Mary to explain to her parents that she was pregnant and at the same time insist to them she had not had sexual relations with a man. And others in the community likely would have accused her of lying about her situation. The resulting shame and embarrassment Mary had to bear would have been troubling. Even after receiving words of encouragement during her visit with Elizabeth, Mary probably would still have endured much scorn and misunderstanding from family and friends in Nazareth. Therefore, given those difficult conditions, there’s no way Joseph would have made the trip to Bethlehem without taking the nine-months’-pregnant Mary with him. Humanly speaking, the trip allowed him to remove her from a difficult social environment and to ensure his presence with her when the baby was born. But, more important, Joseph had God’s insight into the real significance of events. He knew Mary was pregnant with the Son of God. He knew the baby would be Jesus, the Messiah, who would save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:20–25). World and national conditions certainly compelled Jesus’ parents to go to Bethlehem. But more crucial than those factors, they had to travel there to fulfill the clear statement of the prophet Micah. Mary and Joseph had to be in Bethlehem so that it indeed would be the birthplace of a special ruler: “yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel” (Mic. 5:2). This was a clear reference to the Messiah. It couldn’t have referred to David, because he was born three hundred years prior to this prophecy. Furthermore, the prophet’s words “whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” could refer only to deity. Messiah is an eternal being, a ruler to be born in Bethlehem, yet One who has been alive forever. Every believing Jew who looked forward to the coming of the true Messiah knew that Micah’s prophecy pointed unmistakably to Him. Thus Luke, without actually mentioning Micah 5:2, relates the story of Jesus’ birth to the nation of Israel and its people, the Jews. He knew God had given the Old Testament Scripture to the Jews; and that Scripture, through the words of Micah 5:2, was explicit about the location of Christ’s birth—Bethlehem.
THE PERSONAL SETTING FOR CHRIST’S BIRTH
The world and national settings attendant to the birth of Christ are both crucial to helping us understand how God providentially brought about that glorious event within the context of human history. But the much-loved charm of the Incarnation story derives from a third setting—the personal one. Luke continues his simple account with this general phrase, “So it was, that while they were there” (2:6). We know that Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, but it’s not initially clear where in the village they were or exactly how long they had been there. They had probably been there at least three days, perhaps even a week, because the writer then says, “the days were completed for her to be delivered.” But we don’t have to wonder for long where the young couple was when Jesus was born: “there was no room for them in the inn” (v. 7). These simple words have always excited profound imagination in the minds of readers. Practically speaking, during their stay in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph were among the homeless. That does not mean they were completely outside in the cold, but simply that they had no comfortable accommodations. Mary and Joseph were not staying in some sort of three-story hotel, or even a low-budget annex to such a facility. The Greek word for “inn” in verse 7 is not the usual term for inn. Instead, Luke used a word that denoted a shelter or place of lodging for guests. It was not an actual inn operated for the feeding and housing of guests. Instead, it was more like the sleeping section of a public shelter or campground. Typically, such shelters had four sides and two levels, with the top part being like the loft in a barn. One section of the shelter may have had crude doors to close it off if desired. The entire structure would have been quite primitive, the kind of place where travelers could spend one or more nights in the loft area and keep their animals down in the center area, safe from theft. Their goods could be stored in the center as well. Because of the Roman decree, Bethlehem would have been a crowded town with all the best rooms already taken. Therefore Mary and Joseph wound up staying with the animals in one of the public shelters. For an undetermined number of days, the young couple likely would have huddled on the shelter’s ground floor—among the camels, donkeys, and their feed troughs—because the other part of the shelter (“the inn”) was already filled. During that time they would have used their own robes and maybe an extra blanket to shield themselves from the cold winds. We don’t know the details of how long they stayed in the shelter, whether they registered before the birth of the baby, or whether they were waiting for the birth before they registered. But we do know they made sure they stayed in Bethlehem until after Mary gave birth to Jesus. With all the circumstances perfectly arranged, the most important of all births in human history finally occurred. But Luke reports the birth of our Lord and Savior with amazingly few details and merely says, “she brought forth her firstborn Son” (2:7). Because the Gospel text gives us no descriptive details, I think it’s safe to engage in a little sanctified imagination concerning what happened that night. Imagine Joseph being anxious with curiosity, wondering what his Son, who would be the God-Man, might actually be like. He no doubt held Mary’s hand throughout her labor, perhaps soothing her forehead with a cool cloth. Like any good husband, Joseph surely would have spoken many words of sweet comfort to his young wife while she endured labor pains. After all, the couple was in a dark, drab place that offered no birthing amenities such as the help of doctors and nurses or even the presence of her mother. Any normal young mother in those days would want her mother present, but Mary had the assistance and reassurance of only a teenaged husband. We can also imagine that after a certain period of labor, Mary would have pushed one final time to bring forth her child. In the fullness of time God sent forth His Son, born of a woman. At that very moment, the God of eternity stepped into earthbound time and space. As the apostle John wrote later, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The omnipotent, omnipresent Lord of the universe appeared as a baby, crying the cry of life, probably weighing less than ten pounds and measuring fewer than twenty-four inches in length. The little life would have rested immediately in the arms of young Joseph, who, along with Mary, probably did not comprehend right away the magnitude of what was going on—even though an angel had earlier informed both of them about this extraordinary birth. Luke, however, is careful to tell us something of the significance of the baby Jesus when he identifies Him as Mary’s “firstborn Son.” Jesus was not the only son Mary ever had—He was not her monogenes, “only begotten,” as He was the Father’s. But He was the prototokon, “firstborn.” That’s important because it’s consistent with Mary’s virginity, and it means Jesus had the primary right to the family inheritance. It was a privilege the Old Testament called the all-important right of primogenitor. Neither Joseph nor Mary, as working-class people, had wealthy estates. But as two descendants of King David, they passed on to Jesus the right to rule from David’s throne, the throne of Christ’s people, Israel. Luke 2:7 contains other details that are simple and familiar, yet nonetheless fascinating. For instance, have you ever wondered why it says Mary “wrapped Him in swaddling cloths”? Swaddling is an Old English word that describes wrapping with cloth. The ancient custom was to wrap the arms, legs, and body of the baby with long strips of cloth to provide warmth and security. Parents in those days also believed that wrapping the child helped his or her bones to grow straight. Luke’s point in mentioning the wrapping cloths, however, is that Mary treated Jesus the way any mother would treat a normal newborn. Physically, He looked like any other child, and his parents treated Him as such. God did not provide Him with royal robes or other fancy clothing, but simply directed Mary and Joseph to welcome Him as they would any other beloved child. Then there’s the familiar phrase “and laid Him in a manger.” A more literal translation of the Greek word for “manger” is “feeding trough.” From that we can further deduce that Joseph and Mary were staying in the section of the shelter that accommodated travelers’ animals. In the ancient Near East, a traveling salesman had a beast of burden to carry his merchandise. Similarly, a traveling family used a pack animal to carry the women and children. As we described earlier, Jesus’ parents were huddled in a section of the shelter next to the animals, and they conveniently made His first bed a feeding trough. When Christ entered the world, He came to a place that had some of the smelliest, filthiest, and most uncomfortable conditions. But that is part of the wonder of divine grace, isn’t it? When the Son of God came down from heaven, He came all the way down. He did not hang on to His equality with God; rather, He set it aside for a time and completely humbled Himself (Phil. 2:5–8). Jesus did not merely humble Himself and agree to be born in a smelly stable, but He humbled Himself as a substitute for wretched sinners and bore the stench of their guilt in His own body on the Cross. He came down to the common people to bring them His glorious salvation. The picture of the infant Son of God tolerating a stable’s dirt and foul odors is a fitting metaphor for the later scene of the Savior bearing the stench of sin as He died at Calvary. What an amazing picture! And, to a certain extent, the site of Christ’s birth was also a lonely picture, because of the obscurity of it all. But that situation didn’t last long. As we’ll see in the next chapter, a group of angels appeared to some nearby shepherds and in glorious fashion announced to them the Son of God’s first advent.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2001). God in the manger: the miraculous birth of Christ (pp. 55–65). W Pub. Group.
For the powerful influences of divine grace to sanctify and preserve us, to prevent our falling into sin, and to strengthen us in doing our duty.
You have not quenched the smoldering wick, nor broken the bruised reed, Matthew 12:20(ESV) nor despised the day of small things; Zechariah 4:10(ESV) but having had the help of God, I continue up to this time. Acts 26:22(ESV)
On the day I called, you answered me; and my strength of soul you increased. Psalm 138:3(ESV)
I have been continually with you, you have held my right hand, Psalm 73:23(ESV) when my feet had almost stumbled and my steps had nearly slipped. Psalm 73:2(ESV)
I have reason never to forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life; and if your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction many a time; Psalm 119:92-93(ESV) for your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning. Psalm 119:54(ESV)
If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence: But when I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up; and when the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Psalm 94:17-19(ESV)
Luke 1:26-38 This week’s lessons help us to prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ by focusing on three miracles seen in the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary.
Theme
Christmas Miracles
There is something about Christmas that is wonderful—in spite of the frantic pace of the days leading up to Christmas, the anxious flurry of pre-Christmas buying and the undisguised commercialism and materialism that is so much a part of Christmas in the West. I suppose it is the sheer magnitude of the event itself, the grandeur of what Christmas means: the birth of the Savior.
And the miracles! We often say that the birth of any baby is a miracle, meaning that life is a miracle. And it is. We cannot create life. Life is God’s gift. But in the case of Christmas, the miracles are so much bigger even than that. In my judgment the miracles of Christmas are greater even than the miracles Jesus did in His lifetime—healing the lepers, giving sight to the blind and strength to the lame, raising the dead to life—greater even than the climactic resurrection of Jesus Himself on the third day following His crucifixion. And there is something of the wonder of these miracles in our observances of Christmas even for modern people, like ourselves, who have such difficulty with the miraculous.
The miracles are there from the very beginning too, from the moment in which the angel Gabriel announced the conception and birth of Jesus to the humble virgin of Nazareth, whose name was Mary.
Martin Luther was such a vigorous and original person that I have often turned to him to see what he had to say about some well-known text, like the verses in which Gabriel announces the birth of Jesus to Mary. When I did that for these verses I discovered that Luther himself sometimes turned to other people and that, in this case, he turned to Saint Bernard, the godly French monk who lived in the twelfth century.
Luther quotes Bernard as saying that there are three miracles in this story: 1) “that God and man should be joined in this child,” 2) “that a mother should remain a virgin,” and 3) “that Mary should have such faith as to believe that this mystery would be accomplished in her.” He adds perceptively that “the last is not the least of the three.”1 I find this to be a fresh way to look at the announcement of the birth of Christ and so take it as a guideline in this study.
1Martin Luther, The Martin Luther Christmas Book, trans. and arranged by Roland H. Bainton (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1948), 22-23.
Study Questions
Make a list of the major biblical and theological themes that are contained in the Christmas story. How do they challenge the dominant secular themes and interests of the season?
What are the three miracles that Bernard lists?
Application
Application: What are some ways in which other activities and events can interfere with a proper celebration of the true significance of Christmas? What can you do this year to make sure you set aside enough time to quietly and thoughtfully reflect and to pray over the glorious event of the birth of Christ?
For Further Study: Download for free and listen to James Boice’s message, “Wise Men Come to Jesus.” (Discount will be applied at checkout.)
Thinkers for centuries have strived to develop arguments to prove the existence of God.[i] Who’d have thought that neurosurgeons would find keys to rocket the traditional Moral Argument into the 21st century? The earlier moral arguments used reason, logic, and common internal thoughts and human experience to make a case for God’s existence.[ii]The Immortal Mind (2025),[iii] by brain surgeon Dr. Michael Egnor and mind researcher Denyse O’Leary, takes the venerable case to new cerebral and spiritual levels.
Argument 1.0 The Standard Moral Law Argument
The Moral Law Argument (Argument 1.0) includes three main Elements:[iv]
Every law requires a lawgiver.
Moral laws exist.
Therefore, there is a moral lawgiver.
These “laws” refer to rules governing human behavior, not physical or mathematical laws. Argument 1.0 is inductive, meaning it draws from observed regularities rather than providing absolute certainty. We draw an inductive conclusion when, for example, we say “any horse-like animal with black and white stripes is a zebra,” because we have seen many zebras and every one was striped that way.
Inductive arguments also can flow from thoughts and intuitions that seem to describe reality. For example, (premise 1) “every law requires a lawgiver.” That idea comes from experience but also from the intuitions about cause and effect. There is always a cause for any effect we see. If we imagine a moral law, there must be: (1) a cause for the mental process of imagining; and, (2) a cause for formulating the moral law in the way we imagine it.
The claim that moral laws exist (premise 2) is often debated, but finds support in ideas such as the concept of a perfect moral ideal, the existence of objective moral standards, near-universal agreement on core morals, the need for external standards in moral debates, the human senses of guilt and justification, the futility of arguing right and wrong without binding rules, and the risk of societal breakdown if everyone were the final judges of their own behavior. Many find these considerations persuasive in arguing for an objective, perfect lawgiver.
Common moral laws exist in the real world. In The Abolition of Man (1943),[v] C.S. Lewis collected examples of such laws found in nearly all societies: justice, fairness, honesty, respect for human life, charity and compassion, respect for elders, sexual morality, courage and honor.
Argument 1.0 persuades many that an objective and perfect lawgiver exists, based upon reason, logic, and experience.[vi]
Argument 2.0 The Moral Laws are Designed Software
Moral Law Argument 2.0 uses computer science and technology concepts to bolster the Moral Law Argument.[vii] It starts by seeing that moral laws and their underlying moral values are non-material ideas. They are not reducible to physical materials or forces.
We cannot describe moral ideas and laws in purely material terms. But if we want to build robots who make moral decision, then we must consider how to place moral laws into concrete forms in robot technology. The problem is: how is it even possible to install into the most “intelligent” robots even basic moral laws, such as “always obey humans, do not harm humans, and protect yourself from harm”? This problem poses an overwhelming challenge to the smartest human designers using all available methods.
Some of the top challenges for programming a moral robot are: (1) making it understand the moral law involved; (2) getting all the massive information needed to decide moral questions; and (3) tracing in advance all the results of actions that produce consequences extending far and wide in many unexpected ways.
Crucially, the robot example does show that moral laws and decisions are non-material. They don’t reside in the robot’s hardware; they are in the software. Software, without exception, is ultimately sourced in a mind, having a purpose, a plan, a way to engineer the procedures, and foresight about how software and its consequences play out.
If we assume the human mind exists solely in the human brain, then comparing the brain to a robot’s computer hardware brain is plausible. In the robot, moral laws are software. By analogy, the moral laws would be software directing the human brain hardware also. As software, moral laws come from an external intelligent source of software, which we call the moral lawgiver.[viii] Argument 2.0’s objective truths about morality software establish the Moral Argument beyond what earlier thinkers considered.
Argument 3.0: Moral Laws Do Not Reside in the Brain
Argument 1.0 works with observations, logic and intuitions, while Argument 2.0 shows that if moral laws were solely within the human brain and mind, they nevertheless were designed by an outside intelligent source of moral knowledge.
Argument 3.0 adds to the Moral Law Argument’s position that a superior mind created and knows the perfect ways for humans to act and be good rather than evil. Opposing the argument is the reigning “scientific” materialist worldview that asserts everything observed is explainable as undirected interactions of matter and energy only. Scientists typically assert the human mind is identity with or at least resides in the brain, and therefore human ideas about morality exist there, too.
In The Immortal Mind, the authors explain that specific regions of the brain control distinct activities of the mind: sensory perception, physical movement, memory, and emotion. Other activities, however, including intellect, reason, abstract thought, and free will, do not appear to map so neatly.
Pioneering neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield (1891 – 1976) conducted over 1,100 ethical, painless, open skull brain operations on fully conscious patients, keeping careful notes while mapping the brain extensively using electrodes. Stimulating certain regions would spark memories or trigger emotions. After thousands of experimental probes, Penfield found he could never force a patient to reason, reflect, or choose. Abstract thought and free will never appeared on command.
Even seizures that hijack brain circuitry never produced genuine reasoning; at most there appeared only compulsions, obsessions, memories and illusions, or emotional surges. Epileptic seizures give physical and sensory experiences and can also retrieve memories – but they don’t hallucinate mathematics or logic. Similarly, they don’t expound principles of morality, fairness or law.
Neuroscience and Near Death Experience Evidence
Four other lines of mind-brain research show that crucial functions of the human mind are not contained in the brain alone. First, is the widely-known example of surgery that splits the brain’s two hemispheres to alleviate epilepsy. After the surgery, the patient’s personality and mental functions are nearly all intact. Two half-brains do not produce two personalities or two minds. Connections among neurons alone do not create the mind.
Second, and jaw-droppingly, many children are born with only part of a brain, even as little as 5% of the average brain matter of neurotypical kids. Although some die soon after birth, many not only survive but exhibit a unique personality and carry on a near-normal life. This fact shows brain matter alone does not establish the consciousness and ability to think and act.
Third, and quite astounding are the reports from conjoined biological twins who are born sharing parts of the same body and brain. Conjoined twins may share physical functions of the brain, but not the immaterial aspects of a separate personality and self-hood. They each have their own consciousness, abstract reasoning, personal identity, individuality, and free will.
Fourth and perhaps most dramatic is the overwhelming evidence of near-death experiences (NDEs). John Burke’s book, Imagine Heaven (2015), [ix] systematizes the many common features reported when individuals are as close to death as medically detectable but are later revived to consciousnesses. The experiences include out-of-body travel, feeling total peace and being overwhelmed by pure love, encountering deceased humans they knew, conversations with a being of light, and undergoing a full life-review.[x]TheImmortal Mind spotlights the veridical NDEs, which occur when the revived person reports seeing and hearing things while out-of-body that the person could not otherwise have known but are independently and objectively verifiable.
The Immortal Mind declares: (1) verified NDEs confirm each human has an immaterial aspect, i.e., mind or soul, that exists despite the clinical death of the brain; and (2) all NDEs confirm the person’s immaterial mind or soul retains self-identity and its personality during and after the experience.
Moral Laws Draw from Sources Outside of the Brain
Moral laws and moral decisions flow from selfhood, logic and reasoning, and abstract ideas. They only secondarily relate to emotions, physical pain, brain size, and nerve stimulation responses. The seemingly simple concept of fairness, for example, is an abstract idea. Understanding and applying fairness gives rise to the huge discipline of law itself, with all of its defining, categorizing, analyzing, policy choices, as well as the rules and procedures to operate the legal system.
The Immortal Mind’s science-based reasoning shows the mental features such as moral laws and decisions do not reside in the brain. This conclusion supports the Moral Law Argument (1.0) by showing there do exist moral laws that human minds possess independent of their brains.
To date, none of the NDE reports that I’ve seen say the NDErs know everything about right and wrong while away from the human brain’s operation. The NDErs, instead, universally report being astounded at all they were seeing and hearing, and also knowing they have more to learn or more to do in their earthly lives. Often, NDErs are either told or decide themselves that the “right” thing to do is return their bodies. The NDErs do not claim total knowledge and wisdom of morality. If anything, the NDErs are humbled by the non-material existence they saw.[xi]
Moral Argument 3.0 thus shows that moral laws are non-material, that human understanding of moral laws is not total. Moreover, human understanding of moral laws is not a brain feature but a non-material mind feature,[xii] and human minds know them independent of their Earthly life. From these points we see that objective moral laws exist in the realm of non-material mind,[xiii] and they come from a lawgiver also in the immaterial realm. More science has thus supplied more evidence of a Creator God.
References:
[i]See J. Brian Huffling, “An Intro to Arguments for God’s Existence,” Crossexamined.org,
[iii] Michael Egnor & Denyse O’Leary, The Immortal Mind: A Neurosurgeon’s Case for the Existence of the Soul (Worthy Books, 2025), https://www.amazon.com/dp/1546006354/
Richard W. Stevens is a retiring lawyer, author, and a Fellow of Discovery Institute’s Walter Bradley Center on Natural and Artificial Intelligence. He has written extensively on how code and software systems evidence intelligent design in biological systems. Holding degrees in computer science (UCSD) and law (USD), Richard practiced civil and administrative law litigation in California and Washington D.C., taught legal research and writing at George Washington University and George Mason University law schools, and specialized in writing dispositive motion and appellate briefs. Author or co-author of four books, he has written numerous articles and spoken on subjects including intelligent design, artificial and human intelligence, economics, the Bill of Rights and Christian apologetics. Available now at Amazon is his fifth book, Investigation Defense: What to Do When They Question You (2024).
If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to set high expectations when it comes to setting a new goal. Especially with something like Bible reading, it can be both exciting and intimidating! Maybe you’ve found yourself wondering, “Where do I even start?” or you’ve opened your Bible with the best intentions, only to get overwhelmed and abandon the habit after just a few days. I’ve been there too.
Here’s the thing: without some kind of guide, it’s so easy to lose your way. And not just in what you’re reading, but in understanding what the text really means. Most of us haven’t been to seminary or spent years studying biblical languages.
That’s why solid Bible study tools are so important. They give you a path to follow, helping you get the most out of your quiet time with God and understand how all those different stories fit together into one great story.
With so many choices in the Bible study market, this article will help you sort through the many options with curated recommendations depending on your needs. But first, let’s set the foundation and understand why we need Bible study tools in the first place.
Why Bible Study Tools Matter
Whether it’s a workbook, a video Bible study, or a digital resource like Bible Gateway Plus, a good Bible study tool can:
Offer structure and direction, helping you know what to focus on each day.
Explain tough passages and reveal connections you might otherwise miss.
Help you see how the Bible speaks to your unique season of life.
Provide practical applications so you do more than just read but are transformed by what you’ve read.
Plus, using a Bible study tool from a trusted teacher frees you up to meet with God, receive what He has to say, and reflect on what you’re learning, without having to become a biblical scholar overnight (phew!).
Similarly, the right Bible study tool helps keep you from just bouncing your own ideas around without any outside perspective. It’s a crucial way we can guard against confusion or even, unintentionally, veering off into our own interpretations of Scripture.
How to Choose the Right Bible Study Tool
If you’re looking for your first (or next) Bible study resource, here’s what I recommend considering first:
Think about your goals. Are you searching for direction in your daily quiet time? Wanting to dive deeper into theology or a particular book of the Bible? Or maybe you’re looking for a Bible study tool that’s designed for a group so you can learn in community?
Consider your season of life. Maybe you want a topical study that speaks to what’s on your heart right now, or a year-long study to help you build consistency. Depending on your needs and availability, you may consider a weekly Bible study with daily personal study between sessions, or something designed to be done every day for a fixed amount of time.
Check the source. It’s important to use resources from trusted, vetted teachers and publishers. The cheapest or prettiest book isn’t always the best guide; look for authors who are faithful to Scripture and have the kind of wisdom you want shaping your time with God.
With so many options to choose from, clarifying your goals will help make choosing the right Bible study tool for you so much easier.
Top Bible Study Tools and Resources for 2026
To help you find the right resource, I’ve sorted some of our top recommendations into five distinct categories. This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a helpful starting point as you begin your Bible study journey. Try not to feel too overwhelmed by the options and instead narrow in on what category feels most relevant to you in your season of life, and then pick from there. You really can’t go wrong with any of these options!
One thing I want to note: this list contains both video Bible studies and workbooks. I’ve noted which ones are video Bible studies and how many sessions they are for reference. Though video Bible studies are traditionally done in a group setting, you can also do these studies on your own and use the discussion questions as personal journalling prompts.
Let’s dive in!
Bible Studies for Starting Your Journey
This category is ideal for those who are new to reading the Bible or are looking for a big-picture overview of Scripture. These resources help build a solid foundation, making God’s Word more accessible and understandable.
For those who want to dig deeper into the text, this category is perfect. Whether you’re exploring a specific book of the Bible or wrestling with more complex biblical themes, these resources provide rich theological and historical context.
Top Recommendations:
Psalms by Dr. Sandra Richter (8 session video Bible study): An academic yet accessible look into the historical and cultural context of the Psalms. You’ll love Sandy’s down to earth, quippy teaching style and be amazed how much you didn’t know about this popular book of the Bible!
The New Testament You Never Knew by N.T. Wright and Michael Bird (8 session video Bible study): Renowned Biblical scholar N.T Wright takes you to the Holy Land as you discover things you never knew about Jesus’ baptism and journey in the wilderness, the meaning behind the parables, and so much more.
More Great Options for Specific Books of the Bible
Kind of like how a commentary provides additional context, these workbook studies will help you think critically about what you’re learning and provide additional guidance from the teacher, so you don’t have to make sense of what you’re reading on your own. It’s kind of like having Max Lucado or Scot McKnight sitting right beside you as you read through the text!
If you want to focus on a specific area of your spiritual life, a topical Bible study is a great choice. These studies allow you to spend dedicated time learning about a particular facet of Christian life. They are an excellent way to broaden your knowledge or take a break from studying a specific book of the Bible.
The GREAT Morning Revolution by Tara Beth Leach (6 session video Bible study): Build a morning prayer habit that will help you change your whole day by changing the rhythm of your morning — no matter your circumstances.
While many of the studies mentioned can be used for both individual and group settings, the following are some popular studies for small groups. Each study includes video teaching from a trusted Christian teacher, discussion questions for meaningful conversation, personal study to help you apply what you’re learning, and a leader’s guide.
Now and Not Yet by Ruth Chou Simons (6 session video Bible study): Learn to live in the present and trust in God’s faithfulness, even while hoping for the future.
If you’re looking for a single resource to guide you through the entire year, a 52-week study is the perfect option. These studies provide a consistent, structured plan to help you build a lasting habit of getting into God’s Word every day. They are also cost-effective options for those who might feel overwhelmed by choices — just one purchase for a full year of Bible study!
Conclusion: Get Started Reading the Bible More Intentionally Today!
Building a Bible study habit doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The important thing is to start small — just a few minutes a day is enough to begin forming a meaningful rhythm. And like any new habit, accountability is key! Find a friend or a small group to join you on your journey.
And, if you need additional support, a Bible Gateway Plus membership can help you dive even deeper into your Bible reading with notes and articles from dozens of Study Bibles and other Bible Study tools — all for less than a pack of highlighters. Sign up for a free trial today!
The most important thing to remember about building a new Bible study habit is that it’s not about perfection or ticking off a to-do list. Be patient with yourself and enjoy your time in God’s Word, growing in your relationship with Him. You’ve got this and happy studying!
Merry Christmas! Welcome to another “potpourri” edition of The Mailbag, where I give short(er) answers to several questions rather than a long answer to one question.
Or maybe I answered your question already? Check out my article The Mailbag: Top 10 FAQs to see if your question has been answered and to get some helpful resources.
What do you think about having decorated Christmas trees in the sanctuary / on the platform at church?
It’s a great question, because we want every aspect of our worship services – even the decor – to honor God and be conducive to worship.
Assuming they’re tastefully decorated in an understated way, I don’t personally have any problem with a Christmas tree at the front of the sanctuary for decoration. I’ve seen some lovely ones that were decorated with all white ornaments of biblical symbols (crosses, doves, stars, etc.). I don’t really see any theological difference between a Christmas tree, a holly garland, candles, poinsettias, flowers on the altar every week, ficus trees, potted plants, backdrops, banners, or any other tasteful, reverent, non-distracting piece of decor. They’re just inert objects that somebody thought would spruce things up a bit (yeah, I went there) and make the space pretty. There’s nothing wrong with that. I mean, have you read God’s instructions for the design of the tabernacle and the temple? Lots of flowers and tapestries and gold and all kinds of other pretty stuff. God invented beauty. He is OK with His house being beautiful as long as that beauty honors and points to Him.
God invented beauty. He is OK with His house being beautiful as long as that beauty honors and points to Him.Tweet
But there’s something else we need to take into consideration…
All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.1 Corinthians 10:23-24
We have good brothers and sisters in Christ in our churches whose consciences, for various reasons, just can’t handle Christmas trees. And having Christmas trees in the sanctuary would distract them from worship. So you know what we do to love and honor them? We lay aside our “right” to have Christmas trees on the platform and either don’t decorate or find another way to decorate. Many churches have found lots of different ways to tastefully decorate for Christmas that don’t involve Christmas trees.
Does Jeremiah 10:3-4 (and other passages) prohibit Christmas trees?
The short answer is no. It should be obvious to anyone who reads Jeremiah 10:3-4 in context that the passage is talking about the crafting of wooden idols, not Christmas trees. And other passages – such as Deuteronomy 12:2, which refer to idol worship taking place under “every green tree” – don’t prohibit Christmas trees either, despite the fact that “every green tree” sounds like “evergreen tree”. These passages, read in context, are all referring to a location where idol worship takes place.
I have a statue of Joseph and Mary holding baby Jesus. It’s in a corner year round in my living room. As a former Catholic, I’m questioning myself if I should even have it at all?
Let’s first focus on the fact that you don’t have to buy, keep, or display any decoration for any reason. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can get rid of it. If you no longer have room for it, you can get rid of it. If it clashes with your couch, or takes too long to dust, or the dog has chewed Joseph’s toes off, you can get rid of it. This is your house. You get to decide how to decorate it (within biblical parameters, of course: e.g. no pornographic images, no profanity, no Buddha statues, etc.)
I’d suggest praying about it and even discussing it with your pastor, if you like, and certainly with your husband if you’re married. You may want to prayerfully consider…
When you arrive at the biblical answers to those questions, you’ll know whether or not to keep it or let it go.
(If you’re concerned that the statue might be a violation of the second Commandment, you might want to check out my article Nativity Scenes and the Second Commandment.)
I haven’t seen any of your articles that specifically mention what kind or types of ornaments we should decorate our Christmas trees with. While it’s certainly a personal preference for everyone, I just wanted to get your input about them. Through the years I’ve seen many trees with favorite sports team ornaments to baby or pet pictures, cartoon characters, White House ornaments, angels, snowmen, snowflakes, and many more. While these may not have intended to be anything other than a person’s preference, shouldn’t everything we do even regarding this, be done to honor and point to Christ in celebrating His birth and life? Are decorations that have nothing to do with Jesus, or who He is, wrong?
I think you answered your own question very well. It’s a matter of personal preference. If you’d like for all of your Christmas decorations to point to Christ, that would be a lovely way to honor Him and celebrate His incarnation.
Other sorts of decorations (again – as I mentioned in my answer to the previous question – within biblical parameters, of course: e.g. no pornographic images, no profanity, no Buddha statues, etc.) are also fine.
A few little nuggets to think about:
When you decorate for Thanksgiving, does everything you put out have a Bible verse on it, or in some way explicitly point to Christ? Or do you maybe decorate with pumpkins, turkeys, stalks of wheat, a cornucopia, etc.?
We are supposed to be living testimonies to Christ 24/7. Does every item of clothing or jewelry you wear have a Bible verse on it or in some way explicitly point to Christ?
I don’t ask these questions to discourage you from using only Christ-centered decorations at Christmas – as I said, that’s totally fine – but rather to help you think through why this concern would be restricted to Christmas and not apply to other situations or times of the year. We don’t want to be accidentally hypocritical, but rather, biblically consistent with our beliefs and practices.
You’re absolutely right that everything we do should “be done to honor and point to Christ”. But as Christians, that’s not primarily about the exterior trappings of our lives like decorations, jewelry, or clothing. We honor and point to Christ by living in the world He created and being obedient to Him in our thoughts, words, and actions. And it’s OK with Him for us to do that while wearing hoop earrings and the promotional t-shirt we got from the grand opening of a local chicken joint, or putting an LSU Tigers ornament on our Christmas tree. To be “in the world, not of the world,” as the old saying goes.
Honoring Christ is not primarily about the exterior trappings of our lives like decorations, jewelry, or clothing. We honor Christ by living in the world He created and being obedient to Him in our thoughts, words, and actions.Tweet
I thought you might enjoy this little video I made. It was for a Christmastime women’s meeting at my church (so I’ve clipped out the first few seconds for privacy reasons). We all brought something to demonstrate how we “keep Christ in Christmas” in our homes. Maybe it will give you an expanded perspective on decorations.
This image was shared on Facebook (not by the person credited for the image) as a response to my article The Mailbag: What should we tell our kids (and grandkids) about Santa Claus?. I would encourage you to read my article for the context of my response. (Since she simply posted the image without any explanation, I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt that she was sharing this as an example of what not to teach your children about Santa Claus, but unfortunately, that turned out not to be the case.)
Thanks for sharing. This is a great example of what not to do. I don’t know if these parents are Christians or not, but they have taken a really unbiblical approach. There’s no such thing as some sort of spirit of Santa Claus, so they’re still lying to their child.
And to say that Santa “lives in our hearts” is actually worse than telling their child Santa is a real, discrete person. It’s not only going to confuse Ryan more when his parents start talking to him about inviting Jesus into his heart (“What? You said Santa lives in my heart. Isn’t it going to be crowded in there?”), it’s just as blasphemous for Santa to take Jesus’ place in the heart as it is to ascribe omniscience to Santa (as I explained in the article).
And the parting thought that believing in Santa, whom you can’t see, will help you to believe in God, Whom you can’t see is unbelievably blasphemous and unbiblical. It elevates Santa above God and trivializes all God has done to reveal Himself to man, especially the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
I’m sure the parents were trying to be loving to their child and cushion the blow that Santa isn’t real, but they did it at the cost of the glory of God, the truth of Scripture, and the opportunity to lay a biblical foundation for their child’s future salvation. That’s an expensive Santa Claus.
I’m sure the parents were trying to cushion the blow that Santa isn’t real, but they did it at the cost of the glory of God and the truth of Scripture. That’s an expensive Santa Claus.Tweet
This is why you don’t lie to your children about Santa Claus. It’s unbiblical for all the reasons I gave in the article, and when you come up with solutions like this to finally tell your child the “truth” without hurting his feelings, that’s unbiblical too.
Christmas Music
What do you think about the Christmas song, The Little Drummer Boy? I’ve always loved that song but I recently read an article stating that we shouldn’t sing it because it’s not biblically true.
It depends on what the article means by “not biblically true”. If they mean it conflicts with, denies, or twists Scripture in some way, I don’t see that in the lyrics. If they simply mean there’s no mention in Scripture of a little drummer boy visiting Jesus as a baby, that’s correct.
However, it’s reasonable to assume friends, family, and possibly even curious strangers (spurred on by the shepherds’ amazing story) visited Jesus and His parents in the days after His birth. In fact, for such a corporate and family oriented society, it would have been unthinkable that only the shepherds, and later, the wise men, ever visited them.
Could one of those visitors have been an impoverished little boy who wanted to play a song for Jesus on his drum? And Mary consented? And Jesus smiled? I don’t see why not. None of that conflicts with Scripture, and it’s all within the realm of possibility (except for the ox and lamb keeping time – I’ve never known a barnyard animal with good rhythm).
Did the article you read mean that “we” (as in the congregation, choir, soloist) shouldn’t sing that song in the worship service because it isn’t drawn from Scripture? I would fully agree with that. All of the elements of our worship services should be drawn from, and centered on the Word.
But as far as personal or family use goes, if the song makes you uncomfortable in some way, you don’t have to sing it or listen to it. (It’s certainly not one of my favorites.) I guess the decision you would have to make is whether you’re only comfortable with songs that come straight from Scripture or whether you can be comfortable with a song about something that could have happened, but isn’t in Scripture. And either way is totally fine. It just depends on your heart and your conscience.
Is there anything biblically wrong with singing Christmas hymns during worship? Our church refuses and only reserves them for our Christmas service. Just odd to me. But they decorate with a big ole Christmas tree and wreaths in the sanctuary.
No, there’s nothing biblically wrong with singing Christmas hymns in the regular worship service. I’ve never heard of a church that reserves them only for the Christmas service (especially a church that sees nothing wrong with decorating for Christmas) but there’s nothing unbiblical about that either. I would encourage you to kindly, gently, and lovingly ask your pastor about it.
Christmas-Related Activities
I’m a member of a doctrinally sound church. That’s why it was a little confusing when all of a sudden, from the pulpit, they announced that we were going to have a float in our upcoming Santa Claus Parade.
When one brave soul asked why we would participate, the answer was: we need to look at the “greater good” – it’s getting the gospel out – which we are doing with tracts and Christmas candy.
While I was happy to be a part of printing off the material in hopes of getting it into the hands of as many people in our city, I won’t be participating in handing it out in the parade.
Am I wrong to feel this way? I know I should be asking our Pastors about this – but frankly, after that one person asked, she was told that we were going through with it…that they valued her “opinion” on the matter – but that they (as well as the Deacons that discussed the matter), see nothing wrong with participating in such an event. Why couldn’t we have a “booth” that was away from the parade route, and hand out literature there, instead of “being in the thick of things…”
(You didn’t say exactly how your church is going to distribute the tracts and candy, but in our local Christmas parade, the float riders throw their candy and other goodies to the watching crowd, so that’s the assumption I’m working under with my response.)
It’s always a good thing to carefully think things through whenever we bump elbows with the world. We want to impact the world with the gospel, but we want to be careful not to become worldly. “In the world, not of the world” as the saying goes.
But from everything you said in your email, I’m going to have to go with your pastors on this one. (In fact, I’ve been recommending for years that churches participate in Christmas parades as an evangelistic outreach.) It sounds to me like they’re taking hold of a golden opportunity to share the gospel and let people in the area know about your doctrinally sound church. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do as Christians? “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”?
If you’re going to share the gospel with sinners, you have to go where sinners are.Tweet
If you’re going to share the gospel with sinners, you have to go where sinners are. And if you’re invited by the sinners, so much the better. The parade organizers have invited your church to participate, or, at least they haven’t told your church it can’t participate. Why would your church not joyfully accept that invitation? Your area may be progressive, but it’s not so progressive that they’ve banned churches from participating in the Christmas parade (wouldn’t that be hypocritical?) yet.Jesus said, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. The hour is coming when no man can work.”. We’ve got to take advantage of these gospel opportunities while we still have them.
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”1 Corinthians 5:9-10, Matthew 9:10-13
Why couldn’t we have a “booth” that was away from the parade route, and hand out literature there, instead of “being in the thick of things…”
Because the parade is where the people are! If you’re there to share the gospel, why wouldn’t you want to be “in the thick of things”? “Yes, we’d like to come to your parade and share the gospel, but please put us in an out of the way area where fewer people will be.”? Hon, I am not trying to be harsh with you, believe me, but I say this to you in sisterly love: Most of the people who will be at that parade are on their way to an eternity in Hell. Have you really thought about that? Does that not grieve you? Don’t you want to rescue as many of them as possible with the gospel? An out of the way spot? Jesus said:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.Matthew 5:14-16
Your pastors are trying to set your church on a hill and shine the gospel forth from it. Don’t ask them to put it under a basket. From everything you’ve said, they’re good, trustworthy doctrinally sound pastors. You don’t have to personally hand out materials at the parade (you wouldn’t have to even if you were 100% on board with all of this), but trust them and submit to their leadership.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.Hebrews 13:17
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.
“No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (3:13–17)
Only someone who has been to heaven can truly know what it is like. Yet human beings, short of death, do not have the ability to visit heaven since they are confined to time and space. Thus Jesus said that no one has ascended into heaven (cf. Prov. 30:4) because it is humanly impossible to do so. John declared in the prologue to his gospel, “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him” (1:18). “Not that anyone has seen the Father,” Jesus agreed, “except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father” (6:46). It may be noted that Lazarus was to return from the dead (11:23–24), and after the crucifixion of our Lord, the graves were opened and some saints returned (Matt. 27:52–53). These rare exceptions prove the rule. The other unique event was the visit of the apostle Paul to “the third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2). The only one possessing true knowledge of heavenly reality is He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. God “in these last days has spoken to us in His Son” (Heb. 1:2). He is “the bread of God … which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world” (John 6:33; cf. 6:51). “I have come down from heaven,” He declared in John 6:38, “not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” In John 6:62 He asked, “What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?” In John 8:42 Jesus said to His accusers, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.” John prefaced his account of Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet with the statement that Jesus “had come forth from God and was going back to God” (John 13:3). Later that same evening in the Upper Room Jesus told the disciples, “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father” (John 16:28). In His High Priestly Prayer Jesus prayed, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17:5). To the Corinthians Paul wrote, “The first man [Adam] is from the earth, earthy; [but] the second man [Jesus] is from heaven” (1 Cor. 15:47). Beginning in verse 14, Jesus appealed to an Old Testament illustration to make His point, further emphasizing that there was no excuse for Nicodemus, an expert in the Scriptures, to be ignorant of the way of salvation. As a type of His sacrificial death on the cross, the Lord referred to an incident recorded in Numbers 21:5–9:
The people spoke against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.” The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. So the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and you; intercede with the Lord, that He may remove the serpents from us.” And Moses interceded for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.” And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.
The event took place during Israel’s forty years of wilderness wandering before entering the Promised Land. As a judgment upon the people’s incessant complaining, the Lord sent venomous snakes to infest their camp. In desperation, the Israelites begged Moses to intercede on their behalf. And Moses’ prayerful petition was answered with a display of divine grace, as God showed mercy to His rebellious people. He instructed Moses to make a bronze replica of a snake and raise it above the camp on a pole. Those who were bitten would be healed if they but looked at it, thereby acknowledging their guilt and expressing faith in God’s forgiveness and healing power. The point of Jesus’ analogy was that just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up (crucified; cf. 8:28; 12:32, 34). The term must emphasizes that Christ’s death was a necessary part of God’s plan of salvation (cf. Matt. 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 17:25; 24:7, 26; Acts 2:23; 4:27–28; 17:3). He had to die as a substitute for sinners, because “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23), and “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). Therefore God, “being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us” (Eph. 2:4), “sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9–10). The stricken Israelites were cured by obediently looking apart from any works or righteousness of their own in hope and dependence on God’s word at the elevated bronze serpent. In the same way whoever looks in faith alone to the crucified Christ will be cured from sin’s deadly bite and will in Him have eternal life. This is the first of fifteen references in John’s gospel to the important term eternal life. In its essence, eternal life is the believer’s participation in the blessed, everlasting life of Christ (cf. 1:4) through his or her union with Him (Rom. 5:21; 6:4, 11, 23; 1 Cor. 15:22; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3–4; 2 Tim. 1:1, 10; Jude 21). Jesus defined eternal life in His High Priestly Prayer to the Father: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). It is the life of the age to come (Eph. 2:6–7), and believers will most fully experience it in the perfect, unending glory and joy of heaven (Rom. 8:19–23, 29; 1 Cor. 15:49; Phil. 3:20–21; 1 John 3:2). Verse 16 is undoubtedly the most familiar and beloved verse in all of Scripture. Yet its very familiarity can cause the profound truth it contains to be overlooked. God’s motive for giving “His indescribable gift” of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 9:15) was that He loved the evil, sinful world of fallen humanity. As noted earlier in this chapter, all humanity is utterly sinful, completely lost, and unable to save itself by any ceremony or effort. Thus, there was nothing in man that attracted God’s love. Rather He loved because He sovereignly determined to do so. The plan of salvation flowed from “the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind” (Titus 3:4). “God demonstrates His own love toward us,” wrote Paul to the Christians in Rome, “in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). John wrote in his first epistle, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.… We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:10, 19). Such love is so vast, wonderful, and incomprehensible that John, shunning all adjectives, could only write that God so loved the world that He gave His own Beloved Son (cf. 1 John 3:1). World is a nonspecific term for humanity in a general sense. The statement in verse 17, “that the world might be saved through Him,” proves that it does not mean everyone who has ever lived, since all will not be saved. Verse 16 clearly cannot be teaching universal salvation, since the context promises that unbelievers will perish in eternal judgment (vv. 16–18). Our Lord is saying that for all in the world there is only one Savior (1 John 2:2), but only those who are regenerated by the Spirit and who believe in His gospel will receive salvation and eternal life through Him. (For a more extensive discussion of this point, see my book The God Who Loves [Nashville: Word, 2001], especially pp. 99ff.) Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:19 used the term world in a similar way: “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not in the sense of universal salvation, but in the sense that the world has no other reconciler. That not all will believe and be reconciled is clear from the pleading in verse 20: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (For a further discussion of those verses, see 2 Corinthians, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 2003]). There are no words in human language that can adequately express the magnitude of God’s saving gift to the world. Even the apostle Paul refused to try, declaring that gift to be “indescribable” (2 Cor. 9:15). The Father gave His only begotten (unique; one of a kind; cf. the discussion of 1:14 in chapter 3 of this volume) Son—the One of whom He declared, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matt. 3:17; cf. 12:18; 17:5; 2 Peter 1:17); the One whom He “loves … and has given all things into His hand” (John 3:35; cf. 5:20; 15:9; 17:23, 26); the One whom He “highly exalted … and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:9); the One with whom He had enjoyed intimate fellowship from all eternity (John 1:1)—to die as a sacrifice on behalf of sinful men. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf,” wrote Paul, “so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). In his majestic prophecy of the Suffering Servant Isaiah declared,
He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him. (Isa. 53:5–6)
By “sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3). To the Galatians Paul wrote, “when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal. 4:4–5). Just as the supreme proof of Abraham’s love for God was his willingness to sacrifice his son (cf. Gen. 22:12, 16–18), so also, but on a far grander scale, the Father’s offering of His only begotten Son was the supreme manifestation of His saving love for sinners. God’s gracious gift of salvation is freely and only available (Rom. 5:15–16; 6:23; 1 John 5:11; cf. Isa. 55:1) to whoever believes in Christ (Luke 8:12; John 1:12; 3:36; 5:24; 6:40, 47; 8:24; 11:25–26; 12:46; 20:31; Acts 2:44; 4:4; 5:14; 9:42; 10:43; 13:39, 48; 16:31; 18:8; Rom. 3:21–22; 4:3–5; 10:4, 9–10; Gal. 2:16; 3:22; Phil. 1:29; 1 John 3:23; 5:1, 13). The free offer of the gospel is broad enough to encompass the vilest sinner (1 Tim. 1:15), yet narrow enough to exclude all who reject Christ (John 3:18). But to those who come to Him on His terms Jesus gave the marvelous promise, “The one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). The guarantee given to those who possess eternal life is that they will never perish. Genuine salvation can never be lost; true believers will be divinely preserved and will faithfully persevere (Matt. 10:22; 24:13; Luke 8:15; 1 Cor. 1:8; Heb. 3:6, 14; 10:39) because they are kept by God’s power (John 5:24; 6:37–40; 10:27–29; Rom. 5:9; 8:29–39; 1 Cor. 1:4–9; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 7:25; 1 Peter 1:4–5; Jude 24). To perish is to receive God’s final and eternal judgment. It is true that God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world; Jesus Himself declared in John 12:47, “I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” In Luke 19:10 He said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost,” and Jesus made a similar statement in Luke 5:31–32: “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” God will judge those who reject His Son (cf. the discussion of v. 18 below); that judgment, however, was not the mission of the Son in His first coming, but the consequence of sinners rejecting Him (John 1:10–12; 5:24, 40). Jesus’ statement in verse 17 also repudiated the popular belief that when Messiah came, he would judge the heathen and the Gentiles—but not the Jews. The prophet Amos had already warned against that foolish misinterpretation of the Day of the Lord:
Alas, you who are longing for the day of the Lord,
For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?
It will be darkness and not light;
As when a man flees from a lion
And a bear meets him,
Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall
And a snake bites him.
Will not the day of the Lord be darkness instead of light,
Even gloom with no brightness in it? (Amos 5:18–20)
The point of Jesus’ coming was not to redeem Israel and condemn the Gentiles, but that the world might be saved through Him. God’s gracious offer of salvation extended beyond Israel to all mankind. Once again, Nicodemus (and by extension the Jewish nation he represented) should have known that, for in the Abrahamic covenant God declared, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen. 12:3; cf. 18:18; 22:18; Acts 3:25). Gentile salvation was always God’s purpose (Isa. 42:6–8; 55:1).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). John 1–11 (pp. 112–117). Moody Press.
The Love of God
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
There are many passages in the Bible that have been chosen by some great person or other as a favorite text. John Wesley often said that his favorite verse was Zechariah 3:2: “Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” David Livingstone preferred the last words of Matthew 28:20: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” John Newton said that his favorite verse was Romans 5:20: “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” Luther had Romans 1:17 as his life text: “The righteous will live by faith.” Each of these verses has spoken to some man in his own particular condition and has become for him the greatest text in the Bible. But the verse we come to now is everyone’s text. There is hardly a place in the world to which the gospel of Jesus Christ has gone that this verse has not become almost instantly known. It is the first verse that translators put into another language. Millions of people have been taught to recite it. It is inscribed on books and buildings. It is reflected in songs. John 3:16! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This great verse with its emphasis upon God’s love and the gift of his love in Jesus Christ is stupendous. In the early 1960s, the great Swiss theologian Karl Barth was in this country for a series of lectures, speaking in Chicago and in Princeton, New Jersey. There were discussion periods occasionally, connected with these addresses, and at one of the discussion periods an American asked a typically American question: “Dr. Barth, what is the greatest thought that has ever passed through your mind?” Barth paused for quite a long time as he obviously thought about his answer. Then he raised his head and said with grace and childlike simplicity:
Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
This is a truth that Christians in all ages have acknowledged, and the more that they have discovered the person of Jesus Christ in the Bible, the more they have realized it. I want to look at God’s love in this study, our first study of John 3:16, and I want to begin by reviewing some of the verses that speak about it.
A Great Love
The first verses are Ephesians 2:4–5. These are verses in which the apostle Paul speaks of God’s love, saying, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” These verses tell us that God’s love is great. In preparation for this study I began to think about the term “great” in ways that I had never done before, and I came to the conclusion that we have lessened the force of what God means by the way we use the word. During the week before I wrote this chapter, I had attended a “Current Events Week” at a Christian school. While there I said that some of the points made by the speakers were “great.” After the meetings were over I told the president of the school that I felt that the points made would have a “great” effect on the students in the weeks and months ahead. Later in the week I attended a Young Life banquet in Philadelphia, and I said in that context that the evening was “great,” that the speakers were “great,” that the program of Young Life was “great.” I used the term honestly. Yet none of these things even begins to measure up to what the Bible means when it says that the love of God is great. God is the master of the understatement. Consequently, when he tells us that his love is great, he is telling us that it is so great that it goes beyond our own ideas of greatness or our own understanding. John 3:16 was the verse through which D. L. Moody learned to appreciate the greatness of God’s love. Moody had been to Britain in the early days of his ministry and there had met a young English preacher named Henry Moorhouse. One day Moorhouse said to Moody, “I am thinking of going to America.” “Well,” said Moody, “if you should ever get to Chicago, come down to my church and I will give you a chance to preach.” Moody did not mean to be hypocritical when he said this, of course. He was merely being polite. Nevertheless, he was saying to himself that he hoped Moorhouse would not come, for Moody had not heard him preach and had no idea of what he would say should he come to Chicago. Sometime later, after Moody had returned home, the evangelist received a telegram that said, “Have just arrived in New York. Will be in Chicago on Sunday. Moorhouse.” Moody was perplexed about what he should do, and to complicate matters he was just about to leave for a series of meetings elsewhere. “Oh, my,” he thought, “here I am about to be gone on Sunday, Moorhouse is coming, and I have promised to let him preach.” Finally he said to his wife and to the leaders of the church, “I think that I should let him preach once. So let him preach once; then if the people enjoy him, put him on again.” Moody was gone for a week. When he returned he said to his wife, “How did the young preacher do?” “Oh, he is a better preacher than you are,” his wife said. “He is telling sinners that God loves them.” “That is not right,” said Moody. “God does not love sinners.” “Well,” she said, “you go and hear him.” “What?” said Moody. “Do you mean to tell me that he is still preaching?” “Yes, he has been preaching all week, and he has only had one verse for a text. It is John 3:16.” Moody went to the meeting. Moorhouse got up and began by saying, “I have been hunting for a text all week, and I have not been able to find a better text than John 3:16. So I think we will just talk about it once more.” He did. Afterward Moody said it was on that night that he first clearly understood the greatness of God’s love.
Infinite Love
The Bible not only says that the love of God is great; it also says that it is infinite. This is what Paul means when he writes in the third chapter of Ephesians that his prayer for Christians is that they “may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18–19). How can we comprehend the infinite love of God? We can know it, but only in part. We have been touched by his love and bathed in part of it; yet the fullness of such love lies forever beyond us as the vastness of the universe lies beyond the finite, probing eye of man. God’s love is boundless and unfathomable. One of our seldom sung hymns puts this aspect of God’s love in memorable language. It was written by Frederick M. Lehman; but the final stanza was added to the song afterward, when it was found written on the wall of a room of an asylum by a man who, before he died, had obviously come to know the immeasurable extent of God’s love.
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell,
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win:
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.
Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky.
Chorus
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall for evermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
This is our song, if we have come to know in part that great and immeasurable love of God toward us through Christ Jesus.
A Love That Gives
Third, God not only tells us that his love is great and is infinite, he also tells us that his love is a giving love. This is the heart of John 3:16. How much does God love you? God loves you so much “that he gave his one and only Son.” We are going to be considering the gift of God in the next study, but we do not want to miss even here the great lesson there is in that statement. Once in the early days of my ministry, when I was still working in Washington, D.C., I became interested in the subject of God’s love and discovered as I studied the Bible that there is hardly a verse in the New Testament, in speaking of God’s love, that does not also speak in the immediate context (and sometimes within a space of a few words) of the cross. How do we know that God loves us? Because we are able to love one another a little bit? Because the world is beautiful? Because we value love? Not at all! We know that God loves us because he has given us his only-begotten, his unique, Son. It is in the face of the selfless, self-sacrificing Jesus Christ that we learn of God’s character. God loves you! Do you know that? God loves you! He has demonstrated that love for you in Jesus Christ!
Unchangeable Love
Finally, God not only tells us that his love is great, infinite, and giving; he also tells us that his love is unchangeable. This is perhaps the most wonderful aspect of all. The heart of the matter is that God loves in such a way that nothing you or I have done or will ever do will alter it. This is a point made by one of the greatest stories in the Bible, the story of Hosea and his unfaithful wife, Gomer. Hosea was a preacher. One day the Lord came to him and said, “Hosea, I want you to marry a woman who is going to prove unfaithful to you. You are going to love her, but she is going to turn from your love. Nevertheless, the more faithless she becomes, the more faithful and loving you will be. I want you to do this because I want to give Israel an illustration of how I love them. Your marriage will be a pageant. You will play God. The woman will play the part of Israel. For I love Israel with an unchangeable love, and she runs from me and takes other gods for lovers.” Hosea did as God had told him to do. So the Book of Hosea tells us, “When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, ‘Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD.’ So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son” (Hosea 1:2–3). At this point of the story God intervened, for he had said that he was going to order each stage of the relationship between Hosea and Gomer. God intervened to give a name to this son. “Call his name Jezreel,” God said. Jezreel means “scattered,” for God was going to scatter the people of Israel all over the face of the earth. After a time Gomer conceived again and bore a daughter. “Call her Lo-Ruhamah,” God said. Lo-Ruhamah means “not pitied.” God was saying that the time would come when he would “no longer show love to the house of Israel” (v. 6). Finally, another son was born and Hosea was told to call him Lo-Ammi. Lo-Ammi means “not my people.” “For,” said God, “you are not my people, and I am not your God.” If the story stopped at this point the ending would be exceedingly dismal, and the pageant would be illustrating the opposite of the unchangeable love of God. But it does not stop here, and God intervenes again to tell how the story will end. “I am going to change the names of those children one day,” God promised. “I am going to change Jezreel to Jezreel.” It is the same word but with a second meaning, a change from “scattered” to “planted,” because in the ancient world the same gesture by which a man would throw something away was that by which he would plant grain. God was promising to plant the people once again in their own land, as he has done in our own generation. “Moreover,” said God, “I am going to change Lo-Ruhamah to Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi to Ammi because the time is coming when I will again have pity upon those who will have again become my children.” The Bible says, “Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God’ ” (v. 10). The time came in the marriage when the events that God had foretold happened. Gomer looked around and caught the eye of a stranger. Before long she had left with him, and Hosea was alone. The life of a woman like that goes downhill. For if she had left Hosea for the company of a man who could give her a Cadillac and a fur coat this year, it is equally certain that the year following, when the first lover had grown tired of her, she would be found with a man who could only give her a fur-lined collar and an Oldsmobile. The year after that she would be in fake fur and a Volkswagen, and the year after that she would be pulling something out of the garbage heap. So it was with Hosea’s wife. The time came when she was living with a man who did not have the means to take care of her, and she was hungry. “Now,” said God to Hosea, “I want you to go and see that she gets the things she needs, because I take care of the people of Israel even when they are running away from me.” Hosea went and bought the groceries. He gave them to the man who was living with his wife, but he said that Gomer did not even know he had bought them. The story tells us, “Their mother has been unfaithful and has conceived them in disgrace. She said, ‘I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink.’ … She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold” (Hosea. 2:5, 8). Does God love like that? Yes, he does! Have you ever run away from God? Of course, you have! What happened? God paid your bills! If you have been running away from God, do you realize that it is God who gives you the strength to run? Here is a girl who says, “I don’t care if God is calling me into Christian work. I’m going to turn away and marry this young man.” God says, “Who gave you the good looks that made the young man interested?” Another person says, “I want to be famous.” So he goes to New York and writes a book that later becomes a movie. He makes lots of money. But God says, “Who gave you the talent to write the book in the first place? Did not I, the Lord?” You cannot run away from God’s love successfully. You can run, but God pursues you. He steps before you and says, “My child, I am the One who has been providing for you all this time. Won’t you stop running and allow me to take you to myself?” The final act of the drama was approaching. The time came when Gomer sank so low that she was sold as a slave in the city of Jerusalem, and God told Hosea to go and buy her. Slaves were always sold naked. Thus, when a beautiful girl was on sale, the men bid freely and the bidding always went high. Here was Gomer. Her clothes were taken off. The bidding began. One man bid three pieces of silver. Another said five … ten … twelve … thirteen. The low bidders had dropped out when Hosea said, “Fifteen pieces of silver.” A voice from the back of the crowd said, “Fifteen pieces of silver and a bushel of barley.” “Fifteen pieces of silver and a bushel and a half of barley,” said Hosea. The auctioneer looked around for a higher bid. Seeing none he declared, “This slave is sold to Hosea for fifteen pieces of silver and a bushel and a half of barley.” So Hosea took his wife (whom he now owned), put her clothes on her, and led her away into the anonymity of the crowd. You say, “Is that a true picture of God’s love?” Yes, it is! That is how God loves you. Listen to what the Bible says about it: “The LORD said to me, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.’ So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. Then I told her, ‘You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you’ ” (Hosea 3:1–3). Oh, the greatness of the unchangeable love of almighty God! God loves you and me like that! We are the slave sold under the bondage of sin. We are the one placed upon the world’s auction block. The bidding of the world goes higher and higher. “What am I bid for this person’s soul?” At this point Jesus Christ, the faithful bridegroom, enters the slave market of sin and bids the price of his blood. “Sold to Jesus Christ for the price of his blood,” says Almighty God. So he bought you. He clothed you in his righteousness. And he led you away with himself, saying, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you.”
God’s Love, Our Pattern
You say “What does that have to do with me?” It has everything to do with you. Are you one who has never known that love, never realized that Jesus Christ loved you like that, that he still loves you? To be touched with such love is to throw yourself at his feet in adoration and marvel that you could ever have violated such a great and unalterable compassion. The Bible tells us that God “commends” such great love toward us (Rom. 5:8). Won’t you allow the hardness of your heart to melt before God’s love and allow Jesus Christ to be your great Savior and bridegroom? Perhaps you are one who has already done that. You have believed in Christ, but the reality of that love has become distant for you and you have never fully realized that the love of Christ is to become the pattern of your love. He is to be your model. You need to ask whether your love has been great, whether it has the character of that love which is infinite, whether it is a giving love, whether it is unchangeable. Ask it now. Does your love change when the person whom you love does not respond quickly? Or does it hold firm? Do you continue to love when your wife, husband, child, or friend does not seem to see things the way you do and contradicts you? Do you love as Christ loves? You are called to show forth that love; for as others see it they will be drawn to the Lord Jesus.
God’s Greatest Gift
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
It is commonplace in our day to say that God loves men. But many who say this fail to recognize that we know this is so only because of Jesus Christ. How do we know that God loves us? Not because of creation certainly, for the evidence of creation is ambiguous. There are tidal waves and hurricanes as well as gorgeous sunsets. Not because we tend to value love, for not all of us do. Not because love is “wonderful” or “grand” or because it “makes the world go round.” We know that God loves us because he has given his Son to be crucified for us and thereby to bring us back into fellowship with himself. Thus, if the love of God is one of God’s greatest attributes (as we saw in our last study), the gift of Christ is most certainly his greatest gift. For it is through Christ that we come to know God’s love and love God. Sometime ago I came across a little card upon which someone had printed John 3:16. The verse was arranged almost word by word down one side of the card, and on the other side of the card across from the words of the verse was a list of descriptive phrases, one for each part. The person looking at the card would read: “God (the greatest Lover) so loved (the greatest degree) the world (the greatest company), that he gave (the greatest act) his only begotten Son (the greatest gift), that whosoever (the greatest opportunity) believeth (the greatest simplicity) in him (the greatest attraction) should not perish (the greatest promise), but (the greatest difference) have (the greatest certainty) everlasting life (the greatest possession).” And then over it all, revealing a spiritual perception that was most accurate, there was the title “Christ—the Greatest Gift.” Have you ever come to appreciate God’s greatest gift to you, the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ? We are going to look at some of the reasons why he is a great gift and why you should believe on him.
God So Loved
The first reason why Jesus Christ is the greatest of God’s gifts is that Jesus is the best God had to give. God so loved the world that he gave the very best. This truth is seen in several ways in John 3:16. First, it is obvious from the word “only-begotten,” which is used of Jesus. To our way of thinking, this word (it is one word in Greek) refers mainly to physical generation, but it means more than that in the original language. A great deal of theological controversy in the church was once caused by those who took it as simply physical generation; they argued that since the Bible says Jesus was the “only-begotten” Son, there must have been a time before he came into being. In other words, he did not exist from eternity but rather was the first being God created. This was foolish, of course, because the Bible does not teach this and the word does not have this meaning primarily. Primarily the word means “unique.” Jesus is the unique Son of God; there is no one like him, no one who is his equal. Therefore, because Jesus Christ is the very image of God and because there is no one like him, when God gave Jesus, he gave the best gift in the universe. God also gave the best in another sense. For Jesus Christ is not at all a creature made in the image of God, as man is; he is God incarnate. Consequently, when God gave Jesus he gave himself. To give oneself is the greatest gift anyone can give. Sometime ago I read a story of a minister who was talking to a married couple who were having marital difficulties. There was much hardness and bitterness, coupled with a lack of understanding. At one point the husband spoke up in obvious exasperation. “I’ve given you everything,” he said to the wife. “I’ve given you a new home. I’ve given you a new fur coat. I’ve given you a new car. I’ve given you …” The list went on. But when he had ended the wife said quietly. “That much is true, John. You have given me everything … but yourself.” We hear that story and we recognize the truth of the principle: the greatest gift that anyone can give is himself. Then we look at Jesus, who is God incarnate, and we recognize that God gave the very best—himself—for us.
An Eternal Plan
The second reason why Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift is that Jesus was a gift planned from before the foundation of the world. God had always intended to give Jesus. This is why so many of the verses in the Bible speak of God having put Jesus to death. Isaiah 53:10 speaks of the crucifixion eight centuries before it took place, saying, “Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer.” Peter knew this truth. On the day of Pentecost he spoke of Jesus who “was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross” (Acts 2:23). For the same reason the Book of Revelation speaks of Jesus as “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). We must not think that the entrance of sin into the world through Adam and Eve was an event that somehow caught God by surprise or that it caused God to begin to ponder what he should do to correct it. God knew all from the beginning. Consequently, before he even set the universe in motion, before he created us, he had determined to send Jesus Christ to die for the salvation of our race. Perhaps the greatest declaration of this principle lies in a poignant story from the life of Abraham, the story of the call of God to Abraham to offer up his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. It is told in the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. I believe that Jesus was referring to this event when he told the Jews of his day, “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56), and that through it Abraham learned that God was to give Jesus Christ to be our Savior. To see the story in its proper perspective we must begin with the fact that Abraham was an old man by our standards when God came to him to ask him to offer up Isaac. He had been eighty-six years old when his first son, Ishmael, had been born to Hagar, Sarah’s slave girl. He was one hundred years old when Sarah at last gave birth to Isaac. Now Isaac had become a young man, perhaps fifteen years of age or more, and Abraham was more than one hundred fifteen. Moreover, Abraham had loved his son from birth, as any father would, and he now loved him deeply with a love that had grown stronger over the years in which he had seen him grow to young manhood. He loved him doubly, not only because he was the son of his old age, the result of a miracle, but also because he was the son of promise. At this point God came to Abraham again—as he had many times before—and said to him, “Abraham.” “Yes, Lord.” “I am going to ask you to do something.” “Yes, Lord.” “I want you to take Isaac, the son of promise, the one through whom you are going to have a great posterity and through whom I am going to send the Messiah—I want you to take this Isaac to a mountain that I will show you and there offer him for a burnt offering. I want you to kill him.” I do not know the extent of the trial this must have been to Abraham’s faith or how much of the night he wrestled with this great problem. But whatever the struggle was, and however deep, it was all over by the following morning, for the Abraham that emerged in the morning was an Abraham committed to obedience. The story says, “Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about” (Gen. 22:3). There are many lessons in this story, of course, but there is one in particular that we should see before we go on. On one level at least, the test of Abraham was a test of his devotion to God. Was God going to be everything to Abraham? Or was something else, even God’s gift, going to share and cloud that vision? It was Abraham’s triumph that he did not put the gifts before the Giver. Isaac can stand for many things that have become quite precious to you. The Chinese evangelist Watchman Nee once wrote, “He represents many gifts of God’s grace. Before God gives them, our hands are empty. Afterwards they are full. Sometimes God reaches out his hands to take ours in fellowship. Then we need an empty hand to put into his. But when we have received his gifts and are nursing them to ourselves, our hands are full, and when God puts out his hand we have no empty hand for him.” When that happens we need to let go of the gift and take hold of God himself. Nee adds, “Isaac can be done without, but God is eternal.”
God Will Provide
Yes, the testing of Abraham was certainly a test of his devotion to God, but it was something else also. It was a spiritual test or, as we could also say, a test of his spiritual perception. Think of the things Abraham had learned in the years before Isaac’s birth. He had been tempted to think that God would not keep his promises and that a household servant would be his legal heir. God had taught him that the blessing would not come through the household servant. Abraham had once wanted to substitute Ishmael, the son of Hagar, for Isaac—before Isaac was born. But God had told him that the blessing would not come through the son of the Egyptian slave girl. God had shown Abraham through a miracle that the blessing was to come through Isaac, and now God had asked Abraham to kill him. We must imagine the reasoning that passed through the mind of Abraham in the dark hours of that desert evening. He must have said something like this: “I know that Isaac is the son of God’s promise, and God has shown me time and again that he will not send the blessing through another. Yet, this same God tells me to sacrifice him, to put him to death. How can this be? If I put him to death, as God has demanded, how can God fulfill his promise? How can God do it?” The puzzle was real. But then, as Abraham wrestled with this supreme test of God’s logic, it must have come to him that the God who performed a miracle in bringing about Isaac’s birth was also capable of working a miracle to bring him back from the dead. This was the solution he discovered during the long desert night. Thus, as Abraham started for the mountain in the morning he must have been saying mentally to Isaac, “Come on, boy, we are going to see a miracle. God has asked me to sacrifice you on Mount Moriah. But if God is going to be faithful to his promise, he is going to have to raise you up again from the dead. We are going to see a resurrection.” Someone may think that I have merely made up this part of the story, but this is the way it happened. The proof of it occurs in at least two parts of the Bible. The first is in the story itself. Abraham had come to the foot of the mountain with the boy, and he was ready to go on without the young men who were with him. As he takes the kindling and he and Isaac prepare to climb the mountain, Abraham says to the others: “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you” (Gen. 22:5). Think of that: we will come back to you. Who would come? Abraham and Isaac! What does that mean? It means that although Abraham believed that he was going to offer the sacrifice, he also believed that God was going to perform a resurrection and that he would be able to come back down the mountain with his boy. The second proof is Hebrews 11:17–19, which is the full New Testament commentary on the incident. “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.” That means that Abraham looked for a resurrection. Thus far the story has already been great in itself, but the point I wish to make is the point that is found in the sequel. Abraham did go up the mountain, as God had commanded him, and there bound Isaac to the altar. He raised his hand ready to plunge a knife into his son. He would have killed him. But just as the knife was ready to fall, God intervened. God provided a substitute, a ram caught in the bushes. And he said (in effect), “Abraham, you don’t need to sacrifice your son. I never intended that you should go through with it. I only wanted to test your willingness to obey me and to show you in this way what I will do one day for your salvation and for the salvation of all who will believe in my Son, the Messiah.” This, I believe, was the moment in which Abraham saw the day of Jesus Christ and, seeing it, was made glad. God revealed his ways to Abraham. The Bible says, “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). So the time came when the events God had planned from before creation and had revealed to Abraham two thousand years beforehand took place. Abraham was only called upon to offer his son. But when the time came for God to offer his Son, the hand that was poised above Christ fell. God put his Son to death, and God’s greatest gift had been given.
The Need of Man
The third reason why Jesus Christ is the greatest of God’s gifts to fallen man is that he is perfectly suited to the needs of fallen man. Nothing else is! What are the needs of man? What are your needs? Your first need is for a sure word from God, for knowledge of God. Jesus is the answer to that need, for it is Jesus alone who brings us the knowledge of who God is, what he is like, and what he desires for mankind. This is why Jesus is called the Word so many times in John’s writings. Do you want to know what God is like? If so, do not spend your time reading the books of men. Do not think that you will find out by meditating. Look to Jesus Christ. Where will you find him? You will find him in the pages of the Bible. There you will find the strength, mercy, wisdom, and compassion that are the essence of God’s character. Your second great need is for a Savior. We do not merely have a need for sure knowledge. We have knowledge of many things, but we are unable to live up to our knowledge. We are sinners. Consequently, we not only need a sure word from God, we need a Savior. Jesus is the Savior. He died to save you from sin and from yourself. Do you know him as Savior? Finally, we have those needs that are part and parcel of living a finite sinful life. What are those needs? One way of looking at them is the way popularized by the American psychiatrist Erich Fromm. Fromm suggests that man is confronted with three existential dilemmas. The first is the dilemma of life versus death. We want to live, but we all die. Jesus is the answer to that problem, for he gives eternal life to all who believe on him. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25, 26). The second of Fromm’s dilemmas is the dilemma of the individual and the group. Jesus is the answer to that problem too, for he has come to break down all walls and to make of his followers one new man which is his mystical body (Eph. 2:14–16). The last of Fromm’s dilemmas is that arising from the conflict between our aspirations and our actual achievements. We all fall short of what we would like to be and believe ourselves intended to be. Jesus is the answer to that problem also, for he promises to make us all that God created us to be in the first place. We are to be conformed to Christ’s image (Rom. 8:29). One of our hymns looks forward to that day when our salvation shall be complete, and declares:
Then we shall be where we would be,
Then we shall be what we should be;
Things that are not now, nor could be,
Soon shall be our own.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest gift that God has ever offered or could ever offer to the human race. Are you indifferent? Or do you respond to the offer, joining the millions of others who have believed in Christ with all their heart and mind and who now say, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15)?
To All Who Believe
John 3:16–17
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Early in my ministry I talked to a young man about Christianity. He told me that he firmly believed he was a Christian. As we talked further, however, I discovered that although he believed he was a Christian, he did not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. For him Jesus was only a man. He did not believe in his atoning death or in the essential or complete reliability of the New Testament documents concerning him. He had not even read most of them. He did not believe in the resurrection of Christ. He did not acknowledge Christ as Lord of his life. I pointed out that all these matters are involved in a person’s being a Christian, but he simply answered that in spite of what I said he still firmly believed in his heart he was a Christian. Such faith was merely acute subjectivity. What is real faith? This question is important, for although in one sense the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ is as wide as humanity—the Bible tells us that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son”—on the other hand, it is also as narrow as the company of those who have faith in him, for the same verse goes on to tell us that only those who believe on Christ will be saved. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Faith is the indispensable channel of God’s saving grace, according to these and many other verses. Consequently, our understanding of John 3:16 will be incomplete until we deal with the nature of saving faith and seek to apply the truths of this verse personally. An attempt to deal with the true nature of faith is made necessary merely by the nature of Christianity, for we are told that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6) and “by grace you have been saved, through faith” (Eph. 2:8). Besides this, however, the study is made particularly necessary for us simply because of the extraordinary emphasis upon faith in the fourth Gospel. It is true, of course, that if one looks up the word “faith” in an English concordance he will not find the word listed under any book written by the apostle John, except for a single case in 1 John 5:4. But this is merely because John prefers the verb form of the same Greek word (pisteuō rather than pistis), which is generally translated by the word “believe” in our English New Testament. “To believe” in someone and “to have faith” in someone are exactly the same thing. Consequently, it is only when one looks up the word “believe” that he finds out what John says about faith and notices John’s particular emphasis. Actually, we have encountered the word “faith” or “believe” eight times in this Gospel already. It occurred three times in the first chapter and three times more in chapter two. In our present chapter it is used no less than seven times, twice already. All together there are ninety-eight uses of the word in the Gospel’s twenty-one brief chapters. This compares with a combined usage of the words “faith” and “believe” just eighteen times in Mark and only fifty-five times in Romans. With an emphasis such as this, we need to see precisely what faith is. Moreover, since the blessings of salvation are said to become ours only through faith, and since John claims that the Gospel was written to lead us to faith (John 20:30–31), we are wise to ask how we can exercise faith personally. How does faith operate to make this wonderful salvation mine?
The Nature of Faith
Unfortunately, there is much confusion about the meaning of faith in our day simply because we apply it to people, and people are untrustworthy. Every so often we read detailed reports of some negotiations between labor and management in which the partners are encouraged to work out their demands in good faith. This means that each side is to bargain honestly, believing that the other party is doing likewise. However, when the agreement is reached the first act is to draw up a detailed written agreement each of the parties must sign. Why? Obviously because, although each side wants to believe in the good faith of the other, each also knows that people are untrustworthy and must therefore be bound by written guarantees. The same recognition lies behind the formalities of the marriage ceremony, penalty clauses in building contracts, and many other things. With this background to the use of the word, it is no wonder that faith has often taken on overtones of wishful thinking and then has been applied to God and to spiritual things with that meaning. The unsaved world thinks of faith as a “pie-in-the-sky” philosophy and prefers only what it can “see” or “hear” or can be assured of “now.” Similar thinking lies behind any definition of faith that tries to turn it into subjectivity. Actually, this view is probably the most common misunderstanding of faith in our own century due to the impact of existentialism in the church through such thinkers as Rudolph Bultmann, Paul Tillich, Bishop John A. T. Robinson, and others. In such formulations faith becomes merely that which I wish to hold and not something that is related to truth or evidence. Against these distortions of the meaning of faith, because nothing about men is ever entirely reliable, the Christian must insist that biblical faith is of a different order entirely and that faith in the biblical sense, simply because it is faith in God, is reliable. That is why faith can be “sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” for the Christian (Heb. 11:1). Some have used this verse in support of a “pie-in-the-sky” type of religion but, actually, it teaches the reverse. The word “substance” does not mean “substitute,” as though faith were a substitute for evidence. It means “a title deed to a piece of property.” That is what faith is. God tells us that although none of us has entered fully into the inheritance that is ours through faith, nevertheless, faith is our title to it. Faith is itself the evidence of things not yet fully seen. I admit that if this were a human title deed, there would still be some room for doubt. In human terms there would still be the possibility that some office clerk could have mixed up the deeds or that he might have sent them to the wrong person. It would be possible for a deed to be issued when there was still a prior claim on the property or a lien against it. However, in dealing with God such errors are impossible. God is omnipotent and infallible. The infallible God gives the deed. The all-powerful God stands behind it. When God calls upon people to believe what he tells them he calls upon them to do the most sensible thing they will ever do in their lives; that is, believe in the only being in the universe who is entirely reliable. That is what John means in his first epistle when he writes: “We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater” (1 John 5:9).
Faith’s Content
What precisely does God call upon us to believe? The answer is that he tells us many things and expects us to believe them all. The Bible is full of them. However, if we want to simplify the matter of salvation to its most basic points we may say that God wants us to believe two things primarily and that he then calls upon us to do a third. First of all, God asks us to believe that we are less perfect than he is and, therefore, deserve to be separated from his presence forever. Another way of saying the same thing is to say that we are sinners and that God must punish sin. The Bible says that this is precisely why we need a Savior. In fact, John 3:16 says it, for it speaks of the possibility of perishing. If we could somehow get by, if we could somehow rate with God either by being a little less sinful than we are now or by trying harder (“we’re still number 2”), then there would be no need for a Savior. But this is not the case. We are sinful. God is perfect. Consequently, since God cannot tolerate sin, we must admit that we deserve to be separated from him. Sometimes people object to this teaching because they think that it makes them the same as the worst criminals. In one sense, it does. Both equally need a Savior. Yet that confuses the point. The main point is that God is perfection. Thus, no matter how far short of his perfection we come, we still come short and, coming short, we miss it all. Several years ago in America a bit of deadly botulism poison was found in a particular brand of vichyssoise soup. This is one of the most deadly poisons known to man, and one person at least died and another was paralyzed before the source of the poison was discovered and the contaminated soup destroyed. Let me ask this question: How much botulism poison was needed to make the soup unsuitable for human consumption? A whole canful? Of course not! Several milligrams? No! The smallest amount of poison would ruin the can. In the same way, God asks you to take his word that you are a sinner, whether small or great, and to believe that sin has ruined you. The second truth that God asks you to believe is that he loves you in spite of your sin and that he has acted in Jesus Christ to remove that sin and to begin to make you perfect once more by conforming you to Christ’s image. This is the heart of John 3:16 and 17. We are sinners. We deserve to perish. In fact, we are already under God’s condemnation. But John tells us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” God loves you. Christ died for you. There may be much about this that you cannot now understand. There is much about it that I do not understand. But God wants you to believe that he did this in order that you might not perish but rather enter into his eternal life. Do you believe these things? Do you believe that you are a sinner? Do you believe God when he tells you that you deserve to perish ultimately? Do you believe that God sent Jesus to die for you and by his death to bring you salvation? If you do, then he calls upon you to do something. He asks you to bring your faith out of the realm of mere intellectual conviction into the area of action, saying, “Yes, Lord, I do believe these things. Thank you for dying for me. I commit my life to you and promise to go in the way you lead me whatever that may involve.” If you will make that commitment, God has already given you eternal life and has begun the transformation that will one day make you like the Lord Jesus Christ forever.
Strong in Faith
I do not want to leave the matter of faith there, important as the point may be. For we have only been talking about the initial moment of saving faith, when faith first seizes upon Jesus Christ as Savior. Faith does not stop there. When the Christian is called to faith in Jesus Christ, he is called to a life of living by faith, a life in which his belief in God is meant to grow stronger as he comes to know God better and to trust him more completely. Someone is going to say, “But that is what scares me. I know that my faith is not strong, and I am afraid that if I begin to follow Jesus I will faint at some point and want to draw back. My faith is weak.” Praise God that you recognize that! What you must learn, however, is that one of God’s purposes in saving you is to make your faith strong, and for that he will continue to work with you and lead you in every aspect and moment of your earthly life. Take the faith of Abraham as an example. Abraham is cited many times in the Bible as an illustration of a man who had great faith, but Abraham’s faith did not begin great. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews gives us the progression of this faith as God sees it. Abraham is praised for his faith four times. The first verse on Abraham says, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going” (v. 8). That was faith, but such faith did not need to be strong. It was only faith in God’s ability to lead the Hebrew patriarch out of Mesopotamia and into Palestine. Actually, the fact that Abraham’s faith was weak at this point is dramatized by a very interesting detail from his story. When God came to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees, Abraham was called upon to leave that place, journey up the Mesopotamian river valley, cross over the northern end of the great Arabian desert, and then travel down through the areas that are now modern-day Syria and Lebanon to what is now Israel. The entire journey measured over a thousand miles. Abraham began in the best of faith. Yet when we come to the end of the first chapter of his story, as told in Genesis (Genesis 11), we find that Abraham had stopped at Haran, a little town in Syria. Haran was a long way from Ur, it is true, but it was also a long way from Palestine. Unfortunately, Abraham stayed in Haran until his father died, and it took another call of God to him to get him moving again, this time when he was seventy-five years old. At this point in the story Abraham’s faith was weak, but God’s promises to him were not withdrawn because of it. Abraham’s faith was not allowed to rest at this initial level. The next verse of Hebrews 11 goes on to say: “By faith [Abraham] made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise” (v. 9). This level of faith was stronger, for it was faith exercised in the face of many dangers and difficulties. During these years, Abraham’s faith grew remarkably. In verse 11, the author of Hebrews goes on to speak of the faith that both Abraham and Sarah exercised in believing that God would give them a son when both were past the age of being able to have children. Here faith had become strong, for it was a faith based on the assurance that God was able to perform miracles. The fourth and final reference to Abraham’s faith refers to that complete trust in God which he had when God asked him to offer up his son. This was a faith that led Abraham to believe that God was going to perform a resurrection. Hebrews says: “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death” (vv. 17–19). I do not know where you are along this pathway of faith. Perhaps you are one who has not even taken the initial step of believing what God has to say about your sinful condition and about his offer of complete salvation through Jesus Christ. If so, this is where you should begin. God says, “How can you believe in my ability to do miracles in your life, if you cannot even believe the truths that I have to teach about Jesus?” Perhaps you have begun to walk by faith, but you have found difficulties. That is not strange. God sends storms as well as calm. The difficulties are intended to help you grow strong. Learn to trust him. The God of Abraham is the same today; he can help you as he helped the patriarchs. Finally, you may be one whom God is asking to believe in miracles. I do not know what the particular miracle may be in your life. It may be a personality trait that God is promising to change. It may be a difficult situation at work or at home. It may involve finances. Whatever it is, you grow strong in faith by learning to trust him. In some of these experiences you may learn something about God’s plans and nature that you would learn in no other way. What is your attitude? Doubtful? Rebellious? Do not let it be. Instead, say, “Yes, Lord, I believe all you are saying. Help me to believe and grow strong.”
Boice, J. M. (2005). The Gospel of John: an expositional commentary (pp. 226–245). Baker Books.
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Proverbs 16:7)
I must see that my ways please the Lord. Even then I shall have enemies; and, perhaps, all the more certainly because I endeavor to do that which is right. But what a promise this is! The Lord will make the wrath of man to praise Him and abate it so that it shall not distress me.
He can constrain an enemy to desist from harming me, even though he has a mind to do so. This He did with Laban, who pursued Jacob but did not dare to touch him. Or He can subdue the wrath of the enemy and make him friendly, as He did with Esau, who met Jacob in a brotherly manner, though Jacob had dreaded that he would smite him and his family with the sword. The Lord can also convert a furious adversary into a brother in Christ and a fellow worker, as He did with Saul of Tarsus. Oh, that He would do this in every case where a persecuting spirit appears!
Happy is the man whose enemies are made to be to him what the lions were to Daniel in the den, quiet and companionable! When I meet death, who is called the last enemy, I pray that I may be at peace. Only let my great care be to please the Lord in all things. Oh, for faith and holiness; for these are a pleasure unto the Most High!
How can we know God unless He reveals Himself to us? The creation confirms His existence, but what does the creature know of His attributes, Person, or Power? Unless He teaches us about Himself, we will not know. God sent His Son Jesus to earth as a born-babe, to live the full life of sinlessness under the Law, and to teach us about Himself. He was prophesied to die as the atoning sacrifice, and then rise again to receive His people through His work on the cross. Grace abounds.
We are in the section of these verses throughout the series where we examine His works and ministry. Yesterday, we saw that He first emptied Himself. This is the kenosis, and it’s explained on Day 19.
Today we see Jesus as Teacher. I mentioned earlier that Jesus’ first recorded words in His incarnation was when He was in the temple as a boy. His desperate parents sought him for three days, and upon discovering him there, He said, “Did you not know I must be about my Father’s business?” Jesus had been
sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. (Luke 2:46-47).
Jesus as the adult Teacher astounded his audience, His critics, and His disciples because He is the incarnated Word, author of the Word, and subject of the Word. Of course. But He is also God-man, the only man who did not have a sin nature. His mind was clear and perfect. He was able to teach without the filter of sin nor through a glass darkly. His Light shone from His glorious mind to teach those who sought him. What a wonder that must have been.
Day 1: The Virgin shall conceive Day 2: A shoot from Jesse Day 3: God sent His Son in the fullness of time Day 4: Marry her, she will bear a Son
Birth & Early Life-
Day 5: The Babe has arrived! Day 6: The Glory of Jesus Day 7: Magi seek the Child Day 8: The Magi Offer gifts & worship Day 9: The Child Grew Day 10- the Boy Jesus at the Temple Day 11: He was Obedient Day 12: The Son! Day 13: God is pleased with His Son
The Second Person of the Trinity-
Day 14: Propitiation Day 15: The Gift of Eternal Life Day 16: Kingdom of Darkness to Light Day 17: Jesus’ Preeminence Day 18: The Highest King Day 19: He emptied Himself
Most people have no idea what’s coming. In fact, what is here now. Very few people comprehend the level of mischief and evil that surrounds what is called artificial intelligence (A.I.). It is paving the way for a robot Messiah.
I wrote an article several years ago about this, but when talking about advancing technology, just a few years is a lifetime. Back in 2018, I began to read that people would even form a church that worshiped an A.I. god.
A Billion Times Smarter Than Humans? Really?
I was learning that he who created and mastered A.I. would rule the world. That sounds very Antichrist-esque. Imagine such evil in the hands of ultimate evil? What a convenient tool to run the Antichrist’s last days’ empire. Just as the Nazis needed the IBM punch card system, the “man of sin” will need the genius of artificial intelligence.
I began watching some online videos of A.I. robots who look human and who “think.” They answer questions and seem to process real thoughts. By now, we have all learned of the robot Sophia. This A.I.-driven monster is attractive, clothed, looks you in the eye, and answers your questions. She can be your friend, companion, problem solver, and perhaps someday, your spouse. At the very least, she will run your errands and put away your groceries. In the wrong hands, she will be dangerous.
Developers say these A.I. robots will solve all of society’s problems. These men also say that they believe that it is possible for artificial intelligence to be a billion times smarter than humans. Try to process that. To be honest, I am puzzled why God would even allow that, and it may be one reason He nearly destroys the earth before His Second Coming.
Are We Summoning Demons?
Many are warning that with A.I., we are playing with fire and that in the end, machines will win! Others say we are summoning up demons.
Most recently, I am learning that people are going to talk to the dead through A.I. “griefbots.” It just doesn’t get any stranger.
A new report reveals how artificial intelligence programs will advise terrorists how to attack a sports venue, buy nuclear material on the dark web, buy spyware, bombs, and more. Jihadists will use A.I. to plan attacks and map targets. Who could have envisioned this back on 9/11? We’ve come a long way, sadly.
Talk about the abuse of power.
A.I. Is Actively Watching and Listening
Maybe this new religion isn’t the promise of paradise after all. Some promoting A.I. are evangelists, and some of them offer a new Promised Land. But some of the very movers and shakers of the artificial intelligence industry are sounding serious warnings.
And this is not the wave of the future today, as it is all being employed now! Outfits like Google have every bit of information on us they need. They have all our vitals and can weaponize such information in this age of A.I. Google admits that they want to be like the mind of God and suggests they will be “godlike” as they grab bundles of data from us. It is watching us and listening to us.
There is a “home invasion” going on by the world of technology and A.I. If you think you have any privacy, think again. To say we are being monitored is not sensationalism. It is not kooky conspiracy language. Don’t brush this off as silliness. Welcome to the brave new world.
Who Needs God in an Age of Artificial Intelligence?
Young people are particularly drawn to artificial intelligence. Some of them will tell you that they can get an answer more quickly from a search engine or Alexa than they can get from God. Who needs God in an age of artificial intelligence? A.I. is almost all-knowing. And these technologies will tell you what you want to hear in technicolor, 3-D, and in an instant.
Very likely, A.I. will manage the Antichrist agenda, such as all buying and selling. Mankind will almost become a useful idiot of this kind of last days’ technology. People will think God has been outsmarted. Deception will rule. All of this gives new meaning to the term “big brother.”
Younger people are cheering for these technological advancements. They are falling into a terrible trap if they do not have a biblical worldview. They are welcoming evil with open arms. Once they figure this out, it will be too late.
A.I. Is Fearfully Fraudulent
But remember, A.I. cannot speak anything into existence or give anyone eternal life. It cannot give anyone comfort, guidance, or offer anyone peace or hope. It cannot still the wind or calm the sea. It is more like Frankenstein than like God. It is trying to be like God but will fall far short! We are fearfully and wonderfully made. A.I. is fearfully fraudulent.
Another End Times Accelerant
There is no way a computer can do anything but copy what it has been taught, and there is something about the human spirit that can never be created by a machine. Yet, I agree with Dr. Mark Hitchcock, who says that artificial intelligence is a major “end times accelerant.”
Like the re-birth of Israel, it is a profound end-time marker. It would behoove every Christian to better understand it and its last days role. We can’t stop this train. We can pray for the rapture of believers, which will remove us from this Alice in Wonderland, bizarre, invasive world.
Stay ahead of the game and become informed. Events of the Tribulation are casting a shadow today. The shout and the trumpet are close. He is coming soon!
When the Wisdom of the Creator Rules!
God sits in the Heavens and laughs at these people (Psalm 2). He has the final say. He has the last word! The Bible says God will crush the agenda of the Antichrist and rule the world from Jerusalem for one thousand years. During that time, there will be no need for artificial intelligence. We will have the wisdom of the creator of the universe in charge.
Barry Stagner is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Central OC in Costa Mesa, California. He and David talk about Bible prophecy and the concern with AI merging into the pulpit.
and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, (5:5b–6)
Inseparably linked to and underlying a submissive attitude is a mind given to humility (cf. Ps. 25:9; Dan 10:12; Mic. 6:8; Matt. 5:3–5; Eph. 4:1–2; James 4:10). Because always the truly humble—and only the humble—submit, both of Peter’s commands encompass all believers. Clothe (egkomboomai) literally means “to tie something on oneself,” such as a work apron worn by servants. Here it describes figuratively covering oneself with an attitude of humility as one submits to authorities over him. The word for humility here is tapeinophrosunēn, “lowliness of mind,” or “self-abasement.” It describes the attitude of one who willingly serves, even in the lowliest of tasks (cf. 1 Cor. 4:1–5; 2 Cor. 4:7; Phil. 2:5–7). Perhaps even more so than today, humility was not an admired trait in the first-century pagan world. People saw it as a characteristic of weakness and cowardice, to be tolerated only in the involuntary submission of slaves. As Peter wrote this verse, he likely recalled Jesus’ tying a towel on Himself and washing the disciples’ feet, including his own, as recorded in John 13:3–11 and applied by Jesus in verses 12–17, as follows:
So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” (cf. Ps. 131:1–2; Matt. 25:37–40; Luke 22:24–27; Rom. 12:3, 10, 16; Phil. 2:3–11)
To reinforce his exhortation for humility, Peter quoted from Proverbs 3:34, God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (cf. James 4:6). Peter’s quote differs slightly from the Septuagint by substituting God for the Septuagint’s “Lord,” but the names are obviously synonymous. Without question, that the Lord is opposed to the proud (cf. Prov. 6:16–17a; 8:13) is the greatest motivation for saints to adopt the attitude of humility. Pride sets one against God and vice versa. On the other hand, God blesses and gives grace to the humble (cf. Job 22:29; Ps. 37:11; Prov. 22:4; 29:23; Matt. 11:29; Luke 10:21; 18:13–14; 1 Cor. 1:28–29; 2 Cor. 4:7–18). The prophet Isaiah stated the principle well, “For thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isa. 57:15; cf. 66:2). The apostle Paul knew the grace that comes to the humble:
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:7–10)
Based on the above verse from Proverbs that Peter mentioned, this command comes forcefully: therefore humble yourselves in submission, not only to avoid divine opposition and to receive divine grace, but because the authority over all believers in the church is none other than the mighty hand of God. Or as James stated it, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord” (4:10a). The mighty hand of God is descriptive of God’s sovereign power at work in and through the elders of the church, as well as in the life experience of His people (cf. Isa. 48:13; Ezek. 20:33–34; Zeph. 1:4; 2:13; Luke 1:49–51). Whether for deliverance (Ex. 3:19–20; 13:3–16), for testing (Job 30:20–21), or for chastening (Ezek. 20:33–38), God’s might is always accomplishing His eternal purposes on behalf of His own (cf. Pss. 57:2; 138:8; Isa. 14:24–27; 46:10; 55:11; Jer. 51:12; Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:28; 9:11, 17; Eph. 3:11; Phil. 2:13). In their time of persecution, suffering, and testing, that assurance would encourage Peter’s audience to persevere (cf. Ps. 37:24; Prov. 4:18; Matt. 10:22; 24:13; Rom. 8:30–39; Heb. 12:2–3; James 1:4, 12; Rev. 3:5), knowing that all their suffering is only so that He may exalt them at the proper time (cf. 5:10). Even as Jesus Christ was born at the appropriate time (Gal. 4:4; Titus 1:3) and died a substitutionary death at the exact time God designed (1 Tim. 2:6), God will exalt (hupsoō, “to raise or lift up”) believers out of their trials, tribulations, and sufferings at His wisely determined time. Some have suggested that this exaltation could be a reference to the final eschatological glory that comes to believers at the Second Coming, the “last time” Peter referred to in 1:5 (cf. 2:12); but the Greek phrase en kairō is literally “in time” (cf. Acts 19:23; Rom. 9:9) and is not an eschatological term. It is better to see this as the appointed time when the Lord lifts the humble and submissive believer up out of difficulty. If the foundational attitude for spiritual growth is submission, humility is, then, the footing to which the foundation is anchored. To become proudly rebellious, fight against the Lord’s purposes, or judge His providence as unkind or unfair is to forfeit the sweet grace of His exaltation when the trial has fulfilled its purpose (cf. James 1:2–4). It is the Lord Jesus Himself who promised, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2004). 1 Peter (pp. 277–279). Moody Publishers.
Humble yourselves 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Here is another exhortation in a series of instructions near the end of Peter’s epistle. Verse 6 relates to the preceding verse because of the connective adverb therefore. On the basis of the quotation from Proverbs, Peter urges the believers to humble themselves. In the previous verse the apostle instructs the recipients to be humble toward one another. But in verse 6, he encourages them to be humble before God (see James 4:10). As man must love both God and man (Matt. 22:37–39), so he must demonstrate humility toward God and man. a. “Humble yourselves.” What does Peter mean by these words? He wants the readers to subject themselves to God in such a manner that they put their confidence in God alone. They should know that God cares for them and wants them to be completely dependent on him. In the presence of God, man ought to be fully aware of his own insignificance. Indeed, Jesus teaches that when a person humbles himself like a little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:1–5). Jesus himself demonstrated true humility when he, a king, entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. He fulfilled the prophecy, “See, your king comes to you … gentle and riding on a donkey” (Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:5). b. “Under God’s mighty hand.” This is Old Testament language that describes God’s rule in regard to Israel. God showed his powerful hand in leading the nation Israel out of Egypt (see, e.g., Exod. 3:19; Deut. 3:24; 9:26, 29; 26:8). In the New Testament, too, the mighty hand of God is evident. Mary sings: “He has scattered those who are proud … but has lifted up the humble” (Luke 1:51–52; and see the parallel 1 Sam. 2:7). God’s hand disciplines some people and defends others. c. “That he may lift you up in due time.” Because of the trials the readers endure, the danger is real that they may lose courage to persevere. Even though God will not test Christians beyond their endurance, they realize that human fortitude has limits. Therefore, Peter encourages the readers and tells them that God responds to their humility with exaltation. God never forsakes his own, but often in the nick of time he lifts them up and gives them the victory. The believer who puts his trust in the Lord knows that God upholds this world and is in full control of every situation. Accordingly he sings, This is my Father’s world, O let me ne’er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. —Maltbie D. Babcock
Although Peter instructs the believers to pursue humility with the result that God may exalt them, he is not promoting a merit system. Such a system, to be precise, fosters false humility. It means that the believer purposely humbles himself to oblige God to exalt him. Peter tells the Christians to be completely dependent on God and notes that God at the right moment will lift them up. (The expression in due time also refers to the return of Christ, as Peter indicates in other passages [1:5; 2:12].) Peter assures the readers that they can fully trust God’s word, for he invites them to throw all their cares upon God.
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude (Vol. 16, pp. 197–198). Baker Book House.
Hamas leader: “Legitimate right” to possess weapons Hamas has a “legitimate right” to possess weapons, according to the terrorist movement’s leader, Khalil al-Hayya. Any proposals for the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire must uphold this right, he argues.
‘This Is Our Country’ Rep. Andy Ogles Drops a Congressional Mic Drop on Deportation and National Sovereignty Rep. Andy Ogles Delivers an Explosive Congressional Reckoning and the System Panics Washington is not accustomed to moments like this. It is accustomed to scripted outrage, consultant-approved language, and carefully engineered ambiguity designed to offend no one while solving nothing. “The United States of America is safer today because of President Trump,” Ogles stated plainly. “The United States of America is the dominant predator across all landscapes. Because of President Trump, we have restored our status as the global leader. Because of President Trump—hard stop.”There was no qualifier. No apology. No attempt to soften the message for the professional outrage class that immediately sprang into action after his remarks went public.
Qatar, Turkey, and a deal undone: How Doha, Ankara are taking over Trump’s Gaza plan The Gaza plan championed by the Trump administration is on the verge of being hijacked – not by Israel, but by the very states that have spent years arming, financing, and glorifying Hamas. At the Doha Forum, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey dispensed with diplomatic subtleties and openly demanded changes that would render the entire plan meaningless. The astonishing part is not that Qatar and Turkey are attempting this maneuver – it is that Washington is allowing it. The US is ignoring the plainly anti-Western ideological motives of its supposed partners, and in doing so, it is sleepwalking into a strategic catastrophe.
American Pastors Returning From Israel Hit by Coordinated Online Hate A delegation of more than 1,000 clergy and religious leaders, organized by evangelical leader Mike Evans with the Israeli Foreign Ministry, was met almost immediately with coordinated harassment on social media. Within 24 hours of their departure, many found their accounts flooded with identical hostile messages and accusations aimed at undermining their support for Israel’s defense against Hamas terrorism.
Iran introduces stealthy high-speed kamikaze drone Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has introduced the Hadid-110—also referred to in Iranian reporting as “Dalahu”—a jet-powered “suicide” drone built to arrive faster and be harder to spot than the propeller-driven loitering munitions Tehran and its proxies have leaned on for years.
Cruz: American churches ‘asleep’ on antisemitism The leaders of the mainstream Christian churches in the United States are asleep as antisemitism poisons the minds of young people from both the left and the right, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said on Thursday. “The world’s response to the October 7 attacks made clear that the hatred of the Jewish people did not end in 1945. The hatred that fueled the Holocaust is still alive today and is not confined to geography.”
Report: Iran Considers Removing Hezbollah Leader Naim Qassem Iran is reportedly dissatisfied with the performance of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and is preparing to reorganize the group’s leadership, potentially removing him from his position, according to a report by Emirati outlet Erem News citing senior Lebanese diplomatic sources. The report claims Tehran views Qassem as “unsuitable to lead Hezbollah at this critical stage,” arguing that he has failed to meet the leadership standards set by his predecessor, longtime Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.
Top Biden Official Belatedly Admits Ukraine War Truth Bombshell Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is way behind the times. On Sunday he very belatedly expressed willingness to drop Ukraine’s bid to join NATO. In place of this, he’s seeking robust security guarantees. “We are talking about bilateral security guarantees between Ukraine and the United States — namely, Article 5-like guarantees … as well as security guarantees for us from our European partners and from other countries such as Canada, Japan and others,” Zelensky told journalists in a group chat, as reported in Financial Times.
Luxury Cars, Private Villas And Stacks Of Cash: How Somali Fraudsters Spent Minnesotans’ Money New exhibits from court obtained by CBS News reveal how Somali defendants in one of the largest COVID-era fraud schemes in US history plowed through hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money on lavish lifestyles – including lakefront Minnesota properties, overwater bungalows in the Maldives, a Porsche Macan, stacks of cash, designer jewelry, campaigne-soaked vacations, and overseas wire transfers.
ICE Announces Arrest Of 400 Illegal Immigrants In Minnesota More than 400 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Minnesota by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as part of Operation Metro Surge, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement on Dec. 12. Operation Metro Surge targets the “worst of the worst” illegal immigrants who had flocked to Minnesota, assuming the state’s “sanctuary” politicians would protect them, DHS said. DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin accused Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who have been vocal against ICE operations, of “fail[ing] to protect the people of Minnesota.”
Extreme cold warnings in effect across parts of Indiana, Illinois, and West Virginia Arctic air driven by the polar vortex has prompted extreme cold warnings across parts of Indiana, Illinois, and West Virginia on December 14, 2025. Wind chills between −21°C (−6°F) and −30°C (−22°F) are producing dangerous conditions capable of causing frostbite on exposed skin within 30 minutes.
“Six Figures Is Survival” – Even High Earners Are Drowning Financially As The U.S. Dollar Is Transformed Into Toilet Paper Inflation is a tax that nobody can escape. No matter how hard you may try, the rising cost of living is going to catch up with you eventually, and we live at a time when the cost of living has become exceedingly painful. The reason why the cost of living has become such an important issue is because those that are running the system have been treating our currency like toilet paper. Many of us warned what would happen when the Federal Reserve started printing money out of thin air and monetizing the debt. But instead of learning their lesson, they are beginning to do it again. And Congress is spending so much money that the monthly budget deficit for the month of October just set an all-time record. What they are doing to us is literally insane, and the middle class is dying right in front of our eyes.
Israel says no to UN resolution demanding it work with UNRWA Israel on Friday rejected a resolution adopted by the U.N. General Assembly earlier in the day calling on the Jewish state to cooperate with the U.N.’s relief agency for Palestinians, on the grounds that the organization has become a “subsidiary” of Hamas.
Restore Britain publishes a plan for removing 2 million illegal migrants from the UK Restore Britain has published a policy paper outlining the legal obstacles to and the practical logistics of deporting every illegal migrant in Britain. At this time, it is estimated that there are in the region of 2 million illegal immigrants in Britain. Using a two-pronged approach of voluntary and enforced removals, “it would take exactly 3 years to deport all of the roughly 1.8 million illegals we believe to be living in our midst,” the paper states.
There is no such thing as a “transgender” child Earlier this month, Billboard Chris addressed the European Parliament to present the facts about the transgender ideology. “There’s no such thing as a transgender child,” he said. “I consider [transgender to be] one of the greatest lies ever told in the history of the human race.”
“To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them.” —Federal Farmer (1787)
Brown University attacker still at large: Around 4 p.m. on Saturday, a man entered a Brown University classroom where students were gathered for a final exam review and started shooting. Two of those gathered were killed and at least nine more were wounded. A 24-year-old man was taken into custody, and his name and information were circulated widely under the belief that he was the killer, only for authorities to release him and announce that the real attacker was still at large. Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez said there was not enough evidence to charge the initially detained man. As we go to press, it is unknown who the killer is or whether he has left the Providence area. Brown University continues to advise its students and faculty to remain vigilant.
House to vote on GOP’s ACA alternative: Speaker Mike Johnson announced over the weekend that the House will vote on a Republican bill that is a “clear, responsible alternative” to ObamaCare. With the Biden administration’s temporary enhanced subsidies scheduled to expire on December 31, Democrat lawmakers have stubbornly demanded an extension of the program with no other substantive changes. “While Democrats demand that taxpayers write bigger checks to insurance companies to hide the cost of their failed law, House Republicans are tackling the real drivers of healthcare costs to provide affordable care, increase access and choice, and restore integrity to our nation’s healthcare system for all Americans,” Johnson explained. The primary focus of the Republican bill is to expand consumer choices in health insurance plans. This would increase competition and drive down costs. The vote is scheduled for Friday.
A Kirk-Owens summit: On Sunday, TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk posted on X, “Candace Owens and I are meeting for a private, in-person discussion on Monday, December 15. [Owens] and I have agreed that public discussions, livestreams, and tweets are on hold until after this meeting. I look forward to a productive conversation. Thank you.” Owens, who has spun numerous and increasingly outlandish conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk — including insinuations that TPUSA and Erika were somehow involved — responded that she is “very much looking forward to this discussion.” Last week, TPUSA extended an offer for Owens to join leadership in an in-studio livestream to address her claims. Owens initially accepted only to turn it down hours later, claiming the offer was made in bad faith. Erika then appeared on Fox News, where she called on Owens to “stop” her negative conspiracy-mongering against TPUSA.
Reiner and wife found dead in LA home: Rob Reiner, director of “When Harry Met Sally” and “The Princess Bride,” and his wife were found dead after an apparent homicide at their home on Sunday. Rob was the son of another Hollywood icon, Carl Reiner, who predeceased him in 2020. A political activist, Reiner’s death was publicly mourned by Barack Obama, who said that the couple “will be remembered for the values they championed.” Unable to stay silent, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Reiner’s death was “due to the anger he caused others” with his “TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.” Trump’s post ended with, “May Rob and Michele rest in peace.” Police downplayed early reporting that Rob and Michele were stabbed to deathby their son Nick. However, Nick is now being held on a $4 million bail for his parents’ murders.
Nobody lining up to fund Biden library: Joe Biden has gone from hero to zero with Democrats, who just over a year ago were comparing him to Democrat icon FDR. Bill Clinton even suggested Biden choosing to step down after one term would “enhance his legacy” akin to that of George Washington. So much for that. Apparently, Democrat donors aren’t interested in supporting Biden’s legacy. Funding for Biden’s presidential library, which set a $200 million goal and was seeded with $4 million from his 2021 inauguration, has received little since. According to Biden’s foundation notification to the IRS, it expects to bring in a total of $11.3 million by the end of 2027. It would seem that most Democrats would rather forget how they embarrassed themselves by denying Biden’s obviously diminished cognitive state while president.
Illinois now allows assisted suicide: Illinois watched as one of Canada’s leading causes of death has become medically assisted suicide and decided to emulate the Canucks. Governor and suspected 2028 presidential hopeful JB Pritzker signed the “Medical Aid in Dying” bill into law last week. For now, the bill allows adults with terminal diagnoses with a prognosis of six months or less to request a terminal prescription they can take on their own terms. The Canadian legislation started with a similarly small scope but has been expanded again and again to include, among others, those with mental illness and the poor. The expansions in Canada are so extensive that last year, suicide requests from the mentally ill had to be paused due to demand outstripping supply. Calling it “euthanasia,” “medical assistance in dying,” or any other euphemism doesn’t change what it is — suicide.
ISIS murders three Americans: Three Americans — two soldiers and one civilian interpreter — were gunned down in Palmyra, Syria, on Saturday. The two soldiers killed were National Guardsmen from Iowa. Three other soldiers were wounded. President Trump wrote on Truth Social, “This was an ISIS attack against the U.S. and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria that is not fully controlled by them. The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation.” The Pentagon said the assault was carried out by a single man who was then “engaged and killed” by U.S. partner forces. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on X, “Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.”
Appeals court upholds Trump admin’s PP defunding: On Friday, a three-judge panel of the First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 3-0 that Planned Parenthood would likely not prevail in its lawsuit against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s taxpayer defunding of the nation’s leading abortion provider. The court reversed U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani’s injunction order. OBBBA’s section 71113 “imposes no fine or other penalty for past conduct,” Judge Gustavo Gelpi observed. “Instead, it establishes new conditions on the receipt of appropriated funds in service of a new policy goal favored by Congress.” This provision of the law bars Medicaid funding from going to nonprofit healthcare providers that perform abortions. Gelpi noted that Planned Parenthood could regain tax funding should it stop offering abortion services.
Huntsville welcomes Space Command HQ: Plans for the structure intended to house U.S. Space Command were unveiled on Friday at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Redstone Arsenal is a U.S. military installation with a heavy presence of defense contractors, the FBI, and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, making it an excellent fit to host U.S. Space Command. War Secretary Pete Hegseth says he is “committed to cutting every piece of red tape” to get the headquarters “established as quickly as possible.” A temporary facility is expected to be built within two years. The location of Space Command has been a subject of some controversy after it was initially established in Colorado before Trump approved a purpose-built HQ in Huntsville. Biden nixed that plan, but with Trump’s 2024 election win, his initial plan was reauthorized.
Headlines
FBI stops planned New Year’s Eve LA terror attack by pro-Palestinian cell (NY Post)
It was a bloody weekend around the world, and many, many people are mourning dead loved ones today.
In Syria on Saturday, three Americans (two soldiers and one interpreter) were murdered and three others were wounded by a radical Islamic member of Syria’s security forces. “This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria,” President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There will be very serious retaliation.”
Also on Saturday, but at Brown University in Rhode Island, an assailant opened fire, killing two students and wounding nine others. A person of interest was taken into custody but later released, and there is currently an ongoing manhunt for the murderer.
Connecticut Democrat Senator Chris Murphy blamed Trump. “It’s not shocking because over the last year, President Trump has been engaged in a dizzying campaign to increase violence in this country,” Murphy said. Actually, Democrats hold that distinction. Murphy also harped on the need for gun control without noting that Rhode Island is already very strict or that Brown is a “gun-free zone.”
Democrat Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock did the same thing, saying, “Any nation that tolerates this kind of violence year after year, decade after decade, in random places, on our college and school campuses, without doing all that we can to stop it is broken and in need of moral repair.”
Neither gun-grabbing Democrat mentioned that two women and a service dog were murdered by a man with a machete in Pennsylvania last week. Virtually no one heard of that horrific crime, as a matter of fact. Neither did the Democrat duo mention that famed Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were stabbed to death, likely by their disturbed son, Nick, over the weekend. Violent people don’t need guns to perpetrate deadly assaults.
The worst assault, however, occurred in Australia, which has enacted the Democrat model for gun confiscation and control. Two men — a Muslim father and son — opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, slaughtering 15 and wounding 40. The father was killed; the son was wounded and is in custody. Hanukkah began Sunday evening and continues through Monday, December 22.
For several reasons, I’ll focus most of my attention on Australia, where the glaringly obvious motive was Jew-hatred, and, again, where do-gooder politicians enacted some of the strictest gun laws in the world.
Democrat Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Somalia) lamented, “It is a tragedy that this has become a normal occurrence, not just in the United States but now seeing it in Australia, who’s [sic] worked really hard to create gun prevention laws to prevent the kind of tragedy that took place today.” She didn’t mention that the murderers were Muslim, or that the victims were Jews, or that Australia’s gun laws utterly failed.
Again, the attack was perpetrated by two Muslims at a Hanukkah festival filled with Jews. One survivor said, “Every time they shot, they screamed ‘Allahu Akbar.’”
Yet, like Omar, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued an initial statement that made no mention of any of that. Only after an outcry did he later call it “a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah.”
Naturally, he also warned about “the rise of right-wing extremist groups.” You can’t make this up.
Earlier this year, Albanese joined a few other nations in rebuking Israel and recognizing a Palestinian state, which would reward the Hamas terrorists who massacred 1,200 Israelis on October 7, 2023. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who previously warned Albanese that recognizing Palestinian statehood “pours fuel on the antisemitic fire,” minced no words: “Your government did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism in Australia. You did nothing to curb the cancer cells that were growing inside your country. You took no action, you let the disease spread, and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today.”
Notably, a Muslim hero tackled and disarmed one of the assailants, only to be shot twice by the other. He is recovering after surgery.
The victims include a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi, and a Holocaust survivor who died protecting his wife. He survived the German fascists of the last century but not the Islamofascists of this one.
As far as gun control, I’ve already noted that Australia has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the world, but here are some relevant tidbits.
The New York Times reports on Australia’s laws, hastily enacted in 1996 after a mass shooter killed 35 people: “The authorities essentially banned assault rifles and many other semiautomatic rifles, as well as shotguns. They imposed mandatory gun buybacks that took as many as one in three privately held guns out of circulation, and, according to some estimates, melted down as many as one million guns. They also imposed new registration requirements and restrictions on gun purchases.”
The Times also says, “For two decades after the 1996 attack, there were no mass shootings in Australia.” CNN argues, “Australia had decades of proof that tough gun laws can make a country safer.” Similarly, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both hailed Australia as a model for the U.S.
However, the Land Down Under doesn’t have the urban poverty plantations, the gangs, or the mental health problems America does. There isn’t a culture of violence in Australia like there is in American urban centers … controlled by Democrats with tight gun laws.
As Mark Alexander noted, “According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 1996, before enactment of the gun ban, Australia had had 311 murders, 98 by assailants with guns (including the 35 people killed in one mass shooting that prompted the confiscation). In the latest year of record, there were 227 people murdered, 32 by assailants using guns.” Each murder is terrible, but that’s a low murder rate both before and after gun-grabbers “saved the day.”
At least one of the assailants in Bondi Beach used a bolt-action rifle. The father legally owned six firearms.
Nevertheless, as in 1996, Australia is going to double down on tougher gun laws. “The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary,” Albanese said today. “Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws.”
Have the Aussies ever thought of making murder even more illegal?
Douglas Andrews: Europe Is Our DEW Line — We should all be paying attention to a scathing national-security report from the Trump administration, which puts Europe on notice for its civilizational decline.
Michael Smith: Mogadishu on the Mississippi — The Mississippi River starts at Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota and flows south for 2,552 miles until it reaches the Gulf of America. Water isn’t the only thing flowing down from Minnesota.
Roger Helle: Attitude of Gratitude — In the midst of all greed and entitlement, let’s decide to be a spiritual thermostat in our circle of influence.
Days of National Recognition: The Bill of Rights — On December 15, 1791, the first 10 Amendments were ratified.
MTG Storms Off Interview After This Question — After expressing frustration for being labeled a “traitor” by Donald Trump, Greene was reminded of her past history of calling lawmakers traitors.
Red Guard Marxism Has Captured Universities — Long before high school debate judges were declaring themselves Marxist–Leninist revolutionaries, red flags were flying high across college campuses.
Disney Has a Problem — And It’s Called ‘David’ — A bold new animated film from Angel Studios challenges Disney’s moral storytelling, and it might be the first Christian movie to actually rival Disney’s quality.
SHORT CUTS
Truth Bomb
“Imagine being the guy running on wanting to see trans kids. Haha. Not even a trans ADULT would run on that. Normal adults wake up & think they want to see HEALTHY, SAFE, HAPPY kids.” —singer-songwriter Nicki Minaj responding to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statement that he wants to see trans kids
What Is a Conservative?
“We’re conserving Western civilization. We’re conserving American identity. We’re conserving the sanctity of human life. We’re conserving the family. We’re conserving marriage. … If you agree with me on that, then we’re on the same side as far as I’m concerned.” —Matt Walsh
Belly Laugh of the Day
“I think you could get rid of a couple of your little policies, like men in women’s sports, open borders, transgender for everybody. But other than that, I like what you’re doing.” —Donald Trump on the Democrats
For the Record
“China is neither a friend nor an ally. It is not a trading partner. It is an aggressive nation against whom we are in a cold war. It has compromised our power grids, our telecommunications infrastructure and attempted to wreak havoc on our agricultural products.” —Erick Erickson
“The Chinese Communist Party views the West — particularly the United States — not as a partner but as a rival to be surpassed and supplanted. Beijing’s posture and actions are consistent with those aimed at an adversary in a long, grinding cold war. Washington needs to view Beijing in the same way.” —Josh Hammer
“Europe is only growing more socialist, censorious, globalist, pacifist, multicultural, atheistic, and green. In contrast, the U.S. is undergoing a counter-revolution toward smaller government, fewer regulations, more fossil fuels, an expanding military, less DEI and woke, more secure borders, legal-only immigration, and renewed faith. Only one of these competing solutions will solve the shared crisis of Western civilization.” —Victor Davis Hanson
And Last…
“As long as Republicans act like Congress is a gentlemen’s club, while Democrats act like a street gang, America is lost.” —actor James Woods
ON THIS DAY in 1791, the Bill of Rights was ratified. Ideally, our basic rights would remain secured by those amendments, but the Left never relents in tyrannically infringing those rights — especially free speech and the right to keep and bear arms. And we will never tire of defending our rights.
In Sydney, Australia hundreds of Jews gathered to celebrate the first day of Hannukah on Sunday afternoon. That’s when 3 terrorists including a father and son were murdered in cold blood. A person of interest detained Sunday after a Brown University shooting is released after authorities say there is no basis to keep the person in custody. The Syrian security guard who attacked and killed 2 U.S. soldiers and an interpreter in Palmyra joined the internal security forces 2 months ago. the government of Ukraine estimates Russian forces have abducted more than 20 thousand children since the war began. first lady Melania Trump wrote a “peace letter” to Russian president Vladimir Putin about the children. Some might argue that faith and science can’t coexist. A museum in Tennessee is challenging that belief.
-Rep. Mark Harris joins “Wake Up America” and condemns the tragic shooting at Bondi Beach.
-Rep. Tom Emmer comments on Rep. Ilhan Omar’s alleged marriage to her brother and slams the handling of alleged fraud in Minnesota.
-“The Right Squad” panel mocks the left’s foolish statements of the week.
-Newsmax host Lidia Curanaj discusses Gavin Newsom’s trans kids comments.
-Ric Grenell joins Greg Kelly to discuss the revitalization of the Kennedy Center and gives his thoughts on his state’s governor, Gavin Newsom.
Fox News host Mark Levin explains what could lead to the destruction of Western society on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’ #fox #media #us #usa #new #news #foxnews #lifelibertylevin #levin #marklevin #western #westernsociety #freedom #america #politics #political #politicalnews #government #global #world #future #immigration #australia
Join RSBN in a Medal Presentation for defending the Mexican Border at the Oval Office with President Donald Trump Tune in at 1:00 pm EDT on December 15, 2025.
The EU’s pro-war, globalist, anti-American leaders are doing everything in their power—including weighing what’s being called a “nuclear option” of deliberately shaking the foundations of the U.S. economy—to block a peace settlement in Ukraine, even as President Trump advances direct negotiations aimed at finally ending the nearly four-year-long inter-Slavic war.
According to reports, the globalist bloc in Europe is threatening to sell-off $2.34 trillion in US Treasury holdings if Trump withdraws support for Ukraine—an action that some analysts claim could trigger a downturn more severe than the 2008 crash.
Recently, behind closed doors, American and Ukrainian delegations met again in Miami, signaling Washington’s renewed push for a peace settlement instead of endless military escalation and the unending flow of cash into what many see as the black pit of corruption within the Ukrainian government.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Trump’s Russia envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner for the talks. Trump said afterward there is “a real shot at a deal,” reinforcing his long-held promise to stop the war before it spirals further.
Europe’s entrenched ruling class—deeply unpopular at home while increasingly irrelevant geopolitically— however, is panicking at the idea of peace breaking out on terms they and their globalist backers cannot control. Brussels and Berlin fear Trump may reset relations with Moscow and sideline the EU, which has spent years posturing as the moral authority of the Western alliance.
According to reports, one European intelligence service distributed internal memos warning that Trump’s outreach to Russia could upend NATO’s preferred strategy. These documents accuse Washington of considering commercial cooperation with Moscow—something Europe once embraced before its own sanctions backfired.
Rather than welcoming diplomacy, EU officials are allegedly weighing economic retaliation if Trump dares to end the war on his own terms. Sources say some governments have floated the idea of dumping portions of their massive holdings of U.S. debt as a form of pressure.
Such a move would be a dramatic escalation—essentially an attempt to destabilize the American economy to keep the Ukraine conflict alive. Analysts note this financial “nuclear option” could send shockwaves through global markets and severely devalue the dollar.
European technocrats appear willing to risk worldwide turmoil to preserve their geopolitical ambitions. Their threat reflects how far the EU has drifted from serving its citizens and how committed it remains to endless confrontation with Russia.
Trump supporters argue this proves the President is right: Europe has grown dependent on U.S. protection while undermining American interests. By pursuing peace, Trump is challenging a globalist order that profits from permanent conflict.
EU officials fear losing both influence and leverage should peace be restored under Trump’s leadership. As midterm elections approach in the U.S., Brussels hopes its threats will intimidate Washington into maintaining the status quo.
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